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Looking to substitute ingredients in your baking, then here is the quick reference guide for you. This infographic will be your go to guide when you find a recipe you want to bake but there are ingredients that you don’t like or can’t tolerate.
Baking Substitution Infographic
Baking Substitutions – Quick Reference Guide
Eggs – (per Egg)
Choose based on the flavors you are trying to create.
• 1/4 Cup Silken Tofu
• 1 TBSP Ground Flax Seed plus 3 TBSP Water
• 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
• 3 1/2 TBSP Gelatin Mix (1 Cup Boiling Water + 2 Teaspoons Gelatin)
• 1/2 Cup Mashed Banana
Oil (per cup)
What you use will depend on if your dish is sweet or savory.
• Fruit Puree
• Sour Cream
• Yogurt
• Banana
• Melted Butter
• Coconut Oil
White Flour (per cup)
When substituting something for white flour the rule is to mix different types of substitutes together to get the right flavor and texture, at least two but three sometimes is better. Also use Grams instead of Cups. 140 Grams of any mixture below will equal 1 Cup of Flour.
• Coconut Flour
• Almond Flour
• Cornmeal
• Rice Flour
• Oat Flour
• Rolled Oats
• Soy Flour
White Sugar (per cup)
You may need to reduce the liquid in the overall recipe for these substitutions.
• 2/3 Cup Agave Nectar
• 3/4 Cup Honey
• 1 Cup Chopped Dates (puree with 1 Cup of liquid after soaking for 1 hour)
• 1 Cup Mashed Ripe Banana
• 1 Teaspoon Stevia
Buttermilk (per cup)
• Sour Cream
• Plain Yogurt + 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda + 3 Tablespoons Butter
• Milk + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice + 3 Tablespoons Butter
Milk (per cup)
• Almond Milk
• Coconut Milk
• Soy Milk
• Oat Milk
• Rice Milk
Sour Cream (per cup)
• Plain Yogurt + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• Silken Yogurt + 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Blended
Salt (per teaspoon)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
• Seaweed Flakes (to taste)
• Dried Celery Flakes or Powder
Cocoa Powder
• Carob Powder
Yeast
• Double Acting Baking Powder
• Equal Parts Baking Soda + Lemon Juice, Vinegar or Buttermilk
Butter
• Vegetable Shortening
• Olive Oil Spread
• Coconut Oil
• Avocado
Let us know of other substitutes that you use in your baking and we will add it to our list. | https://www.thetastycook.com/cooking-tips/baking-substitutes/ |
Our Super 10 Blend gives this delicious whole-grain loaf added fiber and nutrition.
*If you use the optional vital wheat gluten, increase the amount of water in the recipe by 1 to 2 tablespoons, enough to make a smooth, supple dough.
Combine all of the ingredients, mixing and kneading them together to form a smooth, slightly sticky dough, adding more flour or water as needed.
Cover and let rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, shape it into a 8" x 4" log, and put it into a lightly greased 8 1/2" x 4 1/4" bread pan, gently flattening it to fill the pan.
Cover the pan and allow the loaf to rise until it's crested about 1" over the rim of the pan.
Bake the bread in a preheated 375°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting with foil after about 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. Remove from the oven when it's golden brown, and its interior temperature registers 190°F on an instant-read thermometer.
After 5 minutes, turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool.
My loaf tasted good but the texture was pretty heavy and the dough didn't rise much despite having used fresh yeast and correct measuring techniques. Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to improve the rise and texture?
Five stars for it turning out exactly as promised, my only changes being to use half the amount of yeast and double the amount of wheat gluten because I live at 8000 feet. A nice moist bread that works well for sandwiches and toasts nicely, I do have a question, though. I no longer see the Ancient Grains Blend in the King Arthur product list. I believe it contains 30% each of Amaranth, Millet and Sorghum and 10% Quinoa flours. Is the new Super 10 Blend its alternative? I imagine this would be a good substitute for the Ancient Grains Blend in this recipe. Am I correct? The labeling does not list the proportions of the flours and other ingredients in the new product but I'm curious as to what the proportion of Amaranth flour is. Is it the same or less than in the Ancient Grains Blend? The distinctive taste of Amaranth is something I find palatable only at quite low concentrations, but that's just my own personal preference. Should I use 25% of the total flour as Super 10 Blend in this recipe in the absence of Ancient Grains Blend?
The flavor of this bread is very nice. Good texture. Nice rise.
This recipe was easy to follow and the bread came out very tasty. However, I have a question....It took 2-3 times longer for the bread to rise and even then wasn't doubled in size as specified. I'm wondering if my yeast is to blame. I had stored the yeast in the refrigerator for probably 6 months since I bought it from KAF. I have since read about yeast on your website and see that I should keep the yeast in the freezer. Do you think the yeast was the main issue?
The two most common culprits of dense, heavy bread that fails to rise is either yeast that's no longer fresh or using too much flour in the dough. To rule out the first possibility, test your yeast by adding about 1/2 teaspoon of yeast to 1/2 cup of warm water with a pinch of sugar. Stir and let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes; it should become foamy and bubbly within that time. (If not, the yeast is no longer good.) Storing your yeast in the freezer will help extend the shelf life, but it's not a necessary step. Give your yeast a test and see if that might have been the cause of the trouble.
great bread, though maybe a tad too sweet. i used a glass casserole dish and it worked fine.
I used a different grain mix than ancient. Like the recipe. Had to use all water because I did not have orange juice or another suitable juice. King Arthur recommended the use of all water. I used a grain mix with some seeds in it which my DH did not like all that much. Recipe is easy to follow. Makes good tasty sandwiches and toast. I will try again with real Ancient Grains.
Also could you use a cast iron pot instead of the bread baking bowl?
Would harvest grains work as well and if so what ratio would you use?
Hi team, would like to know is it possible to replace the bread flour with whole wheat flour? If yes, what adjustments would I need to the liquid, yeast and gluten quantities. Also Is there anything else I would need to adjust? Another doubt is that I don't have access to the ancient grains blend, so I would be doing a DIY version of sorghum, millet, oats and buckwheat flours would you be able to help me with what ratios should I take them in OR would any ratio as per choice do?
Hi Seema, while you're welcome to experiment with using whole wheat flour in place of bread flour in this recipe, it's likely going to produce a loaf that's more dense and also rises less. Bread flour, with its high protein content, gives the dough a boost in structure. Without it, the ancient grains and whole grains are going to produce a heavier loaf. If you're OK with those results, go ahead and make the swap 1:1. You won't need to change the quantities of any of the ingredients aside from perhaps needing to add slightly more water if the dough feels stiff or dry.
I followed the suggestion offered about substituting-in sourdough starter. I used unfed 50/50 by weight starter, made with KA AP flour, then used KA bread flour for the remaining white flour specified in recipe. I used the rest of the recipe ingredients without changes. I prepared the whole loaf in my Zo Supreme, set on light crust/basic. My finished loaf was a bit on the dark side, and also fell in the middle. The flavor was fine, but the texture was spongy. I usually have great results from KA recipes, but this one was a disappointment. | https://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/ancient-grains-bread-recipe |
Tutorial on the preparation of Gobi Pakora
One of the most famous and delicious recipe made using cauliflower is Chilli Gobi. There is an other interesting cauliflower recipe serving the same level of mouth watering taste and appetite. Its Cauliflower Pakoda/Gobi Pakora. It is a south Indian style of dish made by the process of deep frying the Gobi using oil. Learn how to make Gobi Pakoda recipe in this step by step image tutorial.
Ingredients Required
Cauliflower - 1/2
Gram Flour - 1/2
Rice Flour - 3 table spoon
Chopped Onion - 1
Pepper Powder - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 400 to 450 ml
Salt - 1 tbsp
Here we have mentioned the quantity of ingredients for 1/2 Cauliflower head. You need to adjust with the amount of ingredients depending on the total amount of cauliflower pakoda that you are going to make.
Steps To Follow
Step 1: In a large bowl, add the gram flour.
Step 2: Now add Chilli powder.
Step 3: Followed by Garam Masala.
Step 4: Sprinkle Pepper Powder.
Step 5: Add turmeric.
Step 6: Now add Salt.
Step 7: Add the Rice flour.
Step 8: Mix everything.
Step 9: Make sure the flour doesnt form any crumbles.
Step 10: Add the chopped onion and mix it well.
To view the making of Cauliflower pakoda, click on the link for the next page. | https://www.shorttutorials.com/cauliflower-recipes/cauliflower-pakoda.html |
The recipe below is the traditional one in my mother’s family, but is also typical of Emilia-Romagna. Of course, there might be slight variations from home to home. Some add salt, for example, but I think it is unnecessary as you add salt to the cooking water. Others might add a little olive oil, but I see no value in that because even a small amount will add an unnecessary or unwelcome flavour, and not contribute to a better final product in any discernible way.
One ingredient you might have to play by ear is the number of eggs because, no matter how good, they can differ in richness and size. Once you find your favourite source, try to stick with it. As a general rule, use 1 large egg for every 100g flour. As with eggs, try to find a flour you like and stick with it. My preference is for the soft flours from Mulino Marino in Piedmont: I use their ‘00’ flour for fresh pasta.
Ingredients
|1kg||‘00’ flour|
|10||large free-range eggs, preferably with very dark yolks to add colour to your pasta (avoid those from chickens force-fed extra carotene)|
Essential kit
If making smaller shapes, you will need a pastry cutter or the cutting implement from a pasta machine to produce the shape you need.
Instructions
Tip the flour on to a work surface or board. Make a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and beat with a fork until frothy. Using your hands, start working in some of the flour from around the well. Continue doing this until a dough forms. Depending on the warmth of your kitchen and hands, you might need to add a little warm water if the dough does not come together. Knead for about 10 minutes, keeping your hands lightly floured, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Cut the dough in half and place one piece on a lightly floured surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to the thickness required for the pasta shape you are making. As a general rule, long pasta (e.g. spaghetti) should be perhaps 1—2 mm, while that used for stuffed pasta (e.g. ravioli) should be even thinner. The rolling is hard work because the dough is stiff, but it is well worth the effort.
If you want long strips, such as pappardelle or spaghetti, or big rectangles, such as lasagne, fold the pasta sheet several times and cut the size you want using a knife. When unfolded, you will have multiple strips. If making smaller shapes, use a pastry cutter or the cutting implement from a pasta machine to produce the shape you need. For simple round shapes you could use a glass or cup.
Keep the pasta on floured wooden trays in a cool part of the kitchen for no more than 3 hours or so before cooking it. The trays can be stacked, and the top one should be covered with a cloth. | https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/recipes/homemade-pasta |
If you're looking for Homemade Green Tea Buns recipe, look no further! We provide you only the best Homemade Green Tea Buns recipe here. We also have wide variety of recipes to try.
If you are having trouble recently in the kitchen when it pertains to obtaining your cuisine perfect, you are not alone. Many people have natural cooking skill but not quite sufficient know-how to prepare with excellence. This Homemade Green Tea Buns dish is a great start, very easy to cook as well as tasty.
To make Homemade Green Tea Buns you need 9 ingredients and 19 steps. Here is how you cook it.
Ingredients of Homemade Green Tea Buns
- Provide 250 g of bread flour.
- Prepare 8 g of fresh yeast (we used LEVITAL).
- Prepare 15 g of sugar.
- You need 5 g of Matcha (we used COOK MATCHA).
- You need to prepare 25 g of butter.
- Use 110 ml of milk.
- You need 1 pinch of salt.
- Prepare 1 of egg flour for kneading 50g or more.
- Provide 1 of egg yolk for painting.
Homemade Green Tea Buns step by step
- In a bowl put flour and make a hole in the center..
- Put sugar and fresh yeast into the hole..
- Place egg and salt away from the yeast..
- Heat the milk to 40°C and put toward yeast..
- With a spoon, mix well and bring the ingredients together to form a sticky mass..
- Add Matcha powder and mix well..
- Transfer the dough to a floured kitchen table..
- With floured hands, throw and turn the dough..
- Repeat this process of turning and kneading for 15 minutes..
- Add softened butter to the dough and continue kneading over 5 minutes..
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball..
- Leave the dough to rise in the oven of 40°C for 60 minutes..
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and press a finger into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has properly risen..
- Cover the dough with wet cloth and leave for 10 minutes..
- Shape each piece into a small ball..
- Leave the balls in the oven of 40°C for 40 minutes to rise until double in size..
- (This time, before baking, paint each buns with egg yolk and sprinkle with white sesame.).
- Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes..
- .
Since you have read Homemade Green Tea Buns recipe, it is the time for you to head to the kitchen and prepare some wonderful food! Bear in mind, food preparation is not an ability that can be 100 percent right at first. Technique is required for you to grasp the art of cooking.
If you find this Homemade Green Tea Buns recipe valuable please share it to your close friends or family, thank you and good luck. | https://acookingdayinrome.com/global-recipes/3217-steps-to-make-perfect-homemade-green-tea-buns/ |
So today I am bringing you a recipe that I was lucky enough to get from a friend that stay's in Germany. The amounts are estimates as her mother simply said you must be able to feel when the dough feels right. Being a chef and a passionate baker my self I understand what she means by that. It the same with me when I cook at home, I never use exact amounts of each ingredients. But rather add this or that till I feel that the taste and texture is at the correct level or desire. But too make it a bit easier for all of you, I have decided to make the amounts as accurate as possible so you don't have to guess.
As for the pumpkin to use when making this fabulous bread is really up too you. I would use a sweeter pumpkin just to ensure that the flavour is properly carried through out the bread. You can also prepare the pumpkin two different ways. The first way is to simply boil it until it is soft and you are able to mash it into a smooth paste. The second way is to roast it in the oven. This method will make the end product a bit sweeter as the natural sugars will be caramelise while in the dry cooking method. (I prefer to roast it, not just because of the extra sweetness but also because the paste will not be as wet) Too spice up this bread, great spices to add is cinnamon, nutmeg or even cardamon. To make it more of a sweeter bread, you can add a it more brown treacle sugar and a hint of vanilla extract.
So with out a further a due here is the recipe and method to make this tasty bread. Enjoy and don't be shy to share your pictures and results.
Ingredients
Method
Rolled Oats & Rye Bread
15/1/2014
So this is another one of my own inventions, and I had to bake about 8 breads before I got all my ingredient percentages right in order to get the desired consistency in my final product. All the Rye breads I've bought all seemed to be the same, they were all very heavy and dense. I personally don't like having rye bread like that, I would have preferred it to be a bit more aerated with a nice crisp crust. So I took it upon myself to make the kind of rye bread I would enjoy having. But lets first talk a bit about the main things that make rye flour different to that of normal white flour. The two main components which jump out to me is the flavour profile as well as the significantly lower gluten content. The flavour of rye flour is much more prominent than that of white flour, thus rye seeds are also used to make whisky, vodka and even beers. The significantly reduced amount of gluten has a huge effect on the elasticity of the dough, it doesn't allow stretching and instead breaks. You will see when working with rye flour it resembles something more to that of a thick paste than dough. This makes it difficult to work with when your making your bread. Unlike when using white flour where the dough becomes stretched and strengthens when you knead it, rye flour simply does not strengthens at all. This causes a lot of people to add loads of white flour when they make their rye bread, which changes the ratios completely, meaning they won't get what the recipe intended at the end product. Making bread is a science, so when you make this recipe keep in mind not to add loads of white flour, simply combine all your ingredients as directed in the method and work it till everything is well incorporated.
Another very important aspect to remember when baking bread and intending to increase the volume of bread is that you can't just simply double or triple all the ingredients. Each ingredient is given a percentage of the complete dough, and to ensure you get what the recipe intended you need to adhere to those percentages. If you just double or triple the ingredients, you will not have the correct consistency. This will leave you with a dough that is either over hydrated or under hydrated, and in return you will add more or less flour than what was intended. You will have noticed that in the final product your dough is very dense, is not well aerated or is even under baked because of this.
I will be posting 2 pictures of examples where I increased the original recipe to 3.6kg. If you do not understand what I have done to get the new amounts simply leave a comment and I will be glad to help you out. I will discuss this topic at length on one of my other posts in the near future. In this recipe I've made use of a Poolish method (which is a loose preferment) to gain two different advantages from it, this being increased flavour and gluten development. When you make a preferment, you allow for the yeast and the flour to create a more intense flavour profile. I have also used a small amount of whole wheat flour in the recipe, and made use of the little amount of gluten in there to create some sort of a stretch in the final dough, thus by using it in the preferment I'm allow it to form gluten.
Note: The ingredients used in the Poolish method are not extra but instead are from the overall ingredients. Please don't use separate ingredient for the Poolish method.
Ingredients
Overall amount
Poolish Method (these amount are to be taken from the overall amount)
Poolish Method
Method
Edited by: Monique Boaventura
South Africa's Favourite Coffee accompaniment, Rusks! Buttermilk Rusks & Buttermilk,Lavender, Walnut & Fig Rusks!
19/12/2013
Here it is, my rusks recipe I promised you earlier today. I'm going to give you two different variations today, one is a very popular flavour amongst South Africans and the other one is more of a personal preference. The first recipe is a Buttermilk Rusk recipe and the second one is a Walnut and Dried Fig recipe. If I were to have the buttermilk rusk I would go with coffee instead of tea and visa versa with the walnut and fig rusk. You can make these rusks look rustic just for you and your family or you could make them nice and edgy for a High Tea party on a Sunday Afternoon.
Buttermilk Rusks: (this is for a large batch, they are easily stored in an air tight container or glass jar.)
Ingredients
Method
Walnut and Dried Fig
Ingredients
Method
Edited by: Monique Boaventura
Mosbolletjies
19/12/2013
This is similar to rusks, which is also a favourite accompaniment with a hot beverage like coffee or tea. They are easy to make and you can make them a healthy snack if you a bit of a health conscious person. It's also easily stored, so making them in bulk and placing in big glass jars work great for adding something to your kitchen.
There can be enjoyed fresh out of the oven or double bake to dry them out like rusks.
Ingredients
Method
Today I decided to bring you two different South African dishes and pairing them together. Vetkoek is a deep fried pastry which is enjoyed with several different types of fillings. Some of these fillings include savoury minced meat with peas, potatoes and carrots. You can also find this loved deep fried pastry at the street venders which pair it with "russian sausages", polony and if you have a sweet tooth you can also get it with apricot jam and butter. And because this addictive pastry is so versatile I've chosen a slightly sweet but savoury filling to go with it. Bobotie is a base of minced meat, enriched by a sweet savoury curry flavour which is topped with a silky smooth egg and cream mixture. Some of the other key ingredients in this dish is the raisins, sultanas and almonds. But enough about that, lets get to the important part, the recipe and how to make this wonderful dish. I will first be posting the Vetkoek recipe and then later today I will post the Bobotie recipe, so keep an eye out for that. For those who do not know what Vetkoek means, if roughly translated it means "Fat cake". I saw some one that translated it to meaning "fat cook", which is incorrect.
Ingredients
Method
So many people I know go crazy for a good Eggs Benedict. I've chosen to post a recipe today for the eggs Benedict, starting from the base to the topping! There are three different Benedict's, well at least three different traditional variations. Firstly there is the Eggs Benedict, which includes Gypsy Ham with a two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. Secondly there is the Eggs Royale, this is a more dressed up Benedict, it has smoked salmon in the place of the Gypsy Ham and also has the poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Then last but not least, we have the eggs Florentine, this Benedict is served with a spinach base.
All of these different Benedict's are all traditionally served on a English muffin which is split in half and then place onto a pan or flat top with butter to crisp up. But now days we get a lot more variations of this morning delight, some of the others I've heard of is using bacon or parma ham. One thing which I have noticed when I go to restaurants in South Africa is that the Chefs name there Benedict's incorrectly, I don't know if they do this for the people so that they know that its still a Benedict that they ordering or just out of ignorance.
Ingredients for English Muffin
Method
Ingredients for Hollandaise
Method
Now that you have all your required ingredients ready, you are now able to construct your very own home made Eggs Benedict and enjoy it in the comfort of your own home.
Yesterday while I was out shopping with my dad and sister, my dad picked up a tray of chelsea buns which where totally over priced and way too small for my liking. So I suggested to him, that if he got the necessary ingredients it would be my pleasure to bake him some wonderful home made large chelsea buns. And as you can see here, he made the right choice and got chelsea buns for less than half the price, larger and most importantly freshly baked. I chose to have two different filling and just used what was available around the house. I hope you will try out this wonderful recipe and give me some feed back on what you would change or what you like or did not like about them. You can use the same dough to make dinner rolls, hotdog buns, and even a loaf of bread. This dough mixture is also known as a enriched dough as it has eggs, butter and sugar, which gives this bread a soft texture and a sweeter taste.
Ingredients
Method
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do and hope everyone is having a wonderful Festive Season!
Cream Cheese Dinner Rolls!
21/11/2013
Round two of my baking week, I've decided to replace the soft butter rolls with my very own creation. I call them cream cheese dinner rolls, as the cream cheese is the unique ingredient.
Its a very simple recipe which don't need a lot of ingredients, but it does take quite a bit of elbow grease to get the dough to the right texture.
The overall time from start to finish is about 3 hours.
I then made dinner using the dinner rolls by making a rump and avocado slider!
Ingredients:
Method:
The French Baguette
20/11/2013
The French Baguette was first made in Vienna during the Mid 19th Century. When a law in France was past which stated that bakers can't bake before 4 am in the morning, the French Baguette came to the rescue as it could be made and baked more rapidly than the French Boule. Before the law was past the French enjoyed the Boule for breakfast every day, but with the new law there was not enough time for the boule to be prepared and baked in time for breakfast.
This past weekend I prepared and baked a traditional French Baguette (to be able to call any bread you make french it should only contain four basic ingredients which include flour, yeast, water and salt.) with had a pre-ferment which I had to prepare the night before. This is to develop a much stronger flavour in the bread (the french are known for there artisan bread baking skills, and using only the four basics they are able to produce several different bread. They achieve this by changing proofing times, kneading methods and quantities.) and it also provides better gluten development. The next day I was ready to make my bread, I did not use any fancy mixers or specialised equipment to make the bread. So there is no excuse for anyone not to try out this great recipe.
Pre-Ferment Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
Method:
Enjoy and please post pictures of your Baguettes.
Bread baking is one of those thing I tend to do when I want to just take a time out and relax a bit. Seeing how each bread grows as you go through all the different steps from weighing out all the ingredients to exact measurement, to the bulk proofing and then finally the part where you just take it out the oven and smell the sweet smell of home made quality bread.
So as you can see, i've started my bread baking (French Baguette) early this week. Still to come is soft butter rolls, ciabatta, focaccia, and possibly chelsea/cinnamon buns. So keep an eye out for those recipes through out this next week and hope everyone had a great weekend.
I use Eureka Flour, which is local to South Africa and sources its wheat from Heidelberg as well as Swellensdam. The method of farming the wheat is by crop rotation, which allows for the soil to maintain its natural organic materials thus less fertiliser is required. This also promotes the presents of earth worms and also gives the soil a higher nitrogen level which keeps insects and weeds away. The nitrogen levels and organic materials also allows fro the wheat to posses a higher nutritional value. Commercial methods of wheat grinding requires 14 different steps which result in high temperatures, which damages and destroys. Where as the method that Eureka implements only requires 3 different steps and a very small amount of heat is produced during this process, preserving the vitamins and minerals. Which is stone milled and not bleached in any way!
They have a wide range of flour such as Plain Cake Flour to Rye Flour. To have a look at there range simply press the button below.
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I'm a chef at heart and by trade, enjoy what I do and have a passion for the culinary world. | http://www.chefdewet.co.za/blog/category/bread%20recipes |
If it’s too small, the cake will spill over the sides when it rises and if it’s too big, it won’t rise properly. This sounds obvious but cakes in particular have specific requirements, such as the temperature of ingredients that cannot be altered. You don’t want to realize too late that the butter you just mixed with sugar was supposed to be softened. To keep your cake plate neat while you apply frosting, place four pieces of waxed paper under the edges of the bottom layer. To use cake flour in a recipe that calls for self-rising cake flour use 1 cup cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Don’t substitute or alter. Wrap cooled layers individually in plastic wrap, then foil; place inside zip-top plastic bag. Instead line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift the flour and spoon into measuring cup, then level off making sure not to pack the flour. Wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, and place inside of re-sealable plastic bag. Even a minute of baking time can make a great difference to your cookies. baking powder and ¼ tsp. Place another sheet of waxed paper on top so cookies will avoid contact with ice crystals. ). Remove cake from oven. Place wrapped cookie dough log into a re-sealable freezer bag for a double wrap to ensure quality, label with date and recipe name for up to one month. Coat with flour rotating the pan until all surfaces are covered, discard excess flour. Flour has a limited shelf life and should be kept cool, dry and airtight. Once cake is almost thawed, remove foil & plastic wrap, place on plate, cover in air tight container; frost once thawed. Always preheat your oven to the correct temperature. Use standard measuring cups and spoons and level measurements of ingredients in all recipes. Always sift Swans Down Cake Flour unless the recipe specifically calls for unsifted. When using salted butter in a recipe that calls for unsalted butter, omit any additional salt the recipe calls for. Egg whites can be stored in your refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to three months. baking powder and ¼ tsp. Most cakes should be baked as close to the center of the oven as possible, leaving room for air circulation between pans. When using unsalted instead of salted, add ½ teaspoon salt to recipe.
For each cup of all purpose flour in a recipe; sift Swans Down Cake Flour once then measure 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. To soften butter, leave it out for several hours; it should offer no resistance when you press on it. If it is too big, it won’t rise properly. Slice according to size preferred; dough can be partially frozen and may just take a minute or two longer to bake. Glass heats more quickly and retains its heat longer. Rinse your pan under cold running water and pat dry. Nor will it rise properly if the oven continues to warm up after the pan has been placed in it. To convert a recipe from all-purpose flour to cake flour use 1 cup and 2 tablespoons of cake flour for each cup of all-purpose flour.
Cake flour is very finely milled low protein (6-8%) low gluten soft wheat. Doing so may change the character of your baked good and you will fail to get the success you hoped for.
Even very small inaccuracies may change the balance or proportion. If you substitute pans, make sure the volume measure stays the same. Let stand 5 minutes before using. "My mom always said Swans Down was best. (Double for 2 cups, triple for 3 cups, and so on.).
Under mixing gives improper blending of ingredients and causes uneven grain, and sometimes a streak at bottom of cake. Sifting them together is key.
Top springs back when lightly touched. Replace ½ cup brown sugar with 2 tablespoons molasses and ½ cup granulated sugar. When beating egg whites try not to under beat or over beat, egg whites should be stiff but not dry. Portion cookie dough into a 10 inch long by 2 ½ inch round log, wrap securely in parchment paper or aluminum foil. Check for freshness by cracking eggs individually into another bowl before adding to other ingredients. Store your crisp cookies in a container separate from your soft cookies because they need different environments to stay fresh. 1 cup = ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Cake starts to pull away from sides of pan. Such pans reflect the heat in the necessary way to produce such delectable results. Let cool 10-15 minutes in pan then invert onto wire rack until completely cool. For precise measuring of flour, we recommend using amount specific (dry) measuring cups (i.e. To thaw, remove zip-top plastic bag; leave in foil and plastic wrap. For best results use a long serrated knife and clean your knife after each slice.
Chinese Black Bean Sauce Recipe, Orchestral Accompaniment For Violin, Baked Lime Chicken, Cheesy Spinach Vegetable Bake, Fever-tree Naturally Light Tonic Nutrition, How To Install Window Ac On Second Floor, Essay On Impact Of Agriculture On Environment, Majesty 2 Mod, Darlington Pair Is Mainly Used For, | https://naturesanswer.com/topic/swans-down-cake-flour-substitute-2283ef |
Hi buddy, back with us in the most pleasing receipes site. If you are looking for pleasing Chapati recipe, you are now at the perfect place. We only serve excellent Chapati recipe which will be very easy for you to follow.
We hope you got insight from reading it, now let’s go back to chapati recipe. To cook chapati you only need 5 ingredients and 9 steps. Here is how you do that.
Below are the ingridients that are required to serve a appetizing Chapati:
- Take 2 cups of warm water.
- Get 3 Tbs of sugar.
- Use Pinch of salt.
- Prepare of Cooking oil.
- Provide of Flour.
Done with the ingridients? Here are the procedures on preparing Chapati:
- In a bowl,add your warm water and salt and sugar and stir till they dissolve..
- Add flour till they form a slightly hard mixture and knead till firm but not so firm and leave for 1 hour or so..The longer the stand the softer the chapatis..
- After the stand,warm oil and estimate a size of the dough and cut it and flatten it with a roller and apply the warm oil and make some balls that will estimate your number of chapatis and whether you want them thick or thin..
- As you are in your last making of the balls,warm your pan till hot and warm some oil to use when cooking chapatis..
- Then put that oil in a stainless steel bowl since its a bit hot.
- Take a ball and roll it while adding flour in order it doesn't stick on the surface..
- While cooking,place it in the hot pan that has a little oil and let it absorb that for a while as you make another chapati with a roller(you need to be very fast).
- Then apply oil on the upper dry part,then turn and apply oil on the lower surface till they turn a nice colour of brown or smell good..
- Serve with stew or any beverage..
Our Chapati Recipes section contains an assortment of popular chapatti recipes. Chapati is an authentic Indian dish and forms an integral part of standard Indian meal. Similar to the common pita, the Indian chapati is a bread made of whole wheat flour. It is usually served with a curry, but it is very versatile: it can be used just like regular toast, or as a side to many dishes. Chapati is an unleavened flatbread made with whole wheat flour, water, and salt.
A recipe is a nice story that ends with a appetizing meal. If you find this web site helpful Sharing this site to your friends is the deal Wish that your Chapati turns your day joyful. | https://ardeon.org/296-7-minutes-to-making-perfect-chapati/ |
The Art of Baking Bread
Find a recipe that seems doable for you. There are three main processes that you need to remember - kneading, proofing and baking. Once you bring together all the ingredients to make the dough, you will have to knead it as per the recipe provided. It will be a good workout for you your arms if you are not using a machine. You then need to let the dough rest in a warm place, a process which is called proofing to let the yeast work its magic and make the dough rise to double its size. The final stage is baking, at the right temperature and time to give you soft and crumbly bread.
There are various types of flours you can use while making bread. The basic method remains the same. "If you are baking bread for the first time, it is important to knead the dough properly, follow the perfect proofing time to make the bread lighter and have a good net formation, and maintain right temperature," says Vikram Arora, Executive Sous Chef, Four Seasons Hotel Mumbai.
"To judge that the dough is rightly kneaded, it needs to have a shine. Use a little chilled water to knead the dough for better net formation. If you don't want to bake the bread on the same day, you can keep the dough in the refrigerator just after kneading, and follow the rest of the process in the same manner," added Chef Vikram.
Points to Keep in Mind
To avoid your hard work going in vein, here are few things which one should keep in mind while making brown bread at home:
- Weigh the ingredients accurately
- Use room temperature ingredients except water
- Do not rush any step while making the bread, let it take the time required at every step
- Let the bread cool completely before slicing
Brown Bread Recipe
Here's a recipe you can try at home -
Ingredients:
500gm whole wheat flour
500gm refined flour
200gm whole wheat bran
10gm bread improver
20gm gluten
40gm sugar
30gm yeast
20gm salt
450-500gm chilled water
Method:
1. Sift both the flours together in a large mixing bowl; add whole wheat bran, yeast, bread improver, gluten, sugar and salt. Make a well in the centre of the mixed flour and pour in little chilled water and start mixing with your hand. Then mix in the remaining chilled water to gather the dough and is not sticky but soft.
2. Place the dough on lightly floured surface and knead it for 6-8 mins until it forms a film on stretching or has a natural shine on the dough surface, use flour if required for dusting to prevent it from sticking to the surface and hands. Place it in a bowl, cover it with a damp cloth for about 30- 45 minutes or until the size doubles up.
3. Knock the dough by kneading just 3-4 times to avoid any bubbles inside. Shape it into a ball.
4. Now in a greased bread mould, put the dough made above. Flatten the dough inside, using finger press to completely fit the dough into the mould. Cover with a damp cloth again. Keep it at room temperature to proof. Leave for 45min to 1 hour, or until it rises to less than 1/2" below the top edge of the bread mould.
5. Place the bread mould in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 45 min to 1 hour.
6. Take Out. Cool it on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice and use. | https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/how-to-make-brown-bread-at-home-1652583 |
How do you get rid of baking powder taste?
To neutralize the bitter taste, you must combine baking soda with an acidic ingredient, such as buttermilk, lemon juice, applesauce, brown sugar, molasses, yogurt, sour cream, cream of tartar or natural cocoa powder.
Why can I taste baking soda in my baking?
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. It requires an acid to activate, which in turn neutralizes it. If you are adding baking soda to your batters and there is no acid, and the baking soda is not properly blended into the flour, you will end up with a terrible bitter taste.
Can you taste baking powder in cake?
Use a small amount of an acidic condiment such as lemon juice or vinegar to neutralise the soda. If the recipe has chocolate, simply add half a teaspoon of cocoa powder to it. Buttermilk can also be used to counter the pungent taste of baking soda.
Does baking powder have a taste?
Baking powder, because it includes the acid and the base, will have a neutral taste and most often, recipes that call for baking powder will also use a neutral tasting ingredient, like milk. For example, my cake roll recipes use baking powder because there aren’t many acidic ingredients in the recipe.
What does too much baking powder taste like?
Too much baking powder can cause the batter to be bitter tasting. It can also cause the batter to rise rapidly and then collapse. (i.e. The air bubbles in the batter grow too large and break causing the batter to fall.) Cakes will have a coarse, fragile crumb with a fallen center.
How do you get rid of flour taste?
The floury taste you get is often due to the insufficient cooking of flour. To avoid it, you are required to add 2 tablespoons of flour in two cups of broth. One method to add these two ingredients is to blend the flour well with a double quantity of cold water or broth. Doing so will give you a smooth slurry.
How do you fix too much baking powder?
Increase the Quantity for an Easy Fix
If you know how much extra you added, just increase the other ingredients in the recipe to match the amount of baking soda or baking powder that you used.
How do you make a cake not taste like baking soda?
Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient (buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream) to make it work so things will rise. The acidic ingredient also neutralizes the baking soda so you don’t get a metallic aftertaste in the baked good.
Can baking powder go bad?
As expected, baking powder does go bad. Or rather, it loses its luster. The chemical compound—often a combination of baking soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch—is only supposed to last somewhere from six months to a year. It’s sensitive to moisture, so any unexpected humidity could ruin your can.
Can you taste aluminum in baking powder?
Many baking powders contain aluminum. When we’re baking from memory, or if we’re a little rusty on measurements, too much of this baking powder can result in its metallic taste permeating our pastries.
Why does my cake have a bitter aftertaste?
Baking Soda Taste in Cakes
Baking soda is a base or alkaline ingredient, which naturally has a bitter taste. If you accidentally (or purposefully) used baking soda instead of baking powder without making any other changes to the recipe, you will end up with a metallic, bitter taste.
Old butter can cause an aftertaste that just makes something taste out of date, old, bitter, or like cardboard. Old flour can make something taste like dirt, cardboard, or just old and moldy. Same goes for old cornstarch. If you do not store your dry ingredients in plastic, air tight containers, then you should.
Does baking powder make food taste salty?
It’s also a little salty tasting. Overdoing it with baking soda can result in an extra salty or even metallic-tasting bake! You only want to use enough to react with the amount of acid in the recipe, and any excess amount means there will be leftover baking soda in the recipe.
Is baking soda better than baking powder?
Baking soda is much stronger than baking powder (three or four times stronger!), so you usually don’t need as much. Too much baking soda can make food taste metallic or soapy, so be sure to measure correctly. | https://villaroyaledowntown.com/bake/why-can-i-taste-baking-powder-in-my-baking.html |
Bread is a staple for many households, and mine is no exception. Even when I’m eating low-carb, bread still gets made for the rest of my family to enjoy.
With that in mind, it probably doesn’t surprise you that I’ve perfected several varieties of bread and bread dough, which I use to great extent in my home. I’ve shared some of my favourites below (white, whole wheat and multigrain), all of which use the same steps, just with different ratios of ingredients.
Now, as much as my family loves fresh-baked bread, it’s hard to find 2-4 hours at the end of a work-day to bake it. Between supper, out-of-house activities and early bedtimes, this is usually a weekend recipe for us. I have managed to pull of a couple of mid-week loaves, but I had to stay up until 11:30 to do it. Not for the faint of heart, that’s for sure!
As for the recipe, the flour measurements I used are in weights because I started with bakers ratios, which are based on flour-to-water weights.
Back in the day, I picked up a cheap ($10) 2kg plastic weight scale and it’s served me well for more than 5 years. If you don’t have a kitchen scale (I highly recommend one), you can approximate the weight as 125 g per cup (so about 4 cups for this 500g recipe).
If you use cups instead of weights, you may need to adjust the amount of water. Make sure to note your differences, so you can make it again.
However you weigh it, the end result should be the same golden-brown deliciousness that is home-cooked bread!
Homemade Bread and Bread Dough Recipe
This recipe takes 2-4 hours start to finish and yeilds 2x400g loaves.
Ingredients
- 500 grams flour plus extra for dusting
- 500 g white flour for white bread.
- 400 g whole wheat flour and 100 g white flour for whole wheat bread.
- 400 g multigrain flour and 100 g white flour for multigrain bread. Omit 1/4 cup water for this recipe.
- 1+1/2 cups warm water
- 2+1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 8-gram pack)
- 1 teaspoon + 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon oil or butter
- 2 Tablespoons skim milk powder (optional)
Tools
- Mixing bowl and wooden spoon (or stand mixer)
- Large flat surface for kneading the dough
- bread pan, roll pan, or baking sheet (depending on whether you want loaves, rolls, or frozen dough)
Directions – Dough only
Dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar in 1/2 cup hot tap water. Set aside for 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. It should be foaming after a few minutes.
Meanwhile, sift the flour, remaining sugar, salt and skim milk powder into a mixing bowl. Stir it together so the dry ingredients are mixed evenly.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour the liquid ingredients – the yeast mixture, oil and 1 cup of hot tap water.
Mix until there are no dry spots. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time if the dough is too dry.
Knead for 10 minutes.
Set aside for about an hour in a bowl covered with a damp tea-towel. It should be about double in size after an hour.
Knead the dough again for just long enough to work out any air bubbles.
At this point, you’ll have dough that you can form into bread, or you can freeze it for later use.
Directions – Bread
Grease two medium sized bread pans.
Separate the dough into a manageable size. I find 4 balls for 2 loaves (2 dough balls for each loaf) is a good size.
Fit the dough into the bread pans and cover with a damp tea-towel. Let rise for about an hour or two until double in size.
Preheat the oven to 400F and bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350F and bake another 30-40 minutes, or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Loaves should be dark golden brown. | https://ordernarylife.ca/2016/03/07/homemade-bread-and-dough/ |
Pandemic-induced cabin fever has kickstarted the sourdough baking hobbies of what seems like everyone on Instagram. If you’re one of these newly converted bakers, by now you’ve probably gotten the hang of feeding your starter, as well as some basic shaping techniques and are hungry for a new challenge. Why not try tweaking a recipe to create a bespoke loaf? In my humble opinion, that’s the perfect time to get comfortable with baker’s percentages, an essential tool in any aspiring bread baker’s arsenal.
There are dozens upon dozens of guides to baker’s percentages out there, but too many are overcomplicated or difficult to understand, even for me—and I’ve been using them for over a decade. The concept is not complicated in the slightest: A bread recipe that expresses each ingredient as a percentage of the total amount of flour. To do this, take an ingredient’s weight (always use weight, never volume—so you’re going to need a good scale), divide it by the weight of the flour and multiply the resulting number by 100. Repeat for every non-flour ingredient. Done.
This is easiest to understand via an example. To start, I’ll convert the volumes of the ingredients in my favorite no-knead peasant bread into weights:
- 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 6 grams) instant yeast
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 9 grams) table salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (about 6 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (275 grams) lukewarm water (90º-100º F)
(For quick and dirty volume-to-weight conversions, just Google how much a teaspoon or cup of each ingredient weighs; that’s what I did for the yeast, salt and sugar here.)
Most baker’s percentages start with the proportion of water, referred to as the “hydration percentage” or “percent hydration.” Here’s what that calculation looks like for the peasant bread recipe:
275 grams water ÷ 375 grams flour = 0.73
0.73 x 100 = 73% hydration
Do this for the rest of the ingredients and you get a list like this:
- 73% hydration
- 2% salt
- 2% sugar
- 1% yeast
There are several good reasons to use percentages instead of individual measurements, starting with recipe scaling. Baker’s percentages apply to any and all amounts of flour; if you want to make a double batch of peasant bread—which I do all the time—double the weight to 750 grams of flour and work backwards from there. Another huge perk: Over time, you’ll get so used to thinking in percentages you’ll be able to predict how a dough will behave before you even mix it up.
To explain what I mean, let’s consider the ingredient ratios in two other Lifehacker bread recipes:
- Stuffed crust pizza dough: 69% hydration (nice), 8% olive oil, 3% salt, 2% sugar, 1% yeast
- Overnight no-knead bread: 95% hydration, 2% salt, 0.5% yeast
These numbers tell you almost everything you need to know about a given recipe. The more water a dough contains, the stickier and wetter it is when mixed and the less kneading it requires. Lower yeast proportions require longer rise times, which usually result in a more pronounced fermented flavor. Sugar encourages fermentation to some degree, but overwhelms the yeast in high proportions—especially if combined with salt and fat. Looking at the numbers above, you start to see why the overnight dough is gloopier and requires a longer rise than either of the others.
Scaling and instinct development are great, but I think the best argument for baker’s percentages is that, eventually, they can free you from the confines of recipes altogether. They provide a framework for changing one of the only variables you can control—the proportions of ingredients in the dough—in a systematic and reproducible way. If your loaf came out a little too dense, upping the hydration percentage next time could help encourage gluten formation; if it rose too quickly and collapsed in the oven, try dialing back the hydration and/or yeast. Take notes and repeat.
As you hone your dough-handling instincts, you’ll get a feel for what percentages you can change, and by how much. You may not have much say over the temperature or humidity of your kitchen, but by strategically manipulating the ingredients, you’ll eventually zero in on your perfect bake. Until then, don’t be afraid to experiment—with baker’s percentages as your guide. | https://skillet.lifehacker.com/up-your-homemade-bread-game-with-bakers-percentages-1842731532 |
The field of business management encompasses many different sectors and specialties. This guide will help you distinguish between the different branches of the field. One of the most popular types of business management is financial management. It involves planning and analyzing financial activities. This type of management is highly relevant for all types of businesses, from small start-ups to large corporations. This course is suitable for students who are interested in pursuing a career in finance.
The purpose of business management is to maximize the profitability of a company. The manager has basic resources to use, such as land, labor, capital, livestock, cash, and credit. These resources are limited and must be effectively combined to generate the maximum possible return. In business, resource usage is the process of increasing the output per input. For this reason, business management is also concerned with planning and adjusting the basic resource use. In short, business management is about organizing people to achieve the goals of the enterprise.
Effective business management is the practice of organizing people and processes to reach a common goal. The aim is to maximize the output per input. Using resources efficiently and strategically is essential for business success. It is vital to create a business plan to achieve your goals and objectives. The process of planning and adjusting basic resources is crucial to achieving the desired productivity of a company. In addition, it is also important to identify the passion and skill set of the manager so that you can apply it in a practical situation.
The first step in effective business management is to understand the fundamentals of management. This stage of business involves determining the needs of the company and generating plans for action. It is vital for the business to reach its goals. In addition to planning, organizational skills also play a vital role in business management. Moreover, they help the organization make the most of its resources. Ultimately, these skills will help you to increase the efficiency of your operations.
As far as the definition of business management is concerned, it involves ensuring that an entity maximizes its profits. It is a discipline that involves organizing people and resources to reach a common goal. The goal is to achieve long-term objectives, maximize outputs, and stay competitive. A well-functioning business is critical for the growth of the organization. It is critical to create a plan and execute it in order to reach your goals.
Effective business management starts with planning. This stage involves identifying future needs and developing plans for action. This phase allows for the best use of resources. An entity that is efficient in terms of resources will achieve its goals. In the long run, the goal of business is to increase profits. By applying these methods, you will achieve this goal. When it comes to managing your company, it is important to consider the different styles of management. You can choose between democratic, autocratic, and laissez-faire management. | https://easyonlinestartups.com/what-is-business-management/ |
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Speed Estimating Office Square Footage, by Corinne Maddox, CCM, CFM
One simple way to calculate square footage is to divide the existing number of office occupants by the total number of occupied square feet. The average range will probably be 300-400 SF per person for a private office layout, and 200-300 for an open plan layout. Multiply the projected headcount by the SF per person for each year to determine total SF needed by year.
There are many factors that can affect the square footage requirements, not the least of which is how square footage is defined. A precise space program can be built by multiplying the sum square footage of the individual office and support spaces by a Circulation Factor to find the Usable Square Footage, and multiplying this by the building Rentable to Usable Ratio to find the Rentable Square Footage. Another factor must be applied to find building Gross Square Footage. A spreadsheet can be easily set up to test all of the variables and space alternatives.
When calculating the office square footage, it will be necessary to project future employees by office type/size, and estimate support space growth such as additional file and storage space and additional conference rooms, copy rooms, coffee rooms, etc. A thorough inventory and careful consideration must be made to accurately estimate the space requirements; however, a rough estimate can be made by applying a percentage to the total office area. If space reduction is critical, be sure to take into account space saving strategies such as high density files, off-site conferencing and storage, and alternate officing solutions. Learn as much as possible about corporate business plans that may affect requirements such as centralization/decentralization, new markets or products, and economic trends. As facility manager, you need to take the lead in extracting the necessary information for a good facility plan.
The circulation factor normally falls in the range of 1.25 to 1.4 depending on size of corridors and amount of unusable space. A non-rectangular building or an irregular space plan will have a higher circulation factor, as will a plan with smaller offices or cubicles. The Rentable to Usable Ratio will usually range from about 1.1 to 1.2. This multiplier accounts for the tenant's share of the common building spaces such as restrooms, mechanical and electrical rooms, common corridors and lobbies. Rentable Square Footage of the building increases to the Gross Square Footage by adding another 10 to 20% for vertical circulation elements. High rise buildings have the largest Gross Square Footage due to the large amount of space required for the elevator banks and stairwells. | http://maddoxgroup.com/articles/SpeedEstimatingOfficeSquareFoo.html |
An Interior Designer is a person that is responsible for the interior design, decor, and functionality of a client’s space. Interior designers work closely with their clients, contractors, architects, engineers, craftsmen and furniture dealers to ensure that the client’s needs are shared, the structure of a space is fully understood and the solution will suit both. We are focused on making interior spaces functional, enjoyable, and beautiful by determining space requirements and focusing on style, design, and aesthetics. Our work includes the areas that are inside and outside a space, and while we may make it look easy, crafting spaces that anticipate our client’s needs and appeal to their emotions, requires a broad set of skills and technical knowledge.
What Education Should An Interior Designer Have?
What Process Do Interior Designers Use?
Although all interior designers use a slightly different process, we all are focused on creating plans, researching solutions, coordinating with all the vendors, and managing a project through completion. This includes conceptual development, space planning, site inspections, programming, research, specification of furniture, fixtures and equipment, communicating with the stakeholders of a project, construction management, and execution of the design.
Is An Interior Designer the Same As An Interior Decorator?
No, there is a big difference between an interior designer and a decorator. An interior designer is usually involved with a building project from the beginning, will be focused on creating functional space, and well versed in building codes and structural considerations. An interior decorator is not involved with the design of the building and since they do not need to have understand building codes and safety issues, you do not need any official training.
Why Am I A San Diego Interior Designer?
I have been living in San Diego for 28 years. It is home for me, my husband and daughters. I truly love taking a raw space and crafting it into a functional and beautiful room. I also have a natural talent for scale, proportion, perspective and balance. And I pride myself on giving each of my clients a design that is unique and truly represents their individual design aesthetic. Yes, I love being a San Diego Interior Designer. | https://www.deborahgordondesigns.com/blog/2017/7/10/what-is-an-interior-designer |
Guest blog by Craig Witz, President of Witz Company
Our series on the master planning process explores the necessity of conducting market research before starting a master plan for a senior living start-up, repositioning or expansion. We’ve also explored the importance of asking the right questions to understand critical design considerations before architects begin to draw.
While we will discuss more details in the upcoming webinar “Team-Based Master Planning: The Most Efficient Way to Bring an Expansion or Start-up Community to Reality” on July 30, this article presents a few practical ways your project can build in financial flexibility, even at the beginning of the master planning process.
Once your organization has established the crucial market research and design considerations before starting a senior living master plan, it has a good hold on two of the three key elements: demand and design. This piece is all about making the third element—dollars—feasible by making project choices that yield short- and long-term financial flexibility. Here are four potential ways to do so.
#1 – “What are we going to do for SNF?“
Asking the question, “Must we build skilled nursing beds?” is really a key driver to any senior living master planning process. Skilled nursing spaces hold the highest cost per square foot, operate at the lowest margin, require the highest staff intensity (at a time when we can’t get staff), and are the most regulated.
In many cases, organizational leadership consider this and opt to either significantly limit new SNF offerings or avoid building new SNF beds altogether. We’ve seen two recent start-ups, one of which is nearly full, specifically choose not to build any SNF because it allows more financial flexibility at the outset and into the future.
Limiting or avoiding SNF may be a way for your start-up, expansion or repositioning project to achieve greater flexibility both upfront and in the years after opening, from financial and operational perspectives. And before diving too deep into master planning, your team should know how your organization will approach SNF.
#2 – Instead of building anew, become a partner
At the master planning level, some of the biggest costs are senior living amenities and resources that need to be built. When seeking to add financial flexibility to a plan, it’s also important to ask which amenities or spaces must be incorporated on campus versus those in which you can possibly partner with existing local organizations to incorporate into the community.
For example, if the potential project site is a block or two away from a local community center, YMCA, resort or similar organization, you may not need to add a full fitness center and pool to your community’s plans. If the organization is willing to grant membership to members of your community and you can guarantee convenient access, it will cost significantly less than spending millions on a brand-new aquatic complex or state-of-the-art fitness center.
#3 – Creating “twofer” or “threefer” spaces
Getting the most function from the spaces that will be included in the new campus or neighborhood is critical to maximizing the cost efficiency of the new project. If a space is configured or built in a way that limits its usage to one purpose, such as a dining venue designed to only function as a formal dining space, you would have to create or adjust other spaces to accommodate the casual dining crowd. Plus, the size and equipment of dining venues typically require a lot of a plan’s square footage—and budget dollars.
We’ve seen recently that leading-edge communities are adopting systems that allow community areas like dining venues to become “twofers” or even “threefers,” as opposed to dedicated spaces. In practice, a community could design a space using reconfigurable furnishings and technology that adjusts lighting, wall art and signage to make a dining venue feel like three different restaurants in one day. It could start the day as a Starbucks-like coffeehouse, transition to a Panera-style café for lunchtime, and end the day as an Olive Garden-style casual dinner spot.
These arrangements yield more flexibility and agility to respond to the changing preferences of today’s and tomorrow’s seniors, while maximizing your organization’s resources and space usage.
#4 – Consider a reconfiguration
When trying to bring flexibility into a senior living master plan, it can help to think about what an existing or planned space could become in the future.
For example, as healthcare residence designs have shifted from the old, institutional “H” model into neighborhood designs, the original space could be reconfigured to take on a new purpose as part of the new project, such as a rehab wing or office space. Older, smaller IL residence spaces could also be reconfigured into memory care suites.
When it comes to flexibility, don’t forget what you already have.
Even with all these tips in mind, it’s important to remember the basics at the end of the day. Properly designing project costs vis-à-vis the proposed revenue envelope and establishing development timelines that require speed to market have much more of an effect than anything that can be value-engineered out of a plan later. That’s why the previous blogs in this series highlight the importance of handling market research and design considerations—before diving into a master plan.
So, if your organization is currently considering embarking on a senior living master plan, tune into our July discussion with Rob Love (Love & Company), Melissa Pritchard (SFCS Architects) and myself for expanded insights on the team-based approach, why it works, and how it synchronizes the crucial “dollars, design and demand” elements of any project. We hope you’ll join us then!
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Feel free to reach out to Tim Bracken, Vice President at Love & Company, at 410-207-0013 or [email protected] to explore how to craft a master plan that will set up your organization for sustained success. | https://loveandcompany.com/blog-post/4-practical-ways-to-build-financial-flexibility-into-a-senior-living-master-plan/ |
The Constance Perkins House by architect Richard Neutra incorporates his signature blend of art, landscape, and practical comfort.
A successfully designed building has been compared to a beautiful symphony. The parts of a building, like individual instruments in an orchestra, have the capacity to make up a whole that is greater than if they were played alone. Imagine, for instance, that an office space had a beautifully designed interior and state-of-the-art furniture and computer equipment, but could not be heated and cooled properly. The lack of adequate climate control would be as apparent as if a loud "off-key" note were played during a symphony.
Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, France was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, British architect Richard Rogers, and Italian architect Gianfranco Franchini and completed in 1977. It was a bold change in design to expose a skeleton of brightly colored tubes for mechanical systems on the building's exterior.
The Johnson Wax Administration Center in Racine, Wisconsin, USA was designed by American architect Frank Lloyd Wright in the mid 1930's. The Administration building features dentriform (tree-like) columns that integrate structural, spatial, and roof drainage systems. During construction of the building, code officials halted construction to test the structural adequacy of the columns. The test revealed that the columns were capable of supporting 5 times the required load, and construction resumed. Spatially, the slender, 30 foot tall columns are topped with disc-shaped concrete canopies that interplay with the glazed roof to define an interior "forest." Additionally, the columns are hollow to collect and convey water from the roof to the storm drain system.
Like musical instruments, building systems, materials, and products incorporated into a design must be "integrated" in a supporting way to create a unified whole that achieves the desired functional purpose. See 'Whole Building' Design Approach.
Consider how the facility will be operated and maintained.
Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, was collaboratively designed by architects and acousticians to create an auditorium that allows sound to rise to its very top, this modern but warm space captures and diffuses music throughout the audience, creating an intimate setting that belies the stature of the building itself.
Understand the full-range of needs (e.g., cognitive, emotional, and cultural) of occupants required to perform programmed activities (space, environmental qualities, furniture, fixtures, equipment, communications, information technologies, etc.).
Explore a variety of design solutions and consider the merits of each alternative on the basis of functional performance.
Facilitate discussions with users to evaluate and test assumptions made involving functional issues. See WBDG Planning and Conducting Integrated Design (ID) Charrettes.
Understand design implications and space needs of unique "mission critical" activities requiring permanent construction as compared to more flexible spaces that can be configured to support multiple activities and functions.
Track decisions to maintain focus on design intents.
Functional characteristics of building systems (e.g., air distribution systems) can serve as unique design opportunities in shaping the facility's form and aesthetics. See WBDG, Aesthetic Opportunities and Aesthetic Challenges.
Accept environmental conditions as a significant influence on the building's form.
Develop design concepts that provide the user with a clear sense of the facility's functional purpose.
Use product/systems integration to support functional requirements and aesthetic goals.
Chesapeake Bay Foundation's John Philip Merrill Environmental Center-Annapolis, MD. The glazed wall on the south contributes to passive solar heating and daylighting. The need for sun control resulted in an interior shading system that mimics sailboat rigging and an external structure supporting a "Brise Soleil", or solar shades.
Select systems and products that are "use-and user-appropriate" and support functional and psychological goals of individual spaces as well as the entire facility.
Avoid a "one size fits all" design approach. Also see WBDG Accessible—Beyond Accessibility to Universal Design and Design for the Changing Workplace.
Look at design problems as unique opportunities for creativity and innovation in the selection of products and systems. See WBDG Aesthetic Opportunities and Aesthetic Challenges.
When resolving conflicts in the design and selection of products and systems, coordinate with consideration of opportunities and impacts affecting design and constructability of all involved building systems.
Consider energy conservation and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis in the selection of products and systems especially for facilities with longer expected/designed service life (such as institutional and governmental buildings).
Integrated design strikes a balance between all design objectives, including Aesthetics, Functional/Operational and the integration of products and systems.
Adopt a 'Whole Buildings' approach—Systems integration involves the awareness of all affected trades and disciplines. Design with functional attributes of systems and products in mind.
Select materials and products that are compatible with design objectives for both appearance and function.
Carefully research the owner's equipment requirements and integrate them with the design.
Anticipate the needs of the building-cleaning program, including refuse storage and disposal.
Provide adequate space for maintenance equipment, materials, and storage.
Design for regular building systems maintenance, including easy access to light fixtures, HVAC filters, sensors, and surfaces requiring scheduled cleaning.
Plan for eventual replacement of major systems components.
Give careful thought to designing delivery drives, loading docks, and storage rooms. Allow ample maneuvering room and clearance width and height.
See also WBDG Sustainable O&M Practices and Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM).
Use of object-oriented Building Information Modeling (BIM) with documentation systems containing real-time building data in 3-dimensional, 4-dimensional (time), and/or 5-dimensional (cost) construction documents; the ability to check for systems clashes and interferences prior to construction; and the capability to use the BIM model as a facility maintenance tool throughout the life of the facility.
Green Globes—is a green building rating system by the Green Building Initiative in the U.S. and BOMA in Canada.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED® v4) Green Building Rating System™ is a program of the U.S. Green Building Council.
Living Building Challenge—is a green building rating system of the International Living Future Institute.
WELL Building Standard—Administered by the International WELL Building Institute&tradel (IWBI).
Architectural Graphic Standards, 12th Edition by Charles Ramsey and Harold Sleeper. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2007—The most widely recognized reference manual for architectural design guidance on planning, design standards, building systems, materials, methods, and construction techniques.
The Building Systems Integration Handbook by Richard D. Rush. Butterworth-Heineman, 1991.
Design & Planning of Engineering Systems 2nd Edition by Dale Meredith, Kam Wong, Ronald Woodhead, and Robert Wortman. Princeton, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1985.
Design for Maintainability Guidebook by Construction Industry Institute (CII). Oct 1999. IR142-2—Designed to assist owners and others by providing specific instructions on using tools for improved design for maintainability. Includes a self-assessment that will define the user's "level of maintainability," and then provides specifics on more than 22 maintainability best practices as well as 16 tools to help in implementing the best practices.
Dictionary of Architecture and Construction, Fourth Edition by Cyril M. Harris. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 2005. 1040 pages.
Environmental Control Systems by Fuller Moore. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992.
Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods, 6th Edition by Edward Allen and Joseph Iano. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2013, ©2014.
The Integrated Workplace: A Comprehensive Approach to Developing Workspace by Office of Real Property in the Office of Government wide Policy of the U.S. General Services Administration. May 1999. Developed by GSA's Office of Real Property to provide guidelines to help federal agencies define important issues and needs for an organization's workspace; to identify measurement tools that can be used to track the workplace's effects on people and organizations; and to define the basic elements of the Integrated workplace—people, technology, and space—and discusses how each of these should be considered when providing new or reconfigured offices.
Time-Saver Standards for Building Types, 4th Edition by Joseph DiChiara and Michael J. Crosbie. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 2001—A comprehensive reference for building type design guidance, including sample projects with plans and illustrations of functional features and details.
Time-Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning by Joseph DeChiara, Julius Panero, Martin Zelnik. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 2001.
Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture by Charles W. Harris, Nicholas T. Dines. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1997.
Time-Saver Standards for Urban Design by Donald Watson. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 2003. | https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/functional-operational/ensure-appropriate-productsystems-integration |
It’s fair to say that Florence Knoll was the most influential figure in corporate interior design in America from the 1940s to the 1970s. The principles she championed created the efficient, open-plan, user-friendly environment that characterizes most office environments, and many homes, today.
Long before the term “holistic” became a buzzword, Knoll pioneered the concept of total design. She created environments that integrated architecture, furnishings, lighting and textiles. She herself designed many of the elements, especially furniture, that were needed to fulfill her concept of how an architectural space should function.
When Knoll died in January of this year, she left a legacy of functional beauty that has been called “humanized modernism.” The spaces she created grew out of a concern for logical problem solving: What is the best way to use limited square footage? How can architecture and furnishings be integrated in a seamless whole?
Knoll’s imaginative, superbly practical answers to design dilemmas were rooted in her widely varied and often unconventional life experiences. Born Florence Schust in Michigan in 1917, she was orphaned at 14. Starting at the progressive art-oriented Cranbrook schools, she furthered her formal education studying architecture at Columbia University, the Architectural Association in London and the Illinois Institute of Technology.
Along the way, she made friends with and learned from the leading figures of what is called today mid-century modern. Knoll was once a summer houseguest of architect Eero Saarinen and his wife in Finland, where Eero tutored her in architectural history. Mies van der Rohe was one of her professors and a lifelong influence on her approach to design. Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius connected her to the Bauhaus movement.
Knoll’s primary interest throughout her long career was architecture. She rejected the label “interior decorator,” at that time primarily thought of as a genteel and barely serious occupation for socially connected women. Knoll described herself as an interior space planner, a professional specialist in creating a total workplace environment.
In 1941, she was working in the New York office of architectural firm Harrison & Abramovitz when she met a young furniture manufacturer named Hans Knoll. She persuaded Knoll that even in the difficult wartime economy he could expand his business by working with architectural firms and providing design services, as well as furniture, to clients.
Florence joined the Knoll Furniture Co. full time in 1943. She quickly established the innovative Knoll Planning Unit, the influential design service that transformed the American office from ponderous Victorian dark wood desks and tables to light-filled spaces with ergonomic task-oriented pieces.
One of her most influential innovations in the Planning Unit has become standard in the design field. The paste-up, as Knoll conceived it, was a flat plan of a proposed space that showed clients the proposed architectural space, renderings of the furniture and fixtures, and actual samples of the fabrics, woods and finishes that would be used.
Knoll Associates was a team effort on several levels; Florence married Hans in 1946 and became a full partner. The furniture designers worked closely with clients and architects to create the modern, efficient corporate spaces required by the booming post-World War II economy.
When Hans Knoll was killed in a car crash in 1955, Florence Knoll carried on as president and expanded the company’s success. It was an extraordinary accomplishment, especially in an era and in a field — industrial design — where women were rare.
Many of the iconic Knoll furniture designs were created by people Knoll knew from her Cranbrook days, including Harry Bertoia and Ralph Rapson. Van der Rohe, Jens Risom and Saarinen were among the many towering figures of the International modern style whose designs were produced by Knoll.
It is a tribute to Florence Knoll’s genius that many of Knoll’s sleek, geometric tables, desks, sofas, chairs and other seating pieces are still in production today. Vintage examples from her years at Knoll Associates bring premium prices.
Knoll’s comfortable, practical forms that combined spare lines with rich textures and colors was influential far beyond such famous corporate projects as the Connecticut General Life Insurance building in Bloomfield and the CBS headquarters in New York.
After her retirement from Knoll Associates in 1965, she worked with many private clients and had the satisfaction of seeing her designs and design philosophy adopted nationwide in private homes as well as public places.
For more, contact Katie at [email protected] or call 212-787-1114. And visit Skinnerinc.com to explore available 20th-century design. | https://dailyvoiceplus.com/fairfield/wag/july-2019/florence-knoll-designing-woman/771200/?utm_source=Daily%20Voice&utm_medium=Sidebar |
24 Jun The Importance of an Architect for a Construction Project
Many people overlook the importance of an architect during their construction project. For one thing, many people don’t think that design is particularly important, because they already know what they want. However, the architect does far more than design the building. They serve an integral role in the overall planning of the construction project. There are many benefits to this design phase, and it can serve to prevent many substantial issues. Here are a few of the things that you need to keep in mind regarding the importance of an architect for the planning and design of your construction project.
Experience
An architect is an extremely experienced, specialized individual. They receive thorough training regarding the various components of designing and planning for buildings. This experience is put to effective use throughout providing a thorough design that will ensure a superior finished product. Implementing the services of an architect go a long way toward improving the value and quality of the finished project at the end of the construction project.
Functional Spaces
Functional spaces are key when it comes to religious facilities. These facilities have to meet many different needs and requirements. In addition, many of these functional spaces are designed with sustainability in mind, which further expands the needs of the building. An architect helps to ensure the best possible functionality for the building. As a building’s functionality increases, so too will its value. This also helps to ensure that the building operates more efficiently and lowers related operational expenses.
Thorough Understanding of your Needs
An architect will take their time to identify and thoroughly understand your needs and requirements. This is a critical part of any construction project. You don’t want to go through the expense and stress of a construction project only to find that the finished product won’t meet your requirements. This problem is eliminated when an architect adds all of your needs into the initial design. It also helps to ensure that everyone is aware of the requirements for the building and keeps that in mind throughout the construction of the building.
Reduce the Likelihood of Design Errors
Design errors can potentially result in serious consequences throughout the construction phase. When an issue arises, it is likely that significant work will be necessary to rectify the situation. This can cause a construction project to fall behind schedule and go over budget. The careful planning of an architect can go a long way toward reducing the likelihood of design errors. When these errors are prevented, the construction project will be able to be completed much more smoothly.
Provide Creative Solutions
An architect has experience working on many different projects and according to the expectations of their clients. This helps to ensure that they are able to come up with creative solutions to handle many various problems. Creative solutions help to minimize the possibility of substantial issues, ensures a unique building, and often prevents large expenses. Working with an architect helps to provide solutions that less experienced planners may not consider.
Consider, for example, that many church buildings sit empty throughout the week. This is simply a waste of resources. Our sustainable designs allow the building to be used for other purposes throughout the week, which helps the organization to optimize their resources.
Choose the Best Materials
Many products are only as good as the materials that they were constructed from. An architect will be knowledgeable regarding various materials, including their durability, cost, and many additional factors. When you work alongside an experienced architect, you will be able to ensure that your construction project is built with the best materials for your specific building and situation! They can also help you to identify the ideal finish to improve the appearance and functionality of your project.
Simplify the Construction Process
A great design will significantly streamline and simplify the construction process. One of the important parts of a good design is to plan for possible issues that could arise. When you haven’t planned for these issues, it will be difficult to quickly resolve them after they occur. A good design will have a plan set in place for handling issues. This helps to keep the construction project on track. In addition, an architect will oversee many of the components of the construction project. This helps to reduce the necessity for you to invest your valuable time in the process.
A Profitable Investment
With efficient design, you can ensure a far better final product. The design services of an architect help to ensure that the final product is much more valuable. Good design will pay for itself over time. Not only will the building itself maintain higher value, but it is likely to function far more efficiently. A building that functions efficiently will consistently save money in operation-related expenses. The services of an architect are invaluable based on the overall return on investment that they provide throughout the project.
Enhanced Communication
Misunderstanding and failure to communicate often result during a construction project. This can lead to delays and unnecessary expenses. Our comprehensive services include both architecture and construction services for church facilities. Ultimately, this allows for superior communication throughout the construction project. Our team works cohesively, which prevents miscommunications from occurring. With superior communication, many issues with the construction project are prevented. This is often the best choice when you undertake a construction project. Obtaining construction and design services separately often results in miscommunication and additional problems.
At BGW, we are passionate about our work. We strive to provide superior construction services for the building of religious facilities. With our services, we ensure that both architectural design services and construction services can be obtained conveniently. These services greatly improve the quality and efficiency of the construction project. It is crucial to work with an experienced architect to ensure the best outcome for your finished building. To learn more about the importance of an architect or the services that we offer, contact our experienced team at BGW today! | https://bgwservices.com/the-importance-of-an-architect-for-a-construction-project/ |
Following is an outline of the module requirements for the different degrees on offer. PGCert students are required to take three Core modules (SDBE501, SDBE502 and SDBE504). PGDip and MSc students are required to take six modules (all four Core modules and an additional two Elective modules). MSc students are required to also take the Dissertation RES507).
The primary focus of this course will be the study of the thermal, luminous and ventilation performance of buildings within the Built Environmental context. The course will examine the basic scientific principles underlying these phenomena and introduce students to a range of technologies and analysis skills for designing comfortable indoor environments. Students will be challenged to apply these skills and explore the role light, energy and air can play in shaping a Built Environment. The course format will consist of a series of lectures that are accompanied by software tutorials. A number of individual and group assignments relevant to the topic, in which will aid students to better perceive the topics covered in class. The assignments for this class will be closely interlinked with the real world (from profession) and students will be challenged to integrate what they have learnt in this class within Profession.
This module focuses on the resources needed to construct and operate buildings, and on their significance for a sustainable future. The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of resources among all industries, from its supply chain of materials producers and fabricators, through to its influence on the operation of buildings. Making construction activity sustainable in the long term is a major challenge. The module emphasizes the links between sustainability, improved performance and resource management in terms of what resources are used and the way they are used with emphasis on sourcing and using renewable materials. It examines the principles of reuse, recycling and renewal in achieving sustainability in the Built Environment. It looks at the consumption of materials, energy and water and at the production of waste through the whole life cycle of the building. Special attention is paid to the different renewable energy resources with focus on technology and economics. The role of energy policy, politics and regulations in promoting the use of renewable resources will be discussed.
The module is based on the belief that evaluation, feedback and critique are all vital components to the progress of sustainable design. Progress can only be achieved when this assessment loop is completed using credible and appropriate methods. Investigations in the Built Environment aims to reinforce this message and introduce the student to a number of investigative and analytical methods and techniques, including prediction, simulation, experimental and measurement. It will consider both physical and human perspectives of the Built Environment and draw on methods appropriate to both academic and practice based investigations. The module content is backed up by self-learning material on the web specifically written for the module. Further support for the learning will come from a planned sequence of assignments, in which students are encouraged to think through the issues involved in each stage of making an investigation; written feedback on these from the tutors will contribute to the module content. The students will also be introduced and trained to use some handheld instruments that are used to assess thermal comfort as air quality. There is a high degree of class interaction and group working involved in this process.
This module emphasizes the need for a symbiotic and functional relationship in which ecology, culture and technology evolve and adapt. The module introduces the fundamental principles guiding sustainable development of the built environment including Avoidance or minimization of negative impacts on the environment; Conservation and efficient use of natural resources; preservation of cultural patterns; and Ecological harmony and respect for biodiversity. The concept of sustainable development is discussed within the limitations imposed by the present state of technology and social organization on environmental resources and by the ability of the biosphere to absorb the effects of human activity. The module introduces tools for measuring and evaluating the impact of urban development on the environmental as well as the social, economic well being of the urban system. Also discusses relevant issues relating to contractual procedures and construction law.
Eleven elective modules are available out of which the students have to choose two elective modules, depending upon the area they want to specialise in. As electives, the availability of each of these modules is subject to student numbers and staff availability. The electives are:
The environmental design of the space and its enclosing and surrounding skin has received much attention in recent years as concern has grown over building occupants’ health and comfort and the rate in which buildings use energy to maintain the required environmental conditions. The concern also includes an ongoing topic of investigation dealing with the relationship between built form and environmental performance. A number of recent projects have focused on aspects of mixed-use development as part of a zero carbon emission strategy for urban environments. Results of research are beginning to inform new ideas in building design, in relation to innovative facades, chilled/heated surfaces and mixed-mode ventilation systems. In order to achieve successful design for comfort, health and energy efficiency, architects, urban planners and services engineers need to have a common understanding of the basic principles and techniques involved in integrating the environmental performance of the envelope, surrounding enclosure and space. The aim of this course is to provide such understanding in order to encourage a good overall environmental design.
The module will prepare students for playing a participatory role in the practice of designing passive buildings. It will demonstrate techniques for selecting strategies appropriate to climate and brief, and introduce passive methods of lighting, heating, and cooling buildings. It will introduce simple manual ways for assessing the effectiveness of design decisions, as well as giving students opportunities for furthering their use of current environmental software. The discussion of strategies will be given an international context for a wide applicability scope. The module content is backed up by self-learning material for both manual and simulation techniques. Further support for the learning will come from the module final project assignment.
The design of ‘environmentally friendly’ buildings depends critically on the choice of appropriate servicing strategies – an inappropriate servicing strategy can negate all the work undertaken on the form and fabric of the building. This module explores the principles behind current low energy solutions to servicing strategies, and deals with basic application information and strategies. Students will have an opportunity to extend their use of current environmental software to take into account service loads. The course is designed to complement information provided in all the other modules. In particular, ventilation system design is covered in detail elsewhere. Support for the learning will come from the module project.
The module aims to address and discuss the critical issue of our Urban Environment and the need not only to speak to the attention that needs to be paid to the fragility of the planet and its resources, but also our Urban Environments which are places that we present a large part of our political, social, cultural, technical and creative achievements and inspirations. Democracy and Democratic values within this context are not abstract concepts, but are situated relational conditions that are deeply embedded within the physical space of our every day actions, our homes, our places of work and our spaces of social and public gathering. The module tries to contribute into providing the ground for new forms of spatial democracy. These are structurally organized as a series of speculations within the lecture topics and assignments given, and are indispensible components of the development of future cities, which therefore is intended to be projective in character.
The module gives an overview of general requirements needed for achieving healthy indoor environment and investigates the role of sustainability within indoor environment design. The primary objective of this course is to foster knowledge and understanding of building technology systems that support people’s activities and well-being in indoor environment. In addition to this, the module also teaches students the minimization of negative impacts and maximization of positive impacts of indoor environment facilities on economic, environmental, and social systems over the life cycle of the building. A total building performance framework for sustainable interior design delivery is used to achieve this purpose. The primary objective is not necessarily to teach students interior design, rather to assist and give the students’ knowledge, understanding and skills of achieving sustainable indoor environment.
This module will engage the students in a series of investigations, emphasizing methods in the analysis and response to the role of landscape architecture in turning public spaces into civic places to achieve more sustainable landscape performance, using both biophysical and social criteria to define sustainability. The focus is on the intersection of physical and biological landscape processes, with cultural, social and political processes, and design theories and techniques in shaping the design of public spaces, such as waterfronts, public squares, neighbourhoods, public markets, transportation nodes, streets, civic plazas, city and local parks. It engages concepts from environmental psychology, ecology, anthropology, and the arts to locate and demonstrate fundamental organizing principles in the human perception and use of space, and its effect on interpersonal relations.
This course provides an overview of all aspects of intelligent buildings including: history, design, components, construction, management strategies, economic implications, effects on the environment and future trends. An intelligent building is inherently of an efficient and environmentally friendly design. There is a very strong synergy between an intelligent building design and the environmental certification requirements of buildings as per the BREAM and LEED programs. An intelligent building also optimizes occupants’ circulation and networking enhancing their collaboration, productivity and creativeness (Total Building Performance).
This module, which is design oriented, teaches students comprehensive way of integrating all aspects of design- technology, environmental issues, wellbeing of building occupants, policies and regulations, and economics. It allows students various scales of investigation within design problems with an eco-pluralistic (design that tread lightly on planet) approach to the use of materials and techniques. It also provides an integrated and holistic context for building (interior) design with more emphasis placed on nature as mentor for environmentally responsible design. Design tutorials will be conducted outside the weekly class time.
This module explores the ways in which the society’s mobility needs can be met with minimum negative impacts which are associated with excessive use of private automobiles – such as impacts on the quality of our environment, social cohesion, health and traffic controls. The module has two focus points: 1) the relationship between transport and the environment and 2) the means through which sustainable mobility might be achieved. The students will be introduced to various issues related to sustainable transportation systems to develop the capability to make an effective contribution at the highest level to the planning, policy making and management of transport. A wider perspective is desirable, which starts from the premise that land-use decisions both influence and are influenced by transport objectives and performance. The students will learn related software programme to aid them to design the transport more efficient and sustainable.
This module defines the components in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the relevant dependencies and areas of overlap. The combined strategic approach in socio-environmental analysis from the economic perspective will define a baseline. The module introduces the fundamental principles guiding sustainable development best practices ant the global level and its operational examples. The module will focus on the three thematic areas of Triple Bottom Line (TBL), namely people, planet and profits. The socio-developmental aspect will map the cultural change in society over the last decade and how the international community has responded with shifts in policy and culture, as well as practices. The environmental approach will utilize the carbon (or environmental) footprint as the core competency to assess different applications of environmental policy in reference to project and program environments. The economic dimension will consolidate the socio-environmental practices in different economic models to demonstrate the value proposition of engaging in long term CSR strategies within corporate environment.
The dissertation is an essential part of the MSc degree programme contributing to 60 credits. The dissertation involves both the application of skills learnt in the past and the acquisition of new skills. It allows the students to demonstrate their ability to carry out and organise a major piece of work according to sound scientific and engineering principles.
A list of possible topics is normally published. However, students are also strongly encouraged to propose their own topics. Students normally choose a topic related to their main programme theme or work experience.
Students can officially register for the dissertation module once they have successfully completed all of their six taught modules. Students are strongly encouraged to start thinking and preparing for their dissertation no later than their last semester of taught modules.
In this module the student will undertake a short research project. The student will focus on applying the knowledge learnt the projects submitted in the previous modules. This project could be an extension to one or more projects submitted in previous modules. Either way the student will reflect on all his research activities in the previous modules and try to incorporate in this project including critical review of previous outcomes to be used to prepare a proposal for new research project. The student will focus on applying the knowledge learnt in several modules to analyse, revise, improve and assess a relevant topic. This could include topics on building design, interior environments, energy conservation & management, renewable resources, building services, or any other relevant built environment topic as long as it is approved by the module tutor. The student will produce an industry type report, including an executive summary and a detailed report, plus give a presentation explaining and defending the steps undertaken during the project. The jury for the presentation will include one or more jurors from the relevant industry who will take part in the assessment of the presentation as well. This module will run over two consecutive terms in order to give the student enough time to properly research, document, propose and assess their selected topic of the project.
In this module the students will undertake advanced architectural design projects. They will focus on applying the knowledge learnt in several other modules in the course to analyse, revise, improve and assess a building design in order to make it sustainable. The students will be introduced to several key architectural ideas to develop basic design and communication skills in order to progress with their design projects on proposed sites. They will be encouraged to work together at first stages of the design, broadening their experience through research and development. They will start by preparing a professional design brief for their proposed projects and proceed to producing detailed architectural drawings, including an executive summary and a detailed report, which would also reflect on the research conducted and the strategies adopted, plus to give presentations explaining and defending the steps undertaken during their design projects. The students are also expected to create a project programming and scheduling in order to manage and meet deadlines. The jury for the presentations will include one or more jurors from the relevant industry who will also take part in the review and assessment of the presentations. This module will run over two consecutive terms in order to give the students enough time to properly develop their designs, research, document, propose and assess their final advanced design projects. This module is open to students pursuing an MSc Design Project route with AD concentration. | https://buid.ac.ae/programmes/msc-sdbe/programme-structure/ |
A Vaccine Pathway for Herpes Virus with Gregory Smith, PhDGregory Smith, PhD, professor of Microbiology-Immunology at Feinberg, has been investigating a path to long-needed vaccine development for herpes virus. He recently published findings in the journal Nature that bring the possibility of a preventive vaccine a step closer.
COVID-19 Boosters Increase Protection with Alexis Demonbreun, PhDWhat do we know about the effectiveness of COVID-19 boosters, and how might they better protect us from new variants such as omicron? Alexis Demonbreun, PhD, assistant professor of Pharmacology, offers insight. She is the author of a new study that shows COVID-19 boosters seem to supercharge antibody response.
Human Genome Project for Proteins with Neil Kelleher, PhDMillions of molecular proteins are swimming through our body's cells and many studies have discovered that these proteins are the main drivers of all human diseases. Scientists are now mapping proteins the way the Human Genome Project mapped genes. Northwestern's Neil Kelleher, PhD, is at the forefront of the Human Proteoform Project and explains how it could lead to more targeted and effective diagnostics and treatments for diseases.
Earliest Signs of Parkinson's Disease with D. James Surmeier, PhDNorthwestern Medicine scientists have discovered one of the earliest signs of Parkinson's disease, proving that damaged neuronal mitochondria alone can cause symptoms of the disease, according to a study published in Nature. Senior author D. James Surmeier, chair of the Feinberg department of Neuroscience, who has over 30 years of experience in the field, explains the importance of these findings for future Parkinson's research and therapeutics.
Advancing Muscular Dystrophy Research with Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhDWhile there are more treatments now than ever before for neuromuscular diseases like muscular dystrophy, patients who have very specific gene mutations associated with these diseases have few options. Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD, says a discovery in her lab could lead to a new therapy for muscular dystrophy, including its rare forms.
Next-Generation COVID Vaccines with Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, PhD
As the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 is causing breakthrough infections in some vaccinated people around the world, scientists at Northwestern Medicine are developing and studying potential next-generation COVID-19 vaccines that could be more effective at preventing and clearing breakthrough infections. Pablo Penaloza-MacMaster, assistant professor of Microbiology-Immunology at Feinberg, discusses recent studies from his lab that aim to improve current COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19 Antibody Testing with Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhDA team of Northwestern scientists have come together from across disciplines to develop a COVID-19 antibody test designed for at-home use. Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD, is part of the team working on this test to determine prior exposure to the virus.
The Dangers of Unproven COVID-19 Therapies with Benjamin Singer, MDWhile the world anxiously awaits a vaccine for COVID-19, some physicians on the front lines are trying new or repurposed therapies in an effort to help COVID patients. Benjamin Singer, MD, a Northwestern physician-scientist, discusses his experiences in the ICU during this time and his recently published letter warning against the use of unproven therapies.
Investigating the New Coronavirus with Karla Satchell, PhD, Part 2
This is an update to the Jan. 28, 2020 episode about Northwestern's Karla Satchell's effort to lead an investigation into the structure biology of the components of COVID-19. The goal is to ultimately understand how to stop it from replicating in human cells through a medication or vaccine.
The Future of Genetic Medicine with Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD
Elizabeth McNally, MD, PhD, is a human geneticist, a Northwestern Medicine cardiologist and the director of the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern. In this episode, she talks about her recent discoveries in the genetics of cardiovascular and neuromuscular disorders and shares what we can expect in the next few years in the field of genetic medicine.
Epigenetics and Cancer with Ali Shilatifard, PhD
For three decades, Ali Shilatifard, PhD, has dedicated his career to revealing the causes of childhood leukemia and providing detailed molecular insight into the role of epigenetics in cancer. He hopes his discoveries will lead to a super drug that could end childhood leukemia and other cancers.
Precision Medicine for African-Americans with Minoli Perera, PharmD, PhD
The field of pharmacogenomics – using a patient’s genome to predict how well they will respond to medication – is a hot area of medicine today. But, almost all data used in these predictions comes from people of European decent. Minoli Perera, PharmD, PhD, wants to change that. She is a pioneer in the area of pharmacogenomics in African-Americans and has some new discoveries to share.
Chronic Pain and the Placebo Effect with A. Vania Apkarian, PhD
Chronic pain, such as lower back pain that lasts for months or years, affects 100 million Americans and costs half a trillion dollars a year in healthcare costs. It is also contributing to the current opioid crisis. A. Vania Apkarian, PhD, explains his recent discoveries related to chronic pain and how placebos may be a very effective option for some.
Understanding the Biology of Autism with Feinberg Scientist Peter Penzes, PhD
Peter Penzes, PhD, says the field of autism neurobiology is ripe for discovery and his team at the new Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment at Feinberg is laying the groundwork for new treatments for the disorder. | https://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu/sites/bsa/about-us/news-podcasts/podcast.html |
Hereditary diseases as well as cancers and cardiovascular diseases may be associated with a phenomenon known as genomic imprinting, in which only the maternally or paternally inherited gene is active. An international research team involving scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG) in Berlin and Harvard University in Cambridge (USA) has now investigated the mechanisms responsible for the deactivation of the genes.
Our cells contain the entire genetic information from our mother and our father. From each of them we inherit 23 chromosomes that contain our DNA. Two copies of each gene are therefore present in our genome and, as a general rule, both are active. This has the advantage that defective mutations inherited from the mother or father are generally cancelled out by the other copy of the gene.
However, for around one percent of our genes, only the gene inherited from the father or mother is active, while the other is deactivated, a phenomenon known as genomic imprinting.
Approach for treating diseases
“Many genetic and epigenetic diseases are associated with genomic imprinting, such as Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Prader-Willi syndrome,” explains Daniel Andergassen, the head of the Independent Junior Research Group at the Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology at TUM. “If the healthy, deactivated gene could be reactivated, it would be theoretically possible to compensate for complicationscaused by the active, defective gene.”
“But before developing future treatments, we need to understand the fundamentals,” says Alexander Meissner, director at the MPIMG. “It has become clear in recent years that genomic imprinting is mediated by multiple molecular mechanisms.”
Read lock for the gene
In genomic imprinting, either the “packaging” of the genetic material or the DNA itself is chemically modified. Instead of the genetic information being changed, the modifications block the gene from being read.
“These are so-called epigenetic mechanisms,” says Andergassen. “The DNA can be seen as the hardware, and epigenetics as the software responsible for regulating the genes.” Genetic regulation takes place in every cell in the body. All the cells contain the same genetic information, but depending on the organ, different genes are active.
Genetic scissors remove the “off switch”
Meissner and Andergassen, who at the beginning of the study where still conducting the research at Harvard University (USA) along with Zachary Smith, used mice to investigate which epigenetic mechanisms were behind the imprinting.
They used the molecular biology technique known as CRISPR-Cas9 that functions as a “genetic scissors”, removing and inserting segments of DNA. The scientists removed known epigenetic “off switches” and observed whether the deactivated gene was reactivated. With this approach, they were able to link the most important epigenetic “off switches” with imprinted genes.
Hydrocarbon molecules render genes inactive
It turns out that most of the genes are inactivated through DNA methylation that attaches hydrocarbon molecules to the genetic material. Another group of genes is silenced by a set of enzymes known as Polycombs. In the placenta, an additional mechanism comes into play: In this tissue, some genes are deactivated by chemically modifying the proteins that serve as a structural scaffold for the DNA.
The small but crucial difference
Along with genomic imprinting that switches off individual genes, the researchers investigated another phenomenon. In female cells, which unlike male cells have two X chromosomes, one chromosome is entirely deactivated very early in embryonic development. This is true in almost all mammals, including humans.
“We discovered that the enzyme PRC2 plays an important role in the inactivation of the X chromosome, at least in the placenta,” says Andergassen. “Once we remove this enzyme, the silent X chromosome is reactivated.” The results could be significant for X-chromosome-related disease because reactivation of the silent gene could compensate for the malfunctioning active gene.
In a follow-up project at TUM, Andergassen will study whether heart diseases might also be associated with epigenetics and especially with the inactive X chromosome in women. “Because our epigenetics change as we get old, it is conceivable that the X chromosome becomes active again and that the duplicate genetic activity has a negative influence,” says the researcher. | https://www.molgen.mpg.de/4469728/news_publication_18131150_transferred |
A breakthrough study performed in an international collaboration led by Professor Tosso Leeb from the University of Bern and Professor Hannes Lohi from the University of Helsinki together with the veterinary neurologists and neuropathologists at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in the University of Helsinki has identified a gene mutation that causes a novel type of neurodegenerative disease in dogs. The results of the study shed light into the function of neurons, provide a new gene for human neurodegenration, and may aid in developing better treatments for neurodegenerative disorders. The study was published in the prestigious journal PLoS Genetics on 15.4.2015.
Finnish and Swiss investigators have made a genetic breakthrough in the Lagotto Romagnolo dog breed. The breed originates from Italy and is known for its skills in truffle hunting. These dogs have interested genetic researchers due to the existence of several rare neurological conditions in the breed. The current study revealed a novel type of neurodegenerative disease, characterized by cerebellar dysfunction and movement incoordination. Some affected dogs also suffered from abnormal eye movements and developed behavioral changes, such as restlessness and aggression. The onset of the clinical signs varies from 4 months to 4 years.
Gene discovery sheds light to a disease mechanism
Genetic analyses revealed a single nucleotide change in the ATG4D gene in affected dogs. The ATG4D gene functions as a part of an intracellular pathway called autophagy, which functions in normal cellular "cleaning" by degrading damaged cellular components and organelles. Autophagy plays also an important role in maintaining cellular functions under stressful conditions, such as nutrient deprivation. The affected Lagottos had signs of altered autophagy in the brain.
The ATG4D gene has not been previously linked to inherited diseases and represents an excellent candidate for human neurodegenerative disorders. "Our genetic finding enables more detailed future studies to unravel the disease-causing mechanisms and to understand the role of autophagy in normal neuronal function. These results could also have a broader significance for understanding and treating neurodegenerative disorders", says Professor Hannes Lohi. Dogs could also help to explore novel therapy options for neurodegeneration.
Gene test helps breeding and veterinary diagnostics
This gene discovery enabled the development of a gene test to identify mutation carriers and to improve the Lagotto Romagnolo breeding program. "The genetic test not only helps in breeding decisions but can also be used for veterinary diagnostics. There are other similar neurodegenerative diseases in the breed and the genetic test can be used to get a differential diagnosis. This will also help ongoing studies in rest of the neurological disorders in the breed", tells the first author of the paper, PhD student Kaisa Kyöstilä. This study is a part of her doctoral thesis work.
"The signs and the rate of progression of the neurological abnormalities in this newly identified neurodegenerative disease vary considerably. The first clinical sign noticed by the dog owners can be episodes of abnormal eye movements (nystagmus) but in some cases the main clinical sign is a slowly progressive ataxia. The rate of progression of clinical signs varies from month to years. The diagnosis cannot be confirmed with clinical examinations and thus, the definitive diagnosis can only be made with the gene test" highlights Tarja Jokinen, a board-certified neurologist who participated in the studies at the University of Helsinki.
The study involved a team of geneticists, veterinary neurologists and pathologists from several different European countries and highlights the importance of collaboration between basic and clinical research in veterinary medicine. | https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/292609.php |
In an effort to identify genetic variants responsible for asthma, thousands of genetic studies have been performed. Of the potential answers to this dilemma, epigenetics represents a solution, according to a review published in Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases.
Familial clustering of asthmatics is indicative of a genetic component of asthma, a condition with up to 60% heritability. Over the last 3 decades, more than 100 loci have been identified as being linked with asthma, and recent genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) association studies have confirmed that SNPs on genes associated with antigen presentation, inflammation, and Th1/Th2 processes are “strongly associated” with asthma and its subphenotypes.
Worldwide asthma prevalence has increased over the past 30 years, but investigators note that changes in genetic variants of the disease have rarely occurred. They posit that exposure to changing exposomes — large sets of environmental exposures including diet, toxins, and hormones — have introduced “several different phenotypes of asthma.”
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In 2007, epigenetics was defined via the following criteria: a change in the activity of a gene that does not involve a mutation; initiated by environment signals; and mitotically or meiotically inherited in the absence of the change in nucleotide sequence of genomic DNA. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA CpG methylation, histone deformation, and non-coding RNA.
DNA methylation takes place in CpG occupying 1% of DNA bases in human somatic cells, resulting in a total number of CpG sites of approximately 28 million; 70% to 80% of the human DNA CpG bases are methylated. Considerable research has identified specific time periods during which individuals are more susceptible to the effects of environmental exposures and other asthma triggers, including during prenatal development, early childhood, and adolescence. Epigenetic modifications are more likely to develop during these times.
Both human skin and lungs have large surface areas exposed to external environments; surface area estimates depend on height, weight, and other factors. Both indoor and outdoor stimuli affect airway epithelium, with 2 methods that have been used to study DNA CpG methylation: candidate gene approaches and epigenome-wide association studies. One candidate CpG methylation approach utilized buccal mucosa of children with asthma on 1505 CpG loci across 807 genes, identifying a small number of DNA methylation signatures. Recent epigenome-wide association studies have been launched with the intention of searching for changes in global CpG methylations.
Many CpG methylation studies have relied on the use of DNA isolated from unfractionated peripheral blood leukocytes because they are widely available and easily accessed. New methods have been recently developed to infer the proportion of immune cell populations in these leukocytes using DNA methylation data. The major immunologic components of asthma pathogenesis and their epigenetic mechanisms specifically affect the expression of the transcription factors involved in the development of Th1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T cells. Therefore, these DNA methylation profiles have been “very useful” in identifying the epigenetic change of immune status.
In terms of atmospheric environmental factors, smoking is the most important asthma risk factor. Through DNA damage and other mechanisms, cigarette smoke modulates gene expression; several epigenome-wide association studies have demonstrated that cigarette smoke results in global hypomethylation. In one study, smoke exposure was associated with a 2% increase in mean CpG methylation in the FERM domain containing 4A gene compared with no smoke exposure. Despite the potential for clinical relevance, the authors noted that the current interpretation of cross-sectional epigenetic studies is “problematic” because it is impossible to determine whether methylation alteration is a cause or consequence.
Because DNA CpG methylation changes are more reversible than DNA mutations, “many treatment strategies are currently under investigation,” the authors wrote, including dietary manipulation, which has demonstrated that methyl-rich diets have been associated with epigenome hypermethylation. These findings have generated interest, but clinical efficacy is still unclear.
“Epigenetic influences and mechanisms have been clarified in allergic diseases and asthma, but there are still many questions to be solved yet,” the researchers posit. “The most complex situation is when both the gene and the environment are unknown.” Additional information on exposomes, they added, is necessary, and data should be analyzed via multi-Omnic approaches.
The researchers concluded that “If accurate influence and mechanisms of epigenetics are revealed, prevention and control strategies for asthma and its subtypes will be developed.”
Reference
Bae D-J, Jun AE, Chang HS, Park JS, Park C-S. Epigenetic changes in asthma: role of DNA CpG methylation.Tuberc Respir Dis. 2020;83(1):1-13. | https://www.pulmonologyadvisor.com/advisor-channels/asthma-advisor-channel/environmental-affects-on-genes-in-asthma-treatment/ |
Research Fellow
University of Leeds
FEVR is an inherited blinding disorder caused by the underdevelopment of vessels in the eye. FEVR is caused by mutations in a number of different genes and I try to identify these by analysing patterns of inheritance in DNA samples from members of FEVR families. Once I identify an FEVR gene, I try to understand what its normal role is in blood vessel development and how/why it causes disease when mutated. I also try to piece together the molecular pathways the gene acts within.
Identifying and characterising the genes involved in FEVR is important for a number of reasons. It immediately benefits FEVR patients by facilitating improved genetic diagnosis and counselling. It also increases our knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms underlying FEVR bringing the prospect of therapies for this debilitating disease ever closer.
What is exciting about this research is the hope that it may also shed light on other eye diseases with an abnormal retinal vasculature component such as retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration, the leading causes of blindness in the Western world. Furthermore, evidence suggests that the pathways involved in retinal vessel formation are ubiquitous, so work on these may also shed light on vascular development throughout the body. Consequently, despite FEVR being rare, the findings obtained from this research could potentially lead to the development of therapies for a whole range of disorders.
Scheme: University Research Fellowship
Dates: Oct 2004 - Jan 2013
Value: £11,108,336.37
Share: | https://royalsociety.org/people/carmel-toomes-8347/ |
Hülpüsch C, Weins AB, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Reiger M.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15058
Abstract: Atopic eczema (AE) is an inflammatory skin disease with involvement of genetic, immunological and environmental factors. One hallmark of AE is a skin barrier disruption on multiple, highly interconnected levels: filaggrin mutations, increased skin pH and a microbiome dysbiosis towards Staphylococcus aureus overgrowth are observed in addition to an abnormal type 2 immune response. Extrinsic factors seem to play a major role in the development of AE. As AE is a first step in the atopic march, its prevention and appropriate treatment are essential. Although standard therapy remains topical treatment, powerful systemic treatment options emerged in the last years. However, thorough endotyping of the individual patients is still required for ideal precision medicine approaches in future. Therefore, novel microbial and immunological biomarkers were described recently for the prediction of disease development and treatment response. This review summarizes the current state of the art in AE research
Advances in allergen-specific immune cell measurements for improved detection of allergic sensitization and immunotherapy responses
van Zelm MC, McKenzie CI, Varese N, Rolland JM, O’Hehir RE.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15036
Abstract: Over the past two decades, precision medicine has advanced diagnostics and treatment of allergic diseases. Component-resolved analysis of allergen sensitization facilitates stratification of patients. Furthermore, new formulations of allergen immunotherapy (AIT) products can more effectively deliver the relevant components. Molecular insights from the identification of allergen component sensitization and clinical outcomes of treatment with new AIT formulations can now be utilized for a deeper understanding of the nature of the pathogenic immune response in allergy and how this can be corrected by AIT. Fundamental in these processes are the allergen-specific B and T cells. Within the large B-and T-cell compartments, only those that specifically recognize the allergen with their immunoglobulin (Ig) or T-cell receptor (TCR), respectively, are of clinical relevance. With peripheral blood allergen-specific B-and T-cell frequencies below 1%, bulk cell analysis is typically insufficiently sensitive. We here review the latest technologies to detect allergen-specific B and T cells, as well as new developments in utilizing these tools for diagnostics and therapy monitoring to advance precision medicine for allergic diseases.
Advances and highlights in asthma in 2021
Agache I, Eguiluz-Gracia I, Cojanu C, et al.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15054
Abstract: Last year brought a significant advance in asthma management, unyielding to the pressure of the pandemics. Novel key findings in asthma pathogenesis focus on the resident cell compartment, epigenetics and the innate immune system. The precision immunology unbiased approach was supplemented with novel tools and greatly facilitated by the use of artificial intelligence. Several randomised clinical trials and good quality real-world evidence shed new light on asthma treatment and supported the revision of several asthma guidelines (GINA, Expert Panel Report 3, ERS/ATS guidelines on severe asthma) and the conception of new ones (EAACI Guidelines for the use of biologicals in severe asthma). Integrating asthma management within the broader context of Planetary Health has been put forward. In this review, recently published articles and clinical trials are summarised and discussed with the goal to provide clinicians and researchers with a concise update on asthma research from a translational perspective.
Allergenic components of the mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19: Possible involvement of polyethylene glycol and IgG-mediated complement activation
Klimek L, Novak N, Cabanillas B, Jutel M, Bousquet J, Akdis CA.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14794
Abstract: Following the emergency use authorization of the mRNA-1273 vaccine on the 18th of December 2020, two mRNA vaccines are in current use for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For both mRNA vaccines, the phase III pivotal trials excluded individuals with a history of allergy to vaccine components. Immediately after the initiation of vaccination in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States, anaphylactic reactions were reported. While the culprit trigger requires investigation, initial reports suggested the excipient polyethylene glycol 2000 (PEG-2000)—contained in both vaccines as the PEG-micellar carrier system—as the potential culprit. Surface PEG chains form a hydrate shell to increase stability and prevent opsonization. Allergic reactions to such PEGylated lipids can be IgE-mediated, but may also result from complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) that has been described in similar liposomes. In addition, mRNA-1273 also contains tromethamine (trometamol), which has been reported to cause anaphylaxis to substances such as gadolinium-based contrast media. Skin prick, intradermal and epicutaneous tests, in vitro sIgE assessment, evaluation of sIgG/IgM, and basophil activation tests are being used to demonstrate allergic reactions to various components of the vaccines.
Dangerous liaisons: Bacteria, antimicrobial therapies, and allergic diseases
Tramper-Stranders G, Ambrożej D, Arcolaci A, et al.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15046
Abstract: Microbiota composition and associated metabolic activities are essential for the education and development of a healthy immune system. Microbial dysbiosis, caused by risk factors such as diet, birth mode, or early infant antimicrobial therapy, is associated with the inception of allergic diseases. In turn, allergic diseases increase the risk for irrational use of antimicrobial therapy. Microbial therapies, such as probiotics, have been studied in the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases, but evidence remains limited due to studies with high heterogeneity, strain-dependent effectiveness, and variable outcome measures. In this review, we sketch the relation of microbiota with allergic diseases, the overuse and rationale for the use of antimicrobial agents in allergic diseases, and current knowledge concerning the use of bacterial products in allergic diseases. We urgently recommend 1) limiting antibiotic therapy in pregnancy and early childhood as a method contributing to the reduction of the allergy epidemic in children and 2) restricting antibiotic therapy in exacerbations and chronic treatment of allergic diseases, mainly concerning asthma and atopic dermatitis. Future research should be aimed at antibiotic stewardship implementation strategies and biomarker-guided therapy, discerning those patients that might benefit from antibiotic therapy.
Characteristics of tissue–resident ILCs and their potential as therapeutic targets in mucosal and skin inflammatory diseases
Orimo K, Tamari M, Saito H, Matsumoto K, Nakae S, Morita H.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14863
Abstract: Discovery of innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which are non–T and non–B lymphocytes that have no antigen-specific receptors, changed the classical concept of the mechanism of allergy, which had been explained mainly as antigen-specific acquired immunity based on IgE and Th2 cells. The discovery led to dramatic improvement in our understanding of the mechanism of non–IgE-mediated allergic inflammation. Numerous studies conducted in the past decade have elucidated the characteristics of each ILC subset in various organs and tissues and their ontogeny. We now know that each ILC subset exhibits heterogeneity. Moreover, the functions and activating/ suppressing factors of each ILC subset were found to differ among both organs and types of tissue. Therefore, in this review, we summarize our current knowledge of ILCs by focusing on the organ/tissue-specific features of each subset to understand their roles in various organs. We also discuss ILCs’ involvement in human inflammatory diseases in various organs and potential therapeutic/preventive strategies that target ILCs.
Highlights in the advances of chronic rhinosinusitis
Xu X, Reitsma S, Wang DY, Fokkens WJ.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14892
Abstract: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a complex upper airway inflammatory disease with a broad spectrum of clinical variants. As our understanding of the disease pathophysiology evolves, so too does our philosophy towards the approach and management of CRS. Endotyping is gaining favour over phenotype-based classifications, owing to its potential in prognosticating disease severity and delivering precision treatment. Endotyping is especially useful in challenging CRS with nasal polyposis cases, for whom novel treatment options such as biologicals are now available. The latest European Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps (EPOS2020) reflects these changes with updated rhinosinusitis classifications and new integrated care pathways. With the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, physicians and rhinologists have to balance the responsibility of managing their patients’ upper airway while adequately protecting themselves from droplet and aerosol transmission. This review summarises the key updates from EPOS2020, endotype-based classification and biomarkers. The role of biologicals in CRS and the lessons we can draw from their use in severe asthma will be examined. Finally, the principles of CRS management
during COVID-19 will also be discussed.
Role of nanostructures in allergy: Diagnostics, treatments and safety
Mayorga C, Perez-Inestrosa E, Rojo J, Ferrer M, Montañez MI.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.14764
Abstract: Nanotechnology is science, engineering and technology conducted at the nanoscale, which is about 1–100 nm. It has led to the development of nanomaterials, which behave very differently from materials with larger scales and can have a wide range of applications in biomedicine. The physical and chemical properties of materials of such small compounds depend mainly on the size, shape, composition and functionalization of the system. Nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, liposomes, polymers, dendrimers and nanogels, among others, can be nanoengineeried for controlling all parameters, including their functionalization with ligands, which provide the desired interaction with the immunological system, that is dendritic cell receptors to activate and/or modulate the response, as well as specific IgE, or effector cell receptors. However, undesired issues related to toxicity and hypersensitivity responses can also happen and would need evaluation. There are wide panels of accessible structures, and controlling their physico-chemical properties would permit obtaining safer and more efficient compounds for clinical applications goals, either in diagnosis or treatment. The application of dendrimeric antigens, nanoallergens and nanoparticles in allergy diagnosis is very promising since it can improve sensitivity by increasing specific IgE binding, mimicking carrier proteins or enhancing signal detection. Additionally, in the case of immunotherapy, glycodendrimers, liposomes, polymers and nanoparticles
have shown interest, behaving as platforms of allergenic structures, adjuvants or protectors of allergen from degradation or having a depot capacity. Taken together, the application of nanotechnology to allergy shows promising facts facing important goals related to the improvement of diagnosis as well as specific immunotherapy.
Advances and highlights in allergic rhinitis
Zhang Y, Lan F, Zhang L.
https://doi.org/10.1111/all.15044
Abstract: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a growing public health, medical and economic problem worldwide. The current review describes the major discoveries related to AR during the past 2 years, including risk factors for the prevalence of AR, the corresponding diagnostic strategy, precise underlying immunological mechanisms, and efficient therapies for AR during the ongoing global “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19) pandemic. The review further attempts to highlight future research perspectives. Increasing evidence suggests that environmental exposures, climate changes, and lifestyle are important risk factors for AR. Consequently, detailed investigation of the exposome and the connection between environmental exposures and health in the future should provide better risk profiles instead of single predictors, and also help mitigate adverse health outcomes in allergic diseases. Although patients with dual AR, a newly defined AR phenotype, display perennial and seasonal allergens-related nasal symptoms, they are only allergic to seasonal allergens, indicating the importance of measuring inflammation at the local sites. Herein, we suggest that a combination of precise diagnosis in local sites and traditional diagnostic methods may enhance the precision medicine-based approach for management of AR; however, this awaits further investigations. Apart from traditional treatments, social distancing, washing hands, and disinfection are also required to better manage AR patients in the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite recent advances in understanding the immune mechanisms underlying the effects of allergen immunotherapy (AIT), further understanding changes of cell profiles after AIT and accurately evaluate the efficacy of AIT are required. | https://www.worldallergy.org/reviews-and-news/top-10-scientific-articles/2021/november-2021 |
Researchers have found a way to enhance radiation therapy using novel iodine nanoparticles.
17 Jun 2021
Researchers from Hiroshima University now have a better understanding of the mechanism underlying how certain bacteria can transfer genetic material across taxonomic kingdoms, including to fungi and protists. Their work, published in Frontiers in Microbiology, could have applications in changing how bacteria perform certain functions or react to changes in their environment.
09 Jun 2021
Publication bias, or the tendency of researchers and journals to not publish uninteresting findings, plagues much of the natural sciences and especially biomedical research. Hiroshima University researchers have developed a meta-analytic technique exploiting publicly available transcriptome databases that avoids the problem—and in so doing, discovered four genes previously unknown to be associated with responding to low-oxygen stress.
31 May 2021
High-resolution genome structural analyses combined with large-scale simulations show the arrangements of the genome’s spool-like structures affecting gene expression.
28 May 2021
Scientists from Japan, Europe and the USA have described a pathway leading to the accelerated flowering of plants in low-nitrogen soils. These findings could eventually lead to increases in agricultural production.
21 May 2021
Single-cell gene studies are clarifying the roles of the brain’s specialised immune cell in Alzheimer’s disease and offer new avenues for treatment of this incurable condition.
13 May 2021
A simple tool allows researchers to track how different subpopulations of the Plasmodium knowlesi parasite are changing over time.
13 Apr 2021
The O. swinhoana frog species is the first vertebrate known to retain descendant genes that now determine sex in mammals, birds, and fishes inherited from a common ancestor.
07 Apr 2021
New national body established to further research insights, improve patient outcomes and create new economic opportunities for the biomedical technology industry.
26 Mar 2021
An ‘eat-me’ signal displayed on cell surfaces requires activation of a lipid-scrambling protein by a nuclear protein fragment.
24 Feb 2021
Many genetic variants have been found to have a linkage with genetic diseases, but the understanding of their functional roles in causing diseases are still limited. An international research team, including a biomedical scientist from City University of Hong Kong (CityU), has developed a high-throughput biological assay technique which enabled them to conduct a systematic analysis on the impact of nearly 100,000 genetic variants on the binding of transcription factors to DNA. Their findings provided valuable data for finding key biomarkers of type 2 diabetes for diagnostics and treatments. And they believe that the new technique can be applied to studies of variants associated with other genetic diseases.
17 Feb 2021
Researchers from DGIST have now found a way to keep living, wet cells viable in an ultra-high-vacuum environment, using graphene, allowing—like never before—accurate high-resolution visualization of the undistorted molecular structure and distribution of lipids in cell membranes. This could enhance our bioimaging abilities considerably, improving our understanding of mechanisms underlying complex diseases such as cancers and Alzheimer’s
11 Feb 2021
A brain enzyme activates dormant neural stem cells, revealing how defects in its gene could lead to neurodevelopmental disorders.
04 Feb 2021
Cells replicate their genetic material and divide into two identical clones to perpetuate life. Some cells pause in the process with a single, undivided nucleus. When the cell resumes division after such a pause, the nucleus can become caught in the fissure, splitting violently, and killing both cells. But that is not always the case. Researchers from Hiroshima University in Japan are starting to understand how active nuclear displacement rescues cell death.
23 Dec 2020
A joint research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) has developed a novel computational tool that can reconstruct and visualise three-dimensional (3D) shapes and temporal changes of cells, speeding up the analysing process from hundreds of hours by hand to a few hours by computer. Revolutionising the way biologists analyse image data, this tool can advance further studies in developmental and cell biology, such as the growth of cancer cells.
23 Dec 2020
A transporter protein that regulates cell membrane cholesterol likely played an important role in vertebrate evolution, according to a review published by iCeMS researchers in the journal FEBS Letters.
21 Dec 2020
Researchers baffled by an infant’s rare encephalitis case unusual in children found unheard-of mutations and a new way to examine the “immunity gene.”
04 Dec 2020
Turning off gene-editing until it reaches cell cycle phases where more accurate repairs are likely to happen offers a promising fix to CRISPR-Cas9’s problem with unwanted genetic changes.
20 Nov 2020
A research team, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has presented the whole-genome sequence and analyses of the endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the largest extant fish on Earth.
20 Nov 2020
A research team, affiliated with the Korea Genomics Center (KOGIC) at UNIST has released data from the initial phase of the Korean Genome Project (Korea1K), including information describing 1,094 whole genomes, along with 79 quantitative clinical traits.
19 Nov 2020
A research team, affiliated with South Korea's Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) established an advanced direct conversion strategy to generate iMNs from human fibroblasts in large-scale with high purity, thereby providing a cell source for treatment of SCI.
19 Nov 2020
A repetitive DNA sequence that causes health risks when it malfunctions can now be watched inside living cells using a synthetic tool
04 Nov 2020
Innovative research by scientists at Duke-NUS Medical School has shed light on the mysterious role of long non-coding RNAs in the development of pancreatic cancer and suggests potential new targets for precision cancer therapies.
03 Oct 2020
A new apparatus improves how we study the effects of aiming high-field terahertz radiation at cells, with implications for regenerative medicine.
02 Oct 2020
Marine biologists studying the genetic structure of the Humboldt squid population found it is vulnerable to overfishing by fleets on its migration path.
01 Oct 2020
Scientists have found an ingredient that makes a vaccine more effective through an approach more often seen in materials science – testing molecules that self-assemble into larger structures.
01 Oct 2020
Scientists found out why people with Zellweger syndrome also get sick with genetic disorders linked to dysfunctions of the cilia or the cell’s “antenna.”
31 Aug 2020
A research team from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has developed a new Gene Expression Embedding frameworK (GEEK), which uses artificial intelligence technologies in machine learning and natural language processing to study the regulation of gene expression. In contrast to previous works that focused on one or a few regulatory mechanisms at a time, this new framework can study the joint effects of many mechanisms simultaneously. A research article describing this new study has been published in the renowned international science journal Nature Machine Intelligence. The framework may help study the causes of cancers and treatment methods.
04 Aug 2020
Recurrent miscarriages (RM) cause frustration and trauma to couples who want to have a child. However, not all couples can find out about the underlying reasons because of medical constraints. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine) has successfully developed a new genome sequencing test called ChromoSeq to identify the genetic defects for married couples, who suffered from RM. When compared with the conventional karyotyping analysis, ChromoSeq offers greater accuracy in detecting potential genetic abnormalities associated with RM in affected couples. The team conducted a study on the innovation and the findings were recently published in the international journal American Journal of Human Genetics.
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Feb. 5, 2019, at 9:00 a.m.
Canine Bone Cancer Vaccine Hints at a Human Version
Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — An experimental vaccine for bone cancer in dogs could offer a road map for a human version of the treatment, researchers report.
More than 10,000 cases of bone cancer in dogs occur in the United States each year. But the disease is not common in humans, with only 800 to 900 cases a year. About half of those cases occur in children and teens. Read More
January 8, 2019
Researchers Overcome Hurdle in CRISPR Gene Editing for Muscular Dystrophy
The gene editing technique known as CRISPR is a revolutionary approach to treating inherited diseases. However, the tool has yet to be used to effectively treat long-term, chronic conditions. A research team led by Dongsheng Duan, PhD, at the University of Missouri School of Medicine has identified and overcome a barrier in CRISPR gene editing that may lay the foundation for sustained treatments using the technique. Read More
Nov. 14, 2018
New way to study swallowing could lead to improved treatments for ALS
There is no cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, but new findings from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine are deepening researchers’ understanding of a common ALS symptom: swallowing problems. Researchers have discovered how to mimic human swallowing problems in a rodent model of ALS, which will allow more targeted study on how to preserve and restore swallowing function — a major factor in quality of life. The research could one day lead to new treatments to slow the disease and improve the well-being of individuals with ALS. Read More
Nov. 2, 2018
MU researchers study cat genomes to treat human allergies
Researchers from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine are studying cat genome sequences to identify treatments for allergies in humans. Read More
Oct. 25, 2018
MU receives funding for continued operation of National Swine Resource and Research Center, a central resource for biomedical investigators and researchers
The University of Missouri has received $7.229 million for continued operation of the National Swine Resource and Research Center (NSRRC). The NSRRC was established in 2003 to serve as a resource for biomedical investigators and researchers, providing those individuals with access to critically needed swine models for human health and disease. Read More
Oct. 22, 2018
Tom Spencer named Curators Professor, university's highest rank
Tom Spencer, professor of animal sciences, was recently named a 2018 Curators Distinguished Professor, the University of Missouri’s highest and most prestigious rank. This honor was established in 1968 by the University Board of Curators and is bestowed only upon outstanding scholars with established reputations. Read More
Oct. 15, 2018
Researchers at MU produce virus-resistant pigs, could vastly improve global animal health
Researchers at the University of Missouri have successfully produced a litter of pigs that are genetically resistant to a deadly porcine virus.
Coronaviruses, highly contagious and widespread viruses known for their distinctive microscopic halos, are responsible for a variety of deadly intestinal diseases in livestock. One such virus, Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus (TGEV), commonly infects the intestines of pigs, causing almost 100 percent mortality in young pigs. Now, a team of researchers from MU, Kansas State University and Genus plc—a global leader in animal genetics— has succeeded in breeding pigs that are resistant to the virus by means of gene editing. Read More
Sept. 13, 2018
BPA exposure in U.S.-approved levels may alter insulin response in non-diabetic adults
In a first study of its kind study, researchers have found that a common chemical consumers are exposed to several times a day may be altering insulin release. Results of the study, led by scientists at the University of Missouri, indicate that the Food and Drug Administration-approved “safe” daily exposure amount of BPA may be enough to have implications for the development of Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic diseases. Read More
June 21, 2018
Lever secures NIH grant to study ALS onset, treatment
Teresa Lever, PhD, assistant professor of otolaryngology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, has secured a federal grant to investigate serotonin supplementation as a potential therapeutic for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Serotonin levels have been shown to be abnormally low in ALS patients who develop speaking and/or swallowing impairment as the first symptom of the disease. Read More
June 18, 2018
BPA can induce multigenerational effects on ability to communicate
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Past studies have shown that biparental care of offspring can be affected negatively when females and males are exposed to bisphenol A (BPA); however, previous studies have not characterized how long-term effects of BPA exposure in grandmothers and grandfathers might affect offspring communication ability. In a study published today in the journal PLOS One, researchers at the University of Missouri found that mice pups whose grandparents had been exposed to BPA, had different vocalization patterns. This, in turn, could also affect the amount of parental care they received. Scientists believe results could have important relevance to humans. Read More
June 15, 2018
New Study Shows how a Single Binge Drinking Episode Affects Gene that Regulates Sleep
One in six U.S. adults binge drinks at least four times a month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Previous studies have linked binge drinking to sleep disruption. Now, new findings from the University of Missouri School of Medicine explain how a single episode of binge drinking can affect the gene that regulates sleep, leading to sleep disruption in mice. The finding may shed light on how sleep problems can contribute to alcoholism in humans. Read More
June 15, 2018
Davis' Research Could Help Cantu Syndrome Sufferers
Cantu syndrome is a rare genetic disease characterized by distinct facial features, excessive hair growth, low blood pressure and an enlarged heart. About half of Cantu sufferers also have lymphedema — fluid retention and swelling in the limbs caused by a malfunctioning lymphatic system — and that is why Michael Davis, PhD, of the MU School of Medicine’s Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, was drawn into the fight against the disease three years ago. Read More
June 13, 2018
Zinc plays vital role in animal and human fertility, can help scientists quickly diagnose infertility
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Infertility affects about 20 percent of the U.S. population and can be incredibly costly; it also costs the livestock industry billions of dollars each year. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found that zinc plays a key role in promoting fertility in males, a discovery that has implications for improved in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination in livestock, and for human infertility diagnostics and therapies. Read More
Feb. 13, 2018
Exploring All Avenues for Heart Health
College Avenue separates Patrick Delafontaine, MD, and Doug Bowles, PhD, but a mutual interest in unclogging arteries brought the two together. The dean of the University of Missouri School of Medicine and the chair of the College of Veterinary Medicine's Department of Biomedical Sciences are collaborating on research that could help prevent heart attacks. | https://research.missouri.edu/acqa/news |
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Scientists at King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry and University of Exeter Medical School will investigate the role of epigenetic processes in schizophrenia.
The £1 million research project could pave the way for revolutionary new treatments.
Professor Jonathan Mill, at King's Institute of Psychiatry and University of Exeter Medical School, will use the grant from the Medical Research Council for a three year study which could shed fresh light on the triggers for the disease.
Schizophrenia is a long-term mental health condition which can include a range of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations, delusions, muddled thought or changes in behaviour. One in 100 people experience schizophrenia in their lifetime, with many continuing to live normal lives.
Prof Mill said: “This project will look at how nature and nurture interact to cause schizophrenia, which can have a serious impact on people’s lives. One factor we will look at is the impact of the current medications used to treat schizophrenia. If we can gain a better understanding of the causes of this disorder, it could lead to more effective treatment methods being developed.”
Until now, research has primarily focussed around the role of genetic factors in schizophrenia, but other variables, including factors in the environment, are likely to be important in the onset of the disease. For example, genetic variation cannot explain why identical twins often differ, with one twin developing schizophrenia, and the other being free of the condition.
The research team will look instead at epigenetic changes – the molecular processes which alter the physical and chemical structure of DNA. They effectively “switch” genes on and off. His team will use state-of-the-art technology to examine DNA methylation, a chemical modification to one of the four bases of DNA, which can be inherited through cell division. It is one of the best understood epigenetic marks, and is thought to be an essential factor in influencing the appearance and behaviour of cells, and enabling them to form the wide-ranging characteristics necessary for complex life forms to develop from a single, static DNA sequence. Recent evidence suggests that these epigenetic tags to the DNA can be affected by external factors, such as diet, stress, alcohol, drugs or medication.
Prof Mill said: “Unlike our DNA sequence, epigenetic processes can be highly dynamic, and may be a route by which the environment can influence gene expression. This will be the first large-scale study to examine how genetic and epigenetic factors interact in the onset of schizophrenia.”
The researchers will examine several thousand samples, including clinical blood samples and brains of patients who were affected by schizophrenia and died. They will also examine identical twins where just one has schizophrenia.
Dr Leonard Schalkwyk, at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, said: "This is a very exciting opportunity to integrate the epigenetics of schizophrenia with what we already know about the genetics of the disorder. We are working with a tremendous group of geneticists and the study holds great promise for better understanding of the disease."
For further information, please contact Seil Collins, Press Officer, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, email: [email protected] or tel: 0044 207 848 5377
King's News Centre - latest news by King's College London. | https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/ioppn/records/2013/march/epigenetic-factors-in-schizophrenia |
Legal systems create provisions that regulate a seller's liabilities in sales agreements with respect to defects, as well as consequences thereto, in order to establish delivery of goods to the buyer under the conditions stipulated by the law and to prevent material, legal or economic defects that remove or substantially reduce the value of the goods, as well as the benefits expected therefrom. As these provisions are not of a mandatory nature, under the principle of freedom of contract, sellers may give contractual guarantees by undertaking risks that are not stipulated by the law, or they may reduce their risks by limiting their liability.
Contractual guarantees provide advantages to the buyer in case of defect, which are more extensive than those stipulated by the law, such as more speedy and simple legal remedies, prolonged validity periods for the rights of replacement or repair, removal of the requirement of the presence of legal conditions for defects liability, and removal or extension of the time limit for examination and inspection. In addition, these guarantees ease customer traction, enable the seller to determine its own guarantee conditions, rather than the regime, as stipulated by the law and, thus, to better understand its liabilities, and provide for the possibility to remove or limit the liability surrounding defects.
This Newsletter article explains the scope of contractual liabilities and specifically examines the validity of the provisions that remove or limit seller's liability, and cases where such provisions are present within the standard sales terms of the seller in a general sense, within the framework of various legal systems. The subject of this article is limited to commercial sales between merchants and does not cover consumer sales.
Scope of the Contractual Guarantees
As is also the case in the Turkish law, the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods ("CISG" or "Convention"), as well as many other legal systems, stipulate optional rights, as well as the right to compensation for the buyer in the event of defect, such as rescission of the contract by notifying the seller that it is going to return the sold goods, request price reduction in proportion to the defect while retaining the goods, request free repair of the goods, which shall be covered by the seller, and request replacement of the goods with a defect-free similar good. The buyer is obliged to comply with the periods of examination and inspection that are stipulated in the applicable law. These rights may be extended, repeated, limited, or completely removed with the contractual guarantees stipulated in the sales contract.
In the event the parties are willing to apply contractual terms by removing the liability regime stipulated by the law, they must explicitly decide to do so; otherwise, the provisions regarding the defects liability shall continue to exist and compete with the claims that arise due to contractual guarantees1. For the sake of clarity, it must be stipulated under the sales contract that all of the provisions related to guarantee and liability, stipulated clearly or implicitly under the law be excluded and shall not be applied. In an unclear situation, interpretation shall be made in favor of the buyer2.
Provisions that Limit or Remove the Seller's Liability
The following examples may be given to the provisions that limit or completely remove liability: Provisions that completely remove seller's liability; provisions that stipulate a compensation cap that shall be paid to the buyer (for example, indirect damages shall not be covered by the seller); provisions that limit the optional rights of the buyer (for example, not granting the right of rescission of the contract to the seller, granting only the rights of repair or replacement); provisions that shorten the time period for inspection of the sold goods, and notification of the seller regarding the defects or the period of limitation. As it is clear from the examples, limitation of liability not only refers to agreements that directly limit liability, but also to the agreements that aggravate the legal condition of the creditor under the legal regime that applies to liability3.
In the doctrine, it is argued that a general contractual condition, which completely removes liability, shall not cover defects that fall beyond the scope of defects that the buyer could reasonably think of, and cannot be expected to be predicted by the buyer under the principle of good faith4. As well, a seller's explicit notification of quality regarding the sold goods to the seller, while simultaneously concluding an agreement that generally removes liability, shall violate the contradictory conduct prohibition, and in that instance, provisions that remove liability shall be rendered invalid, in their entirety5.
Validity of Exemption Clauses under Various Legal Systems
Provisions that limit or remove a seller's liability in sales contracts qualify as "exemption clauses." In many legal systems, exemption clauses are specifically regulated. Below, certain local laws and international conventions are examined in this respect:
- Turkish Law: Article 221 of the Turkish Code of Obligations numbered 6098 ("TCO") is a special provision regarding exemption clauses in the sales contracts. Under this provision, if the seller is grossly negligent in delivering the defective goods, any agreement that removes or limits defects liability is invalid.
- Swiss Law: Under Article 100 of the Swiss Code of Obligations, any agreement purporting, in advance, to exclude or limit liability for unlawful intent, or gross negligence, is invalid.
- German Law: German law takes a more liberal approach to exemption clauses, and under Article 276/3 of the German Civil Code, these kinds of agreements are permitted, except in situations where the debtor deliberately violates the contract. In German law, there is a special regulation regarding exemption clauses under standard conditions, and this shall be examined in detail, below.
- English Law: Section 11 of the Unfair Contract Terms Act makes a stipulation for supervision regarding the reasonableness of the exemption clauses, and permits such clauses, to the extent they are reasonable.
- CISG: Exemption clauses are not explicitly regulated under the CISG. However, Article 6 of the Convention permits the parties to agree to exclude the application of the Convention or, derogate from, or vary, the effect of any of its provisions. Also, under Article 7/2 of the Convention, questions concerning matters governed by the Convention which are not expressly settled in it are to be settled in conformity with the general principles on which it is based or, in the absence of such principles, in conformity with the law applicable by virtue of the rules of private international law. Accordingly, the parties may limit or remove seller's liability. Also, under paragraph 4(a) of the CISG Advisory Council Opinion No. 17 on Limitation and Exclusion Clauses in CISG Contracts, it stipulates that the Convention does not preempt provisions of the applicable law, relying on notions, such as intentional or willful breach, gross negligence, breach of an essential term, gross unfairness, unreasonableness, or unconscionability, in cases where the Convention does not apply.
- Unidroit Principles 2016 ("Principles"): Under Article 7.1.6 of the Principles that regulate exemption clauses, exemption clauses may not be invoked if it would be grossly unfair to do so, having regard to the purpose of the contract. In the Commentary to the said Article, the concept of "grossly unfair" is explained, and a term is defined as 'grossly unfair,' if it is inherently unfair, and its application, would lead to an evident imbalance between the performances of the parties. Moreover, according to the Commentary, again, even if the exemption clause is not in itself manifestly unfair, where the non-performance is the result of grossly negligent conduct, or where the aggrieved party could not have obviated the consequences of the limitation or exclusion of liability by taking out appropriate insurance, the exemption clause shall be invalid.
Exemption Clauses Included under the General Conditions of Sale
In practice, exemption clauses are generally included under a seller's general conditions of sale. Standard conditions of sale are qualified as general terms and conditions. General terms and conditions are defined as "contract provisions that are prepared unilaterally in advance by the drafter for use in the future in numerous similar contracts and proposed to the other party" under Article 20 of the TCO. In a sales agreement, these conditions are generally stipulated by the seller, and requested to be signed by the seller as an annex to the sales agreement. Under Article 21 of the TCO, the general terms and conditions that are to the detriment of the opposing party shall be included within the scope of the contract only if the drafter informs the other party regarding the presence of that term, and gives the other party the option to review its content, and the other party so accepts. Otherwise, the general term and conditions shall be regarded as not having been made.
Article 25 of the TCO also regulates that the general terms and conditions shall not include terms detrimental to the other party in a manner contrary to good faith. For example, a standard term that stipulates that the buyer can use its right of replacement or repair only within three days following the sale, in the event the computer it has purchased is defective, should be considered invalid.
Article 307 of the German Civil Code is the provision that corresponds and makes clear the standard of good faith that Article 25 of the TCO aims to formulate6. In German law, which generally has a more liberal regime as to exemption clauses, there is a special provision for exemption clauses included under general terms and conditions. In the second sentence of the second paragraph of the Article, if the essential rights and obligations inherent in the nature of the contract are limited to such an extent that attainment of the purpose of the contract is jeopardized, it is accepted that the limitation unfairly aggravates the condition of the opposing party; and such an aggravation violates the principle of good faith, rendering it invalid.
Conclusion
Contractual guarantees given by the seller in sales contracts that replace the provisions of law related to the liability of defects is common practice. With contractual guarantees, optional rights of the buyer, such as rescission of the contract, repair, replacement and price reduction can be extended, repeated, limited, or completely removed from the contract. In the event the parties are willing to apply the provisions of the contract by removing the regime of liability foreseen in the law, this must be explicitly determined.
Provisions of sales contracts that limit or remove the liability of the seller qualify as "exemption clauses." Exemption clauses are specifically regulated in many legal systems and international conventions, and are deemed invalid in cases of gross fault, willful neglect, or gross negligence of the seller, or when they are unreasonable or not proportionate.
In the event the exemption clauses are included under the seller's standard terms of sales, and qualify as general terms and conditions, limitations that are to the detriment of the seller, and aggravate its condition in such a way that violates the principle of good faith, are considered as not having been made. Under German law, the general terms and conditions that restrict the inherent rights and obligations arising from the nature of the contract, to the extent that the purpose of the contract is jeopardized, are invalid.
Footnotes
1 Kapancı, Kadir Berk: 6098 Sayılı Türk Borçlar Kanunu Açısından Satış hukukunda Ayıptan Doğan Sorumluluk ve Sözleşmesel Garanti Taahhütleri, İstanbul 2012, p. 187-188.
2 Kapancı, p. 25.
3 Kapancı, p. 24.
4 Kapancı, p. 25; Aral, Fahrettin: Borçlar Hukuku Özel Borç İlişkileri, Ankara 2007, p. 152; Tandoğan, Haluk: Borçlar Hukuku Özel Borç İlişkileri, Cilt I, Ankara 1987, p. 175.
5 Kapancı, p. 25; Akyol, Şener: Medeni Hukukta Çelişki Yasağı, Prof. Dr. Feyfi Feyzioğlu'nun Anısına Armağan, İstanbul 2007, p. 13 vd.; Gümüş, Alper Mustafa; Borçlar Hukuku Özel Hükümler, İstanbul 2008, p. 142; Yavuz, Cevdet: Satıcının Satılanın (Malın) Ayıplarından Sorumluluğu, İstanbul 1989, p. 98.
6 Başalp, Nilgün: Sorumsuzluk Anlaşmaları, İstanbul 2011, p. 207.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances. | https://www.mondaq.com/turkey/contracts-and-commercial-law/729216/contractual-guarantees-and-exemption-clauses-in-commercial-sales-contracts |
4.2 Although there is still no full-fledged adherence to internationally agreed financial reporting standards, countries are converging toward IFRS as the accounting principles to be used for preparing financial statements. The Guide defers to IFRS as the overarching framework for compiling FSIs for DTs and OFCs but recognizes that not all countries adhere to them, and some follow generally accepted national accounting practices instead. The Guide further defers to supervisory standards, particularly with respect to allowance for losses. Reporters are encouraged to provide metadata indicating the statistical and financial reporting standards used, including any critical assumptions and significant differences from IFRS.
II. Flows and Positions
4.3 Flow data refer to economic actions and effects of events within a period of time. Flows include transactions in goods, services, income, transfers, and nonfinancial and financial assets; holding gains and losses arising from price or exchange rate movements; and other changes in the volume of assets and liabilities, such as losses from extraordinary events. Under certain circumstances, potential costs can also be included.2
4.4 Position data are the value of outstanding stocks, which refers to holdings of nonfinancial and financial assets, and liabilities at a specific point in time.
III. Time of Recognition of Flows and Positions
Recognition and Derecognition of Financial Assets and Liabilities
4.5 Assets are resources controlled by an entity as a result of past events, and from which future economic benefits are expected to flow to the entity or institutional unit. Financial assets are a subset of economic assets that consist of financial claims. Most financial assets are financial claims arising from contractual relationships entered into when one institutional unit provides funds or other resources to another. These contracts are the basis of creditor/debtor relationships through which asset owners acquire unconditional claims on economic resources of other institutional units.
4.6 Each claim represented by a financial asset has a corresponding liability. A liability is a present obligation of an entity arising from past events, the settlement of which is expected to result in an outflow of resources from the entity. A liability is established when one unit (the debtor) is obliged, under specific circumstances, to provide funds or other resources to another unit (the creditor). Usually, a liability is established through a legally binding contract that specifies the terms and conditions of the payment(s) to be made, and the payment is unconditional.
4.7 Whether assets and liabilities exist and are outstanding is determined at any moment in time by the concept of ownership. Two types of ownership can be distinguished: legal and economic ownership.3 The legal owner of nonfinancial and financial assets and liabilities is the institutional unit entitled by law and sustainable under the law to claim title to the instrument. The economic owner of nonfinancial and financial assets and liabilities is the institutional unit entitled to claim the benefits associated with their use by virtue of accepting the associated risks. Every nonfinancial and financial asset and liability has both a legal and an economic owner. In most cases, the economic owner and the legal owner are the same. Where they are not, the legal owner has passed to the economic owner the risk involved in using the resource in an economic activity, as well as the associated benefits.4
4.8 An entity shall recognize financial assets or liabilities in its financial statements when the entity becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instruments. IFRS 10 requires an entity to consolidate entities, which it controls.5 Thus, the consolidated financial statements of the parent entity would recognize financial assets and liabilities when entities it controls become party to the contractual provisions of the instruments. While the Guide generally defers to IFRS on consolidation, in the case of the DT sector, it recommends supervisory consolidation (Chapter 6). Purchase or sale of financial assets shall be recognized and derecognized using the trade date (i.e., the date of the transaction) or, if not feasible, the settlement date (i.e., the time of delivery of the financial assets and payment of consideration).6 Trade date accounting presupposes that the purchaser of the instrument assumes the risks and rewards to the instrument on the day of the transaction, not the day of delivery of the instrument.
4.9 Financial liabilities are removed (derecognized) from the financial statement of an institutional unit when such liabilities are extinguished. In other words, financial liabilities are removed when the obligations specified in the contracts are discharged, cancelled, or expired.
Accrual Accounting
4.10 Accrual accounting is the main method used in the Guide, in IFRS and for the compilation of other macroeconomic statistics. Accrual accounting records flows and changes in the corresponding stocks at the time economic value is created, transformed, exchanged, transferred, or extinguished. Under accrual accounting, flows and positions are recorded when a change in economic ownership takes place. The effects of economic events are thus recorded in the period in which they occur, irrespective of whether payment was made. Existing assets and liabilities are recognized, but contingent positions are not.7
4.11 The change of economic ownership is central to determine the time of recording of transactions in financial assets on an accrual basis. Economic ownership takes account of the risks and rewards of ownership. As already stated, a change in economic ownership means that, in practice, an entity has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity. Accrual accounting is adopted because by matching the time of recognition with the time of resource flows and the time of gains and losses in value, the economic consequences of transactions and events on the current condition of the reporting entities is best observed. The simultaneous recognition of the transfer of rights and values between the buyer and seller also results in symmetrical reporting of value, which reduces the possibility of discrepancies in the accounts.
4.12 When a transaction occurs in assets, the entities should record the change in position on the date of the transaction (the trade date). If an existing asset is sold by one entity to another, the first entity derecognizes, and the second entity recognizes the asset on the date of the transaction, which is when the economic risks and rewards associated with the instrument are transferred. The date of recording may actually be specified to ensure matching entries in the books of both parties. If no precise date can be fixed on which the change in ownership occurs, the date on which the creditor receives payment in cash or in some other asset (settlement date) is decisive.
4.13 A financial claim is created and exists until payment is made or forgiven. An asset transaction is recorded when a service is rendered, interest accrues, or an event occurs that creates a transfer claim (i.e., taxation). Similar to interest, service charges can accrue continuously. After dividends are declared payable, they are recorded as liabilities/assets until paid.
Accrual of Interest
4.14 The Guide recommends that interest costs accrue continuously on debt instruments, matching the cost of funds with the provision of funds and increasing the principal amount outstanding until the interest is paid.8 As set forth in IFRS 9, an entity should recognize interest income by applying the effective interest method. For fixed-rate instruments, the effective interest rate is the rate of interest that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments or receipts through the expected life of the financial asset or financial liabilities to the gross carrying amount of a financial asset or to the amortized cost of a financial liability.9 For variable-rate instruments, the yield will vary over time in line with the terms of the contract. With the exception of instruments meeting the IFRS 9 criteria for hedge accounting, no adjustment should be made to interest income for any gains or losses arising from financial derivatives contracts, as these are recognized as gains and losses on financial instruments (see paragraph 5.19).
4.15 These recommendations for the accrual of interest are based on IFRS 9.10 However, it is recognized that for data compiled under IFRS when an instrument is traded, interest accrues to the new creditor at the effective yield at the time of acquisition of the instrument and not at the effective yield at the time of issuance. This would open up the possibility that there could be asymmetric reporting of interest income for traded financial instruments by debtor and creditor deposit takers.11
4.16 Interest costs that accrue in a recording period should be recorded as an expense (income) in that period. For position data, there are three possibilities for measuring accrued interest costs:
a. Interest earned is paid within the reporting period, with no impact on end-period positions
b. Interest earned is not paid because it is not yet due, with the consequence that the positions increase by the amount of interest that has accrued during the reporting period
c. Interest earned is not paid when due, with the consequence that the positions increase by the amount of interest costs that has accrued during the period (excluding any specific provisions against such interest, see paragraph 5.15).
The Guide recommends including interest costs that have accrued and are not yet payable as part of the value of the underlying instruments (aforementioned second bullet point).
Arrears
4.17 When principal or interest payments are not made when due (e.g., on a loan) arrears are created. Arrears should continue to be recorded from their creation date,12 until they are extinguished, such as when they are repaid, rescheduled, or forgiven by the creditor. Arrears should continue to be recorded in the underlying instrument, with the exception of interest on nonperforming assets (see paragraph 5.14).13
4.18 If debt payments are guaranteed by a third party (guarantor) and the debtor defaults, the debtor records an arrear until the creditor invokes the guarantee, at which time the debt is attributed to the guarantor. In other words, the arrear of the original debtor is extinguished as though repaid. Depending on the contractual arrangements, in the event of a guarantee being exercised, the debt is not classified as arrears of the guarantor but instead as a short-term debt liability until any grace period for payment ends.
Contingencies
4.19 Many types of contractual financial arrangements between institutional units do not give rise to unconditional requirements, either to make payments or to provide other economic assets.14 In this context, “conditional” means that the claim becomes effective only if a stipulated condition (or conditions) arise. These arrangements, which are often referred to as contingent items (or off-balance-sheet exposures), are not recognized as financial assets or liabilities in the Guide, because they are not actual claims and there are no certain future economic benefits that can be measured reliably.
4.20 Off-balance-sheet exposures represent potential exposures to risks. The types of contingent arrangements for which data should be collected on the basis of the maximum potential exposure are described below.
4.21 Loan and other payment guarantees are commitments to make payments to third parties when another party, such as a client of the guarantor, fails to perform some contractual obligations. These are contingent liabilities because payment is required only if the client fails to perform, and until such time no liability is recorded on the balance sheet of the guarantor. A common type of risk assumed by a deposit-taking guarantor is commercial risk or finan-cial performance risk of the borrower.
4.22 Included under payment guarantees are letters of credit (LoCs). Stand-by LoCs are guarantees to make payment upon nonperformance by the client, provided all the conditions in the letter have been met. LoCs are an important mechanism for international trade whereby a bank makes payment to a supplier on behalf of the bank’s customer upon documentary proof of delivery of the speci-fed items in accordance with the terms of the LoC. Irrevocable LoCs provide certainty of payment if the original terms are met, while revocable LoCs, which are seldom used as they do not provide certainty of payment, allow the terms of the letter to be changed without prior approval of the beneficiary. Also included are performance bonds that normally cover only part of the contract value but in effect guarantee a buyer of goods, such as an importer, that the seller, such as an exporter, will meet the terms of the contract. Performance bonds are also used in construction to protect the owner by providing a bank guarantee of payment for remedial work, to the limit of bond, that may be required if the contractor does not complete a project or completes it with material deficiencies.
4.23 Lines of credit and credit commitments, including undisbursed loan commitments, are contingencies that provide a guarantee that undrawn funds will be available in the future, but no financial liability/ asset exists until such funds are actually advanced.
4.24 Included under credit commitments are unutilized back-up facilities such as note issuance facilities (NIFs) that provide guarantees that parties will be able to sell short-term debt securities (notes) that they issue and that the financial corporations providing the facility will purchase any notes not sold in the market. Other non-guarantee facilities providing contingent credit or back-up purchase facilities are revolving underwriting facilities (RUFs), multiple options facilities, and global note facilities (GNFs). Both banks and nonbank financial institutions provide such back-up purchase facilities.
Provisions for Loan Losses and Other Impaired Assets
4.25 IFRS 9, which came into effect from January 2018, prescribes an expected credit loss (ECL) treatment for establishing a loss allowance for financial assets.15 Previously, accounting standards (i.e. IAS 39) had used an incurred credit loss approach, whereby loss allowances were established only when there was objective evidence of impairment. This evidence would typically be payments in arrears but could also comprise qualitative information such as the bankruptcy of the debtor even if payments were not yet in arrears.
4.26 Supervisory treatment of provisions for loan losses has long taken an expected loss approach. This reflects the certain knowledge from experience in banking that losses will be incurred on some assets even if there is currently no evidence of impairment of those assets. The divergence between the expected loss approach favored by supervisors, and the incurred loss approach mandated by IAS 39, resulted in differences in the provision amounts determined in accordance with supervisory standards, and allowance for loss amounts determined in accordance with accounting standards.
4.27 Supervisory requirements, which often include minimum provisioning amounts for loans over a specified number of days in arrears, may result in higher specific provisions than the allowance for loss determined in accordance with the accounting requirements. This may occur, for example, because a bank might expect to recover through the sale of collateral an amount sufficient to repay the entire loan, thus requiring no allowance for loss under accounting standards, yet under supervisory requirements, minimum provisions may be required in accordance with the number of days payment is in arrears.
4.28 Supervisory requirements also frequently require a general provision amount, for example, 1 percent of the total portfolio. This recognizes that there will be losses in a portfolio even if individually impaired loans have not yet been identified, which is conceptually similar to, but differing in practice from, the expected loss approach of IFRS 9.
4.29 The combination of prescribed minimum provisions and requirement for general provisions may result in higher levels of provisions determined in accordance with supervisory requirements than the allowance for loss amounts determined in accordance with IAS 39 and IFRS 9 accounting principles. Under Basel I, any excess of provisions above the allowance for loss calculated in accordance with accounting principles was treated as a general provision. This amount, to a maximum of 1.25 percent of risk-weighted assets, was included as an element of Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes.
4.30 Basel II introduced a divergent treatment between the Standardized Approach and the Internal Ratings-Based Approach with respect to specific and general provisions. Basel I treatment was retained for institutions using the Standardized Approach. For institutions on the advanced approaches, the difference between provisions (e.g., specific provisions, portfolio-specific general provisions such as country risk provisions or general provisions) and expected losses may be included in or must be deducted from regulatory capital. The excess, to a maximum of 0.6 percent of risk-weighted assets, is included in Tier 2 capital. Any shortfall in provisions relative to expected loss would be deducted from capital, 50 percent from Tier 1, and 50 percent from Tier 2. Banks using the advanced approaches for a portion of their portfolio and the standardized approach for the balance should attribute total general provisions on a pro rata basis to the advanced and standardized portfolios. There are options and elements of national discretion, and the Guide defers to supervisory requirements for the treatment of provisions and expected loss.16 Basel III retained the Basel II approach, with the difference that any shortfall in provisions is to be deducted from CET1.
4.31 Under IFRS 9, the loss allowance is a cumulative account, with increases or decreases in loss allowance recognized in profit and loss. There are differing accounting treatments depending on the type of financial instrument.
4.32 For financial assets measured at amortized cost—typically loans and leases as well as securities held for the intention of collecting the cash flows—the loss allowance is netted against the carrying amount of the assets. Thus, under IFRS 9, the net amount is reported on the statement of financial position (balance sheet). However, for compiling FSIs, the Guide recommends that loans be reported without any deduction for loss allowance—that is, they should be reported at a gross value. The loss allowance for off-balance-sheet items such as loan commitments or guarantees is recognized as a provision (liability). For securities measured at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI)—typically debt instruments—provision expense is recognized in profit or loss using the same credit impairment methodology as for financial assets measured at amortized cost. Other changes in the carrying amount due to fair value measurement are recognized in OCI; the cumulative fair value gain or loss recognized in OCI is recycled from OCI to profit or loss when the related financial asset is derecognized.
4.33 Adoption of the ECL approach in IFRS bridges some of the conceptual differences between the accounting and supervisory approaches to loss allowance (provisioning), but there continues to be a wide gulf in specific application. This is compounded by the diversity across jurisdictions in the application of accounting and supervisory standards.17
4.34 At the time of writing, the BCBS has prescribed an interim approach continuing the existing Basel I, II, and III determinations described earlier, recommending that national authorities issue guidance on the allocation of IFRS 9 ECL to general and specific provisions.18 Thus, the concepts of general and specific provisions continue to be relevant to the FSIs, which include provisions (non-performing loans net of provisions to regulatory capital, paragraph 7.27, and provisions to non-performing loans, paragraph 7.39), and compilers should follow the supervisory practices prescribed in their jurisdiction for the determination of specific provision amounts. Data should be obtained from supervisory sources, and details of the national treatment of specific and general provisions should be provided in the metadata.
IV. Valuation
4.35 The accounting principles for the recognition and measurement of financial assets and liabilities discussed in the Guide follow IFRS 9. In the Guide, valuation corresponds to the IFRS concept of measurement. Measurement involves assigning monetary amounts at which the elements of the financial statements are to be recognized and carried on the balance sheet.19
Amortized Cost and Fair Value
4.36 IFRS 9 requires measurement (valuation in the terms of the Guide) using amortized cost, fair value through other comprehensive income, or fair value through profit and loss. Determination of the appropriate approach is based on the entity’s business model for managing the financial assets, and the contractual cash flow characteristics of the financial asset.
4.37 Financial assets are valued (measured) at amortized cost if the asset is held to collect contractual cash flows and the contractual terms give rise, on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest. Fair value through other comprehensive income is to be used if the business model includes both collecting contractual cash flows and selling financial assets, and the contractual terms give rise, on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest. Financial assets not meeting the criteria for valuation (measurement) at amortized cost or fair value through other comprehensive income are to be measured at fair value through profit and loss.20
4.38 Amortized cost is the amount at which the financial asset or financial liability is measured at initial recognition minus the principal repayments, plus or minus the cumulative amortization using the effective interest method of any difference between that initial amount and the maturity amount and, for financial assets, adjusted for any loss allowance.21 Interest income (or accrued interest) is calculated using the effective interest method and is recognized in profit and loss. Changes in fair value of assets valued at amortized cost are recognized in profit and loss only when the asset is derecognized or reclassified. The Guide recommends that financial assets other than loans (lines 19–22 in Table 5.1) that are valued at amortized cost be presented net of allowance for loss, which is consistent with IFRS 9. As noted earlier, however, the Guide recommends that loans (line 18 in Table 5.1) be presented net of specific provisions, with subtotals provided on gross loans by category and the amount of specific provisions. As discussed earlier in this chapter, this treatment varies from IFRS 9 as the allowance for loss calculated using the IFRS 9 ECL model does not include the supervisory concepts of specific and general provisions. The allocation of IFRS 9 loan loss allowance between spe-cific and general provisions should follow national supervisory guidance. Specific provisions are netted against gross loans (line 18.i in Table 5.1), and general provisions are recorded as a liability item in line 30.
4.39 Fair value is a market-equivalent value. It is “the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.”22 Under IFRS 9, assets and liabilities that are not valued at amortized cost are to be measured at fair value. For measuring fair value, an entity assumes that market participants would use it when pricing the asset or liability under current market conditions, including assumptions about risk. Fair value measurement of a nonfinancial asset takes into account its highest and best use from the markets participant’s perspective.
4.40 Fair value measurement assumes an orderly and hypothetical transaction between market participants at the measurement date under current market conditions, and that the transaction takes place in the principal market for the asset or liability, or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market for the asset or liability.
4.41 The fair value of a financial liability, or an entity’s own equity instruments, assumes it is transferred to another market participant without settlement, extinguishment, or cancellation of the liability when transferred. Fair value of a liability reflects non-performance risk, including an entity’s own credit risk and assuming the same non-performance risk before and after the transfer of the liability.
4.42 Tree valuation techniques are widely used for calculating fair value: (1) the market approach, which uses the prices and other relevant information generated by market transactions involving identical or comparable assets, liabilities, or a group of assets and liabilities; (2) the cost approach, which reflects the amount that would be required to replace the service capacity of an asset (current replacement cost); and (3) the income approach, which converts future cash flows of income and expenses into a single current (discounted) amount, reflecting current market conditions and expectations about those future amounts.23
4.43 To increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, IFRS establish a fair value hierarchy. Entities are required to use Level 1 if possible and may only use Level 3 if the required inputs are not available to enable use of Level 1 or 2. Level 1 inputs, the highest priority, are (unadjusted) quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the entity can access at the measurement date. Level 2 inputs, medium priority, are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability, such as similar instruments or identical instruments in markets that are not active. Level 3 inputs, the lowest priority, are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, which should be developed using the best information available to the entity.24
Transactions
4.44 Transactions are generally valued (measured) at the fair value of the consideration given or received.25 Consistent with IFRS 9, the Guide recommends that, for initial recognition, an entity should measure financial assets or financial liabilities at fair value plus or minus, in the case of a financial asset or financial liability not at fair value through profit or loss, transaction costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition or issue of the financial asset or financial liability.26 If part of the consideration given or received is for something other than the financial instrument, an entity shall measure the fair value of the financial instrument.27 Under IFRS 9, at initial recognition, entities must classify financial assets into: amortized cost; fair value through other comprehensive income (FVOCI); or fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL).
4.45 As noted earlier, the basis for the classification is twofold: (1) the business model for managing the financial asset, and (2) the contractual cash flow characteristics of the financial asset.28 Some financial instruments, such as loans and deposits, are measured at amortized cost because they are held to collect cash flows and have contractual terms giving rise to payments of principal and interest. These instruments are measured using Level 3 inputs, specifically discounted cash flow using market rates of interest, as there are generally no observable market prices.
4.46 Positions of all financial assets that are not measured at amortized cost must be recorded at fair value, either as FVTPL or as FVOCI. FVTPL applies to all financial assets that: (1) the entity holds to sell, or (2) the entity has elected to value at fair value at initial recognition to address an accounting mismatch. FVOCI includes financial assets (debt instruments and equity) held with the purpose to collect contractual cash flows and to sell the financial asset.
Derivatives and Hedge Accounting
4.47 Under IFRS 9, all derivatives, including those linked to unquoted equity investments, are measured at fair value. Changes in the value of derivatives must be recognized in profit or loss, unless the entity has selected to apply hedge accounting designating a derivative as a hedging instrument.
4.48 Hedge accounting recognizes the offsetting effects on profit or loss of changes in the fair values of the hedging instrument and the hedged items. Trough hedge accounting, an entity can match the risk exposure in some instruments (the hedged instruments) due to changes in its fair value or future cash flows, with an opposite gain or loss on the hedging instruments. Implementation of hedge accounting rules results in netting or reclassification of hedged items and hedging instruments in the balance sheet presentation. There are three types of hedging relationships recognized in IFRS 9: (1) fair value hedge, (2) cash flow hedge, and (3) hedge of a net investment in a foreign operation.
V. Recording of Gains and Losses
4.49 Financial assets are classified into assets measured at amortized cost and assets measured at fair value. Where assets are measured at fair value, gains and losses are either recognized in profit or loss (FVTPL) or other comprehensive income (FVOCI).
4.50 The requirements for reporting gains or losses recognized at FVOCI are different for debt instruments and equity investment. For debt instruments at FVOCI, unrealized gains and losses are recognized in other comprehensive income. For equity investments at FVOCI, realized gains and losses are allocated directly to retained earnings.
4.51 Gain and losses on financial liabilities designated at FVTPL must be split into the amount of change in fair value attributable to changes in credit risk of the liability presented in other comprehensive income, and the remaining amount presented in profit or loss.
VI. Domestic and Foreign Currencies, Unit of Account, and Exchange Rate Conversion
4.52 Domestic currency is the one that is legal tender in the economy and issued by the monetary authority for that economy or for the common currency area to which the economy belongs.29 Any currencies that do not meet this definition are foreign currencies to that economy. Under this definition, an economy that uses as its legal tender a currency issued by a monetary authority of another economy—such as U.S. dollars—or of a currency area to which it does not belong should classify the currency as a foreign one, even though domestic transactions are settled in it.
4.53 In the Guide, the currency composition of assets and liabilities is determined primarily by characteristics of their currency of denomination. Foreign currency instruments are those denominated in a currency other than the domestic currency. Foreign-currency-linked instruments are those payable in domestic currency but with the amounts payable linked to a foreign currency and, therefore, are considered to be denominated in foreign currency. Domestic currency instruments are those denominated in the domestic currency and not linked to a foreign currency. In the instance of debt instruments with interest payable in a foreign currency, but principal payable in a domestic currency, or vice versa, only the present value of the amounts payable in a foreign currency should be classified as a foreign currency instrument.
4.54 From the perspective of the national compiler, the domestic currency unit is the obvious choice in which to calculate FSIs. Such data are compatible with the national accounts and most of the economy’s other economic and monetary statistics, which are expressed in that unit.
4.55 The calculation of FSIs can be complicated by the fact that transactions, other flows, and positions may be expressed initially in a variety of currencies or in other standards of value. Their conversion into a reference unit of account is a requisite for the construction of a consistent and analytically meaningful set of FSI statistics. Assets and liabilities shall be translated at the closing rate at the date of the financial statement position. Income and expenses presented in the income statement and other comprehensive income shall be translated at the exchange rate at the dates of the transactions. The most appropriate exchange rate to be used for conversion of position data denominated in foreign currency into the unit of account is the market (spot) exchange rate prevailing on the reference date to which the position relates. The midpoint between buying and selling rates is preferred to ensure consistency of approach among the reporting population.
4.56 For conversion of an instrument in a multiple rate system,30 the rate on the closing date of the actual exchange rate applicable to the specific liabilities or assets should be used. If this information is not available, the average rates for the shortest period applicable should be used. If only information on aggregated transactions over a period is available, then the average exchange rate over this period is a suitable proxy.
VII. Maturity
4.57 Maturity is relevant for financial stability analysis, both from a liquidity viewpoint (e.g., in calculating the value of liabilities falling due in the short term) and from an asset/liability mismatch perspective (e.g., in estimating the effect of changes in interest rates on profitability).31 In the Guide, short-term is defined as a maturity of three months or less.32
4.58 One approach is to determine the maturity classification of financial instruments on the basis of the time until repayments of principal (and interest) are due—known as remaining maturity (and sometimes referred to as residual maturity).33 Another approach uses the maturity at issuance—known as original maturity—thus indicating whether the funds were raised in the short-term or long-term markets. The Guide recommends calculating short-term liabilities based on residual maturity; if this information is unavailable, original maturity can be used as an alternative and should be noted in the metadata.
The accounting rules applied in national accounts are presented in the 2008 System of National Accounts (2008 SNA), paragraphs 2.43–2.72.
The 2008 SNA (paragraphs 2.21–2.35) provides a more complete definition of transactions and other flows.
Economic ownership is also referred to as beneficial ownership, as the holder retains claims to the risks and rewards of ownership. See Monetary and Financial Statistics Manual and Compilation Guide, paragraph 4.9.
In general, a change in legal ownership also involves a change in economic ownership. In some cases, however, a change of economic ownership takes place even though the legal ownership remains unchanged (e.g., financial leases). In other cases, there is no change in economic ownership, even though there is a change in legal ownership (e.g., repurchase agreements).
Control exists when an entity is exposed, or has rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the investee and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the investee. See IFRS 10, paragraph 6.
IFRS allow the use of trade or settlement date for recognition of regular way sales and purchases (IFRS 9, paragraphs 3.1.1 and 3.1.2). If both parties use the same basis, then recognition and derecognition will occur simultaneously. However, if one party records on a trade date basis while the other party records on a settlement day basis, there will be a mismatch in their respective recognition and derecognition of the instrument.
See IAS 37 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets, paragraphs 27–35.
Interest accrual on nonperforming assets is discussed in paragraph 5.15. In many countries supervisory standards prohibit recognition of accrued interest income on non-performing assets. Reflecting this, the Guide recommends that interest accrued on non-performing assets be credited to the provisions for accrual of interest on non-performing assets account rather than income. Only when interest is actually paid is the provision account reduced and the amount taken into income.
See IFRS 9, Appendix A.
Under IFRS, certain fees are treated as an integral part of the effective yield of a financial instrument, and hence affect the rate at which interest accrues.
One possibility is to calculate interest income as the amount the debtors will have to pay to their creditors over and above the repayment of the amounts advanced by the creditors. A second possibility is to define interest as the income that follows from applying, at any point in time, the discount rate of future receivables implicit in the instrument’s market value. Finally, a third alternative is to calculate interest as the income that follows from applying the discount rate implicit in the cost at which the instrument was acquired (see BPM6, paragraph 11.52).
It is recognized that, in some instances, arrears arise for operational reasons rather than due to a reluctance or inability to pay. Nonetheless, in principle, when outstanding at the reference date, they should be recorded as arrears.
There are often supervisory rules that restrict the ability to recognize arrears as income when a loan has been rescheduled, for example, requiring that a specified number of payments be made before the arrears can be extinguished. The Guide defers to supervisory requirements for the reporting of non-performing loans and the recognition of income on non-performing and rescheduled loans.
In the Guide, financial derivatives instruments, including credit derivatives, are actual—not contingent—positions. For a definition of financial derivatives, see Chapter 5, paragraphs 5.55–5.65.
The Financial Accounting Standards Board, which governs United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, has adopted a similar, but not identical approach, Current Expected Credit Losses, to become effective in 2020 for some banks, and more broadly in 2021. Early adoption is permitted from 2019.
For further details, see Basel II paragraphs 381–383.
See BCBC Regulatory treatment of accounting provisions— interim approach and transitional arrangements (March 2017).
See footnote 18.
See IFRS Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting, paragraph 4.54.
There are options for adoption of an alternative method at time of recognition for some specific types of asset. See IFRS 9, paragraphs 4.1.4 and 5.7.5–5.7.6.
IFRS 9, Appendix A.
IFRS 13 Fair Value Measurement, paragraph 9.
See IFRS 13, paragraphs B5–B11.
See IFRS 13, paragraphs 72–90.
See IFRS 9, Initial Measurement Section 5.1.
IFRS 9, paragraph 5.1.1.
IFRS 9, paragraph B51.1.
See IFRS 9, paragraph 4.1.1.
A common currency area, or currency union, consists of more than one economy and has a regional central decision making body, usually a currency union central bank, with the authority to conduct a single monetary policy and to issue the legal tender of the area. To belong to this area, an economy must be a member of the decision making body (see BPM6, paragraph A3.9).
A multiple exchange rate system is one in which there are schedules of exchange rates, set by the authorities, and where different exchange rates are applied to various categories of transactions/transactors.
In the latter case, maturity may not capture the interest rate mismatch of some instruments if they have a repricing period that is shorter than the term to maturity. For example, a five-year bond with interest adjusted quarterly in relation to a reference rate would have a short-term maturity for interest rate risk analysis, but long-term maturity from the perspective of the timing of liabilities falling due.
For financial instruments, inter alia, this category includes amounts payable on demand and those debt instruments redeemable at short notice. There is no universal definition of short-term liabilities, with one year being another common definition. In line with the focus on financial stability, the Guide recommends three months or less as a maturity better suited to capturing in the FSIs liquid assets to total assets, and liquid assets to short term liabilities, the ability to deal with a short-term market disruption.
Strictly defined, the outstanding amount of short-term assets or liabilities on a remaining maturity basis is the present value of payments due in one year or less. In practice, the outstanding amount of short-term assets or liabilities on a remaining maturity basis can be measured by adding the present value of short-term debt (original maturity) to the present value of long-term debt (original maturity) to be paid in one year or less. | https://www.elibrary.imf.org/view/book/9781484396209/ch04.xml |
Legal Principles impacting Contractual Damages
The well-known principle in the legal profession providing that contracts freely entered by parties with capacity to do so are to be enforced (Pacta Sunt Servanda) has an influence on the determination of contractual damages in that the damages are intended to restore a plaintiff’s financial position to that which would have existed had the defendant performed its duties in full. This is known as the plaintiff’s positive or expectation interest.
What must a Plaintiff prove in a claim for Contractual Damages?
In South African courts, if you wish to claim contractual damages, you are to prove:
- the contract;
- breach or repudiation;
- damages suffered by the party alleging same and instituting the legal action;
- causal link between the damages and the breach;
- that the loss was not too remote.
A plaintiff is only entitled to recover such loss as he or she can prove. The plaintiff cannot use the legal proceedings as a fact finding mission to substantiate a claim for contractual damages.
Nature of Contractual Damages
With limited exceptions, pertaining to damages for inconvenience which flows directly from the breach of the contract and breaches which are also delicts, contractual damages are not compensatory in nature. Accordingly one cannot for instance recover damages for pain and suffering (non-patrimonial loss).
General and Special Damages
Ordinarily a breach of a contract will establish the basis of recovering general damages i.e. those that flow naturally from the breach of contract and which are not remote. For example for the late payment of sums owing to a plaintiff he or she can claim interest on the sum owing.
Special Damages which do not flow naturally from the breach, can only be claimed in contractual damages claims where the plaintiff can prove that there were circumstances at the conclusion of the contract which establish that it was within the contemplation of the parties that these damages would be recoverable.
Date when damages are ascertained from
Damages are ordinarily assessed at the time of the breach or in the case of repudiation at date of repudiation where there is a date set for performance or if no fixed date for performance then the acceptance of repudiation.
Limitation on rights to recover contractual damages
It is quite common for a contract to regulate what type of damages are recoverable with special damages often being excluded in part or in full.
Further the parties may include exemption clauses in respect of damages flowing from specific types of events and conduct.
However in certain respects these exemption clauses may be tested against legislation such as certain provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 which seek to enforce rights to fair, just and reasonable contract terms for consumers protect by that Act.
South African courts overtime have held that exemption clauses :
- cannot exempt a party for damages for intentional non-performance of its duties in terms of a contract;
- can exempt a party for damages by unintentionally delivering goods of an incorrect description;
- may if sufficiently clear exempt a party from liability in respect of a fundamental breach of a contract;
- exempt a party for liability of his or her own negligence conduct;
- may not exempt a party’s liability from his or her own fraudulent conduct
- seeking to enforce conduct which is against public policy will not be upheld.
Plaintiff’s Duty to Mitigate Damages
The plaintiff has a duty to mitigate its damages however the plaintiff need not allege that it has in fact taken steps to limits its damages. It is for the defendant to allege that the plaintiff has failed to mitigate its damages to the extent that the plaintiff has failed to do what a reasonable man would have done in the circumstances.
Conclusion
Different types of contracts can give rise to different types of recourse in the event of a breach. The contract may also regulate what types of damages are recoverable and set out if any limitations are applicable to the damages claimable.
At the time of investigation of the breach and in determining whether to cancel the contract based on breach or to maintain the contract in place and claim specific performance it is important to consider the law of damages in relation to contracts, the contractual terms and the client’s best interests, expectations and particular set of circumstances.
Should you require assistance in these and other matters in the field of Contract Law Boogaard Attorneys can service Clients throughout South Africa remotely and can accommodate on site visits at our practice in Fourways or attend to client in various areas in Johannesburg North including Bryanston, Dainfern, Morningside, Midrand, Rivonia and Sandton to name a few. | https://bgdattorneys.co.za/2022/03/22/contractual-damages-in-south-african-law/ |
According to Article 190(2)(d) of the Swiss Private International Law Act (PILA), an arbitral award may be annulled in cases where the principle of equal treatment or the right to be heard was violated during the arbitration proceedings.
In a recent decision the Swiss Supreme Court was called upon to determine, among other things, whether an arbitral tribunal violated the parties’ right to be heard by not taking into account material arguments and evidence put forth by one party.
Facts
In 2006, an agreement was concluded with respect to the delivery of certain boiler equipment and material, the seller being a Finish company and the buyer being a Romanian company. The agreement contained a provision broadly excluding liability for indirect damages and loss profit and an additional liability cap as well as an arbitration clause providing for arbitration in Switzerland (which was later replaced by an arbitration clause providing for ICC arbitration in Zurich). Additionally, the parties agreed that their contractual relationship was to be construed in accordance with Swiss law.
In 2009, the Romanian company (the “Claimant”) commenced arbitration under the auspices of the ICC claiming (i) contractual penalties due to late delivery of certain documents and equipment, (ii) damages, and (iii) a reduction of the purchase price. In addition, Claimant argued that the Finish company (the “Respondent”) had acted in a grossly negligent manner and thus was not allowed to invoke the contractually stipulated limitations of liability (see Article 100 Swiss Code of Obligations). Respondent raised counterclaims for performances rendered and for the unlawful draw down of a bank guarantee.
The arbitral tribunal bifurcated the proceedings in order to first deal, inter alia, with the question whether Respondent performed its contractual obligations in a grossly negligent manner. By way of a partial award the arbitral tribunal ordered Respondent to pay a certain amount for the delayed delivery of documents; the claim for contractual penalty, however, was dismissed. In addition, the arbitral tribunal held that Claimant had not proved that Respondent had indeed acted grossly negligently.
In its final award the arbitral tribunal ordered Respondent, inter alia, to pay a certain amount as purchase price reduction, a certain amount for expenses incurred, plus interest on the sum ordered to be paid by the partial award.
Against this final award, Respondent commenced setting aside proceedings before the Swiss Supreme Court arguing, inter alia, that the arbitral tribunal violated its right to be heard according to Article 190(2)(d) PILA. According to Respondent, the arbitral tribunal had ignored Respondent’s argument as to the limitation of liability provided for in the contract which had been invoked by Respondent in all its submissions.
Decision
The Supreme Court granted Respondent’s petition based on a violation of the right to be heard. Generally, the right to be heard does not encompass the right to a reasoned arbitral award. Nevertheless, the arbitral tribunal has the minimum obligation to carefully examine and consider the material issues at hand for reaching its decision (entscheidungserhebliche Fragen). An arbitral tribunal violates such obligation where it does not consider – by accident or due to a misunderstanding – material allegations, arguments, evidence or applications for evidence. Such violation of the right to be heard of any of the parties, allows setting aside the arbitral award, whereby it is irrelevant whether such violation would actually entail a different decision by the arbitral tribunal.
Where an arbitral award is issued without even addressing such facts that are material to the decision, the arbitral tribunal or the counter party has the burden to prove that such facts are not material respectively that these were dealt with by the arbitral tribunal implicitly. On the other side however, the arbitral tribunal is certainly not obliged to deal with every single argument of the parties, meaning that it is not obliged to rule out each irrelevant argument explicitly or impliedly.
In the case at bar, the Supreme Court found – among other things – that the limitation of liability argued by Respondent was material for the decision in particular with regard to the fact that the arbitral tribunal had bifurcated the proceedings to first assess whether Respondent had acted in a grossly negligent manner. The arbitral tribunal had mentioned the question on the limitation of liability only when summarizing the parties’ arguments and had omitted to address this issue in its considerations. It cannot be determined whether the arbitral tribunal had actually addressed the contractual limitation of liability at least implicitly.
Comment
Looking at the Swiss Supreme Court’s decisions rendered over the past few years (cited in 4A_460/2013) it appears as if the court is now more closely looking at whether arbitral tribunals have indeed dealt with the parties’ arguments. In principle, this can be seen as a positive trend strengthening the quality control of arbitral awards. However, in doing so, the court runs the danger of entering into a review of the decision on the merits. It will be interesting to see whether there is indeed a tendency arising to this effect in Switzerland.
By comparison, the Austrian Supreme Court seems to follow a strict approach that has been discussed intensively and critically in the past few years in legal writing. The Austrian Supreme Court’s legal rule for a number of decades has been as follows: “An arbitral award may only be challenged and is invalid if the right to be heard was not afforded at all to one party. The incompleteness of relevant facts or the insufficient discussion of legally relevant facts does not constitute the basis for the challenge.” In a recent decision, the Austrian Supreme Court noted that this was criticized by legal scholars but that in the particular case there was no need to deviate from the permanent case law as it could not be said with the required certainty that the arbitral tribunal had not considered the party’s arguments which could – at best – justify the annulment of the arbitral award. Although claimant’s arguments had not been mentioned explicitly by the arbitral tribunal, the arbitral tribunal drew the respective (legal) conclusions thereto. It is unclear whether the Austrian Supreme Court’s decision can be interpreted as a first step in deviating from the restrictive case law in relation to the right to be heard.
Since 1 January 2014 the Austrian Supreme Court is the first and last instance when it comes to the annulment of arbitral awards. A special senate has been constituted dealing exclusively with arbitration related matters. It remains to be seen how this specialized senate will approach the above issue. | https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=b5337882-1017-4627-b64b-81017c50306e |
The government of Ukraine and the Government of the Republic of Estonia which hereinafter are referred to as further as the Contractual Parties,
according to provisions of Article 10 of the Treaty of friendship and cooperation between Ukraine and the Republic of Estonia of May 26, 1992,
being guided by the principles of equality, mutual advantage and rules of international law,
aiming at integration of economies of the countries of the Contractual Parties in the world economic relations and first of all in the European economic relations,
agreed about underwritten:
The contractual Parties state the readiness to develop long, comprehensive and mutually advantageous trade and economic relations and cooperation, accepting for this purpose within the competence provisions which will promote realization of the above.
The contractual Parties according to the legislations existing in the territories of their countries provide each other in mutual trade and economic cooperation the mode of the greatest assistance on the questions concerning duty, taxes and other payments, and also customs formalities (customs procedures, rates, declaration of goods).
The above-mentioned provision does not extend to benefits and privileges which the Contractual Parties provide or will provide:
in border trade with neighboring countries;
to the countries together with which the countries of the Contractual Parties participate in the regional or subregional economic organizations, custom unions, free economic zones including free trade areas which are already created or can be created in the future.
Specific conditions of deliveries of goods and provision of services will be determined in contracts that they will be imprisoned among themselves by physical persons and legal entities of both countries according to their laws and rules and with observance of the international trade standards and practice.
Any from the Contractual Parties will not bear responsibility according to obligations of physical persons and legal entities of the country which follow from such contracts.
Taking into account the laws and rules which are effective in each of the countries the Contractual Parties abstain from actions which can do harm to their trade and economic cooperation, in particular:
imposing directly or is collateral the prices or other unfair terms of the contract;
restriction of technical development, production, sale of goods and products;
application to trading partners of unequal conditions by equivalent deliveries;
coercion to acceptance by the partner of additional terms which in character or owing to trade practice are not connected with contract amount.
All calculations and payments for deliveries of goods and provision of services will be performed in accordance with the terms of the payment agreement which will be signed between the relevant authorized banks of the Parties not later than one month from day of entry into force of this Agreement.
The contractual Parties agreed that in case of implementation of the either party of national currency the procedure of payments and payments will be determined by the free supplementary agreement which is signed among themselves by authorized banks of the Parties.
The procedure for transportation and transit of loads and passengers through the territories of the countries of the Contractual Parties will be determined by the free standing agreement between the relevant departments of the Parties.
The contractual Parties will encourage participation of physical persons and legal entities of both countries in the international exhibitions and fairs, cooperation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, contacts of businessmen, exchange of information.
This Agreement does not affect the rights and obligations of the Contractual Parties which follow from Bilateral and multilateral agreements in which they take part, and also from their membership in the international economic organizations.
In case of disputes on interpretation and application of provisions of this agreement the Contractual Parties will solve them by negotiations.
By agreement the Contractual Parties to this Agreement changes or additions can be made.
This Agreement becomes effective according to the legislation of each of the countries that will be confirmed by exchange of the corresponding messages. At the same time in force day of exchange of such messages will be considered as date of the introduction of the Agreement.
This Agreement is signed sine die. It can be broken off according to the written application of any of the Contractual Parties and voids in six months from the date of receipt of such statement.
After cancellation of this Agreement of its provision will be applied to all contracts under which obligations arose during action and the Agreements which are not implemented at the time of cancellation.
Performed in Tallinn on May 26, 1992 in two negotiable copies, everyone in the Ukrainian and Estonian languages, and both texts are equally authoritative.
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For the Government of Ukraine A. Voronkov
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For the Government of the Republic of Estonia
Disclaimer! This text was translated by AI translator and is not a valid juridical document. No warranty. No claim. More info
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The mining industry has long favoured the use of joint venture structures. Joint ventures can improve the feasibility of a mining project by enabling the parties to share risk, pool capital and access their respective resources and capabilities, with each participant 'usually (but not necessarily) contributing money, property or skill'.1
With these benefits come exposure to substantial technical, logistical, economic, legal and political risks. For companies participating in such ventures, obtaining clarity around their legal rights and obligations is essential. Yet despite the popularity and prevalence of the joint venture model, no single body of law regulates these relationships and the legal principles that determine the rights and obligations of the joint venture parties remain unsettled.
One key risk area of particular importance to joint venturers is the control of “common” property and the rights of the various entities associated with the joint venture to access the records of the joint venture.
No inherent legal right of a joint venturer to access joint venture documents
The unsettled nature of any such ‘rights’ was highlighted in the Full Federal Court of Australia’s decision in Alliance Craton Explorer v Quasar Resources Pty Ltd and Heathgate Resources Pty Ltd.2 The case, in which Alliance’s leave to appeal to the High Court was ultimately refused, concerned the alleged right of Alliance, as the junior joint venturer in the unincorporated joint venture, to access documents and records relating to the joint venture.
The judgment reinforces that in these types of ventures, often referred to as contractual joint ventures, the terms of the agreement struck by the parties as recorded in the joint venture agreement(s) will be critical to determining the respective rights and obligations of the joint venturers. The relationship between a manager of a joint venture and the joint venturers will always be subject to the terms of any relevant contract between them.3
Without a clear articulation in the agreement of the nature and extent of the relevant joint venture entities’ rights (if any) of access to joint venture records, there is no legal guarantee of any access rights to documents.
Case study – Alliance Craton Explorer and Quasar Resources
Alliance, a subsidiary of ASX-listed Alliance Resources Limited, had entered into an unincorporated joint venture agreement with Heathgate Resources to explore and develop a mining tenement in South Australia. The joint venture agreement appointed Heathgate as manager of the joint venture. Heathgate later assigned all its interest in the joint venture to a related company, Quasar, but continued to provide services to the manager as an independent contractor.
Alliance, who held a minority 25% interest in the joint venture, filed an application in the Federal Court seeking a declaration regarding its interest in “joint venture records” held by Quasar and Heathgate. The primary judge dismissed Alliance’s application and Alliance appealed to the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia.
Two key legal issues were:
- first, whether Quasar as manager of the joint venture was the agent of the joint venturers (such that by reason of the agency relationship documents created by the manager would be the documents of the joint venturers as principal); and
- second, whether a term should be implied into the joint venture agreement providing Alliance access to the documents.
The Court rejected Alliance’s agency argument and confirmed that the mere existence of a joint venture does not, without more, lead to the conclusion that the manager of the joint venture is the agent of the venturers. An agency relationship can only be established by the consent of all the parties. In circumstances where there joint venture agreement expressly disclaimed agency (and there was no suggestion that clause was a sham), the court should give appropriate weight to the parties’ intentions. The mere fact one party undertook work at the joint venture’s request and for its benefit is also insufficient, without more, to establish an agency.
Alliance’s second argument, that a term providing it with access to the documents should be implied into the joint venture agreement to give it business efficacy, was also dismissed. The Court upheld the primary judge’s decision that such a term was not necessary because Alliance was able to comply with its obligations under the joint venture agreement without access to the joint venture records.
Ensuring access rights
The terms of the joint venture agreements will be the principal influence in determining whether a party is entitled to access particular joint venture records. For joint venture parties who want unambiguous rights to access documents, they should ensure this is provided for through the drafting of express provisions into the agreements between them. Those provisions should be drafted by reference to the joint venture’s operations, the manager’s accounting and management practices as well as the reporting requirements owed by any of the joint venturers.
Particularly where joint venture parties are sophisticated and well-advised, and have, following negotiations, entered into an agreement that is comprehensive in its terms, joint venturers should not expect the courts to presume the parties intended for something other than what is recorded in their written arrangements.
Endnotes
- Mason J in United Dominion Corporation Ltd v Brian (1985) 157 CLR 1.
- Alliance Craton Explorer Pty Ltd v Quasar Resources Pty Ltd & Anor FCAFC 29,
- Red Hill Iron Ltd v API Management Pty Ltd WASC 323 at –. | https://www.herbertsmithfreehills.com/latest-thinking/what-is-mine-is-not-necessarily-yours-the-importance-of-clarifying-joint-venturers%E2%80%99 |
General Terms and Conditions
Here you can find our General Terms and Conditions as PDF Download.
1 Scope of allplication
1.1 These General Terms and Conditions apply solely to the provision of engineering services, services as an accredited test laboratory according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and other services (referred to hereinafter as “services”) by Gesellschaft für innovative Bautechnologie mbH, Aufhausener Str. 3, 94424 Arnstorf, Germany (referred to hereinafter as “Contractor”) and the contractual partner (referred to hereinafter as “Customer”), insofar as these General Terms and Conditions are not amended between the parties by express written agreement.
1.2 All conditions or provisions of the Customer which constitute contractual amendments are rejected herewith; they only take effect vis-à-vis the Contractor if the Contractor agrees to these amendments in writing.
1.3 These General Terms and Conditions shall only be applicable vis-à-vis entrepreneurs. This includes legal entities and special funds under public law.
2 Order and contractual documents
2.1 Purely informative communications or information material provided by the Contractor concerning services do not constitute an offer in the legal sense. Offers are non-binding unless they are expressly designated as binding. Offers submitted by the Contractor are valid for a period of three months.
2.2 In response to the offer, the Customer can issue an order which is to be passed to the Contractor in written form. The contract between the Contractor and the Customer shall not take effect until the Contractor or his representatives/agents accept the Customer's order in writing by means of an order confirmation. If the Contractor only wishes to accept the contract subject to alterations, the contract shall not take effect until the Customer agrees to these alterations in writing within the specified period. The Contractor shall specifically draw the Customer’s attention to these alterations.
2.3 The description and any specification of service provision corresponds to the order accepted by the Contractor and any alterations accepted by the Customer.
2.4 If the contract does not come into effect, all documents provided by us shall be returned within one week without a request being issued.
2.5 The contractual documents fundamental to the services provided include the order accepted by the Contractor in writing and the associated documents requested by the Contractor and supplied by the Customer. All documents, specifications and results are to be treated confidentially and may not be made accessible to third parties.
2.6 Other materials which are fundamentally required for the services are all statutory public and regulatory provisions, directives and guidelines relevant to the construction project as well as technical regulations and generally recognized rules of engineering and architecture and the current state of the art in the field of engineering.
2.7 Contracts, alterations and additions are only effective in written form. The same applies to guarantees, assurances or ancillary agreements, which shall be expressly designated as such. Without the relevant designation, these do not constitute guarantees in the legal sense but merely non-binding product information.
3 Services rendered
3.1 The scope of services rendered is defined in the order confirmation and the list of services attached to it.
3.2 A characteristic feature shall only be deemed to be warranted if it is designated as such and is expressly confirmed as such on the part of the Contractor in writing. Otherwise the description of characteristic features serves only to describe the services rendered.
3.3 Services which go beyond the agreed scope of the order are charged according to an hourly rate. In this case the Contractor shall submit a supplementary offer which is to be confirmed in writing by the Customer.
3.4 The Contractor may subcontract the rendering of services to third parties, either wholly or in part.
3.5 Order amendments may only be agreed on by mutual, written consent between the Contractor and Customer, even before completion of the service. The performance period is automatically extended by the length of time required to render the services.
3.6 The Contractor is - as far as can be reasonably expected - entitled to render partial services and to render services before the due date.
3.7 If the Contractor supplies any interim results during service provision, the Customer shall verify the accuracy and completeness of the details contained without delay.
3.8 The inspection of the project in question according to the order confirmation and the ascertainment of concrete requirements which the Contractor can only undertake on the construction site are carried out by the Contractor only on separate assignment. The remuneration of this separate assignment is not automatically included in the fee.
4 Contractor’s obligations
4.1 The services provided by the Contractor shall correspond to the general state of the art, the generally recognized rules of technology, the principle of cost effectiveness and the provisions of public law.
4.2 If the Contractor receives documents or information from the Customer, in particular also planning services provided by planners contracted by the client, the Contractor shall check their usefulness and in particular whether they are complete.
5 Customer’s obligations to cooperate
5.1 The Customer shall provide the data required to carry out the order and provide the documents, aids and materials required to execute the order.
5.2 The Customer shall obtain in due time all official approvals required to carry out the order. The Customer is responsible for the TÜV inspection and TÜV approval.
5.3 The Customer is liable for damages arising from delay caused by any breach of these obligations to cooperate. The performance date is extended as the result of any such delay.
6 Fee
6.1 The fee is determined by agreement between the Contractor and the Customer. The fees stipulated in the offers constitute fixed prices unless remuneration according to hourly rates has been agreed on. Normal ancillary office costs are included in the fee.
6.2 All subsequent deviations in quantities and additional services shall be charged separately.
6.3 Prices do not include value added tax, which the customer shall pay to the Contractor in addition.
6.4 The Contractor reserves the right to increase the fee to the extent required by price development beyond control (such as exchange rate fluctuations, currency regulations, customs amendments, a significant increase in material or production costs) or due to changes in the service requirements on the part of the Customer or due to statutory requirements relating to the engineering services provided.
6.5 Staff waiting periods caused by the Customer shall be remunerated as working hours.
7 Conditions of payment
7.1 Invoices are issued after completion of each individual service listed in the order confirmation.
7.2 The fee is payable immediately on receipt of the invoice. The Customer shall pay the fee within 14 days of the invoice date.
7.3 Partial and advance payments may be agreed on.
7.4 Payments shall only be made by bank transfer; payment by bill of exchange or cheque are not recognized as fulfilment of the payment obligation.
7.5 If the Customer fails to meet his payment obligation on the due date, the Contractor may proceed as follows as he chooses, without waiving any other rights or claims to which he is entitled:
- terminate the contract or suspend further services to the Customer; and
- charge interest on the outstanding amount to the Customer without further reminder, the interest amounting to nine percentage points above the respective interest rate of the European Central Bank; and
- require that further transactions and outstanding partial deliveries are only executed against prepayment or against provision of security.
7.6 Allowance of a discount requires express written agreement and is conditional upon there being no other outstanding debts payable to the Contractor by the Customer.
7.7 The Customer may only offset undisputed or legally ascertained debts against debts of the Contractor.
8 Performance date
8.1 The performance date for rendering the services as mutually agreed in writing is non-binding unless anything else to the contrary has been agreed.
8.2 Delay of the performance date due to force majeure (a non-foreseeable external event which impacts on operations which is not possible to counter in time with appropriate and reasonable means, such as extreme weather conditions, terror attacks, industrial disputes, political crises, embargoes and events for which the Contractor is not responsible) extends the performance date by the period of delay in rendering the services as a result of such an event, even if said events occur during an existing delay. If force majeure, industrial disputes, events for which the Contractor is not responsible and other said events last for longer than four weeks, the Contractor is entitled to withdraw from the contract.
9 Inspection and approval
9.1 Approval is carried out in the course of the regular meetings between the parties within the regular service schedule.
9.2 Insignificant defects which do not impair the functional efficiency of the service do not entitled the contractual partner to refuse approval. Likewise, delays arising from change requests on the part of the Customer do not justify the capacity of the service to be approved in relation to the requirements of the service as originally agreed on.
10 Warranty rights, cancellation
10.1 The Contractor does not accept any responsibility for the service rendered being suitable for a particular purpose, unless he is aware of this purpose or he has agreed to it expressly in writing.
10.2 The Customer shall report and describe any defects to the Contractor immediately and in writing.
10.3 In the case of defects arising from the fact that the service was not adequately performed by the Contractor, the Contractor shall first be given a period of time for retrospective fulfilment.
10.4 The Contractor or the Customer may only cancel the contract for exceptional reasons. Services rendered by the Contractor up until the time of cancellation shall be remunerated. Such a reason applies for the Contractor in particular:
- if the Customer has failed to comply with a key instance of cooperation to which he is obliged despite extensions and additional extensions of time, thereby significantly obstructing the Contractor in rendering his services in accordance with the contract,
- if the service is in breach of the provisions of copyright, competition law or criminal law,
- if the Customer is in default with a due payment and does not effect outstanding payments in spite of repeated reminders. In the event of a dispute over the justification of an amount of a due payment, cancellation is ruled out if the Customer presents legitimate reasons for withholding payment and pays the part of the remuneration which is legitimate in his view.
11 Liability
In the event of a claim for damages, the Contractor is liable for wilful intent and gross negligence. In the case of ordinary negligence, the liability of the Contractor is limited to a fundamental breach of contract and only to foreseeable damages typical of the contract. Contractual obligations are considered fundamental if their fulfilment makes the contract possible in the first place, if their breach jeopardizes attainment of the purpose of the contract and if the contractual partner may normally rely on their fulfilment. The above liability limitations do not apply to claims for damages due to injury to life, body or health or to liability according to the German Product Liability Act.
12 Intellectual property rights
The Contractor retains copyright to the services provided and to all documentary evidence compiled and papers submitted, his offer and contractual documents, sketches, designs, structural calculations, construction details and contract components. After full payment of the fee, the service and the associated documents, listed in Clause 1 of this section may be used only for the contractually determined purpose. Reproduction, publication or dissemination of the services or the results of the services and the Contractor's documents as listed in Clause 1 of this section for advertising and other business purposes, even in excerpts, requires the Contractor's written consent.
13 Retention of title
13.1 Prototypes, documents, accompanying materials, data media or other material provided by the Contractor remain the property of the Contractor until fulfilment of all demands arising from the contract.
13.2 Objects, documents, data media, prototypes, CAD models and other items or models supplied for testing or demonstration purposes remain the property of the Contractor. They may only be used by the Customer for purposes beyond those of testing and demonstration on the basis of a separate written agreement with the Contractor.
14 Confidentiality
The Contractor and the Customer mutually undertake to maintain secrecy regarding all information, knowledge and documents in connection with the services, not to disclose them to third parties and not to use them for purposes other than the fulfilment of this contract. The confidentiality obligation does not apply if the disclosed information is already generally known to the recipient, was demonstrably known at the time of disclosure and became public knowledge afterwards, or if the recipient acquires the information from authorized third parties.
15 Place of performance, disputes, place of jurisdiction
15.1 The place of performance is Arnstorf.
15.2 The Contractor and the Costumer submit for all contractual and extra contractual disputes arising from the contract to the local and international exclusive jurisdiction of the courts having jurisdiction for Landshut (Germany).
15.3 The legal relations between the Contractor and Customer are subject to German law; the UN Convention on Contract for International Sale of Goods dated 11.04.1980 (CISG) is excluded.
15.4 The language of the contract is German unless another contractual language has been agreed on by both parties or negotiations have been held by both sides in another contractual language at the conclusion of the contract.
16 Severability clause
If individual clauses become entirely or partially invalid, the validity of the remaining provisions shall not be affected. | https://www.gib-mbh.com/en/terms-and-conditions/ |
Stonehenge has been a place of myth and mystery for centuries, and theories abound on whether it was a Druid temple, an astronomical calendar or an alien creation.
A new study by a team of researchers, including a Canadian archeologist, has answered some of the questions of who likely built the imposing stone circle. The team used a novel technique – examining chemical markers on cremated material – to analyze bones from 25 bodies that were buried at the site around 3,000 years ago. They found that most of the bodies had come from western Wales, about 250 kilometres away. It’s the clearest indication yet that the early phase of Stonehenge was probably a monument for people living farther away than many experts had previously thought. It’s also a sign that Neolithic people travelled much greater distances than most other research had shown.
The discovery could change the course of research at Stonehenge and it’s the first time the new test has been used on a large scale. The technology was developed by a graduate student at Oxford University and is set to revolutionize archeology and open up thousands of years of history to new research. The Stonehenge project was so successful the technique is now being utilized at dozens of ancient burial sites across Europe.
“The advances in scientific archeology are really quite exciting,” said one of the study’s lead authors, Rick Schulting, a Canadian who is an associate professor in scientific and prehistoric archeology at Oxford.
Scientists have long thought that most of the smaller rocks at Stonehenge, known as the “bluestones,” had come from the Preseli Hills on the west coast of Wales. But they weren’t sure how the rocks got there or who brought them. The new study shows that the people buried at Stonehenge came from the same region in Wales and that they may have transported the stones, most of which are nearly four metres long and weigh almost four tons.
The connection between the two communities isn’t clear and it’s not known why these people travelled so far, he added. More than 50 bodies were buried at Stonehenge, making it the largest Neolithic burial site in Britain.
The innovative test used in the study was developed by Christophe Snoeck, one of Dr. Schulting’s former doctoral students. Dr. Snoeck, who is from Belgium, had a background in chemical engineering and a keen interest in archeology. When he began his doctorate in the science at Oxford in 2012, Dr. Schulting offered him a challenge: find a way to analyze cremated bones.
It wouldn’t be an easy task. The issue had dogged archeologists for years and had limited the study of ancient history in places where cremation had been a common way to dispose of the dead. Archeologists had developed a test for non-cremated bones and teeth that involved searching for traces of strontium isotopes, a kind of biological marker. Strontium is a common chemical element that’s found in rocks and soil, and it gets into the food chain through plants and animals. Once inside humans the chemical acts much like calcium and attaches to bones and teeth. Two strontium isotopes, which are variations on the element and contain a different number of neutrons, can be detected in bones and teeth for centuries. And since different geologies and plants have different strontium markers, the isotopes act as a kind of homing device to track where the person lived.
The problem was that archeologists hadn’t figured out how to use the technique on cremated bones. Cremation destroys tooth enamel where strontium is typically found and it damages bones.
After several years of research, Dr. Snoeck discovered that the strontium isotopes were better preserved in cremated bones because the heating process locked in the chemical. He developed a test to find the isotopes and tried it out on a few sites in Ireland before approaching researchers at Oxford who had just excavated a collection of bones from Stonehenge. They agreed to give it shot and the results proved stunning. “Strontium worked beautifully,” he said. | https://www.theglobeandmail.com/world/article-old-bones-yield-new-insights-into-the-beginning-of-stonehenge/ |
Isotopic analysis is widely used within the worlds of archaeology and anthropology. From analysing isotopes we’re able to uncover a wide range of information regarding the past; ranging from palaeoenvironments to palaeodiets, and even using isotopes to reconstruct trade routes of materials.
But first, what are isotopes?
All of the chemical elements consist of atoms which are specific to the element and the mass of an atom is dictated by the number of protons and neutrons it contains. The identity of the chemical element depends on the number of protons found within the atom’s nucleus, but the number of neutrons within the atom can vary. Atoms of the same chemical element (same number of protons), but with different masses, which is from the varying amount of neutrons, are called isotopes.
Within nature, most of the elements consist of a number of isotopes. For a great majority of elements these relative proportions of isotopes are fixed, but there are a group of elements which either due to chemical or biochemical processes are of variable isotopic composition. These elements are oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and sulphur. Another group of isotopes that are used for analysis are strontium, lead and neodymium. These are formed by elements which contain stable but radiogenic isotopes, which are formed by radioactive decay of another element. Carbon and nitrogen isotope composition are primarily used to reconstruct diets, and oxygen isotopes are used to determine geographic origin. Strontium and lead isotopes found within teeth and bone can sometimes be used to reconstruct migration patterns in human populations and cultural affinity
But how do isotopes get into skeletal remains?
Carbon isotopes are taken up through the diet of animals during their lifetime and these isotopes are deposited into teeth and bones of humans when they are consumed and digested. By studying animal bones and examining the 12C and 13C isotope ratio, it is possible to determine whether the animals ate predominately 3C or 4C plants. Oxygen isotopes are constantly being taken up and deposited into the body through the water a population drinks. This process ends with the organism’s death, from this point on isotopes no longer accumulate in the body, but do undergo degradation. For best result the researcher would need to know the original levels, or estimation thereof, of isotopes in the organism at the time of its death.
By creating a map of these natural occurring isotopes in different environments, rivers and areas, it is possible to identify where in an area the population lived, sourced their water or where the livestock grazed, by comparing the levels of isotopes that were obtained from skeletal remains to the environmental map. This mapping can also help identify trade routes that once existed and can also identify the migration patterns of populations.
References:
Balme, J., Paterson, A. 2006. Archaeology in Practice: A Student Guide to Archaeological Analayses. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing. Pg 218.
Renfrew, C., Bahn, P. 1991. Archaeology: Theories, Methods and Practice. London, UK: Thames & Hudson. Pg 249-53.
If you’re new to the realm of archaeological, anthropological and forensic sciences (AAFS), or are a student needing sturdy and reliable references, or wondering “what archaeology or anthropology textbooks to buy?” Check out our new ‘Useful Literature’ page! | https://allthingsaafs.com/2016/01/21/quick-tips-archaeological-techniques-use-of-isotopes-in-archaeology/ |
AMMAN — Forensic anthropology usually involves the investigation of recent, medico-legally significant human remains as opposed to ancient skeletons recovered from archaeological sites, an American researcher explained.
These two perspectives recently merged at the archaeological site of Qasr Hallabat (35km northeast of Amman), where the skeletons of five people showing signs of homicide were found in one of the site’s cisterns, pushing bio-archaeologists to formulate stories surrounding their death.
“To establish the antiquity of these remains, we first relied on the stratigraphy text from excavations by Ignacio Arce [former director of the Spanish Archaeological Mission] and his team to determine that these were not modern individuals, and probably dated shortly after Qasr Hallabat went out of use,” said anthropology professor at East Carolina University Megan Perry.
To better establish the date of the skeletons, we submitted bone samples from two of the individuals for carbon-14 dating of the skeletons. The dating process estimates when these individuals died and when the decay of 14C isotopes in their body began, the scholar explained.
“This not only confirmed Arce’s relative date provided by the stratigraphy, but also established an absolute range of 768-895 AD for their deaths, and presumably the dates when they were deposited into the cistern,” she elaborated.
The skeletal analysis, however, gave some clues about the circumstance of the individuals’ death, noted Perry, who also serves as a consultant on forensic anthropology cases in the US.
“Analysis of the skeletons by me and one of my graduate students Taylor Montgomery, identified several injuries in the bones that occurred perimortem [at or near the time of death]. Trauma that occurs before death shows some skeletal response at the point of injury, which can be seen by the naked eye or by a thin section of the bone,” the scholar highlighted, adding that damage to the body or bones that happens after death can be identified as having different colour or texture of the trauma edges than the rest of the bone and a more flaked, splintered breakage pattern.
The areas of injury in the Hallabat skeletons did not show any bone healing nor did they have the same characteristics of postmortem (after death) damage, Perry pointed out.
In addition, five of the skulls had evidence of blunt force trauma, and some of the arms and legs had signs of sharp force trauma. Furthermore, the patterning and timing suggested that it was homicide rather than accidental trauma or suicide, she underlined.
“We were also interested to note that a few of the skulls had healed cranial blunt force trauma that had occurred some years before death. Thus, some of these folks had been in violent skirmishes before,” stressed Perry, who conducted isotope analysis of the dental enamel of these individuals alongside graduate student Kathryn Parker “to identify their geographic origin”.
“The dental enamel absorbs various isotopes from the food and water [or breast milk] a child consumes while the teeth are forming, which, based on the teeth that we used, would be about birth to four years of age,” Perry noted, adding that the ratios of some isotopes, such as strontium and oxygen, vary across the landscape [strontium based on bedrock geology, oxygen based on water sources].”
“So, by comparing the isotope ratios of strontium and oxygen in the dental enamel to those expected at Hallabat, we can identify if these individuals grew up around Hallabat during childhood,” she explained, noting that the ratios show that the individuals most likely spent their childhood moving between the basalt fields of the Hauran, to the north and east of Hallabat, and the limestone regions of Hallabat.
“Considering that they originated in the same region and died at the same place presumably at the same time, they have a shared life history,” the professor claimed, saying that the best hypothesis is that they were part of a group of pastoral nomads or traders that moved regularly across the landscape as children.
“Perhaps they were still mobile and making temporary use of the water sources of Hallabat when some of them were killed,” the researcher elaborated.
“Who disposed of them in the cistern remains an open question, but, considering that the cisterns of Hallabat provided important water sources for the area, it does not seem logical that a group making regular use of them would contaminate one with dead bodies. So perhaps they were outsiders, or a local group who wanted to deter others from using the Hallabat resources. It remains a mystery,” Perry concluded.
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Strontium (Sr) is a chemical element that builds up in the bones and tooth enamel as food is digested. Through its precise determination, researchers are now able to distinguish between friend and foe on ancient battlefields.
This is possible because in nature, Sr occurs in a variety of forms (isotopes) that differ according to the number of particles in the atomic nucleus. The 87Sr und 86Sr isotopes are the ones that are important for the classification of bone material, and the ratio between the two varies and changes over time in accordance with geological conditions. As the strontium in the bones is constantly exchanged with the Sr ingested with food, the isotope ratio in bone material reflects that in the surrounding area. Because of this the Sr isotope ratio provides clues about a person’s origins.
However measuring the ratio accurately is a challenging task. A team under Professor Thomas Prohaska of the Institute of Chemistry at the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna has now succeeded in achieving hitherto unknown levels of accuracy with this form of analysis. The interdisciplinary project, supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), has opened the way for fascinating reconstructions of prehistoric events.
The scientific usefulness of the method was demonstrated at an excavation in cooperation with a team under Prof. Maria Teschler-Nicola of the Vienna Museum of Natural History. Over 100 human skeletons, dating to 7,000 years ago, had been found very close together at the site of a Neolithic village in Asparn, Lower Austria.
However, to work out whether fighting had occurred at the village, the archaeologists could not use traditional methods, which depend on comparisons of morphological characteristics, and require that the skeletons be in an excellent state of preservation. It was only when the results of anthropological research were complemented by determination of the Sr isotope ratio that it was possible to unambiguously identify a group of skeletons as those of villagers who had been defeated by intruders.
The applications of this technique are myriad. Another FWF funded project aims to work out the migratory behaviour of individuals by comparing the Sr Isotope ratio in the bones to that in the molars (a technique used to identify the origin of Oetzi the Iceman, as reported in CWA 2). For, in contrast to the bones, Sr is no longer exchanged in tooth enamel after the age of four, allowing researchers to tell where the person lived as a child. Different isotope ratios in the bones and teeth are therefore proof of migration after the age of four.
This research project is an impressive example of the ways in which analytical chemistry, archaeology and anthropology can join forces to produce new insights. | https://www.world-archaeology.com/world/europe/austria/strontium-in-bones/?share=google-plus-1 |
Contrary to popular traditions, ancient Greek armies relied on foreign mercenaries | Smart News
Historians of ancient Greece loved to write about the heroism of their compatriots in battle. Homer, Herodotus, and their peers often described the valiant actions of Greek warriors engaged in combat and conquest.
But did the war really go that way? Teeth found in fifth century BC mass graves in Sicily suggest otherwise. As University of Georgia anthropologist Katherine Reinberger, lead author of a new study published in the journal PLOS One, written for the ConversationThe Greek armies used the mercenary forces of other countries more extensively than previously thought.
For the study, Reinberger and his colleagues analyzed the isotopes present in the teeth of 62 soldiers killed in action in the town of Himera in 480 BC and 409 BC The results of the interdisciplinary team indicate that two-thirds of soldiers buried in 480 were not of Greek origin. of origin, while a quarter of those buried in 409 were “non-local”.
âWe realized that it was possible that many of the 480 soldiers were coming from outside Sicily, and maybe even from outside the Mediterranean,â says Reinberger. Live ScienceIt’s Laura Geggel.
By Krista Charles from New scientist, these mercenaries may have come from the Catalan coast, the Iberian Peninsula, mainland Greece or the Black Sea coast.
Carthaginian forces attacked Himera both times, losing the first battle and winning the second. Herodotus wrote that Greeks across Sicily united to deal with these threats – but as researchers have discovered, the historian’s account seems to have missed the mark.
âThese soldiers had such high strontium values ââand such low oxygen values ââcompared to what one would expect in a native of Himera that my colleagues and I believe they came from even more places. remote than just other parts of Sicily, ânotes Reinberger in the Conversation. âBased on the elemental isotope ratios of their teeth, the soldiers likely had diverse geographic origins ranging from the Mediterranean and possibly beyond.
Scientists use strontium levels to identify where people grew up. The isotope acts as a geographic marker indicating what and where individuals have consumed.
âResearchers know that the type of strontium in your body reflects the underlying geology or bedrock where the plants and animals you ate grew,â writes the anthropologist. âOxygen isotopes come from your water source. These elements become a physical record of your origins. “
The higher number of non-local soldiers present at the first battle shows how foreign mercenaries helped the Greeks defeat the Carthaginians, Sarah Wells reports for Reverse. The team postulates that the lower tally of non-local deaths in the second battle indicates how Himera may have been cut off from the protective forces and sentenced to a deadly end.
âThis study suggests that ancient communities were more diverse than previously thought,â says Reinberger Reverse. “The recruitment of foreign mercenaries may have opened avenues of access to citizenship that are not often mentioned in Greek history.”
Talk with Live Science, Reinberger underlines that “the historians of ancient Greece had an interest in keeping the armies entirely Greek”.
She adds: “The Greeks were obsessed with being Greeks”, considering all those who did not speak the “barbarian” language.
As Mario Novak, a researcher at the Anthropological Research Institute of Croatia, who did not participate in the study, recounts New scientist, the results suggest that “these ‘barbarians’ were much more integrated into the daily lives of true Greeks than previously thought.”
Reinberger says that further study of the isotopes of ancient teeth could lead to more discoveries about Greek history and how it might differ from written accounts. | https://ristoranteicrociferi.com/contrary-to-popular-traditions-ancient-greek-armies-relied-on-foreign-mercenaries-smart-news/ |
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From: “University of Alaska Fairbanks” <uaf-distribution>
Date: May 15, 2015 at 10:11:14 AKDT
To: uafnews-l
Subject: [UAFNews-L] Chemical tags in ear bones track Alaska’s Bristol Bay salmon
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Chemical tags in ear bones track Alaska’s Bristol Bay salmon
CONTACT:
Marmian Grimes, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907-474-7902, mlgrimes
Michelle Ma, University of Washington, 206-543-2580, mcma
A chemical signature recorded on the ear bones of chinook salmon from Alaska’s Bristol Bay region could tell scientists and resource managers where they are born and how they spend their first year of life.
This bone, called an otolith, accumulates layers as a fish grows, similar to trees. These “growth rings” are produced throughout a salmon’s life. Scientists can tell where the fish lived by matching the chemical signatures of the otolith with the chemical signatures of the water in which they swim, according to a study published May 15 in the online, open-access journal Science Advances.
“Each fish has this little recorder, and we can reveal the whole life history of the fish from the perspective of the otolith. Each growth ring is a direct reflection of the environment the fish was swimming in at the time it was formed,” said lead author Sean Brennan, who completed the study as a doctoral student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He is now a postdoctoral researcher in the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.
This chemical signature comes from isotopes of the trace element strontium, found in bedrock. Strontium’s chemical makeup varies geographically. As rushing water weathers the rocks, the element is dissolved and released into the water. The dissolved strontium ions get picked up by fish, either through the gills or gut lining, then are deposited onto the otolith.
As strontium makes its way from rocks into the otoliths of fish swimming in the rivers, its chemical signature does not change, and so it serves as a robust tag that can tie each fish to a specific location in the river at a specific time.
“This particular element and its isotopes are very strongly related to geography,” said Matthew Wooller, director of the Alaska Stable Isotope Facility at University of Alaska Fairbanks and a co-author of the paper. “It is a really good marker for where animals have been and whether they move around in their environment.”
This process relies on a river system that has been mapped extensively for its strontium isotope variation. In general, watersheds that are diverse in the types and ages of rocks will also have a lot of variation in strontium isotope signatures — and thus are good candidates for using this technique, Brennan said.
“Alaska is a mosaic of geologic heterogeneity,” he added. “As long as you can look at a geologic map and see rocks that are really different, that’s a good potential area.”
The Bristol Bay region in Alaska produces some of the last remaining wild salmon runs in the world. The area is perhaps best known for its sockeye salmon commercial fishery, but chinook salmon, particularly those in the Nushagak River where this study took place, supply important subsistence and sport fisheries for the region. The Nushagak chinook salmon run is also the third biggest in Western Alaska, ranking it as one of the largest worldwide.
About 200,000 chinook make their way each summer from the ocean to spawn in the river’s upper tributaries and streams. When their eggs hatch in the spring, young chinook salmon spend a whole year in the river, feeding and growing before migrating to the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
Scientists need a way to determine the birth streams of adult chinook when they are caught in coastal fisheries. Once they have that information, they can begin to understand how freshwater habitat, the movement of fish and environmental factors can affect fish survival. Alaska’s chinook salmon populations have declined dramatically in the past decade, and scientists are still trying to determine why.
“This is science responding to a societal issue and need,” said co-author Christian Zimmerman, U.S. Geological Survey ecologist and chief of water and interdisciplinary studies at the USGS Alaska Science Center in Anchorage. “Using this approach, we will be able to map salmon productivity and determine how freshwater habitats influence the ultimate number of salmon. With declines in chinook salmon in Western Alaska, fishery and land-use managers need better information about freshwater habitats to guide conservation.”
Using data collected from adult salmon in 2011, the researchers not only determined which parts of the river produced the most fish but also found that the majority of chinook salmon in the Nushagak watershed stayed in the same place for their entire first year before they migrated to the ocean. About 20 percent left their birthplace for short forays in the river’s lower main stem before swimming to the ocean.
Brennan now works with Daniel Schindler at the UW, where they will expand this work to include sockeye salmon in the same river. They will collect three years of chinook data and two years of sockeye by the end of the project, which will help determine whether birth and life history patterns in Alaska rivers vary across years, or remain consistent.
The techniques used in Brennan’s study can also help scientists understand the behavior of other animal populations, living and extinct, added Wooller. Strontium also accumulates in things like bird feathers and teeth and also survives even after being fossilized. This allows researchers to study the movements of a wide range of animals, including seals, whales, bison, ancient human populations and even dinosaurs.
Other co-authors are Diego Fernandez and Thure Cerling at the University of Utah, where all of the analyses for this research were conducted, and Megan McPhee at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
This research was funded by Alaska Sea Grant and the U.S. Geological Survey National Institute of Water Resources program.
ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Sean Brennan at srbrenn or 801-633-7906; Matthew Wooller at mjwooller or 907-474-6738; Christian Zimmerman at czimmerman and 907-786-7071; and Thure Cerling at thure.cerling or 801-581-5558.
NOTE TO EDITORS: High resolution photos are available for download at http://news.uaf.edu/salmon-otoliths/ and https://www.flickr.com/gp/uwnews/1ht3HV/.
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WEDNESDAY, June 1, 2011 (HealthDay News) -- The concept of the "man cave" has been entrenched in the human lineage for far longer than thought, according to new research that analyzed teeth from early humans to determine their geographic movement.
Scientists from the University of Colorado at Boulder found that males of two hominid species that roamed the South African savanna more than a million years ago stayed close to home -- which often included caves -- while females tended to move away.
The study, published in the June 2 issue of the journal Nature, suggests that fossils can reveal clues to early humans' social and gender-related behavior, said Jeffrey Laitman, director of the Center for Anatomy and Functional Morphology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
"This is strong and beautiful science," Laitman said. "It at least is giving us a glimpse that some of the behaviors we see today have roots going into the past. It may well be in our lineage that [males] liked their man caves."
Study author Sandi Copeland and her team studied teeth from a group of extinct Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus individuals from two adjacent cave systems in South Africa, finding that more than half of the female teeth were from outside the local area. But only about 10 percent of the male hominid teeth were from elsewhere, the study said, suggesting they likely grew up and died in the same area.
Using a high-tech analysis known as laser ablation, the researchers zapped the hominid teeth with lasers to measure isotope ratios of strontium found in tooth enamel, which helped identify specific areas of landscape use. Strontium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks and soils that is absorbed by plants and animals.
Copeland, an adjunct assistant professor of anthropology at UC-Boulder, said she was surprised when results initially found no significant disparities in how the two early human species used the landscape. When males were compared to females, however, noticeable differences emerged.
"Our study is the first to directly test the dispersal pattern that might have [existed] in early hominids," she said.
The strontium isotope ratios reflected their locations, and therefore what foods were available, Copeland said. The team tested 19 teeth dating from approximately 1.8 million to 2.2 million years ago, determining that male teeth were larger than those from females. They also compared them to teeth and jaw fossils from five early hominid sites in South Africa.
The "million-dollar question," Copeland said, is why males from these groups stayed closer to home while females roamed. Among most other primates, including gorillas, this pattern is reversed.
Determining the reasons "is very hard," Laitman said. "I think they're going to have to extrapolate a bit, but at least we have the beginnings of the story. I don't think this is by chance -- I think their data is real, and they're cracking open the behaviors of our ancestors."
Copeland noted that future technology may make it possible to move beyond this knowledge to learn why this geographic movement pattern existed among early humans. "I think there's hope for doing something like that," she said.
More information
The Smithsonian Institution has more information on early humans and evolution. | https://consumer.healthday.com/general-health-information-16/miscellaneous-479/even-ancient-men-seemed-to-like-their-man-caves-653492.html |
Researchers from the University of Southampton and Historic England excavated medieval human bones from the Wharram Percy village in North Yorkshire and found the corpses they came from were mutilated and burnt. The research team postulates that this was done by villagers who thought that it would prevent the corpses from climbing out of their graves and threatening the living.
The researchers discovered that many of the bones had knife marks on them, pointing to the bodies being dismembered and decapitated. Evidence was also found of deliberate breaking of some bones and the burning of body parts after death.
The Journal of Archaeological Science Reports published the findings. Simon Mays, a Human Skeletal Biologist at Historic England led the research. He collaborated with Alistair Pike, a Professor of Archaeological Sciences at the University of Southampton.
There was a folk belief in medieval times that corpses could rise from the dead and rove around the area, viciously attacking those unlucky enough to encounter them and spreading sickness. It was also generally believed that restless corpses were caused by a remaining malicious life force in individuals who had created animosity, or committed evil deeds while still alive.
Writers in medieval times propose a number of ways of dealing with the restless souls. One recurring theme is to dig up the aberrant corpse, dismember and decapitate it, and then burn the pieces in a fire. It is possible that the bones from Wharram Percy were from parts of bodies that were maimed and burnt because of medieval fears of cadavers rising from their graves. The researchers did look at other theories, but this explanation appears to be the most consistent with the markings found on the bones.
In some societies, people are treated in uncommon ways after they die because they are viewed as being outsiders. Analysis of strontium isotopes in the teeth did however show that this was not the reason in this case. Professor Alistair Pike directed the isotopic analysis and explained that strontium isotopes in teeth reveal the geology on which a person was living in childhood when their teeth were formed. As the isotopes in the teeth and the geology around Wharram Percy matches, it is likely that they grew up in the area near to where they were buried, possibly even in the same village. This result surprised the team, as they first thought that the unusual treatment of the bodies was related to them being from further afield rather than local.
As famines were common in medieval times, it could have been that the remains had been cannibalized by starving villagers. The evidence did however not fit this scenario as the knife marks were mainly in the head and neck area. In cases of cannibalism, knife marks on bone tend to cluster around major muscle attachments or large joints.
Mays concludes that the evidence definitely points to the Wharram Percy bones being the remains of corpses dismembered and burnt to stop them walking from their graves. If this were correct, this would be the first good archaeological evidence that shows that this practice existed. It provides a striking reminder of how different the medieval view of the world was from our own and shows a dark side of medieval beliefs.
The deserted medieval village of Wharram Percy, North Yorkshire, where the bones were found, is a site managed by English Heritage. One hundred and thirty-seven bones were found, coming from the mixed remains of at least ten individuals. They were buried in a pit in the settlement part of the archeological site and date from the 11th-14th centuries AD. | http://sciencenewsjournal.com/living-dead-resisted-medieval-times/ |
CitationsSnoeck, C., Ryan, S., Pouncett, J., Pellegrini, M., Claeys, P., Wainwright, A. N., Mattielli, N., Lee-Thorp, J. A. & Schulting, R. J. (2020). Towards a biologically available strontium isotope baseline for Ireland. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 712, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.136248.
Access StatusAccess this item via the Open Access location
Open Access URLhttps://dipot.ulb.ac.be/dspace/bitstream/2013/301711/3/Snoecketal.mapofIreland.SceinTotEnvi.2020.pdf
Abstract
Strontium isotopes are used in archaeology, ecology, forensics, and other disciplines to study the origin of artefacts, humans, animals and food items. Strontium in animal and human tissues such as bone and teeth originates from food and drink consumed during life, leaving an isotopic signal corresponding to their geographical origin (i.e. where the plants grew, the animals grazed and the drinking water passed through). To contextualise the measurements obtained directly on animal and human remains, it is necessary to have a sound baseline of the isotopic variation of biologically available strontium in the landscape. In general, plants represent the main source of strontium for humans and animals as they usually contain much higher strontium concentrations than animal products (meat and milk) or drinking water. The observed difference between the strontium isotope composition of geological bedrock, soils and plants from the same locality warrants direct measurement of plants to create a reliable baseline. Here we present the first baseline of the biologically available strontium isotope composition for the island of Ireland based on 228 measurements on plants from 140 distinct locations. The isoscape shows significant variation in strontium isotope composition between different areas of Ireland with values as low as 0.7067 for the basalt outcrops in County Antrim and values of up to 0.7164 in the Mourne Mountains. This variability confirms the potential for studying mobility and landscape use of past human and animal populations in Ireland. Furthermore, in some cases, large differences were observed between different types of plants from the same location, highlighting the need to measure more than one plant sample per location for the creation of BASr baselines.
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Varied diets and limited mobility challenge stereotypes of ancient steppe populations
Scythian people of ancient Ukraine led more complex lives than commonly assumed, according to a study published March 10, 2021 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Alicia R. Ventresca Miller of the University of Michigan and colleagues.
The Scythian people, who lived across the Pontic steppe around 700-200 BCE, are often portrayed as a culture of nomadic warriors. But this idea is challenged by archaeological evidence that indicates a more complex and varied culture at this place and time. In this study, researchers employed isotopic analyses to investigate patterns of diet and mobility in Scythian populations.
The authors measured isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and strontium in human teeth and bones from several Scythian-era burial sites in Ukraine. Isotopes that reflect diet, indicate that in some places there was a varied diet including numerous domesticated crops, while isotopes that reflect geologic surroundings indicate that most people did not travel long distances during their lifetimes.
These results support the growing understanding that Scythian populations were not a homogenous culture, but a more diverse group which, in some places, lived more sedentary lives with a dependence on agriculture. The authors suggest that future studies should expand this work to compare multiple generations of people over more varied geographical locations. This work will help archaeologists move toward a more complete idea of what it meant to be Scythian.
The authors add: “Our multi-isotopic study challenges romantic notions of wide-ranging Scythian nomads. We show that while some individuals from classic Scythian contexts traveled long distances, the majority remained local to their settlements, farming millet and raising livestock in mixed economic systems.”
Funding: Generous funding from the National Geographic Society (9332-13; PI – JJ) provided support for fieldwork at Bel’sk (SM, JJ, Tim Taylor) and the physical analysis of human remains at the Institute of Archaeology, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences in Kyiv (AVM, LL). Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen isotopic analyses were funded by the National Geographic Society (9332-13) (JJ) and the Graduate School for Human Development in Landscapes under the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft: GS 208 (AVM). Funding for strontium isotopic analyses was provided by the Max Planck Society. AVM, PR, and NB thank the Max Planck Society for funding. | https://theuncoverreality.in/2021/03/11/scythian-people-werent-just-nomadic-warriors-but-sometimes-settled-down-archeology/ |
Life on Earth may have originated earlier than thought and could have done so in hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. A new study in Nature finds the origin of life at at least 3,770 million and possibly 4,290 million years ago in ferruginous sedimentary rocks, interpreted as seafloor-hydrothermal vent-related precipitates from the Nuvvuagittuq supracrustal belt of Eastern Canada. Scientists led by Dr. Dominic Papineau of University College London made the discovery.
Epifluorescence imaging of modern vent samples has shown that cylindrical casts composed of iron oxyhydroxide are formed by bacterial cells and are undeniably of biological origin (biogenic). Hence, morphologically similar tubes and filaments in ancient jaspers may be taken as evidence that the jaspers held organisms that can survive elevated temperatures.
“The fact that we found microfossils in these rocks shows that within only a few hundred million years of the accretion of the Earth, life had not only originated, but had also already diversified into specialised microorganisms living in hydrothermal vent environments where biologists have been suggesting for years that that was the site for the origin of life on Earth,” noted Dr. Papineau in an email to this Correspondent.
The scientists found that NSB rocks contain graphite with ratios of the 13C/12C isotopes (the two naturally occurring stable isotopes of carbon – 13C having one more neutron than 12C) indicative of biological metabolism. The mineral graphite is composed of carbon and can form during the metamorphism of biological organic matter. It is the same for carbonate, but these minerals represent oxidised organic matter.
Rosette remnants
Microscopic spheroidally-concentric mineral structures called rosettes were found in the NSB rocks and are composed of apatite (the phosphate mineral in our teeth and bones), carbonate, and graphite. Also found were granules which are similar to rosettes, but slightly larger, up to 2 mm in diameter. The granules contain different iron minerals that indicate the former presence of chemical reactions. The scientists believe that both rosettes and granules are the mineralised products of putrefaction.
On the basis of chemical and morphological lines of evidence, the tubes, filaments and granules are best explained as remains of iron-metabolising (consuming iron) filamentous bacteria, and therefore represent the oldest life forms recognized on Earth.
“Some bacteria can literally eat iron, which is what we think these ones were doing more than 3.77 billion years ago. All these lines of evidence have also been documented in younger jasper that formed when we know life existed, as well as in modern ferruginous-siliceous (iron–silica containing) precipitates in the vicinity of hydrothermal vents. Hence, we conclude that we have found the oldest fossils known,” Dr. Papineau says. | https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sci-tech-and-agri/oldest-fossils-hold-clue-to-origin-of-life/article17665639.ece |
This article discusses the scientific principles underlying the use of strontium and oxygen isotopes found in water to identify the metropolitan areas where unidentified deceased victims have consumed water with isotopes distinctive to a geographic area.
Abstract
The ratio between two oxygen isotopes from precipitation reflects the distinctive features of the water consumed by persons living in or visiting an area. Water is the key to creating a “travel history” from an individual’s hair, because oxygen isotopes found in hair reflect the water that people drink in a given area; strontium isotopes are the preferred isotopes for water used in baths and showers. Brett Tipple, an IsoForensics research scientist, has received funding from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) to develop databases and models that will assist in linking isotope ratios to the water in the geographical regions from which they come. Tipple is also developing a database and model to better predict region-of-origin information based on oxygen isotope ratios. As Tipple works to increase the specificity of isotope ratio information, IsoForensics continues to assist law enforcement investigators identify deceased victims by analyzing their hair to determine locations where they have been. Some case examples of such investigations are provided. | https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/tracking-movements-isotopes |
Chemical analysis of tooth enamel reveals how the Hyksos came to be the first foreign rulers of Egypt.
Juan Aunion / Alamy Stock Photo
A team of archaeologists from the United Kingdom, Austria and France collected enamel samples from the teeth of 75 human skeletons buried in Tell el-Daba, which was the Hyksos capital in the northeastern Nile delta. They found that the Hyksos may not have come as foreign invaders, but migrated to Egypt and lived there for generations before they seized power.
The researchers looked at the ratio of strontium isotopes in the collected enamel samples. Strontium from rocks enters the human body through diet, where it is then deposited in the skeleton, including tooth enamel. Because the enamel is formed during early childhood, the isotopes ratio can pinpoint where individuals grew up.
Comparing the enamel isotope ratios to environmental isotope signatures from Egypt and elsewhere, the researchers found that more than half of their cohort spent their childhood outside the Nile Delta. They moved to the city from other places in greater numbers many years before the Hyksos rule, suggesting that they were possibly a local group of people long before gaining power. Many of the samples also belonged to females, which runs contrary to the argument that the Hyksos came as invaders.
“Rather than originating as an invading force, the Hyksos rulers might have been born and raised in Egypt,” says lead author, Chris Stantis, an archaeologist from the Bournemouth University, UK. | https://www.natureasia.com/en/nmiddleeast/article/10.1038/nmiddleeast.2020.77 |
Rb sr dating equation for velocity
Age-dating these samples by Sm-Nd and Rb-Sr methods is very challenging because Excluding anomalous phases from the calculation of a Sm-Nd isochron The speed of the LDRIMS measurement allows thousands of samples to be. Feb 19, equation, which is also the basis for radiometric dating techniques, is requirements for Rb-Sr dating over a wider range of geologic conditions .. expanding from this initial event and the velocity of expansion can be. Apr 18, Although we now recognize lots of problems with that calculation, the . We can measure the present ratios of (87Sr/86Sr)t and (87Rb/86Sr)t.
Rb sr dating equation for velocity - Background
While sample return is highly desirable for the range of analytical techniques that can be applied to a specimen, as well as the much greater precision that can be achieved in a geochronology experiment, in situ dating as part of a sample return mission would provide valuable triage data to inform the selection of the best samples for return to Earth.
In situ dating on its own could answer many scientific questions with acceptable precision, and, without many of the costs and risks of a sample return mission, it can be more easily scaled to a campaign of missions to diverse terranes in the inner solar system.
To assess the potential for in situ dating by LARIMS, we have designed and built an instrument for the resonance ionization of Rb and Sr isotopes, so as to employ the radioisotope 87Rb as a chronometer. In this work, we tested our instrument by analyzing the Duluth Gabbro, a compositional analog for lunar basalts enriched in potassium, rare earth elements, and phosphorus, also known as KREEP terranes.
An advantage of the LARIMS technique is that a large number of spot analyses on a rock specimen can be assembled into an isochron. This precludes having to make unverifiable assumptions about the initial abundance of either the parent or daughter nuclide. Strontium abundances in lunar rocks are tens to hundreds of ppm,[e.
To provide useful constraints on the chronology of the Moon, any instrument must be capable of resolving the multiple potential historical hypotheses for the Moon, which span a billion year range of possibilities. The objective of our work was to date a sample of the Duluth Gabbro with Ma precision. Method The method and instrumental approach have been fully described by Anderson et al.
We analyzed our sample of the Duluth Gabbro in much the same way as we analyzed the Martian meteorite Zagami. These multiplicative corrections were then applied to the Duluth Gabbro isotope ratios. Dissolved strontium in the oceans today has a value of 0. Thus, if well-dated, unaltered fossil shells containing strontium from ancient seawater are analyzed, changes in this ratio with time can be observed and applied in reverse to estimate the time when fossils of unknown age were deposited.
Dating simple igneous rocks The rubidium—strontium pair is ideally suited for the isochron dating of igneous rocks. As a liquid rock cools, first one mineral and then another achieves saturation and precipitates, each extracting specific elements in the process.
Strontium is extracted in many minerals that are formed early, whereas rubidium is gradually concentrated in the final liquid phase. In practice, rock samples weighing several kilograms each are collected from a suite of rocks that are believed to have been part of a single homogeneous liquid prior to solidification. The samples are crushed and homogenized to produce a fine representative rock powder from which a fraction of a gram is withdrawn and dissolved in the presence of appropriate isotopic traces, or spikes.
Strontium and rubidium are extracted and loaded into the mass spectrometer, and the values appropriate to the x and y coordinates are calculated from the isotopic ratios measured. Once plotted as R1p i. Using estimates of measurement precision, the crucial question of whether or not scatter outside of measurement error exists is addressed. Such scatter would constitute a geologic component, indicating that one or more of the underlying assumptions has been violated and that the age indicated is probably not valid.
For an isochron to be valid, each sample tested must 1 have had the same initial ratio, 2 have been a closed system over geologic time, and 3 have the same age. Well-preserved, unweathered rocks that crystallized rapidly and have not been subjected to major reheating events are most likely to give valid isochrons. Weathering is a disturbing influence, as is leaching or exchange by hot crustal fluids, since many secondary minerals contain rubidium.
Volcanic rocks are most susceptible to such changes because their minerals are fine-grained and unstable glass may be present.
On the other hand, meteorites that have spent most of their time in the deep freeze of outer space can provide ideal samples. Dating minerals Potassium -bearing minerals including several varieties of mica, are ideal for rubidium—strontium dating as they have abundant parent rubidium and a low abundance of initial strontium. When minerals with a low-rubidium or a high-strontium content are analyzed, the isochron-diagram approach can be used to provide an evaluation of the data.
As discussed above, rubidium—strontium mineral ages need not be identical in a rock with a complex thermal history , so that results may be meaningful in terms of dating the last heating event but not in terms of the actual age of a rock. Dating metamorphic rocks Should a simple igneous body be subjected to an episode of heating or of deformation or of a combination of both, a well-documented special data pattern develops.
With heat, daughter isotopes diffuse out of their host minerals but are incorporated into other minerals in the rock. When the rock again cools, the minerals close and again accumulate daughter products to record the time since the second event. Remarkably, the isotopes remain within the rock sample analyzed, and so a suite of whole rocks can still provide a valid primary age.
This situation is easily visualized on an isochron diagram, where a series of rocks plots on a steep line showing the primary age, but the minerals in each rock plot on a series of parallel lines that indicate the time since the heating event.
If cooling is very slow, the minerals with the lowest blocking temperature, such as biotite mica, will fall below the upper end of the line. The rock itself gives the integrated , more gradual increase. Approaches to this ideal case are commonly observed, but peculiar results are found in situations where the heating is minimal. Epidote, a low-temperature alteration mineral with a very high concentration of radiogenic strontium, has been found in rocks wherein biotite has lost strontium by diffusion.
The rock itself has a much lower ratio, so that it did not take part in this exchange. Although rubidium—strontium dating is not as precise as the uranium—lead method, it was the first to be exploited and has provided much of the prevailing knowledge of Earth history. The procedures of sample preparation , chemical separation, and mass spectrometry are relatively easy to carry out, and datable minerals occur in most rocks.
Precise ages can be obtained on high-level rocks i. The mobility of rubidium in deep-level crustal fluids and melts that can infiltrate other rocks during metamorphism as well as in fluids involved in weathering can complicate the results.
Samarium—neodymium method The radioactive decay of samarium of mass Sm to neodymium of mass Nd has been shown to be capable of providing useful isochron ages for certain geologic materials.
Both parent and daughter belong to the rare-earth element group, which is itself the subject of numerous geologic investigations. All members of this group have similar chemical properties and charge, but differ significantly in size. Because of this, they are selectively removed as different minerals are precipitated from a melt. In the opposite sense, their relative abundance in a melt can indicate the presence of certain residual minerals during partial melting.
Unlike rubidium, which is enriched over strontium in the crust, samarium is relatively enriched with respect to neodymium in the mantle. Consequently, a volcanic rock composed of melted crust would have elevated radiogenic strontium values and depressed radiogenic neodymium values with respect to the mantle.
As a parent—daughter pair, samarium and neodymium are unique in that both have very similar chemical properties, and so loss by diffusion may be reduced. Their low concentrations in surface waters indicates that changes during low-temperature alteration and weathering are less likely.
Their presence in certain minerals in water-deposited gold veins, however, does suggest mobility under certain conditions. In addition, their behaviour under high-temperature metamorphic conditions is as yet poorly documented.
The exploitation of the samarium—neodymium pair for dating only became possible when several technical difficulties were overcome. Procedures to separate these very similar elements and methods of measuring neodymium isotope ratios with uncertainties of only a few parts in , had to be developed.
In theory, the samarium—neodymium method is identical to the rubidium—strontium approach. Both use the isochron method to display and evaluate data. In the case of samarium—neodymium dating, however, the chemical similarity of parent and daughter adds another complication because fractionation during crystallization is extremely limited. This makes the isochrons short and adds further to the necessity for high precision. | https://trustednet.info/for-dating/rb-sr-dating-equation-for-velocity.php |
What is a Connection?
We’ve talked a lot about making and maintaining connections in your professional network via LinkedIn, but we haven’t answered the most important question on the topic: what is a connection? To some, the answer may seem obvious, but the definition of a connection can be quite nebulous and hard to pin down due to the changing ways we communicate in our jobs and changing ways we define best practices in the sector.
A connection is someone you know professionally with whom you have (or have the potential for) a mutually beneficial relationship. Maybe the work in the same sector as you, maybe they do similar work to yours, or maybe you just liked each other’s projects and hope to collaborate someday. Your connection are made up of strong ties and weak ties and you can have varying level of contact with your connections, though it’s a good idea to reach out every once in a while to ensure you two are both benefiting from the relationship.
To further understand what a connection is, we need to break down our connections into 2 groups: strong ties and weak ties. Strong ties are the kind of connections most people are familiar with. Your strong connections are your co-workers, your boss, your project partners, etc. They are people you see all the time and are regularly communicating with both digitally and in the real world. They are the people you form bonds with and grow to really trust in your professional life.
Weak ties are people you have connected with but don’t see or work with on any sort of regular basis. Weak ties can include former bosses or co-workers, people you met at a conference or networking event, people you have connected with on LinkedIn, etc. These are the people that know you a little bit but aren’t directly or consistently involved in your work.
Understanding the differences between these two types of connections is extremely important to effectively network. To quote careerpivot.com, “strong ties provide bonds, but weak ties serve as bridges.” Strong ties are great to bounce ideas off of and to partner with on projects. This is because of the high level of trust you have in them due to your frequent communication and co-working. Weak ties are the ideal people to ask about opportunities. Too many people think that because strong ties know them the best they are the people to ask about upcoming opportunities, which makes sense, but is actually untrue. Your network of weak ties is much larger than your network of strong ties. In fact, 11% more people heard about job opportunities through weak ties as opposed to those who heard about them through string ties. This is because when you ask your weak connections, for advice about upcoming opportunities, you get more information than you will from your strong connections, many of whom have very similar networks to you.
Your connections are your network and your network is the backbone to community work and employment work. That’s the point of The Community Employment Collaboration: to help keep people connecting and to help people use their networks to benefit the sector as a whole and, most importantly, our clients. | https://employmentcollaboration.ca/practitioners/what-is-a-connection/ |
According to online reputation specialists, no matter how clever you are, it is very difficult to be an expert in absolutely everything. Therefore, you should meet people who have knowledge on topics you don’t know and have good relations with them to ensure that they are there when you need them. Here are 6 reasons to start networking with professionals.
What is a network of contacts?
Networks are the group of people with whom you have some kind of relationship, either work or personal. They can relate to you directly (your friends, clients or investors) or indirectly (people they know and who you could access more easily).
The theory of 6 degrees of separation is the basis of networks. It was created in the 1930s by the Hungarian Frigyes Karinthy. It states, through a mathematical formula, that we are connected with anyone in the world by just five intermediaries.
It also proposes that our number of indirect acquaintances grows exponentially from our first level of acquaintances. Therein lies the importance of maintaining a good network of contacts. Networking offers us a series of actions to take care of it and make it grow.
6 benefits of having a network of contacts
These are the advantages of having a network of contacts:
1. Opportunities
Different studies have shown that a good job reference has an 80% chance of securing the job you’re applying for, especially in professional careers. A good network of contacts can not only serve as a reference for the jobs to which you apply for, but if any of your contacts know of any job opportunities for which you are suitable, the chances of being recommended increase.
Be the first to know the new job offers of different companies keeping good relations with a wide network of professional contacts. And not everything is work, it is possible that your contacts know different activities outside the field of work that are of interest to you, such as workshops and seminars related to the area you are in.
2. Support
A helping hand is always welcome, especially in times of need. Throughout your career (and your life in general, of course), you may encounter different obstacles and challenges that move away from your skills and knowledge. And what better than turning to a professional with whom you have a good friendly relationship to solve that problem.
A strong network of contacts opens up different options to have professionals trained for different tasks, and with that it is possible that they help each other. Some of your contacts, at some point, might need your help. Remember that any good relationship is maintained with contact, responsibility and mutual support.
3. Discovery
A good network of contacts can not only help you in the things you directly know you need, a trained eye and years of experience can help you discover situations and skills that can benefit you, and that, until that moment, are unknown to you. It’s a personal and professional discovery at your fingertips.
You might also like: 5 amazing networking platforms that aren’t LinkedIn
4. Personal and professional growth
One of the most important parts of a career is growth: at a job, professional and personal level. Within any good network of contacts, information is shared for forums, meetings, courses and all kinds of training that can help you grow as a professional.
If we add to that all the advice, the discovery opportunities and all the experience your contacts can offer you, your growth can be quite extensive. Keep in mind that as you grow and develop as a professional, you may help others to grow as well.
5. Status
It’s no secret that surrounding yourself with important people and having good relationships with people of high professional reputation can give you some status within the market. This is beneficial because it can open different doors at a professional level that would otherwise remain closed.
Of course, hard work and personal development are what will guarantee your success, but the amount of opportunities that the status of a good network of contacts can offer you has no comparison.
6. Resources
Like support, a strong network of professional contacts is a reliable source of professional resources of the highest quality. Years of knowledge and experience gathered in the same place, available to work alongside you to achieve more optimal results.
And it’s not just for you, as you can help other people in your network by putting them in touch with someone you know, with whom you have good relations, and from whom you can certify a high professional level.
This is just a summary of the different benefits of having a good network of contacts. So don’t take it lightly when it comes to making professional friendships. And the next time you’re introduced to a colleague, give him a good handshake! We hope this information has been helpful.
If you want more people to know your work, but you don’t know how to reach them, don’t worry. Go to gofamed.com and claim your Google presence in just a few clicks! | https://gofamed.com/blog/reasons-have-personal-network/ |
Groundhog Day came upon me last week when I read another “Emerging Leader’s” development plan in which it stated that the recipient needed to “increase their profile by growing their “personal network” and influence across the business”. On the same day, I read an email that informed me of a session by an author of a book “Who You Know” in which I “can learn to manage and leverage my “personal network” to achieve success and increase my influence”.
They seems connected at first, then…
Firstly, a “personal network” is a contradiction. Networks are based on the notion that we are interdependent. So how can my network be personal?
Secondly, haven’t we (especially women) been fighting for years against a “boys club” based on “who you know” which has excluded women/others (and still does), from top jobs and Boards?
So, do I want to promote the notion of “Who You Know” as the way forward to success?
The answer is “no”, and this is why:
1. The foundational assumption of a network is that actors and their actions are interdependent rather than independent. It is not about “me” or “you (or even “we”). It’s about the relational tie between – a concept difficult to grasp in an individualistic world.
2. Relational ties are the channel for the flow of reciprocal communicating and resourcing. A tie is not present for either party’s personal success. Furthermore, the premise is that a personal network flourishes on the basis of strong quality connections with key people. According to the research, strong ties, depend on a combination of longevity of relationship, mutual confiding, intimacy and reciprocal services – making this, if correct, not an easy ride. But more importantly, this is just not accurate.
In one of the most cited papers in sociology written over forty years ago, “The Strength of Weak Ties”, Granovetter (1973) showed the different merits of the strong and weak connections (ties) that make up our social network. His research showed that it is actually the person you are least connected with that can be the one to offer you the greatest opportunities.
Before dismissing this research from the pre-internet era as a dinosaur, currently, this paper is the basis of much of the new collaboration technologies. This is because weaker ties are also the pathway to innovation, new ideas and agility.
Ties can be strong, weak, or absent. One could say that strong ties are between “friends” while weak ties are between “acquaintances”. Strong ties are vital. Through them, we get emotional support in our often complex work environments and get help for our work. Strong ties also make for cohesive teams and cohesive teams are productive (in the short term).
Weaker ties can be described as most of our contacts on Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin who we may not know but who we read or follow – or people who know us, but whom we have not met. We may have common interests or want to link each other to a resource. In organisations, weak ties work across teams – a connection with an EA who works for several leaders, or an acquaintance who works in another team, a specialist you have met at conferences.
What Granovetter showed was that those to whom we are weakly tied are more likely to move in circles different from our own and will thus have access to information different from that which we receive through our strong ties. Furthermore, weak ties are more likely to link us to members of different groups than are strong ones. In Social Network Analysis terms, these ties form ‘bridges or brokers’. University of Chicago’s, Ron Burt has spent a career analysing the contribution to organisations that ‘bridges and brokers’ make. His research shows leaders identified as brokers are promoted more quickly, paid more and have their ideas more readily accepted!
So this is not an either/or. In our work in organisations, Collaboration by Design, there are two complimentary aspects to the flow of collaboration across a social network. One is to build strong and cohesive teams with strong quality relationships, the other to encourage the collaboration through the weaker ties, to ensure that there is diversity of thinking to encourage influence and innovation.
So, don’t dismiss your weaker connections in your social network as shallow and artificial. If you just want a shoulder to cry on or somebody to support your point of view grow your strong ties and stick with them. If you want to find a job, a new way of doing things or even a new lover, break out and go to a weaker connection – they will expand your horizons! | https://changeworks.consulting/collaboration-by-design-its-not-who-you-know-its-who-knows-you-even-when-youre-unaware-of-it/ |
The power of weak ties in our social networks, explained.
This is a guest post by Frank Gullo. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guest post guidelines.
Recent academic research demonstrated the power of weak ties over strong ties, and emerging social network analysis services are showing that some organizations feel strongly enough about these relationships to invest money in analyzing them.
The problem is that while social networking tools like LinkedIn and Twitter have allowed us to build large professional networks, our weak ties really aren’t that weak.
While technology has allowed us to exceed the 150 or so people Dunbar suggested as the limit with whom we can maintain social relationships, network size does not equate with diversity, and most of the weak ties in our professional networks are people who share our interests or work in similar professions or industries.
And while there’s value in traditional weak ties (they are great for generating awareness and building advocacy), there’s a lot to be gained farther out, beyond the weak, and at the edge.
These edge ties buttress our strategic networks and “drive change” and disruption.
How can you cultivate more edge ties?
1) Connect with more people outside of your industry and field
Attend local events or conferences aimed at an industry or profession with which you’re unfamiliar. It’s true that you’d be a neophyte in the subject matter and wouldn’t know anyone going in, but the fresh perspectives and different methodologies would more than make up for any initial discomfort.
Imagine discovering a new technology-enabled process used in bioinformatics and recasting it to improve your corporate culture. Or learning about innovations in IT from a technology professional and realizing you could apply them in your law practice.
If you’re not inclined to venture that far to the edge, attend an event in your field that emphasizes non-industry speakers or try a conference featuring a range of topics and speakers. For example, the Unleash: WD summit is “an industry event with no industry speakers” while BIF-8 is an event that gathers storytellers to reflect upon their personal journeys of innovation and transformation.
2) Webinars and Webcasts
When you’re unable to attend events in person, tune in to webinars and streamed events focusing on subjects you know very little or nothing about. Follow the event conversations and chat in Twitter and try to connect with fellow participants.
3) Connect with Someone New on LinkedIn or Twitter Every Week
While LinkedIn and Twitter facilitate new connections with people like us, you don’t have to use the tools that way.
Once a week, try connecting with someone not known to you or any of your connections through some random means. Use a random word generator and then search the respective social network. Pick one of the matches and reach out and begin to follow the person’s posts.
Resist the urge to filter selectively and pick people like yourself. At best, you will disrupt yourself, and at worst, you will have opened yourself up to new ideas.
4) Try Something New
We all have bucket lists and things we’d like to try someday.
Make a commitment to try something new every few months, ideally an activity that brings you into contact with new people you wouldn’t otherwise meet. For example, pursue a new hobby or craft, volunteer with a local organization, or take a training class.
5) Make an Anti-Bucket List
Create a list of all the things you have absolutely no interest in trying or doing, and seek out connections who have done those things. Their perspective and experiences might spark fresh ideas, or at least prevent ossification in your thinking.
Bonus
6) Reassess Your Existing Connections
Though it’s relatively easy to amass extensive LinkedIn and Twitter networks, it can be difficult keeping track of everyone. With so much competing for our attention, we tend to become desensitized to our diffuse professional networks and overlook when weak ties change careers or switch companies and move closer to the edge.
Monitor LinkedIn status update emails and go through your professional connections a few times every year, noting when your contacts change professions or move farther to the edge of your network.
Send a congratulatory note when someone is promoted or changes professions, and inquire about the change so you can assess how much of an edge tie the person has become.
What do you think?
What are your ideas for cultivating more edge ties? Tell us in the comments.
About the Author
Frank Gullo is the Brand and Business Innovation Manager for the Superior Group, a national workforce solutions firm. He enjoys speaking to students, and presents about social media and personal branding throughout the year. In his spare time, Frank writes, and his work recently appeared on Computerworld, the SmartBlog on Leadership, Career Rocketeer, and 12 Most. He is the co-founder of Social Media Club Buffalo and volunteers in his spare time as a firefighter and EMT. Frank tweets @FrankGullo and can be found on LinkedIn.
If you liked this article, you'll also enjoy this Clever Career Networking Tip Inspired By McDonald’s Big Mac.
Subscribe to JobMob via RSS or email and follow me on Twitter for more ideas on how to network to your next job. | https://jobmob.co.il/blog/strong-weak-network-ties/ |
*Correspondence:
[email protected]
1
Department of Computer Science,
Aalto University, Konemiehentie,
P.O. Box 15400 Espoo, Finland
Full list of author information is
available at the end of the article
Abstract
The structure of egocentric networks reflects the way people balance their need for
strong, emotionally intense relationships and a diversity of weaker ties. Egocentric
network structure can be quantified with ’social signatures’, which describe how
people distribute their communication effort across the members (alters) of their
personal networks. Social signatures based on call data have indicated that people
mostly communicate with a few close alters; they also have persistent, distinct
signatures. To examine if these results hold for other channels of communication, here
we compare social signatures built from call and text message data, and develop a way
of constructing mixed social signatures using both channels. We observe that all types
of signatures display persistent individual differences that remain stable despite the
turnover in individual alters. We also show that call, text, and mixed signatures
resemble one another both at the population level and at the level of individuals. The
consistency of social signatures across individuals for different channels of
communication is surprising because the choice of channel appears to be alter-specific
with no clear overall pattern, and ego networks constructed from calls and texts
overlap only partially in terms of alters. These results demonstrate individuals vary in
how they allocate their communication effort across their personal networks and this
variation is persistent over time and across different channels of communication.
Keywords: Social signatures, Social networks, Egocentric networks, Mobile phones
Introduction
Social relationships that are strong and supportive are fundamentally important for health
and well-being, in both humans and other primates (House et al. 1988;Lyubomirskyetal.
2005;Wittigetal.;Holt-Lunstadetal.2010; Manninen et al. 2017). While close, emotion-
ally intense relationships provide support and cohesion, weaker ties have been associated
with the benefits of diversity and access to resources outside one’s everyday social circles
(Granovetter 1973; Burt 1995). At the same time, maintaining social ties comes at a cost:
time and cognitive resources are finite (Miritello et al. 2013; Miritello et al. 2013). This
cost is particularly high for close relationships (Roberts et al. 2009). As a result, personal
networks typically have only a few close ties and many weak ties. This is visible both at
the level of entire social networks (Onnela et al. 2007)aswellasinhowpeoplestructure
their personal networks (Saramäki et al. 2014).
The way people balance their need for strong, cohesive ties and weak ties that lead out-
side their closest network is reflected in so-called social signatures.Thesocialsignature
© The Author(s). 2018 Open Access This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the
Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. | https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/springer_journal/multichannel-social-signatures-and-persistent-features-of-ego-networks-nqhGykZs03 |
There is growing literature suggesting the importance of networking and even arguing that social capital may be the most significant source of advantage for entrepreneurs. This research uses the classification of necessity-driven versus opportunity-driven entrepreneurs, which has been found to differ systematically in terms of venture growth and job creation, and also reflects the schism between the informal and formal sectors. Having unpacked the construct of networking as embedded in the theory of social capital, hypotheses are formulated which allow for statistical testing. The results add to the ongoing debate on this dualistic typology of entrepreneurs, where in several instances significant differences are detected across networking diversity, ties, types of assistance and support perceptions.
Keywords: networking, entrepreneurship, necessity-driven, social capital
JEL: D8, J24, L26, M13
1 Introduction
Research among countries in transition underlines the point that entrepreneurship exists in every country (Luthans, Stajkovic & Ibrayeva, 2000). This entrepreneurial spirit can be fostered where environmental factors such as family and support systems, financing sources, local communities, government agencies, and cultural factors have a positive affect on entrepreneurial behaviour (Bygrave & Minniti, 2000). In the absence of political stability, and formal support structures, networking and personal trust become even more important during transition as they offer some form of consistency and predictability in the times of fundamental change.
Entrepreneurial activity does not occur in a vacuum, but instead is rooted in cultural and social contexts, specifically within webs of personal and institutional networks (Chan, Bhargava & Street, 2006; Jackson, Amaeshi & Yavuz, 2008). Not only can an individual's social network be influenced by a variety of social relations and support factors, but the greater the political and societal legitimacy of entrepreneurship in a particular region, the greater the rate of business formation (Carter, Reynolds & Gartner, 2004; Jack & Anderson, 2002). Social networks provided by extended family, community-based or organizational relationships are theorized to supplement the effects of education, experience and financial capital (Greve & Salaff, 2003).
There is growing literature suggesting the importance of networks to entrepreneurs and even arguing that social capital may be the most significant source of advantage for entrepreneurs (Arenius & De Clercq, 2005; Audretsch & Keilbach, 2004; Davidson & Honig, 2003; Mitchell & Co, 2004). Studies indicate that networking allows entrepreneurs to enlarge their knowledge of opportunities, to gain access to critical resources, and to deal with business obstacles (Adler & Kwon, 2002; Low & Macillan, 1988; McMillan & Woodruff, 2002). Through networks, entrepreneurs can provide the functions of missing formal institutions, such as contract enforcement and credit (Welter & Smallbone, 2006). Researching entrepreneurship using a social capital perspective is important, as social capital is a crucial asset for small business owners struggling to survive in competitive markets (Aldrich & Zimmer, 1986), and particularly as collaboration between network actors requires expertise and competence if the relationship is to be successfully maintained (Human, 2009).
Entrepreneurial activity in Africa is heavily skewed toward low-expectation entrepreneurial activity; this is according to Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report on high-growth entrepreneurship (Autio, 2007; Naude, Thomas, Wood & Aloe, 2008). The primary objective of GEM is to explore differences in national levels and types of entrepreneurship. The relative prevalence of opportunity-motivated versus necessitymotivated (i.e., entrepreneurs who say they are involved in an entrepreneurial effort to take advantage of opportunity or because they have no better choices for work), entrepreneurial activity provides useful insights into the quality of early-stage entrepreneurial activity. GEM research has consistently shown that the economic contribution of opportunitymotivated entrepreneurs is higher than for necessity-driven entrepreneurs, who are alternatively termed as survivalists since they face structural challenges where expected returns are low and intermittent, with low expectations of growth and job creation, and where motivation is personal survival (Morris & Pitt, 1995; Ngiba, Dickinson & Whittaker, 2009). This is in contrast to opportunity-driven entrepreneurs, who say are they are pursuing a business opportunity and strive for independence, and are largely responsible for up to 80 per cent of all job creation by entrepreneurs (Autio, 2005).
The classification of necessity-driven entrepreneurship (NDE) versus opportunity-driven entrepreneurship (ODE) with which this paper employs to scrutinize social capital, has been found to differ systematically in terms of (1) expectations of job creation, (2) projections for out-of-country exports, (3) intention to replicate existing business activity versus creating a new niche, and (4) participation in one of four business sectors (Hessels, van Gelderen & Thurik, 2008; McMullen, Bagby & Palich, 2008).
Despite the importance of these differences and entrepreneurial networking, little empirical or theoretical research has examined the dynamics of social capital in an emerging country context. Not only is there is reason to suspect that the nature of networking between NDE and ODE may differ, but there have been calls for research on these two categories of entrepreneurs, so that this dualistic typology may further be interrogated (McMullen et al., 2008; Williams, 2008). By identifying these dominant categories of entrepreneurs, and linking them with research variables previously not related, will help elucidate how these entrepreneurs react differently or similarly to different phenomena as specified for this article. Recognising that NDE versus ODE has been found to differ systematically on several variables, particularly in terms of growth expectations and of job creation (Hessels, van Gelderen & Thurik, 2008), further investigation advances the topic where it has much relevance.
The critical question that this paper raises, concerns that which we can learn about entrepreneurial social capital, considering that there is an under-explored and unarticulated set of networking principles and practices which have not been previously linked to the categories of NDE versus ODE. Therefore the objective of this study is to identify any differences in networking practices and support perceptions between NDE and ODE. Not only is there a reason to suspect that the nature of networking between NDE and ODE may differ, but by linking these two types of entrepreneurs with social capital, the study's research question will be addressed.
The article starts by reviewing theory on social capital and networking as it relates to entrepreneurship. As an explanation for the phenomena under study, hypotheses are formulated, which allows for differences between the variables to be tested. The study ends by drawing conclusions on the empirical findings and identifies the limitations of the study and provides suggestions for future research.
2 Literature review
Every new venture, from mom-and-pop convenience stores to Silicon Valley superstars such as Google, starts with an 'investment' from the founders themselves or the so called 3Fs (family, friend, or foolhardy strangers) (Bosma & Levie, 2009:52). This community of investors is vital to the start-up process, with perceptions of social capital provided by a community being essential to entrepreneurial start-ups. This notion of community support may also be captured as the 'Batho pele' principle in the broader South African context (Mofolo, 2009).
The study of social capital and its impact on economic decision-making and actions stems from classic literatures in economics and sociology (Granovetter, 1973). Social capital may be understood as the goodwill that is engendered by the fabric of social relations and that can be mobilized to facilitate action (Adler & Kwon, 2002; Audretsch & Keilbach, 2004). It refers to the relationships and networks from which individuals are able to derive institutional support and allows them to act together more effectively to pursue shared objectives (Putnam, 1995). Social capital is often explained in terms of social exchange, which allows for better understanding of the effects of exchange ties on performance. Adler and Kwon (2002) argue that the breadth of the social capital concept reflects a primordial feature of social life - namely, that social ties of one kind (e.g., friendship) often can be used for different purposes (e.g., moral and material support, work and social advice). In practice, the social capital concept has been traditionally conceptualized according to two main configurations of networks: structural and relational-cognitive ones (Pirolo & Presutti, 2010:200).
Social capital is often operationalised through the identification of networks and network relationships, sometimes defined by the strength of ties, repetitive group activity such as the frequency of meetings and other formal interactions, as well as informal gatherings and other social activities, and social and family relationships. The analysis of network structure requires, first, attention to the quality of the constituent ties, that is, their frequency, intensity, multiplicity, and so forth, and to their configuration (Adler & Kwon, 2002; McMillan & Woodruff, 2002).
From an entrepreneurial perspective, social capital provides networks that facilitate the discovery of opportunities, as well as the identification, collection and allocation of scarce resources and strategic initiatives (Davidson & Honig, 2003; Miller, Besser & Malshe, 2007). Small firms are important in innovations through their linkages with larger firms (Naude, 2007), thus impacting the performance of internationalized firms, (Pangarkar, 2008; Pollard & Simberova, 2002), and influencing a nation's economic activity through the interplay of established, new and small firms (Minniti, Bygrave & Autio, 2005).
Certain networking activities have been positively associated with firm performance, for instance Aldrich and Zimmer (1986) report a positive relationship between firm survival and number of times per week of contact with network members. Moreover surviving entrepreneurs are reported as being more active in social relations than their unsuccessful counterparts (Sawyerr, McGee & Peterson, 2003).
In a review of business networks, Blundel and Smith (2001) conclude that during venture creation, most entrepreneurs rely on informal sources in their personal networks in order to mobilize resources, especially before a venture is set up. Based on a synthesis of research investigating the nature of networking in small firms (see: Carson et al., 1995; Curran et al., 1993), networking is described as an activity that varies according to the individual ownermanager and furthermore, according to the person with whom the interaction takes places. Investigating the role of personal networking activities, Sawyerr, McGee and Peterson (2003) show that small firms rely on a welldeveloped web of personal networks in dealing with uncertainty in the external environment. By researching levels of membership and activity in social networks for the selfemployed and their employed counterparts, Dodd (1997) finds that both groups exhibit statistically significant levels of similarity. Generally at least some aspects of business networking are generic, and the owners approach some tasks in similar ways in different environments; nonetheless given the socially-embedded nature of networking activities, differences between communities are generally anticipated (Cooper & Denner, 1998).
Street and Cameron (2007) find that characteristics of small business external relationships, such as relationship strength, network size, network structure, relationship type, goal compatibility, and existing trust, represent the largest area of research regarding antecedents of relationships. An entrepreneur's network of social ties creates opportunities for social capital transactions. External ties to others provide entrepreneurs the opportunity to leverage their resources. Thus, multiple diverse contacts are important, regardless of their strength (Aldrich & Carter, 2004). This diversity in network ties is crucial for entrepreneurs, as diversity increases access to a wider circle of information about potential markets, new business locations, innovations, sources of capital, and potential investors. On the other hand in homogeneous networks, information known to one person is rapidly diffused to others and interpreted in similar ways.
In Granovetter's (1973) classic work, the importance of maintaining an extended network of weak ties in obtaining resources is emphasized. Weak ties are loose relationships between individuals, as opposed to the close ties that would be found in a nuclear family. Weak ties are useful in obtaining information that would otherwise be unavailable or costly to locate. They extend one's network by linking individuals or organizations together and providing an interface for exchanges to take place (Aldrich & Carter, 2004). In contrast, an example of strong ties would be a sibling or parent helping out for free in some aspect of the start-up activities. Thus, strong ties, such as those derived from family relationships, provide secure and consistent access to resources. The most reliable relationships in a personal network are strong ties, which are usually of long duration. They are long-term, two-way relationships, not governed by short-term calculations of self interest.
Networking and member relationships are nearly invisible to most scholars who study entrepreneurship and economic development in Africa, however research is emerging which focuses on the phenomenon of entrepreneurship. For instance by focusing on a new entrepreneurial group who founded a system of regional enterprise networks in response to liberalized economic and political conditions, McDade and Spring (2005) describe how with donor funding assistance, these entrepreneurs organized 31 national, three regional, and one pan-African business network in West, East, and Southern Africa. Since joining these networks some members are reported to be doing business with firms in other African countries network members, but have not established linkages with traditional formal or informal sector small-scale entrepreneurs, which comprise most of the entrepreneurial landscape. Moreover, some members contend that there is more 'talking' than actual business being transacted.
Nonetheless in spite of their poor social network infrastructure, African firms of varying size and structure make very effective use of business networks (Ahwireng-Obeng, 2006). Empirical work has in fact provided evidence of some international similarities, as well as some national-level characteristics (Dodd & Patra, 2002).
In South Africa, as in many parts of the world, the schism between the poor and rich is widening and entrenched inequalities act as a major deterrent to growth, development, and employment creation (Lopez-Claros, Altinger, Blanke, Drezniek & Mia, 2006). Additionally South Africa has a dual-logic economy, where on the one side there is a highly developed economic sector and on the other side one struggling for survival (Maas & Herrington, 2007). These schisms in many ways parallel the NDE and ODE divide, which are often construed as the motivational 'push-pull' dichotomy, where in developing countries one would expect greater push factors to be prevalent among entrepreneurs. South Africa's total early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) index, the primary measure used to compare rate of new business start-ups amongst countries was relatively low (5.90 per cent) for 2009 (Bosma & Levie, 2009:21). The profile of people who are categorised within NDE versus ODE in the latest GEM report indicates that in South Africa approximately 41 per cent of TEA is NDE and 46 per cent is ODE (Bosma & Levie, 2009:25). The ratio of ODE to NDE is 3.8:1 and indicates that the proportion of ODE is almost four times higher than that of NDE, and is substantially higher than the average ratio of 2.5 across all GME countries (Herrington, Kew & Kew, 2008:18). However this high ratio of ODE over NDE in 2008 is not borne out by an increase in the TEA index. Moreover South Africa has staggeringly high levels of unemployment (2007 = 23 per cent) relative to the rest of GEM sample (Herrington, Kew & Kew, 2008:16). One would expect, therefore, that necessity would serve as a strong stimulus for an increased TEA rate for South Africa. Despite these anomalies the NDE versus ODE rates are significant when read in conjunction with high-growth expectation early-stage entrepreneurs (HEA) indicators of job-growth expectation, innovation and international orientation. South Africa was one of the countries with the lowest HEA rates over the 2004-2009 periods. Additionally if one compares ODE rates with NDE rates of other developing countries, and excludes NDE, South Africa's entrepreneurial activity is still the lowest of developing countries (von Broembsen, Wood & Herrington, 2006:19).
3 Research problem and hypotheses
Currently in South Africa most research and policy initiatives focus on NDE, who represent the unemployed masses. Although micro enterprises or survivalists may have entrepreneurial characteristics, their ability to grow and create employment, are restricted by their scarcity of skills, business knowledge and resources (Pretorius & van Vuuren, 2002; Urban, Barreira & van Vuuren, 2008). The level of growth aspiration of these necessitydriven entrepreneurs, or lack thereof appears to vary significantly according to economic context, quality of populations in terms of high-growth potential, the difference between income substitution and income generation, and the different societal opportunity structures that these entrepreneurs face (Autio, 2007).
After the construct of networking as embedded in the theory of social capital, has been unpacked, hypotheses are formulated which allow for statistical testing. Based on the theoretical underpinnings discussed in the literature review, the following hypotheses are formulated and set at the 0.05 significance level (p-value < 0.05):
Null Hypothesis 1: Configurations of diversity in entrepreneurial networking will not differ between NDE and ODE.
Null Hypothesis 2: Configurations of networking ties will not differ between NDE and ODE.
Null Hypothesis 3: Configurations of networking assistance and support relationships will not differ between NDE and ODE.
Null Hypothesis 4: Configurations of networking climate support perceptions will not differ between NDE and ODE.
HA: For all the above hypotheses the alternative states that there will be a difference between NDE and ODE in the configurations of networking diversity, ties, assistance and support relationships, and climate support perceptions.
4 Nature of research
Since existing research has not yielded generalisable knowledge on differences in variables of social capital under scrutiny for NDE versus ODE, it was posited that a crosssectional survey based descriptive study, generating empirical results will add to the body of knowledge in this new direction of study.
Several studies have shown that the patterns of social capital development are strongly influenced by the social context where business partners are embedded (Pirolo & Presutti, 2010). Subsequently the empirical research was conducted inside two delimited geographical areas, conducive to yielding respondents in both category of entrepreneur.
The unit of analysis for this study was the individual entrepreneur who then also served as a proxy for their venture.
5 The sample frame
Recognizing that the question between NDE and ODE is polyvalent and people operating somewhere in-between these extremes tend to answer as being opportunity-driven (Bosma, Jones, Autio & Levie, 2007), specific sampling frames were identified for each type of entrepreneur.
For ODE, a generic sampling frame was identified from membership lists of businesses operating in the greater Johannesburg area, these included: the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), the Business Referral and Information Network (BRAIN), the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the SA Institute of Intellectual Property Law. The population of these databases is approximately 4600 firms. The survey was solicited electronically with periodic reminder telephone calls. NDE were solicited as part of an experiential exercise conducted by trained university students in the SOWETO township area. Informal activity is pervasive in townships (Bradford, 2007) most of which are single-person operations (Morris & Pitt, 1995).
Both categories of entrepreneurs are based in the Gauteng province, the economic hub of South Africa, which has the highest number of both formal and informal entrepreneurs (SA Business Guidebook, 2005).
6 The sample
Given the difficulty of accessing sampling frames for probability samples in social sciences research (Mitchell et al., 2002), nonprobability sampling was used to gather data from respondents who met the pre-determined screening criteria of owning and managing a running business that has paid salaries, wages or any other payments to the owners for more than 3 months, (Autio, 2007), and not employing more than 200 people (SA Survey, 2006). Coinciding with previous discussions and definitions, when operationalising the sample, the following broad criteria were used for NDE - "were you pushed into entrepreneurship because all other options for work are either absent or unsatisfactory", and for ODE - "did you become an entrepreneur to exploit a perceived business opportunity" (Bosma & Levie, 2009). Respondent's biographical data served as control variables, which included age, gender, and race/ethnicity.
Based on eligibility criteria and suitability of respondents, 101 usable responses (an effective 47 per cent response rate) from an initial 213 surveys were generated as the final sample for ODE. Based on pre-determined selection criteria, and using structured personal interviews, 102 usable responses (an effective 39 per cent response rate), from an initial 255 surveys were obtained as the final sample for NDE. For both ODE and NDE a wide range of businesses were sampled which included: agriculture, small-scale manufacturing, construction, financial, business, retail, motor trade and repair services, catering, accommodation and other trade, transport, storage and communications businesses. For NDE, the trading environment was characterized by mostly informal premises, and some of these included; street trader or hawker, craft market, home or friend's home, container or caravan, or local shopping centre. A profile of respondents is shown in Table 1.
7 The measures
Apart from the respondents biographic details, the questionnaire surveyed several networking activities and sought a number as an answer (for example, of meetings per week, or hours expected), therefore responses were solicited in a manner to allow for quantitative analysis and most items were measured with either categorical, ratio or interval (1-5 Likert) scales.
To allow for meaningful comparisons with earlier work, a core set of questions based on the Panel Study of Entrepreneurial Dynamics (PSED) (Gartner, Shaver, Carter & Reynolds, 2004) survey were selected. The PSED provides systematic, reliable data on those variables that explain and predict nascent entrepreneurship. The first section (A) of the questionnaire was concerned with the diversity and tie strength in network relationships and focused on the number of persons who had been helpful to the respondent with the start-up process.
Next three aspects of the respondents' relationship with these helpers were surveyed: First, how similar are the helpers to the respondent and to other helpers. Second, how strong is the tie between the respondent and the helpers? Questions included how long have you known (each helper), and how many times have you talked with (each helper) about business matters in the last week? By asking respondent how long he/she has known the helper is relevant because a number of previous studies have argued that ties of long duration almost reflect a strong commitment and most likely reciprocal relations between two people. Thirdly, the respondent would describe his or her relationship in terms of network support, based on a list of role relationships.
For section (B), respondents were asked in what way has each helper contributed to the start-up effort and on what terms? They were also asked which of these forms of assistance has been most important for the new business start-up.
In section (C), climate support perceptions of entrepreneurial networking were measured. Respondents were asked to what extent they agree/disagree with the various types of influences on networking in terms of business start-ups.
8 Data analysis
The proposed measures have been previously subjected to factor analysis, with satisfactory results achieved in terms of factor loadings and reliability (Carter, Reynolds & Gartner, 2004). Nonetheless reliability was re-tested, and item statistics were calculated using the Cronbach's Alpha. Descriptive statistics were calculated and the result output was split by group (NDE versus ODE) which entailed conducting crosstabs on the categorical variables. Following prior methods used to detect significant differences in entrepreneurs (Chan, Bhargava & Street, 2006), and based on data type collected, the hypothesized differences across variables were tested using Chi-Square methods.
9 Empirical results
To test for reliability of scales, Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used as it has the most utility for multi-scales at interval level of measurement. A correlation matrix was calculated for items per scale, indicating relatively low inter-correlations between items. An overall satisfactory Cronbach's Alpha of 0.712 was obtained for total items measuring networking principles of diversity, ties, and support relationships. For items measuring climate perceptions of entrepreneurial startups, the Cronbach Alphas for total items was 0.700 indicating an acceptable degree of reliability (Cooper & Emory, 1995).
Having calculated sample statistics, results in Table 1 show that the only significant differences detected on the demographic variables, in terms of helpers for opportunitydriven entrepreneurs versus necessity-driven entrepreneurs are on race/ethnicity (Helper 1 = χ 2 = 9.536, df = 4, p = .049; Helper 3 = χ 2 = 13.079, df = 4, p = .011). It is noteworthy that the number of people identified as helpful was the 1-3 category of helpers, with no significant differences detected between the groups. Research on entrepreneurial networking has found that most business owners name no more than three helpers (Aldrich & Carter, 2004), which resonates with the present study results.
To test hypothesis 1 in terms of configurations of diversity in entrepreneurial networking between necessity-driven entrepreneurs and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs, Table 2 shows that the three helpers' characteristics in terms of age and gender tend to be relatively similar to the demographics of the necessitydriven entrepreneurs and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs themselves. These results add support to the argument that a degree of homogeneity in networks exists and that people tend to associate with others who have similar characteristics, values and interests, that is, diversity is relatively low. The only significant differences in Table 2, are detected on race/ethnicity for helper 1 (χ 2 = 9.536 ; df = 4 ; p= .05), and helper 3 (χ 2 = 13.079 ; df= 4 ; p = .011). Subsequently null hypothesis 1 is rejected and the alternative is accepted as some network diversity is evident between NDE and ODE.
Hypothesis 2 was tested in terms of networking ties, which measured length of relationship and frequency of contact, i.e., by asking how many times the respondents had talked with helpers about business matters in the past month. In terms of networking ties, measured via length of relationship and frequency of contact, see Table 2. Results indicate that the both ODE and necessitydriven entrepreneurs have known helper 1 mostly for a length of 2-4 years. Necessitydriven entrepreneurs knew helper 2 for 5-7 years and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs new him or her for 2-4 years while opportunity-driven entrepreneurs knew helper 3 for 2-4 years and necessity-driven entrepreneurs knew him or her for 5-7 years. These results are pertinent because of the relatively strong commitment and likely reciprocal relations to occur between two people who have accrued this length in a relationship. Furthermore by asking how many times the respondents had talked with each helper about business matters in the past month - significant differences exist relating to all three helpers: helper 1 = (χ 2 = 10.086 ; df = 3 ; p = .013), helper 2 = (χ 2 = 12.446 ; df = 3 ; p= .002), and helper 3 (χ 2 = 11.455 ; df = 3 ; p = .005). Following Granovetter (1973) strong-ties are defined as those with whom the entrepreneur interacts at least twice a week. Weak-ties are relationships that are enacted less than twice a week, but at least once a year. Based on these results null 2 is rejected, since entrepreneurial networking relationships differ between ODE and NDE in terms of strong network ties as opposed to weak network ties.
Testing hypothesis 3 for differences in configurations of networking assistance and support relationships first required that the respondents rank 6 different forms of assistance rendered by each helper. Based on these rankings significant differences were found for helper 1 on total items = (χ 2 = 18.758; df = 9; p = .027)(not shown). Additionally, to establish on what terms the help was provided, respondents indicated that the assistance was mostly provided free, with significant differences between groups for helper 1 = (χ 2 = 20.942 ; df = 4; p = .001)helper 2 = (χ 2 = 12.695 ; df = 4; p = .05), helper 3 = (χ 2 = 18.925 ; df = 4; p = .001)(not shown). Once respondents had delineated their network support structure in terms of helpers, basic descriptives were calculated from a list of role relationships, to establish any differences between ODE and NDE (see Table 3). Based on interval scales, mean scores and standard deviations were calculated. Moreover, by applying tests of normality, and calculating the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk statistics, test scores indicate that normality was violated. Hence, to test between the two groups, non-parametric tests were calculated, and the Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon W test statistics rendered an overall non-significant Z score (-.214). These results mean that the alternative hypothesis 3 is rejected as no significant differences were detected on items measuring support relationships.
Testing hypothesis 4, where configurations of networking climate support perceptions were surveyed, by applying tests of normality and calculating the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro-Wilk statistics, test scores indicate that normality was violated. Based on nonparametric tests, the Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon W test statistics rendered an overall significant Z score (-3.910; p = .001). Therefore significant differences were detected between ODE and NDE in terms of climate perceptions, leading to the rejection of null hypothesis 4. Moreover, the relatively high level of scores in terms of all the variables measuring climate perceptions suggests that necessity-driven and opportunity-driven entrepreneurs are generally positive about environmental conditions.
10 Conclusion
In line with contemporary views on the importance of social capital for entrepreneurs, the centrepiece of this study focused on uncovering differences in networking activities and perceptions of support between NDE versus ODE.
At a general level the empirical findings provide mixed results in terms of the four hypotheses, where in several instances significant differences were detected. The findings related to the first hypothesis add to the ongoing debate of diversity in entrepreneurial networking, as differences were detected between ODE and NDE, leading to rejection of the null hypothesis. However, the results indicate a tendency towards homogeneity in networks, suggesting that network diversity is relatively low for both NDE and ODE.
At the same time, the prediction that networking ties will not differ between NDE and ODE, as formulated in hypothesis two, is rejected as several significant differences were reported in terms of length of relationship and frequency of contact with each of the helpers. Moreover, these relationships are based on strong network ties rather than weak network ties.
On the other hand, null hypothesis three is accepted as no significant differences were detected between NDE and ODE with respect to network support relationships.
Configurations of networking climate support perceptions were predicted not to differ between NDE and ODE, however, several differences were found, leading to the rejection of hypothesis four.
Plausible explanations for some of these empirical results are made and interpreted in conjunction with previous findings. While it can be assumed that the degree of networking is indeed related to the type of entrepreneur investigated, this present research together with similar research (O'Donnell, 2004) shows that networking also varies according to individual differences and the context in which the actor is involved. Mitchell and Co (2004) find that most network members are either friends or family members, that is, most of the contacts were made through the entrepreneur's own effort rather than through referrals. South African entrepreneurs have been found to have established their network ties for a long time, although they spend less time in developing and maintaining contacts compared to their international counterparts. Previous comparative studies on networking in different countries provide evidence of some international similarities, as well as national-level characteristics (Cooper & Denner, 1998).
In the present study networking practices differ between ODE and NDE in terms of diversity, and on networking ties which for ODE seem to be based more on strong than weak ties. Past research points out that ties to more than one person with similar characteristics or in a similar social location are redundant and thus of questionable value in providing new information (Aldrich & Carter, 2004). Moreover, these findings on network diversity suggest that homogeneous networks are prevalent in terms of helpers for both opportunity-driven and necessity-driven entrepreneurs. A network's level of diversity depends, in part, upon the mix of strong and weak ties. Two forces promote homogeneity in personal networks. First, people tend to associate with others who have similar values and interests. It has been argued that people learn more from people like themselves than from other groups or experts (Flora & Flora, 1993), and that communities tend to learn best from those that are at the same level as themselves. Second, people tend toward emotional and personal balance across their social relations.
Reflecting on the relatively average mean scores obtained on variables measuring networking assistance and relationship support obtained through networking, it could be postulated that in an emerging country context, such as South Africa, individuals and firms often form loosely-structured networks without clear governance mechanisms to coordinate activities, pool resources, and pursue joint growth (Luthans, Stajkovic & Ibrayeva, 2000). This means that networking is largely unstructured and coincidental in nature. As complex networks of socio-economic institutions are formed and shape the development of new technologies, knowledge intensive or ODE are particularly affected, as they must deal with and act in these dynamic networks (Groen, 2005).
Although this study makes a unique contribution by investigating a set of networking principles and practices which have not been previously linked to NDE versus ODE, this dualistic typology has begun to be questioned (Williams, 2008). Particularly NDE and ODE are largely treated as entirely separate categories constituted via their negation of each other. Recently, however, researchers have questioned the separateness of opportunity and necessity drivers and argued that they co-exist in entrepreneurial motives. The co-presence of necessity and opportunity drivers among informal entrepreneurs notes that motives shift over time, and that there is a transition from necessity to opportunity orientated motives as businesses mature. Indeed necessity-driven informal entrepreneurship may well provide a seedbed or platform from which opportunity-driven entrepreneurs emerge (Williams, 2008).
11 Implications
Based on this original investigation into social capital of ODE and NDE, several interesting practical and theoretical implications are observed.
Although efforts are under way to improve South Africa's human capital through education and skills training (Urban, 2008), aspects of social capital are often neglected. A strong entrepreneurial culture cannot develop and flourish in areas with limited access to social capital, networking structures, social relations and support factors (Welter & Smallbone, 2006). Key to countering these obstacles is to improve the country's social capital base through entrepreneurial networking. One way to increase the social capital base of entrepreneurs is to devise a coherent and nationally-aligned government vision for building entrepreneurship which includes a better working relationship between government, intervention agencies and target communities.
It is important to clarify that the findings and propositions made in this paper do not suggest that NDE should be discouraged - particularly as these necessity-driven entrepreneurs can make a living for their families and could support their children's education. This in turn could position them better in the job market to become opportunity-driven entrepreneurs (Bosma & Levie, 2009:11). National policy makers need to tailor their entrepreneurial development programmes to the profile of these broad categories of entrepreneurs.
One of the strategies in promoting entrepreneurship is conducting appropriate research aimed at better understanding the capacities of different types of entrepreneurs in South Africa. Such research may help target advisory services and finance more precisely so that entrepreneurial performance improves. Understanding networking behaviours would assist national policy makers who are trying to encourage more opportunity-focused entrepreneurial behaviour.
12 Limitations and future research
Limitations of the study include that data may have been contaminated by common method variance, since all variables were surveyed from the same set of respondents. Another limitation of this research is that a crosssectional study loses its dynamic aspects of entrepreneurial networking. A relatively static picture of network positions was surveyed. By investigating the dynamics of networking processes in a temporal framework, Jack, Dodd and Anderson (2008) demonstrate that networks are vital living organisms, changing, growing and developing over time.
As a directive for future action, it is suggested that policy makers and entrepreneurial development agencies, facilitate the emergence of both NDE and ODE social capital, allowing for strengthening of specific network practices, as well insuring that the benefits of co-operation increase between these two types of entrepreneurs. Such practices would allow for the development of a new type of integrated economy, where the intensive development of local and international networks allows for expansion into areas of specific application that would transform into a new economy based on extensive integrated networking or 'network economy' (Pollard & Simberova, 2002). | http://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2222-34362011000400004&lng=pt&nrm=iso |
This is part three of our weeklong series on networking. See all of the posts in this series.
In the last part of this series, we introduced the concept of “weak ties”—the acquaintances in your life who aren’t part of your immediate social or professional circles. Weak ties are a critical part of any professional network because they serve as “bridges” between tighter networks; they connect you to ideas, people, and opportunities that you can’t access through your closest contacts.
There are many informal methods for growing your network and they largely focus on the power of weak ties. Below, we’ve included our favorite strategies that allow you to connect with others in a more casual way. We think they’ll work for anyone, but we’d encourage you to do what feels most natural to you.
- Try low-key social activities. A great way to meet new people is to participate in activities you enjoy. To start, look for groups to join on MeetUp.com. If you’d rather do more one-on-one connecting, schedule coffee catch-ups with people you’d like to get to know better. These things might not feel like “networking” in a formal sense, but it’s often during these kinds of informal activities that the real magic happens.
- Volunteer. Many nonprofits hire out of their own volunteer pool, but even if it doesn’t lead to a job offer, volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people who may serve as a great connection later on. Here are more tips on how to make the most of volunteering.
- Make good use of social media. With so many social networks, it’s hard to figure out which ones to use and how to use them. Start slowly and engage on the platforms you are most comfortable with. For example, participate in relevant LinkedIn and Facebook groups by asking and answering questions; spend time in Google+ hangouts listening and sharing information; join a Twitter chat. Used correctly, these tools can also spark insightful and thought-provoking dialogue. Here are more tips on how to network using social media.
A great advantage of informal networking is that it can happen without you even noticing. While we recommend being intentional about these kinds of activities, especially in the midst of a job search, informal networking will also naturally occur in your life. So don’t sweat it. Enjoy the meaningful interactions you have with people, focus on what you can offer to others, and let yourself be inspired by all of the great work the people around you are doing.
But one does not get a job by informal networking alone! (Or, at least, not always.) In the next part of the series, we’ll show you how to supplement these informal strategies with a more formal approach. And later we’ll show you how to strengthen and activate your network when you need it. Then you’ll have mastered the complete networking package. Stay tuned! | https://idealistcareers.org/authentic-networking-3-ways-to-casually-grow-your-network/ |
Although there are general recommendations that serve to any group that wants to enter the labor market, we preferred to divide them into three groups, to further adjust the advice to real needs: advice for students without experience, tips for successful candidates for trades people.
Tips for inexperienced students
• Understand the training as something aimed at developing skills and attitudes for professional future-focused company, without limiting yourself to the particular disciplines of each race.
• Take advantage of all training opportunities to develop the intellectual capacity of a comprehensive manner.
• During the academic period must be ambitious : exploiting time more fully, combining the activity as a student with other initiatives. The higher the horizon become more may be the working environment in which you can develop.
• University education is not enough to find a job condition . Companies value the professional practices made while studying, additional training (attending seminars, conferences), cultural activities, international experience, language skills, adaptation to new technologies, etc.
• It is increasingly valued the human profile of people who intend to work in the private sector , so that collaboration with NGOs and social work be done on your own time, in addition to serve in personal development can greatly help in your professional life.
• Tourism and deepen in other environments and mindsets that make you know different realities which to project the professional expectations.
• Improve your language level , because knowledge of other languages opens many barriers and allows for broader access to information world.
• Improve your computer skills , since the main office software and basic Internet tools are essential factors in a competitive professional profile.
• Although the academic record is not everything, it is an important factor highly valued in different selection processes.
• Investigate the companies created by young , where ideas, creation and innovation are key elements in the development of innovative activities.
Tips for professionals
• psych of the need to move to places where there is opportunity to work , that is, one must assume that geographical mobility is a reality to be reckoned with in a natural way.
• Taking time to resume preparation and, if possible, submit a revision of a specialist. Important Tips for writing CV
• Organize and send resumes to companies of interest , as long as it can provide fit what they need. We must focus primarily on companies that can offer a higher level of training and opportunities for growth and development.
• View technology as a tool to facilitate many tasks of information and knowledge.
• Note that the business world is not only governed by people with great knowledge, but a world where it is necessary to develop both the knowledge and the skills and personal qualities .
Tips for candidates
• Be willing to give the best of yourself as to build your future.
• Persevere in desire for integration in the company and preserve skills and attitudes positively in the different circumstances of professional life.
• Be consistent with the professional challenge that is required. GET A BETTER JOB IN 2015
• Leverage both internal and external continuous training , the company will offer to enhance your professional development.
• Transmit corporate values and culture to other business professionals.
• Adjust your professional and private conduct to the corporate values of the company. | http://freejobalert.cc/tips-for-entering-the-job-market.html/ |
Takeaways from a webinar held in the framework of the SprINg project on 18 October 2022.
Since 2015, Europe has increasingly acknowledged the importance of swiftly validating refugees’ informal and non-formal skills and recognising their foreign qualifications so they can contribute to local labour markets. The rapid arrival of large numbers of newcomers, including 4.7 million Ukrainians who registered for Temporary Protection in the EU, increases the need for additional workers across several sectors, including education and health care, on top of existing labour shortages in many sectors of European labour markets. In order to help these newcomers take up work, several EU countries have simplified employment procedures, especially for professions including teachers, carers, intercultural mediators, doctors, and nurses.
On 18 October, the ICMPD organised a webinar focusing on European efforts to fast track the labour market integration of Ukrainian refugees as part of the SPRING project, bringing together experts and practitioners from the European Labour Authority, Austria, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Sweden. Speakers discussed challenges and opportunities related to the labour market integration of persons displaced from Ukraine as well as lessons learnt from earlier fast-track approaches. They also shared good practices, tools, and approaches for accelerating labour market inclusion in certain sectors and professions.
The 5 main takeaways featured below provide a snapshot of the discussion.
1. Labour market inclusion yields better results when newcomers can access the whole ‘package’ of integration services.
Temporary Protection Beneficiaries (TPBs) may possess skills that can fill labour market shortages in the EU, such as those relating to social services, health care, and information technology. However, while new arrivals are often eager to enter the labour force in order to sustain themselves and their dependants, they first and foremost need support in securing their basic needs, including housing and health, and in orienting themselves in their new community.
One-stop-shops that connect displaced persons to different services, as well as initiatives to make information easily accessible online, can ensure that these needs are met. Mainstreaming integration into standard social services can also facilitate access to services and improve integration outcomes. In Germany, for example, Ukrainians have enrolled with job centres and received social transfers from the Federal Employment Service since June 2022, meaning they can access vocational and language training, which is key to long-term integration.
Employers can also play an important role in helping potential employees to become acquainted with the host country and facilitate access to housing and other basic services. A comparative study of the labour market integration of Ukrainians in Germany and Poland, carried out by EWL Group, showed that the support of future employers in finding housing was essential for newcomers seeking to enter the labour market. Since access to schooling and kindergarten programmes is a precondition for many caregivers, especially women, to enter the labour market, some employers decided to open childcare centres for their employees.
2. The ‘golden middle’ – between fast tracking and giving new arrivals sufficient time for settling in, language learning, and upskilling – is the key to successful labour market integration.
While many displaced persons feel the need to earn money early on, many face specific obstacles to entering jobs that match – and pay in line with – their qualifications, including language barriers, caregiving obligations, and uncertainties about the length of stay. This situation leads many to take a job as soon as possible – even if they are overqualified – rather than investing in upskilling and language learning before entering the labour market. While early employment, particularly in a qualified occupation, may facilitate language acquisition and integration, entering an unqualified occupation may result in a deterioration of skills and missed opportunities for upward social mobility.
Training for upskilling, as well as programmes that combine language learning and vocational training, tend to be successful in supporting swift entry into qualified professions. In the context of upskilling, it is also important to take into account the drastically changing job market, in which some employers might opt to prioritise informal skills or potential, and subsequently provide on-the-job training rather than hire based on certified qualifications. This provides opportunities for refugees, since relatively short coaching and training programmes can help them develop competencies that allow them to enter qualified professions, for example in the IT sector, that are less regulated but in high demand.
Overall, past experience has shown that finding the ‘golden middle’ between fast tracking and giving new arrivals sufficient time and opportunities to settle in and build their skills and qualifications is key to successful long-term integration outcomes. That being said, migrants and refugees come with different profiles and experiences that require different timelines for language learning, recognition of qualifications, and acquisition of additional qualifications.
3. Eased regulations for taking up regulated professions and fast tracking the recognition of qualifications help new arrivals to enter qualified positions.
One major obstacle to the labour market integration of new arrivals is the lengthy procedure for the recognition of skills and qualifications, for example in the health sector. Facilitating the recognition of qualifications or (temporarily) easing regulations for protected professions can create a win-win situation for newcomers and host societies, facilitating the access of newcomers to these jobs and helping to address shortages in these professions. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, several countries went so far as to relax travel restrictions and credential requirements to meet their need for essential workers in the healthcare and agriculture industries.
Sweden is a pioneer in fast tracking the labour market integration of migrants and refugees into shortage professions including social workers, preschool teachers, and professions in health care. However, at the time of the webinar, these programmes have not been opened up to Ukrainians.
In Poland, special provisions have been put in place allowing for the employment of newly arrived Ukrainians as assistant teachers. Access to professions in the healthcare sector has been eased for Ukrainian doctors and nurses. The City of Vienna has launched a programme combining internships and language classes that helps kindergarten pedagogues from Ukraine to enter employment while also addressing a pre-existing labour shortage and enabling children from Ukraine to access support in their mother tongue. In this programme, the City of Vienna is working in close cooperation with the Vienna Employment Promotion Fund to facilitate the quick validation of diplomas of programme participants. The programme also helps participants access childcare, where needed, so that they can take part.
4. Previous experiences with hiring workers from Ukraine shape current approaches.
A migration history with the country of origin and cultural proximity greatly facilitate labour market integration. Ukrainians, for example, had a long migration history with Poland prior to the Russian invasion, and Poland accordingly has long-standing experience in the employment of migrants from Ukraine. Many employers have had prior experience in hiring Ukrainians, including relevant procedures available in the Ukrainian language. Interestingly, according to aforementioned EWL Group study, 60% of new arrivals interviewed indicated that they could speak in their mother tongue at their workplace. This connectedness had a positive effect on the labour market integration of new arrivals.
5. Dissemination of information and information exchange among stakeholders is key for the orientation of newcomers in the labour market.
To minimise the risk of exploitation and facilitate entry into quality professions, new arrivals need information on their rights and obligations, working conditions, and opportunities in the labour market. At the European level, several initiatives are engaged in disseminating relevant information to TPBs. The European Labour Authority, for example, provides people from Ukraine with information on their rights in Ukrainian, and the European Job Mobility Portal - EURES, which also hosts the pilot Talent Pool, also provides information in Ukrainian. In addition, the European Labour Authority, which supports Member States in tackling undeclared work, undertook a mapping of national employment initiatives to understand the measures taken in each country.
Diasporas play an important role in providing information and support for navigating the host society, helping to empower newcomers and overcome cultural barriers. They can provide knowledge of cultural values that are important in the workplace, knowledge of the skills that are needed and worth learning, and information on the welfare system. A programme called Neighbouring Mothers for example, implemented in Berlin and later in Stockholm, harnesses this potential of the diaspora by connecting newly arriving women with women from the same origin by building bridges between the women and the area in which they live.
The webinar took place as part of the Sustainable Practices of Integration (SPRING) project. The SPRING project is funded by Horizon 2020 and gathers available research and evidence on integration in the context of the large-scale movements of refugees and other migrants to Europe since 2014.
The recording of the webinar can be accessed here.
By Daria Huss
Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) alone. | https://www.icmpd.org/blog/2022/5-takeaways-on-fast-tracking-the-labour-market-integration-of-ukrainian-refugees |
What is Bridging Social Capital?
Bridging social capital is a type of social capital that describes connections that link people across a cleavage that typically divides society (such as race, or class, or religion). It is associations that ‘bridge’ between communities, groups, or organisations.
Bridging social capital is different from bonding social capital, which is within social groups and is characterised by dense networks with people feeling a sense on shared identity and belonging. The bonding/bridging distinction can be made in relation to a range of relationship and network characteristics. The table below summarises the main features of each.
|Bonding social capital||Bridging social capital|
|Within||Between|
|Intra||Inter|
|Exclusive||Inclusive|
|Closed||Open|
|Inward looking||Outward looking|
|“Getting by”||“Getting ahead”|
|Horizontal||Vertical|
|Strong ties||Weak ties|
|People who are alike||People who are different|
|Thick trust||Thin trust|
|Network closure||Structural holes|
|Public-good model||Private-good model|
Bridging describe social relationships of exchange, often of associations between people with shared interests or goals but contrasting social identity .
Although friends are normally considered bonding social capital, friendships may also act as bridging relations, in that they may be between people of different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic backgrounds, or ages, who may in turn provide access to information and other groups or individuals not previously known to the other .
A third type – linking social capital?
Some authors have suggested a third type of social capital is needed to capture the power dynamics of vertical associations. Michael Woolcock called this linking social capital and conceptualised it as a subset of bridging social capital. If linking social capital is included, then bridging social capital is an intermediate step between bonding and linking social capital. Under a bonding/bridging/linking taxonomy bridging would be defined somewhat differently compared to a bonding/bridging binary taxonomy.
Michael Woolcock suggested that bridging social capital can be horizontal or vertical so a single category misses the important aspect of the exercise of power that is important in vertical associations . Thus linking social capital refers to relations between individuals and groups in different social strata in a hierarchy in which power, social status and wealth are accessed by different groups .
A third linking type captures power dynamics
With the inclusion of the linking type bridging social capital relates to bonds of connectedness that are formed across diverse horizontal groups .
This article adopts a bonding/bridging taxonomy so combines linking social capital with bridging social capital. Click here for further discussion of linking social capital.
Benefits of bridging social capital
The benefits of bridging social capital are far-reaching and can include increased ability to gather information, ability to gain access to power or better placement within the network, or ability to better recognize new opportunities . Because bridging social capital traverses social boundaries it tends to increase tolerance and acceptances of different people, values, and beliefs through contact with diverse others .
Bridging social capital allows different groups to share and exchange information, ideas and innovation and builds consensus among the groups representing diverse interests. Overlapping networks may make accessible the resources and opportunities which exist in one network to a member of another .
The bridging form of social capital functions as a social lubricant and has potential to work as social leverage, to help one ‘get ahead’ ; it is comprised of weak ties, and it is mostly inclusive and consists of thin trust in light and ever-changing networks . The word ‘weak’ should not be interpreted negatively, since the weakness in the ties is the strength of bridging social capital. Social relationships are voluntary, continuously leaving open the option of breaking up or changing one relation for another, without strong social sanctions .
It has been suggested that urban communities tend to have strong bridging but weaker bonding capital, whereas rural communities more typically have strong bonding but weaker bridging capital .
Negative effects of bridging social capital
Unlike bonding social capital that can result in exclusion and a range of negative outcomes, bridging social capital has few, if any, negative effects.
Depending on your perspective social capital can have negative outcomes, but this is typically not a characteristic of social capital and how it manifests. It can facilitate industrial strikes that may allow workers to receive improved conditions, but this generally represents a cost for their employers and therefore potentially reduced profits. It may improve innovation but may also enable collusion, price fixing, or corruption.
Creating bridging social capital
Bridging social capital is essentially the result of networking outside normal social groupings. There is opportunity to build bridging social capital any time someone interacts with strangers. This can happen when attending events, or joining associations such as interest or sporting groups, industry associations, action groups, or any other type of social grouping. Bridging social capital is fostered most by memberships in associations that are representative of the larger society.
Read more about the different approaches to conceptualising and measuring bonding/bridging social capital.
Footnotes
- In practice bridging social capital can be horizontal or vertical. See section on linking social capital for further discussion. ^
- Pelling, Mark and Chris High. 2005. “Understanding Adaptation: What Can Social Capital Offer Assessments of Adaptive Capacity?” Global Environmental Change 15(4):308–19. ^
- Edwards, R. W. 2004. Measuring Social Capital: An Australian Framework and Indicators. Canberra. ^
- Evans, Mel and Stephen Syrett. 2007. “Generating Social Capital? : The Social Economy and Local Economic Development.” European Urban and Regional Studies 14(1):55–74. ^
- Woolcock, Michael. 2001. “Microenterprise and Social Capital: A Framework for Theory, Research, and Policy.” The Journal of Socio-Economics 30:193–98. ^
- Granovetter, Mark. 1985. “Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness.” American Journal of Sociology 91(3):481–510. ^
- Putnam, Robert D. 2000. Bowling Alone : The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon & Schuster. ^
- Adler, Paul S. and Seok-Woo Kwon. 2002. “Social Capital: Prospects for a New Concept.” Academy of Management. The Academy of Management Review 27(1):17–40. ^
- Paxton, Pamela. 2002. “Social Capital and Democracy: An Interdependent Relationship.” American Sociological Review 67(2):254–77. ^
- Stone, Wendy and Jody Hughes. 2002. Social Capital: Empirical Meaning and Measurement Validity. Australian Institute of Family Studies. ^
- Widén-Wulff, Gunilla et al. 2008. “Information Behaviour Meets Social Capital: A Conceptual Model.” Journal of Information Science 34(3):346–55. ^
- van Staveren, Irene and Peter Knorringa. 2007. “Unpacking Social Capital in Economic Development: How Social Relations Matter.” Review of Social Economy 65(1):107–35. ^
- Woolcock, Geoffrey. 2002. “Social Capital and Community Development: Fad, Friend or Foe?” in Queensland Local Government Community Services Association Annual Conference. Rockhampton. ^
Tristan Claridge has a passion for technology, innovation and teaching. He is an academic and entrepreneur, and he uses his cross-discipline knowledge and experience to solve problems and identify opportunities. He has bachelors and masters degrees from the University of Queensland in Australia. He has qualifications in environmental science, social theory, teaching and research, and business management.
Tristan is dedicated to the application of social capital theory to organisations. His diverse experience in teaching, research, and business has given him a unique perspective on organisational social capital and the potential improvements that can be achieved in any organisation. | https://www.socialcapitalresearch.com/what-is-bridging-social-capital/ |
Note: Thank you for your interest in SU ADVANCE, our NSF funded Institutional Transformational Grant which ended September 30, 2017. The pages that follow are historical documents for informational purposes only.
SU ADVANCE plays a vital role in transforming the campus through its four key programmatic initiatives, each built from the perspective that social networks can be mobilized to address persistent inequities and foster inclusion. Explore the specific programs that enable SU ADVANCE to facilitate change through social networks below.
USING NETWORKS TO CREATE TRANSFORMATION
Four key programmatic initiatives are:
- The Corridor Initiative: programs designed to facilitate information flow about entreprenurial opportunities and to leverage weak ties that can connect women to productive interdisciplinary and cross-sector (academy-industry-community) research partnerships.
- The Networking Initiative: programs facilitating stronger, multi-node network ties among women faculty.
- The Recruiting Initiative: programs designed to encourage faculty ownership for building a diverse faculty through enhanced outreach within and beyond their already existing network of colleagues.
- The Practices Initative: programs that encourage the diffusion of information and attitudes about how an inclusive, diverse faculty positively impacts overall academic excellence.
The fifth initiative, The Social Sciences Research Initiative, will contribute to better understanding of how social networks can facilitate career development of STEM faculty. | https://suadvance.syr.edu/initiatives/ |
The Networked Teacher: How New Teachers Build Social Networks for Professional Support by Kira J. Baker-Doyle evaluates the ways online social networks are reshaping culture around personal learning networks and digital learning networks among educators today. Baker-Doyle delivers a strategic approach to utilize crowdsourcing to its fullest capabilities to deliver ongoing learning, answers, and advocacy for the classroom.
As sociologist Manuel Castells points out, our society has become increasingly networked in the knowledge economy due to the Internet and popular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogs. The ties we create in our network and maintain via the Web, play a large roll in our career mobility and access to information through social, human, and cultural capital.
Fifty-percent of teachers leave the classroom in five years, says Baker-Doyle. She believes that with increased support from a network of teachers could help new teachers brainstorm and problem solve answers to challenges. Formal and informal teacher communities can help teachers remain flexible in our rapidly changing world, to stay up-to-date on recent policies, technology, and teaching methods.
Studies show that teachers involved in professional communities have a higher rate of teacher retention and quality. In response to this, increasing new teacher networks in The Networked Teacher seeks to bring greater collaboration among teachers to benefit retention, professional development, knowledge and expertise, and school reform.
The book also examines case studies of schools and teachers who have worked to develop social networks. It dives into the outcomes of their obstacles, challenges, successes by creating a community support group.
The Networked Teacher is a must-read for incoming teachers looking for the support of an intentional network to help deliver quality teaching practices and innovative ideas to their students. Yet, the in-depth analysis of social research and strategies to leverage these tools are beneficial to all professionals looking to increase their knowledge and impact in their profession. | https://www.gettingsmart.com/2012/01/review-the-networked-teacher/ |
Nasrin Jahan Jinia, Fatih Yilmaz, Janna Peltola, Essi Hillgren & Roza Pambukhchyan
The contribution of migration to sustainable development has already been recognized which is a cross-cutting issue in the UN 2030 Agenda, relevant to all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Global Migration Data Portal 2021). Networking supports especially goal 8, which concentrates on decent work and economic growth for all.
Employment is a key component of the integrating process (Kärkkäinen 2017). It is very hard for immigrants to attain information regarding the job market, especially when many jobs are in hidden job markets (Doyle 2020). Successful networking can help immigrants to get information about different job opportunities and careers. Expanding the social and professional network creates more options. Despite the presence of an effective nationwide system of public employment agencies, the social network still plays an important role in linking job seekers to the world of work (Ahmed 2005).
Focusing on the situation of immigrant integration, the MESH (a synonym of net) transnational project aims to empower immigrants via mentoring and networking. The MESH partners developed three different networking models during the project years 2019–2021. These are
- Networking Steps Model by Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Finland
- Model for organizing networking initiatives by the Economic House of Ostend, Belgium
- “All-in-one 4 HER” digital networking model by Beyond the Horizon ISSG, Belgium.
The models are introduced thoroughly in the Horizon Insights Journal. In the article, we discussed the experiences concerning the piloting of the models in general and the challenges and opportunities of networking during the pandemic (Hillgren et al. 2021).
Challenges of networking
Turku University of Applied Sciences has organized several mentoring programmes for highly educated migrants. Based on interviews made for seven mentees and four mentors, networking is essential in working life as well as personal development. By building connections, there are increased opportunities for getting a more suitable job.
According to the interviews, networking seems to be quite difficult in Finland, both in the professional and social sense. Many reasons have been mentioned, e.g., Finnish people are not very interactive, it is difficult to find people to network with or places for professional networking. To mentees, professional contacts felt more special, whereas the mentors with a foreign background stated that professional networking in Finland is much easier than social networking. The mentors thought that in Finland, professional networking is quite straightforward due to the lack of hierarchy.
Cultural and language barriers in networking are obvious. Most of interviewees mentioned that one must be extremely sociable to be able to network with people in Finland. In contrast, one of the mentees mentioned that it is not difficult, as people will be happy to communicate with anyone about their job. The mentees highlighted that integration is a two-way street but building up any relationships and trust with the locals might take a longer time compared to their home culture.
The mentors encourage migrants to be active and put themselves out there by joining e.g., associations, unions and foundations. Additionally, a mentor pointed out that the job market “works through half official and half un-official channels. In every group one knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone… That’s how it goes.”
Networking step by step
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) has developed a Networking Steps Model in the international MESH project.
TAMK has organized virtual workshops for piloting the steps model during the years 2020 and 2021. The main aims and objectives of the workshops were to assist immigrants to develop their networks through using the networking steps model. The participants were highly educated, and they came to Finland from different parts of the world. They were very much active and interested in developing their networks to get acquainted with the Finnish society and job market.
Most of the participants (75%) stated in the feedback forms that the networking step model is very fruitful in building a network in a competitive job market. However, cultural and language barriers are highlighted as the main barriers to build networking in a new society. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic was also one of the barriers to developing a network because of the limited scope of participating face to face events, seminars and classes.
Digital networking, an opportunity during the pandemic?
Beyond the Horizon ISSG has developed and tested a digital networking platform aiming to accelerate highly educated migrants’ integration into the labour market in Flanders, Belgium. Based on a networking model, this digital platform brings different users together and connects registered migrant newcomers to supporting organisations, mentors and employers thorough defined functions, namely posting, meeting, matching and messaging. The testing put forth different challenges and opportunities.
The COVID-19 situation has increased the attention of users to the digital platform due to the limitations of the physical contact and more necessity in use of digital tools and meetings, which also shows the increasing need for digital networking. The posting function on the platform enabling all supporting users to share their activities, events and tools with others and regular updates via newsletters were found very useful and interesting. This has been valued for facilitating reaching out to the target group for supporting organisations and finding diverse talents to vacancies for employers and recruiters. The mentor matching ability and the support of the platform for the mentoring process has been found useful by the mentor users and mentoring organisations. They were able to plan their meetings, structure their mentoring process and use the tools on the platform during their digital mentoring sessions.
Digital networking also experienced several challenges. Due to the sensitivity of migrant users’ data, GDPR limited the networking functions of the digital platform. Some of the migrant users were sensitive about their personal information and hesitated to register on the platform or wanted to be sure that their data is protected. On the other hand, competition in the digital market and tendency to use widely known communication and social media platforms hindered the usage of a new platform for networking and communication. However, for many of the users, a local digital platform was a useful, complementary and supporting tool for their professional networking and for the digitalisation of integration processes.
Organizing inclusive networking events
Organizing physical or virtual networking events is a good way of facilitating migrants’ networking. Economic House Ostend has adapted ‘the quadruple Helix model’ and developed a practical guide in Flanders, Belgium. These help organizations plan their events in an organized way by including all relevant stakeholders, and considering equality, communication, etc. based on a criteria checklist. The Economic House tested this model with mostly low-skilled immigrants. The model is easy to use and can be used for different target groups in different countries.
The main challenge in implementing this model was to bring multiple stakeholders together in an event at the same time, but this could be overcome by good planning starting early enough with good time management, good communication and by creating added value for all stakeholders. Another challenge was to prepare immigrants for networking which could be overcome through information sessions and guided job applications.
Since the pandemic has limited physical events, virtual networking opportunities have been used. Virtual networking brought more formality which proved to be a big challenge for low-skilled immigrants. Effective networking for them happened mostly through informal situations. To reduce the challenges, the Economic House supported their activities through digital services, such as competence enhancing learning modules with online interactive exercises, making video CVs to connect them with employers which can overcome language barriers.
Learning new ways to face challenges
Some common challenges for immigrants have been identified from the experiences of the networking piloting programmes in Finland and Belgium such as language barriers and cultural barriers. The language barrier acts as a threshold in attaining the necessary information. In this situation, personal guidance or mentoring is a very effective method of getting support to start networking and it may help to identify visions and actions towards networking and finding employment. Arranging inclusive well organised onsite networking events might create more informal situations to overcome the cultural barriers and assists the immigrants in getting information, particularly about the hidden jobs in a competitive job market.
The COVID-19 adds up to these challenges bringing more physical distance among people. In this respect digital networking can be used as a complementary tool for networking of migrants by supporting organizations. It should be noted that GDPR must be taken into account for organising such events.
Organizing inclusive and well-planned physical or virtual networking events can help immigrants to connect with local people and find new opportunities. This can be realized by early planning, including different kind of stakeholders and creating added value for all participants.
Networking is an instrument that helps immigrants to contribute to the employment sector in a new society. This is important for social sustainability. Networking will be a more thoughtful, innovative and realistic approach to migration governance that will generate surprising gains in support of sustainable integration and achieving the sustainable development goals.
Authors
Nasrin Jahan Jinia, Department of Social Services and Health Care, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Finland, Teacher and Expert-MESH project, PhD in Social Sciences, Tampere University. [email protected]
Fatih Yilmaz, Beyond the Horizon ISSG, Director of Partnerships and Projects, Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, [email protected]
Janna Peltola, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Project Worker, Bachelor of Social Services, [email protected]
Essi Hillgren, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Project Manager, Master of Science, [email protected]
Roza Pambukhchyan, City of Turku, Customer Coordinator, Bachelor of Arts and Design in Moving, Bachelor of Linguistics and Pedagogy, [email protected]
References
Ahmad, A. (2005). Getting a job in Finland: the social networks of immigrants from the Indian subcontinent in the Helsinki metropolitan labour market. Research reports, no. 247. Department of Sociology, University of Helsinki. Helsinki: University of Helsinki.
Baker, W. (2000). Achieving success through social capital: Tapping the hidden resources in your personal and business networks. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. | https://uasjournal.fi/4-2021/networking-towards-a-more-sustainable-working-life-for-immigrants/ |
By becoming a member of Les Roches Alumni Association our graduates gain access to a professional and social network of hospitality professionals working in top-tier companies, in 120 countries around the world.
The mission of our Alumni Association is to provide opportunities for professional growth and social interaction among its members.
Every year there are many alumni gatherings held around the world, which provide the occasion to get together, network and enjoy meeting old friends.
This network creates a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship between Les Roches and its alumni, maintaining Les Roches’ leading position in hospitality education worldwide.
Members also receive Les Rochians, the alumni e-magazine which contains information such as professional and personal updates, school news, gatherings and much more.
The alumni website provides our former students with up-to-date information on gatherings, interesting job openings and alumni news. | https://alumni.lesroches.edu/page/bluche-alumni-association |
After Chapter 1.2, you will be able to:
· Describe atomic mass and atomic weight
· Recall the units of molar mass
· Predict the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a given isotope
There are a few different terms used by chemists to describe the heaviness of an element: atomic mass and mass number, which are essentially synonymous, and atomic weight. While the atomic weight is a constant for a given element and is reported in the periodic table, the atomic mass or mass number varies from one isotope to another. In this section, carefully compare and contrast the different definitions of these terms—because they are similar, they can be easy to mix up on the MCAT.
Key Concept
· Atomic number (Z) = number of protons
· Mass number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons
· Number of protons = number of electrons (in a neutral atom)
· Electrons are not included in mass calculations because they are much smaller.
ATOMIC MASS
As we’ve seen, the mass of one proton is approximately one amu. The size of the atomic mass unit is defined as exactly the mass of the carbon-12 atom, approximately 1.66 × 10−24 g. Because the carbon-12 nucleus has six protons and six neutrons, an amu is approximately equal to the mass of a proton or a neutron. The difference in mass between protons and neutrons is extremely small; in fact, it is approximately equal to the mass of an electron.
The atomic mass of an atom (in amu) is nearly equal to its mass number, the sum of protons and neutrons (in reality, some mass is lost as binding energy, as discussed in Chapter 9 of MCAT Physics and Math Review). Atoms of the same element with varying mass numbers are called isotopes (from the Greek for “same place”). Isotopes differ in their number of neutrons and are referred to by the name of the element followed by the mass number; for example, carbon-12 or iodine-131. Only the three isotopes of hydrogen, shown in Figure 1.3, are given unique names: protium (Greek: “first”) has one proton and an atomic mass of 1 amu; deuterium (“second”) has one proton and one neutron and an atomic mass of 2 amu; tritium (“third”) has one proton and two neutrons and an atomic mass of 3 amu. Because isotopes have the same number of protons and electrons, they generally exhibit similar chemical properties.
ATOMIC WEIGHT
In nature, almost all elements exist as two or more isotopes, and these isotopes are usually present in the same proportions in any sample of a naturally occurring element. The weighted average of these different isotopes is referred to as the atomic weight and is the number reported on the periodic table. For example, chlorine has two main naturally occurring isotopes: chlorine-35 and chlorine-37. Chlorine-35 is about three times more abundant than chlorine-37; therefore, the atomic weight of chlorine is closer to 35 than 37. On the periodic table, it is listed as 35.5. Figure 1.4 illustrates the half-lives of the different isotopes of the elements; because half-life corresponds with stability, it also helps determine the relative proportions of these different isotopes.
Figure 1.4. Half-Lives of the Different Isotopes of ElementsHalf-life is a marker of stability; generally, longer-lasting isotopes are more abundant.
Key Concept
When an element has two or more isotopes, no one isotope will have a mass exactly equal to the element’s atomic weight. Bromine, for example, is listed in the periodic table as having a mass of 79.9 amu. This is an average of the two naturally occurring isotopes, bromine-79 and bromine-81, which occur in almost equal proportions. There are no bromine atoms with an actual mass of 79.9 amu.
The utility of the atomic weight is that it represents both the mass of the “average” atom of that element, in amu, and the mass of one mole of the element, in grams. A mole is a number of “things” (atoms, ions, molecules) equal to Avogadro’s number, NA = 6.02 × 1023. For example, the atomic weight of carbon is 12.0 amu, which means that the average carbon atom has a mass of 12.0 amu (carbon-12 is far more abundant than carbon-13 or carbon-14), and 6.02 × 1023 carbon atoms have a combined mass of 12.0 grams.
Mnemonic
Atomic mass is nearly synonymous with mass number. Atomic weight is a weighted average of naturally occurring isotopes of that element.
Example:
Element Q consists of three different isotopes: A, B, and C. Isotope A has an atomic mass of 40 amu and accounts for 60 percent of naturally occurring Q. Isotope B has an atomic mass of 44 amu and accounts for 25 percent of Q. Finally, isotope C has an atomic mass of 41 amu and accounts for 15 percent of Q. What is the atomic weight of element Q?
Solution:
The atomic weight is the weighted average of the naturally occurring isotopes of that element:
0.60 (40 amu) + 0.25 (44 amu) + 0.15 (41 amu) = 24.00 amu + 11.00 amu + 6.15 amu = 41.15 amu
MCAT Concept Check 1.2:
Before you move on, assess your understanding of the material with these questions.
1. What are the definitions of atomic mass and atomic weight?
o Atomic mass:
o Atomic weight:
2. While molar mass is typically written in grams per mole is the ratio moles per gram also acceptable?
3. Calculate and compare the subatomic particles that make up the following atoms. | https://schoolbag.info/chemistry/mcat_general_2020/7.html |
An ion with 17 protons, 20 neutrons, and 18 electrons has a mass number of?
8 Answers
- oeman50Lv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
17 protons and 20 neutrons add up to a molecular mass of 37, the electron mass is inconsequential.
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- 4 years ago
If you do some basic research or look up wikipedia you will find that ordinary Hydrogen 1H has one proton and one electron, Deuterium 2H has one proton, one neutron and one electron since you have the masses of the individual nuclides you can add them up and do the math. 2. they all have 17 protons so find the atomic number 17 on the periodic table. Both a and b have an extra neutron so they will be an Isotope so the atomic mass will be 17+18=35 and c has 3 extra neutrons so the mass no is 37. a. has lost one electron so it is an ion with a charge of +, b. has equal nos of p and e so it is neutral. and c. has gained one electron so it will have a charge of -. The symbol is superscript mass Name of the element superscript charge eg. for carbon 14 ion 14C- (14 and - should be superscript) I am not sure if you have read your texts. I would encourage you to read basic atomic chemistry and seek help from your tutor
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- NorrieLv 71 decade ago
Electrons are not included in the mass number. Only Protons and Neutrons.
17 Protons and 20 Neutrons = an Atomic Mass Number of 37.
(A Stable Isotope of a Chlorine ion Cl(-1). Look it up if you must.
(In this case, although electrons are not considered in the Atomic Mass, the fact that it's an ion with 18 electrons makes it a negative particle. The only other substance with 18 electrons is the Noble gas Argon but, that also has 18 Protons and 22 neutrons).
Normal, Neutral chlorine has 17 electrons, 17 Protons and 18 Neutrons).
Stick your thumb where it will do more good....!!!
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- 1 decade ago
COMPOSITION OF POLLUTION - FREE GROUND LEVEL AIR
Nitrogen
78.08%
Oxygen
20.95%
Carbon Dioxide
0.03%
COMPOSITION OF UNIVERSE
COMPOSITION OF EARTH
Hydrogen
60.40%
Iron
35.4%
Helium
36.56%
Oxygen
27.8%
Oxygen
0.96%
Magnesium
17.0%
Carbon
0.30%
Silicon
12.6%
ELEMENTS
90 Naturally occurring
19 Synthesized
109 TOTAL
ATOM Chapter 3
What is it?
Def: The smallest particle still having the characteristics of an element. It is made up of smaller particles: electrons, protons, and neutrons.
Simplest atom is H (hydrogen).
electron
proton
PROTON
1. Positive charge
2. "Weighs" 1 amu (atomic mass unit)
1 lb. = 273 x 1024 amu
3. The number of protons is the atomic number of an element.
4. The number of protons tells you what the element is.
5. What element has 6 protons?
6. How many protons in the element nitrogen (N)?
ELECTRON
1. Negative charge
2. 1835 electrons weigh 1 amu.
3. Responsible for chemical bonds
NEUTRON
1. No net charge
2. Weighs 1 amu
ATOMIC WEIGHTS
To get the atomic weight you add the number of protons and neutrons. When the protons and neutrons are considered as a unit, they are referred to as "nucleons".
Def. Average weight of all the atoms of an element.
Hydrogen has 1 proton and 1 electron, totaling 1 amu.
Deuterium has 1 proton (1 amu), 1 neutron (1 amu),
and 1 electron, totaling 2 amu.
Tritium has 1 proton (1 amu), 2 neutrons (2 amu), and 1 electron, totaling 3 amu.
ISOTOPES
Def: Atoms of the same element that have the same
atomic number but have different mass numbers.
The isotopes of an element all have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.
Hydrogen, deuterium and tritium are isotopes.
Tritium is radioactive.
ISOTOPES OF URANIUM
238 235
U U
92 92
What does the 92 mean? What does the 238 mean?
Summary:
Atomic number
Atomic weights
ISOTOPES
A
X X = symbol of the element
Z Z = number of protons
A = mass number (number of protons and neutrons)
1H = hydrogen 2H = deuterium 3H = tritium
1 1 1
ATOMIC STRUCTURE
2 electrons can fit on the first level
8 electrons on the second
Atoms are happy when a shell or level is complete - will enter into reaction just to get the number of electrons for that shell.
IONS
When an atom does not have the same number of electrons and protons, it has a charge. This is an ion.
If an ion had 11 protons and 10 electrons, it would be a positive ion. These are called cations.
What element has 11 protons?
If an ion had 17 protons and 18 electrons, it would be a negative ion. These are called anions.
What element has 17 protons?
Atoms and Ions
Atoms have no net charge. They are neutral.
Ions have a charge, either positive or negative.
A positive ion has more protons than electrons. CATION
A negative ion has more electrons than protons. ANION
The ion of an atom has very different chemical properties than the atom or molecule. Sodium is a soft metal, which reacts with water and gives explosive hydrogen.
The sodium ion is half of table salt NaCl, which dissolves in water and is needed for human life.
23Na 23Na+
# protons
# neutrons
# electrons
Problems
Chemical Symbol
#Protons
# Neutrons
#Electrons
Charge
Name
4020Ca++
19078Pt
22387Fr
12953I-
4He
7
6
Carbon
14
15
0
18
18
Sulfur ion
30
24
Iron ion
118
+3
Gold ion
9
9
-1
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- 1 decade ago
mass number is the same as amount of protons plus amount of neutrons.
so, the mass must be 17 + 20 = 37
Although amount of protons isn't equal with electron, it only causes to be negative charge of atoms (ion)
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- 1 decade ago
37
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- Anonymous1 decade ago
37
atomic mas = protons+neutrons
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- 1 decade ago
The atomic mass of chlorine would be 35.453, which you would just round to 35. | https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090408183159AAAagBY&sort=O |
One AMU is identical to 1.66 x 10-24 grams. One gram is identical to 6.022 x 1023 AMU.
The unified atomic mass unit (u), also known as the Dalton (Da), is the typical unit because that atomic and molecular weights in the SI (metric) device of measurement. Both acronyms amu and also AMU stay acceptable abbreviations for these units and also are frequently used. By definition, 12 AMU is the specific mass the one atom the carbon-12. The cell nucleus of carbon-12 includes six protons and six neutrons, therefore 1 AMU is the mass of one nucleon. Electrons are so light the their massive is considered negligible once determining atomic and also molecular weights.
Chemists measure up macroscopic amounts of atom in units referred to as moles. Through definition, a mole is the number of atoms in precisely 12 grams that carbon-12. The number turns out to it is in Avogadro"s number, i m sorry is 6.022 x 1023. This create a relationship between the atom mass and also macroscopic weight of every element. For any type of element, its atomic mass in AMU is equal to the weight of 1 mole the the facet in grams. For example, all natural isotopes of oxygen collectively have an atom mass that 15.999 AMU, for this reason one mole of oxygen weighs exactly 15.999 grams. Similarly, one mole the hydrogen weighs 1.008 gram, since the cumulative atomic mass of all isotope of hydrogen is 1.008 AMU.
A mole that carbon-12 atom weighs 12 grams, and also there are 6.022 x 1023 atoms in a mole. Splitting 12 grams by this incredibly large number of atoms tells united state that one carbon-12 atom weighs 1.99 x 10-23 grams. Since a carbon atom weighs 12 AMU, one AMU is indistinguishable to 1.66 x 10-24 grams. Whereas one gram is indistinguishable to 6.022 x 1023 AMU, i beg your pardon is Avogadro"s number.
See more: Fraction Calculator: 2 Divided By 3/4, What Is 2 Divided By 3/4
The quantity of any element in grams same to its atom weight provides 6.02*10^23 atom of the element.
Chris Deziel stop a Bachelor's degree in physics and a Master's level in Humanities, He has taught science, math and also English in ~ the college level, both in his indigenous Canada and also in Japan. He began writing virtual in 2010, offering info in scientific, cultural and practical topics. His creating covers science, math and also home development and design, as well as religion and also the oriental healing arts. | https://ptcouncil.net/how-many-grams-are-there-in-one-amu-of-a-material/ |
Atomic mass: It is the average relative mass of atom of element as compared with an atom of carbon –12 isotope taken as 12.
Atomic mass = average mass of an atom/1/12×Mass of an atom of C12
Average atomic mass: If an elements exists in two isotopes having atomic masses ‘a’ and ‘b’ in the ratio m : n, then average atomic mass = (m×a)+(n×b)/m+n Since the atomic mass is a ratio, it has no units and is expressed in amu, 1 amu = 1.66×1024g. One atomic mass unit (amu) is equal to (1/12)th of the mass of an atom of carbon-12 isotope.
Gram atomic mass (GAM): Atomic mass of an element expressed in grams is called Gram atomic mass or gram atom or mole atom. | https://www.emedicalprep.com/study-material/chemistry/chemical-arithmetic/atomic-masses/ |
For average weighted atomic mass shown in the Periodic table, prove the numerical value of Na is the same with either unit of AMU (atomic mass unit) or grams/mole. You must show your calculations in detail with units written for each step.
1 AMU = 1.66054e-24 grams
———————————————————————————————————–
By definition, 12.0000 AMU equals the mass of 1 Carbon-12 atom (isotope).
The standard scientific unit used to quantify the amount of a substance in macroscopic quantities is the mole (symbol: mol), which is defined arbitrarily by the scientific community as the amount of a substance which has as many atoms or molecules as there are atoms in 12 grams of the carbon isotope C-12. The number of atoms in a mole is called Avogadro’s number, the value of which is approximately 6.022140857(74)×1023 mol−1. | http://blog.newtonchineseschool.org/weijian/2017/12/ |
What is atomic mass of hydrogen?
What is atomic mass of hydrogen?
1.00784 u
Hydrogen/Atomic mass
What is the atomic mass of Sulphur?
32.065 u
Sulfur/Atomic mass
What is the uncertainty of atomic mass?
The atomic-weight uncertainty of the “best measurement” of isotopic abundance [16,17] is approximately ±0.000 027, which is about 30 times smaller than the uncertainty of the 2007 standard atomic weight .
Can an atomic mass be negative?
The positive charges equal the negative charges, so the atom has no overall charge; it is electrically neutral. Most of an atom’s mass is in its nucleus; the mass of an electron is only 1/1836 the mass of the lightest nucleus, that of hydrogen….Atomic Structure.
|Particle||Charge||Mass (amu)|
|Neutrons||0||1.00867|
How do we find atomic mass?
Forms of the same atom that differ only in their number of neutrons are called isotopes. Together, the number of protons and the number of neutrons determine an element’s mass number: mass number = protons + neutrons.
What is the atomic mass of all the elements?
The Elements, sorted by Atomic Mass
|Atomic Number||Symbol||Atomic Weight (amu, g/mol)|
|9||F||18.998403|
|10||Ne||20.179|
|11||Na||22.98977|
|12||Mg||24.305|
What is the atomic weight of C?
12.0107 u
Carbon/Atomic mass
What determines atomic mass?
Atomic mass is defined as the number of protons and neutrons in an atom, where each proton and neutron has a mass of approximately 1 amu (1.0073 and 1.0087, respectively). The electrons within an atom are so miniscule compared to protons and neutrons that their mass is negligible.
What is atomic number equal to?
atomic number, the number of a chemical element in the periodic system, whereby the elements are arranged in order of increasing number of protons in the nucleus. Accordingly, the number of protons, which is always equal to the number of electrons in the neutral atom, is also the atomic number. | https://draftlessig.org/what-is-atomic-mass-of-hydrogen/ |
Chemical elements listed by atomic mass The elemenents of the periodic table sorted by atomic mass. click on any element's name for further information on chemical properties, environmental data. Title: 10 Average Atomic Mass-T.pdf Created Date: 9/11/2014 6:17:18 AM.
The atomic mass reported in the periodic table for any given element is actually a weighted average of the masses of its isotopes as found in nature. Thus the mass of carbon is reported as 12.01115 rather than 12.00000 because it contains the relative contributions of both isotopes. Atomic Mass.pdf - Free download Ebook, Handbook, Textbook, User Guide PDF files on the internet quickly and easily. Atomic weight and atomic mass are two important concepts in chemistry and physics. Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they don't actually mean the same thing. Take a look at the difference between atomic weight and atomic mass and understand why most people are confused or don't care about the distinction. The Atomic Mass Unit, the Avogadro Constant, and the Mole: A Way To Understanding Andrzej Baranski Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow, Poland ABSTRACT: Numerous articles have been published that address problems encountered in teaching basic concepts of chemistry.
The dalton or unified atomic mass unit SI symbols: Da or u is a unit of mass widely used in physics and chemistry. It is defined precisely as 1/12 of the mass of an unbound neutral atom of carbon-12 in its nuclear and electronic ground state and at rest. A mass of 1 Da is also referred to as the atomic mass constant and denoted by m u. Relative atomic mass Atomic weight was originally defined relative to that of the lightest element, hydrogen, which was taken as 1.00, and in the 1820s, Prout's hypothesis stated that atomic masses of all elements would prove to be exact multiples of that of hydrogen. 16/12/2019 · Fundamental properties of atoms including atomic number and atomic mass. The atomic number is the number of protons in an atom, and isotopes have the same atomic number but differ in the number of neutrons. atomic mass.pdf - Free download as PDF File.pdf, Text File.txt or read online for free. Scribd es red social de lectura y publicación más importante del mundo. Buscar Buscar. Cerrar sugerencias. Cargar. es Change Language Cambiar idioma. Iniciar sesión. Unirse.
|Atomic mass of sodium = 397/2 = 23. But only few elements could be covered under triads. Newland’s law of octaves. In 1866, John’s Newlands, An English Chemist proposed the law of octaves by stating that, When elements are arranged in order to increasing atomic masses, every eighth elements has properties similar to the first, just like.||Read online Atomic Mass - idc- book pdf free download link book now. All books are in clear copy here, and all files are secure so don't worry about it. This site is like a library, you could find million book here by using search box in the header.||Define atomic and mass numbers. Determine the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom. Identify the charge and relative mass of subatomic particles. Label the location of subatomic particles in the atom. Determine the mass of an atom based on its subatomic particles. Write A/Z and symbol-mass format for an atom.|
atomic mass u and the elementary charge units e are used for these values. The unified atomic mass is defined as 1/12 the mass of an atom of C. Older terms still in use but not 12 accepted as SI units include the atomic mass unit amu and the dalton Da. Atomic Mass of First 30 Elements - Atomic Mass of Elements is Measured with the Help of its Unit - Atomic Mass Unit. One such Unit is Equal to One-Twelfth of the Mass of a Carbon-12 Atom Which is at Rest. Learn about Atomic Mass of First 30 Elements at Byjus. 5.1: Atomic Mass Unit Atomic Mass is defined relative to Carbon -12 isotope 12 amu is the mass of the isotope of carbon Carbon -12 atom = 12.000 amu Hydrogen -1 atom = 1.008 amu Oxygen -16 atom = 15.995 amu Chlorine -35 atom = 34.969 amu 12C 6 3 5.1: Atomic Mass - Natural Abundance We deal with the naturally occurring mix of isotopes. The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom. It is a whole number. The atomic mass is the average number of protons and neutrons for all natural isotopes of an element. It is a decimal number. Atomic mass value sometimes change over time in publications as scientists revise the natural isotope abundance of elements. This is a list of chemical elements, sorted by atomic mass or most stable isotope and color coded according to type of element. Each element's atomic number, name, element symbol, and group and period numbers on the periodic table are given. The number in parenthesis gives the uncertainty in.
•the atomic mass of an element is a weighted average mass of the atoms in a naturally occurring sample of the element. how to calculate avg. atomic mass •to calculate the atomic mass of an element, multiply the mass of each isotope by its natural abundance, expressed as a decimal, and then add. Mass of an atomic particle is called the atomic mass. This is commonly expressed as per the international agreement in terms of a unified atomic mass unit amu. It can be best defined as \\frac112\ of the mass of a carbon-12 atom in its ground state. Questa applicazione è disponibile per la consultazione offline sui seguenti store: continua la consultazione online. 118 elements are known and named at this time a modern periodic table lists elements left to right by atomic this basic printable periodic table lists the element. The Ame2016 atomic mass evaluation II. Tables,. de ned as 1/12 of the atomic mass of one 12C atom in its electronic and nuclear ground states and in its rest coordinate system. In our work, energy values are ex-pressed as electron-volt, using the maintained volt V 90.
Atomic weights of the elements 2011 IUPAC Technical Report. Thus, the atomic mass of 12C is 12 u, and the atomic weight of 12C is 12 exactly. All other atomic weight values are ratios to the 12C standard value and thus are dimensionless numbers. The atomic weight of element E, A. Atomic Mass And Atomic Number Worksheet Students differentiate between the three subatomic particles in from Atomic Mass And Atomic Number Worksheet, source:atomic mass is,. 100 images size me worksheet me from Supersize Me Worksheet Answers Pdf. Within the historical context of the development of chemistry, Avogadro's hypothesis represents a fundamental concept: It allowed Avogadro to explain Gay–Lussac's law of combining volumes and it allowed Cannizzaro to establish a more accurate set of atomic mass values. Atomic Mass and Atomic Number Worksheet - Key Name of Element Symbol Atomic Number Atomic Mass Protons Neutrons Electrons copper Cu 29 64 29 35 29 tin Sn 50 119 50 69 50 iodine I 53 127 53 74 53 uranium U 92 238 92 146 92 potassium K 19 39 19 20 19 lithium Li 3 7 3 4 3 oxygen O 8 16 8 8 8 gold Au 79 197 79 118 79. | http://hillcumorah.com/Atomic%20Mass%20Pdf |
Relative atomic Mass and Atomic Mass unit with formula & examples
As we know that the mass of an atom is too small to be determined practically. However, certain instruments enable us to determine the ratio of the atomic masses of various elements to that of carbon-12 atoms. This ratio is known as the relative atomic mass of the element.
The relative atomic mass of an element is the average mass of the atoms of that element as compared to 1/12th (one-twelfth) the mass of an atom of carbon -12 isotope (having different mass number but the same atomic number). Based on the carbon -12 standard, the mass of an atom of carbon is 12 units and 1/12th of it comes to be 1 unit.
When we compare the atomic masses of other elements with the atomic mass of carbon-12 atoms, they are expressed as relative atomic masses of those elements. The unit for relative atomic masses is called atomic mass unit, with the symbol ‘amu’, one atomic mass unit is 1/12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12. When this atomic mass unit is expressed in grams, it is;
For example: | https://examplespedia.com/relative-atomic-mass-atomic-mass-unit-formula-examples/ |
q/m of alpha particles is half the q/m of hydrogen ion.
q/m for the alpha particle is consistent with q/m=1 for H+ if the charge on the hydrogen ion is 1+ and the mass is 1 amu
different q/m values are to due
different masses ( different neutrons)
we use Rydberg equation to
get the number of positive charges in nucleus
Moseley Experiment
X ray
(KE-PE-Radiant energy/xray)
low frequency but longer wavelength
radiowave
high frequency but short wavelength
X ray
Increasing order ( ex X-ray, microwave)
Radiowave, microwave, infrared wave, visible light, UV light, X ray, gamma ray
(increasing frequency)
s-1
waves/sec
cm-1
wave/distance
alpha particle
positive high energy particle
q/m=2/4=1/2
2 protons and 2 neutrons
Element
-substance can't be broken down
** substance in which all atoms have same atomic #
nucleus diameter
10-14 m
q/m electron vs H+
q/m for electron is much larger than for H+
q/m electron > q/m H+
electrons and protons
electrons and protons have same magnitude charge (-1 and +1)
-1 C of electrons will have as many particles as +1 C of protons
Thompson model incorrect because
atom is nucleus and some alpha particles can hit nucleus and be deflected back (Rutherford)
Which ions (massive or less massive) are deflected the most by the magnetic field?
The less massive ions are deflected most by the magnetic field and the most massive ions are deflected least
(ions have all same charge,force,velocity)
more massive ions exhibit greater inertia( stay same-no move)
ions w/ lower inertial mass r deflected more
dalton
amu
1 kg=
1000g
1 mole
1 mole is an amount of any substance having the same # of elementary particles (atoms, ions, molecules, electrons) as there are atoms in exactly 12g of c^12
this # is about 6.02*10^23
***also one amu(dalton) is defined as 1/12 the mass of one c-12 atom
amu
g/mol
deuterium is more dense than regular water because
water made from deuterium has H atoms that are about 2x as massive as water made with normal Hydrogen (deuterium had 1 proton and 1 neutron in nucleus) so 'heavy' water has a molecular mass of 20 amu instead of 18 amu
substance
fixed composition; element or compound
different isotopes
have different properties; melting pts and density
Dioxygen, Ozone or Trioxygen
allotropes or isotopes (must be same element)
which is greater: the energy of the photon in the light beam or the ionization energy of any of the electrons in an atom?
the energy of the photon in the light beam is greater than the ionization energy of any of the electrons in an atom
energy of photon > ionization energy of electron
energy of photon-
When a photon strikes an atom, some of its energy is used to dislodge an electron, the rest of the energy goes into increasing the kinetic energy of the dislodged electron
energy of photon= energy to dislodge electron (ion energy) + kinetic energy of dislodge electron
binding energy
energy to dislodge electron in MJ/mol (megajoules)
# in parenthesis (2)
signal size = same # electrons
how much energy is needed to knock the electron off 6.02*10^23 H atoms?
1.31 MJ
greater positive charge=
hold electron more tightly in nucleus- need more energy to remove electron (closer to nucleus)
when electron farther from nucleus- easy to remove
as go down, what happens to atoms # ?
as go down, atomic # increases - greater positive charge
Unpaired; magnetic or unmagnetic?
unpaired= magnetic
Stern-Gerlock Experiment
Magnetic behavior of neutral atoms; electron spin
Pauli Principle
any energy sub level in an atom can hold no more than 2 electrons and they must have paired OPPOSITE spins
2p _ _ _ Higher E- easy to remove
2s _ _
1s _ Lower E- harder to remove
High E= hard to remove or easy to remove?
High E= easy to remove
because there is a lot of energy to remove electron
Lower E= hard to remove or easy to remove?
Lower E= harder to remove
because not a lot of energy to help remove electron
elements out of order in atomic mass
Co and Ni
Co has greater atomic mass so should have higher frequency BUT Nickel gives off a greater freq and Co= less frequency
K and Ar
K= higher frequency
First Ionization energy
energy necessary to remove the least tightly held electron in an atom
Second Ionization energy; greater or less than 1st ion. energy?
second ion. energy is always greater than first b/c once an electron has been removed, the ion is positive, making it more difficult to remove another electron. Also the positive ion has fewer electrons, so less electron- electron repulsion in the ion. This also increases the energy necessary to remove 2nd electron
SHIELDING EFFECT
decrease in attraction between electron and nucleus in any atom with more than 1 electron shell
(ex. 2p slightly farther from nucleus and more shielding than 2s) because 2p is farther away from nucleus so there is going to be more shielding-decreased attraction- easier to remove
IMPORTANT:
In each case, electron that is highest in energy (father from nucleus , least tightly bond) should be removed first
if the electron is coming from p sub level, paired electrons should be removed before unpaired electrons.
This will reduce repulsion of electrons that had been sharing same sublevel
easier to remove one of the parried since there repel each other. So even though Oxygen has more positive charges in nucleus than Nitrogen, the first ionization energy for Oxygen is lower. b/c must remove paired first
Fluorine and neon same.
**electrons in highest energy level are paired and repel each other.
oxygen 1st ion energy lower because must remove paired first since they repel each other
O= 1s^2 2s^2 3p^4
N= 1s^2 2s^2 3p^3
Ionization energy decreases as
go down periodic table (b/c farther from nucleus)
Ionization energy increases
from left to right (until noble gas)
noble gas/inert gas had highest ion. energy
exception
:O & N= Oxygen has lower ionization energy than Nitrogen b/c paired electron should be removed first before unpaired since they repel each other- lower ion energy (repel each other)
Ne & F= Ne has lower ionization energy than F b/c easier to remove paired electrons due to electron repulsion
greater repulsion of electrons in Oxygen and Neon means
less energy needed to remove electron/ less ionization energy
also ionization energy increases as go across periodic table
because greater positive charge so pulled more
also smaller atomic size- so electrons held more tightly
Noble gas
highest ionization energy
what happens to molar volume has you go down a family?
Molar volume increases as go down a family
Aubau principle
electron configurations
1st shell can hold up to
2nd shell can hold up to
2
8
Sc-Zn
Transition elements
Valence electrons/ outer electrons
family #
4s (K and Ca)
For K and Ca, 4s level is lower than a 3d level
But after K and Ca, beginning with Sc
3d level is lower in energy than 4s, BUT 4S FILLS FIRST
this is due to the fact that when electrons are in a 3d level, they experience a greater repulsion of electrons in the 3s & 3p levels than when they can be in the larger 4s level
Electron Affinity
energy released when a neutral atom gains an electron
most negative 6a and 7a
Nuclear charge is shielded by
inner core electrons
each outer electron feels about
+1
to make an ion=
add electron
so Cl- ion larger than Cl atom
as go across a period (atomic size/ionization energy)
smaller atomic size (electrons held more tightly), increased ionization energy
Lewis proposed Octet rule
elements gain or lose electrons in chemical reactions in such a way as to obtain an inert/noble gas configuration
says nothing about whether ionic or covalent
ionic bonding
electrons transferred to get inert gas config
covalent bonding
electrons are shared between bonded atoms to get inert gas config
Electromagnetism force
force exerted by charged particles on one another- positives repel, negatives repel, but positives and negatives attract
EM force is about 10^39 times stronger than gravitational force
Strong force
when protons are about as close as atoms usually get to one another (10^-10 m), they repel ea other.
**But when protons and/or neutrons are VERY close together about 10^-15m apart, they attract one another
strong force is 100x stronger than EM force
Nuclei of large atoms
unstable and decay, producing alpha particles
gravitional force
F= m1m2/r2
electrical attraction
F= q1q2/ r2
r=
distance separating the objects
Heisenberg Principle
the more that subatomic particles like electrons are confined in a particular direction, the greater the range of momenta that they exhibit in that direction
(ex when hole in wall made smaller, the area over which electrons hit target become larger)
the more attempts to close electrons in a small space, the more they will resist
although nucleus of H atom holds onto electrons, | https://quizlet.com/69043745/chem-2-test-1-flash-cards/ |
Inside the atom there are three very important particles: protons, neutrons and electrons.
In the very middle of the atom is the nucleus which contains protons and neutrons. The proton carries a positive charge, which is equal and opposite to the negative charge of the electron. The neutron is an uncharged particle with a mass slightly greater than a proton.
In a neutral atom, the number of protons in the nucleus is equal to the number of electrons outside the nucleus. Compared to the mass of protons and neutrons, electrons are very small. See the table below for a comparison in properties of the three subatomic particles.
|
|
Properties of Subatomic Particles
|
|
Particle
|
|
Location
|
|
Relative Charge
|
|
Mass (amu)
|
|
Proton
|
|
Nucleus
|
|
+1
|
|
1.00728
|
|
Neutron
|
|
Nucleus
|
|
0
|
|
1.00867
|
|
Electron
|
|
Outside the nucleus
|
|
-1
|
|
0.00055
* amu = atomic mass units
Atomic Properties
The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. Hydrogen, for example, has an atomic number of one because it has one proton. Carbon (atomic number 6) has six protons.
Elements that have atomic numbers of up to 92 can be found in nature; those over 92 are created in laboratories.
The atomic mass is the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. Although all atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, they sometimes have more neutrons. Such atoms are called isotopes.
Normally, atoms are electrically neutral. But sometimes they crash into other atoms, causing them to gain or lose electrons. An atom in which there is an unequal number of protons and electrons is called an ion.
Source: | http://teachnuclear.ca/all-things-nuclear/atomic-theory/atoms/ |
How do isotopes relate to average atomic mass?
Every isotope (at least, the ones that occur naturally) contributes to the average atomic mass, which appears in the element's box on most periodic tables. But the average is what is called a weighted average.
A weighted average mass is an average that takes into account how many times each mass occurs in a sample. For example, if 10 people in your class have a mass of 50 kg and 20 people have a mass of 60 kg, what will be the average mass?
You might be tempted to add 50 and 60 and divide by 2 for an average of 55 kg. THAT WOULD BE INCORRECT. You must find the total mass (500 + 1200 = 1700) and divide it by the total number of people (30) so the average is 56.67. Notice the average is closer to the mass that had more people.
If we add these two masses we arrive at 56.68. The answer is a little different because of the rounding.
Both processes use the same steps (adding and multiplying) but in a different order.
The second process is the one normally used in determining average atomic mass. It is possible to measure what percentage of an element's sample is made of each isotope. Then the weighted average is calculated and printed on a periodic table.
Silver consists of 51.86 % Ag-107 (atomic mass 106.9 u) and 48.14 % Ag-109 (atomic mass 108.9 u). What is its average atomic mass?
The average atomic masses on a periodic table are usually not a nice whole number. In elements with very high atomic numbers you will see whole number atomic masses. These are not average masses; they are the mass of the most stable isotope.
Here is a video discussion of how to do this type of calculation.
How do isotopes differ from ions?
Isotopes differ in the number of neutrons; in ions the number of electrons is different from the number of protons.
Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
Thus, atoms of #""_6^12"C"# and of #""_6^13"C"# are isotopes of each other. They both contain 6 protons, but one contains 6 neutrons and the other contains 7 neutrons.
Ions are atoms that have either gained or lost electrons.
Every atom has the same number of electrons and protons.
If an atom gains an electron, it gets a negative charge. If it loses an electron, it gets a positive charge. All ions have a charge.
If a carbon atom gains an electron, it becomes a C⁻ ion. If it loses an electron, it becomes a C⁺ ion.
An isotope is a variation of an element where the atom contains the same number of protons and electrons, but differs in the number of neutrons it contains in the nucleus.
How would you find the atomic number, atomic mass, protons, neutrons and electrons for ions and isotopes? Is it similar?
How are isotopes of elements formed?
What radioactive isotopes are naturally occurring?
How do isotopes of carbon differ from one another?
Strontium consists of four isotopes with masses of 84 (abundance 0.50%), 86 (abundance of 9.9%), 87 (abundance of 7.0%), and 88 (abundance of 82.6%). What is the atomic mass of strontium?
Why are the isotopes of an element chemically similar?
Naturally occurring europium (Eu) consists of two isotopes with a mass of 151 and 153. 151/63 Eu has an abundance of 48.03% and 153/63 Eu has an abundance of 51.97%. What is the atomic mass of europium?
Oxygen is composed of three isotopes 16/8 O (15.995 u), 17/8 O (16.999 u) and 18/8 O (17.999 u). One of these isotopes, 17/8 O, comprises of 0.037% of oxygen. What is the percentage abundance of the other two isotopes, using the average atomic mass of 15.9994 u.
Copper is listed on the periodic table as having a relative atomic mass of 63.55. Reference books indicate two isotopes of copper, with relative masses of 62.93 and 64.93. What is the percent abundance of each isotope?
Why are radioactive isotopes important?
Why is it that only isotopes tend to be radioactive?
Why are isotopes used in nuclear medicine?
How do isotopes differ from each other?
How do isotopes affect the atomic mass of an element?
How can isotopes be used in medicine?
How can isotopes be used in biological research?
What is an example of a practice problem with isotopes?
How are isotopic abundances determined experimentally?
What is an example of an isotope abundance practice problem?
Why carbon-12 is an isotope of carbon?
If two atoms have the same atomic number but different mass numbers, what are they called?
How many protons are in the nucleus of an atom that has an atomic number of 23 and a mass number of 51?
How many neutrons does calcium have?
What do isotopes of the same element have differing numbers of?
What is the difference between an isotope and a radioisotope?
How would you find the percent abundance of 2 isotopes of an element, given the atomic weight and mass number of each isotope?
How would you calculate the percent relative abundance of Cu-63 with the mass 62.9296 g and Cu-65 with the mass 64.9278 g, when the average mass of Cu is 63.546?
How is the mass number of an isotope expressed in the name of an atom?
What are some examples of radioactive isotopes used in research?
The atomic weight of a newly discovered element is 110.352 amu. It has two naturally occurring isotopes. One has a mass of 111.624 amu. The other has an isotopic mass of 109.75 amu. What is the percent abundance of the last isotope (109.75 amu)?
Vanadium has two naturally occurring isotopes, 50-V with an atomic mass of 49.9472 amu and 51-V with an atomic mass of 50.9440. The atomic weight of vanadium is 50.9415. What is the percent abundance of the vanadium isotopes?
What are two differences between the isotopes carbon-12 and carbon-14?
What are two ways in which radioisotopes have been used to help humans?
Calcium has three different isotopes. One has a mass of 35.00 amu; another has a mass of 41.00 amu; and another has a mass of 40.00 amu. Which isotope is the most abundant of the three?
What is a radioactive isotope?
What are the two stable isotopes that chlorine is commonly found in?
What is the name of the carbon isotope that has 7 neutrons?
What is the difference between an isotope and an element?
What is relative abundance of an isotope?
What is the importance of the isotope C14?
What is the isotopic composition of an element?
What is the most common isotope of chlorine?
Gallium consists of 2 isotopes. One of those isotopes is 71-Ga with a mass of 70.92amu with an abundance of 39.892%. What is the mass number of the other isotope?
What is the difference between an ion and an isotope?
How would you know if an element is an isotope?
What are three isotopes of carbon?
What is the importance of carbon-14?
How would you write the symbol for carbon -14 including atomic mass and number?
How do atoms become isotopes?
Two atoms have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. What can you conclude about these two atoms?
The atomic number of Uranium is 92 and its atomic mass is 238. How many neutrons does the most common isotope of Uranium have?
Isotopes of an atom differ by what?
What is the difference in stable and unstable isotopes?
How do isotopes of a given element differ? How am they similar?
How many neutrons are found in the unstable isotope phosphorus-36?
Uranium, with an atomic mass number of 238 and an atomic number of 92, has how many protons?
Gallium has two naturally occurring isotopes. The mass of gallium-69 is 68.9256 amu and it is 60.108% abundant. The mass of gallium-71 is 70.9247 amu and it is 39.892% abundant. What is the atomic mass of gallium?
The element copper has naturally occurring isotopes with mass numbers of 63 and 65. The relative abundance and atomic masses are 69.2% for a mass of 62.93 amu and 30.8% for a mass of 64.93 amu. What is the average atomic mass of copper?
One isotope of bromine has an atomic mass of 78.92 amu and a relative abundance of 50.69%. The other major isotope of has an atomic mass of 80.92 amu and a relative abundance of 49.31%? What is the average atomic mass of bromine?
A sample of element X contains 100 atoms with a mass of 12.00 and 10 atoms with a mass of 14.00. What is the average atomic mass (in amu) of element X?
The element chromium has four naturally occurring isotopes. What is the average atomic mass of chromium, using #""^50Cr=4.34%, ""^52Cr=83.79%, ""^53Cr=9.50%, ""^54Cr=2.37%#?
Do all isotopes of an element have the same atomic number?
How many neutrons are present in carbon-14?
Which isotope is more likely to bond with oxygen, C-12 or C-14?
How does the radioactive isotope C-14 differ from C-12?
Silver has two naturally occurring isotopes with the following isotopic masses 106.90509 and 108.9047. The average atomic mass of silver is 107.8682 amu. What is the fractional abundance of the lighter of the two isotopes?
The half-life of carbon-14 is 5715 years. How long will it be until only half of the carbon-14 in a sample remains?
Is the half life of carbon 14 5730 years?
How many protons and neutrons are in uranium-235?
How do isotopes differ chemically?
Argon has three naturally occurring isotopes: argon-36, argon-38, and argon-40. Based on argon's reported atomic mass, which isotope do you think is the most abundant in nature?
What is the average atomic mass of chlorine if it has isotopes of masses 36.96590 and 34.96885, which are 24.47% and 75.53% abundant, respectively?
Rubidium is a soft, silvery-white metal that has two common isotopes, #""^85 Rb# and #""^87 Rb#. If the abundance of #""^85 Rb# is 80.2% and the abundance of #""^87 Rb# is 19.8%, what is the average atomic mass of rubidium,?
How can cobalt-60 and cobalt-59 be the same element but have different mass numbers?
Copper has an atomic mass of 63.55 amu and two naturally occurring isotopes with masses 62.94 amu and 64.93 amu. Which mass spectrum is most likely to correspond to a natural occurring sample of copper?
Why don't any of the isotopes of natural iron have the atomic mass of 55.85 amu, if the number listed in the periodic table is 55.85 amu?
Naturally occurring uranium contains 0.72 percent of the isotope uranium-235. What is the mass of uranium-235 in 2,000 kg of naturally-occurring uranium?
What are #"isotopes"#, and what is #"isopathy"#?
The atomic mass of an element is the weighted average of what?
What is the average atomic mass for neon?
What is the average atomic mass of silicon?
What unit is used for average atomic mass?
Why is the average atomic mass for an element typically not a whole number?
What defines the mass number of an isotope?
#""^12C#, #""^13C#, and #""^14C# contain HOW many protons, and how many neutrons?
What are the different forms called in an element that has forms with different numbers of neutrons?
What is the molar mass of the isotope lead-208 (#208Pb#)?
The atomic weight of a newly discovered e ement is 98.225 amu. It has two naturally occuring isotopes. One isotope has a mass of 96.780 amu. The second isotope has a percent abundance of 41.7%. What is the mass of the second isotope?
The isotope sodium-20 has how many neutrons?
What is the nuclear symbol for the isotope of gallium, #Ga#, that contains 40 neutrons per atom?
Bromine consists of two isotopes with masses of 78.92 and 80.92 amu. What is the abundances of these two isotopes?
Element X has two isotopes. X-15 has 7 protons and 8 neutrons. What is the atomic number and mass number of the second isotope, which has 10 neutrons in its nucleus?
What are two differences between carbon-12 and carbon-14?
What is another name for an isotope?
Isotopes are considered stable when the strong overcomes the electrostatic repulsion between force positively charged what?
Isotopes differ due to the number of what?
What does #"X"# represent in the following symbol: #""_35^80"X"# ?
Isotope differ in the number of which particle?
Why do all isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties?
Sulfur has an atomic number of 16. You have found an isotope that has a mass of 35. What is different about this isotope than a sulfur atom with a mass of 32?
Carbon has an atomic number of 6. You have found an isotope that has a mass of 14. What is different about this isotope than a carbon atom with a mass of 12?
Nitrogen has two isotopes, N-14 and N-15, with atomic masses of 14.00031 amu and 15.001 amu, respectively. What is the percent abundance of N-15?
Why do you think isotopes of #N# are used in medicine as opposed to other elements with stable isotopes like boron, neon or sodium?
Explain why atoms have different isotopes. In other words, how is it that helium can exist in three different forms?
Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons and a different number of what?
What are neutrons and why are they important to isotopes?
What are some ways in which carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 are alike?
How many electrons are in an isotope of nitrogen with 8 neutrons?
Another isotope of carbon has a mass of 14. How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in this isotope?
The halflife of a radioactive isotope is 20.0 minutes. How much of a 1.00 gram sample of this isotope remains after 1.00 hour?
The half-life of chromium-51 is 28 days. If you start with 640 g, how much will be left after 56 days?
How can you identify two ways in which carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 are alike?
What do isotopes of a given element have?
Why do all isotopes of an element have the same properties?
How does the number of nuclear particles relate to the identity of the atom, and the identity of the isotope?
What is the number of protons in an atom of carbon-12?
Boron has two isotopes, boron-10 and boron-11. Boron-10 has five protons and five neutrons. How many protons and neutrons does boron-11 have? Explain.
Both #"^18O# and #"^16O# are found in nature. However, #"^16O# Is the most common. Why?
Which is the most abundant oxygen isotope?
What occurs when electrons are added to the chlorine molecule, #Cl_2#?
If an isotope of carbon has a atomic mass of 13, then how many protons does it have?
The atomic mass of fictitious element X is 51.70 amu. If element X consists of two isotopes that have mass numbers of 50 and 52, what is the approximate % natural abundance of each isotope?
How would we represent the formation of carbon dioxide with DIFFERENT carbon isotopes?
Zirconium has an atomic number of 40. How many neutrons are there in an isotope of zirconium-92?
What is the name of the isotope with 88 protons and 140 neutrons?
How do you determine the average weighted isotopic mass of Carbon?
When atoms of the same element have different mass numbers, what are they known as?
What are 3 things isotopes of an element have in common?
How do isotopes of an element differ?
What will two neutral isotopes of the same element have different numbers of?
Boron exists in two isotopes, boron-10 and boron-11. Based on the atomic mass, which isotope should be more abundant?
Xenon has an atomic number of 54. A particular isotope of xenon has a mass number of 131. How many protons and how many neutrons does each atom of that isotope have?
How do isotopes of an element differ? In what ways are they the same?
A mole is the amount of a substance that contains as many particles as the number of atoms in 12 grams of what isotope?
The isotope sodium-20 has how many protons?
What is the difference between individual isotoples of the same element?
How would you compare the abundance of the two naturally occurring isotopes of boron?
The mass of a #"_10^20Ne# atom is is 19.99244 amu. How do you calculate its mass defect?
What is the weighted average of the masses of all the naturally occurring isotopes of an element called?
What are the units for isotopic abundance?
What is the difference between the two isotopes of Li (Lithium)?
There are 3 isotopes of carbon. Carbon-12, Carbon-13 and Carbon-14. The average atomic mass of carbon is 12.011. Which isotope of carbon is the most abundant? Why?
How many neutrons are found in an isotope of F (Flourine)?
Why is the atomic mass of iodine-131 not #"126.904 g/mol"#?
What is the percentage occurrence of the isotopes #""^35Cl#, and #""^37Cl# is the average atomic mass of chlorine is #35.45*"amu"#?
How can chlorine have an atomic mass of #35.45*"amu"#?
#"Atom W has 9 protons and 9 neutrons, Atom X has 8 protons and 9"# #"neutrons. Atom Y has 9 protons, and 9 neutrons. Atom Z has 10 protons"# #"and 10 neutrons."# What are the isotopes?
How does #""^238U# undergo #alpha-"decay"# to give #""^234Th#? Is this a chemical reaction? How does uranium metal react with fluorine?
All isotopes of a particular element have the same atomic number. How then do the isotopes of a particular element differ?
How would you determine the number of protons an isotope has?
Carbon has a third isotope, named carbon-13. How many protons and neutrons are found in each atom of carbon-13. Carbon-13 is a stable isotope, like carbon-12. How useful would carbon-13 be for radiometric dating?
How do different isotopes of the same element compare?
How do different isotopes of the same element differ?
Gravimetric analysis of the chloride content of an asteroid gave #13.85%# #""^35Cl# #"(isotopic mass = 34.97 amu)"#, and #86.14%# #""^37Cl# #"(isotopic mass = 36.97 amu)"#. What is the isotopic mass of chlorine in the asteroid?
Is it possible for two different substances to contain the same number of protons but different atomic numbers?
How do you calculate the atomic mass of bromine?
How is decay rate related to the half-life of a radioisotope?
What do we call nuclei of the same element that have different masses?
How many neutrons and protons in the isotopes #""^(25)Al#, #""^(95)Tc#, and #""^(120)Sn#?
The atomic mass of silver found in nature is Ar (Ag) = 107,983. This silver is made of 107Ag and 109Ag Isotopes. Calculate the proportion of mass of 107Ag isotope which is in natural silver atoms?
What is the average atomic mass of titanium if we have an isotopic distribution of #78.5%# of #""^46Ti#, #45.95263*"amu"#, #12.3%# of #""^48Ti#, #47.94795*"amu"#, and #""^50Ti#, #49.94479*"amu"#?
Given that P-31 is the only natural isotope of phosphorus, what is the mass of one P atom and the mass of Avogadro's number of P atoms?
Will two isotopes react differently? | https://socratic.org/chemistry/a-first-introduction-to-matter/isotopes |
posted by shish .
find (i) the total no. of neutrons and (ii) the total mass of neutrons in 7mg o^14C. (assume that the mass of a neutron = mass of a hydrogen atom)
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mols = grams/molar mass
0.007g/14 = ? mols C14 atoms
There are 7 neutrons/atom; therefore,
# mols x 7 = ? mols neutrons.
There are 6.02E23 neutrons for each mol of neutrons; therefore,
mols neutrons x 6.02E23 neutrons/mol = # neutrons.
mass of those neutrons = # neutrons x mass of H atom.
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In 14g of 14^C,no.of neutrons =8NA
In 1g of 14C,no.of neutrons =8NA/14
1)the total no.of neutrons in 7mg of 14^C= 7/1000×4/7×6×10^20
=24×10^20
2)given mass of a neutron=mass of 1 Hydrogen atom=1 amu
Mass of 24×10^20 neutrons=1×24×10^20×1.6×10^-24 g
=0.0004 g
-
Are you from resonance?
Respond to this Question
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Protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, about 1.67 × 10 -24 grams. Scientists arbitrarily define this amount of mass as one atomic mass unit (amu) or one Dalton, as shown in [link] . Although similar in mass, protons and neutrons differ in their electric charge. A proton is positively charged whereas a neutron is uncharged. Therefore, the number of neutrons in an atom contributes significantly to its mass, but not to its charge. Electrons are much smaller in mass than protons, weighing only 9.11 × 10 -28 grams, or about 1/1800 of an atomic mass unit. Hence, they do not contribute much to an element’s overall atomic mass. Therefore, when considering atomic mass, it is customary to ignore the mass of any electrons and calculate the atom’s mass based on the number of protons and neutrons alone. Although not significant contributors to mass, electrons do contribute greatly to the atom’s charge, as each electron has a negative charge equal to the positive charge of a proton. In uncharged, neutral atoms, the number of electrons orbiting the nucleus is equal to the number of protons inside the nucleus. In these atoms, the positive and negative charges cancel each other out, leading to an atom with no net charge.
Accounting for the sizes of protons, neutrons, and electrons, most of the volume of an atom—greater than 99 percent—is, in fact, empty space. With all this empty space, one might ask why so-called solid objects do not just pass through one another. The reason they do not is that the electrons that surround all atoms are negatively charged and negative charges repel each other.
|Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons|
|Charge||Mass (amu)||Location|
|Proton||+1||1||nucleus|
|Neutron||0||1||nucleus|
|Electron||–1||0||orbitals|
Atoms of each element contain a characteristic number of protons and electrons. The number of protons determines an element’s atomic number and is used to distinguish one element from another. The number of neutrons is variable, resulting in isotopes, which are different forms of the same atom that vary only in the number of neutrons they possess. Together, the number of protons and the number of neutrons determine an element’s mass number , as illustrated in [link] . Note that the small contribution of mass from electrons is disregarded in calculating the mass number. This approximation of mass can be used to easily calculate how many neutrons an element has by simply subtracting the number of protons from the mass number. Since an element’s isotopes will have slightly different mass numbers, scientists also determine the atomic mass , which is the calculated mean of the mass number for its naturally occurring isotopes. Often, the resulting number contains a fraction. For example, the atomic mass of chlorine (Cl) is 35.45 because chlorine is composed of several isotopes, some (the majority) with atomic mass 35 (17 protons and 18 neutrons) and some with atomic mass 37 (17 protons and 20 neutrons).
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REMEMBER: Number of protons is the same as asking for atomic number!
What is the mass number? (Refer to the question above).
Which of the following elements are diatomic molecules at room temperature?
How many electrons does magnesium, Mg, need to lose to have the same number of electrons as one of the noble gases?
Mg is in group 2A so it has extra 2 valence electrons, by losing 2 losing electrons it can become stable as a noble gas.
The magnesium ion formed in the previous question is isoelectronic with which noble gas?
How many electrons do the group 1A metals (alkali metals) lose to be isoelectronic with a noble gas?
How many electrons do the group 7A elements (halogens) gain to be isoelectronic with a noble gas?
How many electrons are in a lithium atom, Li?
Typically the number of electrons an atom has is equivalent to the number of protons an atom has (the exception to this rule are ions or unstable atoms but for all intensive purposes unless otherwise stated assume the atoms stability).
How many electrons are in the S2- ion?
How many electrons are in the calcium ion created by the calcium atom, Ca, losing 2 electrons?
How many protons are in the phosphorous atom, P?
Which element has 11 protons?
Refer to the periodic table in the next question for this and the following questions.
What is the actual average mass of 1 Li atom (in grams/atom)? Express your answer in scientific notation to 3 SIG. FIG.
It forms a magic 7 (minus H because it's full of itself, but I guess most things are full of it so whatever).
Write dinitrogen pentoxide using chemical symbols.
Prefixes used in naming molecular compounds (compounds made from nonmetals).
The ending of the second element is dropped and replaced with "ide".
Atoms can only gain or lose a few electrons to be isoelectronic with a noble gas.
Isoelectronic meaning that when compared both atoms have the same number of electrons.
Mg is closest to Ne, and in order to be isoelectronic it must lose 2 electrons.
Let's take for example Na (sodium) for it to be isoelectronic with a noble gas (specifically Ne) it must lose one electron.
a. It is a molecule.
b. The magnesium is the Mg2+ ion.
c. It takes 2 chloride ions to balance the charge of the magnesium ion.
d. The chloride is the Cl- ion.
e. It is a solid consisting of many magnesium and chloride ions.
Ionic compounds are all solids at room temperature. They consist of positive and negative ions held together by strong electrostatic forces.
For example, NaCl consists of positive sodium ions (Na+) attracted to negative chloride ions (Cl-). NaCl is not a molecule, but consists of many sodium and chloride ions attracted to each other in the solid.
This is highly inconvenient, but if you zoom in you can see the charges on each individual atom.
What is the name of KF?
Ionic compounds (a metal and a nonmetal) are named using the name of the metal followed by the name of the nonmetal with its ending dropped and replaced with ide.
Write the composition of calcium iodide.
Sodium sulfide is Na2S. In Moodle, it is written Na2S.
What is the composition of aluminum nitride?
What is the composition of aluminum oxide?
S is below O on the periodic table. So, like O, it gains 2 electrons to be isoelectronic with a noble gas.
S like O gains 2 electrons to be isoelectronic with a noble gas.
What is the mass of one molecule of carbon monoxide, CO in u, amu, or atomic mass units? Use 4 SIG. FIG.
(1) It gives the relative average mass of the elements. For example, the Be atom (9.0122) is about 9 times the mass of the H atom (1.0079) and slightly less than half the mass of the F atom (18.9984).
(2) It is the actual mass of the elements in atomic mass units (amu or simply u). 1 Carbon-12 (6 protons and 6 neutrons) atom is defined to be exactly 12 u. [The mass of C given in the periodic table is slightly larger because it is the average mass of all the C isotopes--same number or protons but different numbers of neutrons. Most C is carbon-12, but there is a small amount of carbon-14 (6 protons and 8 neutrons).] Examples, what are the masses of the following molecules to 4 significant figures in u?
What is the mass of one mole of CO in grams? Use 4 SIG. FIG.
The number under the element symbol has a third meaning. This is the most common meaning. It is the mass in grams of 1 mole of the element. A mole is a number just like a dozen or a million. However, a mole is a very big number. It is 6.02 x 1023 (almost a trillion trillions or 1024). This number is called Avogadro's number. Thus, 1 mol of O atoms has a mass of 15.9994 g or 16.00 g to 4 significant figures.
What is the mass of a mole (abbreviated mol) of the following molecules to 4 significant figures grams (g)?
What is the mass of one mole of ethane, C2H6 in grams?
What is the mass of one mole of ammonium chloride, NH4Cl, in grams?
1 carbon-12 atom is 12 u.
(II) tells you that Iron has a 2+ charge.
Hint, what charge do all barium ions have? | http://www.highlanderhelp.com/chem125-2b.html |
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ATOMS
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Objectives What is an atom and its three subatomic parts? What are the charges of the three subatomic parts? How do you find atomic mass and the atomic number? Compound vs. element? What is an isotope?
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How small is an atom? The basic unit of matter. the smallest unit. ‘unable to be cut’ Can it be seen? Is it living? 100 million atoms side by side is about the width of your pinkie!
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What is an atom made of? 3 subatomic particles ◦Proton ◦Neutron ◦Electron
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Proton POSITIVE PROTON (+) Located inside the nucleus Has a positive charge and contributes to the mass Mass - 1.00727638 AMU
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Neutrons NEUTRAL NEUTRON ◦Located inside the nucleus ◦Has no charge but contributes to the mass ◦Mass- 1.0086649156 AMU
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Electrons Negative Charge ◦Orbits around the nucleus and is in constant motion. ◦They are attracted to the positive charged nucleus. ◦There are the same amount of protons as electrons. ◦Mass is too small to be included. ◦Mass- 0.0005446623 AMU ◦(1/1836 th the mass of a proton)
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Periodic Table Element- pure substance containing only one type of atom. We distinguish the elements based on protons, neutrons, and electrons.
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Compound A substance formed by the chemical combination of 2 or more elements. The physical and chemical properties of a compound and usually very different from the elements in which they are formed. Sodium is a soft metal + poisonous chlorine = sodium chloride + =
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compounds 2 or more elements Water = salt (sodium chloride) =
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Atom = smallest unit of an element Molecule = smallest unit of compound
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What does it mean? Atomic number= # of protons = # of electrons Atomic Mass= # of protons + number of neutrons Atomic mass
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Isotopes Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons. Some isotopes can give off radiation Isotopes are identified by their atomic mass.
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Isotopes Helium-5 Atomic Mass = Atomic number (protons) = Number of neutrons = Helium-6 Atomic Mass = Atomic number (protons) = Number of neutrons = Helium-7 Atomic Mass = Atomic number (protons) = Number of neutrons = Helium-8 Atomic Mass = Atomic number (protons) = Number of neutrons =
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Bonds What is the difference between a covalent bond and an ionic bond? What is an ion? What are valence electrons?
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Chemical bonds Ionic – electrons are transferred from one atom to the next. Covalent- electrons are shared between atoms
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Ionic bonds Formed when one or more electrons are transferred and ions (charged atoms)are paired. What is the charge of an electron? When sodium looses an electron it has a positive charge. Opposite ions attract!
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Valence electrons The electrons in one atom that are able to form bonds with another atom. The closer the atom is to having 8 valence electrons, the more stable it is. Where are the valence electrons?
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Ionic Bonds Bonds between a metal and nonmetal.
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Covalent Bond Electrons are shared between atoms. 1 bond is when atoms share 2 electrons Nonmetal with nonmetal Neither atom is strong enough to pull an electron away from the other so they share.
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Can an atom be broken? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyY4c WKPrSc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyY4c WKPrSc
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Water - 3,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 water molecules in a single drop of water!
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Properties of water 1. Polarity 2. Hydrogen bonds 3. Cohesion 4. Adhesion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivu4nlv D_90
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Hydrogen bonds The weak interaction between the slightly positive hydrogen and a negative atom (oxygen, fluorine, nitrogen)
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Cohesion
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Surface Tension
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Adhesion
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We regard the welfare of the horses entrusted to our care as paramount to the work of EFL. The horses’ choice to engage in this work or with a particular client is honored, trusted, and supported at all times, as is their health and care.
PRINCIPLE 4. WELFARE OF THE CLIENTS
We are guided by our desire to co-create a new way of being and acting in the worldwith clients and horses and do our best to Be the Change.
We respect the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual autonomy of our clients. We listen to their sharing and provide a safe container for their personal processes to unfold. We respect the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality and self-determination in making decisions. We support them in considering the consequences of their choices, and empower them to chart a course for their lives by helping them differentiate between false/conditioned self-beliefs and the activation of the authentic self.
We conduct ourselves responsibly with clients and are sensitive to the real and perceived difference in power between ourselves and our clients.We understand that in practicing EFL we are facilitating a process that elicits strong emotions and has the potential for activating projection, transference and counter-transference, which need to be recognized, managed, and honored with skill and integrity. Sexual intimacy with current clients is prohibited.We do not invite, respond to, or allow any sexual contact with ourclients or workshop participants.
PRINCIPLE 5. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
We are honest, fair and forthcoming in our professional relationships. We work to clarify our roles and obligations, accept responsibility for our behavior and decisions and adapt our methods to the needs of clients andhorses. We maintain an awareness of the effect that our own belief systems, values, needs and limitations may have on our EFL work.
We are aware of our influential position with respect to clients and actively avoid exploiting their trust, vulnerability, skills or inclination for dependency. It is essential that clear and appropriate boundaries be established to prevent misunderstandings or relationship confusion that could adversely affect the client and/or the EFL work with them.
We are sensitive to and respectful of the fact that clients and horses have varying degrees of comfort with physical contact. Except when safety is a factor, clients and horses have the right to limit or refuse physical contact and to set appropriate boundaries with Instructors, other clients and other horses.
We understand that as Instructors it is not advisable to have family members or close friends as clients in our workshops when non-family members or friends are participating.
Because of our ability to influence the lives of others and affect the field of EFL, we exercise special care when offering our professional recommendations and opinions.
We ensure that all our staff, volunteers and/or assistants involved in EFL programs or trainings are adequately trained to perform their tasks competently, and that they are aware of and knowledgeable about MEDICINE HORSE WAY principals and the Authentic Community guidelines.
PRINCIPLE 9. BUSINESS PRACTICES
We shall maintain clear and honest business practices with clients, employees, other Instructors and the public, including making clear agreements regarding appointments, workshop times and fees for clients, clear employment policies and practices regarding hours, responsibilities, benefits and compensation, and explicit and accurate information regarding program ownership and marketing practices.
When a workshop is created and advertised we will fully commit to it from start to finish, avoiding cancellations as much as possible. Our marketing strategy is to “under promise and over deliver”.
We make accurate statements to clients regarding our qualifications, training, services, products and fees, and we charge appropriate fees, which are disclosed prior to commencement of services. | https://medicinehorseway.com/la-charte-des-bonnes-pratiques/ |
When new parents that have not had much experience around children begin developing their parenting styles, they normally choose between trying to replicate the styles from the homes in which they were raised, or doing the opposite of what their parents did. Some parents choose one of these options and also look to books and parenting experts to refine their techniques. All of this is perfectly normal and common among new parents.
Unfortunately, there are those who for different reasons, have difficulty developing appropriate parent-child relationships and healthy parenting styles. In this article, we will be discussing a particular phenomenon that can result a toxic relationship between parents and their children called infantilization, a tendency to treat or condescend someone as if they were a young child, i.e., to baby them.
The Causes of Infantilization
Raising children to become functional, well-adjusted members of society is a challenging task, and many struggle with knowing whether or not they are “doing it right.” While there are a lot of books and opinions about the best way to raise children, there are several fundamental attributes that research has shown to be present in the homes of those children that have grown up to become confident, independent, empathetic, and overall great citizens of the world. Generally, a parent who is able to provide a balance of warmth and nurturing with consistent boundary setting and appropriate limits is likely to have parenting success.
When a parent is too permissive and nurturing, having no boundaries or limits, or when they are too authoritarian, demanding, threatening, or even abusive, these toxic extremes lead children to struggle with developing appropriate ways to form their other relationships and transition to a life on their own when they become adults.
One particular type of toxic parenting relationship occurs when a parent struggles with having a solid sense of who they are as a person. This is more specifically characterized by those that have low self-worth, an inflated (or narcissistic) sense of self and feelings of entitlement to the attention and admiration from their children. When a person has difficulty loving and understanding themselves, they can often develop codependent traits that impact their ability to raise children to be independent, free-thinking, and emotionally healthy adults. Parenting in this way can lead to infantilization.
Signs of Infantilizing Behavior
Here is a list of common behaviors by parents that would be constituted as toxic parenting strategies and characterized as infantilizing behavior:
- “Babying” children – assuming they cannot do things they are developmentally capable of and stifling their ability to try. Infantilizing parents may also try to keep their children looking young to convey that they are unable to care for themselves, in style, appearance, or activities
- Being judgmental and disapproving – expressing severe negative reactions to a child’s desire to branch out and have their own unique ideas or skills. Infantilizing parents may often shame their children for trying to make decisions on their own. Similarly, these infantilizing parents may also exhibit lots of negative criticism; being harsh and overly critical of their child’s independent behaviors, thoughts, and ideas.
- Rejecting or interfering in moves for independence – thwarting a child’s ability to grow by disallowing them to do things like get a driver’s license or move out of the house, or getting involved with or interfering in their relationships with others.
The Dangers of Infantilization
Parents who infantilize their children will emphasize a child’s incompetence in independent activities, making it difficult for them to feel confident of their ability to do things on their own without that parent. This can ultimately cause the child to develop a sense of anxiety or insecurity about being on their own or making their own decisions, which can lead to overdependence on their parent, and an inability to function in the world.
This behavior often spans well into adulthood and the child struggles to develop a life outside of their parents’ grasp. If a child attempts to obtain some semblance of independence from these parents, the parents may feel threatened and act out in emotionally explosive or abusive ways to cause the child to revert back to their normal codependent status quo. This dynamic causes stress and can increase the likelihood that the child will develop severe symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues that cause them to not be able to function in every day life.
How to Avoid Infantilization
Seeking support from a qualified and trained mental health professional can help the child of an infantilizing parent to develop their sense of self and self-worth, allowing them to develop and establish healthy boundaries with their parents so they may move toward independence. This will be difficult and take some time, but with support, setting and keeping boundaries is possible.
If an adult child finds that the boundaries are not being honored by a parent, they may need to decrease or eliminate contact with that parent to help improve their own mental health and stability, for what is hopefully a temporary period of time until they are able to establish an appropriate level of independence. | https://www.e-counseling.com/articles/causes-and-symptoms-of-infantilization/ |
Building boundaries: When it’s OK to make it all about you
How boundary setting can help tackle burnout and improve business bottom lines.
Why You Should Care
Working from home during the pandemic has made it almost impossible for employees to switch off from work.
How can setting boundaries help reduce burnout and drive productivity?
How must HR teams step up and lead by example to support productive boundary setting in their organizations?
The restricted freedoms of the past 18-months have at least provided us with a new perspective on life; both at home and at work.
Workers are emerging from the pandemic with a clearer idea of what they want, what they’re not prepared to tolerate, and where we want to build new boundaries between work and play.
Employees have been granted a new hybrid flexibility to choose what works best for them at work. But this hybridity has the potential to blur the lines between work life and home life: virtual communications platforms make it easier than ever to be “always-on”. This is why setting boundaries is important.
In fact, implementing workplace boundaries can empower greater productivity during the day whilst maintaining a healthy work-life balance to switch off to avoid burnout.
Nonetheless, initiating the conversation with a manager or colleague to establish a boundary can be an intimidating task to undertake; one that requires a certain level of self-assured conviction.
This is where HR can provide support to ensure that employees have a healthy work/life balance and can successfully establish those boundaries.
But the challenge doesn’t end here: yes, establishing a new boundary and initiating that change is tough, but it’s often even tougher to maintain that stance with colleagues.
So, how can employees consciously set and continually reinforce work-life boundaries, crucially with the support of HR?
Notice the need to set a new boundary
Being aware of when a boundary needs to be set in the first place is often half the battle.
Throughout lockdown, when working remotely, the lines between work and home life were often easily blurred, making it easier to work longer hours and, equally, allowing the strains and stresses of our personal lives to affect our presence at work.
It very quickly became important to be able to shut the door on the home office (no matter how make-shift the set-up) and create a physical boundary between the two.
However, the flexibility of hybrid working presents a new challenge in itself.
If you’re suddenly able to work anywhere, from home, from the office or from the local coffee shop, where can you go to switch off?
As we emerge from our home offices, and begin to explore the mixed bag of hybrid working, it’s important to stay in touch with our feelings and general wellbeing.
We’ve spent the last 18 months with an all for one and one for all attitude as we battled the uncertainty of lockdown and remote working together, but the flexibility of hybrid working introduces a new wave of individualism.
Now everyone’s working environment is determined by their own preferences and the demands of their own lives: everyone is in their own boat.
It’s the responsibility of HR to monitor the wellbeing of their workforce and flag any behaviors which indicate an impending wave of employee burnout.
Utilizing the right technology can boost the self-awareness of the workforce so the warning signs are less likely to go amiss.
For example, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can complement the emotional intelligence of the human workforce and provide an uncensored picture of the difficult aspects of organizational change, gathering this raw grassroots data during coaching sessions.
Crucially, it can assess behavior and provide aggregated company-wide trends that can be monitored and acted on by HR before they manifest in endemic problems.
AI opens the potential of a more transparent understanding of the self, how you work best and where and when these boundaries may best be set. Self-awareness is the starting point in noticing the need to set a new boundary.
Set a new boundary
Clarity is crucial in setting boundaries: what is it and why is it important?
When it comes to HR, they have the power to set an example.
The highest levels of change fatigue are often located within the HR department itself; it’s the role that is most stretched by dealing with the impact of change and has the most responsibility in supporting the workforce.
However, despite this responsibility, HR professionals don’t always have the authority to make the changes.
Therefore, it’s vital that HR have their own support network: as an HR professional, setting your own boundary is often the best place to start.
Start small, for example making it clear that you won’t be checking emails after 6 pm, or that you will have an hour outside for lunch, away from your desk, each day.
These little changes are easy to implement and can have a notable impact. They needn’t be hugely disruptive to your team or the business as a whole, but can be game-changing within your unique way of working.
AI can be integrated into this process: since it has no agenda, no relationship and, to a certain extent, no bias, it allows unfiltered access to self-awareness.
It is HR’s job to communicate this, through a human lens, and to the workforce as a whole. A combination of a human and technological approach to boundaries allows for a more open and trusting two-way relationship between managers and employees, built on an understanding of the self and an inclusive access to support and self-awareness.
Communicating with colleagues and the business as a whole will make this transition smoother. Be transparent and let people who will be affected by this boundary know about it from the outset.
One of the most common barriers to change is the people around us. Building new work/life boundaries will unsurprisingly change the dynamic of some of your working relationships.
For example, if you’re no longer answering emails in the evening, some adjustments to existing routines may be necessary.
One of the great benefits of lockdown has been the openness about mental health and wellbeing – especially in the workplace.
Speaking about personal and professional challenges that you’re facing is the first step in solving them before we reach breaking point.
The pandemic has been a real-world example of how HR can learn from and support each other and colleagues as they encounter new situations. Establish and build on open and trusting relationships at work.
That way, instead of draining energy worrying about what might result from impending business change, HR can have a genuine conversation about what works best for all parties and relax knowing that boundary is doing its job for everyone.
As an HR leader, you should develop a shift in mindset to hover over complex situations and the needs of the workforce whilst looking at this bigger picture through a human lens to help individuals get stuck in with the small acts of agency that drive the change.
Reinforce the boundary
Once you’ve worked out how the boundary can be established, it doesn’t stop there: take responsibility for managing it on an ongoing basis.
When you implement your own rules, you may encounter a tussle in some of the conversations if you’re looking to change the status quo.
HR can support this by ensuring that they don’t get drawn into the dialogue around change fatigue, but instead highlight how building boundaries can develop more small acts of agency amongst the workforce which empower employees as individuals.
HR should encourage the self-awareness of others: simply noticing the effect of building boundaries can reinforce their impact and build confidence and resilience across the organization.
The key to reinforcing boundaries is remaining consistent and clear.
Establish the personal and explain why boundaries are necessary for employees. In a professional environment where everyone has their own individual routine and way of working, HR leaders will have to demonstrate an emotional intelligence to empathize with their workforce.
Explain, for example, how receiving emails in the middle of the night reinforces the idea that work is inescapable. Instead, employees could email during working hours to maintain a boundary between the personal and the professional.
Always talk about the self and the effect work has on the individual. Speaking from the perspective of individual behaviors reinforces the human rather than the theoretical.
And, if it gets hard to maintain your boundaries, remind employees of the benefits and why they’re doing it – this will fuel the assertiveness to say no.
HR can bring emotional intelligence to technology and combine human relationships with the power of AI feedback. This can reinforce to individuals exactly what small adjustments they need to incorporate in order to help make a difference and transform their work/life balance in a hybrid working world.
It may be challenging, involve some daunting confrontation and a period of change, but more often than not establishing these clear boundaries at work will benefit the business and employees alike.
It’s all about spotting behavioral trends before they become endemic, and uncensored AI can empower the human workforce to increase its agency through acute self-awareness – sometimes you just need to make it about you.
This way, boundaries can be set before it’s too late, organizational change can be driven from the bottom up for a more trusting and transparent working environment for all. With time to distance yourself, rest, and recuperate, the risk of burnout is minimized, teams become more productive and the business more profitable.
It’s win, win, win!
Cofounder and CEO
Co-Founder and CEO of UNTAPPED, on a mission to change the culture of the workplace, so that work works for everyone. | https://www.unleash.ai/company-culture/building-boundaries-when-its-ok-to-make-it-all-about-you/ |
The Source Farm Foundation and Ecovillage was established in 2005 to facilitate the need of Jamaicans in the diaspora to return home, and to create a place of ecological stewardship and care.
Blondel Shirley-Atwater, the founder of The Source Farm Foundation and Ecovillage (The Source), left Jamaica in the 1980’s in search of greater opportunity and an education for her 3 children.
After many years of work, learning, and a myriad of life experiences, Blondel felt that it was time to return home and get back to the source of what had sustained her and her family.
She was afforded the opportunity to create The Source in pursuit of her dreams to heal, teach, live, learn, and love.
Since 2005, The Source has evolved into a dynamic, innovative, model community demonstrating; sustainable living, organic and natural farming, community development initiatives, and a variety of approaches to assist in improving personal and interpersonal relationships.
We invite you to join us at The Source!
Mission Statement
The Source is a multi-cultural, intergenerational, intentional ecovillage. We have a commitment to:
Natural Living
Holistic Health & Spirituality
Ecological Stewardship & Permaculture
Organic Farming & Gardening
Educational Sharing (Learning & Teaching)
Natural Building-SuperAdobe/Earthbag and Dome Structures
Arts & Culture
The Source creates a healing retreat for residents and guests and a spiritual sanctuary to experience serenity and tranquility.
Vision Statement
The Source will be an innovative, model community that is dedicated to respecting and restoring Mother Earth. We will foster personal growth, personal development and empower our community to be ambassadors of natural and progressive living. The Source will be known for its diverse social and economic opportunities with a mosaic of award-winning cultural, recreational and artistic amenities and services.
VALUES
The Source Guidelines
1) Natural Living
To be deeply connected to the place in which we live, learning its boundaries, rhythms, and living in synchronicity.
We will create and design structures and gathering places to blend with and complement the natural environment, using natural, bioregional and ecologically sound (renewable, non-toxic, recycled) materials and methods of construction.
To use renewable, non-toxic energy sources to heat and power The Source.
To research, test and demonstrate innovative technologies that are ethical and support natural systems.
To create a way of life that contributes to a peaceful, loving, sustainable world.
2) Holistic Health & Spirituality
We will be a non-secular community, yet acknowledge the higher power in all things.
We will develop options for restoring, maintaining or improving health (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual), including natural remedies and alternative health practices.
We will respect the many ways of spirituality and support a variety of opportunities for development of the inner self.
We will foster a sense of joy, belonging, fun and mystery through ceremonies and celebrations.
We will acknowledge the interconnectedness and interdependence of all the elements of life on Earth.
3) Ecological Stewardship & Permaculture
To respect natural life, its systems and processes- preserving wildlife and botanical habitat, and creating a lifestyle that regenerates, rather than diminishing the integrity of The Source environment.
We will maintain an ecologically sound and economically prosperous stewardship of the land utilizing the techniques and principles of permaculture.
We will use and dispose of human waste and waste water, to the benefit of the environment and community.
We will use permaculture design principles in the planning and building of The Source.
To practice conservation in transportation systems and methods.
To minimize consumption and the generating of waste, while respecting individual needs.
To establish a clean, renewable water supply- respecting, protecting and conserving it.
We will live with respect for the land and one another.
4) Organic Farming & Gardening
To choose food that comes primarily from The Source itself, or other local and bioregional sources, that are organic, varied and provides nutritional balance.
We will work to maintain our own personal gardens as a contribution to our food needs.
We will use Non-GMO seeds.
We will not use chemical pesticides or unnatural growth enhancers.
We will work cooperatively to maintain The Farm and other Source common areas.
5) Education
To value and nurture personal growth, learning and creativity, developing opportunities for teaching and learning of all age groups in a variety of forms.
We will establish educational, leadership, internship, and exchange programs that will enable us to be of service to others, communicate and share our experiences, and link with similar local and global efforts.
We will establish an elementary and secondary school.
We will establish a grant for all children of The Source to continue their education at the university level.
6) Arts & Culture
To nurture The Source's vitality through artistic and other cultural activities and celebrations.
To value creativity and the Arts as an expression of unity and interrelationship to our universe, and encourage and support various forms of artistic expression and artful living.
To preserve and enjoy beauty and cultivate aesthetic values.
We will value visual and healing arts and work to bring beauty to our community to improve our quality of life and lifestyle.
7) Self-Sufficiency
To develop a flow of resources- giving and receiving of funds, goods and services.
We will contribute ideas, talents, energies and finances to achieve community goals.
We will create business enterprises to assure economic viability and minimum dependence on institutional structures and market systems.
We will build self-sustaining infrastructures to meet our basic needs.
8) Social Stewardship
To co-create a sense of social stability and dynamism, with a foundation of safety and trust that enables members to freely express themselves to the benefit of all.
To co-create spaces and systems that support and maximize communication, healthy relationships and productivity within The Source and with the surrounding community.
To share talents, skills and other resources within The Source, and outside to serve the greater good.
To honor diversity as a source of health, vitality and creativity in the natural environment and in community relations.
We will create a safer and more loving environment in which to raise children and will work to ensure that children will be supported in every way in the community.
We will connect with and serve the local community through workshops, employment opportunities, and business relationships.
9) Technology
To create opportunities and use technologies that enhances communication within The Source, and throughout the world wide community.
To avoid using technologies that will harm or endanger The Source and the Earth.
We will use scared technologies to enhance our understanding of our environment and assist us in healthy living.
We will use ancient building techniques that are in accord with utilizing and preserving our natural environment.
10) Code of Ethics
We will consider each person to be an individual member including those in a coupled relationship and children.
We will deal directly, openly, and honestly with each other.
We will seek to work, learn, and teach others.
We will each have equal decision making rights.
We will build consensus among members as a means of collective decision making.
We will be open and respectful of feedback and criticism and when conflict arises, resolve it immediately and peacefully, seeking mediation if necessary.
We will agree that violence and abuse whether physical or emotional, have no place in the community.
Board Of Directors
Blondel Shirley-Atwater, Nicola Shirley-Phillips, Nomi Shirley, Julia Porter, Pam Campbell
Members
Blondel Shirley-Atwater, Nicola Shirley-Phillips, Nomi Shirley, Dwight Shirley, Keisha Shirley, Maria Pandolfi, Carole Robinson, Yomi Robinson, Lalita Dunbar, Celina Cowan, Julia Porter, Pam Campbell, Tim Rees, Eric Biesecker, Michael Nero, | https://www.thesourcefarm.com/ecovillage/about |
Imagine in your mind’s eye that you are a new parent holding your baby in your arms. You have visions of a perfect relationship with your child and see this beautiful future. Fast forward a few years, your baby is now in grade school or even highschool. While you are holding onto those visions you once had of holding your infant, the feeling of a perfect relationship appears fleeting. Your child feels distant, cold, and even emotionally volatile. It is fairly common and natural for a parent to react to their child by blaming themselves as though there is something intrinsically wrong with them as a parent. It is equally as natural for a parent to wonder “what the heck is this kid’s problem?” You may have even had the question come across your mind, “why does it feel like my child hates me?”
I have worked with many families with similar complaints relating to concerns about the relationship dynamic between themselves and their child. Desperate for love, respect, or a combination of the two, parents come into therapy hoping to soothe the discomfort experienced within the parent-child relationship. The ways one forms healthy attachments within relationships is built upon the receptiveness and responsiveness of their physical and emotional needs by their care-giver during childhood.
At this point you’re probably asking something along the lines of “Great… Now what can I do….” The wonderful thing about restoring a healthy attachment and why I am so passionate about the work I do with my clients is that there is always hope. Below are four helpful tips to form, restore, and maintain a healthy relationship with your child no matter the age.
1. Stop, drop, and listen
We live in a fast-paced society, constantly on the go and connected to technology. It is no surprise that this would likely affect the parent-child relationship. Building a healthy attachment with your child starts with establishing that they are safe to approach you with their needs and you will in turn be receptive. Helping your child understand this means giving them your undivided attention. Stop what you are doing, put down any distractions (i.e. your phone), and listen. Whatever you were doing before can wait, but the opportunity to establish a connection with your child needs to take precedence.
2. Be consistent and clear with boundaries
As much as it may seem like they are fighting it, your child or teen needs structure. This is done through consistently keeping to your boundaries and expectations. Start by making concerns, expectations, and boundaries verbally clear. Your child or teenager won’t know your expectations without you communicating them (they aren’t mind readers). Once you’ve communicated your expectation or boundary, keep to it and be consistent every time. No phones at the dinner table? Set the example through your own behavior and keep your reminders firm yet gentle. Setting a firm boundary does not need to end with a yelling match where your child only remembers the stress of the interaction and not the boundary itself.
3. Create intentional interactions
Cultivating connection with your child requires intentional action. Try to set aside time each day where all you are doing is connecting with your child or teen with something that they enjoy. Maybe it is a game, a craft, or even just talking about a subject they enjoy. Your intentional actions will be remembered positively and help your child establish resilience against shame, which brings up the next important tip.
4. Fight the shame monster
Whether it is the marker drawings on the wall from your toddler, or your teen’s missing assignment from algebra, it can be easy to react. You want the best for your child and will do everything you can to see them succeed. However, when we give a punitive reaction, we trigger a fight or flight response and harm the attachment. The association for the child is no longer that their parent is a safe and supportive guide, but is an enforcer of shame. It is instinctual to avoid shame through all means possible, and for your child, this may take the form of lying, acting out, or even worsening the behavior. To combat the shame monster, invest in your child’s intrinsic worth. Support your child in their strengths, keep a gentle approach, and create space for grace. Your child needs to know first that they are accepted unconditionally before taking the steps towards change.
Whether you have a toddler or a teenager, give these tips a try. You may be surprised by how effective taking the time to slow down and listen to your child can be. Be patient with not only your child, but also yourself. It is likely that you are going to be working on changing some behaviors and patterns that have been in play for some time now. However, no matter the difficulty, there is always hope for you and your child to build a healthy, connected relationship. | https://identityannarbor.com/blog/ |
Extended time with kids for the holidays, end of year work parties & socials, baecationing, at family for Christmas time, more time to spend with friends, more time to spend with yourself... Relational wellness is always important (and can be a challenge at times, like during the festive season!). After all, maintaining these relationships and being part of a supportive community is important for this area of wellness- improving feelings of satisfaction & security, providing help in times of need, fostering personal growth & confidence, and also helping to improve communication skills.
Here are a few things to try to encourage healthy relationships this holiday season:
• Keep expectations realistic - healthy relationships mean accepting people as they are and not trying to change them. Easier said than done, but it's more likely if we aim to set the intention this holiday
• Have clear boundaries! Boundries, much like borders of a country, help individuals to define where one person ends and the other begins. While these are often unspoken in close relationships, it might be helpful to layout clear boundaries - your responsibilities vs the other person's responsibilities - as this helps protect the person's identity, while allowing relationships thrive.
• Don't be afraid to ask for what you need from others.
• Try to listen to other people without judgment or blame, and aim to disagree respectfully
• Maintain somewhat of a routine while keeping flexible. This might include good sleeping patterns, a healthy diet and time for exercise (by yourself or with your friends / family)... activities that promote wellbeing
It takes a balance of courage and vulnerability to have meaningful relationships (thanks Brene Brown 😉). If you struggle with any of these or don't feel like you don't have a sense of connection & belonging and a well developed support system, please reach out. This is an important factor in overall wellbeing. | https://www.roxannegoodchild.com/post/tis-the-season-for-social-wellness |
Through our work in providing housing, support, and care, we aim to create an environment that gives young women a secure base from which to develop self-respect, independence, and purpose in their lives.
We will be responsible for a high-quality service, developing our skills and knowledge to ensure professional standards are met.
We will respect our Residents as individuals, safeguarding their rights and promoting awareness of their responsibilities. We will work with residents in a clear manner, to ensure accurate expectations about us are held and that there is an understanding of our expectations.
We will not be discriminatory or prejudiced nor tolerate discrimination or prejudice in or against others. We will seek to recognise and accommodate differing needs and backgrounds in order to serve all in the best and most appropriate way.
We will empower our Residents to participate in decision-making and to take responsibility for their own lives and future development.
We will seek to maintain a positive and helpful relationship with residents once they leave our service and this includes those who we may be unable to continue to house.
We will ensure professional responsibility takes precedence over personal interests in all our work. We will ensure we maintain confidentiality and that professional boundaries are in place.
We will ensure that outreach and promotion of our services within the wider community takes place both in the interests of individuals and to ensure anyone who may benefit from it accesses our service.
We will monitor our services regularly to ensure we are operating both as a good employer and as an effective service provider.
Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust is committed to equal opportunities in its provision of services, employment practices and management of the project.
As an organisation in a multicultural and diverse area of the inner city, the Trust seeks to actively oppose all forms of discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, colour, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, disability, transgender status, age, religion, marital status, class and any situation where people are disadvantaged by conditions or requirements that cannot be shown to be justified. Marsha Phoenix Memorial Trust declares that we are taking positive steps towards promoting equality and combating all direct and indirect discrimination. | https://marshaphoenix.org/what-we-do/mission |
Are you currently in a toxic relationship or friendship?
- Do you feel emotionally drained or exhausted after talking with this person?
- Do you feel like you cannot do anything right in the relationship?
- Do you often feel like you are walking on eggshells around the person?
- Do you struggle to establish and maintain helpful boundaries?
You can’t pinpoint exactly when it started. Maybe it has been this way for a long time, or maybe it started recently, but you are now realizing that the person you thought you had a positive and supportive relationship with now feels like an emotional vampire. This may be a romantic partner, close friend, or family member. You stress about upsetting this person and have found yourself worrying more about their wellbeing than your own. You feel responsible for their joys and concerns at the detriment of your own happiness. You experience frequent discomfort and anxiety with them, especially related to guilt or feeling like you are letting them down. You have noticed their behavior can be unpredictable and erratic, but aren’t sure how to approach that with them.
In the process of dealing with toxic people, the first and most important thing we can do to take care of ourselves is to establish and maintain firm boundaries. Boundaries give us the opportunity to communicate to others what we are comfortable with and, more importantly, what we are not. They allow us the opportunity to feel heard and understood by our partners, family and friends.
Boundaries Can Be Very Difficult to Establish
Although it may feel that way sometimes, you are not alone in this struggle. Many people find it difficult to uphold firm boundaries and tell those they care about NO in times of need. It is easy to fall into a cycle of caring for others for so long and spending your time and energy focusing on them. But then who is spending time and energy on your needs?
So, what are boundaries exactly? You may be reading this, saying to yourself “this sounds familiar” but wondering what I mean when I say establishing and maintaining boundaries. TherapistAid defines personal boundaries as “the limits and rules we set for ourselves within relationships”. Boundaries typically fall into 3 categories: Healthy (firm but flexible), rigid (avoiding close relationships, detached) and porous (oversharing, difficulty saying “no”). Another way to think about boundaries is: too strong – too weak – just right.
While it may be hard to pinpoint exactly when or why these issues with setting and keeping boundaries in this relationship began, sometimes looking back at your experiences as a child or adolescent can be helpful. You may have grown up in an environment that did not model good boundaries and are struggling now as an adult to learn to establish them for yourself. Or perhaps the environment you grew up in had very strict, harsh boundaries and you vowed to never live that way again. Finding healthy, stable and appropriate boundaries for yourself is important. Not only can it help reduce feelings of fear, panic and guilt, but it can also help you feel a renewed sense of emotional energy and empowerment.
Working on boundaries may seem difficult now, but there is hope for helping you feel happier and healthier. You are reading this because you recognize you may be struggling with an unhealthy, toxic relationship. Working with a supportive and compassionate therapist can help you work through those issues and start to find balance and self-appreciation again.
“Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves even when we risk disappointing others.” – Brene Brown
Therapy Can Help You Focus On Your Own Needs
At one point or another, we all struggle to establish firm boundaries, care for our own needs, and put ourselves first. It can be particularly challenging for women as well, who may have fallen into the caretaker role for much of their lives. If you are feeling like it has become unmanageable and aren’t even sure where to begin, R & R Mental Health Counseling can help.
Our sessions will implement effective psychotherapy methods to gently guide you towards self-awareness, understanding and acceptance. We will work together, starting with your strengths and natural talents, to explore the feelings of guilt and pressure you may be having about setting boundaries and saying no in this relationship. We will collaborate to develop a plan that meets your unique and specific needs, while creating an opportunity for you to feel empowered to make your own choices and be the expert on your own life and relationship.
I have experience working with many modes of therapy, including interactive, activity-based therapy as well as mindfulness practice. My therapeutic style is direct, compassionate, strength-based and person-centered. I enjoy finding unique and creative ways to relate to my clients and help them recognize some areas of growth or change to focus on. We will work together to help provide you and your journey gentle guidance and forward movement.
You are looking for therapy services because dealing with toxic people or relationships has started to feel unmanageable or out of control and you don’t know where to start. Some days it feels like everything you do is wrong, and nothing will make it better. You want to feel more balanced and in control but aren’t even sure where to begin. Engaging in therapeutic counseling can offer you a safe, confidential place to discuss and process through your feelings and troubles related to dealing with toxic people. It can also provide you the opportunity to more closely examine how you are interacting with those around you and work to establish healthier relationships in all areas of your life.
You will start to notice changes in yourself and the way you interact once you feel safe and secure, knowing you have a supportive, reliable person you can talk to and confide in. You may begin to feel more energetic, hopeful, and empowered. You may also begin to see that your actions and how you choose to channel your thoughts and feelings can have an astounding impact on your overall health and well-being.
You Are Considering Starting Therapy, But Still Have Some Questions . . . .
I Know I Need Some Help, But I Am Worried About the Cost?
Getting help for yourself and valuing your own needs enough to reach out is an important investment in your future. It represents a change in the way you see yourself and the significance you place on self-care. The effects of a positive therapeutic counseling experience can be far-reaching and meaningful across many stages and areas of your life. Additionally, therapy can also help you create stronger, healthier and more well-balanced relationships for yourself.
I am committed to making therapy affordable for all who are interested. I work with the Open Path Psychotherapy Collective to offer sliding scale options. I also currently work with multiple insurance companies which typically cover some or all of sessions.
Can’t I Just Talk To My Family and Friends About My Problems?
This tends to be the most common question from people who are considering starting therapy. I know sometimes it can be tempting to use our friends and family as our therapist. However, it is important to remember that, to really get the most out of therapy, we have to keep our boundaries strong and well established, especially when it comes to who we are relying on for guidance or feedback. This can be a really great way to practice implementing healthier self care and keeping the therapeutic space and relationship sacred for yourself. As someone outside your family and friend group, I am able to offer an unbiased perspective and objective feedback on things we discuss in sessions that your friends and family can’t, based solely on the nature of those relationships and the connection and investment that comes along with those relationships.
What If I Come To Therapy But It Doesn’t Work?
Part of the magic of therapy is trusting the process. Deep down, you know yourself well and can feel when you are struggling and in need of some guidance. Though it may be hard at times to admit, it is also difficult to refuse the help when it is right in front of you. Some people may take longer to open up and establish trust with their therapist than others. However, in my experience, many describe an almost immediate feeling of relief to have found someone that can help guide you through a difficult time and will develop the openness and trust necessary to make therapy helpful and successful for you over time.
Get Help Living A More Balanced Life
Providing 24/7 online scheduling and offering afternoon and evening appointments, you can find a convenient time for your appointment to fit your busy schedule without the hassle. We will work together to help meet your specific needs. Call (773) 706-7907 or click below to schedule your first appointment today! | https://randrmentalhealthcounseling.com/dealing-with-toxic-people/ |
Friendship is not something that happens to us. It is something we choose and build and expand. It is the most valuable thing we have. It is our most intimate connection to other people, the thing that binds us most closely to our fellow humans, the thing that makes us who we are, and the thing we will miss most when it is taken away.
The limits of friendship are vast. It can bring us together in the greatest adventures and the most profound sorrows, but it can also tear us apart when our needs clash. Sometimes our friendships require space, other times they require time, but they always require our best effort.
When we set boundaries, we are saying that we have the ability to choose who comes into our space and when they do, we will be the best version of ourselves. This allows us to be honest with our friends and allows them to be honest with us without feeling like they are being rejected. It also gives us the opportunity to have the greatest friendships and build the most meaningful relationships.
How to Set Boundaries With Friends?
1-Express your value of the friendship:
Setting boundaries with friends does not mean hurting their feelings; it is actually the opposite. Make sure that you let your friends know how important they are to you before you start to talk about setting any boundaries. With this advice, you can be able to get through the conversation without causing any conflict.
2-Be honest with your feelings:
When you are feeling judged or disapproved by a friend, it is important to communicate this to them. Explain how their behavior is making you feel and why. If we do not express our feelings, the other person will not know and continue to behave in a way that hurts us.
Without knowing that their actions are causing issues, they cannot be expected to change their behavior. By communicating your concerns, you can make them more aware of the problem.
3- Time Boundaries :
Tell your friend that you’ll only be available for a set amount of time. If they are late, you may leave when you said you would, regardless of whether they are ready to go or not. It is also polite to explain that you feel disrespected or frustrated when they are late for meetings.
4-Protect your priorities:
Prioritizing your own needs is one of the most important functions of boundaries; they stop you from putting the needs of others above your own. Though it may be difficult, you always have to consider what is best for you before anything else you want to feel good about helping your friends, it is important to make sure you protect your priorities and are not resentful, stressed, or burdened. for example, Before you make plans with friends, be sure to check your schedule and to-do list to make sure you’re free.
5-Preserve your individuality and personal space:
It’s important for friends to maintain their individuality and not feel like they always have to agree, be like-minded, or do everything together. It’s totally fine if friends spend time apart, have separate interests, and don’t feel the need to be involved in every aspect of each other’s lives. Having different opinions, personal space, and privacy does not have to threaten the stability of a healthy friendship.
6-Don’t Be Afraid to Say No :
People who fear saying “no” frequently end up with an unmanageable amount of responsibilities and subsequently sacrifice their self-care. “No” is a powerful word that is recognized across many languages. It can be conveyed with simple gestures or facial expressions and is a strong word that can have a significant impact.
It is important to remember that every affirmative and negative response contributes to shaping your reality. You have the agency to decide how you will use your time and energy. If something doesn’t sit right with you, it is probably not worth doing. The word “no” is crucial for setting and maintaining healthy boundaries.
7-Protect yourself from toxic or abusive friends:
When boundaries are violated, it often results in someone feeling offended, hurt or betrayed this is part of a larger pattern of behavior in a relationship, it may be indicative of the need to re-evaluate, or even end, the friendship. It is especially important to address this issue if your friend has been behaving in ways that are toxic or abusive towards you and the behavior has continued.
Related:How to Deal With Toxic People ?
8-Positive self-talk:
As you start to prioritize your own life over your friends’ needs, you might find yourself doubting and judging yourself. it is important to remember that in a healthy friendship, both parties respect each other’s personal time and space. Reminding yourself of this early on is crucial, as it will help you establish healthy limits with your friends.
9-Open conversation:
It is essential to have transparent communication about what each person wants and expects from the other in any healthy relationship.By communicating openly and honestly, you will be able to establish boundaries more effectively. The more direct and clear your communication is regarding your boundaries, the easier it will be to maintain them.
Before making your boundaries active, it is essential that you speak with your friends. Respectfully inform them of your concerns and explain why they are necessary. Furthermore, you must inquire as to their thoughts and feelings regarding the proposed boundaries. | https://viemina.com/the-limits-of-friendship/ |
Boundaries, defined as “lines that mark the limits of an area; dividing lines”, are a powerful resource as we nourish our ability to create healthy experiences in the world. In regards to unsafe situations, boundaries are set to clearly establish separation. If you are in an unsafe situation in any way, your “no” is a clear proclamation meant to keep you from emotional or physical harm. Accessing our power and voice in this way is paramount. However, in healthy, thriving relationships I’d like to look at boundaries through a different window. Rather than viewing boundaries as a way to disconnect or protect, I’d like to establish a premise that cultivating the art of communicating boundaries lovingly, can serve the purpose for sustainable and vital connection. In fact, as we navigate building the kinds of relationships that allow us to be more fully ourselves, we have the opportunity to utilize boundaries as a way to co-create inspiring, passionate, balanced and pleasurable experiences with our beloveds. Over the years boundary violation builds wounds in our individual lives and preserving healthy boundaries in sustainable relationship, is a great bridge to healing those past wounds.
In romantic relationship, one of the issues that can create conflict is when one partner tries to move things forward sexually and the other partner says no. A common reaction in partnership during sexual intimacy when a boundary is set is that the partner given the boundary, immediately pulls all touch away. Sometimes it isn’t easy to receive a boundary because a “no” or a “slow down” may not be said in a conscious loving way, adding to our sense that we are doing something wrong. Learning how to express our needs and desires in regards to boundaries is a balance between conscious communication and attunement. Both partners can change the quality of intimacy when they are willing to integrate these aspects of healthy connection. On another level, in my work with couples and individuals, what I hear from them is that there is a risk to saying “no” to sex or sensuality because it sometimes causes an immediate gap in closeness. Sometimes a sexual partner will override their own boundary because their desire for some form of intimacy is high enough that they don’t want to risk an upset. This can also happen in new burgeoning romantic relationships as well. The level of acceptance and touch we long for can cause us to inhibit our voices and diminish our pleasure. One of the things I do in my work as a Sex and Relationship Counselor is help clients experience connection with one another while setting or responding to a boundary. Learning to stay present to one another while honoring and voicing your boundaries and desires is paramount in heightening intimacy in relationship.
When setting boundaries in your romantic relationships, imagine the possibility of doing so to strengthen connection, both with yourself and the one with whom you are setting a boundary. This takes presence and curiosity. While letting yourself experience the emotions that may arise because you may feel you have done something wrong or your partner doesn’t want you to touch them, let it be a place where you turn your gaze more fully towards them, slowing down your touch to stillness. Return your touch to the territory you were already exploring and become curious about your partner’s desire. Attunement to your partners needs is potentially an area that growth can occur. As with any art form, there is always room to grow. Allowing and encouraging your partner to teach you how they want you to touch them, what they want to hear, how they want to be seen and what turns them on, expands the playground for pleasure. When boundaries are honored as a way to enhance connection, what follows close behind is a new realm of possibility and a deeper intimacy you can dive more playfully and passionately into within your partnership. | https://jaimewilliams.net/life-notes/2017/10/22/boundaries |
This week saw the release of the OECD’s globally relevant ‘Better Life Index’, which ranks international countries according to 11 criteria sets that are reportedly crucial to a happy life. Including data concerning health, education, income and environment, it also asks respondents to evaluate their priorities in life and analyzes their overall “sense of happiness”.
Many of the criteria revolve around the world of work, especially when you consider annual income levels and the environment that we are exposed to every day. A productive and contented work life is crucial if you are to maintain a genuine sense of happiness, as without this you may find it difficult to remain positive or maintain a strong sense of self.
1. Demonstrate your worth and value as an employee.
The process of gaining respect from both colleagues and superiors begins from the moment you first enter the workplace, and you must immediately demonstrate an understanding of your worth and unique value as an employee. This must not only be reflected in the salary that you demand from your managers, but also in the way that you undertake your role and add value to the business through the completion of individual tasks that fall within your job description.
2. Interact with your colleagues and care about their lives.
Even with the best of intentions, our lives can sometimes take an unwanted or potentially disruptive turn. This can make it difficult to attend work with a smile and a proactive attitude, but this is crucial if you want to retain the respect of those around you. By continuing to interact with your colleagues and taking a genuine interest in their lives–even during times of hardship–you are displaying an eminently human quality that commands the good will of others.
3. Speak calmly and listen to others.
Respect must always be a mutual concept, as you cannot hope to gain it without offering it in the first instance. It is therefore crucial that you remain a good listener at all times, and take the opinions of others on board before taking a direct action or decision. On a similar note, you must always speak calmly when interacting with both colleagues and superiors, as otherwise you run the risk of alienating them and developing a reputation as someone who is difficult to work with.
4. Always smile during times of triumph.
While the world of work can be challenging, this should not detract from those occasions where you achieve a goal or successfully complete a project. It is important to celebrate these moments, both as an individual and as part of a larger team. A warm and positive smile serves to underline a job well done. This will help to foster greater levels of morale over time, while it will also cement your position as a popular and well-respected employee.
5. Deal with adversity in a similar manner.
Just as professional sportsmen are tested more in defeat than they are in victory, so too the average employee must dig deeper during adversity than in times of prosperity. You must treat both of these entities with a positive and proactive attitude, and maintain your smile even during challenging and difficult times. Your ability to maintain a focused and level head will only boost the esteem in which you are held; this is also a key attribute to have in the business world.
6. Go above and beyond the call of duty.
Whenever you start a job, you are given a basic salary and a job description that outlines the tasks under your control. As you develop relationships with those around you and earn greater levels of responsibility, however, you must be willing to operate outside of these boundaries and do more than is expected of you. Whether this is covering for an unforeseen absence or completing a project within a specified deadline, your willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty will ensure that you remain well-respected among your peers.
7. Make collaboration a key aspect of your work life.
On a similar note, there may also be instances where it is necessary to work on a collaborative project with different colleagues and departments. This can be challenging, especially if you are unfamiliar with their working methods or prefer to operate on an independent basis. Earning universal respect requires you to communicate with people across multiple levels, regardless of status or pre-existing relationship. With this in mind, you must always be open to collaboration and strive to work effectively with any kind of team.
8. Establish boundaries and understand your limits.
Achieving respect in the workplace is a delicate balancing act, as while you must be willing to take on additional work and collaborate, it is also important that you prioritize your own professional goals. You must strive to understand your limits and establish boundaries as an employee, as this ensures that your position is never compromised by taking on too heavy a workload. If you fail to do this, you will quickly find yourself overwhelmed and at the mercy of more selfish and manipulative colleagues.
9. Practice the virtue of patience.
Professional respect relies on your ability to showcase both compassion and understanding, as you must make the most of your colleagues’ strengths while also making allowances for their weaknesses. Everyone brings a unique skill-set to the workplace, while each individual also works at his or her own pace. It is crucial that you are patient when dealing with colleagues and superiors, as this enables you to become a productive and respected member of a multi-layered organization.
10. Avoid the perils of office gossip.
While office gossip can occasionally be fun and even insightful, it must be avoided at all costs if you are to be respected as a trustworthy and conscientious employee. Not only does a willingness to engage in gossip suggest that you are incapable of discreetly managing potentially sensitive information, but it also creates the impression of someone who has a less than dedicated approach to their work. Neither of these attributes are likely to inspire respect within the workplace, especially if you are based in a relatively small office where behavior can be easily analyzed.
11. Deal with conflict in a proactive and mature manner.
Rather like gossip, conflict is an inevitable and yet unpleasant aspect of any busy workplace. While the former can be avoided, the latter cannot and it is how you handle professional conflict that determines whether or not you are likely to earn the respect of your colleagues. By adopting a proactive approach and confronting such conflict in a mature manner, for example, you can achieve an amicable resolution and easily earn the respect of those around you. This is crucial; it can also help to strengthen professional relationships over time.
12. Become a problem solver.
As I touched on earlier, professional respect can also be achieved simply by adding unique value to the workplace. While you can do this by undertaking your role tenaciously and effectively, it is also possible to become a talented problem solver with skills in analytical thinking, strategizing, and negotiation. Every workplace needs a proactive problem solver, so by taking on the mantle and fulfilling this need you can gain newfound respect among your colleagues. | https://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/12-effective-ways-gain-respect-the-workplace.html |
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL ABUSE?
The following was adapted from the book Broken Trust: A Practical Guide by F. Remy Diederich. If you have experienced spiritual abuse, you are encouraged to use the information on our resources page and speak to a mental health professional.
Spiritual abuse occurs when spiritual leaders use their authority to manipulate and control people for their personal gain to the detriment of the believer.
People within the same church may have completely different experiences based on their level of involvement. Casual attenders may not notice anything unusual in the church environment. Those who are deeply involved in the inner workings of the church, however, are vulnerable to the darker side of a spiritual abuser's influence.
Abuse happens when someone crosses the boundaries of another person and enters that person's personal space for their own gain and to the detriment of their victim. Abuse involves a systematic pattern of manipulating, intimidating, or coercing their victims to gain and maintain power and control over them.
- F. Remy Diederich
Spiritual abuse happens when people use God, or their supposed relationship to God, to control your behavior for their benefit. The physical abuser might use their fist to threaten you. The verbal abuser uses their words. The spiritual abuser uses God (or the Bible, church, or religion) as their justification to back up their threats.
WHAT ARE SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL ABUSE?
It is important to recognize that just because the leader did not intend harm with their actions does not mean that spiritual abuse did not happen. Because abuse happens when personal boundaries are crossed for another person's gain, and because this happens in a church environment, the abuse will often appear well-intentioned, sincere, and empathetic.
There are a variety of ways spiritual abuse can manifest, all of which have to do with creating a culture of systematic manipulation, intimidation, and coercion so a leader or leaders can maintain power and control over others.
The following list is not exhaustive, but it can help in identifying a few key symptoms:
- There is a sense that questioning your leaders is the same as questioning God.
- Your experiences, thoughts, or feelings are automatically discounted or considered wrong if they conflict with the leader's.
- You feel intimidated by your leader, and that you always need to please him.
- There is a climate of fear and shame in the congregation.
- It has been made very clear what behavior is acceptable and what behavior is unacceptable, and the list keeps getting longer.
- There is high praise for conforming to the acceptable model.
- There is a sense that you have to check with someone to make sure you are doing the right thing in the right way.
- There is a mystical vagueness to the teaching which leaves you wondering how to obtain the "healing" and "revelation" that others seem to be accessing, which leaves you feeling like an outsider.
- The influence from external groups continues to get smaller and smaller as the community becomes more insular.
- Members feel guilty, or like God doesn't love them, when they do not comply with what the leader expects.
- People outside the organization (family and long-time friends) consistently express concern about your level of involvement with the group.
- You are told to distrust or avoid trained experts, counselors or therapists, Bible scholars, or any other kind of higher education.
- People are regularly shunned or exposed for not conforming.
WHY DO PEOPLE GET INVOLVED IN A SPIRITUALLY ABUSIVE CHURCH?
There are many reasons why people attend, become members of, and take leadership positions in abusive churches.
For many it wasn't evident from the beginning that the culture was abusive. People became excited about getting involved in an organization with a bold vision. Some may have heard stories about how others' lives were dramatically changed, or they experienced dramatic change themselves. Others felt emotionally connected and accepted after sharing difficult things and hearing the stories of their peers in small groups. The church could represent one of the few places where they have felt someone take an interest and willingly invest time and energy into them. Leadership opportunities can attract others who want to make a difference in the world.
For a variety of reasons people enter into an abusive environment and (consciously or unconsciously) overlook many of the red flags they sensed as time wore on.
Eventually their every decision, from the job they took, to the friends they had, to the books they read, were dictated, not by the Holy Spirit, but by leaders in the church who were "speaking into their lives." What was once a life-giving endeavor had become an all-encompassing loyalty test. The vibrancy and enthusiasm they once felt had been replaced by a growing sense of being used and manipulated.
WHAT NOW?
If you have been under the power of a spiritually-abusive person or organization, you have undergone trauma. It is important to not minimize or make excuses for the abuser, and to prioritize your own self-care. The effects on you and your life are real, as are any continuing effects you are experiencing. For many, spiritual abuse can trigger PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), which can further amplify the effects of this trauma in your life.
Continue to educate yourself. Read more about spiritual abuse. Use the information on our resources page, and speak to your mental health professional. If you need some guidance to help you identify whether you need to protect yourself from the church you find yourself in, we have created an article titled "8 Signs of a Dysfunctional Church." Of particular interest is a video series by Dr. Jeff VanVonderen provided by the National Association for Christian Recovery which outlines abusive religious systems and the lasting trauma they inflict on people's lives.
Seek out friends, family members, and organizations where you can openly share your experiences without feeling judged or controlled. Establish healthy boundaries and say "no" more often. Take any steps you feel comfortable taking which help you to move forward. Spiritually-abusive organizations have worked hard to undermine your thinking and caused you to cast doubt on yourself.
Most importantly, remember that your journey to recovery can begin with a simple step, followed by another simple step. You don't have to tackle it all at once.
FURTHER READING:
8 SIGNS OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL CHURCH: Characteristics of spiritual abuse within dysfunctional churches and high-control groups
FOOTNOTES:
Diederich, F. Remy. "Healing the Hurts of Your Past", 2011, pp. 34. | https://leavingthenetwork.org/spiritual-abuse/ |
The intent of the Arizona Yagé Assembly (AYA) is to engage in an ethically minded community consistent with the spirit of Divine Love and forgiveness. This requires impeccability for those participating in our community. The tenets and precepts of the AYA call for honesty, humility, personal responsibility, and equitably resolving conflicts as they arise. Mutual respect among everyone participating within the sphere of our church is essential. We seek to maintain healthy boundaries and behavior among practitioners. Our code of ethics is born out of a living moral standard based on love and compassion.
INTENT
Our intention is to bring people to the healing power of Divine Love through the holy sacrament of Ayahuasca. We hold to the right of humanity to engage in their chosen spiritual practice. We honor the Spirit by being impeccable in our word. We seek a fair exchange in our social contracts. We hold true to meeting the world as equals. We hold that God is Love. We are informed by the teachings of the Madre and the divine awareness of Christ.
RESOURCES & FINANCE
We consider ourselves stewards of the Earth, as part of God’s creation. We respect the sacredness of our work in serving our communities, and refrain from placing financial benefit above the freedom of the human spirit. In engaging in societal work, we agree to respect the property and boundaries of others. We seek to be economical and discerning in our expenses. In the interest of maintaining a sustainable organization, we agree to balance the need for donations with the benefit of those who seek to join us in spiritual practice. Agreements are to be simple, clear, and well considered by all parties involved. We will not invest in organizations engaged in social or environmental exploitation. We agree to practice equitable dispute resolution.
HARASSMENT & DISCRIMINATION
We agree to a respectful social environment that recognizes the rights and differences of all participants without prejudice or judgment based on their social role or category. We agree to a professional code of ethic which prohibits sexual advances by facilitators and those participating in ceremony. Healthy boundaries are essential in respecting the personal agency of all practitioners. Conversations between facilitators and practitioners can be candid. Exploitation of the confessional nature of these conversations for personal gain betrays individual and group trust. The intuition and view of participants will be respected and honored. We agree to protect the rights and welfare of all participants. Some people come to ceremony with a personal history of sexual trauma. We do not condone perpetuating cycles of trauma or abuses of power.
PARTICIPANT RIGHTS
We honor the dignity and independence of each ceremonial participant. Practitioner participation is established with their informed and signed consent. AYA’s disclosure includes presentation of the ceremonial form, general guidelines, and religious practices, including potential physical or psychological challenges. Medication and dietary restrictions are to be presented to each participant. We do not make medical claims. Participation in ceremony is not intended to replace crucial medical or psychological treatment. We engage in a religious practice for the purposes of spiritual healing. Reasonable steps will be made to safeguard participant’s health and wellbeing. Our healing practice is a spiritual practice.
INTEGRITY
We agree to practice constructive and effective communication through honest and compassionate expression. We understand that both misunderstandings and conflicts arise. We seek to expand our understanding in the study and practice of dispute resolution. Each practitioner will strive to accept and express personal responsibility for their response to their social climate. We agree to seek personal clarity in the face of both warranted and unwarranted criticism. We disavow the use of communication tactics such as: guilt, shame, gossip, shunning, blaming, people pleasing, finger pointing, and dishonesty. We understand that these kinds of tactics undermine mutual trust. We seek to resolve conflicts as they arise. We agree to seek counsel to establish a remedy in the event of a breach of ethics, or when conflicts escalate or remain sustained.
COMPETENCE
We agree to seek our highest level of competence and ability through continuing education. We agree to seek learning from honored educators in all facets of plant-based medicines. The sharing of knowledge and feedback among peers is crucial for sustained community vibrancy and wellbeing. We seek to both understand and expand the current limits of our abilities. We seek to clear up our own issues as a means to serving others with grace, compassion, and appropriate action. We seek to dispel mediocrity and complacency. As part of the need for personal integrity and responsibility, we recognize the need to learn from the studies and experience of others.
TOLERANCE
Since all systems of belief are fabricated in language, we accept simple love and forgiveness as the universal binding force of humanity. As such, we’re willing to consider the views and beliefs of all peoples with heartfelt tolerance. We recognize the need to respect all people without standing in judgment of their beliefs. We do not practice judgment or intolerance in the proselytizing of our spiritual practice. We seek to bring those of all beliefs into direct contact with Divine Love through the holy sacrament. As such, we do not seek to sway people from their traditional religious beliefs. We don’t stand in judgment of others or mold idols of doctrine or ideology.
SUBSTANCE USE
The use of alcohol or non-medicinal drugs in or around ceremony is forbidden. | https://www.aya.guide/ethics |
Simply stated, co-dependency describes a dynamic in which one person enables and supports another person’s dysfunctional behavior or poor emotional health like alcohol or substance abuse, immaturity, irresponsibility, and under-achievement.
It’s important to acknowledge that having dependency needs is healthy and normal. In mature and healthy relationships, people are able to comfortably rely on one another for support, understanding, and help while–at the same time–retaining a sense of independence and autonomy. This dynamic is reciprocated, not just one-sided. Healthy dynamics between people fosters independence, resourcefulness, and resiliency, while co-dependent dynamics stifle and limit growth.
Recently, psychologists and other mental health workers have learned that co-dependent behaviors can also contribute to the formation of dysfunctional families, in general, not just families struggling with addiction or substance abuse. Therefore, addressing co-dependency behavior in treatment is crucial for a healthy family dynamic.
Dr. Paula Durlofsky is a psychologist in private practice in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She specializes in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and treats a variety of disorders. Dr. Durlofsky has a special interest in issues affecting women throughout the lifespan. In addition to her practice Dr. Durlofsky is a workshop facilitator and blogger. She treats couples, families and individuals from age 18 and older as well as facilitates group therapy. Through a combination of psychoanalytic-psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Editor: Arman Ahmed
Common behaviors and signs associated with co-dependency include:
- Need for excessive approval from other people.
- Organizing thoughts and behaviors around others’ perceived expectations and desires.
- Overly defined sense of responsibility of others’ happiness and emotional well-being.
- Inability to express one’s true thoughts and feelings for fear it will upset others.
- One’s identity and self-esteem is dependent on other’s approval and assumed expectations.
Fortunately, co-dependency is a learned behavior and can be changed. Below are a few ways in which you can begin to change co-dependent behaviors:
- Awareness: Keep a journal for writing down co-dependent behaviors and the situations in which they are most prevalent. For example, when someone appears to be struggling, do you automatically jump in to help or rescue? Do you help to the extent that your own emotional and physical needs are put on the back burner? Co-dependent behaviors, in part, are normal feelings of responsibility and compassion gone awry.
- Boundaries: Setting healthy boundaries is crucial for changing co-dependent behaviors. Being able to say no without feeling guilty, anxious or afraid is what having healthy boundaries feels like. This is challenging for co-dependent individuals. Since pleasing others is crucial to their sense of self, so saying no is scary and anxiety-inducing. Have a clear sense of the boundaries that feel right to you and write them down. Place this list in an area of your home where you can regularly read it. This will help reinforce your boundaries and make them more conscious to you. Be prepared by knowing that upholding your boundaries will be difficult, at best, in the beginning. Have a plan in place for coping with these difficult feelings by making sure you’re making time to take care for yourself during this transition. | https://willingwaystoday.willingways.org/managing-co-dependent-behaviours/ |
I am the daughter of two retired psychologists. Good ones, I daresay, though many of my friends tease me that this fact explains much about me and have wondered whether my childhood was one giant Skinner box. (I won’t cop to that, though I will allow as how rat pellets are really not that bad in a pinch.) I don’t know that my childhood was all that distinct from any other child’s; as my mother is fond of saying: “Our family has issues just like any other family. The only difference is that we know why.”
That being said, one of the benefits of “knowing why” is I was exposed from an early age to the concept of navigating personal boundaries (though I’m not saying I’m particularly good at it myself). As part of their professional training, my mom and dad had to learn how to demonstrate empathy in their dealings with clients, many of whom were in vulnerable emotional states, while still maintaining an appropriate distance. They had to be very vigilant about their responsibility not to take advantage of or manipulate their clients’ vulnerabilities to their own advantage. In other words, they had to learn to maintain appropriate boundaries.
According to psychologists Henry Cloud and John Townsend, authors of Boundaries: When to Say Yes, When to Say No – To Take Control of Your Life, boundaries set limits on what we allow to happen to us, and how much of others’ issues we are willing to take on. They describe the limits of “self” and “other.”
And healthy boundaries are important to maintain, in all relationships, not just therapist-client ones. Indeed, probably all of us can think of situations where we have had to enforce our own boundaries, and perhaps we have felt “mean” or “unreasonable” for doing so. However, doing so makes us anything but. I can think of several deeply painful situations in my own life where I knew I was doing the right thing to enforce boundaries appropriately even though the other person(s) vehemently disagreed; I can also think of countless smaller, less stressful situations. While it is sometimes difficult to maintain boundaries, it is impossible to have healthy, fulfilling relationships with others if we do not have a reasonable sense of what we can appropriately expect of one another. And of course this will differ depending on the relationship.
This goes for athlete-coach and teammate-teammate relationships as well. We as athletes and coaches bring ourselves to training. All of ourselves. Of course we bring our bodies, but we also bring our thoughts, emotions, and internal self-talk. We bring everything we are feeling, thinking, and experiencing, and sometimes these things spill over into situations where they don’t necessarily belong. Sometimes we need things that are not appropriate for us to get from our coaches or teammates. But sometimes it is also difficult for us to make an effective judgment, either as the person who needs or the person who is potentially needed. As coaches we are not necessarily trained to handle boundary issues the way my parents were. And as athletes, we are not necessarily skilled at identifying what’s appropriate and what isn’t.
Heck, as PEOPLE we are not necessarily skilled at identifying what’s appropriate and what isn’t. But it is important for us to be vigilant, trust our guts, and know ourselves as much as we can. We may make some miscalculations in our enforcement and penetration of boundaries, because they are permeable and changing, but even an awareness of the dynamic is a good place to start.
To wit, here is a list of questions for you to consider if you think there might be some boundary issues going on in an interaction you are having with another person, whether in an athletic context or just in general:
- Is this interaction consistent with my previous interactions with this person, or does it seem incongruous?
- Is this interaction consistent with my understanding of what constitutes an appropriate relationship between a coach and an athlete (or between two teammates, etc.)?
- Am I sensing any discomfort about this interaction, even in the absence of a solid justification for feeling uncomfortable?
- Can I get an external “reality check” from someone I trust about whether there might be a boundary violation going on?
Read parts two and three of our boundaries series:
Defining Boundaries, Part 2: Money, Relationships & Heroes in the Gym
Defining Boundaries, Part 3: How to Enforce Them
Photos courtesy of Shutterstock. | https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/defining-boundaries-as-athlete-teammate-and-human/ |
Apart from the contrapuntal forms mentioned earlier, no study of counterpoint is complete without a look at the everyday applications of counterpoint. Even for the musician who never intends to write a fugue, the following are direct applications of contrapuntal training:
- Increased attention to inner parts in general.
- The ability to write more lively and interesting secondary parts in orchestration and arrangement.
- The capacity to write better chamber music; more sophisticated distribution of interest between the players.
- Greater fluency and variety in techniques of transition and development in all musical forms.
- A more intimate understanding and appreciation of major contrapuntal works from various periods.
COUNTERPOINT IN NON-POLYPHONIC FORMS
Transition
The importance of counterpoint for transitions comes from the fact that, by its very nature, counterpoint encourages overlapping: Phrases do not always begin and end at the same time. Through overlapping, the joints between sections can be camouflaged.
Avoiding squareness
As mentioned above, contrapuntal thinking encourages overlap. The habit of always keeping interest alive in at least one part, even when another cadences, makes for more interesting phrasing, and mitigates squareness of construction.
Development
Development implies presenting previously exposed material in a new light, providing unity and variety simultaneously. Recombining familiar motives into new lines, as in fugue, is one of the best ways to do this. Also, sensitivity to motivic transformations and the degree of distance from their original forms is useful in spinning out material as richly as possible.
Variation
The application of counterpoint to variation is twofold:
- First, the techniques of interval elaboration learned in the third species correspond almost exactly with the classical technique of ornamental variation, wherein the skeletal notes of a theme are filled in and enriched
- Second, one of the best ways to present material in new contexts is to add counterpoint to it. | https://alanbelkinmusic.com/site/en/index.php/counterpoint-uses/ |
Musical form dictates which themes (melodies) are placed where in the music, what key the themes are in, when they are repeated and whether the composer has a section in which she or he is given free reign to do musical gymnastics with pieces of the themes.
The two forms that are important to this discussion are theme and variation and sonata form. These two forms give the composer a lot of latitude. In theme and variation form, the theme is stated (played) and then followed by variations of the theme. These variations can be created by many different methods including stretching it, compressing it, changing the harmony, ornamenting the melody (with sonic curlicues) and if the theme was in a major (happy/bright) key, the variation could be in a minor (sad/dark) key or vice-versa.
In sonata form, a main theme is stated, followed by a secondary theme. Then comes the development (musical gymnastics) section where the composer takes material (melodic pieces) from the themes and varies this material, stretching it, compressing it, flipping it upside-down, turning it backward and taking it through various keys both major (happy/bright) and minor (sad/dark). Then we are brought home again with the restatement of the themes.
So if you are hearing “the same group of notes being played, but on a different scale, and so it can sound dark/sad one way, and happy another way”, chances are the music is written in one of the two forms outlined above. | https://stephenmartin17.com/2016/05/13/musical-form-in-classical-music/ |
Atanas Ourkouzounov is a foremost contemporary Bulgarian composer and guitarist. He grew up in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he began guitar studies with Dimitar Doitchinov. He continued his studies in Paris in 1992 with Arnaud Dumond, Alexandre Lagoya, and Olivier Chassain. In 1997 he graduated from the Paris Conservatoire and was awarded First Prize in guitar.
As a composer he has won many international awards, and has written over 80 works for guitar including solos, duos, quartets, instrumental ensembles, and two concertos. A large proportion of these have been published by Doberman-Yppan, Productions d’OZ, and Henry Lemoine. His works have been performed and recorded by leading guitarists from many countries.
Atanas Ourkouzounov has made a number of recordings himself and played concerts worldwide in Europe, the US and Japan, including recitals with the Japanese flautist Mie Ogura. He also teaches at the Conservatoire Maurice Ravel, Paris.
The composer has provided a short introduction to the works selected for this recording:
The five Sonatas presented here can be divided into two groups: the First and Second Sonatas, (composed between 1996 and 1998) and three Sonatas composed between 2014 and 2018. All the compositions show a clear influence of Balkan music in general, and more specifically Bulgarian traditional music. The musical language is mainly polymodal, with frequent use of asymmetric rhythm patterns.
The two first Sonatas were composed during my years at the conservatory—I played the First Sonata at my final exam. This piece was dedicated to Pablo Márquez, who inspired and advised me during its composition.
The Second Sonata shows the influence of Bartók’s music. At the beginning we can hear a chordal quotation from Piano Concerto No. 1 by the Hungarian composer.
The following Sonatas were developed in a more complex and personal style. The polymodal and polyrhythmical elements persist, as the Balkan inspiration, but the use of cyclical rhythm repetition becomes rare and modes are treated in a more complex way, often with a serial approach.
Throughout all my music, particular sound techniques such as pizzicato, tapping, percussion, etc., are often employed in order to recreate a soundscape texture that echoes the sound of traditional musical sources. Sonata No. 4 is dedicated to Kostas Tosidis, who was the origin of this recording project.
Sonata No. 1 is dedicated to the Argentinian guitarist Pablo Márquez. The work begins with fiery pizzicati and brilliant momentum with a time signature of 7/8 characteristic of Bulgarian dances. The textures include effects of drumming on the front of the guitar. An expressive adagio episode provides moments of relaxation of the tension, though increasing in excitement until a brief burst of energy for the final bars. The second movement, Adagio quasi canzone (‘Slow like a song’) is a compact statement with great emphasis in the first instance on the sonorities of the lower strings. The third movement, Vivo, is a virtuosic tour de force, with shifting time signatures (from 7/8 to 9/8 and 3/4), contrapuntal sections, and for the finale, vivid ornamentation and further percussive effects.
Sonata No. 2 ‘Hommage à Bartók’ opens Allegro moderato, ritmico with extended staccato chords which punctuate the opening theme. The middle part of this movement is darkly expressive as it explores the implications of the opening melodic statements with many answering voices and a general harmonic complexity. The second movement, Scherzo, begins in 5/8 at frantic tempo before developing into fragments of pizzicato and sudden moments of adagio leading us to the inner world of contemplation before the resumption of the enigmatic perpetual motion. The coda is a statement of considerable technical originality with trills, drum effects and tremolo effects. The Interlude which follows takes us into an interior world of delicate sensibility, with gentle touches of expressive sonorities throughout. From here the music moves abruptly into the Toccata where rapid melodic themes are supported or contrasted against a complex bass line, once again with rapidly changing time signatures.
Sonata No. 3, dedicated to the Croatian guitarist Zoran Dukić, is subtitled ‘Cycling Modes’. The composition opens Vivo with statements of the modes chosen, each being punctuated with a harmonic. After the opening statement a middle section, marked Poco rubato, offers complete contrast with chordal interludes. The movement ends with a virtuosic Vivo of gathering intensity before a gentle coda. A slow movement follows, opening with chords in harmonics separated by tiny filigrees of rapid arpeggios. This evolves to sinister fourths in triplets followed by a Capriccioso pesante episode and further alternate interludes varying from agitato to calmo, lontano. The final movement, Presto nervoso, is a dazzlingly energetic exploration of perpetual motion in 10/16 time, alleviated by calmer moments of poco rubato. After the outburst of energy and intensity a slow coda provides resolution and calm.
Sonata No. 4, written in 2016, is dedicated to Kostas Tosidis. After a poco rubato opening, the music launches into Allegro con spirito, the time signature changing at significant points from 7/8 to 9/8, and back again. This develops into a Più lento section of quiet expressiveness before later exploding into great agitation with the return of Allegro con spirito. The final pages bring in huge chords of quasi-orchestral magnitude. The second movement, Lamentoso, once more has shifting time signatures. The Sonata takes on a tragic expressiveness at this time with complex harmonies and contrapuntal effects between treble and bass, punctuated by sad harmonics. The final movement, Allegro inquieto, once more explores perpetual motion with treble chords contrasted against the harmonic bass line. A sombre middle episode returns us to the contemplative and the profound before a scherzando section leads back into a recapitulation of the Allegro inquieto atmosphere. Finally the music comes to rest with a passage marked Con tensione and a final gentle lontano.
Sonata No. 5, written in 2018, is dedicated to the Greek guitarist Dimitris Kotronakis. The first movement, Movimento fluido, begins with gentle poignant discords of complex harmonic textures. After this short introduction, the instruction changes to Allegro moderato, using both the higher notes of the guitar and an accompanying bass. This evolves towards a short passage of descending notes and a rubato lamentoso interlude of poetic intensity before the return of Allegro moderato. This introduces giant chordal effects and a kind of rhythmic atonal dance before the subtle Rubato lamentoso conclusion. Scherzo diabolico follows, a vigorously dissonant application of diabolical chords and changing time signatures, percussive and violent in mood with much agitation and, needless to say, highly virtuosic in its performance. A gentler pizzicato section follows before the advent of Allegro ritmico where the former agitation returns with even greater anguished intensity. But once more the movement ends with some serenity. The final movement, Partite variate, begins with a melody over moving chords. After this somewhat meditative opening comes moments of Vivace preciso, with their vividly agitated mood. This contrasts with the following short pesante (‘heavy’) broken into by a wild Presto of great brilliance. When this interlude has worked out its fury and passion, a misterioso section takes us into introspection and quietness, with a further drammatico statement to provide an appropriate finale, the last harmonic resounding like a distant bell. | https://www.naxos.com/mainsite/blurbs_reviews.asp?item_code=8.574117&catNum=574117&filetype=About%20this%20Recording&language=English |
Under Piano Skies, Mathieu Karsenti’s latest release, is the result of serendipity and the accidental musical meeting of the French composer and pianist Marie Awadis, during the realisation of the virtual collaborative project Haruki — a compilation in honour of the Japanese writer and author Haruki Murakami. As with most of Karsenti’s solo releases, Under Piano Skies is an EP composed of four pieces, all revolving under a central theme; for this particular project meteorological phenomenons and lexicons. Subjects which leans themselves well to musical creativity.
While made of and conceived through many of Karsenti’s usual musical intentions — simplicity, layer-ism, abstraction, contemplation and meditation — Under Piano Skies represents a compositional shift, and challenge for the composer as it is his first release for piano solo. A first for a composer who is accustomed to music for strings…
Indeed, a move away from Karsenti’s sustained melodies, it is an opportunity for him to adapt and translate his creative ideas to an instrument which steers away from them and which can only access these ideas through clever composing techniques — such as the use of the sustain pedal and creative silent composing.
One can hear it in the writing, Karsenti tries to make each musical idea last a song as possible, creating a sense of flotation for an instrument which is naturally percussive.
The performance and interpretation of Awadis is in perfect harmony, and the Armenian pianist is well at ease with the creativity of Karsenti and uses very little additional and extra-instrumental techniques to convey the composer’s written ideas.
It is suggestive music; both in its intentions — Karsenti descends from the idealistic school of French impressionism, and his music always carries an element of abstract suggestive music — and in its realisation — rather than focusing on harmony, Karsenti explores melodic motifs, suggesting chords and counterpoint.
Karsenti is also a graphic artist, and the more his music evolves, the more the parallelisms between his visual art and his compositions are brought forward and become apparent.
Under Piano Skies continues where the last project — Exchanges — ended, and going away from strongly contrapuntal music to something more paced and elongated. At least, this is how the listener initially perceives it. Yet, when one does pay more attention to it, there is a subtle and well-conceived line which ties all of Karsenti’s projects together. | https://www.dougthomas.co.uk/under-piano-skies |
Austrian composer Joseph Haydn [1732–1809] wrote at least 68 string quartets. Before his first, he wrote several divertimenti, which is an 18th-century musical genre of a light and entertaining nature usually consisting of several movements for strings, winds, or both. This piece was for two violins, viola and cello – a string quartet.
Haydn did not use the title String Quartet until his Opus 33, although all the early quartet ensemble works are now generally referred to as string quartets. Before we get to Op. 33, I would like to discuss No. 1 of Opus 1. Its style is very simple, static and neither rhythmically or harmonically complex. It consists of a solo violin being accompanied by a violin, viola and cello. These three instruments share the same phrasing throughout the piece, only changing harmonically. The instruments are never heard by themselves. The piece is basically a divertimento.
On to Op. 33, written in 1779 and known as The Russian Quartets. I would like to quote from a website – foghornclassics.com:
When he published these quartets, Haydn described them as having been written “in a quite new, special manner,” and the quartets — Haydn’s first in eight years — represent a re-thinking of the form. Gone are all traces of the old divertimento-style quartet, and in its place is an increasingly subtle approach to the possibilities of the form: a new clarity of texture, greater use of all four voices (particularly of the viola and cello), full exploitation of the motivic possibilities within themes, polished contrapuntal writing, and the replacement of the minuet movements with scherzos.
These changes in style were radical and they form the basis of the string quartet repertoire which followed. Although new forms have evolved and new ways of composing have been developed, these concepts are still embedded in modern string quartet composition, over 200 years on.
Haydn named SQ No. 1 of Op. 33 a ‘string quartet’ and it contains many examples of the quoted concepts. It is in four movements.
The opening is a very simple melody. This is in a call and response mode. Some of the accompaniment is in the old divertimento style but there are other passages where the ensemble breaks into individual, overlapping voices. There is a variation on the opening theme before we have an exposition repeat. Various themes are developed within the movement but this is simple, stylised music. A series of flourishes lead us into the conclusion.
The next movement is very short, again it is call and response. It illustrates the creative use of overlapping instruments and counterpoint, to give the movement substance. Nearing the end, the violins converse, with a complex intertwining episode.
The third movement is a simple andante waltz, with a definite motif which runs, slightly modified, virtually through the whole movement. The cello has several solo moments during the opening melody. Then the violin takes over. After a time the cello has a solo passage before the ensemble return. There is a recapitulation of the opening melody. The accompaniment is fairly static, based on the ¾ waltz time. As it develops, the opening violin melody is extensively reharmonised. A change to a minor key brings about some melodic action. Multiple voices abound. The cello comes to the fore once again until the first violin re-emerges to lead the passage to a conclusion.
The final movement is in a frisky mood with the violins fairly racing. After a brief moderate section the virtuoso violins return and then converse. Changing harmonies allow for variation before the beginning reappears. The piece ends on a flourish.
This quartet is so different from Opus 1; it’s like radio compared with black and white TV. Hearing this style led Mozart to compose six quartets dedicated to Haydn and the pupil was able to outshine the master in invoking these new concepts. Beethoven took it a step further and gave us colour TV.
The six quartets that make up Opus 33 are all readily available. The whole set takes up two CDs but many single CDs exist, each containing up to three quartets. There is a version on Naxos by the Kodaly Quartet that contains the reviewed work. If you are going to invest in Haydn, I suggest you start with Opus 33 or higher. Opus Nos. 64 and 76 are especially fine.
Most of Haydn’s quartets are on Spotify and Opus 33 can be found here on YouTube. There are several pages of many Haydn quartets on earsense.
Listenability: He’s not called the ‘father of the string quartet‘ for nothing. Pure Classical quartets. | https://sqblog.jhredguitar.com/uncategorized/joseph-haydn-op-33-rebirth-of-the-string-quartet/ |
The Difference Between Space and Oblivion, by Andrew Tholl, written expressly for Duo Althea, winner of the “Novecento” Prize 2019, awarded to the best execution of a piece composed after 1950 in the Luigi Nono Chamber Music International Competition 2021.
Motivation of the Jury
“Every moment is another opportunity to shine” has a very clear dramatic arc, starting in a place of extreme simplicity and taking the listener on a journey through increasingly complex musical and emotional spaces. The work holds our attention all the way through. The composer masterfully builds up simple materials into dense structures, skilfully smudging the lines of the original materials into blurry soundscapes with conflicting pulses. Moments of lyrical clarity seamlessly emerge out of chaos and disappear again. Though many textures are derived through clear processes, there is a surprising musicality and sensitivity to the resulting material. The work has a cinematic, progressive rock feel, successfully mixing genres into a unified language, which is not contaminated with techniques that are extraneous to the composer’s intention.
The winner of the Novecento Prize, for the best performance of a piece of contemporary music at 24th International Chamber Music Competition Luiig Nono is Duo Althea (Paolo Pellegrini piano and Nicola Possenti, clarinet).
Eden Lonsdale is going to compose a new piece especially for them. The new composition will be premiered in a concert within the 2022 Concert season organized by Amici per la Musica Association.
Honorable Mentions:
ADRIEN TSILOGIANNIS (Belgium) www.adrientsilogiannis.com
LUIS QUINTANA (Puerto Rico) www.luis-quintana.com
JOSÉ COLLADO (Mexico) www.josuecollado.com
Mentions, Motivations of the Jury
ADRIEN TSILOGIANNIS
“Portait de Bat Enosh” has a very clear narrative and dramatic arc. The musical language evokes gentle tenderness and light, which is very suitable to the subject matter at hand. The composer works within a consistent sound world, while taking the material through different landscapes, like a river flowing through varied topographies, interacting with a changing riverbed and variation in the patterns of light and shadow. There is very good melodic use and thematic development throughout, and effective contrapuntal writing. The music takes us to some unexpected directions and demonstrates the composer’s wonderful ear and intuition. The slower passages are particularly beautiful, moving and impressive. The composer is able to sustain a longer structure. “S’élancer” has a similarly consistent style, but showcases a different character. The composer’s storytelling abilities are very impressive, but could be further enriched by exploring the greater variety of colour that each instrument is capable of producing.
LUIS QUINTANA
The jury found “Smudges over dripping ink” to have a very strong personality and confidence,. The composer constructed a compelling, unified and unusual sound world for this work. The textures, and harmonic and timbral exploration are strongly evocative of the title. The composer demonstrates an advanced use of rhythm. The particular combination of harmonic structures and instrumental techniques create illusions of electronics and instruments not present in the ensemble. The piano writing particularly shines through, with other instruments emerging out of its resonance. Some instrumental techniques, such as quarter tones and glissandi, could perhaps use a little more detail and individuality to fully convey the composer’s intention. “Textos Invisibles” wonderfully demonstrates the consistency of the composer’s voice and makes us want to hear more.
JOSÉ COLLADO
“Joie de vivre” is genuine, spontaneous and well constructed. The jury was particularly drawn to the blossoming, blissfully meditative opening gestures, which give the piece such a clear character. The feeling of the title comes across very well, though the first half of the piece exhibits more emotional and musical subtlety than the ending. It is refreshing to hear a piece of contemporary music successfully exploring more joyful emotional territory. The harmonic climate is very clear and often reassuring. There is a confidence in the use of instruments and clarity of ideas. The piece has a post-rock and post-minimalist feel with compelling use of the electric guitar.
The panel of judges 2020
Andrea Portera (Ita), supervisor scuolamusicafiesole.it/it/docenti/andrea-portera
Alissa Firsova (Eng/Rus) alissafirsova.com
Anna Pidgorna (Ukr/Can) annapidgorna.com
Competitors 2020
85,4% are from foreign countries, and 14,6% from Italy.
Most represented countries, besides Italy (6), are China (6), US (8), Japan, Sud Korea, Spain, Germany, Iran, Hungary (2).
Composer from 11 more countries are present.
For the first time we have competitors from Hungary, Egypt, Island, Belgium, Puerto Rico, Mexico. | https://www.amiciperlamusica.com/composition2020.php |
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