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The American Psychological Association (APA) secretly collaborated with the administration of President George W Bush to bolster a legal and ethical justification for the torture of prisoners swept up in the post-September 11 war on terror, according to a new report by a group of dissident health professionals and human rights activists.
The New York Times reports that this study is the first to examine the association’s role in the interrogation program. It contends, using newly disclosed emails, that the group’s actions to keep psychologists involved in the interrogation program coincided closely with efforts by senior Bush administration officials to salvage the program after the public disclosure in 2004 of graphic photos of prisoner abuse by US military personnel at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq.
The involvement of health professionals in the Bush-era interrogation programme was significant because it enabled the US Justice Department to argue in secret opinions that the programme was legal and did not constitute torture, since the interrogations were being monitored by health professionals to make sure they were safe.
The interrogation programme has since been shut down, and last year the US Senate Intelligence Committee issued a detailed report that described the program as both ineffective and abusive.
Rhea Farberman, a spokesperson for the APA denied that the group had coordinated its actions with the government. There “has never been any coordination between APA and the Bush administration on how APA responded to the controversies about the role of psychologists in the interrogations programme,” she said.
The Bush administration relied more heavily on psychologists than psychiatrists or other health professionals to monitor many interrogations, at least in part because the psychological association was supportive of the involvement of psychologists in interrogations, a senior Pentagon official explained publicly in 2006.
The APA “clearly supports the role of psychologists in a way our behavioral science consultants operate,” said Dr William Winkenwerder, then the assistant secretary of defence for health affairs, describing why the Pentagon relied more on psychologists than psychiatrists at the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. “The American Psychiatric Association, on the other hand, I think had a great deal of debate about that, and there were some who were less comfortable with that.”
More than a decade later, the association’s actions during that critical time are coming under new scrutiny. The association’s board has ordered an independent review of the organisation’s role in the interrogation programme. That review, led by David Hoffman, a Chicago lawyer, is now underway. “We have been given a mandate by the APA. to be completely independent in our investigation, and that is how we have been conducting our inquiry,2 Hoffman said. “We continue to gather evidence and talk with witnesses and expect to complete the investigation later this spring.”
The three lead authors of the report are long-time and outspoken critics of the association: Stephen Soldz, a clinical psychologist and professor at the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis; Steven Reisner, a clinical psychologist and founding member of the Coalition for an Ethical Psychology; and Nathaniel Raymond, the director of the Signal Program on Human Security and Technology at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, and the former director of the campaign against torture at Physicians for Human Rights. | https://www.medicalbrief.co.za/archives/us-psychologists-collaborated-on-torture/ |
Minister Allamand highlights Chile's work on sustainability, inclusion and digitization during APEC ministerial meeting
This Tuesday, Foreign Minister Andrés Allamand participated in the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC), with New Zealand as the host economy.
During the meeting, the Secretary of State highlighted the work carried out by Chile in matters of sustainability, inclusion, and digitization, along with emphasizing the need to advance with the commitments made by APEC in these matters.
In this context, he recalled that APEC economies consume approximately 60% of the world's energy and that an important part of it is produced with fossil fuels. "We must redouble our efforts to fulfill the 2011 APEC commitment to reduce energy intensity by at least 45% by 2035. Chile is on track to meet this goal," said the Minister, along with noting that our country has the best radiation for solar energy in the world and one of the largest wind potentials. "Both energy sources can be used to produce and export green hydrogen, the fuel of the future, for the benefit of all member economies," he added.
He also highlighted Chile's work to increase the percentage of forests, as well as the protection of the ocean, by promoting marine protected areas.
In terms of inclusion, the Minister said that efforts should focus on women and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this regard, he mentioned the signing, by Canada, Chile, Mexico, and New Zealand, of the Global Gender and Trade Agreement (GTAGA) and invited the rest of the economies to join this mechanism.
Regarding SMEs, he appreciated the work of APEC in advancing to improve access to finance and international opportunities. He also stressed the importance of continuing to support small and medium-sized companies for their inclusion in the global market.
"Traditionally, free trade has been associated with benefits that only large companies can obtain, which has been the basis of criticism of free trade. This is a paradigm that we must break with concrete facts, especially bringing its benefits closer to SMEs so that they can be part of the progress, prosperity, and economic growth," added the Minister.
Finally, he stressed the importance of digitization. In this regard, he said that the pandemic has brought enormous damage, but also socioeconomic opportunities that have allowed smaller economies, such as Chile, to expand into new options around the world. In this context, he highlighted the ratification of the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA) with New Zealand and Singapore.
"This agreement provides more opportunities for citizens -especially for Small and Medium Enterprises- and encourages the export of products and services through the regulation of the free flow of data and non-discrimination to digital products, artificial intelligence, digital privacy, among others," he concluded. | https://minrel.gob.cl/news/minister-allamand-highlights-chile-s-work-on-sustainability-inclusion |
---
abstract: 'In a world heavily loaded by information, there is a great need for keeping specific information secure from adversaries. The rapid growth in the research field of lightweight cryptography can be seen from the list of the number of lightweight stream as well as block ciphers that has been proposed in the recent years. This paper focuses only on the subject of lightweight block ciphers. In this paper, we have proposed a new 256 bit lightweight block cipher named as Marvin, that belongs to the family of Extended LS designs.'
author:
- 'Sukanya Saha, Krishnendu Rarhi, Abhishek Bhattacharya'
title: 'Systematization of a 256-bit lightweight block cipher Marvin '
---
Introduction {#sec:Introduction}
============
The emergence of development of various families of ciphers,like the SPN,that is Substitution Permutation Network,Feistel Network,Generalized Feistel Network\
contribute to the further development of many lightweight block ciphers.To name some of them, there are, lightweight block ciphers like ,Midori, Zorro,mCrypton,\
CLEFIA,MANTIS,SIMON,SPECK and many more.
These lightweight block ciphers are in todays world,used for various ASIC and RFID tagging systems. The above mentioned lightweight block ciphers follow some specific structures,block sizes, number of rounds,etc. Moreover, all these ciphers are public key,or symmetric block cipher which are used for lightweight cryptography.There are numerous attacks that has been applied to many block ciphers in the past which gradually contributed to the development of more and more complex and secure block ciphers.After the second world war, the design of various ciphers in cryptography has became more mathematically involved. And today, the various fields that are applied in the design of block ciphers are mathematical Probability theory, knowledge of Group theory, Rings ,Field, Discrete Abstract Algebra and Matrix manipulation methods.The field of Coding theory also have enormous use in making of various components of an algorithm.The lightweight cryptography focuses on the design simplicity of the ciphers which can provide the opportunity of these ciphers for being used in Internet of Things devices.
What is Cryptography?
---------------------
Cryptography, is the science of encrypting secret information so that the information can be kept hidden from some intended adversaries.It is that field of study in computer science, which focuses in the making of algorithms and structures that can provide protection to information.It also analyses these algorithms from the security point of view .The issues of information security like confidentiality, integrity,authenticity etc are taken care of in the field of application in cryptography. Cryptography itself is divided into two parts namely, quantum cryptography and classical cryptography. Quantum cryptography is out of the scope of this paper. Cryptographic application areas are electronic communication channels, smart cards, electronic currency and defense communications. For accomplishing its goal in the information security aspects ,the science of cryptographic techniques are applied to various ciphers which are in existence from many years.Ciphers are those algorithms that are designed by the scientists of this field of research.Different ciphers follow different rules of design and structure .There are two kinds of ciphers that exist. Stream as well as Block ciphers. The former allow for encrypting each bit at a time in a stream of input bits and the later demand encrypting of a block of data rather than just bits.In the next section we will discuss about the subject of block ciphers.
Block ciphers
-------------
Block ciphers are the algorithms providing security to certain information through applying specific encryption techniques on a group of bits of the input. These group of bits are called blocks. Encryption techniques include the mixing of these input group of bits with the key.This key also consists of a group of bits.Block ciphers are used widely for encryption of large blocks of data. The first block cipher was introduced by Horst Feistel in 1970s which was named as Lucifer.Block cipher designs include the input to be of a certain bit length and also the length of the key bits is important. For example, Lucifer later renamed as the popular block cipher DES, consists of 64 bits in the input block and key length of 56 bits. Throwing light on the various families of block ciphers, we may discuss about the prominent two families,that are, Feistel Network and Substitution Permutation Network. Lucifer or DES follows Feistel structure. Feistel structure involves the division of the input plaintext into two similar length parts .There is one function used in this structure that mixes the key bits with the plaintext bits.The right half is combined with the key using the functon and then the output of the function is XORed with the left half.After this, the XORed output of left half becomes right half and the right half becomes the new left half without any change. The Substitution Permutation Network has a two layered structure.First layer consists of confusion and the second layer provides diffusion. Confusion and diffusion are the two properties introduced by Claude Shannon in the coding theory, which are used in cryptography. Confusion is introduced in the form of substitution and diffusion is introduced in the form of permutation. Here, in ciphers the confusion is incorporated in the algorithm by usage of S-box . The diffusion part is fulfilled by using some permutaion methods. Confusion , is the idea of severely changing the data on the way from input to output.Diffusion is the idea of the huge change in the output based on a single change in the input. Modern block ciphers follow an iterative structure. This helps in increasing the security of these ciphers.These iterations are in language of cryptography,known as rounds. Rounds provide security to an algorithm after certain number of its occurrences. It depends on the strength of the components of confusion and diffusion of an algorithm that how many rounds will it require to acquire enough strength.
{width="5cm" height="10cm"}
Lightweight Block Ciphers
-------------------------
Lightweight cryptography is the subject of designing lightweight ciphers .Lightweight ciphers are suitable for their performance in more constraint environments. Its central focus is the better performance of these ciphers with low power consumption.Used for RFID tags, medical and health care devices and devices that use sensors.Lightweight block ciphers is a current research topic for many experts in the field of cryptography. These lightweight block ciphers are originated from three families of ciphers, namely, Substitution Permutation Network, Feistel Network and Generalized Feistel Network.For a survey on the various ciphers under these categories,we may refer to the paper\[10\]. If we focus on the ciphers belonging to the SPN family, we will find many names such as, AES, LED, PRESENT,PRIDE and more. Looking at the number of ciphers under the Feistel Network,we can name a few of them, for example, HIGHT,LEA,RoadRunner etc. While,CLEFIA,TWINE,Piccolo comes under Generalized Feistel Network ciphers.These lightweight block ciphers follow some certain specifications and give high performances in both hardware as well as softwares. In our paper, we have followed the Substitution Permutation Network for designing the new cipher.There is a branch of ciphers called as the LS designs under the SPN family. Its two instances are the ciphers Robin and Fantomas\[4,6,7\]. Both of these are 128 bit ciphers.Our work is based on the extended version of these cipher designs. For instance, if we talk about the most recently proposed lightweight block cipher algorithm, we will have to move from LS to XLS i.e Extended LS family of designs. The lightweight block cipher Mysterion, belongs to the Substitution Permutation Network family of lightweight block ciphers. It follows a structure which is quite similar to the block cipher AES.This block cipher belongs to the Extended LS design ciphers category which is the extended version of the lightweight block cipher design, that is, namely, LS design.
Our Proposal for the new cipher {#sec:Others}
===============================
In the recent past, there have been much research on the simplicity of block ciphers and their resistance to more and more attacks.These research has lead to the construction and testing of various lightweight instances. Our work is focused on the design and construction of such a structure.The main idea is taken from the Extended LS family of designs. Mysterion is the only instance of this family and is available in 128 bit as well as 256 bit block lengths. The new cipher structure is a step towards designing a 256 bit Extended LS cipher.If we recall the design of LS ciphers Robin and Fantomas\[4,6,7\], they perform the encryption job on a $8\times16$ block of data. Robin is the involutive instance and Fantomas\[4,6,7\] is the non involutive one.They use S-box for the columns i.e, 16 columns and L-box for the rows,i.e, 8 rows. The binary matrices are used as lookup tables in both the instances for the L box operation.There are block ciphers which use the binary matrices for their diffusion layers as in the case of ARIA\[9\].8 bit S boxes and 16 bit L boxes are used from the involutive and non involutive category for the respective ciphers.LS-Designs were famous for their efficient masked implementation aspects.These kind of implementation provides resistance against Side Channel attacks.Bitslice non linear S boxes are combined with linear L boxes in such designs. Moving towards the XLS family, if we describe the structure and design of Mysterion \[2\], we will see that its input state is subdivided into four blocks of $4\times8$ dimension.Here also,the S box is applied to the columns and L box\[3,8\] is applied to the rows all at once rather than being applied to rows one by one. The Mysterion instance adds an additional ShiftColumns operation after the L box operation ,that distributes the columns of each block to the other blocks.In this way, the diffusion is spread . After the ShiftColumns step, the key and the round constants are added to the state .Mysterion 128, involves the use of 4 subdivisions of the state into blocks and Mysterion 256 involves 8 subdivisions of the state into blocks.
The algorithm of LS Design is given below:
$X\gets P\oplus K$ $\texttt{X[I,$\star$]} \gets \texttt{S[X[$\star$,I]]}$ $\texttt{X[$\star$,J]} \gets \texttt{L[X[J,$\star$]]}$ $X \gets \texttt{ $X \oplus K \oplus C(R)$}$
**return** $X$
In the above algorithm, the definition of L bit L boxes and s bit S boxes produces an m=s.L bit cipher.
The new instance,Marvin
-----------------------
Our newly proposed cipher follows the LS Design criteria for the columns and rows of the block,whereas,its state is subdivided into 4 blocks of $4\times16$ dimension.The S box is applied to the columns of each block as in any LS design instance and the L box is applied to the rows of every block as in the LS designs.The key of this instance is also of the same dimensions as the input state and is XORed with the state at every round. Along with the key, a round constant is also XORed with the state at every round.Additionally, an intermediate stage of permutation layer has been constructed that is included in this cipher. It is called as the PermuteSets operation which illustrates the permutation of a part of the columns among the different blocks of the state. The diagram of the design of the new block cipher Marvin is as given below:
{width="14cm" height="15cm"}
Specifications for Marvin
-------------------------
$X\gets P\oplus K$ $\texttt{X[J,$\star$,I]} \gets \texttt{S[X[J,$\star$,I]]}$ $\texttt{X[$\star$,K,$\star$]} \gets \texttt{PermuteSets[X[$\star$,K,$\star$]]}$ $\texttt{X[J,$\star$,$\star$]} \gets \texttt{L[X[J,$\star$,$\star$]]}$ $X \gets \texttt{ $X \oplus K \oplus C(R)$}$ **return** $X$
The internal state in the above algorithm can be seen as the X\[$\star$,$\star$,$\star$\] matrix. Here, x\[i,$\star$,$\star$\] is the ith $0 \leq i \leq b$ block of the state ,x\[i,j,$\star$\] is the jth row of the ith block in which L box has to be applied and x\[i,$\star$,j\] is the jth column of the ith block in which the S box has to be applied.The PermuteSets operation works on the x\[$\star$,$\star$,k\] state, which permutes the sets from the two consecutive columns of the blocks among the blocks. Now, we will describe the different components of this cipher Marvin. It is designed in a way that suits a 256 bit block size and a 256 bit key as well.
### S box
Marvin uses the 4 bit involutive S box with optimal bitslice representation,that was discovered by the recently published paper by V Grosso, G Leurent, FX Standaert, K Varici \[6\]. It consists of 4 AND gates and 4 XOR gates.Its algebraic degree is 3 ,with differential probability $2^{-2}$ and linear probability $2^{-1}$.
$z = b \& c $\
$x = a \oplus z $\
$ q = x \& c $\
$ s = q \oplus d$\
$ m = s \& b $\
$ t = m \oplus c $\
$ n = t \& s$\
$ p = n \oplus b$\
$ => a' = p$\
$ => d' = t$\
$ => c' = s$\
$ => b' = x$\
The S box is as follows:
{width="8cm" height="9cm"}
### PermuteSets
In the PermuteSets operation, the consecutive pairs of columns are partitioned into two halves of four bits each. These are named as Sets. In the figure below, we may see that the Set (coloured) consists of such four bit partition from a pair of columns. We have many coloured Sets in the figure. And, we perform the permutation of these Sets . The upper figure of blocks represent the Sets before permutation, the lower figure of blocks represent the Sets after permutation. In the figure below, the upper state shows coloured Sets of 4 Set having same number. These four Sets from a block always move together to the other blocks.And this spreading of Set groups is done across all the four blocks. The spreading feature is illustrated using the various numbers.These coloured sets are shown to be differently placed in the lower state of the figure.This is the way we have tried to illustrate the permutation. We may see in the below permutation ,that a change in one bit of any block would affect maximum 4 blocks. Hence ,the branch number of this diffusion or permutation layer, can be calculated to give the answer as 5. Marvin cipher uses the following permutation within the 4 blocks of the cipher state:
{width="12cm" height="15cm"}
### L box
The new cipher Marvin, uses the binary matrix for its diffusion layer. Unlike Mysterion,which uses the recursive MDS matrix\[3\] of branch number 9, we have used the binary matrix derived in the paper by ,B Aslan, MT Sakallı \[1\]. Ours is a $16\times16$ binary involutive matrix that will be used as a lookup table ,as it is a bitslice cipher.
{width="7cm" height="11cm"} The coloured cells represent active (value 1) and the white cells represent inactive (value 0).
The branch number of this matrix is 8 and it provides better diffusion,if compared to many diffusion layers out there. Hence, the linear layer we have used is resistant against linear and differential cryptanalysis,as this provides the optimal branch number.
Analysing the security aspects
==============================
In case of Marvin,as we have designed it for 256 bit block length and the number of block matrix doesnot match the number of columns in each block matrix, therefore, the state is not forming a square. Therefore ,we will not be able to apply the four round propagation theorem of AES directly to lower bound the number of active S boxes. Using the Wide Trail Strategy\[5\], we can prove the number of rounds for which the cipher will give better security. We are going to see that how Marvin may satisfy the security bounds with an arrangement in its sequence of round transformation.Let us introduce some definitions regarding this analysis. A bundle is the four bit column in the state of Marvin.We will denote the L box application by L.The partition of bundles is called $\Xi$. Marvin is a key alternating block cipher.It applies the same round functions in every iteration. The round operations are a composition of the application of S boxes to the columns of the state,application of L boxes to the rows of the state,the application of PermuteSets to the set of bits of the state and addition of key and round constants to the state. The later donot influence the number of active S boxes.Therefore, in our analysis, we will discard them. Based on the observation of the round transformations,four rounds of Marvin can be written as, $$L \circ PermuteSets \circ S \circ L \circ PermuteSets \circ S \circ L \circ PermuteSets \circ S \circ L \circ PermuteSets \circ S$$
Now, we will organise this above sequence of operations in a specific way that will help in the analysis. We may see that the linear diffusion layer,that is, the L box operation is commutative to the S box operation. Hence , we may write the above round transformation sequence as,
$$L \circ PermuteSets \circ L \circ S \circ PermuteSets \circ S \circ L \circ PermuteSets \circ L \circ S \circ PermuteSets \circ S$$
Now, from the above sequence, we may derive two different transformations $p^a = PermuteSets \circ S = \Theta$ and $p^b = \theta \circ S $ where $ \theta = L \circ PermuteSets \circ L $. Therefore,four rounds of Marvin is the alternation of $p^a$ and $p^b$.
$$p^a \circ p^b \circ p^a \circ p^b$$
We have the following theorem from \[5\].
*Theorem : For a key alternating block cipher with round transformation $p^a$ and $p^b$ , the number of active S boxes of any trail over $$p^a \circ p^b \circ p^a \circ p^b$$ is lower bounded by B($\theta$) $\times$ B($\Theta,\Xi$) where B($\theta$) is the branch number of the linear transformation L and B($\Theta,\Xi$) is the branch number of the linear transformation $\Theta$ with respect to the partition of the bundles $\Xi$.*
We may calculate the branch number of the binary matrix to know the value of B($\theta$). In our case,it has the branch number 8. The definition of an active block, is an active bundle. The PermuteSets operation spreads partition Sets of the pair of bundles to other blocks.Hence, one active Set may spread to the four blocks.Therefore,$\Theta$ has a branch number of 5. Therefore, the number of active S boxes over four rounds is lower bounded by $8 \times 5 = 40$.
From the above proof, we may see that 4 rounds of Marvin will activate at least 40 S boxes.
$$Pr_{lin}^{char} ( 4 rounds) \leq Pr_{lin}^{max} ( S box)^{40} = 2^{-40}$$
$$Pr_{diff}^{char} ( 4 rounds) \leq Pr_{diff}^{max} ( S box)^{40} = 2^{-80}$$
If we set the number of rounds to 28, the probability of differential characteristic will be $2^{-560}$. Therefore, for Marvin 256, it will guide to comfortable security margins.
Implementation aspects
======================
Marvin can be implementated in the ARM Assembly Language in Cortex M3 . The S box operations can be implemented using the logical operators like XOR and AND . L box layer must be implemented as a lookup table based operation. The round constants are calculated as in AES algorithm i.e, in GF($2^8$). The PermuteSets operation can be implemented by logical operations too. The cipher would take more than 5200 cycles ,if implemented in the ARM assembly. The cipher designed by us is an involutive one, as it has the involutive S box as well as an involutive binary matrix used as the L box. Therefore, Decryption would use the same circuit and the PermuteSets will be just reversed.And the round constants will also be applied in the reverse order.
Conclusion {#sec:Conclusion}
==========
This work emphasizes the extension of the LS Designs.It gives a new instance Marvin to the family of Extended LS designs.Marvin can be used to encrypt a 256 bit block of data, which may take 28 rounds. The implementation aspects are more to be explored for better search of performance. Moreover, the cipher needs to be tested for more cryptanalytic attacks.
[10]{}
Aslan, B. and Sakallı, M.T., 2014. *Algebraic construction of cryptographically good binary linear transformations.* Security and Communication Networks, 7(1), pp.53-63.`DOI: 10.1002/sec.556` Journault, A., Standaert, F.X. and Varici, K., 2017. *Improving the security and efficiency of block ciphers based on LS-designs.* Designs, Codes and Cryptography, 82(1-2), pp.495-509.`DOI:10.1007/s10623-016-0193-8` Augot, D. and Finiasz, M., 2014, March. *Direct construction of recursive MDS diffusion layers using shortened BCH codes.* In International Workshop on Fast Software Encryption,8540, (pp. 3-17). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.`DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-46706-0_1` Leander, G., Minaud, B. and Rønjom, S., 2015. *A Generic Approach to Invariant Subspace Attacks: Cryptanalysis of Robin, iSCREAM and Zorro.* EUROCRYPT (1), 9056, pp.254-283.`DOI:10.1007/978-3-662-46800-5_11` Daemen, J. and Rijmen, V., 2001, December. *The wide trail design strategy.* In IMA International Conference on Cryptography and Coding,2260, (pp. 222-238). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.`DOI:10.1007/3-540-45325-3_20` Grosso, V., Leurent, G., Standaert, F.X. and Varıcı, K., 2014, March. *LS-designs: Bitslice encryption for efficient masked software implementations.* In International Workshop on Fast Software Encryption,8540, (pp. 18-37). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. `DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-46706-0_2` J Cruz, Rafael & B Reis, Tiago & Aranha, Diego & López, Julio & Kupwade Patil, Harsh. (2017). *Lightweight Cryptography on ARM*. .`DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.20527.94881.` Sajadieh, M., Dakhilalian, M., Mala, H. and Sepehrdad, P., 2012. *Recursive diffusion layers for block ciphers and hash functions.* In Fast Software Encryption,7549, (pp. 385-401). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.`DOI:10.1007/978-3-642-34047-5_22` Kwon, D., Kim, J., Park, S., Sung, S.H., Sohn, Y., Song, J.H., Yeom, Y., Yoon, E.J., Lee, S., Lee, J. and Chee, S., 2003, November. *New block cipher: ARIA.* In International Conference on Information Security and Cryptology,2971, (pp. 432-445). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. `DOI:10.1007/978-3-540-24691-6_32` Hatzivasilis, G., Fysarakis, K., Papaefstathiou, I. and Manifavas, C., 2017. *A review of lightweight block ciphers.* Journal of Cryptographic Engineering, pp.1-44.`DOI:10.1007/s13389-017-0160-y`
| |
Ensure "Leaves" is turned on for the employee ("Employees" > "Employment" > "Leaves Settings") and Annual Entitlements and Opening Balances for Annual and Personal Leaves are defined and saved.
Step 1: Click on "Pay Runs" from the main menu
Step 2: Select the "Pay run" and click on the relevant employee and go to the "Leaves" section
Note: You will see the employee's leave balance under "Balances"
Step 3: You can then enter the number of leave hours under the "Units" section
Note: "Remaining" leave balance changes dynamically based on the leave units entered.
Step 4: If its paid leave - Enter a "Base Rate" for each leave
Step 5: If its unpaid leave - Enter negative "Base Rate" which would subtract the amount from the employee's earnings
As you increase or decrease the number of hours worked in a payrun, or add a new earning type, leave hours accrued will change dynamically on the "Remaining" leave balance.
If you have any questions or feedback, please email us at [email protected]. | https://support.payroo.com.au/en/articles/3680624-how-to-add-paid-or-unpaid-leaves-in-a-pay-run |
Not long ago I was talking to a business executive I was coaching and suggested that he added some humour to an important presentation he was practicing. He was quite indignant and stated emphatically: ‘I am a serious speaker’.
The problem is that the drier, the more factual the content of a presentation the harder it can be for members of the audience to stay engaged and attentive. My response to my client was to ask whether he wanted to be a ‘serious speaker’ or to be someone who was taken seriously when he gave a speech or presentation.
A sprinkling of humour supports the gravity of a message. Why is this?
Effective one-to-one communication depends on building rapport, creating a connection and building trust, and the same is true for presenting. Rapport one-to-many may feel different, but it has the same foundations. Demonstrating relatability and building a connection with the audience are fundamental to getting a message across, and humour conveys that relatability, displaying a human side which generates likeability and builds trust in the speaker.
Humour usually creates a response – a smile, giggle, or laugh, but used inappropriately can generate a negative reaction. I tend to agree with Charles Dickens – “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.” Though the wrong kind of comment will lead to a disaffected, potentially hostile reception. Levity should only be designed for a presentation once the speaker has a good sense of the potential audience.
A difficult question to answer, given that we don’t all have the same sense of humour.
I am often asked whether joke-telling is appropriate, for which my answer is that it depends. Jokes, puns and frivolity that are directly related to the subject matter at hand can work very well. Stand-alone, crafted jokes of the ‘three men walk into a bar’ kind, are the territory of stand-up comedians and rarely work in other contexts.
In my experience, there are a number of things that audiences find funny which can be sprinkled into a talk or presentation.
Something unexpected, a twist in the tale, an exaggeration, or the speaker making a joke at their own expense, all humorous interludes which surprise, and when done well, delight the listeners.
People will laugh at things they can relate to, whether it’s an observation of something in the room, their own experience, current affairs or more.
Humour that unfolds from the subject of the presentation, creating a flow between the serious parts of the message usually lands well and easily with the audience. Don’t try to shoehorn in a funny line just to get a laugh. Make sure any humour relates to the point or message.
A story about the speaker’s own fallibility, maybe a mistake, or a surprising event or some other anecdote relevant to the message, conveyed wittily, improves relatability and builds connection.
Exaggerating points, with a smile, raised eyebrow or chuckle puts a lighthearted spotlight on something to amuse the audience and underline a point.
Create anticipation, curiosity and get a laugh before you even reach the stage with an amusing title for the session – if it seems appropriate.
To give you an example, I recently changed a session title from Sales training to Are you selling it or keeping it? Modern sales considerations.’. Attendance at the master class doubled!
Your delivery counts
In my experience, humour only works when executed well. Here are my top tips for delivery.
Run through your presentation a number of times so that the humour feels natural and flows fluently.
Try out the talk in advance with someone you know and trust to gain some honest feedback on the humour you’ve weaved in.
Relax and your witticisms will be delivered with ease; when you appear to be enjoying yourself, the audience is more likely to enjoy the speech too.
Use your facial expressions, gestures and voice to emphasise the humour – or use them to provide the humour with a raised eyebrow, a smile, body movement or change of voice tone.
Stretch out of your comfort zone and say or do things that you might not normally be confident enough to do. (I once told an amusing story about a purple gorilla in a presentation about ‘Health & Safety’. I bumped into an audience member years later who said, ‘Hey, I still remember that story you told about the purple gorilla.’)
Watch and listen. If people aren’t laughing, move on and if necessary, adapt what you are planning to say in the moment. Remember not everyone has the same sense of humour!
Focus on audience members who are smiling and laughing to fuel your energy of delivery.
People like to laugh. Let them enjoy the experience. Pausing until the laughter has quietened means laughs can ripple around the room without interruption, and the next thing that you wish to say will not be lost.
Humour is the secret weapon that connects, engages and holds an audience. Laughter is like an instant vacation, a kind of mini-break, enhancing the intake of oxygen-rich air to stimulate heart, lungs and muscles. Laughter releases endorphins which lower cortisol levels and stress, and stimulates the brain’s release of dopamine – the feel-good hormone. Amusement or hilarity can lighten any mood, relieve points of tension and increase receptivity.
The message is clear. To be taken seriously as a speaker aim to incorporate the unserious in your repertoire. That way your audience will relate to you and stay engage and attentive. | https://www.kentbusinessradio.co.uk/humorous/ |
What is Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)?
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), otherwise known as the “cost of sales”, refer to the direct costs incurred by a company while selling its goods/services.
How to Calculate Cost of Goods Sold (Step-by-Step)
The cost of goods sold (COGS) is the accounting term used to describe the direct expenses incurred to produce revenue.
On the income statement, the cost of goods sold (COGS) line item is the first expense following revenue (i.e. the “top line”).
|Cost of Goods Sold Examples|
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The categorization of expenses into COGS or operating expenses (OpEx) is entirely dependent on the industry in question.
For instance, the “Cost of Direct Labor” is recognized as COGS for service-oriented industries where the production of the company’s goods sold is directly related to labor.
But not all labor costs are recognized as COGS, which is why each company’s breakdown of their expenses and the process of revenue creation must be assessed.
As another industry-specific example, COGS for SaaS companies could include hosting fees and third-party APIs integrated directly into the selling process.
Under the matching principle of accrual accounting, each cost must be recognized in the same period as when the revenue was earned.
For instance, just the costs associated with the inventory sold in the current period can be recognized on the income statement, which is where the LIFO vs FIFO inventory accounting methods can be a source of debate.
Cost of Goods Sold Definition (COGS)
COGS Definition (Source: IRS.gov)
Cost of Goods Sold Formula (COGS)
The calculation of COGS is distinct in that each expense is not just added together, but rather, the beginning balance is adjusted for the cost of inventory purchased and the ending inventory.
- Beginning Inventory → The amount of inventory rolled over (i.e. leftover) from the prior period
- Purchases in Current Period → The cost of purchases made during the current period
- Ending Inventory → The inventory NOT sold during the current period
Operating Costs: Cost of Goods Sold vs. Operating Expenses
Conversely, COGS excludes operating expenses – i.e. indirect costs – such as overhead costs, utilities, rent, and marketing expenses.
While a broad generalization, COGS tend to consist of variable costs, as the value is dependent on the production volume.
In contrast, OpEx tends to consist of fixed costs, which means the value remains relatively constant regardless of the level of production output.
For example, a company’s rental expense for a facility remains fixed based on a signed rental agreement. | https://www.wallstreetprep.com/knowledge/cogs-cost-of-goods-sold/ |
If someone is talking about boilerplate clauses, they are referring to the general or standard clauses of a contract. These clauses are deemed “boilerplate clauses” because they are included in the majority of contracts in Australia. Most boilerplate clauses do not need to be heavily negotiated as they provide certainty on matters and are useful in interpreting the contract if a dispute arises.
Boilerplate clauses are usually found towards the end of a contract and deal with the legalities of a contract rather than its subject matter. Although boilerplate clauses are standard in most contractual agreements, their inclusion should be considered on a contract-by-contract basis to ensure that all clauses are relevant to the agreement and parties.
Why are they Important?
Although boilerplate clauses may seem like standard clauses that are included into a contract, there are several reasons why you should pay close attention to what boilerplate clauses are included in your contract:
- In the event of a dispute, courts will use boilerplate clauses to help interpret the contract;
- They provide direction on how to manage the contract in terms of amendments, dispute resolution and communications;
- They outline the requirements you must fulfil from your contractual obligations;
- Both parties are able to save time and money as the boilerplate clauses specify the administration and management of the contract
Common Types of Boilerplate Clauses
Below is a non-exhaustive list of boilerplate clauses that are commonly included in most standard form contracts.
Governing law
This clause allows parties to identify what laws will govern the contract. This is an important consideration as the law is applied differently in each country. This clause is directly related to the jurisdiction clause and should be read and included together.
Jurisdiction
By defining which jurisdiction applies to the contract, parties can ensure that their interests are protected in the event of a dispute – this is relevant to ensure that the dispute does not fall within a jurisdiction that can be unfavorable to the contract. Parties should opt for non-exhaustive jurisdiction so that they are not limited to what jurisdiction their disputes can be heard in.
Severability
When a clause in the contract is found to be invliad or void, this clause will allow parties to sever the clause without rendering the entire contract void. There may however, be cases where the severed clause is central to the commercial agreement, and this may cause further issues. Because of this, a severability clause may not be suitable for all contracts.
Force majeure
This clause is used to outline the grounds for when a party can terminate or amend a contract if a party is unable to fulfil their contractual obligations due to an unforeseen event they cannot control.
Entire agreement
An entire agreement clause establishes that the agreement made between the contracting parties is contained within the contract only, and that any prior dealings or agreements are superseded.
Interpretation
This clause provides clear rules that should be applied when interpreting the contract e.g. whether headings in the contract can be interpreted.
Counterparts
When parties are unable to sign a contract together, this clause enables parties to sign a separate version of the original contract (the separate contracts will be taken as a complete document thereafter). Parties must ensure they receive an actual copy of the entire contract to avoid any disputes regarding the enforceability or validity of the contract.
Notice
The clause will usually cover two aspects of notice:
- What is means to give notice
- When to assume that notice has been given
Non-waiver / exercise of rights
By including this clause, parties recognise that their rights can only be waived explicitly. This will help the courts interpret the rights of parties during a dispute.
Summary
Boilerplate clauses are important as they outline how a contract is managed and administered, especially in terms of amendments, interpretation and dispute resolution.
Although they are standard form clauses that are included into most contracts, not all boilerplate clauses may be relevant to an agreement so it is important to assess the applicability of the clauses before deciding if they should be included in your contract or not. | https://openlegal.com.au/what-are-boilerplate-clauses/ |
A light earthquake magnitude 4.6 (ml/mb) strikes 249 km W of Abepura, Indonesia (155 miles) on Friday. A tsunami warning has not been issued (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 44.74 km (28 miles) below the earth’s surface. Date and time of earthquake in UTC/GMT: 25/10/19 / 2019-10-25 02:35:02 / October 25, 2019 @ 2:35 am. Event ids that are associated to the earthquake: us600062s9. Id of event: us600062s9. Exact location of event, depth 44.74 km, 138.3437° East, -2.6698° South. The 4.6-magnitude earthquake has occurred at 11:35:02 / 11:35 am (local time epicenter).
Earthquakes 4.0 to 5.0 are often felt, but only causes minor damage. There are an estimated 13,000 light earthquakes in the world each year. In the past 24 hours, there have been one, in the last 10 days fifteen, in the past 30 days twenty-one and in the last 365 days one hundred and fourteen earthquakes of magnitude 3.0 or greater that has occurred nearby.
Did you feel anything?
Were you asleep? Was it difficult to stand and/or walk? Leave a comment or report about shaking, activity and damage at your city, home and country. This information comes from the USGS Earthquake Notification Service. Read more about the earthquake, Seismometer information, Date-Time, Location, Distances, Parameters and details about this quake, recorded: 249 km W of Abepura, Indonesia.
Copyright © 2019 earthquakenewstoday.com All rights reserved. | http://www.earthquakenewstoday.com/2019/10/25/light-earthquake-m4-6-quake-has-struck-near-abepura-in-indonesia-5/ |
This study explores how interprofessional simulation-based education (IPSE) can contribute to a change in students’ understanding of teamwork and professional roles. A series of 1-day training sessions was arranged involving undergraduate nursing and medical students. Scenarios were designed for practicing teamwork principles and interprofessional communication skills by endorsing active participation by all team members.
Four focus groups occurred 2–4 weeks after the training. Thematic analysis of the transcribed focus groups was applied, guided by questions on what changes in students’ understanding of teamwork and professional roles were identified and how such changes had been achieved.
The first question, aiming to identify changes in students’ understanding of teamwork, resulted in three categories: realizing and embracing teamwork fundamentals, reconsidering professional roles, and achieving increased confidence. The second question, regarding how participation in IPSE could support the transformation of students’ understanding of teamwork and of professional roles, embraced another three categories: feeling confident in the learning environment, embodying experiences, and obtaining an outside perspective.
This study showed the potential of IPSE to transform students’ understanding of others’ professional roles and responsibilities. Students displayed extensive knowledge on fundamental teamwork principles and what these meant in the midst of participating in the scenarios. A critical prerequisite for the development of these new insights was to feel confident in the learning environment. The significance of how the environment was set up calls for further research on the design of IPSE in influencing role understanding and communicative skills in significant ways.
There is a growing awareness that patient safety in healthcare work relies on the ability of individuals to collaborate effectively with other professionals. In response, there is an increasing quest for a definition of interprofessional competencies . Among these, the understanding and appreciation of one’s own and others’ roles and responsibilities are highlighted as a core competence of interprofessional work as a prerequisite for effective communication . The centrality of communication, in turn, stems from the fact that the most care-related patient injuries are caused by communication failures [3, 4]. There is increasing interest in interprofessional simulation-based education (IPSE), in which students from different professions are allowed to practice teamwork and communication skills in controlled environments [5–7]. A growing body of research suggests that IPSE is well received among students and results in positive outcomes on their attitudes and knowledge [7–10]. However, few studies have explored the possibilities of IPSE to overcome relational obstacles for teamwork in contemporary healthcare that might undermine efficient communication and teamwork, such as prevailing hierarchical structures and an unequal distribution of power relationships . The need to address these aspects is underlined by research indicating that nursing and medical students’ understanding of professional roles is mainly traditional and tends to be stereotypical [12, 13]. Establishing a level of trust has been noted as necessary for promoting open communication and reflection in simulation-based training [14, 15]. Further, trust has been identified as central for effective interprofessional collaboration and the need for introducing trust-building activities through interprofessional education [15, 16].
Background for the present study was the course evaluations from 172 participants (128 nursing and 44 medical students), including 29 teams in all, showing that the interprofessional simulation sessions were highly appreciated. Almost all students stated that the training improved their communicative skills (97%) and ability to handle patients’ health problems (89%). The students rated highly what they had learned about their own and others’ professions (92 and 95%, respectively) and almost unanimously (99%) would recommend other students to take part in this training. While the results from the evaluations clearly indicated that the students found the training beneficial, it motivated a further study to gain more specific knowledge on what the students learned in terms of interprofessional teamwork and the possibilities and constraints of IPSE to contribute such outcomes.
Although interprofessional training seems to be a viable option to cause a change in student attitudes, recent studies point out communication barriers between professions as obstacles for interprofessional teamwork which can also hinder the establishment of trusting relations through IPSE [18–20]. Aase et al. investigated the views of students, educators, and healthcare staff on how to design interprofessional training. Although their views were mainly positive, they also expressed that unequal power relationships between nurses and physicians could hamper successful outcomes of training . Another study investigating nursing and medical students’ participation in IPSE showed that hierarchies within the team as well as the lack of cross-disciplinary knowledge seemed to constrain the participants’ predisposition to speak freely and to share responsibility .
What changes in students’ understanding of teamwork and professional roles can be identified through IPSE?
How can IPSE support the transformation of students’ understanding of teamwork and of professional roles?
The interprofessional training program involved nursing students during their last semester of a 3-year education and medical students during the final years of their five-and-a-half-year education (semesters 8–11). The objective for the 1-day training was to strengthen the competencies needed for a collaborative management of emergency situations.
A lecture preceded the training to emphasize the principles of teamwork, structured communication, and systematic management of patients in everyday but potentially life-threatening situations. To clarify and outline the focus of the training, four goals were emphasized from Crisis Resource Management (CRM) and Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) principles. The explicit goals were to train (1) structured examination through ABCDE (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Environment) and (2) structured communication through SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) and to give (3) feedback by applying closed loop communication and (4) attention to critical occurrences through “Speak up” [20–23]. Five scenarios were designed with these objectives directly relating to interprofessional collaboration (Additional file 1). To promote active participation by the students from both disciplines, all scenarios included tasks that had to be performed by each profession, both separately and in collaboration. The scenarios comprised common medical conditions (for example, confusion after postoperative bleeding, vasovagal reactions, breathing problems, and anaphylactic reactions) in various healthcare settings that the students are likely to meet in their early professional career. The training sessions utilized a three-step model: briefing, scenario, and debriefing.
Ten to 12 students participated in each and every day of training. The large group was divided in two smaller groups of five to six students (comprising one to two medical and four to five nursing students) that trained in parallel. Every student participated in three to five of the five scenarios during the day and observed the others. All students were introduced to the simulator room to become familiar with the environment and the simulator used (SimMan 3G, Laerdal Medical, Stavanger, Norway). The active participants were introduced to the scenario they were about to encounter through a briefing. The observers followed the scenario on a projector screen in an adjacent room with instructions to observe behaviors (favorable and non-favorable) related to the objectives. The debriefing followed the model developed by Steinwachs : first, the participants were asked to express their immediate feeling (“vent”). This was followed by a discussion that was divided into three steps: (1) what went well during the scenario, (2) what could be improved, and (3) what could be learned from this scenario. The initial focus on favorable actions was intended to establish a non-threatening situation and to serve as a basis for constructive discussion on what could be improved. Participants in the scenarios and observers were encouraged to engage in discussion and feedback.
Focus groups were arranged to gain a deep understanding of responses to the research questions . These were carried out approximately 1–2 weeks after the training since a close proximity in time to the training was preferred. To facilitate participation and avoid interfering with the usual study programs, the students attending the last two training days at the end of two subsequent semesters were invited to participate, which included 48 students. Twenty-three of these students volunteered. Four focus groups were conducted, two with nursing students (eight and six participants) and two with medical students (four and five students). The rationale for choosing uniprofessional groups was that students were anticipated to express themselves more freely with peers within their own discipline.
A guide for the focus groups was developed (see Additional file 2). Each focus group was led by one or two members of the research team (LC, LO, HR) and lasted for approximately 60 min. All focus groups were audio and video recorded and transcribed verbatim. The video recordings were stored on a server in the university and were revisited in cases of uncertainty on what was said and by whom in the interviews.
Inductive thematic analysis was performed with inspiration from Elo and Kyngäs . The software NVivo was used to organize and structure the data. The transcriptions were read by all authors several times in order to become familiar with the data and gain a sense of the whole. The data corpus was openly coded by extracting meaning units corresponding to each of the research questions. Notes and headings were written in the text while reading, and the text was read through again. This way, the headings portrayed all aspects of the content and developed the codes. The initial coding was conducted by two of the researchers (HR and LO) collaborating. The codes were grouped into potential themes to capture and describe recurrent phenomena. The themes were reviewed in relation to the coded extracts and the whole dataset to generate a thematic overview of the analysis. During the analysis, the themes were refined in an iterative process until definitions and names for each theme were given. The themes formed the basis for the presentation of the results together with a selection of illustrative quotations, relating back to the analysis and research questions [26, 27]. To strengthen credibility, the analysis was conducted independently by all authors and was then discussed and modified by all authors until a consensus and an agreement were reached .
The results are organized in accordance with the two research questions. The first section presents significant changes in students’ understanding of teamwork and professional roles; the second section presents the conditions that were critical to enabling such transformations of understandings.
Three themes emerged from the analysis: (1) realizing and embracing teamwork fundamentals, (2) reconsidering professional roles, and (3) achieving increased confidence.
Closely connected to the need to maintain an overview was the significance of leadership. Although the implication of keeping an open atmosphere and being reluctant to each others’ meanings, the students found that shared responsibility for the formation of leadership in the team was important and that the teamwork would be impaired and the structure of the team’s efforts ruined without clear leadership. This was considered to be especially important in acute situations, and if someone does not take on this responsibility, it is important for oneself to take the leadership.
Similarly, the nursing students found that the accomplishment of discrete tasks connected to their role presumed trust in the leader.
The students expressed the importance of such transgressions in general, and the nursing students voiced the importance for the medical students to feel supported by the rest of the team in the position as a team leader.
Both nursing and medical students expressed that the IPSE increased their self-confidence. Performing as the leader for the team and knowing how to proceed conveyed the feeling that they could manage acute situations in real life. One medical student expressed that having the knowledge to manage the case put him in the position of being the leader, which in turn, led to a feeling of increased role confidence.
In parallel, nursing students, in various ways, expressed increased confidence that their competence was fundamental to successful teamwork.
Three conditions were identified as crucial for facilitating the change of the students’ understandings: (1) feeling confident in the learning environment, (2) embodying experiences, and (3) obtaining an outside perspective.
The students experienced the atmosphere during the simulation training to be kind, permissive, and non-judgmental. That all participants were students created a sense of equality and contributed to a positive and easy going ambiance. This made it easier to speak up, have the courage to express feelings of doubts, and be more outspoken.
The fact that the scenarios were involving sub-acute medical conditions, taking place in various surroundings (e.g., primary care unit, geriatric ward) and team members arriving one by one as in real life contributed to experiences of being present in a clinical situation.
The observers’ role was important in two ways: observing others and being observed. By observing others, for preparing to give feedback and finding examples, the significance of communication became clear. Feedback from peers was different from feedback from instructors, who the students felt might be too gentle in their criticism. Feedback from other “professions” who had seen them act was significant; the students recognized the other professions’ knowledge in a new and respectful way. Peer students could also note important aspects of knowledge or acting that they observed.
One of the most important findings was that the students emphasized a number of changes in their understanding of teamwork and professional roles after the simulation experience. The students gave vivid details of their impression of being a member of a simulated interprofessional team. They not only displayed a cognitive/theoretical understanding of teamwork fundamentals in accordance with CRM principles but also described the feeling and consequences of putting them successfully into action with the other professions. They revised their views on professional roles and pondered the complexities of communication and teamwork with regard to professional tasks. They described, sometimes with surprise, new discoveries about the other professions, revising perceptions based on experiences from previous clinical rotations. Further, they stressed in positive terms the experience of increasing confidence and esteem for their own and for the other profession. Another important finding was that participation in IPSE offered a rewarding learning experience that differed considerably from other forms of education. They emphasized the importance of hands-on learning compared with mere textbook learning. The benefits of simulation training included being able to make mistakes without embarrassment in front of the other professions and receiving valuable and sincere feedback from instructors and peers, which points to the benefits of positive and appreciative feelings in combination with simulation activities . Moreover, the students described how the experience of stress contributed to a sense of embodied knowledge, emphasizing the significance of the experience of stress as a non-negative issue .
With respect to these findings, it is noticeable that the expectation that hierarchies and power relationships in healthcare are obstacles for achieving the learning goals of IPSE might not necessarily be the case [18–20]. While Aase et al. reported on unequal power relations as hindering for learning [18, 19] and nursing students’ hesitation to voice their concerns , the present study shows how IPSE can function as a means for promoting collegial communication and mutual trust . The diverging results between prior research of IPSE and the present study indicate that the outcomes of IPSE might be highly sensitive to how the learning environment is designed. Therefore, a critical issue is how IPSE can be arranged to achieve a profound change in students’ perceptions of interprofessional collaboration during the early years of career development . This study and other studies have shown that feeling safe and confident in the learning situation is of central importance [32, 33]. However, there seem to be other design features that are crucial for putting an emphasis on medical aspects (clinical exchange) in comparison with teamwork (collaborative exchange) which might favor medical students . Balancing the two by designing scenario settings where interprofessional collaboration, instead of the individual doctor’s medical knowledge, is crucial for the patient outcome might allow both professions to act on an equal level. Another significant feature could be that the debriefing model used, which was encouraging students to start by describing positive aspects before problematizing what should be improved, could have contributed to a non-threatening and permissive learning environment.
In summary, this study strengthens assumptions on how IPSE should be designed to promote the development of interprofessional competencies. Firstly, it is important to enable an active participation of students from both disciplines, and secondly, it is important to establish a trustful learning environment. One limitation is that we need to be cautious of generalizing the findings to other professional domains. Another restriction is that the findings should not be regarded as to reflect causal relations, for instance, how single design elements affected the outcomes. Establishing the stability of such relations requires a larger data set and hypothesis-driven quantitative studies. It is also important to note that we studied students as “emerging” professionals and so they were still consolidating their own “professional” roles.
The results point to the potentials of IPSE to thoroughly transform the students’ understanding of the other professions’ roles and responsibilities and present IPSE as a promising means for promoting collegial communication and mutual trust. The students displayed relevant knowledge on fundamental teamwork principles relating to specific simulation activities. A critical condition for developing these new insights was to feel confident in the learning environment, which also contributed to revising prior assumptions on hierarchies and unequal power relations. The significance of the learning environment points to a need for further research considering if and how specific designs can promote role understanding and communicative skills “that truly make a difference to patient care” .
A correction to this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-019-0089-6.
The authors wish to acknowledge all of the participating students.
Funding was received from the Sahlgrenska Academy, Gothenburg University.
All authors took part in designing the study and the focus group guide. LO, LC, and HR led the focus groups. LO and HR performed the initial categorization of data, while all authors contributed to elaboration of the categories, refining the analysis and writing up the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article. The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
No individuals can be identified in the presented data. All participants gave informed consent to participate.
The study was approved by the Ethical Review Board of the University of Gothenburg (application no. 693-13) and conformed with the Declaration of Helsinki. The participants were given written and verbal information about the study and were informed that participation was voluntary and that they could refrain from participation at any time without consequences.
QRSInternational. http://www.qsrinternational.com. [cited 2017 01 january]. | https://advancesinsimulation.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41077-017-0041-6 |
Hello, Hello,
There's no easy explanation here, but I am cancelling the UNCHALLENGE.
I'm finding it hard to succinctly describe the process behind the decision. Basically, the challenges of delivering a great experience were too great. Better to let go than push through.
My current intention is to record these exercises and sell them as a mini-course, like Draw In Your New Year.
Thank you again for your interest, and I hope to see you in a course or virtual workshop soon.
Getting your
💭 thoughts,
❤️ feelings,
and 💡 ideas
out of your head and
onto paper is the key to
ERASING OVERWHELM
and Brandy Agerbeck
will share her secret,
super simple techniques
April 11-15 in her upcoming...
How did you fare with the second Pandemic Anniversary?
Are you like me? A big ol' messy mix of cautious, hopefull, and exhausted?
Are you still kind of mentally white knuckling it like I am?
I know, I know, you are doing the best that you can.
I bet your best is pretty badass considering all that you are nagivating:
- Having forgotten "how to people"
- Feeling hopeful for some normalcy, but holding your breath for what might come next
- work and school are nowhere near normal
(Did you just audibly scoff at the word normal?)
- global politics, local politics, information, and misinformation
- Still not quite knowing when you can plan things to look forward to
It is a lot.
A whole lot of a whole lot.
And if you're still standing, relatively healthy, and still have a sense of humor, YOU ARE WINNING.
Since I can’t give you the ✨High 5🖐️✨ or big 🧸 hug you deserve, I’m hosting a second annual UN-CHALLENGE for you.
The Mental Spring Cleaning UN-CHALLENGE is five lunch break self-care sessions to:
🎁 Give yourself the recognition you deserve
🎁 To pause just enough to regain your perspective
🎁 Give yourself some RELIEF from the overwhelm
🎁 Gain true CLARITY
Carve out these 45-minute sessions to save yourself untold time worrying, thinking in circles, trying to make the uncertain more certain.
I’ll be walking you through my own favorite techniques for when my brain is full and I am so wound up I can’t focus. You’ll get my tried-and-true methods to sort out what actually matters from all the mental clutter.
These are not lectures, or hype sessions that make you feel like there’s even more you SHOULD be doing.
NO shoulding on ourselves.
I’ll be leading you through daily guided reflection exercises that not only will give you immediate insights, but you can also repeat whenever you feel uncertain or overloaded.
Wish I could make that overwhelm vanish permanently. No, that's part of being human in 2022.
I can share my tools to wrangle your thoughts, feelings and ideas whenever you need to.
Monday, April 11: Go non-verbal and get messy.
Tuesday, April 12: A lovely alternative to energy-draining lists
Wednesday, April 13: Clarity on what you can and can't control
Thursday, April 14: Separate signal from noise is your daily life
Friday, April 15: Reflect on your progress and envision your path ahead
Please DO NOT sign up if you think you can half-listen or multi-task through this.
NOPE.
You’ll be wasting your time. I don’t mind if you’re chewing on your lunch (or dinner, or midnight snack depending on where you are…). But you must be present to win.*
The only tangible materials you need are some blank loose leaf paper and pens.
Get ready to give your ✨Beautiful Brain✨ some relief!
* Or go for the VIP Brain Spa to learn the tools any time.
Ready to join me?
Know someone else who could use this?
Invite them to this Smarty Party:
SHARE IT: | https://www.loosetooth.com/unchallenge |
FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY
BACKGROUND
DISCLOSUR OF INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to medical devices, to non-medicated means of the general therapeutic effects on the body and enhance human physical abilities through the respiratory system, in particular, to adjustable inhalation/exhalation resistance devices for breathing hypoxic-hypercapnic mixtures of different compositions and it can be used in health care purposes in hospitals and in the domestic environment.
It is well known that normal (healthy person) own body supports desired levels of carbon dioxide in the blood within 6.5-7.0% (normocapnia). Due to improper breathing and other behavioral factors at stress, physical inactivity, exposure to other adverse factors, as well as with age the deviations from the normal concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood of the human body (deficiency of carbon dioxide or hypocapnia) may occur. As a result, the smooth muscle tone regulation, blood flow to organs are violated, blood pressure is increased, respectively, the severity of hypertension, coronary heart disease, angina, asthma, chronic bronchitis, diabetes, diseases of the digestive tract and other diseases are formed and increased.
For the prevention and treatment of these abnormalities the hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory training (hypoxic-hypercapnic effect on the body) as well as training with increased inhalation/exhalation resistance (barrier) are widely used.
2
2
Hypoxic training is breathing hypoxic mixtures (with a reduced content of oxygen in the mixture). When breathing air mixture with reduced oxygen content the complex of the adaptive reactions develops due to the process of adaptation to hypoxia in the human body which results to the appearance of endogenous type respiration using endogenous oxygen presenting in adipose tissue, and to the combustion of not oxidized products of metabolism in the body into CO and HO (carbon dioxide and water). As a result of hypoxic breathing the physiological reserves of the body is increased i. e. the reserved capillaries are open, more red blood cells are released into the bloodstream, blood volume increases, blood circulation and oxygen delivery into cells improves, including endogenous oxygen, metabolism normalizes, functional status, performance, vitality of the body and quality of human life improve.
Hypercapnic training is breathing hypercapnic mixtures (with a high content of carbon dioxide in the inhaled air). It is known that carbon dioxide is the most important factor influencing on the most important biological and physiological processes. Carbon dioxide affects on the metabolism of the cells, on the state of the smooth muscles of internal organs and blood vessels, on the condition of the nervous system, on the acid-base balance in the body, on the process of separating oxygen from hemoglobin during the passage of the blood through the capillaries and following entering the tissue. The human body actively reacts to the increasing of the carbon dioxide in the blood and tissues as a result of excitation of hypercapnic chemoreceptors, when reducing the carbon dioxide content such a reaction is not observed, since there are no chemoreceptors in human body, which are responsive to reduction of carbon dioxide. This fact underscores the importance of hypercapnic training for maintaining the required amount of carbon dioxide in the blood and tissues.
Training with increased inhalation/exhalation resistance (barrier) promotes not only improving of the gas exchange, but also increasing of the strength and endurance of the respiratory muscles and using the entire respiratory system for the recovery of the respiratory system and the whole organism. When increasing the inhalation resistance, the inspiratory muscles (mainly the muscles of the diaphragm) are exposed to training. When increasing the exhalation resistance, the expiratory muscles (mainly abdominal muscles and intercostal muscles) are exposed to training. Such training besides a positive effect on said respiratory muscles also promotes the bronchi gymnastics, improves lymph drainage and venous outflow, gas exchange at the alveolar level, drainage functions of the bronchial tree, the cleaning process of the bronchi and lungs. Training with the increased inhalation / exhalation resistance (barrier) is mandatory for the athletes, professionals who use respiratory protective equipment i.e. masks, aqualungs, diving suits, and so on.
It is widely known breathing exercises, such as gymnastics of Strelnikova and Buteyko, gymnastics combat systems, which use artificial methods of increasing the inhalation/exhalation resistance in the natural respiratory tract (pressing on nose wings when inspiriting that is increasing inhalation resistance, expiration through clenched teeth with sound "tssss" that is increasing exhalation resistance).
The drawback of the breathing exercises is that carbonation is not controlled by anything other than the own feelings of man, and this is very subjective and can not only improve but worsen health.
For training of the respiratory system, the special devices are used (breathing exercise equipment or breathing exercisers). These devices promote adjusting the inhalation/exhalation resistance, setting up modes of the hypoxic-hypercapnic effects on the body and management of them independently of the subjective feelings of man.
Such devices (breathing exercisers) are widely described in the sources of scientific, technical and patent information. As the analogues of claimed exerciser the following known devices are selected.
1526699
Breathing apparatus for carrying out breathing hypoxic stimulation (is known by the USSR inventor's certificate number , IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 15.03.1988).
Breathing apparatus comprises a mask with exhalation/inhalation valves, cartridge absorbing oxygen dioxide, particulate filter, tee, made with internal and external diaphragms and a socket for connecting of the breathing bag with said apparatus, the inhalation/exhalation air channels. Said Inner diaphragm connects inhalation channel with breathing bag and said outer diaphragm connects the same channel with the atmosphere. In diaphragms the passageways are formed.
Breathing apparatus operates as follows.
When expirating the air with reduced oxygen content through the valve and exhalation channel enters the cartridge with a chemical absorber of carbon dioxide and then through the particulate filter flows into the breathing bag and partly discharged into the surrounding atmosphere through the diaphragms.
When inspirating gas mixture with reduced oxygen content from the breathing bag through the opening in the inner diaphragm, through the inhalation channel and the inhalation valve is fed to the inhalating. Simultaneously the inhalation air comes in from the environment through the opening in the outer diaphragm.
Ratio of flows entering the inhalation from the breathing bag and from the surrounding atmosphere is determined by the areas of the openings formed in the inner and outer diaphragms.
Since the amount of air drawn from surrounding atmosphere is determined by the areas of openings formed in the inner and outer diaphragms, the concentration of oxygen in the inhalation gas mixture is set constant.
Common features of the selected analogue and claimed solution are breathing exerciser comprising means of connecting to the airways of user, flexible chamber carried out in the form of breathing bag, channels supplying atmospheric air and gas mixture to the breathing organs from the breathing bag and throttle devices installed in the channels.
Breathing apparatus does not provide regulation of composition of hypoxic-hypercapnic breathing mixture because throttle devices (openings in the diaphragms) are unregulated. The device has no means of creating inhalation/exhalation resistance and regulation of it. All said limits the modes of use of the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body.
1,607,817
It is known the device for the treatment of respiratory and blood circulation (inventor's number of the USSR, the IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 02.11.1987).
The apparatus comprises the breathing mask, the single inhalation/exhalation channel carried out in form of the sleeve, breathing bag connected to the sleeve, the stabilizer of the inhalation air mixture composition, said stabilizer is carried out in form of a rectangular opening cut in the sleeve, and manual valve mounted on the sleeve with the possibility of longitudinal displacement along said opening and partial overlap of it. Said manual valve is provided with a scale of the oxygen and carbon dioxide content in the inhaled air mixture.
The device operates as follows.
Preliminary the desired content of fresh air in the inhaled air mixture is set according to the scale of said manual valve. Then the breathing mask is fixed on the patient's head.
When exhaling the exhaled air enters mainly the breathing bag through the sleeve, smaller part of it comes out to the atmosphere through the rectangular opening in the sleeve.
When inhaling the exhaled air from the breathing bag enters the sleeve and the atmosphere air through the opening in the sleeve also enters sad sleeve, said opening is partial overlapped with manual valve. The both flows are mixed in the sleeve. In a few minutes the inhalation mixture composition (the content of the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the mixture) stabilizes according to the limit instructions of the manual valve scale.
Common features of the selected analogue and the claimed solution are the breathing exerciser comprising means connecting it to the user's airways, the flexible chamber carried out in form of breathing bag, the channels supplying the inhaled atmospheric air and exhaled air from the breathing bag to the human breathing organs, the adjustable valve device installed in the channel for supplying atmospheric air.
Modes of using the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body are limited by the lack of means creating inhalation/exhalation resistance and means regulating said resistance.
2,196,612
It is known the breathing exerciser used as a physiotherapy apparatus (patent number of the Russian Federation, the IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 06.07.1987).
The exerciser comprises a composite body, means regulating the breathing resistance, the inhalation and exhalation valve devices. Said composite body includes a hollow cylinder and a cup disposed axially in the cavity of said hollow cylinder and connected hermetically by its open end with said hollow cylinder.
In the side wall of the hollow cylinder and in the side wall of said cup the through openings are carried out, said openings are closed on the outside by elastic annular diaphragms. There are located the movable dissected clamps on the hollow cylinder and the cup at the portion of placing of elastic annular diaphragms. Said dissected clamps are mounted to turn them angular relative to the hollow cylinder and the cup and to regulate passage sections of the through openings. At the constant slots in the dissected clamps the regulation of the inhalation/exhalation resistance is ensured by the carrying out of the openings in the form of a series of gradually increasing diameter, or in the form a widening of the slots.
When inhaling the elastic diaphragm mounted on the hollow cylinder and being the exhalation valve closes the openings of the hollow cylinder, and the elastic diaphragm mounted on the cup and being the inhalation valve opens the cup openings located within the slot of the dissected clamp.
When exhaling, the elastic diaphragm being inhalation valve closes the openings of the cup and the elastic diaphragm being the exhalation valve opens hollow cylinder openings within the slot of the dissected clamp.
Common features the selected analogue and claimed solution are the breathing exerciser, including the inhalation and exhalation channels, in which the adjustable throttle devices are installed.
The design of the exerciser does not provide the regulation of the hypoxic/hypercapnic breathing mixture composition, that limits the modes of use the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body.
2,336,907
It is known personal breathing device designed for providing a hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture (patent number of the Russian Federation, the IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 06.02.2006).
The device includes a respiratory mask, the inner space of which is connected to two bags for collection of exhaled air through two atmosphere air intakes, which are arranged on both sides of the respiratory mask and provided with the inhaled air mixture regulators. The inhaled air mixture regulators consist of a series of plugs with the through openings of different diameters. The plugs are installed in through openings carried out in the atmosphere air intakes.
The device has separated inhalation and exhalation channels, isolated by the inhalation and exhalation valves, which are disposed in the respiratory mask. The exhalation channels are formed by the exhalation valve and the exhalation tubes connecting the mask interior with the air intakes. The inhalation channels are formed by the atmosphere air intakes provided with the bags attached thereto and the inhalation valves through which the air intakes are connected with the inner space of the mask.
When exhaling (inhalation valves are closed), the air with reduced content of oxygen through the exhalation valve enters the atmosphere air intakes, the bags for collection the exhalation air, and partly discharges into the surrounding atmosphere through the openings in the plugs.
When Inhaling (exhalation valve is closed) inhalation valves opens. Air mixture having the reduced concentration of oxygen and the increased portion of carbon dioxide from the bags for collecting exhaled air through the atmosphere air intakes enters the inhale. Simultaneously, the surrounding atmosphere air enters the inhale through said openings in the plugs. The ratio of flows entering the inhale from the bags and from the surrounding atmosphere through said openings in the plugs is determined by the total aerodynamic resistance of total diameter of the through openings carried out in the plugs and the overall diameter of the inlets in the bags.
Common features of said analog and claimed solution are breathing exerciser, including means connecting said exerciser with the user's breathing airways, the flexible chamber carried out in form of breathing bag, the channels supplying atmosphere air to the human breathing organs and supplying air mixture from the breathing bag, adjustable throttle device installed in the channel supplying the atmosphere air.
Modes of using the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body are limited by the lack of means for providing inhalation/exhalation resistance and its regulation.
2,467,771
It is known breathing exerciser designed for the prevention and treatment of diseases by breathing with hypoxic-hypercapnic air mixture (patent number of the Russian Federation, the IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 16.08.2010).
Breathing exerciser consists of a mask carried out to connect said exerciser to the user's breathing organs, breathing bag and mixer carried out in the form of regulator of the inhaled air mixture. Said mixer is installed in an opening in the lower part of the mask. The breathing bag is connected to the lower part of said mixer.
Said mixer can be formed as a cylinder in the lower portion of which there is an opening which overlapped by the elastic flexible petals, and on the side surface of which there is an atmospheric air opening also closed by the elastic flexible petals. Elastic flexible petals provide minimal inhalation/exhalation resistance at a constant ratio of fresh air and exhaled air in the breathing mix.
Said mixer can be formed as a cylindrical housing with openings in the lower portion and on the side surface. Inside the housing a cylinder is placed to be rotated manually, the outer diameter of said cylinder is equal to the inner diameter of said housing. Said cylinder is provided with an opening in the cylinder wall and with the base segment. When the cylinder rotates its wall with the opening partially overlaps the opening on a side surface of the housing, and the segment overlaps the part of the opening in the low base of said housing.
At inhalation said mixer regulates the supplying and mixing of two gas flows, i.e. the fresh air from the atmosphere and the mixture from the breathing bag and at exhalation said mixer divides exhaled stream into two flows i.e. the flow enters the breathing bag and the flow enters the atmosphere, providing a predetermined relationship between the fresh air and exhaled air.
Common features of selected analogue and claimed solution are breathing exerciser comprising means to connect to the user's breathing airways, flexible chamber carried out in the form of breathing bag, channels supplying the breathing air and air/gas mixture to the human respiratory organs from the breathing bag.
Modes of using the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body are limited by the lack of means providing the inhalation/exhalation resistance and its regulation.
1174043
It is known respirator adapted for preparing hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture (the inventor's certificate of the USSR number , IPC A62V 18/02, filing date 04.29.1984). Respirator can be used as a exerciser for training and restore breathing users, including athletes.
The respirator consists of a body carried out in the form a hollow rigid cylinder, inside of which the partition is installed to divide the cylinder space into two chambers. The first chamber is connected to the user's respiratory system through the means of communication with the airway respirator (mask with elastic straps). The second chamber is connected to atmosphere via a passage formed in the said body on the portion of the second chamber. The first and second chamber are connected to each other through a channel formed in the partition. The channel of communication the second chamber with the atmosphere is formed in said body in the place most remote from the user's face.
Respiratory is used as follows.
The mask is put on the user's face and fixed on the head with an elastic strap. When breathing during the adoption of procedure, the respiratory gas mixture concentration in the internal volume of the cylindrical body in each cycle of the respirator operation steady mode fluctuates around average values depending on the depth of respiration. If a single chamber of the the respirator (without a partition) accommodates the average inhaled mixture composition comprising 18.5% of oxygen and 2.3 % of carbon dioxide of total mixture volume, then the series connection of two such cameras gives values of the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the inhaled gas mixture, respectively, 16.5 % and 3.7 % of the total volume.
Common features of selected analogue and claimed solution are: breathing exerciser comprising two chambers communicating with each other, the first of which is connected to the means for connection said first chamber with the user's respiratory tract, and the second chamber is connected with the atmosphere.
Said respirator, when using for hypoxic/hypercapnic training of the human organism, has limited possibilities of regulation of hypoxic/hypercapnic breathing mixture composition, since the variation of the breathing mixtures can be realized only by changing the volume ratio of the first and second chambers, therefore it is required to manufacture several respirators with different volume ratio of said cameras. In said respirator there no means of providing inhalation/exhalation resistance (barrier) and, accordingly, its regulation. All of this limits the use of said respirator and its potential health effects on the body.
RU2118542
It is selected as the prototype the personal breathing exerciser, known for the patent of the Russian Federation , IPC A61M 16/00, filing date 30.05.1997.
The personal breathing exerciser contains the inner chamber (the first chamber), connected with the means of the connection said exerciser to the user's breathing airways (breathing tube), the middle (second) chamber connected to the inner (first) chamber, the outer (third) chamber, connected with the middle (second) chamber and the surrounding atmosphere. The inner chamber (the first chamber) is connected with the middle (second) chamber through the openings with means for varying the magnitude flow area of the openings (through an adjustable throttle device). Said exerciser comprises the means for separating a part of the volume the outer(third) chamber (the means of regulating the working volume of the chamber), which are carried out in the form of the transverse partition, adjacent to the inner surface of the outer chamber and the outer surface of the middle chamber, to move axial and to fix said partition, or in the form of at least one inflatable vessel made of elastic material and placed between the outer surface of the middle chamber and the inner surface of the outer chamber.
Therapeutic and preventive effects of said exerciser on the human body is determined by breathing hypoxic-hypercapnic environment and the presence of inhalation/exhalation resistance.
Regulation of hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture is performed by adjusting of the operating volume of the external (third) camera when setting up exerciser operating mode.
Regulation of the inhalation/exhalation resistance is performed by adjusting the flow cross section of the openings through which the first chamber is connected with the second chamber.
Common features of the prototype and the claimed solution are the breathing exerciser, comprising the first chamber, connected to means connecting said chamber to the user's breathing airways, a second chamber connected to the first chamber, a third chamber connected to the second chamber, means for the regulation of the breathing gas composition and means regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance.
The design of the breathing exerciser selected as the prototype has the following disadvantages: said design does not allow separately and independently adjust the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance; the possibility of the respiratory hypoxic-hypercapnic composition regulation are limited by the size of the third chamber - to provide a high degree of breathing mixture hipercapnia, third chamber should have a significant size; design complexity associated with the need to use the means of change the external (third) chamber working volume.
WO 2005/105215 A1
describes an insulating respiratory device (IRD) comprising an oxygen source and means for ensuring the required breathing mode of a person in an irrespirable gas medium on in water, wherein said means is embodied in such a way that it is possible to set the flow and the flowrate of a respirable oxygen according to the needs of an endogenically breathing person. The variants of the (IRD) provided with an oxygen source in the form of an oxygen cylinder, regenerating cartridge and a breathing bag are also disclosed. The method for training a human respiratory system is based on the periodical inspiration of a hypercapnic and hypoxic gaseous medium formed by the mixture of an exhalation gas and atmospheric air and consists in forming such a mixture with an usual breathing rate directly in lungs by alternating A atmospheric air inspiration-expiration cycles and B exhalation gas inspiration-expiration , wherein according to the number of made trainings, the adaptation of an organism to scarcity of inhalant oxygen, is gradually without a sense of discomfort, wherein a ratio q=TB/TA between a breathing time of the exhalation gas TB and the atmospheric air breathing time TA during the training period, which is initially is equal to or less than 1, increased within a limit of up to q>>1 and a respiration depth is decreased by increasing the number of the cycles B and reducing the number of the cycles A (including during a successive training). The variants of the method using the IRD with the oxygen source in the form of the breathing bag are also disclosed. The use of the inventive IRD makes it possible to substantially increase the performance characteristics of the insulating respiratory devices whereas the use of the inventive method makes it possible to substantially reduce the conation in order to train the development of endogenous breathing for restoring the health of a human organism and simultaneously to ease the use of said IRD.
The main object of the invention is the improving of the breathing exerciser, in which due to design features it is possible the regulation (change) of hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture in a wide range by simple technical means, and the separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and exhalation resistance (obstruction, barrier), which extends the possibilities of choice modes of use of the exerciser and its health effects on the body. This is achieved by the subject-matter of the independent claims.
In appliance with the first embodiment of the invention said object is achieved in that the breathing exerciser comprises a first chamber including means for connecting said exerciser to the exerciser user's airways, a second chamber connected to the first chamber, a third chamber connected to the second chamber, means for regulating breathing gas composition, means for regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance, said means are installed in a channel of communication of the first chamber with the second chamber, the second chamber is connected with the atmosphere, the third chamber is elastic, means for regulating the breathing gas composition are carried out in the form of the adjustable throttling device, installed in the channel of communication of the second chamber with the third chamber, and the adjustable throttling device is installed in the channel of communication the second chamber with the atmosphere, and means regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance are carried out to regulate the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance separately and independently.
2
2
Said features are essential features within the first embodiment of the invention, because they provide hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture regulation (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO in the breathing mixture) in a wide range with simple technical means, as well as the separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance that extends the modes of use of the exerciser and its potential health effects on the user's body.
Means for regulating respiratory gas composition and the inhalation resistance and exhalation resistance the exerciser carried out according to the first embodiment can have various circuit implementation.
Means for regulating the inhalation resistance and exhalation resistance can be carried out in the form of the adjustable throttling device with a locking element which is installed in the passage section of said throttling device to be moved in opposite directions relative to the plane of the passage section, and an adjustable stop limiting said moving.
The locking element of the adjustable throttling device can be configured in the form of a ball freely established, or in the form of a console petal with the possibility of elastic deflection in opposite directions.
These implementations of the locking element are technical equivalents, providing the separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance.
Means for regulating the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance can be carried out in the form of the parallel connected check valve and the adjustable throttling device, as well as in the form of the adjustable throttling device, connected in series with said parallel connected throttling device and said check valve.
The check valve may be arranged in the flow direction towards the first chamber or towards the second chamber.
When the check valve is arranged in the flow direction towards the first chamber the exhalation resistance is always higher than the inhalation resistance. When the check valve is arranged in the flow direction towards the second chamber the inhalation resistance is always higher than the exhalation resistance. This further extends the modes of use of the exerciser.
Adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber may be carried out in the form of a window cut out in the second chamber housing, and the sleeve hermetically connected with the third chamber and mounted on the second chamber housing to be moved along said window.
Adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channels of communication of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, may also be carried out in the form of the sleeve mounted on the second chamber housing to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the housing with the openings cut in the second chamber housing and in the sleeve on the portion located within the third chamber, and with the openings cut in the second chamber housing and in the sleeve on the portion, located outside the third chamber, said openings are arranged to overlap each other and to form when sleeve turning regulated in opposite directions flow sections connecting the second chamber with the third chamber and with the atmosphere.
Such embodiment allows by a working body (moving or rotating the sleeve) at the same time to control the adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channels of communication of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, depending on setting (a decrease the degree of throttling in one throttling device with a simultaneous increasing the degree of throttling in the other throttling device) that provides the convenience of using the breathing exerciser and increase the depth of regulation of said throttling devices.
The adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channels of communication of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, may be carried out in form of an outer cup and an inner cup, said inner cup is placed within said outer cup to rotate around the longitudinal axis and to contact the inner cup bottom with the outer cup bottom, said inner and outer cup bottoms are carried out with the openings which are cut to overlap of each other and to form controlled flow section, communicating the second chamber with the third chamber, said inner and outer cups are carried out with the wall openings, which are cut to overlap of each other and to form controlled flow section, communicating the second chamber with the atmosphere, said bottoms openings of the inner and the outer cups are carried out to change the values of their flow section areas and said wall openings of the inner and the outer cups are carried out to change the values of their flow section areas in opposite directions when turning the inner cup.
Adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels, communicating the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, may be carried out in the form of a three-way mixing valve with two adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, using a single control handle of the three-way mixing valve.
Adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels, communicating the second chamber with the atmosphere and the third chamber and installed in the first channel of communication the first chamber and the second chamber with each other, may be carried out in the form of a three-way mixing valve with three adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, and as well as to provide the independent regulation of the respiratory mixture resistance in the third channel using a single control handle of the three-way mixing valve.
Such embodiment of the adjustable throttle devices in the form of three-way mixing valves with two or three adjustable channels and with a single control handle provides the ease of use exerciser, simplifies its design while maintaining the wide opportunities of regulatory regimes of using the exerciser.
In appliance with the second embodiment of the invention the object is achieved by a breathing exerciser comprising a first chamber connected to means for communicating said chamber with the exerciser user's airways, a second chamber connected to the first chamber, a third chamber connected to the second chamber, means for regulating the respiratory mixture composition and means for regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance, the third chamber is elastic, the second chamber is connected to the atmosphere, the first chamber is connected by two parallel channels with the second chamber, the means for regulating the respiratory mixture composition are carried out in the form of an adjustable throttling device installed in the channel of communication of the second chamber with the third chamber, and in the form of the controlled throttling device, installed in the channel of communication the second chamber with the atmosphere, and means for regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance are carried out in the form of series-connected check valves and adjustable throttling devices installed in parallel channels of communication the first chamber with the second chamber to provide the respiratory mixture passing through said channels in mutual opposite directions.
2
2
These features are essential features of the invention of the second embodiment, as they provide the possibility of regulation of hypoxic-hypercapnic respiratory mixture (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO in the breathing mix) in a wide range with simple technical means, as well as the possibility of separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance, flow separation of inhalation and exhalation with the possibility of separate control parameters of gas-air mixtures of inhalation and exhalation, which extends the modes of use of the exerciser and its potential health effects on the body of the user.
Adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber may be carried out in the form of a three-way mixing valve with two adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, using a single control handle. This embodiment provides ease of use exerciser and simplifies its design while maintaining the regulatory regimes opportunities of use the exerciser.
The series-connected check valves and adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication the first chamber with the second chamber may be carried out in the form of non-return valves with the means for regulating the degree of the forward direction flow throttling.
Means for regulating the degree of the forward direction flow throttling can be carried out in the form of an adjustable stop limiting the amount of the locking member movement towards the non-return check valve opening.
This construction is one of the possible executions of the means regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance in the exerciser according to the second embodiment of our invention.
The series-connected check valves and adjustable throttling devices installed in channels of communication the first chamber with the second chamber may include a transverse partition fastened in the cylindrical housing, inner cups installed within the cylindrical housing on both sides of the partition to rotate about the longitudinal axis and to contact by the cup bottoms with the partition, the pairs of diametrically opposed openings formed in the partition and the cup bottoms, check valves carried out in the form of petals, overlapping one of the openings in the cups bottoms on the inner cups sides, said cups bottom openings, disposed oppositely to the openings with the non-return check valves, are carried out in the form of circular slots ,the non-return check valve opening in the bottom of one of the cup, and the slot in the bottom of the cup are located axially with one of the partition openings.
The first and the second chambers may be carried out in the form of the annular hollow hosing, the cavity of which is divided into communicated with each other the first chamber and the second chamber.
In appliance with the third embodiment of our invention the object is achieved by a breathing exerciser comprising a first chamber connected to means for connecting said exerciser to the user's airways, a second chamber connected to the first chamber, a third chamber connected to the second chamber, means for regulating the respiratory mixture composition and the inhalation / exhalation resistance, the third chamber is flexible, the exerciser comprises a respiratory mixture source, the second chamber is divided into two cavities, the first cavity of the second chamber is connected with the first chamber, with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, the second cavity of the second chamber is connected with the third chamber, with the respiratory mixture source and with the first chamber, and the means for regulating the respiratory mixture composition and the inhalation/exhalation resistance are carried out in the form of the series-connected non-turn check valves and adjustable throttling devices installed in the channel of communication the first chamber with the first cavity of the second chamber in the flow directed towards the first cavity of the second chamber, in the channel of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the atmosphere in the flow directed towards the atmosphere, in the channel of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber in the flow directed towards the third chamber, in the channel of communication the third chamber with the second cavity of the second chamber in the flow directed towards the second cavity of the second chamber in the channel of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the first chamber in the flow directed towards the first chamber, in the channel of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the respiratory mixture source in the flow directed towards the second cavity of the second chamber.
2
2
Said features are essential features of the invention according to the second embodiment of the invention, because they provide the possibility of regulation of hypoxic/hipercapnic respiratory mixture (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO in the breathing mix) in a wide range by the simple technical means, as well as the possibility of separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance, flow separation on inhalation and exhalation with the possibility of the parameters separate control of the inhaled gas-air mixtures and exhaled gas-air mixtures, the possibility of using special respiratory mixtures, independently the of the surrounding atmosphere, which extends the modes of use of said exerciser and its potential health effects on the body.
The second cavity of the second chamber may be communicated with the atmosphere as the breathing mixture source.
The respiratory mixture source may be carried out in form of the atmosphere communicated chamber for the respiratory mixture preparation, in the cavity of said chamber the natural or synthetic essential oils and/or the curative herbs and/or the herbal extracts, and/or the mineral substances such as mineral salts, with heating means or without them are located. This embodiment of the invention increases the performance of the health effect when exerciser using as a result of the presence of the therapeutic respiratory mixture additives.
The respiratory mixture preparation chamber may be carried out to receive therein the user's body or the user's body part, such as the user's head. In this embodiment of our invention the breathing mixture therapeutic additives not only health effect on the user's respiratory system, but also on the exposed areas of the user's body, which increases further the healing effect.
The respiratory mixture source may be carried out in form of the irrespective breathing mixture source, such as the throttle device regulated LPG with the breathing bag. Such an embodiment of the invention provides the respiratory mixture using in the exerciser independently on the environmental conditions.
The first and second chambers may be carried out in the form of an annular hollow housing, the cavity of which is divided into the first chamber, the first cavity of the second chamber, and the second cavity of the second chamber communicating between each other. This solution is an example of the possible housings using in the third embodiment of the exerciser.
The adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, and also the adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber and with the respiratory mixture source may be carried out in the form of the three-way mixing valves provided with two adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, using single control handles.
The adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channels of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber, with the atmosphere, with the third chamber and with the first chamber, and the adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber, with the respiratory mixture source and the first chamber, may be carried out in the form of the three-way mixing valve with three adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channel while to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, as well as to regulate the respiratory mixture resistance in the third channel using the single control handle.
The adjustable throttle devices carried out in the form of three-way mixing valves provided with two or three adjustable channels regulated with a single control handle ensure using exerciser ease, simplify its design while maintaining the regulation regime opportunities when using the exerciser.
The series-connected non-return check valves and adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channel of communication of the first chamber with the first cavity of the second chamber, in the channel of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the atmosphere, in the channel of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber, in the channel of communication of the third chamber with the second cavity of the second chamber, in the channel of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the first chamber, in the channel of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the respiratory mixture source, may be carried out in the form of the non-return check valves provided with means regulating the flow throttling degree in the forward direction. Such a solution is yet another example of the possible implementation of the means regulating the respiratory mixture composition and the inhalation/exhalation resistance according to the third exerciser embodiment.
Each of the adjustable throttling devices installed in the channels of communication of the first chamber with the first and second cavities of the second chamber may include the outer cup and placed within it the inner cup, carried out to rotate around the longitudinal axis and to contact by the cup bottoms with each other; and the openings carried out in said cup bottoms to overlap mutually of each other and to form the regulated passage sections for communication of the first chamber with the first and second cavities of the second chamber when independent turning the inner cup; each pair of adjustable throttling devices, installed in the channels of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the atmosphere and the third chamber, and in the channels of communication of the second cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber and with the respiratory mixture source, may be carried out in the form of the same two cups, provided with the bottom openings and the wall openings; said openings are carried out to overlap of each other and to form regulated passage sections of communication of the first cavity of the second chamber with the atmosphere and with the third chamber, and the second cavity of the second chamber with the third chamber and with the respiratory mixture source, when independent turning inner cup; and said openings are also carried out to change the values of the bottom passage sections and the wall passage sections of the cups in opposite flow directions when turning inner cup.
The respiratory mixture pressure sensor and/or the respiratory mixture composition sensor and/or respiratory mixture flow rate sensor can be installed at least in one of the chambers or channels to represent visually the sensor readings to the exerciser user. This allows the user to control separately the respiratory mixture parameters of the inhalation and the exhalation and to regulate independently the using exerciser mode via controlled throttle devices.
The exerciser can be configured with the computer system controlling operating mode, said computer system includes the respiratory mixture pressure sensors and/or the respiratory mixture composition sensors and / or the respiratory mixture flow rate sensors installed at least in one of the chambers or the channels and is provided with the processor predetermining algorithms of the operating exerciser modes, said processor is carried out to present the readings to the user about the operating exerciser modes; with the input unit connected to said sensors and said processor, and with the output unit connected to the unit controlling said throttle devices and said processor. Said computer control system of the operating exerciser mode allows to select the desired mode from a variety of algorithms when using the exerciser and to maintain the selected mode without user participant.
The first chamber of the exerciser can be provided at least one partition wall, on which at least one voice strap is mounted, with one at least voice tab. This embodiment of our invention provides the generation,in the respiratory mixture near at the user's respiratory airways, acoustic vibrations predetermined frequency, the dynamic impact of which on the user's respiratory system organs increases the healing granting by the proposed exerciser.
Means connecting the exerciser to the user's airways may be carried out in form of a tube with a mouthpiece or in form a face hermetic mask or in form a hermetic helmet or in form an airtight suit.
FIG. 1
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment.
FIG. 2
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the throttling device regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance with the locking element in the form of the petal.
FIG. 3
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the throttling device regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance with a locking element in the form of the ball.
FIG. 4
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the means regulating inhalation/exhalation resistance in form of a throttling device and a non-turn check valve device.
FIG. 5
Fig. 4
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the unit I in .
FIG. 6
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the first scheme of the implementation of the throttling devices regulating the respiratory mixture composition
FIG. 7
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the second scheme of the implementation of the throttling devices regulating the respiratory mixture composition by the rectangular openings.
FIG. 8
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the second scheme of the implementation of the throttling devices regulating the respiratory mixture composition by the circular openings.
FIG. 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the scheme of the implementation throttling devices regulating the respiratory mixture composition in the form of the cups.
FIG. 10
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the view A in , the implementation of sector openings in the cup bottoms.
FIG. 11
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the view A in , the implementation of the circular opening in the cup bottoms.
FIG. 12
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the view A in , carrying out the openings in the form of circular slots in the cup bottoms.
FIG. 13
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the view A in , the implementation of two pairs of circular openings in the bottom cups.
FIG. 14
Fig 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the view B in of the carrying out the rectangular openings in the cup walls.
FIG. 15
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the unit B in , the implementation of the circular openings in the cup walls.
FIG. 16
FIG 9
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the unit B in , the carrying out of two pairs of the circular openings in the form of cup walls.
FIG. 17
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, carrying out the throttling devices in the form of the three-way mixing valve with two regulated channels.
FIG. 18
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment, the scheme of the implementation and operation of three-way mixing valve with two regulated channels.
FIG. 19
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment of the carrying out of the throttling devices in the form of three-way mixing valve with three regulated channels.
FIG. 20
- Breathing exerciser, the first embodiment of the scheme of the implementation and operation of the three-way mixing valve with three adjustable channels.
FIG. 21
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the schematic diagram.
FIG. 22
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment of the carrying out of the throttling devices regulating the respiratory mixture in the form of a three-way mixing valve with two regulated channels.
FIG. 23
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment of the carrying out of the throttling devices regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance in the form of the non-return check valves with means regulating the degree of the flow choking in the forward direction.
FIG. 24
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the scheme of the non-return check valve of ball type with means regulating the degree of the flow choking in the forward direction.
FIG. 25
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the scheme of the non-turn check valve with the petal type means regulating the degree of the flow choking in the forward direction.
FIG. 26
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the example of the implementation adjustable throttling devices and non-return check valves.
FIG. 27
FIG. 26
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the section on line G-G in .
FIG. 28
FIG.26
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the section on line D- D in
FIG. 29
FIG. 26
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, the section on line E-E in .
FIG. 30
- Breathing exerciser, the second embodiment, an example of execution of the housing.
FIG. 31
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, the schematic diagram.
FIG. 32
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, the respiratory mixture source is atmosphere.
FIG. 33
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, the respiratory mixture source is the chamber for preparation the respiratory mixture.
FIG. 34
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, the chamber for preparation the respiratory mixture carried out to locate the part of the user's body.
FIG. 35
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment the respiratory mixture source is the irrespective LPG device.
FIG. 36
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, an example of execution of the house.
FIG. 37
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment of carrying out the throttling devices in the form of three-way mixing valves with two regulated channels.
FIG. 38
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment of the carrying out the throttling devices in the form of three-way mixing valve with three regulated channels.
FIG. 39
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment of the carrying out the throttling devices in form of the non-return check valves with means regulating the degree of the flow chocking in the forward direction.
FIG. 40
- Breathing exerciser, the third embodiment, the example of carrying out the throttling device in the form of cups.
FIG. 41
- Breathing exerciser, the first, second and third embodiment, the carrying out of the exerciser with the sensors of the respiratory mixtures parameters.
FIG. 42
- Breathing exerciser, the first, second and third embodiment, the example of the carrying out the exerciser with the computer system controlling the operating mode.
FIG. 43
- Breathing exerciser, the first, second and third embodiment, the example of carrying of the chamber with voice tabs.
Description of claimed breathing exerciser and its operation is represented with references to the drawings showing:
Below are described examples of the embodiment of the claimed breathing exerciser and its operation with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1
According to the first embodiment () the breathing exerciser comprises three chambers communicating with each other: the first chamber 1, the second chamber 2, the third chamber 3. The chambers 1, 2 are carried out in the housing 4. The chamber 3 is carried out in the form of an elastic breathing bag 5 connected with the housing 4. The chamber 1 is connected with the connection means 6 to the exerciser user's airways and communicates with the chamber 2 through the channel 7. The chamber 2 is communicated with the atmosphere through the channel 8 and with the chamber 3 through the channel 9.
Means 10 regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance are installed in the channel 7of communication with the first chamber 1 and the second chamber 2 carried out to regulate separately and independently the inhalation and exhalation resistance.
Means regulating the respiratory mixture composition are carried in the form of the adjustable throttling device 11 installed in the channel 8 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere, and the adjustable throttling device 12 installed in the channel 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the third chamber 3.
When exhaling, the carbon dioxide enriched respiratory mixture fills the chamber 1 and then through the channel 7, wherein the means 10 regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance are installed, enters chamber 2. Part of the exhaled mixture from the chamber 2 is released out into the atmosphere through the channel 8 and installed in it adjustable throttling device 11, the remainder of the exhaled mixture through the passageway 9 enters the chamber 3. The ratio of these parts of said exhaled mixture is set by the flow throttling degree in the channels 8, 9 by means of adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12.
When inhaling, the chamber 2 is supplied with the atmospheric air through the channel 8 and installed in said channel 8 the adjustable throttling device 11 and said chamber 2 is supplied with the respiratory mixture from the elastic chamber 3 through the channel 9 and installed in said channel 9 the adjustable throttling device 12. The amount of the atmospheric air and the respiratory mixture from the chamber 3 entering into the chamber 2 is set by the adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12. Herewith In the chamber 2 the mixing of the atmospheric air with the respiratory mixture from the chamber 3 takes place. The respiratory mixture from the chamber 2 through the channel 7 and, installed in said channel, the means 10 of regulation the inhalation/exhalation resistance enters the chamber 1, wherein is further mixed with the exhaled mixture and then the means 6 of connection the exerciser to the user's respiratory airways. Thus, by mixing in the chambers 1, 2, exhaled respiratory mixture with atmospheric air, the given respiratory mixture composition is supplied to the exerciser user's airways.
2
2
Such an execution of exerciser provides the regulation of the inhaled respiratory mixture composition (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO), which is defined by adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12, and also provides separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance by dint of means 10.
The means 10 regulating inhalation/exhalation resistance installed in the channel 7 of communication the first chamber 1 with the second chamber 2 can be carried in form of the adjustable throttle device with the locking elements (13, 14) installed in the passage section of the device to move in opposite directions concerning to flow section plane, and the adjustable stops 15 limiting the amount of these movements.
FIG. 2
FIG. 3
The locking element of the adjustable throttling device can be carried in the form of the console in form of petal 13 () to deflect resiliently in the opposite directions or in the form of the freely installed ball 14 ().
Fig. 4
The means regulating the inhalation/exhalation resistance can be carried in the form of the parallel-connected adjustable throttling device 13 and non-return check valve 14 and adjustable throttling device 15 connected in series with said throttling device 13 and check valve 14 installed in the channel 7 of communication of the chamber 1 with the chamber 2. The non-return check valve 13 may be carried to direct the respiratory mixture flow in the direction toward the chamber 1 ().
When exhaling the enriched with carbon dioxide respiratory mixture from the chamber 1 through the adjustable throttling device 13 and the adjustable throttling device 15 enters the chamber 2. Herewith the non-return check valve 14 is closed. Part of the exhaled mixture is released from the chamber 2 into the atmosphere through the channel 8 and through the installed in said valve adjustable throttling device 11, the remainder of the exhaled mixture is supplied into the elastic chamber 3 through the channel 9 and through the installed in said channel the adjustable throttling device 12.The ratio of these parts of the exhaled mixture is governed by the degree of the flow choking in the channel 8 by the adjustable throttling device 11, and by the degree of the flow choking in the channel 9 by the adjustable throttling device 12. Herewith the exhalation resistance is regulated by the devices 13, 15.
When inhaling the chamber 2 receives the atmospheric air through the adjustable throttling device 11 and the respiratory mixture of the elastic chamber 3 through the adjustable throttling device 12. The ratio of the atmospheric air and the respiratory mixture of the chamber 3 which enter the chamber 2, is defined by adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12. The respiratory mixture from the chamber 2 through the throttling device 15, through the opened non-turn check valve 14 and partly through the adjustable throttling device 13 flows into the chamber 1 and further to the means 6 of connection the exerciser to the user's airways. Herewith the inhalation resistance is regulated by the throttling device 15.
The blending of the exhaled mixture with the atmospheric air and the regulation of the respiratory composition are similar to that described above.
2
2
Such an execution provides the separate regulation of the exhalation resistance which is given by the adjustable throttling devices 13 and / or 15 and the inhalation resistance which is given mainly by said adjustable throttling device 15, and also the regulation of the inhaled mixture composition (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO) which is given by the adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12. Herewith the exhalation resistance is always higher than the inhalation resistance because when exhaling the respiratory mixture choking executes through the in series connected adjustable throttle devices 13, 15, and when inhalation the respiratory mixture throttling executes only through the adjustable throttling device 15.
Fig. 5
The check valve 14 may be carried to direct the flow towards the chamber 2 ().
When exhaling the enriched with carbon dioxide respiratory mixture from the chamber 1 through the open non-return check valve 13 and the adjustable throttling device 15 enters the chamber 2. Herewith the exhalation resistance is regulated with the throttling device 15. While inhaling the respiratory mixture from the chamber 2 through the adjustable throttling devices 15, and the non-return check valve 13 enters the chamber 1 and then the respiratory mixture enters the means 6 of connection the exerciser to the user's airways. Herewith the non-return check valve 14 is closed.
Herewith the inhalation resistance is always higher than the exhalation resistance as when inhaling the respiratory mixture choking is carried with in series connected adjustable throttling devices 15, 13, and when exhaling the respiratory mixture choking is carried only with the adjustable throttling device 15.
The blending of the respiratory mixture with an atmospheric air and regulating the respiratory mixture composition is similar to those described above.
2
2
Such an execution of the exerciser provides the separate regulation of the inhalation resistance which is given by the adjustable throttling device 13 and / or by the adjustable throttling device 15, and the exhalation resistance which is set advantageously by the adjustable throttling device 15, as well as the regulation of the respiratory mixture composition (ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO) which is set by the adjustable throttling device 11 installed in the channel 8 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere and by the adjustable throttling device 12 installed in the channel 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the chamber 3.
FIG. 2, 3
Adjustable throttling devices are widely used in various breathing apparatus and may have a different design, including schemes that are shown in .
FIG. 6
The adjustable throttling device 11, 12 installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the third chamber 3 can be carried in form of the opening 18 cut in the housing of the second chamber 2 and in form of the sleeve 19 connected to the breathing bag 5 and mounted on the housing of the second chamber 2 to be moved along the opening 18 and partial overlap said opening 18. ().
While moving the sleeve 19 in one or another direction relatively to the opening 18 the passage sections of the opening 18, connecting the chamber 2 to the atmosphere and to the chamber 3, are changed in inverse proportion. Reducing the passage section of the opening 18, connecting the chamber 2 to the atmosphere, accompanies with increasing the passage section of the window 18, connecting the chamber 2 with chamber 3 and vice versa. Thus,, only one control operation (movement of the sleeve 19 along the window 18) is carried out at the same time the adjustment of throttling devices 11 and throttling device 12, which is convenient when using this equipment, as well as increases the depth of control.
FIG. 7
FIG. 8
The adjustable throttle devices 11, 12, installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the third chamber 3, can be carried out in the form of the sleeve 20 mounted on the housing 4 to be rotated about the longitudinal axis of the housing 4; the pair of the openings 21, 22 cut in the housing of the second chamber 2 and in the sleeve 20 on the portion located in the chamber 3; and the pair of openings 23, 24 cut in the housing of the second chamber 2 and in the sleeve 20 on the portion located outside the chamber 3. The openings 21, 22, 23, 24 are carried to overlap mutually of each other and to form when turning sleeve 20 the regulated in opposite directions passage sections, which communicate the second chamber 2 with the third chamber 3 and the third chamber 3 with the atmosphere. The openings 21, 22, 23, 24 may be carried out in rectangular () or circular () form.
Pairs of the openings 21, 22 and 23, 24 are carried to overlap of each other and to form their common passage sections, the magnitude of which is regulated by turning the sleeve 20. Herewith the increasing one pair of the passage sections is accompanied by the decreasing of the other passage sections.
Thus, one control operation with one unit (the rotation of the sleeve 20) provides at the same time the adjustment of the throttling device 11 and the adjustment of the throttling device 12, depending on the predetermined setting (decrease in the degree of choking in one throttling device with simultaneous increase in the degree of choking in the other), which provides ease of use exerciser and increases the depth of control of respiratory mixture.
FIG. 9
The adjustable throttle devices 11, 12, installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the third chamber 3, can be carried out in the form of the outer cup 25 and the located within said outer cup 25 inner cup 26 to rotate about the longitudinal axis and to contact by bottoms of the outer cup 25 and the inner cup 26; and containing the openings 27, 28 in the bottoms of the cups 25, 26 which are carried out to overlap mutually of each other and to form the regulated passage section,, which communicates second chamber 2 with the third chamber 3 (the throttling device 12), and the openings 29 30 in the walls of cups 25, 26 which are carried to overlap mutually of each other and to form the regulated passage section, which communicates the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere (the throttling device 11), said openings 27, 28, 29, 30 are carried to change the passage sections value in the bottoms of the cups 25, 26, and the passage sections value in the walls of the cup 25, 26 in opposite directions when turning the inner cup 26 with the handle 31 ().
FIG. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
FIG. 13
The openings 27, 28 may be carried out in the form of the sectors (), in the form of the circular opening (), in the form of slots (). It is possible the embodiment of a cup bottoms 25, 26 with two pairs of the openings 27, 28 ().
FIG. 14
FIG. 15
FIG. 16
The openings 29, 30 may be carried out in the rectangular () or circular () forms. It is possible the embodiment of a cup side walls 25, 26 with two pairs of openings 29, 30 ().
When rotating the inner cup 26, the passage section of one of the throttling devices 11, 12 increases while as the passage section of the other of said throttling devices decreases. Thus, one control operation (movement of the handle 31 connected to the inner cup 26) is carried out at the same time the adjustment of the throttling devices 11, 12, which is convenient when using this equipment.
FIG. 17
The adjustable throttle devices 11, 12 installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the chamber 3 may be carried out in the form of the three-way mixing valve K1 with two adjustable channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in another regulated channel and vice versa via the single control handle P1 ().
FIG. 18
Such valves are widely used for controlled mixing of the two flows of fluids. Schematic diagram of the crane shown in .
That is, the adjustable three-way mixing valve K1, which in this case functions as adjustable throttle devices 11, 12 installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the chamber 3, and only control handle P1 provide reducing of the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the adjustable throttling devices 11, 12 and at the same time increasing the respiratory mixture resistance in the other of said adjustable throttling device and vice versa thereby this embodiment increase the range of the respiratory mixture control and simplifies the exerciser using.
Fig. 19
Fig. 20
The adjustable throttle device 11, 12, installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the third chamber 3, and an adjustable throttling device 18 mounted in the canal 7 of communication of the first chamber 1 and the second chamber 2 with each other, can be carried out in the form of the adjustable three-way mixing valve with three adjustable channels K2carried out to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in a regulated channels and to increase simultaneously the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, and to regulate independently the respiratory mixture resistance in the third channel using a single control handle P2. It enables to regulate simultaneously and mutual oppositely the respiratory mixture resistance in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the second chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the third chamber 3, and to regulate independently the respiratory mixture resistance in the channel 7 of communication of the first chamber 1 and the second chamber 2 with each other. Such a solution is shown in . Schematic diagram of the mixing valve K2 is shown in .
In said mixing valve K2 the choking degree change of the breathing mixture flows in the channels 8, 9 is carried out by turning the control handle P2 in the horizontal plane and the choking degree change of the breathing mixture flow in the channel 7 is carried out by turning the control handle P2 in the vertical plane.
The execution of the adjustable throttling devices in the form of three-way mixing valve with two or three adjustable channels and of a single control handle provides ease and simplicity of its design and maintaining the wide regimes regulation opportunities at using the exerciser.
According to the second embodiment the breathing exerciser comprises three chambers communicating with each other: the first chamber 1, the second chamber 2, and the third chamber 3. The chambers 1, 2 are performed in the housing 4. The chamber 3 is carried out in the form of the elastic breathing bag 5, which is connected to the housing 4. The chamber 1 is connected to the means 6 of connection the exerciser with the user's airways and communicates with the chamber 2 via two parallel channels 33 and 34. The chamber 2, in turn, communicates with the atmosphere via the channel 8 and with the chamber 3 through the channel 9.
The exerciser comprises the inhalation/exhalation resistance regulating means and respiratory mixture composition regulating means, installed in the channels communicating the chambers between each other and with the atmosphere.
The inhalation/ exhalation resistance regulating means carried out in form of series-connected the adjustable throttling device 35 and the non-return check valve 36 installed in the channel 33, and in form of series connected the adjustable throttling device 37 and the non- return check valve 38 installed in the channel 34.
Fig. 21
The respiratory mixture composition regulating means carried out in form of the adjustable throttling device 11 installed in the channel 8 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere, and in form of the adjustable throttling device 12 installed in the channel 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the chamber 3. Non-return check valves 36, 38 are carried out to operate in reverse flow direction providing respiratory mixture passing through the channels 33, 34 in mutually opposite directions ().
When exhaling the enriched with carbon dioxide respiratory mixture fills the chamber 1 and then through the channel 33, wherein an adjustable throttling device 35 and the non-return check valve 36 are installed, enters the chamber 2. The one portion of the exhaled mixture releases from the chamber 2 into the atmosphere through the channel 8 and installed in said channel 8 the adjustable throttling device 11, the other portion of exhaled mixture through the channel 9 and installed in said channel 9 the adjustable throttling device 12 enters the chamber 3. The ratio of said exhaled mixture portions is set by the flow choking degree in the channels 8, 9 via the adjustable throttling devices 11 and 12.
When inhaling, the chamber 2 receives the atmospheric air through the channel 8 and installed in said channel 8 the adjustable throttling device 11 and the respiratory mixture of the elastic chamber 3 through the channel 9 and installed in said channel 9 the adjustable throttling device 12. The amount of the atmospheric air and the respiratory mixture of the chamber 3 entering the chamber 2 is set by the regulated throttling devices 11 and 12. The mixing of the atmospheric air and the respiratory mixture from the chamber 3 takes place in the chamber 2. The resulting respiratory mixture from the chamber 2 through the channel 34 and installed in said channel 34 the adjustable throttling device 37 and non-return check valve 38 enters the chamber 1, in which said mixture is further mixed with exhaled air and further supplied to the means 6, connecting the exerciser with the user's airways.
Thus, by the mixing the exhaled mixture with atmospheric air in the chamber 1 and continued mixing the resulting mixture with the exhaled air in the chamber 2 provides the respiratory mixture of given composition (the predetermined content of oxygen and carbon dioxide) supplied to the user's airways.
In the exerciser according to the second embodiment the respiratory mixture flow is separated in the channels 33, 34 (in the channel 33 there is the exhalation flow, in the channel 34 there is the inhalation flow) that provides the separate control of the respiratory mixture parameters of the inhalation and of the exhalation.
2
2
The breathing exerciser design according to the second embodiment provides the respiratory mixture composition control (the ratio of oxygen O and carbon dioxide CO) which is given by the adjustable throttling devices 11, 12, and the separate and independent relation of the exhalation resistance with the adjustable throttling device 35 and the inhalation resistance with the adjustable throttling device 37.
Fig. 22
FIG. 18
The adjustable throttling devices 11, 12, installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the chamber 3 may be carried out in form of the adjustable three-way mixing valve K3 with two regulated channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and at the same time to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, using a single control handle P3 (). Schematic diagram of the valve shown in .
In other words, the adjustable three-way mixing valve K3 in this case functions as the adjustable throttling device 11, 12, installed in the channels 8 and 9 of communication of the chamber 2 with the atmosphere and with the chamber 3 with a single control mean - the handle P3.
The execution of the adjustable throttle devices 11, 12, in the form of the three-way mixing valve K3 with two adjustable channels and with the single control handle P3, increases the exerciser usability, simplifies its design while maintaining wide opportunities of the exerciser use regimes regulation.
FIG. 23
The series-connected adjustable throttling device 34 and the non-return check valve 35 installed in the channel 32 and also series-connected adjustable throttling device 36 and the non-return check valve 37 installed in the channel 33 may be carried out in the form of the non-return check valves K4, K5 with means for regulating the degree of choking the flow in the forward direction ().
FIG. 24, 25
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
Throttling means regulating the degree of the flow choking may be carried out in the form of the adjustable stop limiting the amount of movement of the locking element in the direction of valve opening. show possible arrangements of the valves ( shows the ball non-return check valve, shows flap non-return check valve).
This design is one of the possible implementations of the means regulating the inhalation / exhalation resistance in the exerciser according to the second embodiment of our invention.
Breathing exerciser according to the second embodiment may be configured as following.
Fig. 26
The housing 4 is carried out in the form of the cylinder with the transverse partition 39. On both sides of the partition 39 inside the housing 4 the cups 40, 41 are installed to be rotated. The cup bottoms 42, 43 contact with the partition 39. The cups 40 and 41 installed in the housing 4 are rotated by the handles 44 which move in the slots carried out the housing 4 ().
FIG. 28
FIG. 27
FIG. 29
In the partition 39 the diametrically opposite openings 45, 46 () are made. In the bottom 42 of the cup 40 the opening 47 and diametrically opposite to said opening 47 the circular groove 48 are performed. The opening 47 on the inner side the cup 40 is overlapped by the flap or petal non-return check valve 49 (). In the bottom 43 of the cup 41 the opening 50 and diametrically opposite to said opening 50 the circular groove 51 are exercised. The opening 50 on the inner side of the cup 41 is overlapped by the flap or petal non-return check valve 52 ().
The groove 51 and the opening 50 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41 are made diametrically opposite in relation to the groove 48 and the opening 47 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40. The groove 48 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40, the opening 45 in the partition39 and the opening 50 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41 with the valve 52 are arranged coaxially. The opening 47 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40 with the valve 49, the opening46 in the partition39 and the groove 51 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41 are also arranged coaxially.
FIG. 21
In this embodiment, the partition 39, the cups 40, 41 with the opens and grooves the petal valves, performed the above manner, serve as the channels 33, 34, the adjustable throttling devices 35, 37 and the non-return check valves 36, 38 shown in (a schematic diagram of the exerciser according to the second embodiment).
FIGS. 6-8
FIG. 9-16
FIGS. 17, 18
The adjustable throttling devices 11, 12, as in the first embodiment, can be performed according to schemes shown in , or by using the inner cup in the schemes in , or using or the three-way mixing valve according to the schemes shown in (the first embodiment).
When exhaling, the flap or petal valve 51 is closed the flap or petal valve 49 is open. The respiratory mixture, enriched in carbon dioxide, fills the chamber 1, and further, through the groove 51 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41 and through the opening 46 in the partition 39, through the opening 47 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40 and through the open valve 79 enters the chamber 2. The part of the exhaled mixture from the chamber 2 is released into the atmosphere through the channel 8 and, installed in said channel 8, the adjustable throttling device 11, the rest part of the exhaled mixture through the channel 9 and installed in said channel 9 the adjustable throttling device 12 is supplied into the elastic chamber 3. The ratio of said exhaled mixture parts is given by the choking degree of the flows in the channels 8,9 via the adjustable throttling devices 11, 12.
The regulation of the exhalation resistance is performed by turn the cup 40, causing changes in one or another side the flow section formed by the opening 46 in the partition 39 and the opening 47 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40 as a result of their mutual displacement.
When inhaling the flap or petal valve 52 is open, the flap or petal valve 49 is closed. The atmospheric air flows into the chamber 2 through the channel 8 and, installed in said channel 8, the adjustable throttling device 11, and the respiratory mixture of an elastic chamber 3 enters said chamber 2 through the channel 9 and, installed in said channel 9, the adjustable throttling device 12. The amount of the atmospheric air and the breathing mixture from the chamber 3, entering the chamber 2, is given by the adjustable throttling devices 11 12. The agitation of the ambient air with the respiratory mixture from the chamber 3 occurs in the chamber2.
The respiratory mixture from the chamber 2 through the slot 48 in the bottom 42 of the cup 40, through the opening 45 in the partition 39, through the opening 50 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41, through the open petal valve 52 flows into the chamber 1, and then into the user's respiratory system.
The inhalation resistance regulation is performed by turn the cup 41, causing changes in one or another side the flow section formed by the opening 45 in the partition 39 and the opening 50 in the bottom 43 of the cup 41 at their mutual displacement.
FIG. 30
The housing 4 may be carried out in the form of the hollow ring, the cavity of which is divided into chambers 1, 2, communicating with each other. In the channels 33 and 34 of chambers 1, 2 are installed the adjustable throttling device 35 and the non-return check valve 36, the adjustable throttling device 37 and the non-return check valve 38, respectively ().
According to the third embodiment, the breathing exerciser comprises three chambers communicating with each other: the first chamber 1, the second chamber 2 and the third chamber 3. The chamber 1 and the chamber 2 are located in the housing 4. The chamber 3 is carried out in the form of the elastic breathing bag 5, which is connected to the housing 4. The chamber 1 is communicated with the means 6 connecting the exerciser to the user's respiratory tract. The second chamber 2 is divided into two cavities 2a and 2b. The cavity 2a communicates with the chamber 1 through the channel 53, with the atmosphere through the channel 54 and with the chamber 3 through the channel 55. The cavity 2b communicates with the chamber 1 through the channel 56, with chamber 3 through the channel 57 and with the respiratory mixture source 58 via the channel 59.
The exerciser contains the means regulating respiratory mixture composition and inhalation/exhalation resistance installed in the channels of communication of the chambers with each other and with the atmosphere.
FIG. 31
Said means are carried out in the form of in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 60 and the non-return check valve 61, installed in the channel 53 of communication of the cavity 2a with the chamber 1 in the flow direction towards the cavity 2a; in the form of in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 62 and the non-return check valve 63, installed in the channel 54 of communication of the cavity 2a with the atmosphere in the flow direction towards the atmosphere; in the form in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 64 and the non-return check valve 65, installed in the channel 55 of communication of the cavity 2a with the chamber 3 in the flow direction towards the chamber 3; in the form of in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 66 and the non-return check valve 67, installed in the channel 57 of communication of the chamber 3 with the cavity 2b in the flow direction towards the cavity 2b; in the form of in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 68 and the non-return check valve 69, installed in the channel 56 of communication of the cavity 2b with the chamber 1 in the flow direction towards the chamber 1; in the form of in-series connected the adjustable throttling device 70 and the non-return check valve 71, installed in the channel 59 of communication of the cavity 2b with the respiratory mixture source 58 in the flow direction towards the cavity 2b ().
While exhaling the enriched in carbon dioxide respiratory mixture, fills the chamber 1 and then through the channel 53 and trough installed in said channel 53 the adjustable throttling device 60 and the check valve 61 enters the cavity 2a.The part of the respiratory mixture from the cavity 2a through the channel 54 and through installed in said channel 54 the adjustable throttling device 62 and the non-return check valve 63 is released into the atmosphere. Another part of the respiratory mixture from the cavity 2a through the channel 55 and through the installed in said channel 55 the adjustable throttling device 64 and the check valve 65 enters the elastic chamber 3. The ratio of these respiratory mixture parts by the adjustable throttling devices 62, 64. The exhalation resistance is regulated with the throttling device 60.
When inhaling, the cavity 2b accepts the respiratory mixture from the chamber 3 through the channel 57 and through installed in said channel 57 the adjustable throttling device 66 and the non-return check valve 67 as well as from the respiratory mixture sours 58 through the channel 59 and installed in said channel 59 the adjustable throttling device 70 and the non-return check valve 71. The amount of the respiratory mixture, entering the cavity 2b from the chamber 3 and from the respiratory mixture source 58 is given by the adjustable throttling devices 66, 70. In the cavity 2b the respiratory mixture flows, entering said cavity 2b from the chamber 3 and from the respiratory mixture source 58, are mixing. From the cavity 2b the respiratory mixture through the channel 56 and trough installed in said channel 56 the adjustable throttling device 68 and the non-return check valve 69 enters the chamber 1, wherein additionally agitates with the air mixture previously exhaled, and further is supplied to the exerciser means 6 connecting the exerciser to the user's airways. Hence, the respiratory mixture of given composition is supplied to the user's airways as a result of the agitating of the respiratory mixtures in the cavity 2b and in the chamber 1.
The inhalation resistance is regulated with throttling device 68. The composition of the respiratory mixture composition is set with the adjustable throttle devices 66, 70.
Such an execution of the breathing exerciser provides the separate and independent regulation of the inhalation resistance and the exhalation resistance with the adjustable throttling devices 68 and 60; the regulation of the respiratory mixture composition with the adjustable throttle devices 66 and 70; the separation of respiratory mixtures on two flows, the exhaled mixture flows through the channel 53 and the cavity 2a, the inhaled mixture passes through the cavity 2b and the channel 56; the using of the atmospheric air as the breathing substance and using of the particular breathing mixtures with special additives, which are obtained in the respiratory mixture source 58.
FIG. 32
As the source of breathing air, the atmosphere can be used. In this case, the cavity 2b communicates directly with the atmosphere through the channel 58, in which the adjustable throttling device 70 and the non-return check valve 71 in the flow direction towards the cavity 2b ().
FIG. 33
The source of the breathing mixture 58 may be carried out in form of the respiratory mixture preparation chamber 72, which communicates with atmosphere and has the cavity for natural or synthetic oils and/or herbal extracts 73 and/or herbs and/or mineral substances 74, for example, therapeutic mineral salts with heating means or without them ().
Such an execution increases the health benefits of the exerciser using as a result of the presence of the breathing mixture treatment additives.
Fig. 34
The respiratory mixture preparation chamber 72 can be adapted to accommodate therein a user or part of him, e.g., the user's head ().
With this arrangement, medical additives present in the breathing mix, not only act on the respiratory and on exposed areas of the body by further improving effect increases.
FIG. 35
The source of breathing mixture may be formed as an independent source of breathing gas, such as LPG device 75 with the adjustable throttling device 76 and breathing bag 77 ().
With this arrangement, a gas mixture used in the exerciser does not depend on the environmental conditions.
FIG. 36
In the exerciser according to the third embodiment, the housing 4 can be configured as a hollow ring, the cavity of which is divided into the first chamber 1, the cavities 2a, 2b of the second chamber, which communicate with each other by the channel 53 with the adjustable throttling device 60 and the non-return check valve 61 as well as the channel 56 with the adjustable throttling device 68 and the non-return check valve 69 (). This solution is the example of the possible implementation of the housing 4 of a third embodiment of the exerciser.
FIG. 37
Fig. 18
In the exerciser according to the third embodiment, the adjustable throttle devices 62, 64, installed in the channels 54, 55, and the adjustable throttle device 66, 70, installed in the channels 57, 59, may be carried out in form of the regulated three-way mixing valve K6, K7 with two regulated channels to reduce the respiratory mixture resistance in one of the regulated channels and simultaneously to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, using the control handles P6, P7 (). Schematic diagram of such valves is shown (the first embodiment of the simulation).
That is, in this case the adjustable three-way mixing valve K6 functions as adjustable throttle devices 62, 64, installed the channels 54, 55, with the single control handle P6, and the adjustable three-way mixing valve K7 serves as the adjustable throttling devices 66 and 70, installed in the channels 57, 59, with the single control handle P7. The valve regulation is achieved by turning the control handles P6, P7 in the horizontal plane. For example, when turning the tap handle P6 of the valve K6 in either direction in horizontal plane the characteristics of the throttling devices 62, 64 are changed on the feedback dependence (when increasing the flow resistance in one direction the flow resistance in the other direction is decreased, and vice versa).
Fig. 38
FIG. 20
In the exerciser according to the third embodiment, the adjustable throttling devices 60, 62, 64, installed in the channels 53, 54, 55, and the adjustable throttling devices 66, 68, 70, installed in the channels 57, 56, 59, may be carried out in the form of the three-way adjustable mixing taps K8, K9 with three adjustable channels to reduce the breathing mixture resistance in one regulated channel while to increase the respiratory mixture resistance in the other regulated channel, and vice versa, as well as the independent regulation the breathing mixture resistance in the third channel with the combined control handles P8, P9 (). The schematic diagram of such taps is shown in (the first embodiment of the exerciser).
That is, in this case the adjustable three-way mixing tap K8 serves as the adjustable throttling devices 60, 62, 64, installed in the channels 53, 54, 55 with the single control handle P8 and the adjustable three-way mixing tap K9 serves as the adjustable throttling devices 66 68, 70 installed in the channels 57, 56, 59 with the single control handle P9. The regulation of these taps is achieved by turning the control handles P8, P9 in the horizontal and vertical planes. For example, when turning the handle P8 of the tap K8 in either direction in the horizontal plane, the characteristics of the throttling devices 62, 64 are changed on the feedback dependence (when increasing the flow resistance in one regulated channel the flow resistance in the other regulated channel is decreased, and vice versa). The turning of the handle P8 of the tap K8 upwards or downwards in a vertical plane is accompanied with the characteristics changing of the throttle device 60.
The execution of the adjustable throttling devices in the form of three-way mixing taps with two or three regulated channels with a single control handle provides ease of the exerciser using, simplicity of its design while maintaining the wide capacity of the regimes regulation when using the exerciser.
FIG. 39
According to the third embodiment of the exerciser, the serially connected adjustable throttling devices and check valves 60 and 61, 62 and 63, 64 and 65, 66 and 67, 68 and 69, 70 and 71, installed respectively in the channels 53, 54, 55, 57, 56, 59 of the exerciser, can be carried out in the form of the non-return check valves K10, K11, K12, K13, K14, K15 with means regulating the degree of choking the flow in the forward direction; said means may be carried out in the form of the adjustable stop to limit the amount of movement of the closing element in the valve opening direction ().
FIGS. 24, 25
Fig. 24
Fig. 25
Such possible valve schemes are illustrated in (the second embodiment of the exerciser, in is shown the ball check valve, in is shown the flap check valve).
In this case, the adjustable non-return check valve K10 puts into effect the function of the throttling device 60 and the non-return check valve 61, the adjustable non-return check valve K14 executes the function of the throttling device 62 and the check valve 63, the adjustable non-return check valve K11 functions as the throttling device 64 and the non-return check valve 65, the adjustable non-return check valve K13 performs the function of the throttling device 66 and the non-return check valve 67, the adjustable non-return check valve K12 realizes the function of the throttling device 68 and the non-return check valve 69, the adjustable non-return check valve K15 serves as the throttling device 70 and the non-return check valve 71.
Such a solution is yet another possible implementation example of regulation means of the breathing mixture composition and inhalation/exhalation resistance of the third embodiment of my invention.
The breathing exerciser according to the third embodiment may be configured as follows.
FIG. 40
Each of adjustable throttling device 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70 may be carried out in form of the pair cylindrical cups - the outer cup and inner cup, said inner cup is installed in said outer cup to be rotated ().
The cup bottoms are in contact to each other. The walls of the inner and outer cups are also in contact with each other. In the bottoms, side walls glasses cut The openings in the cup bottoms and in the cup walls are configured as to overlap each other and consequently changes the total flow section while rotating of the inner cup in one or another direction (change in the degree of choking).
The possible schemes of perform such throttling device are shown in FIG.-s 9-16 (the first embodiment of offered exerciser).
In this way, the bottoms of said cups 78,79 are configured in the adjustable throttle device 60. The bottoms of cups 80, 81 form the adjustable throttle device 64. The openings in the side walls of the cup 80, 81 are the adjustable throttle device 63. The openings in the side walls of the cups 82, 83 form the adjustable throttle device 70, and the openings in the bottoms of said cup represent the adjustable throttling device 66. The openings in the bottoms of the cups 84, 85 form the adjustable throttle device 68. The open ends of the outer cups 78, 80 and 82, 84 are connected by the annular collars 86, 87 respectively.
The rotation of the inner cup is performed by the handles 88 which move in the openings 89 formed in the outer cups 78, 80, 82, 84. The turning of the inner cup 81 changes the choking degree carried out by the throttling devices 62, 64 in mutually opposite directions, the turning inner cup 83 changes the choking degree carried out by the throttling devices 66, 70 in mutually opposite directions. That is, the throttling devices 62, 64 control is carried out with the only control operation (rotating the cup 81) at the same time. The throttling devices 66, 70 control is carried out similarly (rotating the cup 83).
In any of the embodiment of the invention, the sensors 90, such as the breathing mixture pressure sensor and/ or respiratory mixture composition sensor and/or mixture flow rate sensor, can be installed in at least one of the chambers (channels) and carried out with visualization means 91 to read out said sensors 90 data and visualize to the user the information about the operating exerciser modes.
FIG. 41
shows an exemplary sensors 90 arrangement including visualization means 91 representing the sensors' 90 readings concerning to the third embodiment of the exerciser. Sensors 90 are located in the cavities 2a and 2b of the second chamber, through which the respiratory mixture of inhalation and exhalation flows, respectively.
This allows the user to control the parameters of respiratory mixture inhalation and respiratory mixture exhalation separately and correct independently the operating exerciser mode via the adjustable throttling devices 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70.
Any embodiment of the exerciser may be configured integrally the computer system controlling the operating exerciser mode and including the sensors 90 of the respiratory mixture pressure and/or respiratory mixture composition and/or mixture flow rate, installed in at least one of the chambers (channels); the processor 92 with predetermined operating mode algorithms of the exerciser; the monitor 93 visually presenting the exerciser mode information to the user; the input unit 94 connected to said sensors 90 and processor 92; and output unit 95 connected with the means controlling the adjustable throttling devices and with the processor 92.
FIG. 42
shows an example of the exerciser with the computer system controlling the operating mode of the third embodiment. Sensors 81 are located in the second chamber cavities 2a and 2b, through which the exhaled respiratory mixture and the inhaled respiratory mixture flow, respectively.
According to any embodiment of the invention, the first chamber 1 can be provided with at least one partition, dividing said chamber into at least two cavities (chamber) and possessing at least one voice strap, mounted on said partition, and at least one voice tab, inflicted on said strap.
FIG. 43
shows an example of exerciser implantation including the first chamber 1 with two partitions 96 dividing the chamber 1 into three cavities (chamber) - 1a, 1b, 1c. Each partition 96 includes mounted on it voice straps 97, 98 with one tongue 99 (voice straps 97) and with two tongues 99, (voice strap 98). The cavities 1a, 1b, 1c are the resonators, providing the increasing the amplitude of the sound waves generated by voice tongues 99.
Such an arrangement provides the generation in the respiratory mixture near the human respiratory tract acoustic vibrations of a given frequency, the dynamic effect of which on the respiratory increases health effects on the exerciser user.
In either embodiment, the means for connecting the exerciser to the user's airways can be carried out in the form of the sealed facial mask 6, or the tube with the mouthpiece, or the hermetic helmet or the airtight suit (not shown).
control the choking degree of respiratory mixture flow (creation of controlled breathing gas flow obstructions);
mixing the respiratory mixture flows for obtaining the respiratory mixture of given composition.
separation the respiratory mixture flows of inhalation and exhalation;
preparation of the respiratory mixture of given composition.
In any of the embodiment of the invention, means regulating the respiratory mixture composition and the inhalation/exhalation resistance function as: | |
Design Concept:
The VanDutch Center will provide Cancun with a new space of Social Infrastructure promoting the public space, sports and recreation. Conceived to achieve greater integration of society through a new space of public use, through sports spaces, green roof and raised plaza, recreation and outdoor spaces, terrace and pier with canal view, with Integration into the landscape.
The project offers a unique and contemporary design of avant-garde developed with the latest technologies. Designed for accessibility and designed for all the public, providing pedestrian traffic.
Sustainability is promoted through the recycling of use of previous spaces and existing building, generating an intelligent re-conversion of construction, adapting and adding new elements to the program, with Commercial, Sports, Recreation, Services, Social integration, generating a new attractive building of Social coexistence.
Designed entirely by BIM (Building Information Modeling) integrating Architecture and engineering making a digital model of building for its better understanding, coordination and optimal construction.
Architectural Project:
sanzpont [arquitectura]
Design Team: | http://sanzpont.com/ficha.php?sec=proyectos&lang=en&path=web/proyectos/5_infraestructura&p=2016-05-01-Van_Dutch_Center |
A spirited Maya Picasso, aged two-and-a-half, is the subject of this vivid portrait from 1938. Painted only months after he had finished his harrowing Guernica, this picture clearly evidences that Maya, daughter of Marie-Thérèse Walter, was a great source of joy in Picasso's life. The baby girl presented new and delightful artistic challenges for her father. Picasso's palette for this picture captures the liveliness and playfulness of Maya's nursery. For the background he has chosen a robin's egg blue, which he also uses for the highlights of her blonde hair. He depicts her holding a favourite toy boat, which features in other portraits from this time, and a colourful pinwheel in her chubby hand. This colourful, boisterous print by Pablo Picasso showcases his talent as a proponent of Cubism.
Now 86 years old, Maya lives in Paris, has three children, and is also one of Picasso’s five surviving heirs, alongside Marina. Maya recalls watching her father paint Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O) which set a record in 2015 for a work sold at auction at a closing bid of $179.4 million.
The Pablo Picasso signature has been taken from the original lithograph.
Certificate of Authenticity
Includes a full certificate of authenticity signed by Picasso's estate (Marina Picasso) and stamped.
La Fille De L'Artiste a Deux Ans Et Demie Avec Un Bateau by Pablo Picasso
The most well-known name in the modern art world and one of the most influential artists ever to have lived. His distinctive style and innovative drive for artistic creation have had a long-lasting impact on the art world.
Born in Spain in 1881, the young Picasso began painting at the age of seven, tutored initially by his father before later going on to study at the Barcelona School of Fine Arts.
Thought to have created some 50,000 artworks, including paintings, prints and sculptures. | https://www.oakhamfineart.com/product-page/la-fille-de-l-artiste-a-deux-ans-et-demie-avec-un-bateau-by-pablo-picasso |
Pablo Picasso's Blue Period refers to a series of paintings in which the color blue dominates and which he painted between 1901 and 1904. The blue period is a marvelous expression of poetic subtlety and personal melancholy and contributes to the transition of Picasso's style from classicism to abstract art. Pablo Picasso Paintings Blue Period images and pictures collection here was uploaded by Picassos Art Paintings Staff after selecting ones that are best among the others. Here these list of excellent pictures or photographs of Pablo Picasso Paintings Blue Period as part.
14/07/2017 · Pablo Picasso: Blue Period and Blue Mood Michelle Xie. Loading. Unsubscribe from Michelle Xie? Cancel Unsubscribe. Working. Subscribe Subscribed Unsubscribe 7. Loading. Picasso 1932: Love, Fame,. This Picasso Blue period seems to be perfect for showing society what was lying beneath it. We can start to see the elongated forms that Picasso had begun to use in this figure and Celestine deeply dark coat is reminiscent of Picasso’s clothing. The Picasso’s blue period was a time of personal expression and emotion. This happened at a time when one of the artist’s greatest friends decided to commit suicide due to frustrations in life. This was a tough time for Picasso but the artist soon recovered from the. Nov 16, 2013 - Explore lfedz1's board "Picasso's Blue Period", followed by 192 people on Pinterest. See more ideas about Picasso blue period, Picasso blue and Picasso. Picasso ontmoette de Franse Marie-Thérèse Walter 1909–1977 voor het eerst in Parijs in 1927 en kreeg al snel een relatie met de zeventienjarige. Ze kwamen elkaar toevallig t.
"Blue" Period This is, perhaps, the first period in the work of Picasso, in relation to which we can speak about the individuality of the creator, despite the still sounding notes of influence. The first creative uplift was provoked by a long-lasting depression: February 1901 in Madrid Picasso learned that his close friend Carlos Casagemas had. - Pablo Picasso. The Blue Period 1901-1904 The somber period within which Picasso both personally experienced poverty and its effect on society right around him is characterized by paintings essentially monochromatic paintings in shades of blue and blue-green, only occasionally warmed by other colors.
Picasso's Blue Period was followed by his Rose Period. Picasso's bout with depression gradually ended, and as his psychological state improved, he moved towards more joyful, vibrant works, and emphasized the use of pinks "rose" in French and other warm. Picasso's Blue Period painting ''Mere et Enfant de Profil'' was offered for auction at Christie's today, but it was ''bought in '' for 80,000. The picture fetched a world record price for a work by a living artist when it was sold in London four years ago for 90,000. The colour blue symbolizing Mary, the Mother of God, and the meeting or visitation, refers to the meeting between Mary and the mother of John the Baptist. An ever returning theme in Picasso's blue period is the desolation of social outsiders, whether they be prisoners, beggars, circus people or poor or despairing people in general.
01/02/2018 · Picasso’s Blue Period and causal depression lasted until 1904. At this time, less solemn subjects and a warmer color scheme began to pop up in his paintings. Rose Period 1904-1906 As Picasso transitioned to his Rose Period in 1904, he continued to depict figures in. Picasso Blue Period PDF Tutorial; Watercolor paper, 6″ x 9″ art journal size Black Sharpie marker Liquid watercolor, blue and green The above product links are referrals. If you click through and take action, I’ll be compensated a small amount, at no extra expense to you. The Blue Period is a term used to refer to Pablo Picasso’s body of work between 1901 and 1904. The paintings of this period are essentially monochromatic in shades of blue and blue-green. The Blue Period, which is characterized by usually mournful subject matter, was in part brought about by the suicide of Picasso’s dear friend, Carlos. Du 21 mars au 3 septembre 2017 Née en 1891 à Nijyn, une ville ukrainienne de ce qui est alors l’Empire russe, Olga Khokhlova est fille de colonel. Elle entre dans la prestigie.
09/12/2019 · A summary of The Blue Period in 's Pablo Picasso. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of Pablo Picasso and what it means. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. 26 mars 2013 - Découvrez le tableau « Picasso - Blue period » de irynkar auquel 378 utilisateurs de Pinterest sont abonnés. Voir plus d'idées sur le thème Pablo picasso, Picasso et Art picasso. La Vie. Despite La Vie not being Picasso’s first Blue Period piece, it is arguably his most influential. Painted two years into Picasso’s severe depression, La Vie depicts a mother and child on one side, and a man and his lover, naked, on the other, in front of sketches of cowering figures. The artwork has deep blue colours which became famous during the Picasso blue period. It started after a friend to Picasso committed suicide. After careful examination from a studio, it became quite clear that another picture was in the works. The infrared reflectography showed pictures and lettering drawn directly on the wood. Picasso had the influence of previous artistic movements. Picasso had a blue period because he was under the influence of impressionism, expressionism and french culture. This is perhaps the main reason, although many online comments I have read before writing this post forget or just ignore this basic fact. The blue period was during his .
The Blue Period: A Novel - Kindle edition by Luke Jerod Kummer. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading The Blue Period: A Novel. Blue Period. Picasso's Blue Period began after the suicide of his friend Carlos Casagemas in 1901 and lasted until 1904. He began depicting images of common people and the poor, bathing them and their surroundings in overt blue tones. Examples include Three Women at the Spring 1921, Museum of Modern Art and works inspired by mythology, like The Pipes of Pan 1923, The Picasso Museum, Paris. In this period, Picasso demonstrated a return to classicism and in his case, to the monumental nude, precise line drawing as in the Ingres portraits, and balance.
Pablo Picasso was the most dominant and influential artist of the 1st half of the 20th century. While the names of many of his later periods are debated, the most commonly accepted periods in his work are the Blue Period 1901–1904, the Rose Period 1904–1906, the African-influenced Period. Pablo Picasso Blue Period - Free download as PDF File.pdf, Text File.txt or read online for free. Short Response Art Paper about Pablo Picasso's blue period. 06/11/2015 · A new record for a blue period Picasso has been set at auction in New York. La Gommeuse achieved the top price of $67.5m £45m at Sotheby's, as part of their Impressionist & Modern Art sale on Thursday. And Van Gogh's atmospheric landscape, Paysage sous un ciel mouvemente, sold for $54m £36m. 23/08/2017 · Pablo Picasso hosted his first exhibit in Barcelona, Spain at 19 years old. Picasso's artwork has sold for over $100 million in the 21st century. Picasso created over 20,000 art pieces in a wide range of mediums, including ceramics and theater sets. | http://ihlive.org/Picasso%20Blue%20Period%202021 |
We pattern each geotechnical investigation to meet the specific needs of the site based on previous land use and natural conditions.
Our staff has a thorough knowledge of shallow and deep foundation systems, local soil conditions, site preparation and earthwork specifications. Field and laboratory services include complete drilling, testing, and engineering.
The highly trained staffs of civil engineers, geotechnical engineers, and geologists have extensive experience with expansive clays, collapsible soils, and slope stability, clay liners and shallow groundwater. Our staffs of field technicians are thoroughly trained in all aspects of earthwork construction and evaluations of field conditions related to our geotechnical studies.
The scope of field and laboratory services for each project is customized to meet the needs of the client. Our studies range from non-complex soils analysis reports to extensive geotechnical investigations and seismic analyses including liquefaction, seismic site response and maximum and probable earthquakes.
Our modern state-of-the-art laboratories offer a complete range of equipment to perform soils testing and evaluations for geotechnical requirements.
We take great care in the preparation of complete, clear, and concise reports that offer practical and cost-effective conclusions and recommendations. Recommendations are conceived after a thorough assessment of all site conditions and factors. Each detailed report includes a comprehensive evaluation of subsurface conditions at the project site to provide geotechnical engineering design parameters and recommendations for use in building and pavement design and preparation of construction specifications. | http://technicon.net/our-services/geotechnical-engineering/ |
Agricultural sector targeted by authorities during action days against human trafficking
Finland participated in Europe-wide action days against trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation in the agricultural sector. The Police, Regional State Agency and the Border Guard inspected, for example, berry farms in August. Based on the action days, the situation in the Finnish agricultural sector is generally good.
The action days against trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation in the agricultural sector were organised in Finland from 8 to 19 August 2022 as part of an operation coordinated by Europol. The Police, Regional State Agency and the Border Guard inspected, for example, farms, berry farms, greenhouses and residential premises in different parts of the country.
In Finland, the authorities inspected 117 locations, 753 persons and 777 documents, i.e. 1,647 targets in total. A large proportion of the persons inspected were those who had fled from the war in Ukraine and are working mainly as seasonal workers.
– The main objective of the action days was to detect and prevent criminal activities. The results in Finland were generally good, and no major cases of exploitation were detected. However, the information is still being analysed, and it is possible that new cases will emerge. It is also good to keep in mind that the dark figure in human trafficking for labour exploitation is quite high, says Detective Chief Inspector Johannes Siirilä of the National Bureau of Investigation.
Seasonal workers are vulnerable
There are many foreign seasonal workers in the agricultural sector who may not know the Finnish legislation and who may be in a vulnerable position in terms of workers' rights. Exploitation practices may include inconsistencies and shortcomings in the payment of wages and in working time records as well as breaches of minimum wages.
– During the action days, the authorities detected four cases where workers had had to pay a 'mediation fee' to a recruitment agency to get a job. It is suspected that an employment agency offence was committed in these cases. The authorities also detected 20 cases where a person was working without a work permit and three cases of suspected unauthorised use of foreign labour. It is good to note that employers must be aware of their foreign employees' right to work both at the beginning and during the employment relationship, says Siirilä.
Findings from action days to be used to further improve crime intervention and prevention
The Europe-wide action days in the agricultural sector were carried out during the late summer and autumn as part of the operations of the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). The operation was led by France and coordinated by Europol. Authorities from 16 countries participated in the operation.
The action days focused not only on identifying and detecting criminal activities and victims of crime, but also on enhancing European cooperation to prevent and detect crime. The aim is to have better understanding of the phenomenon through the inspections carried out and provide up-to-date information about it to contribute to situational awareness related to trafficking in human beings and associated criminal activities.
– Multidisciplinary cooperation between authorities is important and has proved effective during the action days. However, action days and inspections alone are not enough, but a wide range of measures is needed to root out trafficking in human beings for labour exploitation. The authorities made important findings during the operation, which will help to further develop methods for investigating and preventing human trafficking for labour exploitation. For example, there are often challenges in questioning potential victims, and we have been able to improve our methods based on the findings, says Siirilä.
874 workers affected by labour violations identified in Europe
According to Europol, especially seasonal workers are at a high risk of labour exploitation and human trafficking in Europe. EU citizens are mostly exploited in the agricultural sector year-round, while non-EU citizens are exploited in seasonal work.
In the countries participating in the action days, more than 37,000 persons were inspected, of whom 874 had been affected by labour violations, and 231 of them were identified as possible victims of human trafficking or labour exploitation. Roughly 4,200 locations, such as farms and vineyards, were inspected. The operation resulted in 36 new investigations.
Europol released information on the international results of the action days last week. Link to Europol's press release.
The police released information on the previous EMPACT action days in July. The previous operation targeted cleaning business. Link to the previous press release.
The Police's photos from the action days: | https://poliisi.fi/en/-/agricultural-sector-targeted-by-authorities-during-action-days-against-human-trafficking |
London / Rotterdam - Unilever today announced that CEO Paul Polman has decided to retire from the company. Alan Jope, currently President, Beauty & Personal Care, has been appointed to the position, effective 1 January 2019, with Polman supporting the transition process during the first half of the year.
Paul Polman has been Unilever CEO for over 10 years and has worked in the consumer goods industry for almost four decades. During his tenure, the company has delivered consistent top and bottom line growth ahead of its markets. Its focus on successfully pioneering a new model of sustainable growth has served the needs of its many stakeholders and created excellent returns for its shareholders, delivering a Total Shareholder Return of 290% over that period.
Alan Jope, 54, has led Beauty & Personal Care, Unilever’s largest Division, since 2014 and has been on the company’s Leadership Executive since 2011. He has an excellent track record of leading Unilever’s business in both developed and emerging markets, having run the company’s North Asia business for four years, served as President, Russia, Africa & Middle East, and spent over a decade in senior Foods, Home Care and Personal Care roles for Unilever US. Alan joined the company as a graduate marketing trainee in 1985.
Unilever Chairman Marijn Dekkers said: “Paul is an exceptional business leader who has transformed Unilever, making it one of the best-performing companies in its sector, and one of the most admired businesses in the world. His role in helping to define a new era of responsible capitalism, embodied in the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, marks him out as one of the most far-sighted business leaders of his generation.
“Paul’s vision, drive and performance focus, combined with his commitment to serving the best long-term interests of the company, have materially strengthened Unilever. He leaves a more agile and resilient company, well placed to win in this fast-changing, dynamic industry. I’d like to thank him personally, and on behalf of the Board, for his contribution to Unilever.
Paul Polman said: “I congratulate Alan on his appointment and look forward to working with him on the transition. Having worked closely with Alan for many years, I am highly confident that under his leadership, Unilever will prosper long into the future. His appointment demonstrates the strength of Unilever’s succession planning and talent pipeline.
Alan Jope said: “It will be a huge privilege to lead Unilever – a truly global company full of talented people, and brilliant brands. Over the 30 years I have worked at Unilever, I have seen the many ways in which our brands improve people’s lives, positively impacting more than 2 billion citizens every day.
“Our global footprint includes strong positions in many important markets for the future and our focus will remain on serving our consumers, and our other multiple stakeholders, to deliver long-term growth and value creation.
Polman will retire as CEO and as a Board member on 31 December 2018. He will support the transition process in the first half of 2019 and will leave the company in early July.
A successor to the role of President, Beauty & Personal Care will be announced shortly. | https://www.unilever.nl/news/persberichten/2018/unilever-ceo-announcement.html |
Classroom Resources: Quantitative Chemistry
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Accuracy, Measurements, Significant Figures, SI Units | High School, Middle School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Measuring Volume
In this simulation, students will participate in a 10 question quiz. The quiz questions are each made of two parts, with the first part requiring the student to analyze an image of a graduated cylinder in order to report an accurate measurement. Students must use the correct number of digits based on the markings presented on the cylinder when reporting the measurement. In the second portion of the question the students will determine the uncertainty value of the graduated cylinder, again by analyzing its markings. The simulation is made up of several different sizes of graduated cylinders, each containing unique markings, so students will be challenged to analyze each individually.
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Density, Accuracy, Measurements, Significant Figures, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Error Analysis | High School, Middle School
Lab: Significant Figures and Lab Data
In this lesson, students will use laboratory equipment of different precision to collect data for several different metals, and then use the data to calculate the density of each. They will then compare their calculated densities to accepted values and determine the combination of equipment that leads to the most accurate calculation of density. | https://teachchemistry.org/classroom-resources/topics/quantitative-chemistry?q%5Bgrade_level_ratings_grade_level_id_eq%5D=2&q%5Bresource_topics_topic_id_eq%5D=169 |
Q1. At which of the following place were the third Sangam Assemblies held?
(a) Thanjavur
(b) Kanchipuram
(c) Madurai
(d) Vanji
Q2. Sangam literature is –
(a) Classical Sanskrit literature patronised by the Guptas
(b) Pali literature dealing with the history of the Buddhist sanghas
(c) Early Tamil literature attributed to the history of ancient Southern India
(d) Sanskrit works of Puranic nature dealing with the sanctity of the place where there is the confluence of rivers in Prayaga
Q3.The first Tamil Sangam is said to have been presided by –
(a) Tiruvalluvar
(b) Parasurama
(c) Mamulanar
(d) Agastya
Q4. Gita Govinda was written by –
(a) Jayant
(b) Jayadeva
(c) Jayasimha
(d) Jayachandra
Q5.The study of inscription is known as-
(a) Archaeology
(b) Epigraphy
(c) Anthropology
(d) History
Q6. Gandhara School of art developed during the time of –
(a) Sungas
(b) Kushans
(c) Guptas
(d) Mauryas
Q7.Ashoka called the Third Buddhist Council at?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Magadha
(c) Kalinga
(d) Sarnath
Q8.The leader of the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) was –
(a) Vallabhbhai Patel
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Vithalbhai Patel
(d) Mahadev Desai
Q9.With which one of the following movements is the slogan “Do or Die” is associated ?
(a) Swadeshi Movement
(b) Non-Cooperation Movement
(c) Civil Disobedience Movement
(d) Quit India Movement
Q10.Who called Gandhiji ‘half naked beggar’?
(a)Mountbatten
(b) Warren Hastings
(c)Winston Churchill
(d)Jinnah
Q11.When First Round Table Conference was convened by British Government?
(a) Nov. 1929
(b) Nov. 1930
(c) Dec. 1930
(d)Nov. 1931
Q12. In which year was the Capital of India moved from Calcutta to Delhi?
(a)1910
(b)1911
(c) 1912
(d) 1913
Q13.Who of the following was the first woman ruler of medieval India?
(a) Razia Sultan
(b) Chand Bibi
(c) Durgavati
(d) Noorjahan
Q14. Arrange the following in correct chronological order-
1.Bombay Association
2.Madras Mahajan Sabha
3.Indian National Association
4.Indian League
(a)1-2-3-4
(b)2-3-1-4
(c)3-4-2-1
(d)1-4-3-2
Q15.Who was the Governor General of India during the Sepoy mutiny?
(a) Lord Dalhousie
(b) Lord Canning
(c) Lord Hardinge
(d) Lord Lytton
S1.Ans.(c)
Sol. The third Tamil Sangam was held in Madurai. Nakkirar was the chairman of 3rd Tamil Sangam held at North Madurai.
S2.Ans.(c)
Sol.The Sangam literature is the ancient Tamil literature of the period in the history of ancient southern India spanning from c. 300 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems in Tamil composed by 473 poets. Sangam literature is still the main source for the early Cholas, the Pandyas and the Cheras.
S3.Ans.(d)
Sol.The first tamil Sangam was held to the south of Madurai under the patronage of Makeerthy, the Pandyan king. Agastya was the president of first Sangam.
S4.Ans.(b)
Sol.The Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century Indian poet, Jayadeva. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particularly with Radha.
S5.Ans.(b)
Sol. Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions on rocks, pillars, temple walls, copper plates and other writing material.
S6.Ans.(b)
Sol.The Gandhara School of art had also developed in first century AD along with Mathura School , both Shakas and Kushanas were patrons of Gandhara School.It’s influence is in the north western portion of India(includes Afghanistan and Pakistan).
S7.Ans.(a)
Sol.Third Buddhist council was held in 250 BC at Pataliputra under the patronage of King Asoka and under the presidency of Moggaliputta Tissa. The teachings of Buddha which were under two baskets were now classified in 3 baskets as Abhidhamma Pitaka was established in this council, and they were known as “Tripitaka”. It also tried to settle all the disputes of Vinaya Pitaka.
S8.Ans.(a)
Sol.The Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, in the state of Gujarat, India during the period of the British Raj, was a major episode of civil disobedience and revolt in the Indian Independence Movement. The movement was eventually led by Vallabhbhai Patel, and its success gave rise to Patel becoming one of the main leaders of the independence movement.
S9.Ans.(d)
Sol. Mahatma Gandhi In 1942 organized Quit India movement and gave the slogan of ‘Do or Die’.
S10.Ans.(c)
Sol.Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once called Mahatma Gandhi “a seditious Middle Temple lawyer, now posing as a fakir…striding half-naked up the steps of the Viceregal Palace.” In other words, Churchill called Mahatma Gandhi -A Half Naked Beggar(Fakir).
S11.Ans.(b)
Sol.The First Round Table Conference officially inaugurated by His Majesty George V on November 12, 1930 in Royal Gallery House of Lords at London and chaired by the British Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald.
S12.Ans.(b)
Sol.On 12 December 1911, during the Delhi Durbar, George V, then Emperor of India, along with Queen Mary, his Consort, made the announcement that the capital of the Raj was to be shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.
S13.Ans.(a)
Sol. Razia Sultan was the first woman ruler of Medieval India.
S14.Ans.(c)
Sol. Year for formation of different association are -Bombay Association – 1852, Madras Mahajan Sabha- 1884, Indian National Association- 1876, Indian League-1875.
S15.Ans.(b)
Sol.Lord Canning served as Governor General of India from 1856 to 1862. Lord Canning also served as first Viceroy of India. The important events during his tenure is the Mutiny of 1857. | https://www.sscadda.com/important-history-questions-for-ssc_5/ |
1.1 Introduction: Metadata can be characterized as “information about information” portrays the substance, quality, condition, and different attributes of information. Metadata is essential in helping potential clients to discover required information and figure out if an informational index will address their issues before they invest the energy and cash to acquire and prepare it. Metadata is the information to be utilized as a part of portraying the properties of a specific protest in finding, administrating, and helping to recover the resources. (Introduction to Metadata)
The expanded accessibility of geospatial processing innovations has not just nourished the interest in geospatial information with which to perform required investigations (Guptill, 1999; Deng, 2002), it has brought about huge volumes of such information being created – by GIS experts and associations, as well as by those not generally considered as geodata makers (Schweitzer, 1998; Mathys, 2004). The information is plainly basic to the working of GIS, enough so to be alluded to as its fuel (Vermeij, 2001; ESRI, 2002), this surfeit could be seen decidedly. In any case, there are entanglements. As Tsou (2002) watches, the capacity and administration of geospatial information are in themselves significant difficulties. How information is situated in what can add up to a needle in a geospatial sheaf; regardless of whether such geodata, once -if- found, are fit for the wanted reason; whether they are perfect, a la mode and of adequate quality, all confer their own specific issues, even without mulling over information availability, copyright, authorizing, potential obtainment expenses and preparing.
Despite data medium or application space, it is plainly essential to report information resources in order to encourage effective capacity and administration (Gobel and Lutze, 1998). Geospatial information is recorded by metadata or information that portrays information (Hart and Phillips, 2001; Vermeij, 2001; Tsou, 2002; Hobona et al., 2004). Similarly, as geospatial information are reflections of this present reality, for necessities, for example, investigations and representation, geospatial metadata are comparable deliberations — of the information itself. Utilized not exclusively to depict a scope of dataset qualities, metadata additionally help with the area, assessment, correlation, get to and abuse of geological datasets (Luo et al., 2003; OGC, 2005).
1.2. What is Metadata?
Metadata is “information about information”. With regards to bibliographic data frameworks, it is the writer, title, put, distributer, subject code, subject heading, and so onward for books. On account of serials, it is the title, distributer, ISSN and so forth. So also, an instance of a financial balance it is name, address, signature, and so onwards. National Information Standards Organization (2004) characterizes “Organized data that depicts, clarifies, finds, or generally makes it less demanding to recover, utilize, or deal with a data resource. Metadata is frequently called information about information or data about data” (Hode, 2009).
“Metadata is organized, encoded information that depicts attributes of data bearing substances to help in the recognizable proof, revelation, evaluation, and administration of the portrayed elements”.
The expression “metadata” usually alludes to any information that guides in the distinguishing proof, depiction, and area of arranged electronic resources.
The term metadata is utilized diversely in various groups.
- Some utilization it to allude to machine justifiable data, while others utilize it just for records that portray electronic resources.
- In the library environment, metadata is usually utilized for any formal plan of resource portrayal, applying to a protest, advanced or non-computerized.
- Traditional library list is a metadata apparatus; MARC 21 and the administer sets utilized with it, for example, AACR-II, are metadata models.
- Other metadata plans have been created to portray different sorts of printed and non-literary articles, including distributed books, electronic records, chronicled discovering help, craftsmanship objects, instructive and preparing materials, and logical datasets.
1.3 Needs of Metadata:
Metadata is an orderly strategy for portraying resources and along these lines enhancing access to them. The essential point of metadata is to enhance resources disclosure.
- Resource documentation
- Resource determination, assessment and appraisal
- Resource distinguishing proof and area
- Improving the quality and amount of query output
- Electronic business to encode costs, the term of payment, and so on.
- Protecting instinctual property rights
- Efficient substance improvement and filing
1.4 Definition of Metadata:
The decade of the 1990s saw the development of a proliferation of metadata element sets for resource description. Metadata is “data about data-. It is data for the purposes of cataloging, searching, archiving, electronic discovery. displaying, and so on. The key indication of the direction of the WWW on metadata comes from the inventor of the WWW, Tim Berners-Lee. “Metadata is machine understandable information about web resources or other things” but “metadata is data.
The familiar library catalogue record could be described as metadata in that the catalogue record is ‘data about data’. Similarly, database records from abstracting and indexing services are metadata (with a different variation on location data). However, the term metadata is increasingly being used in the information world to specify records which refer to digital resources available across a network. By this definition a metadata record refers to another piece of information capable of existing in a separate physical form from the metadata record itself. Metadata also differs from traditional catalogue data in that the location information is held within the record in such a way to allow direct document delivery from appropriate application software, in other words, the record may well contain detailed access information and the network address(es).
NISO’s Understanding Metadata”, the National Information Standards Organization. a non-profit association accredited by the American National Standards Institute. defines metadata as “structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource. Metadata is often called data about data or information about information.
A User Guide for Simple Dublin Core provides the following definition:
Metadata describes an information resource. The term “Meta” comes from a Greek word that denotes something of a higher or more fundamental nature. Metadata. then. is data about data. It is the Internet-age term for information that librarians traditionally have put into catalogs and it most commonly refers to descriptive information about Web resources.
Caplan points out the benefits of using a ‘new’ term to describe internet resource records. There is no residual meaning attached to the term ‘metadata’ as opposed to the traditional connotations of ‘catalogue record’. Coining a new term emphasizes the differences inherent in records describing network resources and indicates that these records will be used outside the library cataloguing tradition (Caplan, 1995).
2. Types and Function of Metadata:
In this section various types of metadata and their functions are discussed.
2.1 Types of Metadata:
There are three main types of metadata:
- Descriptive metadata describes a resource for purposes such as discovery and identification. It can include elements such as title, abstract. author, and keywords.
- Structural metadata indicates how compound objects are put together. for example, how pages are ordered to form chapters.
- Administrative metadata provides information to help manage a resource. such as when and how it was created, file type and other technical information, and who can access it. There are several subsets of administrative data; two that sometimes are listed as separate metadata types are:
– Rights management metadata, which deals with intellectual property rights. and
– Preservation metadata, which contains information needed to archive and preserve a resource.
2.2 Function of Metadata:
The various functions of the metadata are as follows:
- Resource Discovery: Metadata discover resources allowing resources to be found by relevant criteria; identifying resources; bringing similar resources together; distinguishing dissimilar resources; and giving location information.
- Organizing e-resources: Metadata organize e-resources organizing links to resources based on audience or topic and building these pages dynamically from metadata stored in databases.
- Facilitating Interoperability: Facilitate interoperability using defined metadata schemes, shared transfer protocols. and crosswalks between schemes. Resources across the network can be searched more seamlessly.
- Digital Identification: Metadata help in digital identification using elements for standard numbers, e.g. ISBN. The location of a digital object may also be given using a file name, URL and/or some persistent identifiers e.g., Persistent URL; Digital Object Identifier and combined metadata act as a set of identifying data, differentiating one object from another for validation purposes.
- Archiving and Preservation: Metadata are used for archiving and preservation. Digital information is fragile and can be corrupted or altered and it may become unusable as storage technologies change. Format migration and perhaps emulation of current hardware and software platforms are strategies for overcoming these challenges. Metadata is key to ensuring that resources will survive and continue to be accessible into the future. Archiving and preservation require special elements: to track the lineage of a digital object. to detail its physical characteristics, and to document its behavior in order to emulate it in future technologies.
2.3 Metadata Characteristics:
The achievement of the administration (or to be sure any administration which relies on upon metadata) depends on three basic perspectives: quality, amount and availability. Metadata quality alludes not exclusively to whether a metadata record is showed in a way that is consistent with a particular standard (and consequently is replaceable) yet whether it is unambiguously characteristic of the dataset it portrays, is finished and avant-garde. Steady arrangement of value, “fit for a reason” metadata guarantees client trust in the administration, giving catalyst to return visits and thusly improving its notoriety (Rackham, 2004).
For an administration to be of any utility, the number of metadata records offered ought to live up to clients’ desires. A lack of records gives little inspiration to utilize the administration, as odds of finding proper information will be low.
Metadata records are of negligible utility on the off chance that they are not open, paying little mind to quality or amount. Metadata openness in this setting not just identifies with the capacity to find and recover the fancied things, however, that they are displayed in a predictable organization and fit in with utilized gauges. A blend of an all-around planned UI and viable hidden web search tool are important to guarantee that the client is given the best-fit records, requested fittingly. Metadata that clients discover convoluted or tedious to find, get to or comprehend will do little to advance the facilitating administration.
The previously mentioned components are obviously related. An immense amount of metadata is futile without the affirmation of value, while a confined arrangement of brilliant metadata is of constrained value.
2.4 Why metadata are critical:
Metadata portraying electronic resources are fundamental in the recovery procedure. Awesome multiplication of electronic substance that is open through the World Wide Web makes it important to make and apply metadata models that will make the route more compelling. Existing web indexes achieve a little segment of Web-based resources, making viable metadata application a need.
Recent reviews document that although some metadata are connected to huge numbers of the Web-based resources, standard metadata plans are connected to a little rate of these resources:
A demoralizing part of metadata use inclines on general society Web throughout the most recent five years is the appearing hesitance of substance makers to receive formal metadata plans with which to depict their records (O’Neill et al., 2003).
As researchers, analysts and different clients keep on increasingly depend on data that is accessible by means of the Internet, institutionalized metadata plans turn into a fundamental component in the data recovery prepare.
2.5 Purposes of Metadata
Library catalogues have been serving the purpose of document description, discovery, management, preservation and harvesting for centuries. It was an established method related to information/document retrieval of library resources until the World Wide Web(WWW) phenomenon came into existence. In the age of WWW and Digital Libraries, the importance of information retrieval (precise and efficient) has increased rapidly. Web 2.0 demands a quick and semantically enriched information retrieval over web environment. Metadata serves this purpose. With the use of metadata, information retrieval performance could be improved, as it can establish context with the data/information/document. In the case of digital objects, metadata is the ultimate solution for digital preservation. Content management systems (CMS) are highly dependent on metadata for description and management of content in a virtual system. Haynes (2004) explained the importance of metadata in context to the maintenance of resources in a web environment as, “it is the metadata associated with digital objects that provides a common format for management and manipulation of resources.” Interoperability of web resources is practically impossible without the use of metadata. Haynes (2004) has summarized seven different purposes as explained by Day (Day, 1998), as follows:
i. “Resource description
ii. Resource discovery
iii. Administration and management of resources
iv. Record of intellectual property rights
v. Documenting software and hardware environments
vi. Preservation management of digital resources
vii. Providing information on context and authenticity”(p. 13)
With the advent of social networking, the purpose of metadata has been evolved. For the purpose of quicker analysis and response of web resources, the scope of metadata also evolved gradually. Haynes (2013) identified five major purposes of metadata over the modern web environment, which are;
i. Resource description and identification: Metadata describes web resources and identifies authentically with the help of several modern tools and techniques (e.g. RFID codes, DOIs, ISBNs, etc.).
ii. Retrieval and Dissemination: Discoverability of precise resource from the huge collection of web resources is a huge challenge. This challenge is addressed efficiently with the help of metadata. There are several metadata standards (e.g. Dublin Core) aiming to retrieve and disseminate relevant web resources efficiently.
iii. Preservation and Retention: Preservation of web resources for the future is an important task. There are several metadata standards which deal with this aspect. Metadata standard like Preservation Metadata Maintenance Activity (PREMIS) is completely dedicated for this purpose.
iv. Users and agents: With the use of metadata, it is very easy to determine who can access a particular resource on a web environment. Metadata is able to describe different types of access rights and protocols.
v. Ownership and rights: Intellectual ownership of a resource is a very important aspect, which can be protected by using copyright acts. Metadata helps to apply and promote copyrights on web resources.
Haynes (2013) depicted these purposes with a diagram, which is given below in figure 3.1.
3. Categories and Components of Metadata for Digital Library:
A metadata standard of Digital Library includes the main three sections: descriptive metadata, administrative metadata, GIS metadata. The Chinese Metadata Standard Framework characterizes the accompanying summed up components, which ought to be given need in reception while outlining a specific metadata standard and particularly be as per their semantic principles.
Metadata has been partitioned into five classes as takes after:
A. Descriptive metadata: Include the maker of the resource, its title, subject heading and different components that will be utilized to look and find the things.
Using for the portrayal of outer and inside characteristics of the articles, for example, title, maker, date, subject, dialect, and so forth. It incorporates:
- Core components: a summed up part for a wide range of the articles. At present, for the records and archive like articles, it is outlined as per the Dublin Core, yet simply receiving the component names and definitions.
- Local center components: a typical part for the neighborhood accumulations of Peking University Digital Library.
- Unique components: outlining for a particular kind of question in view of its attributes.
B. Structural Metadata: Describe how a thing is organized, for illustrations in the event that it is an electronic book made out of examined pages, each of which is a different PC picture record.
C. Administrative Metadata: Provides data to help deal with a resource, for example, when and how it was made, document sort and other specialized data, and who can get to it. For administrative data of the protest, it comprises of three components:
■ Object creation proclamation: digitizing strategy, condition, date, and digitizer, advanced copyright, and so on.
■ Instance: all inclusive advanced resource identifier, similar to DOI, URI, URN or URL; picture estimate, picture arrange, determination, adjusted date, different proclamations, getting to right.
■ User comment/remarks: for the criticism or remarks of end-clients.
D. Rights Administration Metadata: This is manages protected innovation rights Preservation Metadata: It contains data expected to document and protect a resource.
E. GIS Metadata: For the utilization of GIS. It coordinates the components of the transient and spatial data in enlightening metadata and is worked by the information handling specialists. There are two components in it: Spatial (directions) and Temporal.
4. Development of Metadata:
The term metadata was originally applied to those bibliographic description activities that were aimed at classifying electronic resources; general understanding of the term has since been broadened to include standardized descriptive information about all kinds of resources. This includes digital and non-digital resources alike. According to Priscilla Caplan “Metadata really is nothing more than data about data; a catalog record is metadata; so is a TEI header, or any other form of description. We could call it cataloging, but for some people that term carries excess baggage, like Anglo-American Cataloging Rules and USMARC. So to some extent this is a “you call it corn, we call it maize” situation, but metadata is a good neutral term that covers all the bases” (Caplan, 1995).
In his “A gentle introduction to metadata-, (Good, 2002) begins with the notion of the humble origins of metadata. He points out that even a simple citation contains basic metadata elements, but argues in favor of a more inclusive approach: An annotated bibliography, for example, also constitutes metadata which is very much like a list of references except that it also includes an extra level of description in addition to the basic metadata for the document.
Metadata relating to a print resource may consist of information such as author. title. year of publication, publisher, and so forth. This information may be organized in a card catalog card, or its electronic iteration. Both types of records are held in the library catalog, electronic or otherwise, which then becomes a repository of metadata about materials that are held by that particular library.
In discussing “traditional cataloging standards”. reference is being made to those tools that have been developed over time for the purpose of cataloging. These include the AACR2 with its editions, MARC21 formats and standards, Library of Congress Subject Headings, Dewey Decimal Classification, Sears Subject Headings, and other cataloging tools that libraries are using to describe and organize knowledge.
AACR2, for example, is an internationally accepted standard for descriptive cataloging. It contains rules for describing and providing access to all types of library materials including books, serials, computer files, maps, music, motion pictures. etc.. through library catalogs. AACR2 is also a standard for structuring catalogs with headings and references to provide links between items with similar or related characteristics.
How are metadata different from the traditional cataloging standards? In looking at this issue from the point of view of purpose or intent of metadata, one arrives at the inevitable conclusion that the differences are not substantial. Both approaches attempt to provide bibliographic description. This can be extended further to include the fundamental mechanisms governing the creation and the structure of metadata. Like traditional cataloging standards, it is governed by the same principles, even v,hen those are applied to a diversity of materials.
J Milstead and S Feldman argue that the term as applied to electronic resources “refers to ‘data’ in the broadest sense — datasets, textual information. Web pages. graphics, music, and anything else that is likely to appear electronically” (Milstead and Feldman, 1999).
What, then, is the reason for the evolution of metadata and what distinguishes them from what came to be known as traditional cataloging standards? The word “Internet” provides a short, albeit incomplete answer. The world of information has mok ed beyond paper and microform as the primary carriers of information. Digital resources have become abundant and with them came the need for classification. With their proliferation came the perception that the available cataloging standards could not be satisfactorily adapted to the demands of these new formats.
This development coincided with a new trend in publishing and bibliographic description. Publishers began to provide libraries that acquired their books with skeletal pre-publication descriptions of their books. As these descriptions became more accurate and complete, the libraries saw an opportunity to use them in their cataloging process. The door was opened to the idea that the library was not the only place where information about materials could be built into a record describing the materials.
As the amount of digital, Internet accessible information grew, librarians came to realize the need to apply some sort of scheme to describe them and that they themselves could not deal with the “workload”. Not everything that came to be considered information could receive the full cataloging treatment used to describe print materials. Prohibitive costs of full cataloging along with perceived inflexibility of existing cataloging standards were two of the key factors leading to the revolutionary changes in information processing; the development of a simplified. flexible standard or standards of cataloging that could accommodate the diversity of electronic formats, and taking cataloging out of the library.
Old and new metadata is based on common practices. Cataloging standards were created and developed as a way to organize information, in order to facilitate the retrieval and access to this information. Standards are the foundation on which all the cataloging and metadata rules are developed. Without these cataloging standards. a single item would be cataloged many times over and each cataloging record is like’) to contain different information. Without the existence of cataloging standards, it would be difficult to imagine how scholars could access information, how libraries could share resources, and how patrons could benefit from the library collection.
Cataloging standards help to organize knowledge and have served scholars and research very well in accessing information relatively quickly and efficiently. Cataloging and metadata standards provide consistency and also exhibit tremendous flexibility. As new publishing formats appear; micro-forms, sound recording. and computer files could serve as examples; new standards are developed to their description. The most recent developments in AACR2-2002 revision were made to reflect the need to catalog electronic resources.
In her introduction to a Special Topic Issue: Integrating Multiple Overlapping Metadata Standards of the Journal of the American Society for Information Science. Zorana Ercegovac provided an overview of the metadata development, in which she led readers through the pre-Internet era and the Internet era (Ercegovac, 1999):
Machine-Readable Cataloging is well-known metadata of the pre-internet era. It was developed at the Library of Congress in the 1960s and in terms of specificity. structure and maturity; it is a highly structured and semantically rich metadata. The purposes were to represent rich bibliographic descriptions and relationships between and among data of heterogeneous library objects and to facilitate sharing of these bibliographic data across local library boundaries. The emphasis is on the entire document; the surrogates are MARC records; the records are produced by human catalogers; MARC does not fare well with regard to management needs (e.g..intellectual property, preservation), or Evaluative needs (e.g., authenticity. user profiles, and grade levels).
In the internet arena, there is a tradition of evolving metadata. Since the early 1990s. distributed repositories on the Internet have had an exponential growth, repositories are contributed by different communities, and there is a need to describe, authenticate. and manage these resources. Therefore, new guidelines and architectures are developed among different communities. Priscilla Caplan described the metadata movement as “a blooming garden, traversed by crosswalks, atop a steep and rocky road” (Caplan, 2000). This metadata “blooming garden” can be viewed from different perspectives i.e. there is no limit for the type or amount of resources that can be described by metadata. For any area that shows a demand for electronic resource discovery and sharing, a metadata standard can be developed or proposed. Today. the resources described by metadata consist of bibliographical objects (e.g.. represented by MARC metadata), archival inventories and registers (e.g.. EAD metadata), geospatial objects (e.g., FGDC metadata), museum and visual resources (e.g., CDWA, VRA. Core, CIMI metadata), educational materials (e.g.. LOM ). software implementation (e.g., CORBA), and many others. The use of these metadata standards is not limited by language or country boundaries. There is no limit to the number of overlapping metadata standards for any type of resources or any subject domain.
5. Metadata for Digital Resources:
Management Metadata is a set of attributes used to describe an object. In reviewing the library and information science literature of the past few years, there is no shortage of views of the significant role of metadata in meeting the most pressing needs and challenges of digital resource management. Metadata enables users to find the resources they require; therefore it is an important component of any digital repository. Authors. librarians and information scientists use metadata to classify content for organization and retrieval.
Metadata creation and management have become a very complex mix of manual and automatic processes and layers created by many different functions and individuals at different points in the life of an information object. Figure 1 illustrates the different phases through which information objects typically move during their life in a digital environment. As they move through each phase, the objects acquire layers of metadata that can be associated with the objects in several ways.
a. Creation and multi-versioning: Objects enter a digital information system by being created digitally or by being converted into digital format. Multiple versions of the same object may be created for preservation, research, dissemination, or even product development purposes. Some administrative and descriptive metadata may be included by the creator.
b. Organization: Objects are automatically or manually organized into the structure of the digital information system and additional metadata for those objects may be created through registration, cataloging, and indexing processes.
c. Searching and retrieval: Stored and distributed objects are subject to search and retrieval by users. The computer system creates metadata that tracks retrieval algorithms, user transactions, and system effectiveness in storage and retrieval.
d. Utilization: Retrieved objects are utilized, reproduced. and modified. Metadata related to user annotations, rights tracking, and version control may be created.
e. Preservation and disposition: Information objects undergo processes such as refreshing, migration, and integrity checking to ensure their continued availability. Information objects that are inactive or no longer necessary may be discarded. Metadata may document both preservation and disposition activities. Other little-known facts about metadata are as follows:
1. Metadata does not have to be digital. Cultural heritage and information professionals have been creating metadata for as long as they have been managing collections. Increasingly, such metadata are being incorporated into digital information systems.
2. Metadata relates to more than the description of an object. While museum, archives, and library professionals may be most familiar with the term in association with description or cataloging, metadata can also indicate the context, management, processing, preservation and use of the resources being described.
3. Metadata can come from a variety of sources. It can be supplied by a human (a creator, information professional, or user). created automatically by a computer, or inferred through a relationship to another resource such as a hyperlink.
4. Metadata continue to accrue during the life of an information object or system. Metadata is created, modified, and sometimes even disposed of at many points during the life of a resource.
5. One information object’s metadata can simultaneously be another information object’s data (Gilland-Swetland, 2000).
6. Metadata Format and Standards:
However the term metadata is increasingly being used in the information world to specify records which refer to digital resources available across a network. By this definition, a metadata record refers to another piece of information capable of existing in a separate physical form from the metadata record itself. Metadata also differs from traditional catalogue data in that the location information is held within the record in such a way to allow direct document delivery from appropriate application software. in other words, the record may well contain detailed access information and the network addresses. There is a great diversity of perspectives on various aspects of metadata issues. For instance, librarians have used machine-readable cataloguing since the 1960’s to identify, describe and provide access to their collections. However. what worked well for libraries may not work in other environments. Similarly. the basic metadata required for describing an image or work of art or non-text objects will bear a strong resemblance to the metadata that describes traditional print documents. However, some significantly different extra elements will be required for a complete description of non-text images and multi-media resources. In light of this. some formats of metadata have been developed specifically for use in certain fields of study or type of information source.
Metadata standards come from various professional community efforts to support many needs in the digital environment. The literature reveals that different communities view metadata in significantly different contexts. No single metadata standard can be expected to accommodate the needs of all communities. Although some projects, such as Dublin Core have tried to develop a coherent set of metadata schemes that can work for wide range of communities, they have not yet provided a complete description or solution for all types of digital information resources.
A metadata element set has two basic components:
1. Semantics – definitions of the meanings of the elements and their refinements.
2. Content – declarations or instructions of what and how values should be assigned to the elements.
For each element defined, a metadata standard usually provides content rules for how content should be included (for example, how to identify the main title). representation rules for content (for example, capitalization rules or standards for representing time), and allowable content values (for example, whether values must be taken from a specified controlled vocabulary or can be author-supplied. derived from the text, or added by metadata creators working without a controlled term list.)
Many metadata standards provided an element set without considering the encoding format in their preliminary versions. For example, Dublin Core, Visual Resource Association Core Categories, Categories for the Description of Works of Art, and the Learning Object Metadata were all published and accepted in terms of their semantics and content long before the specific encoding methods for their data models were published. On the other hand, a few other metadata standards, like the Encoded Archival Description Document Type Definition, provided an encoded element set from the beginning. The EAD DTD, a standard for encoding archival finding aids currently using XML, was published a decade ago with an SGML DTD.
7. Fundamentals for Designing Metadata Standard:
The essentials for designing metadata ought to be based upon the three sorts of prerequisites of: expert/non-proficient catalogers, the qualities of resources/articles, and the end-clients of the advanced library. They are as taking after:
a. Simplicity and accuracy: Since the majority of the catalogers who do the portrayals are the specialists, pros, and the understudies in certain subject spaces, the metadata standard ought to be sufficiently basic for these non-proficient catalogers to learn and to utilize. Then again, metadata ought to likewise have the capacity to portray the protest precisely and keeps the recovery viably, evading the mistake alongside the straightforwardness. Notwithstanding, it is difficult to adjust between the straightforwardness and exactness.
b. Specialization and speculation: For the reason of contrasts of various articles and their attributes, it is difficult to portray them by just a single metadata standard. Changing metadata guidelines ought to be composed. In the meantime, considering the normality of the diverse items, the speculation of metadata standard is likewise required. At the end of the day, one metadata standard ought to apply to some extraordinary protests however many as could be allowed.
c. Interoperability and compatibility: Interoperability of metadata speaks to the backings for the interoperation between heterogeneous frameworks. At the end of the day, the metadata in view of the present Chinese metadata benchmarks ought to not exclusively be worked by every application programming of Peking University Digital Library, additionally be actualized in the frameworks of other association or organizations. In the pragmatic applications, interoperability goes about as compatibility. It implies that the present metadata can be changed over effectively as the basic metadata in other working frameworks, with the essence of a minimal loss of data that the metadata contains. In this manner, both semantic meanings of the components and metadata structure should be considered precisely, particularly its lucidness with the semantic guidelines of some current summed up metadata gauges, for example, Dublin Core.
d. Extensibility: Since the wide differences of the computerized resources and their applications in various fields, metadata standard can just give a general importance depiction to advanced articles. Some extraordinary substance going for the particular characteristics of the items are excluded in the metadata standard. In any case, considering the further and more precise portrayals in a specific down to earth application, metadata standard ought to be permitted to develop a few components or trait values. This expansion is created under the guideline of the metadata standard.
e. User requirement: Designing the metadata standard is with the end goal of better disclosure of the resources to clients. Subsequently, client necessities ought to be the last standard for confining the structure, selecting the components, and making the linguistic structure and semantic tenets. Moreover, it is additionally essential to give cooperation channel amongst framework and the end-clients, for retaining their remarks or criticism to metadata record and the articles.
8. Principles of Good Metadata:
It’s is an important link in the value chain of knowledge economies. Yet there is much confusion about how metadata should be integrated into information systems. How is it to be created or extended? Who will manage it? How can it be used and exchanged? Where from comes its authority? Can different metadata standards be used together in a given environment?
Erik Duval, Wayne Hodgins, Stuart Sutton and Stuart L. Weibel in their study “Metadata Principles and Practicalities” set out general truths the authors belie\ ed provided a guiding framework for the development of practical solutions for semantic and machine interoperability in any domain using any set of metadata standards.
Application domains will differ according to the degree of detail that is necessary, or desirable. The design of metadata standards should allow schema designers to choose a level of detail appropriate to a given application. Populating databases with metadata is costly, so there are strong economic incentives to create metadata with sufficient detail to meet the functional requirements of an application, but not more.
There are two notions of refinement to consider. The first is the addition of qualifiers that refine or make more specific the meaning of an element. Illustrator. author. composer or sculptor are all examples of particular types of the more general term. creator. Date of creation, date of modification, and date of acceptance are all narrower senses of a date attribute. Such refinements might be useful or even essential in a given metadata application, but for general interoperability purposes. the values or such elements can be thought of as sub-types of a broader element.
The second variety of refinement involves the specification of particular schemes or value sets that define the range of values for a given element. Thus. identifying that a metadata value has been selected from a controlled vocabulary or has been constructed according to a particular algorithm may make it much more useful. especially for automated processing. In this way, semantic interoperability across applications can be increased, by relying on a common value set. The encoding of dates and times is an example of the use of an encoding standard to remove ambiguity from the expression of a metadata value. The string 03/06’02 is interpreted as March 6, 2002, in North America and June 3, 2002, in Europe and Australia. By using an encoding standard such as the W3C date and time format [W3C-DTF], a date can be encoded in an unambiguous manner (2002-03-061. Specifying the encoding format in the metadata allows unambiguous machine processing as well as improving human comprehension.
The use of controlled vocabularies is another important approach to refinement that improves the precision for descriptions and leverages the substantial intellectual investment made by many domains to improve subject access to resources. The Dewey Decimal Classification System, for example, affords a multilingual classification system long used in traditional library environments that can he applied to electronic resources as well. There are hundreds of domain-specific thesauri and classification systems, as well, that can be imported into the web metadata architecture to support subject descriptions. Specifying the use of a particular vocabulary in a given collection of metadata will allow applications to provide more coherent search and browsing facilities. Even in cases where an application is not designed to take advantage of a classification scheme or thesaurus, users may still benefit from the inherent coherence that such a scheme affords.
It is essential to adopt metadata architectures that respect linguistic and cultural diversity. The Web as a global information system is important in that it affords unprecedented access to resources of global scope. However, unless such resources can be made available to users in their native languages, in appropriate character sets. and with metadata appropriate to management of the resources, the web will fail to achieve its potential as a global information system.
Standards typically deal with these issues through the complementary processes of internationalization and localization: the former process relates to the creation of “neutral” standards, whereas the latter refers to the adaptation of such a neutral standard to a local context.
It is important to note that these two processes can sometimes work at cross-purposes. Global resource discovery is best served by internationalization (common conventions of practice, languages, and character sets), the needs of any given community may be better served by supporting local conventions. One of the challenges for global metadata architecture is to assure that the underlying infrastructure can support either-strategy equally well, or a mix of the two. Thus, a given application will reflect design choices based on an understanding of this balance and its implications.
A basic starting point in promoting global metadata architecture is to translate relevant specification and standards documents into a variety of languages. DCMI maintains a list of translations of its basic documents. Likewise, the European Workshop on Learning Technologies is maintaining translations of the LOM specification (Duval et al, 2002).
This Article Collected from: | https://www.lisedunetwork.com/introduction-to-metadata/ |
All the King's Men begins with a long description of a drive to Mason City. The first person narrator (who we later discover is Jack Burden) relates how he last came to Mason City nearly three years ago in 1936. The narrative then shifts back to this time as Jack tells of sitting in a Cadillac with the Boss (Willie Stark), Tiny Duffy, the Boss's wife Lucy and son Tom; Sugar-Boy is driving. The photographer, reporters and the Boss's secretary, Sadie Burke, are in the second car.
They pull up in front of a drug store and everyone recognizes the Boss. The presence of a photograph of him above the soda fountain reiterates his fame. Jack informs the reader that he has seen this picture in a thousand places and is signed with the legend, 'My study is the heart of the people'. Once outside, the Boss talks to the mass of people telling them he is not here for votes today - he is home to visit his father. This is the first indication that the Boss is a politician.
As they drive away, Jack remembers the first time he met Willie about 14 years ago in 1922. This is when Willie was the County Treasurer of Mason County and Jack was a journalist for the Chronicle. They met in the backroom of Slade's pool hall; Tiny Duffy, who was then a tax assessor and Alex Michel (the deputy sheriff) were also present. Willie was an old school friend of Alex. Slade's refusal to join in taunting Willie to have a beer is noted by Jack as the reason that he did so well financially after Willie came to power.
The narrative returns to three years ago and the two cars arrive at the house of Willie's father. This is arranged as a photo opportunity rather than a family visit. Sadie gives Willie the news that Judge Irwin 'has come out for Callahan', that is, he has endorsed him for Senate nomination (rather than Willie's man, Masters). That evening, Willie, Jack and Sugar-Boy drive down to Burden's Landing (where Jack was born and raised) so that Willie can talk to Irwin. Jack recalls his friends, Anne and Adam Stanton, and remembers Irwin as more of a father than his mother's partners (who appeared when his father left the marital home).
At Irwin's home, Willie helps himself to a drink and tries to intimidate Judge Irwin with the suggestion of blackmail: the Judge remains unmoved. On the drive back to his father's house, Willie insists that Jack finds 'dirt' on the Judge - even if it takes 10 years. The chapter concludes with Jack relating how this was a long while ago; Masters is now dead, as is Adam Stanton, Judge Irwin and Willie.
This first chapter gradually introduces several of the main characters, but this does not occur in a straightforward linear fashion. Time shifts between the present, three years and 14 years ago as Jack remembers connected incidents from the past. This resistance to linearity gives the narrative a complexity.
With the shifts in time, it is also possible to see the changes in Willie's persona more clearly as his innocence and honesty of 14 years ago is juxtaposed with his cynicism and bullying tactics as a Governor. His desire to find 'dirt' on Judge Irwin, for example, is motivated by revenge: he is angry that the Judge has not sponsored 'his' man. This monstrous behavior is evidently in opposition to the Willie that Jack first meets in Slade's pool hall. Even at this early stage, then, the narrative has exposed the negative influence of power and adulation. | http://www.novelguide.com/all-the-kings-men/novel-summary |
When the physique of John Parsons Wheeler III, also referred to as Jack Wheeler, was present in a landfill in December 2010, there was an onslaught of questions surrounding his loss of life.
As depicted in Unsolved Mysteries Quantity 2, there was loads of media consideration dropped at the case due to who Jack Wheeler was and, though his loss of life stays a thriller, there are some theories about what occurred and who really killed him.
In contrast to different mysteries on the sequence, which could characteristic a case from many years in the past or questions surrounding tales about UFOs, Wheeler’s case concerned somebody ingrained in politics who many had identified. As a result of his loss of life got here so all of a sudden and since there had possible been some violence concerned, many started to take a position on what occurred.
So, who killed Jack Wheeler?
In keeping with the Delaware state medical expert’s workplace, Jack’s official reason for loss of life was blunt power trauma. However as a result of there was video footage of Jack from days earlier than his estimated date of loss of life seemingly not appearing himself, it introduced extra questions into the fray.
And, as a few of his former associates and friends in politics defined on Unsolved Mysteries, his connections might have led to what occurred to him.
Over the course of his profession, Jack had labored because the particular counsel to the chairman and secretary of the Securities and Change Fee, as a particular assistant to the secretary of the Air Pressure.
Jack had additionally served as a presidential aide to Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush.
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One idea about what occurred to Jack concerned being the sufferer of a homicide for rent plot. Given his connections to the federal government, together with his work with an organization the place he was in control of excessive degree cyber safety, he might have been focused by another company.
Another person on reddit theorized that Jack might need suffered from dementia, which led him to speak to folks he did not know, and later discovered him within the landfill.
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One other redditor shared their idea that Jack’s loss of life might very properly have been associated to his work in intelligence.
Whereas their specific idea, about being tortured by Russian brokers, may be somewhat far-fetched, Jack’s Unsolved Mysteries episode did make observe of his work which can have made him a goal in that regard.
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Jack Wheeler’s loss of life acquired media consideration on the time.
Due to who Jack was, his loss of life acquired loads of media consideration when his physique was discovered. Even so, there was no concrete proof to counsel what occurred to him.
Since then, nevertheless, armchair detectives have come out of the woodwork to attempt to work out who (or what) killed Jack, particularly since his loss of life concerned a lot of bodily trauma.
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Even within the years following Jack’s loss of life, information retailers continued to periodically report on the thriller. From questions of his potential enemies via work to allegedly warring neighbors, the main target shifted sporadically till all avenues of suspicion had been explored and nothing concrete turned up. | https://rexweyler.com/there-are-still-questions-about-jack-wheelers-death-on-unsolved-mysteries/ |
Before becoming a full-time photographer I was a social worker and before that a mediator. Those careers imbued me with the ability to communicate effectively and to handle diverse social circumstances; both abilities I believe, serve me well as a photographer.
I absolutely love covering weddings because of the great feelings that are typically so prevalent. I almost find it intoxicating. I believe in capturing the essence of the event by being in the background as much as possible and letting the day unfold naturally.
Your wedding is destined to be one of your greatest memories and I feel it is my job to help you recreate the day to its fullest by creating visual imagery which captures the feelings and mood of the day. | http://weddingwarriors.org/visuals-by-greg/ |
Membership in is by school. Memberships are for each school year. Membership renewals are due before entering your first event of the school year. Zone meeting for area directors are held at 8 sites throughout the state in weeks 19 and 45. See http://www.issma.net/entryforms.php to join.
Here is a summary of each marching contest and when it occurs.
District Marching Band Contest early October (Saturday of week 13). This is the first level of competition (at seven sites) that leads to the State Marching Band Finals Contest.
Festival Marching Band early October (Saturday of week 14). This is a single tier event for groups desiring evaluation and feedback from experienced educators. The Festival event is ideal for young or less-experienced groups or those not wishing to compete.
Regional Marching Band Contest mid October (Saturday of week 15). Groups that receive a Gold Rating at the District Contest advance to this level of competition (at two sites per class).
Semi-State Marching Band Contest late October (Saturday of week 16). Twenty Bands in each class (10 bands from each Regional) advance to this contest. From here, the top ten scoring bands in each class are selected for the State Finals Contest.
State Finals Marching Band Contest late October (Saturday of week 17). Forty Bands (ten from each class) compete for the State Championship.
Director Timeline: District and Festival Entries are due in early September. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
District Solo and Ensemble Festival at various locations in late January or early February (Saturday of week 30 or 31).
State Solo and Ensemble Festival in Indianapolis in late February (Saturday of week 34).
Director Timeline: District Solo and Ensemble entries are due in early December. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
For jazz ensembles and stage bands of up to 20 members. This contest is single tier event at various locations in early March (Saturday of week 35).
Director Timeline: Jazz entries are due in late January. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
This event occurs in March and/or April (Saturday of weeks 37, 38, 39 or 40). Junior High, Middle School and Elementary School Bands and Orchestras are eligible to perform for taped evaluation and ratings.
Director Timeline: JME entries are due in early February. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
This event occurs in March and/or April (Saturday of weeks 40, 41 or 42). High School Bands and Orchestras are eligible to perform for taped evaluation and ratings.
Director Timeline: HS Organization entries are due in early March. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
This event occurs in late April or early May (Saturday of week 43). High School Bands and Orchestras are eligible to perform for taped evaluation and ratings with the top 16 rated bands and the top 8 rated orchestra advancing to the State Concert Organization Contest..
Director Timeline: HS qualification entries are due in early March. Check http://www,issma.net for details.
This event occurs in May (Saturday of week 44). The top 16 rated High School Bands and the top 8 rated High School Orchestra compete for taped evaluation and rankings in Indianapolis. | http://www.indianabandmasters.org/Organization/mentor_project_issma.htm |
The recent collapse of the US-brokered peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians and the eruption of violence between Israel and the Hamas show the enormous difficulties for reaching a two-state solution. Given the background of quite a few earlier failures, which sometimes led to bloody confrontations, the current impasse might lead to...
The division of IR theory into the 'holy trinity' of the three 'isms' (realism, liberalism and constructivism) is the most common classification of theories in the field. While this division has numerous theoretical benefits, it also has some major shortcomings with regard to the conceptualization of substantive changes in world politics, especiall...
Since the end of 2010 a wave of mass protests -commonly called the "Arab Spring" -has swept the Arab world. These uprisings have toppled four authoritarian regimes to date -in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen -and undermined at least two others -in Bahrain and especially in Syria. These revolutions, which are arguably the most dramatic and important...
Does democratization pacify states—and thus their respective regions—or does it make them more war-prone? This is both a theoretical issue within the literature on democracy and peace, and an empirical issue, as in some regions democratization led to peace and in others it resulted in violence. To answer the posed question, this study probes the ''...
This article addresses the following two questions: First, how does the United States (US) manage regional war and peace, especially in the Middle East (ME)? It will show that the strategies the US has adopted in conflict management in the ME over the last several decades have shown considerable variations, both in the goals of its involvement – be...
With the end of the Cold War, analysts advanced competing expectations about the likely character of the post-Cold War Order. Many expected a far-reaching transformation in the fundamental character of world politics (notably, a decline in the centrality of the state in world politics). Some of these predictions were quite optimistic (esp. Liberals...
The objective of this article is to develop a novel distinction among four IR approaches and especially to highlight the approach which will be called here ‘offensive liberalism’. This four fold division is based not only on a distinction between realism and liberalism, but also on an internal division inside each camp between offensive and defensi...
This paper proposes a model for explaining shifts and variations in US grand strategy. The model is based on a distinction between four ideal-type grand strategies or approaches to security according to the objectives and means of security policy: defensive and offensive realism, and defensive and offensive liberalism. While the four approaches are...
Full terms and conditions of use: http://www.informaworld.com/terms-and-conditions-of-access.pdf This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, re-distribution, re-selling, loan or sub-licensing, systematic supply or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. T...
This article explains variations in state war-propensity. I introduce a new typology of state war-proneness based on four major types of states: revisionist, failed, frontier, and status quo. The major novel contribution of this essay is the argument that the combined effect of variations in the extent of success in state-building (strong or weak s...
I would like first to thank the three commentators for their thoughtful and constructive reviews of my article in this symposium. This article is based on some of the key theoretical components of my book, States, Nations and the Great Powers: The Sources of Regional War and Peace (Miller, 2007). All of the three commentators highlight important an...
Why do some militarily defeated states become war-like, while others peaceful? We argue that one of the keys to answer this question is what we define as the state-to-nation balance, which refers to the degree of congruence between the division of the region into territorial states and the national aspirations and political identifications of the r...
The Middle East is one of the most war-prone regions in the international system. What is the most powerful explanation of the war-propensity of this region? I argue that neither realism nor liberalism are able to account for variations in regional war-proneness. Instead, I advance an alternative explanation based on the concept of the state-to-nat...
The objective of this essay is to address the following two puzzles. First, what best accounts for the transition from war to peace in different regions at different times? Second, what is the best explanation for variations in the level of regional peace that exists in different regions in a particular time period? Consider the differences that ex...
This essay discusses four types of international influence on the Arab-Israeli conflict and peace process. It addresses the current international situation of US hegemony vis-à-vis the Middle East and its beneficial effects on the regional peace process. Yet this hegemony may not endure over the long run, and may be replaced by three scenarios: US...
Do regional wars occur as a result of external, systemic influences, in the absence of genuine issues of regional discord? Do the internal properties of regions adequately explain patterns of regional conflict? Can internal and systemic influences be combined to form an empirically compelling, yet theoretically coherent explanation of regional conf...
This essay addresses the debate on the expansion of the concept of security, which emerged especially after the end of the Cold War. My argument is based on a distinction between the phenomenon to be explained and the explanations, which include all the relevant competing causal factors affecting the explained phenomenon. The subject matter, that t...
This article examines the global sources of regional transitions from war to peace in two types of region: unstable (war-prone) and stable (not war-prone). I argue that the sources of regional hot wars are regional and domestic rather than global. Similarly, the possibility of reaching a high-level `warm peace' (i.e. conflict resolution) depends on...
The objective of this study is to examine the utility of three major mechanisms for regional conflict resolution. Two of the mechanisms are regional: enhancing regional legitimacy and liberalization. The third strategy is international: a concert of great powers or a stabilizing hegemon. The three strategies are deduced from the international-regio...
The objective of this article is to provide an analytical framework for addressing the sources of great power regional involvement and its effects on regional conflicts. The thesis of the article is that variations in the degree of intensity of conflicts and the likelihood of successful conflict resolution in different regions are affected by the c...
The purpose of this article is to provide a theoretical analysis of the conditions affecting the emergence of a great power concert, in order to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon. In contrast to some recent important theoretical works which underline the role of various systemic factors in the formation of a concert, I will argue that...
The author would like to acknowledge the financial assistance of the Israel Foundations Trustees, the United States Institute of Peace, the Davis Institute for International Relations at the Hebrew University, and the Truman Institute for the Advancement of Peace at the Hebrew University. The author would also like to acknowledge the advice and com...
This essay presents a theoretical model for explaining great power cooperation in conflict management. The model refines recent cooperation theory by distinguishing between types and degrees of international cooperation. It also challenges the dominance of decisionmaking analysis in the crisis literature and supplements it with structural factors....
This paper will consider the suitability of three theoretical perspectives on the international order (balance of power, hegemonic stability, and international society) to the “new world order” emerging in the aftermath of the Cold War and the Gulf War. This will be done by deriving five conflict‐management mechanisms from the logic of the three pe...
Abstract will be provided by author.
The seminar will discuss the origins of regional conflicts and the sources of regional wars. We will also address the conditions for reaching regional peace. The class will examine the sources of great-power regional involvement and its effects on regional security. The seminar will also address the implications of regional conflicts for internatio...
Projects
Project (1)
Is war in decline or is it just changing its character or is there a basic continuity in international politics under anarchy? I argue that there are major variations among different regions and that these differences are accounted for by variations in the state-to-nation balance in the various regions. | https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Benjamin-Miller-17 |
The practice of the Laboratory of Testing and Validation of Furniture at the Department of Furniture Design of the Poznan University of Life Sciences shows that most furniture defects that are revealed during testing come from design errors. Yet there are few instances of damages to the product as a result of the quality of treatment or the quality of the machine park. In general, design errors can be divided into ones that result from the following assumptions:
• usage,
• functional,
• anthropometric,
• anthropotechnical,
• construction and
• technological.
The most common errors of usage assumptions include:
• adopting assumptions of climatic conditions of using furniture which do not comply with the real conditions of places where the product is exploited in the future,
• failure to take into account seasonality of the climate of the place of exploitation,
• the assumption of too liberal schemes of using furniture by future customers and
• the omission of requirements related to the infrastructure of the place of exploitation.
Among errors of functional nature, the following dominate:
• non-compliance of dimensions of places and surfaces for storing with the dimensions of the stored items,
• limited free access for fixed and moving pieces of the furniture, including a high degree of difficulty for single-person use of the item and
• the lack of functions resulting in an obvious way from the purpose of the furniture.
Errors relating to the anthropometric characteristics constitute a serious percentage of all errors made during the designing stage. The cause of this phenomenon lies in the routine of designers and basing on obsolete measurement data of the population for which the product is being created. During the certification tests, the following main errors were pointed out:
• the lack of variations in the dimensions of furniture not regulated according to the characteristics of the centile groups of relevant populations,
• improper dimensions of seating and worktops,
• dimensions of furniture mismatched to the ranges of the upper and lower extremities and
• collisions of dimensions of furniture forming sets.
Among the errors resulting from the person-technical object relation (anthropo – technics), the following usually appear:
• selecting the hardness of seats and mattresses routinely and not in accordance with the physiology of the human being,
• curvatures of the furniture parts directly in contact with the body of the user mismatched to the natural geometry of the body,
• methods of use of the moving pieces of the furniture not compatible with natural motor features of the body and
• wrong placement of important manipulating and usable elements.
Structural errors often come down to:
• the inaccurate selection of joints and connectors, as well as the inaccurate location of structural nodes,
• the underestimation of the global stiffness and local stiffnesses of individual parts of the furniture and
• the lack of stability of the furniture or its components.
The most commonly encountered technological errors include:
• incorrect selection of materials not taking into account: purpose, form, function and construction of the furniture,
• mismatching the finishing technology to the conditions of use and
• defects of performance resulting from simple technology, causing the reduction in use value and/or exposing the user to injury or damaging clothing.
Most often, these errors can be eliminated by preparing, reviewing and consulting with a wide group of professionals of all design assumptions. | http://jfjm100.com/the-history-of-furniture-construction/errors-in-furniture-design.html |
Fri, Apr 03, 2020 page12
Insurers drop declared rates on policies
Major life insurance companies have lowered the declared interest rates for their New Taiwan dollar-denominated policies to 2 percent and US dollar policies to 3 percent on expectations of reduced returns on investment in a low-interest rate environment.
Life insurers announce each month the declared interest rates, which are used to calculate the size of policyholders’ distributions.
Fubon Life Insurance Co (富邦人壽), the nation’s second-largest life insurer with a market share of 17.2 percent, said it has slashed the rates for its 101 NT dollar-denominated products by 25 basis points — the same as the central bank’s March 19 rate cuts — to between 1.05 and 2.25 percent.
It cut the rates for its US dollar policies by 40 basis points to a range from 2.7 to 3 percent, Fubon said.
Nan Shan Life Insurance Co (南山人壽), the third-largest insurer with a market share of 13.39 percent, cut its rates by 25 basis points for its 90 NT dollar products to between 1.9 and 2.05 percent, as well as 50 basis points for its 70 US dollar products to between 2.85 and 3 percent, it said in a statement.
Shin Kong Life Insurance Co (新光人壽), the fourth-largest insurer with a market share of 9.18 percent, reduced rates by a range of 8 basis points to 45 basis points for its NT dollar products and a range from 5 basis points to 45 basis points for its US dollar policies.
As a result, the maximum declared interest rates for the company’s NT dollar and US dollar policies were 2.05 percent and 3.1 percent respectively.
However, Cathay Life Insurance Co (國泰人壽), the nation’s largest life insurer with a market share of 19.45 percent, only cut rates by 5 basis points for its 54 US dollar products to a range of between 2.25 and 3.4 percent, and reduced between 6 and 15 basis points rates for its NT dollar products to between 0.52 and 2 percent.
“We slashed the rates less than our peers in the hope of generating good interest income,” Cathay Life executive vice president Lin Chao-ting (林昭廷) said by telephone, adding that the company is still confident that its declared interest rate could be more than 3 percent for this month.
“The revision in declared interest rates does not always correspond with the change in the benchmark rates, as they are primarily based on companies’ investment performance,” Lin said.
Comments will be moderated. Keep comments relevant to the article. Remarks containing abusive and obscene language, personal attacks of any kind or promotion will be removed and the user banned. Final decision will be at the discretion of the Taipei Times. | |
Does livestock grazing prevent species diversity loss from fertilizer addition in high-productivity grasslands?
Native grasslands are increasingly subjected to anthropogenic nutrient inputs, especially from fertilizer addition aimed at increasing biomass production for domestic animals. This practice may have, at least, two unwanted consequences from a biodiversity standpoint. First, it has been shown that fertilization often decreases plant species richness in productive herbaceous systems through a reduction in light availability. Second, elevated nutrient loads may facilitate community dominance by invasive exotic species. Here we asked whether seasonal grazing by domestic livestock ameliorates the negative impact of fertilization on grassland species diversity. We also tested whether nutrient additions differentially altered diversity of dominant and subordinate species, and of native vs exotic species. The study was conducted in a highly-productive grassland in the Flooding Pampa of eastern Argentina. The design was a 2 x 2 factorial with grazing exclusion and fertilization as main effects. Fertilizer (NPK) was applied three times a year to 5 x 5 m plots, paired with unfertilized control plots, and established within 6 exclosures and in the adjacent grazed grassland (total = 24 plots). Diversity was estimated by the number of species (richness) and the reciprocal of Simpson’s dominance index, both calculated from 1-m2 species cover data in spring and summer.
Results/Conclusions
Grazing exclusion had a strongly negative effect on plant diversity (40%) and promoted dominance by exotic perennial grasses. Fertilizer addition (first year) similarly reduced plant richness in grazed and ungrazed plots by nearly 5 species/m2, which represented a 20% loss in richness, relative to pre-treatment levels. Fertilization further increased community dominance (decreased Simpson’s diversity) in the absence of domestic livestock, but had only a small effect on dominant species diversity in grazed grassland. Our results indicate that seasonal grazing ameliorated the loss of diversity induced by fertilizer addition among dominant plant species, presumably by reducing biomass production and increasing light availability to least competitive species. However, grazing by domestic herbivores could not prevent the significant loss of total species richness that occurred after just one year of fertilization. Many such species were subordinate and rare native grasses and forbs that might contribute to ecosystem functions in the long term. | https://eco.confex.com/eco/2015/webprogram/Paper56081.html |
The diversity and functional roles of biocrust bryophytes in different terrestrial habitats are described in this chapter. At present, over 320 species of biocrust bryophytes have been described, many of which belong to the families Pottiaceae and Bryaceae. Bryophytes possess a suite of physiological and morphological traits that enable them to colonize and live in extreme environments. For this reason, bryophytes can be a conspicuous component of biocrust communities in dryland ecosystems as well as polar regions. As poikilohydric plants, adaptations at the cell and shoot and population level permit the tolerance of desiccation as well as temperature stress, but such traits often come at the expense of growth rates and sexual reproduction. Establishment and dominance of bryophytes in biocrusts are dependent on physical factors such as substrate chemistry and aridity and biotic factors such as propagule banks and the presence of other biocrust organisms. Primary colonists such as cyanobacteria and fungi typically facilitate establishment, and bryophytes often occur in the later stages of crust development. Ecologically, biocrust bryophytes provide habitats for other crust community members and also contribute to soil stability, hydrology, and nutrient cycling. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-30214-0_6 |
This section is dedicated to two things: first to point out some of the dangerous consequences of the aerodynamics of an airplane and second their recovery.
The first one, as mentioned in aerodynamics is the stall. The following video is an online flight lesson which covers stalling and recovering a Piper PA-28.
The second video demonstrates one of the dangers of a stall - the rapid loss of altitude . Also if the correct procedures aren't followed, the aircraft won't recover. Worse, even a slight rudder input, an asymmetric stall or just the torque induced by the propeller can result in a spin.
Stall recovery for the most part consists of lowering the nose of the stalled airplane and applying power. This causes the aircraft to gain speed and smoothens the airflow. Once the speed rises past the so called stall speed (there is no fixed stall speed, but rather an angle of attack, but at some speed the AOA necessary to maintain altitude equals the critical AOA. This speed is typically called and used as stall speed. It is indicated by the lower end of the marking on an airspeed indicator such as this) or reaches a safe airspeed, the pilot may raise the nose and resume level flight. In stall recovery, a certain level of "feel" by the pilot is necessary. Most of the time it is possible to feel whether a plane is able to fly in the current circumstances. For example, in some planes the elevator control goes "soft" and ineffective when the plane approaches a stall. Under no circumstances should a turn be attempted when stalled or nearly stalled.
Turning and
accelerated flight increases the stall speed and thus increases the risk of a stall. This is the
case, because in a banked turn, the load
factor
increases, meaning the airplane needs more lift to maintain altitude (as seen here).
As explained before, a stall occurs at a critical angle of attack. As the required lift is higher in a turn,
this angle is reached at a higher airspeed than in level flight. This means that it is possible for a plane
to fly level and maintain altitude only to then stall when initiating a turn. The following GIF shows the impact of the load
factor on stalling well.
A spin is a form of stall resulting
in an autorotation along an aircraft's longitudinal axis. The flightpath in a spin is a downward
spiral. A spin can result when an aircraft stalls while yawing (regardless if caused by pilot input
or
otherwise). In a developing spin, one wing of the airplane (the inner one in the resulting spin)
stalls while the other does not or
both stall, but one wing stalls more deeply. The lift difference causes the aircraft to roll, while
the drag difference causes the yaw to continue. The aircraft now pitches forward and spirals
downward.
You can see the initiation of a spin and the spin itself in the following video. Please note the pilot kicking the rudder just before the stall.
The aircraft in this video is an Extra EA-330. As an aerobatic plane, the Extra is fully certified to spin, but in a conventional airplane, a spin is very dangerous. The position of the center of gravity has a major influence on the likeliness and recoverability of a spin. As you can see here, a stall can be very disorientating (also great flight instructor!)
You may have overheard the instructor advising the student to apply more rudder. In some (such as this Robin 2160) airplanes, recovering from a spin may be as easy as applying rudder opposite to the direction of rotation. However as you may have seen, spins can be very disorientating and determining the direction of rotation can be difficult. The normal procedure for spin recovery is:
Improper recovery or other control inputs, as well as a improper CoG position can induce a flat spin. A flat spin is even more dangerous. In it the plane pitches up from the normal spin attitude. This may impede airflow over all control surfaces. There is no general rule on how to recover from a flat spin and it is not always possible. If you ever find yourself in the cockpit of a flat spinning airplane, you can try to apply aileron IN the direction of the spin to recover to a conventional spin. The PARE-method should then safe you. The following links both show a flat spin and recovery. The first one was unplanned and resulted in a non-fatal crash landing (trigger warning) after a somewhat miraculous recovery. The second video shows a planned flat spin with recovery in an airplane licensed to do flat spins (another Extra, this time an EA-300L)
The aircraft in the first video is a Tipsy Nipper. Although it is aerobatic, it is not certified for flat spins. The engine stopped because it was starved of fuel in the flat spin and the pilot was unable to restart it, as the aircraft doesn't have an electric starter (it's hand propped- as seen here ).
The image at the top of the page shows Gene Soucy's "Showcat" (modified agricultural biplane Grumman Ag Cat) stalling. This picture was taken at AirVenture 2018. The AirVenture is the biggest airshow in the world held annually at Wittmann Regional Airport in Oshkosh, WI. Tickets can be found on the official website. | https://m-server.fk5.hs-bremen.de/jonas_pfeiffer/dangers/dangers.html |
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
TECHNICAL FIELD
BACKGROUND ART
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/KR2012/000258, filed Jan. 11, 2012, which claims the priority to and benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0020924, filed on Mar. 9, 2011 in Korea. The disclosures of the above-listed applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
The present disclosure relates to a cloud storage system, a device and method for performing a data encryption processing in the cloud storage system.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Generally, in order to use an information technology (IT) environment, a function is implemented by integrating elements such as a server, a storage, software, a solution, a line, etc., and solutions, such as a website, mail ERP, CRM, etc., are developed. The inventor(s) has experienced that in such development, the introduction of software and the integration and customizing of systems are needed, and thus, it is required to study separate technology. The inventor(s) has noted that cloud computing technology has been recently developed in which an IT environment is constructed to enable the use of a service even without professionalism of separated technology and is usable.
Such cloud computing can be largely categorized into three fields: namely, (i) Software as a Service (SaaS) that provides a software application service as a service; (ii) Platform as a Service (PaaS) that provides a standardized platform as a service; and (iii) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) that provides an infrastructure, such as a storage, a network, etc., as a service.
A cloud storage system, one of the cloud computing technology, virtually makes different users' data appear to be stored in separate spaces, but actually stores the data in the same storage space physically.
The cloud storage system does not encrypt and store data itself when storing the data but encrypts and stores the data in transmitting the data.
On the other hand, the inventor(s) has noted that a function of encrypting and storing a document is necessarily needed for storing a document (for example, documents of companies) requiring security in a cloud storage.
However, the inventor(s) has experienced that the cloud storage system that provides a storage service for large-scale data causes overhead of calculation necessary for encrypting and decrypting data when desiring to directly support an encryption function, and thus, the use of many resources is needed.
In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a data encryption processing device comprises a priority manager and an encryption requester. The priority manager is configured to manage a priority to encrypt data of each of a plurality of cloud storage modules based on information regarding whether to support encryption processing to said each of the plurality of the cloud storage modules; and an encryption requester configured to select at least one cloud storage module among the plurality of the cloud storage modules based on the priorities managed by the priority manager, and transfer data to the selected at least one cloud storage module to request the selected at least one cloud storage module to perform encryption of the data, in response to a data encryption request.
In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a data encryption processing device is configured to set a priority to encrypt data of each of a plurality of cloud storage modules to store the priority in a memory, based on information regarding whether to support encryption processing to each of the plurality of the cloud storage modules; select at least one cloud storage module based on the priority stored in the memory, when requesting encryption of the data; and transmit the data to the selected at least one cloud storage module to request the selected at least one cloud storage module to perform encryption of the data.
In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a cloud storage system for data encryption processing comprises a data encryption processing device; and a plurality of cloud storage modules. The plurality of cloud storage modules is configured to store and manage data and connected with the data encryption processing device over a communication network, wherein each of the plurality of cloud storage modules includes a cloud storage and a controller. The cloud storage configured to store the encrypted data and resource information. And the controller configured to control the cloud storage, provide the resource information to the data encryption processing device, encrypt data when receiving a request for data encryption from the data encryption processing device, store the encrypted data in the cloud storage, and decrypt the encrypted data stored in the cloud storage and supply the decrypted data to at least one different cloud storage module among the plurality of the cloud storage modules when receiving a request for the decrypted data from the data encryption processing device.
FIG. 1
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is a block diagram of a cloud storage system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. The cloud storage system includes a plurality of cloud storage modules , and a data encryption processing device that are connected to the plurality of cloud storage modules over a communication network .
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Each of the cloud storage modules includes a cloud storage (for example, a hard disc, a memory, or the like) that provides a storage service for large-scale data to a company or an individual, and a controller that is implemented as a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling the cloud storage . The cloud storage module encrypts data according to a data encryption request from the data encryption processing device , and stores the encrypted data in the cloud storage . Each of the cloud storage modules includes a communication interface (not show) also can communicate to each other and the data encryption processing device over communication network including, but not limited to, cellular, Wi-Fi, LAN, WAN, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE and EPC networks, and cloud computing networks. Alternatively, the communication interface can be installed as a communication module in a part of, or independently from, the controller .
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According to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of cloud storage modules are largely categorized into two types, namely, a type of cloud storage module in which the controller supports (or performs) processing of data encryption, and a type of cloud storage module in which the controller cannot support processing of data encryption. Here, as an example of the controller that supports processing of data encryption, there may be a CPU having an advanced encryption standard new instruction (AES-NI) function.
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Each cloud storage module provides its own resource information to the data encryption processing device . Here, the resource information may include resource information regarding the controller and cloud storage . Also, the controller of each cloud storage module may encrypt data, when encryption of the data is requested from the data encryption processing device , store the encrypted data in the cloud storage . When receiving request of supplying a decrypted data from the data encryption processing device , the controller of each cloud storage module decrypts the encrypted data stored in the cloud storage , and supply the decrypted data to at least one different cloud storage module among the plurality of cloud storage modules .
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The data encryption processing device requests data encryption from at least one cloud storage module selected among the plurality of cloud storage modules , and allows the selected cloud storage module to store encrypted data or to supply encrypted data stored in the selected cloud storage module to the at least one different cloud storage module according to a request of the at least one different cloud storage module among the plurality of cloud storage modules .
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In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, although the data encryption processing device is connected to the plurality of cloud storage modules over the communication network , the above-described function of the data encryption processing device may be embodied in, for example, a computer program or hardware module where the program is installed, and be implemented in each cloud storage module .
FIG. 1
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As illustrated in , the data encryption processing device includes a priority manager , an encryption requester , a resource manager , and a memory .
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The priority manager separately manages at least one of the plurality of cloud storage modules in such a manner of checking (or identifying or distinguishing) which could storage module(s) is enabling the support of encryption processing or disenabling the support of encryption processing, according to resource information regarding each of the plurality of cloud storage modules connected thereto over the communication network . Also, as described later, the priority manager grades an encryption priority of each cloud storage module enabling the support of encryption processing, based on a count value of the number of encryption requests for and resource information regarding each of the plurality of cloud storage modules . The graded priority is stored in the memory . In the priority manager , a cloud storage module enabling the support of encryption processing is higher in grading an encryption priority than a cloud storage module disenabling the support of encryption processing.
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When a company or an individual requests encryption of certain data, in response to the encryption request, the encryption requester transmits the requested certain data to a certain cloud storage module selected according to priorities of each of the cloud storage modules , and then requests the selected certain cloud storage module to perform encryption for the transmitted certain data. When requesting the selected certain cloud storage module to perform the encryption for the transmitted certain data, the encryption requester counts up the number of requests for encryption that is being currently performed in the certain cloud storage module selected for encrypting the certain data. Further, when the selected cloud storage module ends performing encryption for the certain data, the encryption requester counts down the number of encryption requests. In other words, the encryption requester selects a cloud storage module to perform data encryption among the plurality of graded cloud storage modules , based on a count value of the number of encryption requests and whether to support encryption processing to each of the cloud storage modules . In more detail, the encryption requester selects at least one cloud storage module among the plurality of the cloud storage modules , which can be enabling the support of encryption processing, according to priorities graded in descending order or ascending order of count value of the number of encryption requests, and requests data encryption from the selected at least one cloud storage module.
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The priority manager changes (or updates) a priority of each of cloud storage modules according to a count value of the number of encryption requests being changed. Specifically, when requesting data encryption and when ending the data encryption, the priority manager recognizes the change of the count value of the number of encryption requests to change the priority of each of the cloud storage modules .
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For example, a certain cloud storage module selected by the encryption requester may complete data encryption, and then, the certain cloud storage module may store the encrypted data. Alternatively a different cloud storage module of the plurality of the cloud storage modules may store the encrypted data in its own cloud storage.
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The resource manager manages available resource information, supplied from each of the cloud storage modules , regarding each of the cloud storage modules . Here, the resource information includes a size of encrypted data of each cloud storage module , and specifications of a controller and a cloud storage of each cloud storage module .
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As described above, unlike a cloud storage module to perform encryption being selected according to whether to support encryption processing and a count value of the number of encryption requests, as an alternative scheme, the priority manager may change the priorities of the plurality of the cloud storage modules based on a changed (or updated) count value of the number of encryption requests and resource information supplied from the resource manager . Meanwhile, the data encryption processing device includes a communication interface (not show) which can communicate to at least one of the plurality of the cloud storage modules over communication network including, but not limited to, cellular, Wi-Fi, LAN, WAN, CDMA, WCDMA, GSM, LTE and EPC networks, and cloud computing networks. Alternatively, the communication interface can be installed as a communication module in a part of, or independently from, one component of the data encryption processing device . Other components of the data encryption processing device , such as the priority manager , the encryption requester and the resource manager are implemented by one or more processors and/or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs).
FIG. 2
is a flowchart of a method of encrypting data in the cloud storage system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
FIG. 2
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First, as illustrated in , the priority manager receives information regarding whether to support encryption processing from each of the plurality of the cloud storage modules connected thereto over the communication network , and grades a priority of each of the plurality of the cloud storage modules , based on the information regarding whether to support encryption processing and a count value of the number of encryption requests for each of the plurality of the cloud storage modules . The graded priorities are stored in the memory in operation S.
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Subsequently, when an arbitrary company or a user requests encryption of data at a time when the data is stored in operation S, the encryption requester selects at least one cloud storage module among the plurality of the cloud storage modules to perform data encryption according to the priorities of the respective cloud storage modules stored in the memory in operation S.
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Then, in operation S, the encryption requester transmits data to the selected at least one cloud storage module to perform, by the selected at least one cloud storage module, encryption of the data. Therefore, the selected at least one cloud storage module encrypts the data using its own resource information, and stores the encrypted data in a cloud storage of the selected at least one cloud storage module.
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After the encryption request, in operation S, the encryption requester increases a count value of the number of encryption requests for the selected at least one cloud storage module , and supplies (or transmits) the increased count value to the priority manager . Thus, the priority manager updates a priority of each cloud storage module having a priority right to encrypt in real time, based on the increased count value.
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Subsequently, in operation S, the encryption requester determines whether encryption is ended in the selected at least one cloud storage module. When a message indicating “end of encryption” is received from the selected at least one cloud storage module, the encryption requester proceeds to operation S. In operation S, the encryption requester decreases a count value of the number of encryption requests for the selected at least one cloud storage module, and supplies (or transmits) the decreased count value to the priority manager . Thus, the priority manager updates a priority of each cloud storage module having a priority right to encrypt according to the decreased count value.
According to the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure, a cloud storage module connected to the data encryption processing device over the communication network directly performs an encryption processing operation that affects calculation overhead, and thus can reduce the overall calculation overhead of the cloud storage system and moreover quickly process calculation of data encryption.
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Moreover, in at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, it has been described above as an example that a cloud storage module is selected based on whether to support encryption processing and a count value of the number of encryption requests, and the selected cloud storage module encrypts data. However, as another example, a cloud storage module to encrypt data may be selected based on resource information, whether to support encryption processing, and a count value. For example, the priority manager may set a priority of each cloud storage module based on resource information regarding the controller and the memory, information regarding whether to support encryption processing, and a count value of the number of encryption requests, which are supplied from the plurality of cloud storage modules .
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The above-described encryption processing device according to the at least one embodiment of the present disclosure may be implemented in the cloud storage module . Also, both or either of the encryption processing device and each of the plurality of cloud storage modules has been described above, for example, as an independent device including a processor that autonomously processes information and a memory, which is merely exemplified for a description on the embodiments of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the present disclosure may include a cloud computing environment in which the above-described information is permanently stored in a virtualization device (or server) on a network, and temporarily stored in the encryption processing device and the plurality of cloud storage modules . That is, it should be noted that the above-described information is stored in the virtualization device on the network, and a user equipment including various multimedia functions may use the above-described information anywhere at any time.
The present disclosure may be used as technology that encrypts data and stores the encrypted data in a storage in a cloud computing environment. Moreover, the present disclosure may be used as technology that can enhance processing performance in encrypting data in a cloud environment, and moreover efficiently manage resources in the cloud environment. The some embodiments of the present disclosure directly encrypts and stores data using resources of a plurality of cloud storage modules, and can thereby reduce calculation overhead caused by data encryption, thus enhancing security of data such as a secret document. Moreover, the present disclosure grades priorities of the respective cloud storage modules based on whether to support encryption processing by a central processing units of each of the cloud storage modules, and selects a specific cloud storage module based on the graded priorities to allow the selected cloud storage module to encrypt data, thus enhancing a processing speed of data encryption.
Some embodiments as described above may be implemented in the form of one or more program commands that can be read and executed by a variety of computer systems and be recorded in any non-transitory, computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium may include a program command, a data file, a data structure, etc. alone or in combination. The program commands written to the medium are designed or configured especially for the at least one embodiment, or known to those skilled in computer software. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include magnetic media such as a hard disk, a floppy disk, and a magnetic tape, optical media such as a CD-ROM and a DVD, magneto-optical media such as an optical disk, and a hardware device configured especially to store and execute a program, such as a ROM, a RAM, and a flash memory. Examples of a program command include a premium language code executable by a computer using an interpreter as well as a machine language code made by a compiler. The hardware device may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to implement one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, one or more of the processes or functionality described herein is/are performed by specifically configured hardware (e.g., by one or more application specific integrated circuits or ASIC(s)). Some embodiments incorporate more than one of the described processes in a single ASIC. In some embodiments, one or more of the processes or functionality described herein is/are performed by at least one processor which is programmed for performing such processes or functionality.
Although the various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is understood that the present disclosure should not be limited to these embodiments but various changes and modifications can be made by one ordinarily skilled in the art within the subject matter, the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as hereinafter claimed. Specific terms used in this disclosure and drawings are used for illustrative purposes and not to be considered as limitations of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a cloud storage system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure; and
FIG. 2
is a flowchart of a method of encrypting data in the cloud storage system in accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure. | |
Before solving the numerical on this chapter make sure that you are perfect with the chapter of square and square roots, simplification, linear and quadratic equations and decimal fractions.
Important Terms
Surd: Number which cannot be expressed in the fraction form of two integers is called as surd. Hence, the numbers in the form of 3, 32, ……. nx
|For example:||1||can be written as||1||but 3 cannot be written in the form of fraction|
|9||3|
Indices: Indices refers to the power to which a number is raised. Index is used to show that a number is repeatedly multiplied by itself.
For example: a3 is a number with an index of 3 and base ‘a’. It is called as “a to the power of 3”
Quick Tips and Tricks
1) The laws of indices and surds are to be remembered to solve problems on surds and indices.
Laws of Indices
1) xm × xn = am+n
2) (xm)n = xmn
3) (xy) n = xnyn
|4)||xm||= xm – n|
|xn|
|5)||x||n||=||xn|
|y||yn|
|6) x–1 =||1|
|x|
1) nx = x(1/n)
2) nxy = nx × ny
|n(x/y) =||nx|
|ny|
5) mnx = mnx
6) (nx)m = (nxm)
2) Expressing a number in radical form
Example: l x(m/n) l = nxm
The exponential form l x(m/n) l is expressed in radical form as nxm
Important points to Remember
1) Any number raised to the power zero is always equals to one. (Eg: x 0 = 1)
2) Surd nx can be simplified if factor of x is a perfect square
3) If denominator in a fraction has any surds, then rationalize the denominator by multiplying both numerator and denominator by a conjugate surd.
4) Every surd is an irrational number, but every irrational number is not a surd.
5) The conjugate of (2 + 7i) is (2 – 7i)
6) Different expressions can be simplified by rationalizing the denominator and eliminating the surd.
Rationalizing the denominator:
To rationalize the denominator 7 multiply with its conjugate to both numerator and denominator
|Example 1:||1||=||1||×||7||=||7|
|7||7||7||7|
|Example 2:||1||=||1||×||7 – 3||=||7 – 3|
|7 + 3||7 + 3||7 – 3||4|
Surds and Indices questions PDF Download for SSC CGL Exam Reviewed by sscradar on July 09, 2019 Rating: | https://www.sscradar.com/2019/07/surds-and-indices-questions-pdf.html |
A VIN, which stands for “vehicle identification number” is a unique code used by the automotive industry to identify individual vehicles. Sometimes, it is also referred to as a chassis number or frame number. Each VIN is composed of 17 characters and follows a standardized format.
While the coding can vary across OEMs, the first three characters usually identify the manufacturer. The following fourth to ninth characters represent the vehicle’s attributes like the platform, model, and body style. The tenth to seventeenth positions identify the specific vehicle which includes information such as the engine, transmission, model year, plant code, and production number. The production number can often include more detailed vehicle specifics like the interiors, or particular vehicle modifications.
VIN codes are used throughout the industry as a unique identifier to determine a vehicle's specifications and origin. In this article, we’ll focus on the most common use-case of VINs in the automotive parts industry - using a vehicle’s VIN to determine compatible parts.
It’s a difficult problem to solve and many companies have attempted to match parts with VINs in different ways. At Partly, we often refer to an interface where the consumer enters their VIN number, selects a part type, and is returned the correct OEM part with aftermarket replacements as “the holy grail”. However, using a VIN for this purpose is not common in every country throughout the world. In many countries, consumers are unaware their car even has a VIN. In these markets Vehicle Registration Numbers are more commonly used for vehicle identification. Nevertheless, for markets and industry pockets where VIN identification is common, there are a number of software tools and websites that are used.
However, not all VIN identification techniques are created equal. There is a common misconception that VIN searches are all the same, but this is far from the case. There are a number of different methods to extract information from a vehicle’s VIN and some are far more accurate than others. We’ll dive in to explain the differences in this article. It is important to note that often all these different methods are commonly simply referred to as a “VIN search” so it may take some research to determine the method actually used when someone mentions “VIN search”.
VIN Decoding
This method is the most simple and least accurate way of interpreting a VIN. It simply relies on breaking the VIN down into its different properties and decoding the known code mappings using an algorithm.
Generally, information can only be extracted using this method is the vehicle attributes such as the make, model, year, and production line. More specific information such as the engine code and number of doors cannot usually be extracted using this method. Because of this, it’s not a very reliable technique for modern vehicles which can be highly configurable. However, it may be useful for use cases where only very basic vehicle information needed to be decoded.
If the returned results of the VIN search you are using only includes very basic vehicle information, then it is likely using this method. Unfortunately, for part sales as a use case, this method is not very useful as the vast majority of parts require more detailed vehicle descriptions which cannot be provided by a VIN decode alone.
VIN Matching
This method is much more accurate than a simple VIN decoder (usually reaching ~98% accuracy). This method utilizes a portion of the VIN linked to the vehicle, for example the first 11 digits, and then guesses the last digits based on a serial number interpolation.
This method will often provide information about the engine, transmission, model year, plant code, but not the serial number (the last 6 digits) which might contain build-specific information, such as specific colors, specs, trims, & interiors.
This method is often built using information that is already pre-researched such as a government database. Of course there is a lot of further research and development that goes into the prediction model and this often needs to be on a country by country basis.
VIN Lookup
This method is the most accurate and uses the OEM catalog, or a service provided by the OEM directly. This will search the full 17 digit VIN and return all the original information assigned by the OEM including details contained in the serial number.
This method doesn’t work well for older cars because the industry did not yet have reliable data structures in the past. However for the majority of vehicles this method will return the full details of a VIN linked to build sheet level details from the specific production line.
So why doesn’t everyone use this method? Because it is very expensive and generally not economical for a parts use case. This method is more common for the insurance or stolen vehicle report use case.
In addition not all OEMs provide this service and accuracy and availability ranges between OEMs. | https://www.partly.com/post/vin-matching-vin-lookup-vin-decoding-whats-the-difference |
Giuliano Di Baldassarre, the Director of CNDS, was awarded the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grant for his project "HydroSocial Extremes: Unravelling the Mutual Shaping of Hydrological Extremes and Society."
Identifying and addressing fundamental knowledge gaps about the risks emerging from the interplay of hydrological extremes and society
More than 100 million people per year are affected by hydrological extremes, i.e. floods and droughts. Hydrological studies have investigated human impacts on droughts and floods, while conversely social studies have explored human responses to hydrological extremes. Yet, the dynamics resulting from their interplay, i.e. both impacts and responses, have remained poorly understood. Thus, current risk assessment methods do not explicitly account for these dynamics. As a result, while risk reduction strategies built on these methods can work in the short-term, they often lead to unintended consequences in the long-term.
As such, this project aims to unravel the mutual shaping of society and hydrological extremes. A combined theoretical and empirical approach will be developed to uncover how the occurrence of hydrological extremes influences society’s wealth, institutions and population distribution, while, at the same time, society in turn alters the frequency, magnitude and spatial distribution of hydrological extremes via structural measures of water management and disaster risk reduction.
To explore the causal mechanisms underlying this mutual shaping, this project will propose explanatory models as competing hypotheses about the way in which humans drive and respond to droughts and floods. These alternative explanations will be developed and tested through: i) empirical analysis of case studies, and ii) global investigation of numerous sites, taking advantage of the current unprecedented proliferation of worldwide datasets. By combining these different methods, this project is expected to address the gap of fundamental knowledge about the dynamics of risk emerging from the interplay of hydrological extremes and society.
About the ERC Consolidator Grant
The grant is eligible for researchers with at least seven and up to twelve years of experience after their PhD work, who have a scientific track record showing great promise and potential to have a far-reaching impact. The ERC is part of the EU research and innovation programme, Horizon 2020, and is led by an independent governing body, the Scientific Council. | https://www.cnds.se/highlights/highlights-details/?tarContentId=690718&languageId=3 |
The problem of walking – and falling — on the Moon is gaining renewed attention by a research team.
Principal Investigator, Irene Lia Schlacht of the Politecnico di Milano and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, along with her colleagues, are asking some key questions: How crewmembers will walk inside and outside a lunar habitat. How high does a person jump off the Moon? Should Moon architecture have steps or should a facility support climbing to move about?
“The hypogravity will lead to vestibular system malfunction, loss of muscular mass, and stiffness of the legs, negatively affecting a person’s balance: Yes, we can climb, but we can also easily lose our balance and trip up,” the research team explains in an abstract prepared for the Fourth European Lunar Symposium to be held May 18-19 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Gait and balance
To avoid all of this, there is work to be done to appreciate gait and balance on the Moon, the research team suggests. Their investigation will address balance and deconditioning, for the first time getting much closer to the real conditions that will affect astronauts during Moon and Mars missions.
Also, a methodology is to be devised that focuses on the collection of basic anthropometrical and postural data.
A “Walking on the Moon” experiment aims to measure the walking pattern of astronauts during space walks and strutting around within the confines of a spacecraft.
Avoid tripping
“On the Moon, the research group advises, “it is very important to avoid tripping by increasing one’s balance in order to assure the safety required in those extreme contexts. Balance is a factor that depends on many variables, such as: visual field, sensorimotor system, vestibular system.”
These variables are all affected by the different environmental constraints of Moon and Mars environments.
Trio of techniques
To simulate the same conditions of a Moon/Mars mission, the team has formulated ways to attain their data.
Partial gravity can be achieved with a vertical treadmill, deconditioning achieved with bed rest, and artificial gravity as a physiological countermeasure. Making use of this trio of techniques, a realistic reduced gravity effect can be obtained to simulate and analyze Moon and Mars walking patterns.
Another data gathering tool consists of using the swimming pool of the European Space Agency’s Neutral Buoyancy Facility at the European Astronaut Centre located near Cologne, Germany.
Also engaged in the study: J. Rittweger of the German Aerospace Center, B. Foing of ESA/ESTEC, M. Daumer of the Human Motion Institute, and M. Masali of the Universitá di Torino.
While awaiting the results of this research, go to this video collection of Moonwalkers losing their lunar legs: | https://www.leonarddavid.com/one-small-stumble-for-humankind-losing-your-lunar-legs/ |
Discuss how india’s freedom and ideals inspired other countries to fight for their independence and other injustices.
India’s independence from the British Raj can be said to be the most significant movement in its modern history.
a) Resentment among the Indians: The British government declared India as an ally and a belligerent. Indian people and resources were used in this war. It created great resentment among the Indians especially when they were not even consulted before joining the war.
b) Anguish among the Muslims: The British were fighting against the Turkish Empire which was ruled by the Caliph (Khalifa).The Muslims had great respect for the Caliph. The Indian Muslims joined the Caliphate (Khilafat) Movement for the defense of Turkey against the British.
c) Home Rule Movement: Annie Besant joined the Congress in 1914. In 1916 she along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak started the Home Rule Movement. The Home Rule League demanded self government to the Indians.
The Labour Party, which had come to power in Britain after the end of the World War, lifted the ban on the Congress and elections were declared in India which paved the way for the powerful Indian leaders to come back in the game.
Britain was economically exhausted after the war. She was dependent on other countries to borrow food and raw materials for factories. The British, facing such grave problems back home, did not have the energy and resources to hold India and the enthusiastic Indians who were determined to achieve independence.
The American government pressurized Britain to grant India its due independence because the Allied Powers stood for freedom and democracy.
After the Second World War was over, Britain was involved in the Cold War in support of the United States. Had Britain not granted India her independence, Russia could always point out the hypocrisy adopted by the Allied Powers.
After the conclusion of the Second World War, people from all over the world developed bitterness towards imperialism and wars. They stood for rights, equality and humanity more than ever. They believed that granting India and the colonies independence would improve their economic condition and thus create welfare.
Impact of Russian Revolution: New ideologies such as Marxism and Socialism inspired many socialist and communist groups and they attracted peasants and workers and made them an integral part of national movement.
India's independence in 1947 inspired nationalist movements and provided a model for decolonization and independence all over the world. By 1950, the old colonial order seemed to have lost its force, its historical relevance.
India's independence acted like a catalyst for other countries to demand freedom. The British had to lose the colonies too, reducing the once mighty kingdom to a humble island.
The influence was felt on South East Asian countries also (Myanmar-1948, Indonesia-1949).
India’s freedom struggle gave the ideals of non-violent to the world inspiring the leaders elsewhere in the world, most probably Martin Luthar King and Nelson Mandela being the most prominent.
Gandhi's contribution to the Indian freedom movement cannot be measured in words. He, along with other freedom fighters, compelled the British to leave India. His policies and agendas were non-violent and his words were the source of inspiration for millions.
The Indian independence became a lighthouse for the peaceful freedom fight in the world. | https://www.drishtiias.com/mains-practice-question/question-117 |
You can’t go very far these days without hearing about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but have you heard of Nature-Deficit Disorder?
In his best-selling book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Richard Louv explores research linking children’s health and well-being to direct exposure to nature.
The reality is, nowadays, our children are better able to identify jungle and zoo animals than the animals that reside in their own backyard.
In this age of screens, our nation’s children are not getting out there and this has a direct impact on their health and happiness. And, lest you think nature only benefits children, Louv shares the benefits for adults in his book, The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age.
After reading Louv’s books, you won’t want to come inside. Louv uses research to show the many benefits of time spent in nature, including:
- Increased health and happiness
- Increased attention, academic success, and creativity
- Decreased obesity
- Decreased rates of anxiety and depression
- Increased concern and care for the natural world
I don’t know who originally said this, but one of my favorite sayings is: Children cannot bounce off the walls when there are none. As the mom to three very active youngsters, I notice a significant difference in our children’s happiness and behavior when we have had plenty of outdoor time. Heck, I notice a difference in my own happiness when I’ve been outdoors. I wish there was a way to make this book required reading for all parents because I feel quite certain that we would see a significant improvement in the happiness and health of our nation’s children.
Today, I’m sharing 50 ways that you can fight Nature-Deficit Disorder in your family, and then I’d love to hear your family’s favorite fall and winter outdoor activities.
50 Ways to Fight Nature Deficit Disorder This Fall and Winter
- Resolve to get out there more. Make a family challenge to spend a certain amount of time outdoors daily, whether it is for twenty minutes or two hours.
- Take time to enjoy the simplest of outdoor pleasures. Can you make an acorn cap or a blade of grass whistle? How many times can you make a stone skip? Is there anything more satisfying than the crunch of a fresh pine cone underfoot? When was the last time you did cartwheels across the lawn? Can you make a crown of flowers? Take time to smell the roses!
- Gather natural materials and make a fairy house… or a hobbit hole. Save any leftover for hobbit-inspired crafting.
- Stargaze. See if you can see a shooting star–or a bat–in the night sky!
- Grab a backpack, fill it with goodies for your little explorer, and go for a hike.
- Have a picnic.
- Get artsy! There’s nothing quite like painting al fresco.
- Care for the Earth by planting a tree or picking up garbage.
- Get a dog. Nothing forces you to get out there more than that puppy dog stare.
- Create an obstacle course in your own backyard.
- Grab a soccer ball or baseball and head out in the backyard for a game.
- Catch a leaf before it hits the ground–it’s good luck!
- Pitch a tent and go camping.
- Learn about the trees in your own backyard. If you have maple trees, you have plenty of time to think about maple sugaring this winter.
- Invest in some child-sized rakes and let your children help you with yard work. Don’t forget to save one leaf pile for leaping!
- Get lost! Practice those map skills by allowing your child to take the lead. Explore the world of letterboxing and geocaching.
- Visit a natural playground.
- Enjoy a nature scavenger hunt! Be sure to save any leaves you collect for some fun nature crafts.
- Does your child love a good mystery? Grab a field guide and learn the art of animal tracking!
- Fly a kite.
- Have you ever heard of a mud kitchen? Let your children cook up some delicious mud pies.
- Visit an outdoor museum, sculpture park, or botanical garden.
- Explore the world of birding. There is so much to be learned from a bird identification guide and some binoculars.
- When you are done observing the birds, why not use a pine cone to make a bird feeder, or engage in some imaginative bird art inspired by John James Audubon?
- Grab your nets and see if you can catch butterflies, frogs, minnows, or salamanders.
- Visit your local farm and hit up the orchard or pumpkin patch. Get lost in a corn maze and then head home to cook up some pumpkin goodness.
- Set your children free, armed with cameras, and see what they capture!
- Get out there and use sidewalk chalk before the snow comes. Play hopscotch, or four square, or hangman!
- Make your own bubble juice and blow some gigantic bubbles.
- Make a scarecrow or a pumpkin person.
- Visit a National Park.
- Read a book. There’s nothing quite like reading a book in the great outdoors.
- Climb a tree.
- When you come down, grab a stick. Did you know that sticks are in the National Toy Hall of Fame?
- Go for a bike ride… either on the roads or on the trails.
- Study Native Americans and see if you can use that stick to make tools, weapons, or a fire.
- Speaking of fires, hit up the fire pit and enjoy some s’mores.
- While you’re outside at night, remember that you’re never too old for flashlight tag!
- Go hiking during a full moon.
- Visit your favorite Nature Conservation Center.
- Build a fort! Fort building helps children to learn cooperation, STEM skills, and encourages that imagination.
- When those snowflakes start to fall, make sure to get out there and catch the first one on your tongue.
- Make snow ice cream!
- Discuss the science of snowflakes.
- Sharpen those skates and find a pond.
- Build a snowman.
- Invest in some kid snowshoes and be the first to make tracks after a fresh snow.
- Teach those kids how to ski–cross-country or downhill!
- Hit up those sledding hills and end the day with a cup of hot cocoa.
- If winter has you in the doldrums, it’s a great time to research fantastic summer nature camps.
What is your favorite outdoor family activity? Share here! | https://geekmom.com/2015/11/nature-deficit-disorder/ |
Coastal benthic biodiversity is under increased pressure from climate change, eutrophication, hypoxia, and changes in salinity due to increase in river runoff. The Baltic Sea is a large brackish system characterized by steep environmental gradients that experiences all of the mentioned stressors. As such it provides an ideal model system for studying the impact of on-going and future climate change on biodiversity and function of benthic ecosystems. Meiofauna (animals < 1 mm) are abundant in sediment and are still largely unexplored even though they are known to regulate organic matter degradation and nutrient cycling. In this study, benthic meiofaunal community structure was analysed along a salinity gradient in the Baltic Sea proper using high-throughput sequencing. Our results demonstrate that areas with higher salinity have a higher biodiversity, and salinity is probably the main driver influencing meiofauna diversity and community composition. Furthermore, in the more diverse and saline environments a larger amount of nematode genera classified as predators prevailed, and meiofauna-macrofauna associations were more prominent. These findings show that in the Baltic Sea, a decrease in salinity resulting from accelerated climate change will probably lead to decreased benthic biodiversity, and cause profound changes in benthic communities, with potential consequences for ecosystem stability, functions and services. | https://publications.scilifelab.se/publication/c9b9056d2a364bd58ef14fbb2031fa66 |
Although adults can beat children at most cognitive tasks, new research shows that children’s limitations can sometimes be their strength.
In two studies, researchers found that adults were very good at remembering information they were told to focus on, and ignoring the rest. In contrast, 4- to 5-year-olds tended to pay attention to all the information that was presented to them – even when they were told to focus on one particular item. That helped children to notice things that adults didn’t catch because of the grownups’ selective attention.
“We often think of children as deficient in many skills when compared to adults. But sometimes what seems like a deficiency can actually be an advantage,” said Vladimir Sloutsky, co-author of the study and professor of psychology at The Ohio State University.
Source: Children notice what adults miss, study finds: While adults focus their attention, children see everything – Medical News Today
Basically, the 4 and 5 year olds that took part in this research were able to notice everything going on, not just what they were told to focus on. So when it appears that students aren’t paying attention, they still could be, at least if they are 4 or 5.
I’d like to see how old children can be before they lose this ability. | https://eduk8.me/2017/04/four-five-years-old-see-things-adults-miss/?share=google-plus-1 |
Jon introduces a paper that looks to fidelity of implementation over the lifecycle of an innovation by introducing an alternative model for evaluating the longevity of an innovation: the Eco-Normalization theory.
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KeyLIME Session 331
Reference
Hamza, D.,Regehr. F. 2021. Eco-Normalization: Evaluating the Longevity of an Innovation in Context. Academic medicine: journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges. August 3. Online ahead of print.
Reviewer
Jon Sherbino (@sherbino)
Background
Program evaluation is one of those unspoken words in HPE. It’s kind of like saying Voldemort. Everyone acknowledges it’s importance, but few scholars or scientists want to commit to it? Why? Perhaps evaluating the effectiveness of an innovation is less satisfying that developing an implementing the innovation. More likely, I believe it reflects the complexity of program evaluation.
What is an example of a successful or challenging program evaluation you have led or contributed too?
Program evaluation has advanced though. Early in HPE the focus was on the output of the innovation, using an experiment to determine effectiveness. This was replaced by a focus on process, which was challenging as theories guiding such evaluation lacked sufficient data about the innovation to draw conclusions. Most recently the magic word in program evaluation is “fidelity”, where the inner workings of an innovation are monitored within their real-world context of application.
Fidelity of implementation can suffer similar fatal flaws as its predecessors if attention to mechanistic measurements (e.g. completion of work-place assessments) is excessive. Such an approach may fail to reveal adoption of underlying values these measurements are meant to represent (e.g. adoption of a feedback culture). However, the biggest challenge facing current approaches to fidelity of implementation relate to the use of a snapshot (or a biopsy in time) of the effectiveness of an implementation. Such approaches ignore the trajectory or course of the innovation. This can be problematic if the cross-section used for evaluation occurs early when resources and engagement are still high. Recall that up to 75% of innovations are abandoned or devolve over time.
Enter Hamza and Regehr, who tackle fidelity of implementation over the lifecycle of an innovation.
Purpose
“The purpose of this paper is to develop an alternative model for evaluating the longevity of an innovation, borrowing from and building on the theories and models of implementation science.”
Key Points on the Methods
SA critical review was conducted, including a literature review and grey literature review via Google Scholar. Models from implementation science were used to organized themes and factors to the new model the authors developed.
Key Outcomes
Three existing models were identified and integrated into the proposed new Eco-Normalization theory.
- Normalization Process Theory emphasizes the coherence (shared understanding of why and how required to change) and participation required between individuals and groups as they engage in the change required of an innovation.
- The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (my fav!) looks at the ecosystem in which the innovation must invite change, including the characteristics of the innovation, the outer setting, the inner setting, individual characteristics and the process of implementation.
- Reflexive Monitoring in Action promotes collective reflection of prior experiences to gain learnings that promote long-term systems change to achieve the goals of the innovation.(it is akin to PDSA, but with a more radical goal of change and longer time horizon than the typical incremental change of PDSA cycles.)
Eco-Normalization
• The model seeks to evaluate the normalization of values and practices, not at the individual level, but at the ecosystem (e.g. merge NPT and CFIR)
• Primary-level interactions involve the design of the innovation, local aspirations of stakeholders and aspirations of the system.
• Secondary-level interactions include the compatibility of the innovation with the practices of the people doing the work, the ways in which the system impacts stakeholders, and how the features of the innovation fit with the features of the system.
This leads to the 6 questions of Eco-Normalization program evaluation.
Primary
- Does the innovation align with the grand aspirations of change?
- Do the system goals align with the grand aspirations of change?
- Do the stakeholders’ local aspirations align with the grand aspirations of change?
Secondary
- Does the innovation interact with the system in a way that will lead to the aspirations of change?
- Does the innovation evoke meaning to actions and agency of the people doing the work that will lead to aspirations of change?
- Does the system support the people doing the work in ways that will lead to aspirations of change?
Key Conclusions
The authors conclude…
“ [The Econ-Normalization model] frames the innovation as a dynamic rather than static set of practices, it treats the system and the workers on the ground as agentive partners with their own goals and agendas, and it acknowledges the interactions between all these factors as the ecosystem seeks its “new normal” following the perturbation of change.”
Spare Keys – Other take home points for Clinician Educators
A critical review is an emerging and authentic type of synthesis. Grant and Booth’s (2009) typology of syntheses defines a critical review as one that critically evaluates the literature to identify significant items, synthesizes findings using a conceptual framework, and produces an analysis that typically results in an hypothesis or model. | https://icenetblog.royalcollege.ca/2021/09/24/keylimepodcast-331-the-new-program-eval-integrity-of-the-system/ |
Central nervous system diseases, also known as central nervous system disorders, are a group of neurological disorders that affect the structure or function of ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22197
Several diseases that directly affect the nervous system have a genetic component: some are due to a mutation in a single gene, others are proving to have a ...
www.webmd.com/brain/tc/nervous-system-problems-topic-overview
The nervous system is a complex, highly specialized network. ... serious conditions, diseases, and injuries that can cause nervous system problems include:.
www.livescience.com/22665-nervous-system.html
Mar 11, 2016 ... The human body has a central nervous system and a peripheral nervous system. These systems have specific functions, and can be affected ...
www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/nervous_system_disorders/overview_of_nervous_system_disorders_85,P00799
Disorders of the nervous system include stroke, infections, such as meningitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and functional disorders, such as headache and ...
www.healthdirect.gov.au/nervous-system-diseases
Parkinsons disease is a condition affecting the central nervous system. Dr Henryk Kranz discusses the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Parkinsons ...
www.dmu.edu/medterms/nervous-system/nervous-system-diseases
Multiple Sclerosis – Literally, “many hardenings,” MS is a disease of unknown cause that manifests as multiple hard plaques of degeneration of the insulating ...
www.brainfacts.org/diseases-disorders/diseases-a-to-z-from-ninds
Access a list of more than 400 neurological disorders from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Summaries give symptom descriptions, ...
www.britannica.com/topic-browse/Health-and-Medicine/Diseases-and-Disorders/Nervous-System-Diseases/2
Results 1 - 56 of 56 ... The disease usually occurs after age 40; it affects men more often than ... CJD rare fatal degenerative disease of the central nervous system. | http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=6&o=102140&oo=102140&l=dir&gc=1&qo=popularsearches&ad=dirN&q=Diseases+That+Affect+the+Nervous+System |
A new finding by clinicians and geneticists may solve a medical mystery that one family has faced for the last 15 years and help identify the cause of a rare aortic disease in other patients as well. Through genetic analysis of a family with a history of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD), investigators at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have identified mutations in the LOX gene, a gene associated with the integrity of the arterial wall, in human subjects for the first time. Strong evidence from a mouse model of the disease further confirms these mutations as a cause of aortic disease, and, together, the results point toward possible strategies for managing this inherited form of TAAD. The new findings are published online this week in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
"This discovery demonstrates that it's possible for clinical research to have a big impact on diagnostics for patients with undiagnosed disease and influence the clinical management of patients and family members," said study author Dana Vuzman, PhD, co-director of the Brigham Genomic Medicine Program.
TAAD is a relatively rare condition (affecting about 15,000 people in the U.S. each year) in which the walls of the aorta, which carries blood from the heart to the rest of the body, become weakened. As blood is pumped through, the aorta may bulge, causing an aneurysm, or tear, causing a dissection and life-threatening internal bleeding. Certain risk factors - such as smoking, age and weight gain - can increase a person's risk for TAAD, but in some cases, TAAD is caused by an underlying genetic condition, such as Marfan syndrome (a connective tissue disease) and can occur when a patient is young.
In the case of the family examined by the Brigham Genomic Medicine Program (BGMP), the primary patient tested negative for the genetic mutations that cause Marfan syndrome as well as all other mutations known to cause TAAD. In November 2013, BGMP performed whole-genome sequencing on two first cousins in the family with TAAD to identify a causal gene.
The study's senior author, Nathan O. Stitziel, MD, PhD, a cardiologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine and Genetics at Washington University in St. Louis, performed the co-segregation analysis (comparing genetic mutations shared and not shared by family members with and without the disease) that identified seven candidate mutations, including a mutation in the gene for lysyl oxidase (LOX), an enzyme that links collagen and elastin -- two structural components that comprise the arterial wall.
Stitziel then developed a collaboration with Robert P. Mecham, PhD, a Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at Washington University in St. Louis to use CRISPR/Cas9 to replicate the same LOX mutation in mice. The Washington University investigators showed that mice with two copies of the mutated gene died of aortic rupture. Mice with one copy of the gene showed evidence of disrupted collagen and elastin fibers.
"We took advantage of CRISPR/Cas9 technology to study the effects of this specific mutation," said Stitziel. "We now have an animal model where we can test therapies relevant to this form of TAAD and understand the behavior of this enzyme in a very specific model of a human disease."
The LOX gene has another property of great interest to the research team: it's known to bind copper. The family's mutation may mean that they do not bind copper well. Clinicians and researchers will work together to evaluate possible treatment opportunities based on this insight, including whether supplementing copper in the diet could change risk for those who carry the mutation. They are also following up on next steps to add LOX to the panel of genes that are tested when an inherited form of TAAD is suspected.
"When we found this causal gene and were able to reveal it to the family, it was an emotional moment," said Natasha Frank, MD, the clinical geneticist at BWH who treated several members of the family. "Using genetic sequencing, we were able to answer the kind of question that hasn't been possible to address before and potentially change the lives of family members who can now be tested for mutations in this gene."
###
This work was supported, in part, by the Hope Center Transgenic Vectors Core and Mouse Genetics Core at the Washington University School of Medicine. Funds supporting this work were provided by National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Grants R01HL105314,
R01HL53325, K08HL114642, and R01HL131961; Training Grants T32EB18266-1 and T32HL07873; the Child Health Research Center at Washington University School of Medicine (K12-HD076224); the Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital; Center for Integrated Approaches to Undiagnosed Diseases (U01 HG007690-01 NIH/NHGRI); and a Brigham Research Institute (BRI) Director's Transformative Award.
Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) is a 793-bed nonprofit teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of Partners HealthCare. BWH has more than 4.2 million annual patient visits and nearly 46,000 inpatient stays, is the largest birthing center in Massachusetts and employs nearly 16,000 people. The Brigham's medical preeminence dates back to 1832, and today that rich history in clinical care is coupled with its national leadership in patient care, quality improvement and patient safety initiatives, and its dedication to research, innovation, community engagement and educating and training the next generation of health care professionals. Through investigation and discovery conducted at its Brigham Research Institute (BRI), BWH is an international leader in basic, clinical and translational research on human diseases, more than 3,000 researchers, including physician-investigators and renowned biomedical scientists and faculty supported by nearly $666 million in funding. For the last 25 years, BWH ranked second in research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) among independent hospitals. BWH is also home to major landmark epidemiologic population studies, including the Nurses' and Physicians' Health Studies and the Women's Health Initiative as well as the TIMI Study Group, one of the premier cardiovascular clinical trials groups. For more information, resources and to follow us on social media, please visit BWH's online newsroom. | https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-07/bawh-dya071416.php |
It is commonly believed that people who are unable to find employment in the formal sector and need to fall back on low-skilled, informal work like day labouring and waste picking experience both financial and emotional deprivation. While the financial returns from these informal activities are often uncertain or inadequate, it should not be a foregone conclusion that the people performing this type of work are unhappy. There are a number of factors, other than straight earning power, that can possibly contribute to their relative satisfaction with life or their ‘subjective well-being’.
Subjective well-being (SWB), together with the factors contributing to the phenomenon, constitutes a highly complex field of study. Diener, Oishi and Lucas (2002:63) broadly define subjective well-being as ‘a person’s cognitive and affective evaluations of his or her life’. The cognitive dimension relates to a person’s views about their life in general as well as particular aspects of their life, such as work and personal relationships.
Ebrahim, Botha and Snowball (2013) and Hirata (2011) consider the relationship between happiness and absolute income to be one of the most important topics covered in the literature. Biswas-Diener and Diener (2001) expected people living in abject poverty in the slums of Calcutta (India) to be ‘miserable’. Surprisingly, the authors found people with relatively high levels of subjective well-being, in spite of their impoverishment. Blaauw et al. (2015) were similarly surprised to find that the majority of the participants in their study on landfill waste pickers in South Africa’s Free State province were not filled with despair – which would have equated with low levels of subjective well-being.
The fact that the results of Blaauw et al. (2015) were unexpected lends weight to the conclusion reached by Cramm, Møller and Nieboer (2010) that subjective well-being among marginalised groups in the informal sector in South Africa is not well understood and receives sparse treatment in the literature. This gap in the literature is not surprising, since research on informal labour market activities, such as waste picking and day labouring, is difficult to conduct for various reasons. For example, day labour hiring sites in existence today may be gone tomorrow.
The study outlined in this paper expands on previous research by Blaauw et al. (2013) (which looked at well-being in a general sense) by focusing specifically on the subjective well-being of day labourers and by introducing a new dimension: day labourers’ geographical location, which is influenced by migration patterns. Migration and geographical differences are important considerations in a study of subjective well-being as they reflect day labourers’ willingness to move from poorer to richer provinces in pursuit of greater economic opportunity and choice.
Within this construct we used Sen’s Capability Approach (CA) to contextualise day labourers’ ability (or inability) to fully realise their potential and to achieve a satisfying existence. In line with the suggestion of Alatartseva and Barysheva (2015:37), we specifically measured day labourers’ material well-being in terms of the level and stability of income and other relevant indicators. Personal income, we argue, is especially important for subjective well-being among poor people (Cummins 2000; Diener et al. 1993). The results from the first (and up until now only) countrywide survey of day labourers in South Africa were used as the basis for the study.
The paper uses the Diener et al. (2002) definition of subjective well-being as the point of departure and then focuses specifically on the paradigm posed by Alatartseva and Barysheva (2015), which distinguishes between subjective and objective well-being. Whereas objective well-being uses quantifiable measures to determine a person’s quality of life or well-being (such as access to water, electricity, education, and so on), subjective well-being relates to a person’s own perceptions of their life.
While making an important and more nuanced contribution to the literature on subjective well-being among marginalised groups of people, the findings from this study also offer a number of practical insights into the factors that influence the ability of marginalised groups in the labour force, such as day labourers, to take control of their lives. Armed with this knowledge, policymakers and other members of society will be in a better position to take steps to help these people live more meaningful lives, as envisaged by Sen (1999, 2003).
The rest of the paper is structured as follows. The next section examines Sen’s Capability Approach, which provides the theoretical framework for the discussion. Subsequent sections provide a brief overview of the literature on day labouring and subjective well-being in South Africa, the survey methodology and results, the model selection and empirical analysis, the key conclusions, and avenues for further research.
Sen’s (1999) Capability Approach (CA) was used in this study as the theoretical framework to assess the subjective well-being of day labourers in South Africa. Robeyns (2006) views the CA as a normative framework for evaluating and assessing the opportunities, freedoms and capabilities of people to make choices and live valuable lives, which then contributes to their well-being. This includes aspirations to be nourished, to be literate, to have shelter, and to experience good health, self-respect and dignity (Alkire & Deneulin 2002; Robeyns 2005).
According to Sen (1999), the freedom to lead different types of life is reflected in a person’s capability set, which depends on factors such as educational level, health status and community involvement.
An important component in a person’s capability set is ‘agency’, which is the ability to pursue and realise one’s own goals. The activity of day labouring is an example of agency in action. Faced with the opportunity and freedom to do so, day labourers choose to stand on street corners every day, often having migrated from other provinces and leaving their families behind. Sen (1999) explains that being free to make choices may be directly conducive to well-being. Although the income earned by day labourers places them in the survivalist category (Blaauw, Louw & Schenck 2006), the freedom to choose how and where they work might provide them with a sense of achievement. This phenomenon will be explored more fully in this paper in the context of day labourers’ choice of geographical location and the impact thereof on subjective well-being.
As is the case in many other parts of the world, day labouring is on the increase in South Africa (Theodore et al. 2015). In countries like the United States, it is mostly immigrants (almost exclusively from Latin America) who use day labouring as a means of gaining a foothold in the economy (Valenzuela et al. 2006). In South Africa, however, day labouring is the last resort for many who have lost their jobs or have been unable to secure employment in the formal economy. Immigrants from the rest of Southern Africa compete with South African day labourers for the available casual employment on offer (Theodore et al. 2015).
Day labourers are among the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in the South African informal economy (Theodore et al. 2015). Every day tens of thousands of men (and occasionally women) gather at hiring sites in towns and cities, seeking employment for the day or for a limited period (Harmse, Blaauw & Schenck 2009). They have no guarantee of being hired on any of the six to seven days per week that they congregate at these sites. Day labour work is decidedly uncertain, with many labourers working in sub-standard conditions (Theodore, Valenzuela & Meléndez 2009). Long spells of not being hired and consequently not earning an income are expected to negatively affect their level of subjective well-being.
The economics literature provides a number of excellent reviews on the general determinants of well-being.1 However, literature on the subjective well-being of informally employed people in the labour market is much more meagre – both generally and in relation to South Africa. Blaauw et al. (2013) conducted an exploratory study on the possible determinants of subjective well-being among South Africa’s informally employed, using day labouring as a case study. The results from this study corroborated the importance of employment and income for both the objective and subjective well-being of those living in abject poverty (Blaauw et al. 2013). However, changes in income and the quality of jobs are also tied to the location of the hiring sites within an urban or rural context. Large urban areas are located in those provinces where economic activity is more intensive. Differences in the levels of economic activity and growth as well as income differentials between the various provinces are a driving force behind the internal migration of day labourers in South Africa. Recent findings by Statistics South Africa (2014:31) give impetus to this deduction. In 2006, the highest levels of poverty were found in Limpopo (74.4%), followed closely by the Eastern Cape (69.5%) and KwaZulu-Natal (69.1%). By contrast, poor people were in the minority in the Western Cape (36.9%) and Gauteng (32.4%) (Statistics South Africa 2014:31). It therefore comes as no surprise that the majority of the day labourers in the Western Cape at the time of the survey were from the Eastern Cape.
With migration on the rise, location warrants more attention. Conceptually, the precise impact of location on happiness is difficult to determine. More densely populated urban areas theoretically provide more opportunities to earn an income, and this could plausibly increase levels of well-being. The other side of the coin, though, is that increased levels of migration can lead to an oversupply of day labour and hence a reduction in income and consequently well-being.
The question is, where do day labourers stand, especially given the precarious market conditions under which they operate? Available data suggest that day labourers, similar to other urban migrants, come to the wealthier provinces to find work. However, high levels of competition could result in many people’s expectations exceeding their actual ability to achieve a better life. Therefore, disappointment might set in and erode their subjective well-being.
Another study that dealt with the impact of geographical location on subjective well-being among migrants was that of Knight and Gunatilaka (2008). The authors set out to explain why the mean happiness score of rural-to-urban migrants in China is lower than that of those who stay behind in the countryside. They postulated that the aspirations of migrants rise when they get to the cities, but then their achievements fall short of expectations. South Africa has also experienced significant rural-to-urban migration, with many day labourers in urban areas having originated in South Africa’s rural districts (Harmse et al. 2009).
Table 1 provides a summary of the estimated number of day labourers in the nine provinces in South Africa during the 2005–2006 research and counting process, compared with the provincial population distribution at the time.
TABLE 1: Estimated number of day labourers in the nine provinces of South Africa, 2005‒2006.
Table 1 shows that the provinces with the highest number of day labourers were the wealthier ones (Gauteng, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal). The interviews conducted with the day labourers confirmed these provinces as the most popular destinations for foreign and South African day labourers alike.
Regarding the sampling procedure, the capitals of all provinces and important hubs in the rural areas had to be covered proportionally according to the number of day labourers present. A cluster sampling approach was used (Rubin & Babbie 1997), with clustering taking place in terms of both the number of day labourers interviewed in each centre and the size of the various hiring sites. Had this not been done, there would have been an over-representation of rural versus urban areas and big hiring sites versus small hiring sites.
Aiming for a representative sample size of around 10% (to control for possible sampling error) meant that between 2500 and 4000 interviews had to be conducted across South Africa (De Vos et al. 2004:200). The fieldwork commenced in February 2007 and was concluded at the beginning of 2008.4 A total of 3830 questionnaires were accepted for the analysis, representing 8.5% of the estimated research population.
From an ethical standpoint, it was crucial not to deprive any day labourer of work because he was participating in the interview process. In some cases, therefore, interviews were not conducted. This meant that the data had to be cleaned so that a cross-sectional regression analysis could be conducted. Thereafter, the size of the sample was 2645.
The following descriptive statistics were compiled on the participants in the study.
Table 2 provides a summary of the basic demographic characteristics of the day labourers who participated in the survey.
TABLE 2: Demographic profile and employment history of day labourers in South Africa, 2007‒2008.
The survey results for gender and age of the day labourers reflect the racial composition of the broader informal sector in South Africa (Saunders 2005). Notably, the age distribution highlights the persistent unemployment and under-employment among the country’s youth (Statistics South Africa 2015). In addition, each day labourer supported an average of four people, excluding themselves. At least 170 000 people survived on the income generated through this type of informal employment.
A key element in the study of subjective well-being among day labourers is the income that they earn (Blaauw et al. 2013). Table 3 shows the average income earned by survey participants in a ‘good week’ and ‘bad week’ respectively, across the different provinces.
TABLE 3: Average income earned in a good week and a bad week by day labourers per province, 2007‒2008 (ZAR).
However, merely looking at the averages does not tell the full story. Harmse et al. (2009) observed differences in attitude about income-earning prospects among day labourers in the various cities and towns across South Africa. An analysis of income earned at a more disaggregated level is also necessary. Table 4 and Table 5 disaggregate the distribution of income earned by day labourers in South Africa, in a good and bad week respectively, at the provincial level.
TABLE 4: Distribution of income earned in a good week by day labourers per province, 2007 (percentages).
TABLE 5: Distribution of income earned in a bad week by day labourers per province, 2007 (percentages).
Table 4 reveals that in (what survey participants perceived as) good weeks, the majority of day labourers earned in excess of ZAR 400 per week in 2007. This applied to South Africa as a whole as well as to six of the nine provinces. Income levels in good weeks were clearly lower in the Free State, Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces.
Table 5 reveals only one income category (less than ZAR 100 per week) applicable to the majority of day labourers in all provinces during a bad week. Again, it seems that the situation in the Free State, Northern Cape and Limpopo provinces was worse than at the national level. This in turn appears to mirror general inequality patterns in South Africa and highlights relative provincial economic performance at the time. This would have important implications for the power relations within the competitive day labour market. Given the persistent depressed economic conditions in these provinces, day labourers had virtually no power to negotiate wages with prospective employers (Theodore et al. 2015). Theory would suggest that these factors have an undeniably negative influence on the subjective well-being of day labourers in South Africa (Sen 1999, 2003). This deduction constitutes one of the key building blocks for the model selection and empirical analysis described in the next section.
yi is the dependent variable for a certain cross-section (i); D is the subgroup in the cross-section – in this case, a province – and β is a k × 1 vector of parameters to be estimated on the k × 1 observations of the explanatory variables (X); i is 1,…N (Brooks 2008). As a robustness check, we also estimated a cross-sectional panel model. The results corroborated our findings. However, given that t = 1 in the panel analysis, we only report on the cross-sectional analysis in the ensuing paragraphs.
Two functions were specified, namely a subjective and an objective function. The difference between these two functions was the dependent variable, which was a proxy for the subjective and objective measure of well-being. We based our choice of the dependent variable for the subjective function on the work of Knight, Song and Gunatilaka (2009), which concluded that satisfaction with household income is one possible measure of subjective well-being (SWB). The dependent variable for the subjective function was the satisfaction of the day labourer with their level of income (Is your income worse, or good or better than expected?). This was a binary type variable with two categories (D = 0 if it is worse; D = 1 if it is good or better than expected). The variable may, at first glance, appear to be merely an income satisfaction variable. However, there is an argument that even if the actual income is as good as expected, it does not necessarily mean that the individual is satisfied or happy with it. The socio-economic construct of day labourers potentially counters this conclusion.
Since day labouring is a survival strategy, traditional economic considerations such as optimality and wealth creation do not feature directly. Therefore, within this unique context, the dependent variable does not merely constitute a comparison between expectations and reality; indeed, it is a measure of subjective well-being among labourers.
Day labourers are well aware that the supply of their type of work is increasing constantly while the demand is not keeping pace. The proverbial cake must therefore be shared among an ever-growing day labour force, while a constantly diminishing level of real earnings is expected (Blaauw et al. 2013). This view is supported by the fact that reservation wages are steadily falling in many informal labour markets (Theodore et al. 2009). If a day labourer says his or her income is as good as or better than expected, it shows a level of subjective satisfaction, given the typical uncertainty and income variances in the day labour market. The fact that this was a recurring theme in discussions with the survey participants convincingly motivates the use of this variable in the subjective function. We therefore argue that the dependent variable does not merely mean a comparison between expectations and reality; it is a measure of subjective well-being among labourers.
According to the literature, income is a very important indicator of well-being in poor communities (Diener et al. 1993, 2002). The dependent variable for the objective function was the log of the best wage earned per day. When day labourers achieve their best income levels, it brings about a feeling of happiness and improved well-being (Blaauw et al. 2013).
Table 6 and Table 7 provide descriptive statistics of the dependent variables for the objective and subjective functions of the two models.
TABLE 6: Descriptive statistics for the dependent variables.
TABLE 7: Descriptive statistics for best wage in categories.
The two dependent variables were the ‘Best wage’ and ‘Good or better expectations’, respectively. The highest mean best wage was in the Western Cape, followed by KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng. The maximum best wages recorded were in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and Limpopo. The lowest mean best wage was in the Free State. There was high dispersion in the data, as revealed in the large differences between the minimum and maximum best wages per province as well as the high kurtosis values.
For the subjective measure (looking at the percentage of total day labourers per province), the Eastern Cape recorded the most labourers with good or better income expectations, followed by Gauteng and the Western Cape. Together these accounted for about 50% of the sample per province. Limpopo recorded the lowest number of labourers satisfied with their income (only 3%), followed by the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
Table 7 indicates the best wage divided into categories. In addition, it shows the number of day labourers whose income expectations were worse, or good or better, according to these wage categories. It is evident that the first two best wage categories were dominant with lower numbers recorded as the income levels increased. Furthermore, it is in these two best wage categories that the income expectations were also the worst. Looking at the full sample, 58% of day labourers were not satisfied with their income as opposed to 42% who were satisfied.
The basic demographic variables are standard throughout the literature. They include gender, education, marital status and age. In this survey, age was categorised and was not used as a continuous variable. See Tables 8–11 below.
TABLE 8: Basic demographic variables.
The comparison between current income and past circumstances and aspirations formed the subjective perception of the participants of their financial situation. These comparison variables were primarily a comparison of an individual at different times, or with other day labourers that the participant knew.
The attitudinal variables were included to control for behaviour, which affected subjective well-being. The three attitudinal variables reflected the psychological state of mind or attitude shaping their perception of their job or situation. The community variables captured the unobserved provincial differences, which could have been related to government funding, infrastructure in rural areas, governance, environment and culture (Knight et al. 2009). The variables were grouped according to the nine provinces in South Africa.
The objective and subjective functions were estimated on a cross-section with 2645 (n) observations within the dummy variable framework. The two-stage least-squares method (2SLS) was used in the objective function, but due to the binary nature of the dependent variable for the subjective function a probit model was selected as the most appropriate model for this function.
The income variable, log of the wage in a good week (GOODWEEK), was instrumented because of endogeneity problems that occur with income when estimating SWB functions (Kingdon & Knight 2004; Senik 2005). The endogeneity test indicated that the income variable (GOODWEEK and the change in income) was endogenous in the objective function, but not in the subjective function. The J-statistic probabilities were 0.0 and 0.58 for the objective and subjective functions, respectively. In the case of the objective function, the null hypothesis (exogeneity) was rejected, indicating the endogeneity of the variable.
The log of the lowest wage (LOWWAGE), change in the log of the lowest wage and the number of months working as a day labourer (MONTHS) were used as possible instruments. The orthogonality C-test confirmed the exogeneity of these variables where the probability of the J-statistic was >0.05 and showed acceptance of the null hypothesis (exogeneity). The weak instrument test showed that the number of months working as a day labourer was weaker than the other two instruments. The estimation results for the objective function and the subjective function are presented in Table 12.
TABLE 12: Results for the objective and subjective functions.
Most demographic variables were significant in the 2SLS model, which estimated objective well-being across South Africa. The twenties age group was significant. The education variables were significant with an unexpected sign for completed secondary school. The economic variables were all significant and the signs were according to expectations, except for previously having a full-time job which recorded a positive sign. Possibly, former full-time workers were more confident of their future prospects at the time of being interviewed as opposed to being dejected or angry about losing their employment status. Only the job opportunity and food variables were significant for the comparison variables – the signs were unexpected. For example, having enough food might reduce the opportunity cost of not standing on the street corner for days on end, leading to less employment and income. This might well be a cyclical and therefore non-linear relationship which needs to be tested in future research. The attitudinal variables were all significant, except for staying with family.
When accounting for the differences in provinces in the sample (2SLS with dummies), the significance of some of the variables changed. Most of the variables that were significant in the 2SLS model were still significant with the same sign, except for the economic variable turned down a job which became insignificant, and the comparison variables having food and better job opportunities at this site became insignificant. The attitudinal variable, staying with family, became significant. All the economic and attitudinal variables became significant (except turned down a job) in the dummy variable model. The dummy variables for the nine provinces indicating the geographical links and community variables were all significant. This shows that there were significant differences between the provinces and it confirms the importance of community variables as explanatory variables for well-being functions. The bigger size effects for provinces such as the Western Cape and Gauteng possibly reflected their status as the powerhouse economic regions in South Africa.
The subjective function was first modelled using the probit model to estimate subjective well-being in South Africa, while the second probit model used dummy variables to account for the differences between the provinces in South Africa. The results of the two models were very similar. Only gender, primary schooling and the twenties age group (only in the first probit) were significant. The economic variables, income and whether the participant previously had a full-time job were significant with the expected sign. All the comparison variables were significant with the expected sign. No attitudinal variables were significant, except for the support variable in the dummy variable model with an unexpected sign. The support variable was only significant at the 90% confidence level and might reflect the fact that day labourers saw the need for support as detracting from their perceptions of their own capabilities and levels of agency.
The dummy variables for the nine provinces indicating the geographical links and community variables were all significant. This shows that there were significant differences between the provinces and also confirms the importance of community variables as explanatory variables for well-being functions. The negative signs in the case of the subjective function might reflect the disappointment linked to anticipated better opportunities in the migrant destination provinces as well as the prevailing negative perceptions in the poorer provinces from which the migrants originated.
Comparing the objective and subjective functions, there were clear differences in the results. The attitudinal variables were significant in the objective function, whereas comparison variables were significant in the subjective function. The economic variables were significant in both functions; however, only two of the four variables were significant in the subjective function. This confirms what the literature says about income being an important factor in determining well-being within poor communities.
The objective function was mainly driven by the tangible aspects of day labouring, such as staying with family, injuries occurring and being part of a support group, while the dependent variable was the actual income. The subjective function was mainly driven by comparison variables, including whether there were better job opportunities at the site, whether day labourers had enough food and changes in income. These variables were based more on perceptions and the function’s dependent variable was based on income expectations. The community variables and the dummy variables for the provinces were significant in both functions. The objective function’s coefficients were positive and indicated that the provinces differed in terms of income (Knight et al. 2009). The subjective function’s coefficients were negative, showing that perceptions of well-being had a negative impact on subjective well-being – which was in contrast to the positive impact on well-being in the objective function. This possibly also explained the different signs for the full-time job variable in the two functions. This is because the perception of a full-time job was negatively perceived in terms of subjective well-being, in contrast to the positive sign in the objective function, which was linked to a certain income rather than the perception.
Mulcahy and Kollamparambil (2016) found that rural-to-urban migration has a negative impact on subjective well-being in South Africa due to unmet expectations and aspirations, and emotional fallout. For day labourers in South Africa, this may also be the case. The richer provinces have more job opportunities but also more competition, and therefore the income may not be as good as day labourers expect. This is supported by the evidence presented in a study by Krugell and Blaauw (2011): in metropolitan areas, greater occupation density was negatively associated with the earnings of day labourers, which reflected the competition for jobs among day labourers in the big cities. A general increase in the number of day labourers in South Africa’s major cities since the global economic downturn and slower growth in the construction industry have given rise to even greater competition.
Objective and subjective well-being functions were used to determine whether the well-being of day labourers in South Africa differed from one province to the next. The literature revealed broad categories of determinants (economic, comparison, attitudinal and communities) that influence well-being in general.
The findings from this study confirmed that economic variables do play a role in both measures of well-being, and that attitudinal and comparison variables are significant in the objective and subjective measures of well-being, respectively. The results resonate with the work of Sen (1999, 2003). Income is a leading indicator of capability among day labourers. It allows them to provide for their dependants and to exercise agency in an often unforgiving labour market environment.
The findings also confirmed that geographical links and community variables are significant in both functions, indicating that well-being is statistically different between the provinces. This seems a plausible result, given that migration to provinces that are doing better economically can potentially add to the freedom and capabilities enjoyed by day labourers. To reiterate, it is the agency that day labourers display in leaving family and familiar surroundings behind in search of better opportunities that makes such benefits possible. However, on a subjective level, these potential gains are to a large extent negated by increased levels of competition and an oversupply of day labourers in most urban labour markets. This often leaves day labourers disappointed with the returns from their ‘agency investment’, so to speak.
Furthermore, the impact of the community variables on the well-being of day labourers differs between the objective and subjective functions, confirming the importance of the measures of well-being. The impact of community variables on well-being for the objective function was positive due to its direct link to income, as opposed to the negative impact for the subjective function because of the subjective nature of perceptions. Moreover, these findings are linked to the different degrees of prominence of the attitudinal and comparison determinants of well-being between these functions.
On a methodological level, the results open up new avenues for refining the study of subjective well-being as it relates to the informal economy. The question arising from the application of Sen’s CA is the extent to which it is not the income per se that influences the level of subjective well-being but rather what people can afford with the income and the welfare difference they feel afterwards (such as freedom from hunger and other forms of marginalisation) that determine their levels of subjective well-being. Although the literature supports income as a measure of objective well-being, it cannot speak to the capabilities, functionings and freedoms it brings. Measuring the dimensions of subjective well-being is the methodological challenge for future research flowing from this study.
Well-being in the informal economy is a multifaceted phenomenon. It is imperative to use both the objective and subjective measures of well-being when dealing with well-being among day labourers and, by implication, other marginalised groups. For many vulnerable groups such as day labourers, waste pickers and car guards, the informal economy offers both opportunities and certain freedoms to the unemployed. Even with limited capabilities, these people are able to access work and income through some form of agency. This offers them at least some self-respect and provides an alternative to a life of begging or, worse, crime. A day labourer in Port Elizabeth summed it up very well: ‘We cannot sit at home and watch the hungry family’.
Finding ways to enhance and deepen the agency and capabilities offered by the informal economy will provide an important new field of research for academics and other research professionals. This in turn will lay the foundation for more robust urban and social development policies and implementation plans in South Africa, and strengthen hopes for a much more equal society.
The authors want to acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions received from Prof. John Luiz as well as the anonymous referees of the journal. The same applies to the contribution in terms of editing by Ms Ali Parry. The manuscript benefitted significantly from this. All mistakes remain our own. Funding for the project was provided by the National Research Foundation (NRF).
P.F.B. was jointly responsible for the conceptualising of the research project, participated in the fieldwork and acted as first author on the various drafts of the article. I.B. assisted in the conceptualising of the article, handled the econometric modelling, and acted as second author on the various drafts of the article. C.S. assisted in the conceptualising of the research project, participated in the fieldwork and acted as third author on the various drafts of the article.
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1. See, for example, the work of Frey and Stutzer (2002) and Dolan, Peasgood and White (2008).
2. Given the length restrictions for this paper, see Blaauw (2010) for a detailed discussion on the choice of day and seasonal considerations and other operational arrangements.
3. See Harmse et al. (2009) for all the locations at municipal level.
4. Although this makes the data set 10 years old, it still remains the only data available. Furthermore, the extent of day labouring is expanding continuously, making it important to utilise the available data while the follow-up survey is currently being conducted. | https://sajems.org/index.php/sajems/article/view/2087/1262 |
Стефанів І. Ф. Теоретико-методичні аспекти нормалізації рівня фінансової стійкості суб’єкта господарювання.
Узагальнено наукові підходи до визначення сутності поняття “фінансова стійкість”. Запропонована типологія її факторів. Досліджено різноманітні форми та методи оцінки фінансової стійкості. Розкрито механізм її формування та утримання. Описані теоретичні основи ефективності управління фінансовими, матеріальними й інформаційними ресурсами. Модифіковані методичні аспекти стабілізації фінансових потоків. Запропоновані принципи нормалізації процесів управління факторами виробництва. Сформовані напрямки стабілізації прибутковості суб’єкта господарювання у тривалому періоді часу.
Стефанив И. Ф. Теоретико-методические аспекты нормализации уровня финансовой устойчивости субъекта хозяйствования.
Обобщены научные подходы к определению сущности понятия “финансовая устойчивость”. Предложена типология ее факторов. Исследованы различные формы и методы оценки финансовой устойчивости. Раскрыт механизм ее формирования и удержания. Описаны теоретические основы эффективности управления финансовыми, материальными и информационными ресурсами. Модифицированы методические аспекты стабилизации финансовых потоков. Предложены принципы нормализации процессов управления факторами производства. Сформированы направления стабилизации доходности предприятия в длительном периоде времени.
Stefaniv I. Theoretical and practical aspects of the normalization of an economic entity's financial stabilit.
Introduction. The formation and maintenance the optimum efficiency of business is a most important task of activity of economic entity. Each company must provide the effect of profit stabilization. In this case it will better perform its activities. This situation creates the necessary potential for the future. Exactly in this way the process of assets accumulation and distribution happens without undue cost and effort. Resources are become cheaper, the activities and the results are become more predictable, stable correspondent relations are formed, markets are expanded and prices are stabilized.
The higher the level of stability the more the company easier to adapt to sudden changes in market conditions, the lower the risk of financial loss from such influences.
On the other hand, a quick, painless and effective response to external pressure indicates an effective system of management, good planning, well-chosen priorities and goals.
Purposes. The purpose of the article is to study the basic theoretical aspects of the formation and creation the performance criteria of the processes of financial stability of economic entities.
Results. Company's financial stability is formed by the results of a clear strategy. If the enterprise has enough funds for the current activity, it indicates that the previous actions were effective. When the company has a good financial system, it can easily and continuously carry out all operations, maneuvering the resources.
Each economic entity focused on success should direct some effort to achieve optimal profitability in the long term. It must seek to stabilize costs and revenue, to normalize risks. This can be achieved through effective allocation of resources.
The considerable attention must pay to optimizing the financial, material and information flows. Except this, it must maintain a high level of liquidity of assets.
The ability of the economic entity to function effectively under conditions of constant change and maintain the optimal level of liquidity and profitability over a long period, reaching set of tactical and strategic goals is a financial stability.
Conclusions. Today there are a number of approaches to the assessment of financial stability. In our opinion, the most promising is an approach whereby the level of financial stability is assessed using systematic and integrated methods. Two additional indicators must be included here: the dynamic indicator of profit stability, indicator of expenses profitability.
Ключові слова
Повний текст:>PDF
Посилання
Література :
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Крухмаль О. Оцінка фінансової стійкості як динамічної характеристики банку / О. Крухмаль // Вісник УАБС. - 2007. - № 1 (22) -С. 75-78.
Луцишин О. Забезпечення фінансової стійкості та надійності кредитних спілок в Україні / О. Луцишин // Світ фінансів. - 2014. -№ 1(38) - С. 174-188.
Партин Г. О. Особливості впливу основних чинників на фінансову стійкість підприємства в умовах фінансово-економічної кризи / Г. О. Партин // Збірник наук.-техн. праць Нац. лісотехнічного у-ту України. - 2010. - № 10 -С. 276-279.
Слободян Н. Аналіз і прогнозування фінансової стійкості підприємства в сучасних умовах: методологія і практика / Н. Слободян // Економічний аналіз : зб. наук. праць Тер-ноп. нац. екон. у-ту, 2014. - Том 18. - № 2. -С. 239-245.
Шандова Н. В. Розробка механізму управління стійким розвитком підприємств машинобудування / Н. Шандова // Актуальні проблеми економіки. - 2007. - № 2. - С. 101-105.
Шірінян Л. В. Визначення фінансової стійкості страхових компаній і підприємств / Л. В. Шірінян // Фінанси України. - 2005. - № 9 (118). -С. 70-80.
Шумило І. Теоретичні і практичні аспекти аналізу стану фінансової системи економіки / І. Шумило, В. Міщенко, Р. Лисенко // Вісник НБУ - 2006. - № 3. - С. 6-11.
Юданов А. Ю. Секреты финансовой устойчивости международных монополий / А. Юданов. - М. : Финансы и статистика, 1991. -272 с.
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Kruhmal, O. (2007). Otsinka finansovoi stikosti yak dynamichnoi kharakterystyky banku [Assessment of financial stability as the dynamic characteristics of the bank]. Visnyk UABS - Bulletin of UABB, 1, 75-78 [in Ukrainian].
Lutsyshyn, O. (2014). Zabezpechennia finansovoi stiikosti ta nadiinosti kredynykh spilok v Ukraini [Ensuring the financial stability and reliability of credit unions in Ukraine]. Svit finansiv - World of finance, 1, 174-188 [in Ukrainian].
Partyn, H. (2010). Osoblyvosti vplyvu os-novnykh chynnykiv na finansovu stiikist pidpryiemstva v umovah finansovo-ekonomichnoi kryzy [The features of influence of the major factors on the financial stability of the enterprise in a financial crisis]. Zbirnyk naukovo-tehnichnykh prats Natsionalnoho lisotekhnichnoho universytetu Ukrainy - The
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Посилання
- Поки немає зовнішніх посилань. | http://sf.wunu.edu.ua/index.php/sf/article/view/1014 |
The Effects of Golden Mean on the Diffraction by Monatomic One-Dimensional Quasicrystal
M. Sa’Id1, G. Babaji2, S.G. Abdu3,
1Department of Physics, Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano-Nigeria
2Department of Physics, Bayero University, Kano-Nigeria
3Department of Physics, Kaduna State University, Kaduna-Nigeria
Abstract
In this work, the code ‘Laue’ was used to simulate the diffraction pattern and to investigate the effects of varying the golden mean in a monatomic linear quasicrystal having a pseudo atomic potential. The work involved setting the parameters of the code required to simulate the diffraction, running the code and exporting the data generated to excel for analysis. It was found that the shape of the diffraction pattern and the background intensity for a given value of the golden mean is unique. Both the width of the diffraction pattern and the intensity of the central peak decrease with increasing golden mean. Results obtained illustrated the features of the diffraction by quasicrystal and proved the suitability and accuracy of the code in simulating the dynamics of quasicrystals.
At a glance: Figures
Keywords: quasicrystal, diffraction pattern, golden mean, central peak
Applied Mathematics and Physics, 2014 2 (2),
pp 53-58.
DOI: 10.12691/amp-2-2-5
Received March 09, 2014; Revised March 14, 2014; Accepted March 27, 2014Copyright © 2013 Science and Education Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
Cite this article:
- Sa’Id, M., G. Babaji, and S.G. Abdu. "The Effects of Golden Mean on the Diffraction by Monatomic One-Dimensional Quasicrystal." Applied Mathematics and Physics 2.2 (2014): 53-58.
- Sa’Id, M. , Babaji, G. , & Abdu, S. (2014). The Effects of Golden Mean on the Diffraction by Monatomic One-Dimensional Quasicrystal. Applied Mathematics and Physics, 2(2), 53-58.
- Sa’Id, M., G. Babaji, and S.G. Abdu. "The Effects of Golden Mean on the Diffraction by Monatomic One-Dimensional Quasicrystal." Applied Mathematics and Physics 2, no. 2 (2014): 53-58.
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1. Introduction
The discovery of quasicrystalline phase revolutionized the fundamental concept of crystallography because their diffraction has sharp pattern with rotational symmetry incompatible with periodicity (Shechtman et al, 1984). With this finding, the international union of crystallography has redefined a crystal as any solid material having an essential discrete diffraction diagram. A periodic crystal is formed by a periodic repetition of a single building block, the so-called unit cell exhibiting long range translational orientation symmetry. Only 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-fold non-trivial rotational symmetries are allowed in the periodic crystals and their diffraction pattern gives sharp Bragg peaks reflecting the symmetry and long range order (Lifshitz, 1997).
In contrast to periodic crystals, quasicrystals exhibit a long range order inspire of their lack of translational symmetry and often possess n-fold (n=5 and >6) rotational symmetries. Most quasicrystalline structures can be described by using quasiperiodic tilling models by employing two or more different unit cells (tiles) used as the building block of the structure (Lifshitz, 1997; Lifshitz and Mandel, 2004). An alternative model of describing quasicrystal is the so-called “covering model” in which a single type but overlapping tiles are arranged to span the entire quasicrystal. These overlapping tiles are related by an irrational number, τ, the so-called golden mean which is related to the geometry of pentagonal and decagonal symmetries. Also in contrast with periodic crystals, three indices are sufficient to characterized the diffraction in 3D structures, n integer indices (n>3) are required to generate the diffraction vectors of a periodic crystal (Lifshitz, 2003).
Fibonacci sequence is a fundamental and a well-known example of a 1D quasiperiodic structure exhibiting a periodic long range order and for which Although it does not feature orientation symmetry, the Fibonacci sequence illustrate many important properties of quasicrystals which can be generalized to 2D and 3D quasicrystals. Fibonacci sequence is built from two elements; b (large) and a (small). The sequence can be generated by a substitution rule and . The resulting sequence is
The frequencies of b and a in each sequence and the ratio of the successive Fibonacci number is the golden mean, τ (Lifshitz, 2003).
The history of quasicrystal begins with the paper of Shechtman et al in 1984 titled “Metallic Phase with Long-range Orientation Order and No Translation Symmetry”, where the authors demonstrated a clear diffraction pattern with a fivefold symmetry. The pattern was recorded from an Al-Mn alloy which has been rapidly cooled after melting. In 1985, Ishimasa et al reported twelve fold symmetry in Ni-Cr particles. Over the years, hundreds of quasicrystals with various compositions and different symmetries have been discovered. The first quasicrystalline materials were thermodynamically unstable-when heated. The first of many stable quasicrystals were later discovered making it possible to produce large samples for study and opening the door to potential applications (Cahn, 1996).
In 2004, Ferralis et al investigated the diffraction from One- and two dimensional quasicrystalline gratings on one dimensional quasicrystal using two different approaches: laser diffraction and calculated diffraction method using Fibonacci series. The research suggested that, laser diffraction allows an inductive approach for understanding complex aperiodic structure, and can provide educators with an innovative tool for introducing and extending the traditional concept of diffraction.
Theoretical work on the diffraction pattern for an ideal model of quasilattice in which identical atoms are placed at each point of the lattice gave results that are in agreement with experimental observation (Shechtman et al, 198).
To generate a quasicrystal pattern, so called projection methods have been developed (de Bruijin, 1981). Projection methods are mathematical constructs that project sections of hypercubic lattice onto lower dimensional spaces. The first such projection was given by de Bruijn (1981) as reported by Latvin (1988), where he showed that the vertices of the two-dimensional penrose pattern of darts and kites can be generated by projecting hypercubic lattice into a one-dimensional array.
In this work, the effects of varying atomic spacing ratio are investigated on one-dimensional quasicrystal material using the code ‘Laue’ written by Silsbee and Drager (2005). Laue is based on the projection technique, however, unlike traditional projection work, in which the emphasis is entirely on the diffraction pattern, the code can provide additional data that can be used to characterize the quasicrystal. The Laue code has provision for four types of atomic potential shape. Pseudo potential is the atomic shape that describes the position that does not correspond to an actual atom in a molecule but is some sort of average of position of the real atoms. Pseudo atoms are very useful in molecular modeling for energy calculation. A pseudo atom may have the same properties as a real atom (Ishimasa et al, 1985).
2. Diffraction Pattern of Quasicrystal
The diffraction patterns of the quasicrystal consist of a set of Bragg peaks that densely fill reciprocal space in an array with quasicrystal symmetry. Consider the case of one-Dimensional quasicrystal with atomic position of the Nth atom given by;
|(1)|
Where τ= golden ratio; α and β are arbitrary real numbers and represents the greatest integer function. This particular example is central to studying the pentagonal and icosahedral quasilattice. The atomic position of the 1D (Fibonacci) quasicrystal described by Eqn. (1) may be re-expressed as;
|(2)|
where signifies the fractional part function and we have used the fact that. An identity is The function is periodic in X with period 1. This expression is of the general form;
|(3)|
whereis periodic in x with period b, and is irrational. Expressions of this variety arise in the study of Frenkel-Kontrova model (Hatano. 1999), which describe a 1D incommensurate crystal. The Fourier transform of such a set of atomic positions consist of Bragg peaks at positions
|(4)|
where M and N are integers. This result may be obtained by expanding the exponential appearing in the expression for the transform in a Fourier series of its own and employing the completeness relation for complex exponentials. For our case, this means that there will be peaks at
|(5)|
where p and q are integers. With this in mind, we will compute the diffraction pattern (i.e. Fourier transform of the 1D. quasicrystal of Eqn. (2)
|(6)|
where we are summing over the N atomic position in the chain. First consider for K of the form as define in eqn. (5). Noting the identity, the exponent in eqn. (6) is given by;
|(7)|
The first term in the expression is an integer times and therefore only yield a factor of unity upon exponentiation. The last two terms are independent and contribute to the sum in an important fashion. Since, the second term lies between zero and ix, where since τ is an irrational number, the value of the second term is uniformly and densely distributed in the interval (0, X), enabling us to approximate the sum in eqn. (6) by an integral;
|(8)|
where and . Equation (8) is the value of Fi(K) for the special values, which we argued, correspond to the position of Bragg peaks. Thus we conclude that
|(9)|
Those familiar with the computation of the Fourier transform of 1D quasicrystal via projection method will recognize that the two methods agree exactly. The brightest spots occur for those K=Kpq where X is small. This occurs when q/p is close to τ. It is well known that the best rotational approximants to τ occur when q and p are successive Fibonacci number Fn. This means that the sequence of most intense peaks corresponds to (Levine, 1985) .
The diffraction pattern of a quasicrystal is one of its most distinctive features, the pattern consist of a set of Bragg’s peaks that densely fill reciprocal space. This result can be understood intuitively by considering the case of 1D quasicrystal with atomic position given equation (1). The equation can be divided into a sum of two functions that describe periodic spacing but with incommensurate periods. If the first term were kept, the diffraction would consist of Bragg peaks space periodically in reciprocal space with some fundamental period K0. Because the second term is incommensurate, it leads to Bragg peak at some incommensurate reciprocal space period K1. The full pattern then consist of the union of the two sets of peak plus peaks at linear combination of K0 and K1. Because the two are incommensurate, the peaks densely fill reciprocal space in a countable non-fractal way (Levine, 1985).
3. Methodology
The code, “Laue” written by Silsbee and Drager (2005) was employed in this work. Basically the code computes the electron density and diffraction pattern of a one-dimensional array of atoms. The one-dimensional crystal is represented by its real-space electron density which is generated from superposition of atomic electron densities. The corresponding diffraction is then computed as the square of the Fourier transform of that electron density. To compute the diffraction pattern (Intensity) of the electron density, “Laue” uses a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) routine. The intensities are normalized to give a height for the central peak of one for the monatomic quasicrystal (Silsbee and Drager, 2005).
The program has two main output windows for displaying the electron density and diffraction pattern respectively. The code has eight menus namely: Quit, Display, Configure, Presets, Help, Material, Modulation and Calculate. The material menu allows user to select the type of material to be simulated. The possible options are Monatomic crystal, Diatomic crystal, Single atom, Pair of atoms, Liquid and Quasicrystal. In the case of simulating quasicrystal, the program has the following variables: Lattice constant, Size of atom, the Spacing ratio and Atom shape. In this work the atomic potential was first chosen to be Gaussian, and then followed by Pseudo and Exponential and in each, the diffraction pattern was observed and analyzed.
The lattice constant and the size of the atom were set to 4.0 Å and 0.1 Å respectively and the atomic potential was chosen to be pseudo. The atomic spacing ratio was set to be 0.1 and then the simulation executed. The data for the diffraction pattern was then exported to excel for further analysis which includes among others, the computations of the width of the diffraction pattern and the separation of the Bragg planes. This was repeated for atomic spacing ratio of 0.2 to 2.0 Å.
4. Results
View current figure in a new window
5. Discussion
From the Table 1 above it was observed that the width of the diffraction pattern decreases as the golden mean increases. An increase in golden mean decreases the intensity of the central peak as shown in Figure 7. This can be practically predicted that for large number of golden mean the intensity of the central peak will reach zero. However unlike periodic monatomic chain, the diffraction pattern of quasicrystal produces a unique diffraction pattern for each value of golden mean (Figure 1-6). At a value of 1.0 Å for the golden mean (Figure 3), the diffraction pattern resembles the pattern produced by monatomic chain. Also for values of 0.5 (Figure 2), 1.5 (Figure 5) and 2.0 (Figure 6), the diffraction patterns resemble monatomic chain but with growing supper lattices between the already existing peak and hence make the pattern denser than the real monatomic chain. Lastly, it was observed that the density of the diffraction patterns of the above mentioned values are less when compared with golden mean of the remaining values chosen. This is because the supper lattices appeared to have more side bands than the others.
The decrease observed in the intensity of the central peak as the golden mean increases can be attributed to the fact that, the spacing between the ith and (i+1)th atom is given by the lattice constant if the ith position in the Fibonacci chain is 0, otherwise the separation is given by the lattice constant times the spacing ratio. Thus the golden mean (spacing ratio) cannot be infinitely increased because any increase above a certain maximum will result in placing the ith atom outside the ith cell. Thus as the golden mean is increased the separations between the atoms in the neighboring cells decrease, thereby resulting in the decrease in the intensity of the central peak as observed.
6. Conclusion
In this work the code “Laue” has been used to simulate the diffraction pattern and investigate the effect of varying the golden mean in a monatomic linear quasicrystal having a pseudo atomic potential. It has been found that:
The shape of the diffraction patterns and the background intensity vary in a complicated manner with the golden mean and that each golden mean results in unique diffraction pattern and background intensity.
The width of the diffraction pattern decreases on increasing the golden mean.
The intensity of the central peak decreases on increasing the golden mean
As expected, the diffraction pattern at the golden mean of 1.0 Å is exactly the same as that of a monatomic one-dimensional crystal.
In conclusion, the laue code has proved to be suitable and accurate in simulating the diffraction pattern of monatomic quasicrystal chain. | http://pubs.sciepub.com/amp/2/2/5/index.html |
Multivariate contingency tables and the analysis of exchangeability.
There are settings in the social and health sciences where it is natural to question whether a collection of discrete random variables is exchangeable. In this paper the inter-relationships between parameter symmetry, parameter invariance, and exchangeable discrete random variables are investigated within the log-linear models framework. We demonstrate how log-linear models can be used to formulate and test hypotheses of various forms of exchangeability, and to characterize departures from exchangeability. Conditions under which the observed cross-classification collapses into a lower dimensional cross-classification, while preserving the essential probability structure of the higher dimensional cross-classification, and the model structure of this lower dimensional cross-classification are presented. The development is sufficiently general to allow for subsetting the variables into classes, which is important for some applications. For example, in studying the spatial clustering of periodontal disease, there is interest in studying differences among disease patterns between the upper and lower arches in terms of parameter symmetry, parameter invariance, and exchangeability. Cross-sectional periodontal disease data from a study of Pima Indians residing in the Gila River Indian Community are used to illustrate how log-linear models may be used to examine for exchangeability, and for specific departures from exchangeability.
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Alimony amounts depend on many different factors. In fact, you might not pay or receive it at all.
Before any further explanation, here is a brief note on terminology. While it is perfectly fine for you to call use “alimony” in casual conversation, but please be aware that most sources of legal information will use the official term, which is “spousal support”.
Alimony considerations
The Revised Code, 3105.18, contains one of the most important laws about spousal support in Ohio. Among other things, it lists 14 items that the court must consider when deciding whether support is appropriate for your case, who should pay and various other terms of your agreement. Some of the criteria include:
- Your income and your spouse’s income
- Contributions you made to each other’s education
- The duration of your marriage
- Your retirement benefits
The law is deliberately generous in the power it gives courts over your spousal support. In fact, the final item on the list is “any other factor that the court expressly finds to be relevant and equitable”.
Preliminary calculations
Because the court must consider every aspect before making a decision, officials would probably ask you for a mountain of financial, medical and personal information. Additionally, you could even have to think about how your property division agreement could weigh into the final support agreement.
Knowing an estimate of the amount you might pay in spousal support could be advantageous. However, there is often a more pressing question: How do you negotiate for the best possible deal when your arguments center around a hypothetical, 14-plus-point analysis by a distinguished jurist? The answer, as you might expect, is different for every case. | https://www.kroenerlaw.com/blog/2021/02/how-much-is-alimony-in-ohio/ |
This intersection has long been a controversial subject as many Winnipeggers find it difficult to imagine how vehicles and pedestrians can co-exist in this space.
While I'm neither an architect nor a city planner (or any profession that provides expertise in this area), I am a dreamer. And in my dream scenario, opening up this intersection would be through the design and build of a pedestrian bridge. More specifically, a circular pedestrian bridge similar to the Lujiazui Circular Pedestrian Bridge in the Pudong district of Shanghai, China.
Call it a pipe dream, but a pedestrian bridge or footbridge is a functional piece of infrastructure for any city, town or community. It encourages healthy living and activities, connects us with nature and one another, and improves tourism because it can be a work of art.
Merging functionality and aesthetics is certainly not a new concept in the world of architecture, but there’s no denying that by creating public space where the landscape and the artwork are inextricably linked can elevate a city’s reputation internationally.
According to the Globe and Mail, “World capitals are paying attention to improved passage for pedestrians,” citing examples such as the Millennium Bridge that spans the Thames in London and the Passerelle Simone de Beauvoir that spans the Seine in Paris, which “have gained worldwide attention from archi-tourists.”
I understand bridges are expensive pieces of infrastructure. However, at the same time, I think it’s essential to discover new aesthetics that challenge our idea of design and what a city like Winnipeg can be capable of on the world stage.
Around the world, there are built pedestrian bridges that reflect this notion—search the Dragon Bridge in Vietnam or the Helix in Singapore online. It's incredible how much each bridge enhances its surroundings, creating a piece of infrastructure that encourages conversation and imagination and transforms a city's profile.
One of the best opportunities to witness high-level design innovation and creativity is through design competitions. Even though the majority of design competition submissions will never actualize, they nevertheless highlight how artistic infrastructure can enhance and elevate the places and spaces where people want to live, work and play.
Can you imagine what Portage and Main would look like if we took inspiration from one of the bridge design submissions below? Let’s find out:
Submitted for the Concours d’Architecture Iconic Pedestrian Bridge design competition in 2011, Evgeni Leonov Architects created a dreamy, (and in my opinion) Moulin Rouge-esque design concept for the Amstel River in Amsterdam.
This Iconic Pedestrian Bridge has a roller coaster-like twist in the middle, holding a café observation deck at the top for optimal viewing. The covered bridge also provides protection for pedestrians from rain and snow.
According to the design team, there are two options to get from one side to the other: pedestrians can either walk straight through or head upstairs to the observation deck, which they made accessible for people with disabilities. Amazing.
Mohamed Elbangy, a former student of architecture at the British University in Egypt, created this twisted bridge design in 2015 for the Zamalek and Mohandeseen Districts in Cairo, Egypt.
Elbangy designed the bridge to have two levels: one for cyclists and one for pedestrians, connected by a theatre. According to A As Architecture, he fused together art, sustainability and innovative technologies like “music WAV file frequencies on the [bridge’s] twist modifier to simulate dancing on the bridge slabs.”
Standard Architecture created this design for the Salford Meadows Bridge International Design Competition in the United Kingdom.
The team behind this design imagined a meadow-to-city bridge where people could immerse themselves in “an ever-changing leafy cocoon”.
They used Vines of Virginia Creeper to wrap around the lattice shell tunnel, creating “a dramatic transition from the city to Salford Meadow” that also changes with the seasons.
The Nine Elms Bridge to Pimlico Bridge competition asked design teams to create a bridge design that “must work alongside the cutting edge architecture emerging on the south bank as well as the elegant frontages on the north.” While I struggled and failed to track down the firms that created these fantastic designs, I couldn’t just leave them out either.
So, technically, this list is a top seven!
However, as I mentioned earlier, one of my favourite aspects around design competitions is the opportunity to see high-level design innovation and creativity. It challenges us to think differently—and bigger—when it comes to what is possible in designing a pedestrian bridge.
Infrastructure can have its own narrative much like a story or a person, and when looking at these bridges, what do you think that story is? I see a story that celebrates a city's unique character.
Nadi designed Convexus as an architectural response to the neighbouring historical structures of Amsterdam for the Concours d’Architecture Iconic Pedestrian Bridge design competition in 2011.
The team envisioned this pedestrian bridge to be a destination place for locals and visitors, drawing them away from the canal edge and moving them towards the central axis where the café, admin, bike repair and storage are concentrated.
Furthermore, the geometry of the bridge fosters individuals to experience a new prospect of the Amstel District as one is directed out, over, around and down the river. Not to be biased, but I will never stop waiting for this design to become a reality.
After being introduced to these amazing designs, what are your thoughts? Do you think we could do something like this in Winnipeg? I'd love to hear your thoughts. | https://www.nadi.design/insights/five-insanely-creative-and-innovative-bridge-designs |
Class CashDispenser (Figs. G.7G.8) represents the cash dispenser of the ATM. The class definition (Fig. G.7) contains the function prototype for a default constructor (line 9). Class CashDispenser declares two additional public member functionsdispenseCash (line 12) and isSufficientCashAvailable (line 15). The class trusts that a client (i.e., Withdrawal) calls dispenseCash only after establishing that sufficient cash is available by calling isSufficientCashAvailable. Thus, dispenseCash simply simulates dispensing the requested amount without checking whether sufficient cash is available. Line 17 declares private constant INITIAL_COUNT, which indicates the initial count of bills in the cash dispenser when the ATM starts (i.e., 500). Line 18 implements attribute count (modeled in Fig. 13.29), which keeps track of the number of bills remaining in the CashDispenser at any time.
2 // CashDispenser class definition. Represents the ATM's cash dispenser.
2 // Member-function definitions for class CashDispenser.
Figure G.8 contains the definitions of class CashDispenser's member functions. The constructor (lines 69) sets count to the initial count (i.e., 500). Member function dispenseCash (lines 1317) simulates cash dispensing. If our system were hooked up to a real hardware cash dispenser, this member function would interact with the hardware device to physically dispense cash. Our simulated version of the member function simply decreases the count of bills remaining by the number required to dispense the specified amount (line 16). Note that line 15 calculates the number of $20 bills required to dispense the specified amount. The ATM allows the user to choose only withdrawal amounts that are multiples of $20, so we divide amount by 20 to obtain the number of billsRequired. Also note that it is the responsibility of the client of the class (i.e., Withdrawal) to inform the user that cash has been dispensedCashDispenser cannot interact directly with Screen.
Member function isSufficientCashAvailable (lines 2028) has a parameter amount that specifies the amount of cash in question. Lines 2427 return TRue if the CashDispenser's count is greater than or equal to billsRequired (i.e., enough bills are available) and false otherwise (i.e., not enough bills). For example, if a user wishes to withdraw $80 (i.e., billsRequired is 4), but only three bills remain (i.e., count is 3), the member function returns false. | http://www.gibmonks.com/c_plus/app07lev1sec5.html |
Shyness And Social Anxiety System
One major characteristic of the interpersonal functioning of individuals while they are experiencing an episode of depression is areduced overall level of social activity. Not only do depressed persons report having fewer people in their social networks than do nondepressed individuals, but they also have less frequent contact with people in their social networks (e.g., Youngren & Lewinsohn, 1980). In addition, compared with nondepressed controls, depressed persons report having fewer social intimates (Gotlib & Lee, 1989) and fewer friends (Brim et al., 1982), and experiencing fewer contacts outside their immediate families (Henderson et al., 1981). Importantly, these findings of reduced levels of social interaction in depression are obtained in studies using both self-report and interview methodologies; moreover, they are corroborated by other informants, such as family members (e.g., Billings etal., 1983; Brim etal., 1982).
It is important to note that this pattern of reduced levels of social activity appears to be a relatively stable characteristic of individuals who are vulnerable to depressive episodes. For example, investigators who have tested depressed individuals both during and after depressive episodes have found that although there was some recovery in the number of social contacts reported by depressed individuals 1 year following their depressive episode, they continued to report restricted social networks even when they were no longer symptomatic (Billings & Moos 1985a, 1985b; Gotlib & Lee, 1989). Moreover, there is strong evidence that depression is associated with such stable characteristics as low assertiveness, social withdrawal, avoidance, and shyness—all traits that have been found to be associated with reduced social activity (Alfano et al., 1994; Anderson & Harvey, 1988). In fact, both the lack of assertiveness (Ball et al., 1994) and the presence of social withdrawal (Boivin et al., 1995) have been found to predict future depression, a pattern of results that suggests that reduced social activity may serve as a risk factor for depression. Although promising, it is clear that more research using prospective designs needs to be conducted before we are able to understand fully the causal nature of the relation between reduced social activity and episodes of depression.
In this context, there are several reasons why depression may be associated with reduced social activity. One possibility is that because depressed persons do not find social activities pleasurable or reinforcing (e.g., Lewinsohn, 1974), they actively curtail or avoid social activity. Another, albeit not mutually exclusive, possibility is that the impetus for reduced social activity comes from the interaction partners of depressed persons. Indeed, it has been postulated that because partners find interacting with a depressed person to be aversive, they ultimately seek to limit further contact with him or her (Coyne, 1976; Gotlib & Robinson, 1982). Regardless of the explanation, it is clear that when depressed persons interact with strangers, friends, or family members, the interactants are often dissatisfied. Therefore, it is clear that it is not simply the quantity, but also the quality of social interactions that is reduced during episodes of depression.
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Parenting is a challenging task. As a single parent, how can you juggle work, parenting, and possibly college studies single handedly and still manage to be an ideal parent for your child? Read the 65-page eBook Single Parenting Becoming The Best Parent For Your Child to find out how. Loaded with tips, it can inspire, empower, and instruct you to successfully face the challenges of parenthood. | https://www.alpfmedical.info/bipolar-disorder/quantity-of-social-interactions-in-mdd.html |
Homebase helps clients navigate the complicated eviction process, offers financial and money management counseling, helps clients obtain public benefits, provides short-term financial assistance, and helps with relocation if necessary.
As Case Management Supervisor for one of our Homebase programs, you’ll be responsible for providing Supervision to the Case Management and Housing Specialist staff and ensuring delivery of comprehensive, community-based services. You’ll help your team with emergency crisis intervention for individuals and families facing an imminent housing crisis and who are most at risk of becoming homeless and need immediate attention and interventions to prevent shelter entry or re-entry. You’ll ensure the successful and expeditious stabilization of clients housing and the enhancement of their self-sufficiency. You’ll be responsible for troubleshooting program concerns, conducting regular supervision, making community presentations, tracking program activities, meeting yearly mandated enrollment targets, and ensuring the effective operation of case management activities. When necessary, you’ll also manage an assigned caseload.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Directly supervising Case Managers and Housing Specialists to ensure the delivery of quality and appropriate services to clients.- Providing direct intervention for problems and/or complex urgent cases as needed and assisting staff in linking clients in critical circumstances with immediate need entitlements in order to maintain existing housing.- Working with the Executive Director and Assistant Executive Director to evaluate program performance, determine gaps in service delivery systems, and assist in developing solutions for identified gaps and/or program performance issues.- Ensuring proper documentation of serviced provided through CARES database reports, case conferences, team meetings, supervision, and case record audits and collecting, analyzing, and reporting on team statistics for the program.- Participating in program outreach efforts and conducting presentations to community base organizations in order to increase enrollments.- Providing and documenting weekly, regularly scheduled, individual supervision to assigned staff; identifying opportunities for staff development; and co-facilitating trainis with other team members.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in social work or a related field required; Master’s Degree in social work preferred.- Minimum of 2 years of case management, assessment, counseling and crisis intervention preferred.- Supervisory experience in a case management setting is highly desired. - Knowledge and understanding of family systems approach to practice preferred.- Strong verbal, writing, and negotiating skills, with experience in advocacy and mediation.- Strong organizational and documentations skills.- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.- Ability to take initiative, be dependable and resourceful, and pay keen attention to detail.- Excellent organizational skills to enable management of multiple priorities concurrently and in a time-sensitive manner.- Valid US driver’s license a plus.- Computer literacy, particularly with Microsoft Office applications. - Able to provide evening and weekend coverage as needed.
EOE. A Drug Free Workplace.
© 2020 SocialService.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | https://www.socialservice.com/jobdetails.cfm/94025/Case-Manager-Supervisor |
Madam Chair Maloney, Ranking Member Biggert, members of the Subcommittee, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the Federal Reserve Board's ongoing efforts to enhance protections for consumers who use credit cards. In June 2007, the Board proposed substantial revisions to the credit card disclosures required under the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) regulations. Those revisions are focused on ensuring that consumers have the information they need about credit card costs and terms, when they need it, in a form they can use. In addition, as Chairman Bernanke indicated in testimony before the full Committee in February, the Board plans to use authority under the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC Act) to propose rules prohibiting unfair or deceptive credit card practices. The proposal will be issued this spring. We are working on these rules with the Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) and the National Credit Union Association (NCUA) so that consumers would have the same level of protection whether their card issuer was a bank, savings association, or federal credit union.
Implications for Consumers of Increased Credit Card Complexity
In the early 1980s, less than half of American families had a general purpose credit card (43 percent in 1983). Currently close to three-quarters have at least one card (71 percent in 2004). The increase in credit card holdings was sharpest among lower-income families: from 1983 to 2004, the share of families in the lowest income quintile that hold such cards jumped from 11 percent to 37 percent.1 In addition, consumers are using their cards more both as a payment device and as a source of credit. Total charges on bank credit cards increased by about five times and total debt outstanding as of year-end by almost four times from 1991 to 2006.2 This growth is explained by several factors, including substitution of cards for cash and installment credit and the development of credit scoring and risk-based pricing, which have made credit cards available to more people.
As consumers have relied more on credit cards, card plans have become more complex. Once, a card may have allowed the user to make purchases or obtain cash advances and applied a single, unchanging annual percentage rate, or APR, to each feature. Fees were typically limited to an annual fee, a charge for cash advances, and perhaps fees for paying late or exceeding the credit limit. Today's more complex products offer balance transfers and treat different classes of purchases and cash advances as different features, each with its own APR (for example, an APR for purchases generally and a lower APR for certain purchases made during a "promotional" period). In addition, APRs adjust much more frequently to changes in the market, in a borrower's credit risk profile, or in other factors the creditor considers important. The typical card no longer has an annual fee, but it can have many other fees tied to a variety of features, requirements, or services.
These more complex plans hold significant potential benefits for consumers. Pricing that is sensitive to consumers' preferences for services likely increases the availability of the services that consumers find most valuable. Pricing that is sensitive to consumers' credit risk profiles can increase the availability of credit and lower its cost for many consumers. Growing complexity, however, has increased the risk that consumers will not understand or notice key terms that affect a plan's cost. With so many rates, fees, and features, it has become more likely that even reasonably diligent consumers make costly mistakes. Moreover, when complexity reaches the point of reducing transparency, it impedes competition and creates inefficiencies.
Even when credit card plans were simpler, ensuring that consumers understood the cost of using the plan or of using it for a particular purpose was a challenge. Key variables that affect a consumer's costs, such as the amount of credit the consumer will use or the timing and amount of the consumer's payments, are not known in advance to the card issuer. TILA, therefore, does not require advance disclosure of a single, effective rate. It requires the issuer to disclose a nominal rate and other terms that determine the cost of the plan, such as fees, any grace period, and the balance calculation method. Clear disclosure of these terms and how they determine what the consumer will pay has always been a challenge. The disclosure challenge has grown substantially with the increase in the complexity of credit card plans.
The Board has sought to meet this challenge with a systematic and comprehensive review of TILA disclosures based on extensive consumer testing. We believe that our June 2007 proposal will lead to disclosures that are more effective for today's more complex credit plans. Those who have commented on the proposal have generally agreed. At the same time, over two thousand comments from individual consumers, a growing body of behavioral research, and our own consumer testing provide evidence that it is increasingly difficult to use disclosure alone to help reasonably diligent consumers avoid incurring unnecessary costs on their increasingly complex credit card plans. Careful measures that would restrict credit card terms or practices may in some instances be more effective than disclosure to prevent particular consumer injuries. At the same time, such restrictions can have unintended adverse consequences for consumers, such as reducing the availability of credit or increasing its cost.
Mindful of the advantages and limitations of both disclosure and stricter approaches, the Board is developing a second set of rules to supplement the June 2007 disclosure proposal with new targeted requirements and restrictions on credit card terms. As Chairman Bernanke recently testified, these rules will be issued later this spring under the FTC Act, in coordination with the OTS and NCUA. In developing proposed rules, we have consulted H.R. 5244, the "Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2008" introduced by Madam Chair Maloney. This comprehensive bill has helped us to identify consumer protection concerns that we should consider addressing by regulation.
In the remainder of my testimony, I will review the Board's pending proposal to improve credit card disclosures and discuss the concerns raised and suggestions made about certain credit card practices during the comment period. I will also summarize our ongoing efforts working with the OTS and NCUA to develop joint rules under the FTC Act.
The Board's 2007 Proposal to Improve Disclosures
The potential benefits of disclosure are well-known. More effective disclosures make information about terms and pricing easier for consumers to obtain and understand. Informed consumers are less likely to fall into "traps for the unwary" and more able to choose products that offer the best combination of features and pricing to meet their personal financial needs. Better dissemination of information about credit card terms and pricing also enhances competition among credit card issuers, which, in turn, helps generate products that consumers want.
The Board's proposal to improve disclosures seeks to ensure that consumers receive key information about the costs of credit card transactions in ways they can understand, in formats they can use, and at times when it is most helpful. To help us craft a proposal to meet these specific objectives, we considered comment letters, available sources of data and information, and our own long experience implementing TILA. We also considered what consumers themselves had to say by interviewing consumers individually about their use and understanding of different disclosures. Consumers told us what information they find useful when making credit decisions and what information they ignore. We learned which words and formats for presenting information promote understanding and which do not.
Lessons from our extensive consumer testing are reflected in a myriad of preliminary judgments made in the proposal about appropriate disclosure content, format, and timing. The proposal includes the following specific elements:
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Advertisements of introductory rates would more clearly disclose the eventual higher rates and how soon they would be imposed;
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Advertisements of "fixed" rates would be restricted to rates that are truly not subject to change, either for a clearly disclosed period or for the life of the plan;
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The "Schumer box" required with credit card solicitations and applications would be updated to more effectively present information about rates and fees. The most critical rate and fee information would be presented in the box; rates and fees would be separated into two sections; and graphic techniques such as minimum font size, judicious bolding, and vertical alignment of key numbers would make it easier to read and use;
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A summary table similar to the Schumer box would accompany the lengthy, complex credit agreements that consumers receive when they first open an account and would also be provided, later, when account terms are amended;
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The penalty rate and penalty fees would be highlighted in the Schumer box and the account-opening summary table; and a reminder of late payment penalties would appear on every periodic statement;
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A consumer would be sent notice 45 days before a penalty rate was imposed or the rate or a critical fee was increased for other reasons;
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The cumulative cost of fees would be highlighted every month. Fees charged in the previous month would be grouped together on the statement in a prominent location and totaled for the month and year-to-date;
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The periodic statement's "effective APR," another way of disclosing the total cost of credit, is the subject of two alternative proposals. Under one proposal, the effective APR could be revised to make it simpler for creditors to compute and potentially easier for consumers to understand. Alternatively, if continued consumer testing, public comments, and the Board's analysis indicate that the effective APR does not offer a meaningful consumer benefit, then it could be eliminated, as the statute authorizes;
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Consumers would be warned on the periodic statement about the higher cost of making only minimum payments, and creditors would be provided incentives to give consumers a more precise estimate of the time it would take to repay the balance and to place that estimate on the periodic statement rather than make it available by telephone;
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Creditors would receive clearer guidance regarding what charges must be disclosed, when, and how. They would be given increased flexibility to disclose charges at times and by methods more useful to the consumer and more convenient to the creditor.
Comments on the 2007 Proposal
The Board received over 2,500 comments on the June 2007 proposal, about 2,100 of them from individual consumers. Many consumers wrote us about their personal experiences with credit cards, providing information that we have found invaluable in our continuing efforts to improve disclosures and in our development of proposed regulations under the FTC Act. Consumer advocacy groups also wrote to us, as did financial institutions or their trade associations. We also heard from members of Congress and other government agencies.
Broadly speaking, commenters generally supported the proposed disclosures and the Board's approach to improving disclosure through consumer testing. Some commenters offered specific suggestions to improve the disclosures or reduce unnecessary burden, and we are taking those suggestions into account. As we expected, a few elements of the proposal elicited significantly divided reactions. For example, industry representatives contended that the format requirements we proposed for periodic statements, which are favored by consumer groups, would be overly prescriptive. Consumer groups opposed the proposal to eliminate the effective APR from the periodic statement, a proposal supported by industry representatives. We are carefully evaluating these matters, including through more testing with consumers.
Consumers and consumer groups also contended that better disclosures were not sufficient to address certain issuer practices and they urged the Board to regulate these practices more strictly. Among the concerns frequently cited were shortening of the time to submit payments, applying interest rate increases to pre-existing balances, allocating payments first to balances with the lowest interest rate, and computing interest using the so-called double-cycle method.
Individual consumers and consumer advocates indicated that consumers are allowed too little time after receiving their bills to submit their payments, thus leading to late fees and interest charges and other adverse consequences such as rate increases. They urged the Board to require that consumers be given more time to pay and to require creditors to show that the consumer, rather than the mail service, was to blame for a late payment. Comments from creditors, however, generally asserted that consumers have ample time to make payments, particularly in light of the increasing number of consumers who receive periodic statements and make payments electronically. These comments also stated that providing longer grace periods to consumers would reduce interest revenue and lead creditors to increase other consumer costs.
The Board's proposal to require 45 days' notice before a rate or critical fee is increased was criticized by some commenters for going too far, and by others for not going far enough. This proposed notice was intended primarily to give consumers time to pay off the balance before the rate increase, through then-existing resources or alternative credit sources. Industry representatives contended, however, that the requirement would harm consumers overall. They say it would delay issuers from increasing rates when there is an increase in the consumer's risk of default or the issuer's cost of funds, and that issuers would likely need to respond by raising credit costs or reducing credit availability. On the other side, individual consumers, consumer groups, and members of Congress contended that the proposed 45-day notice did not go far enough to protect consumers from unfair surprise. They argued that many consumers would not be able to avoid the increase by transferring their balances to lower-rate accounts and recommended stricter approaches, such as giving the consumer the right to "opt out" of a rate increase for existing balances, prohibiting issuers from applying increased rates to pre-existing balances, or prohibiting issuers from increasing rates until the card expires.
The issue of payment allocation also elicited divided responses. If a card holder's account has two or more balances with different interest rates (for example, a purchase rate and a cash advance rate), issuers typically apply payments to the lowest-rate balance first, so the consumer accumulates interest at the higher rates applicable to other balances. The Board proposed a new disclosure of this practice when issuers advertise promotional rates. Industry representatives generally favored the proposed disclosure and urged that it be applied more broadly, not just to promotional terms. Consumers, consumer groups, and members of Congress, however, commented that a disclosure would not protect consumers sufficiently. These commenters urged the Board to prohibit the practice of allocating payments to the lowest-rate balance first. Industry representatives countered that regulating payment allocation methods could reduce consumers' choice of features and increase their credit costs.
Consumer groups urged the Board to prohibit the use of a method sometimes referred to as "two-cycle" or "double-cycle" to compute the balance on which the consumer's interest obligation is determined. The finance charge is computed by most issuers on the balance from the most recent billing cycle. Under the less typical two-cycle method, the finance charge is computed beginning on the date of the transaction, even if that date falls in the prior billing cycle. This method yields higher finance charges whenever a consumer shifts from paying the balance in full each month to carrying a balance on the account. Consumers and consumer groups contended this method is unfair to consumers. Industry representatives generally did not comment on the issue, perhaps because few card issuers currently use the two-cycle method.
Regulatory Proposal under the FTC Act
The FTC Act gives the Board authority to prohibit unfair or deceptive practices by banks. The OTS and NCUA have identical authority over savings associations and federal credit unions, respectively. We are working closely with these agencies with the expectation of developing uniform rules to prohibit unfair or deceptive practices with respect to credit cards. In addition, we plan to use our authority under TILA, which applies to all card issuers regardless of regulator, to adopt stronger substantive protections where appropriate.
Our work is ongoing. Just last week we received useful information in a forum on credit cards hosted by Governor Kroszner in which card issuers and processors, consumer advocates, counseling agencies, and other regulatory agencies came together at the Board to discuss relevant industry trends and identify areas that may warrant action or further study. Among the topics discussed were the Board's previously announced plan to issue a proposal under the FTC Act and the Board's June 2007 disclosure proposal. Participants provided key insights for us to consider as we develop the FTC Act proposal and work to finalize new disclosures.
Our efforts to develop new disclosures continue apace. The public comments identified potential areas for improvement that we are testing through additional in-depth, one-on-one interviews with consumers. Quantitative testing on a statistically valid basis will follow, and we expect to issue a final rule under TILA before year-end.
Conclusion
Madam Chair, in closing let me emphasize the Federal Reserve's commitment to enhancing consumers' ability to use credit cards to their benefit. Disclosure requirements can help ensure that consumers receive information about credit card terms in ways they can understand, in formats they can use, and at times when it is most helpful. More complex pricing and continuous change in the marketplace, however, make the task of writing rules for effective disclosure increasingly challenging. Consumer testing has proven to be very useful in improving disclosure, but we have also concluded that stricter approaches in some areas may be needed. To that end, we will be proposing regulations under the FTC Act later this spring that would impose new restrictions and requirements on credit card issuers to prevent unfair or deceptive practices. | https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/testimony/braunstein20080417a.htm |
Gross Motor: Outdoor activities with play structure and many other age appropriate toys to encourage gross motor coordination.
Learning Centers: fine motor, dramatic play, writing and reading areas, blocks, games, puzzles, sensory table, science, train table, dollhouses, open-ended art activities
Morning Meeting: literature selection, calendar, weather, sharing, and theme-based discussions/lessons
Music and Movement: Children will be exposed to a variety of music and instruments. Creative self-expression is encouraged.
Lunch: Parents are responsible for providing a lunch each day. Lunch will be supervised by our staff. We take food allergies very seriously and will work closely to ensure a safe eating environment for all children. | http://www.reachpreschool.com/our-curriculum/ |
When she has a free throw, Elena Delle Donne bounces the basketball three times. Then, she says a few words to herself and “I let it fly”. Nineteen times out of 20, Delle Donne scores.
Delle Donne is the most successful free-throw shooter in basketball history. She has landed 93.8% of her free throws in the rim – over 3% more than nearest rival, Steph Curry. She once made 59 consecutive free throws.
For Delle Donne, the road to perfection – or as near to it as possible – begins in practice. During breaks in training, while her teammates sit down and have a drink, Delle Donne shoots free throws instead. This work ethic is in keeping with the entire philosophy that governs her practice; it is best to train when she is physically and mentally tired to replicate match conditions.
“I practise free throws during all of my workouts and shoot them right after doing tough drills so I’m tired,” Delle Donne said. “Generally, when people are tired their mind is the first thing to go. So, if I can lock in and knock down free throws while tired it helps me in game moments when it’s on the line.”
Before she leaves practice, Delle Donne must make 10 successful free throws in a row. Such discipline imbues her with the confidence to shoot free throws when they matter most. Her record in playoff games is even better than overall.
“Sticking to the routine stops me from overthinking,” she explained. “You should never rush on the line but there’s also no reason to draw it out too long.”
The Delle Donne method is founded on simplicity, enabling her to repeat it under the fiercest pressure: bouncing the ball, setting herself up to shoot, and uttering a few words to herself. “It is something that is super positive and gives me confidence.”
One of the hallmarks of Delle Donne in these crux moments is her unstinting focus on where she wants the ball to go. In the seconds when she is about to throw the basketball, “I always stare right at the front of the rim right before the shot and as I shoot … To hit your target you have to keep your eyes focused on it at least until you release the ball.”
**
The feeling of reaching a plateau on the sports field is a familiar lament for athletes. Why, suddenly, do some athletes cease improving? And how do others avoid this curse?
The optimal challenge point is the sweet spot for training. This is the point at which practice is difficult enough to push athletes to develop new skills, but not so challenging that it is completely beyond their existing capabilities. The notion was developed by the scientists Mark Guadagnoli and Tim Lee.
“If an appropriate level of challenge is created during practice, some degree of short-term failure should occur, allowing an opportunity for growth,” Guadagnoli explained. “As a general rule, if you find that someone has more success than about 70–75 % of the time during practice, they’re probably not being stressed appropriately.” Such a rate of failure in practice yields effective long-term learning.
Leading athletes have been shown to be more inclined to work on their weakest areas. The effect was demonstrated in a study of expert and intermediate Gaelic footballers who practised two types of kick towards a target – from the hand and off the ground – using their stronger and weaker foot; the players were free to practise the skills however they wanted over a six-week period. The expert group practised the skill they were weakest at 65% of the time; the intermediate group practised the skill they were weakest at only 35% of the time. Expert players also spent longer reflecting on their performance before, during, after and between practice sessions and rated practice as more effortful and less enjoyable – but, perhaps as a result, improved at a faster rate than the intermediate players. At the end of the training period, the experts displayed a more marked improvement in performance. More onerous training help them avoid plateauing.
**
Eric Thibault is the assistant coach of the Washington Mystics. One of his responsibilities is effectively to be Delle Donne’s personal coach.
After each WNBA season, Thibault and Delle Donne discuss her previous campaign. Then, they hatch a plan for what she will do over the off-season. This process does not judge her by conventional WNBA standards, only by the player that they think Delle Donne can become. “We’re talking about somebody who is already one of the best players in the league, so we came at it from the angle of these are going to be incremental gains,” Thibault explained.
Before the 2018 season, Thibault and Delle Donne identified a relative weakness of her game: her lack of assists. “Our biggest room for improvement – your ability to make teams pay for over-helping and giving you too much attention,” Thibault wrote in his write-up of Delle Donne’s ‘offseason outline’ for 2017–18. In the outline, he wrote:
You have a career average of 1.6 assist per game, with 1.2 turnovers per game. For the sheer amount of attention you receive, you could achieve three assists per game without breaking a sweat (and without reducing your shot attempts)… For how much you have the ball, your turnover numbers are good. We would just like to turn the ‘escape’ passes against help and double teams into ‘attack’ passes.
The Best by Tim Wigmore and Mark Williams. Photograph: Nicholas Brealey
In 2018, Delle Donne went from 41 assists in the season to 67, comfortably the highest yet in her career. In 2019, her career best increased again, to 68.
Thibault uses video analysis and data analytics to break down Delle Donne’s shooting percentages all over the court. Before they got the technology, he or another coach would write down all of Delle Donne’s shots during practice. The analysis encouraged Delle Donne to take more shots in areas she is strongest, and to improve in comparatively weak areas.
“It wasn’t so much an area where she didn’t shoot well, it was more about balance,” Thibault explained. “We just found a couple of areas where she was under-utilizing her skillset. She only liked to go to her right hand one side of the court and so she was wasting an opportunity on the other side of the court to do the same thing.”
Thibault wanted to make Delle Donne “harder to predict”. While she was efficient all over the court, “she barely ever turned to her right shoulder from the right block”, doing so in just four out of 51 possessions in 2018. “A team that did its homework could sit on her left shoulder and anticipate a shot.”
In some drills, Thibault barred Delle Donne from turning on her left shoulder when receiving the ball in the right block, forcing her to turn on her right shoulder. “We might make her play one-on-one against one of our coaches or practice players where she couldn’t start by going the way she would normally go. We’d make her try to score going the other way.”
Delle Donne seldom delves into the statistics herself, but trusts enough in Thibault to act on his findings. “He works all that magic and I just show up and we work those spots.”
At the heart of Delle Donne’s training is the idea that practice shouldn’t just replicate the game, but be harder than it. Taking shots at the end of an a training session is designed to replicate the feeling at the end of an intense play-off game, she explained. “We’ll do certain drills that are high conditioning, and then we add shots to them at the end. So that’s a way to figure out how to push through the fatigue and mentally get past being exhausted but still be able to shoot.” A heart rate monitor is attached to Delle Donne during workouts, to ensure her intensity matches that needed in games.
In training, opponents are sometimes allowed to foul Delle Donne in a way that would be barred – officially, at least – during games. “I’ll always have a defender who’s contesting each of my shots, and there’s times when I’ll have them push me at the waist, so I still find a way to finish and make the shot while being hit.” So if Delle Donne is fouled during a game, she has learned how to take a shot regardless. “If you can finish while being exhausted and also getting hit here and there I think that’s a great thing to practise.”
The ferocity of her training makes actually playing games seem easier. “I like to make practice way harder.”
**
Steph Curry is such an extraordinary basketball shooter that fans flock just to watch him train. It has become an iconic sight; about an hour before each Golden State Warriors game, Curry is on court, receiving basketballs to shoot into the basket.
He begins by taking shots from just a little past the mid-range line. Then he moves further away, past the three-point line, into the corner of the court. These shots require extraordinary precision to execute – and Curry makes them even harder, taking the shots off-balance, with one leg off the ground, or leaning back, replicating the pressure exerted by an opponent.
“You find some very unorthodox ways to challenge yourself,” he explained. “It’s mostly balance work in terms of challenging yourself and making it a little bit harder in your practice than in the game – things click. That’s how all balance works – that is the foundation of your jumper shot.”
Curry’s pre-game routine does not finish until he has taken shots from inside his own half, long past what is futile for virtually any other professional basketball player. “In terms of trying to sustain it and shoot at a high level it’s about practising the shots I’ll take in games and repeating that motion over and over and over again.”
This is how Curry has become the best three-point shooter in the history of the NBA; he has scored 20% more three pointers per game than anyone else in history. Curry is at the apex of a revolution.
The attempt to refresh his practices is at the core of how Curry has changed the way the game is played. He even went through a phase of wearing goggles in training. “It’s just an extra stimulus that could test you and challenge you, take away some of your senses so that you could really lock in focus. As hard as I could make things in practice, that’s the easier it gets in games.” Using such goggles can help athletes develop multisensory function. Wearing goggles that prevent athletes from seeing their limbs during practice encourages them to use non-visual information to move their limbs, freeing vision to focus on what is happening elsewhere on court.
As Curry has improved, what he demands of himself in training has become ever more demanding. “I’ve got to continue to push myself. I hesitate sometimes to open the veil on that because there is a process to building your game and I do not want children kind of jumping steps in terms of their development. Once you get to high school, college, you can start to add more and more.”
**
Delle Donne’s offseason outline for 2018–19 included one very specific goal. She wanted to join Curry in the hallowed 50–40–90 club – maintaining a 50% field goal percentage, 40% three-point field goal percentage and 90% free throw percentage over the regular season.
In 2019, Delle Donne became the first ever woman, and only the ninth ever player in the NBA or WNBA, to join the 50–40–90 club. It was the latest mark of her greatness, but also of her ability to make good on the plans she hatched with Thibault.
“It’s funny to look back on that,” Thibault recalled. “Sometimes with Elena you can say something or make a suggestion or work on something, and she’s so capable of quickly turning around and implementing it or reaching a goal.
“When you have somebody that’s that elite and invested in their success and willing to work on what to other people may be pretty marginal things – a normal athlete might say oh that’s good enough, I’m already shooting X percentage, that’s already a great percentage. But when you have somebody that’s that willing to be coached, that’s already at that level, it just makes you want to help them any way you possibly can.”
This is an excerpt from The Best: How Elite Athletes Are Made by Mark Williams and Tim Wigmore (Nicholas Brearley, December 2020). Available now. | |
NBA legend Bruce Bowen had recently interacted with kids from the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program as part of the Jr. NBA Global Championship.
Moumita Mishra has been at home for the last couple of months, thinking back to this time last year when she was in Orlando, Florida, representing her country on the world stage. The coronavirus-induced lockdown has meant she has had to stay away from her first and only love - basketball.
The 16-year-old from Bengaluru is biding her time, like many others, and till then she will heed to the advice of 3-time NBA champion Bruce Bowen.
Moumita was one of the many boys and girls from Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program, who were part of a session delivered by Bowen on mental health and wellness in the times of coronavirus as part of the virtual Jr. NBA Global Championship.
She recalls that Bowen in his session spoke on the importance of working on oneself during this pandemic, as most are unable to train with their teams and coaches.
"He told us that we can focus on our mistakes and work on that. Because once we make sure that we are doing everything that we weren't good at and you make sure that we'll be better players," Moumita tells news18.com.
As for the time lost due to the pandemic, "there's nothing we can do. And that's exactly the negative part that's going to be putting other people down. And the answer is let and gets you worrying about what's going to happen. We should worry about ourselves right now because that's what we can work on," she says.
The session is part of the Jr. NBA Global Championship, which had previously been held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, where the current NBA Season restart is being played, but had to moved virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"To have over 1000 youth from the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program participating for the session says a lot about the reach of the program. Additionally, we engaged Jr. NBA Global Championship alumni – i.e. teams and player who competed in the global championship in Orlando last year – to participate in the life skills development session," NBA India’s Lead of Basketball Operations Marc Pulles tells news18.
"We thought it would be a great opportunity to re-engage young athletes who previously participated in the event to lead these meaningful discussions with their peers," adds Pulles.
Arnav Gupta, just like Moumita, had been present in the in-person event last year but this year he says the session was equally important and knowledgeable.
"Bruce said that during this pandemic, everything has come to a halt. But still, you should not take this in a negative way. Take this positively and learn to become a better person, better human overall. You can use the pandemic to become stronger and one can be more open and feel better about yourself that you haven't wasted this time period and you have actually worked on yourself," Arnav tells news18.
But Unlike Moutmita, who has not had access to a basketball court yet, 17-year-old Arnav has been training for 2 hour with his parent's help at his society court for around two hours for the last couple of days.
When asked about if the stoppage due to pandemic has made him rethink about basketball, Aranav was quick to reply, "I never thought that because I knew that all bad times come to an end. And this is just another test and the coronavirus will go away."
As for Moumita, she says, "I did think about that a lot. And I realised that if I think about that and not work towards it, because about two months ago, I wasted my time thinking about what I'd be doing, because everything that was happening and I wasn't really working on myself. So I stopped thinking about that and I started working on myself. And I realised that if I just keep doing my work, like on a day to day basis, I will reach where I want to go."
Marc Pulles shed more light on the NBA's plans to help their players and students in India to cope during this pandemic.
"Ultimately, the health and safety of our Jr. NBA community – including youth players, parents, coaches and families – is paramount. In the interim, we’re focused on doing all that we can to provide opportunities for young players to stay active and work on their game through ‘Jr. NBA at Home’. We’ve personally seen the power of virtual programming and events in helping youth stay active, engaged and connected to the game," says Pulles.
"With the available flexible online learning solutions technology affords, we continued to do some basic training for our student-athletes of the NBA Academy India and introduced curriculum based online basketball sessions for the NBA Basketball Schools."
The head of NBA India added: " At the start of the pandemic we launched Jr. NBA at Home, an interactive content series providing basketball skills and drills featuring NBA and WNBA players that can be completed individually and in limited space. More than 100 current and former NBA and WNBA players and coaches as well as Jr. NBA clinicians and Jr. NBA Flagship Network organization members have supported the cause, sharing drills, workouts and instruction which have garnered more than 116 million views around the world."
"Besides like mentioned earlier, we also got a very good response to our online training sessions of the NBA Basketball Schools. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy! Children sitting at home are constantly on the lookout for physical activity. Our online sessions serve as a perfect platform giving them a chance to brush up their skills and not lose touch with the game, all from the com fort of their homes. The drills are designed in such a way that it will keep the kids active in a fun way."
As for the Jr. NBA Global Championship, players from around the world will be going up against each other in a series using HomeCourt, a mobile basketball training app that uses advanced artificial intelligence to track key performance metrics such as speed, vertical jump, shot accuracy, release time and ball handling.
The tournament features top teams of 13 and 14-year-old boys and girls from eight US regions (Central, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southeast and West) and eight international regions (Africa, Asia Pacific, Canada, China, Europe & the Middle East, India, Latin America, and Mexico) that will run through mid-August.
The likes of Osheen Singh, Sameeksha Chandak, Shreya Bose and Riccha Ravi represented India while Janmejay Singh was the only boy to take part. | |
Since SHARE is an independent, volunteer-run user group focusing on enterprise IT, SHARE depends upon you, as representatives of its member organizations, to define, prioritize and ultimately deliver each conference’s technical content. Without YOUR input on the critical issues you and your enterprises are facing, SHARE’s technical conferences cannot provide the timely breadth and depth of content year to year.
At SHARE in Atlanta in March of this year, SHARE held an open focus group to discuss the issues associated with “Big Data and Analytics.” At this session and in detailed follow-up discussions, SHARE volunteers and conference attendees discussed the issues, tools and technologies associated with the emerging “Big Data and Analytics” topic. Participants were asked “Is it a new reality, something the mainframe has been dealing with for years, or just a vendor marketing ploy?” and some interesting discussions and debates occurred as we shared our thoughts and ideas.
We all know that our organizations have a lot of data. It accumulates so quickly it’s often difficult to maintain and obtain enough storage capacity. Then, we are expected to be able to abstract knowledge and value from all of the data in its myriad of formats. Add to that the efforts needed to keep up with new architectures, technologies and methodologies to help us mine the information from the data and you have a "challenging situation."
“In a digitized world, consumers going about their day—communicating, browsing, buying, sharing, searching—create their own enormous trails of data,” as reported in a May 2011 McKinsey Global Institute report. So how do we, in IT, manage and provide the tools and techniques to analyze this mostly unstructured data? And store it? And search it? And enable our organizations to find the valuable information in all of these bits and bytes?
As a result of YOUR input, at SHARE in Anaheim you can attend numerous sessions that will help you understand the what is meant by "Big Data and Analytics," discuss the issues associated with Big Data and Analytics with your peers, learn about the tools and technologies available to help you with managing and analyzing all of this data as well as hear about real-world practical applications that demonstrate how to support, maintain and provide valuable business information from all of your organization's data.
Although related sessions are spread across the week, the primary theme sessions are on Monday and Tuesday as a part of the Big Data Spotlight. Learn more about the spotlight at www.SHARE.org/AnaheimBigData and visit the SHARE Anaheim schedule at www.SHARE.org/AnaheimBigDataTrack to view the offerings in this track. As you look at these sessions for Anaheim, are their other topics related to "Big Data – Big Analytics – Big Needs" that are missing? What else should SHARE be offering in this arena? Do you have information related to this that you would like to SHARE with others? Your participation can help the IT community manage the challenges inherent in this arena.
The SHARE team working on this theme looks forward to hearing from you both online and at SHARE. After all, don’t just think about it; this is YOUR area of interest.
The Mobile Computing Revolution – Are You Ready? Is SHARE ready?
Similar to the Big Data focus group that guided the Big Data track for Anaheim, we will conduct a Mobile Computing Focus Group to guide our mobile track for SHARE in San Francisco in February 2013. Mobile computing has become an important and rapidly-evolving technology in recent years, thanks in part to various flavors of smart phones and tablets. It’s also become a must in the Enterprise space with more and more companies supporting a remote and constantly moving workforce. Are you trying to find new and effective ways to improve your mobile applications’ effectiveness? Does your company have a BYOD (bring your own device) policy? Should it? Concerned about the “dark side” of mobile computing? Just trying to survive as a remote employee or contractor?
Bring your ideas and recommendations to the Mobile Computing Focus Group on Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. in La Jolla so we can collect your input and help SHARE deliver a “Mobile Computing” track for SHARE in San Francisco in 2013 that exceeds your expectations! We know this is early, so we'll have coffee and continental breakfast waiting! | https://www.share.org/p/bl/et/blogaid=155 |
Harbor Security Force Established in Djibouti
A ribbon-cutting ceremony July 30, 2009 celebrated the establishment of a U.S. military harbor security force at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.
Officials from U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), the Djiboutian government, and U.S. and Djiboutian military personnel attended the ceremony at Port de Djibouti.
Commander of U.S. Africa Command General William 'Kip' Ward, CJTF-HOA Commander Rear Admiral Tony Kurta, Charge d'Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Djibouti Eric Wong, and Camp Lemonnier's Commanding Officer Captain William Finn were in attendance to witness the historic step toward enhancing the security operations for the port.
The new harbor security force was established after many months of coordination between the U.S. Navy's Camp Lemonnier leadership and the Djiboutian Navy. The establishment of the harbor security force will enable increased capabilities to protect maritime vessels transiting through the port in addition to providing training and operational opportunities between U.S. and Djiboutian personnel.
The harbor security force will consist of personnel from other U.S. Navy installations throughout the Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia region.
Finn said this diverse group of harbor security professionals will ensure the port is and will stay a secure environment to conduct maritime operations.
"I am honored to recognize and commemorate the efforts made between U.S. and Djiboutian forces in support of our harbor security force," said Finn. "Working together to compliment each other's capabilities, we have increased our ability to protect our ships as well as provide training and operational opportunities between U.S. and Djiboutian personnel. I sincerely appreciate the great support from our Djiboutian hosts."
Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa and is the only U.S. military infrastructure located in Africa to provide a base of operations for support services. The camp has approximately 2,500 U.S., joint and allied military forces, civilian personnel, Department of Defense contractors and 1,200 local and third country nation workers. The camp is the primary base of operations for U.S. Africa Command in the Horn of Africa and supports more than 23 tenant commands, including Commander, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa; U.S. Army 218th Field Artillery Regiment; and naval mobile construction battalion detachments. | http://hoa.africom.mil/story/7344/harbor-security-force-established-in-djibouti |
Editor’s Note: Great post from Roz Usheroff’s The Remarkable Leader Blog.
The other day I read an article in Forbes by Paolina Milana titled “5 Signs it’s Time to Leave Your Company.”
It was an interesting piece in that it talked about the need to read the signs as it relates to whether or not your company is a sinking ship. Citing ominous warnings such as senior management’s focus on cutting costs as opposed to investing in new opportunities, Milana suggested that under such circumstances one should look to jump ship.
This got me to thinking. What are the signs that your present position with your company is at risk? Specifically, the company is doing well but your value as an employee is no longer recognized.
In my twenty plus years working as a Leadership, Image and Branding Specialist, it is safe to say that in the majority of instances where someone after years of dedicated service suddenly finds themselves unemployed, there is always surprise and hurt. Despite this initial reaction, most upon further reflection have said that in hindsight there were signs that they should have noticed.
For example, one senior manager, who was just recently let go by her company after 15 years, lamented the fact that she had only made token efforts to find a new job despite clear indications that trouble was on the horizon. When asked why, she said that after so many years of being recognized for her work, she found it difficult to believe that she would be the odd person out, especially having come through two previous mergers/acquisitions unscathed.
The fact that she had made every effort to become part of the new management team made her termination that much more difficult to understand. However the underlying truth is that there are often times circumstances beyond our awareness and control that can conspire to undermine our position. This is why no one is truly safe in terms of job security.
So what do you do if you suddenly feel the outsider shadow looming behind you?
NETWORK!
Network? What do you mean network?
Quite simply effective networking has many benefits whether you are secure in your job or find yourself on the outside looking in.
Here are a few simple and immediate steps you can take to build a strong supporting network;
- Take the conversation to your boss rather than waiting for a review or the surprise of a pink slip. This will enable you to establish a rapport that will lead to a better understanding of your boss’ goals, and better align your abilities to help them to achieve them.
- Become an active participant in your company’s day-to-day business beyond your job description. Volunteer for a tough assignment or sit on a committee with individuals you may not know. Through this kind of involvement you will make new communication inroads that might alert you to possible changes including what you can do to become part of the new direction.
- Find opportunities to build meaningful relationships with those people who have influence and those who are likely to be involved in discussions as to who stays and who goes.
- Reach out to your HR partner to seek out advice on your job performance, explaining that you want to be seen as not just relevant but essential to the future of your organization. In this way, you are building sponsors.
- Extend your networking activities outside of your company to the broader industry. If you find that your present position may be at risk, having an established network versus trying to build one on the fly will open more doors on a more immediate basis.
When I spoke with another executive shortly after their unexpected dismissal, he reflected on the fact that the network he had built over the past few years was for him, a port in a storm. Besides receiving great emotional support from everyone with whom he had interacted, he discovered first-hand how valuable his network was in terms of getting the word out that he was now available and looking for a new position. | https://procureinsights.com/2012/10/02/have-you-overstayed-your-welcome-with-your-present-employer/ |
How to Cite a Research Paper: APA, MLA, ASA ... - EssayPro How to Cite a Research Paper in ASA Format Book: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country of Publisher: Publisher. Example: James, Henry. 2003. The Turn of the Screw. New York: Barns & Noble Books. E-Books: Author’s Last and First Name. Year of Publication. Title. Country ... Citation Machine: Research Papers In Education format ... Make sure your paper is error-free! Citation Machine™ uses the 8th ed. of MLA, 6th ed. of APA, and 17th ed. of Chicago (8th ed. Turabian). How to Cite a Research Paper in APA (with Pictures) - wikiHow
Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: 11. Citing ...
How to Cite a Website in a Research Paper - eduzenith.com Here are some guidelines about citing a website in a research paper, especially using APA style or MLA style. Carrying out research for a paper or for some other purpose used to be a very cumbersome and painstaking process before the advent of the Internet. Citation Machine: Format & Generate Citations – APA, MLA ... Citation Machine™ helps students and professionals properly credit the information that they use. Cite sources in APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, and Harvard for free. Citing Sources | Duke University Libraries 411 Chapel Drive Durham, NC 27708 (919) 660-5870 Perkins Library Service Desk
For research papers on history, the Chicago style is required. To cite scientific research paper, you must use the referencing style developed by the Council of Science Editors or the CSE. Academic papers written on the field of Biology, Environmental Science, Physics and Chemistry are just few of the scope of the CSE style.
What are the Different Methods of Research Paper Citation? Chicago style actually uses two different kinds of research paper citation. The author-date style is used for citing papers in the sciences, while the notes-bibliography style is used for papers that cover history, literature, and the other humanities. Citation Management | Cornell University Library Citation management tools allow a user to organize and retrieve information, such as citations for books, articles, and Web sites, by interfacing with library databases. The citation manager then works with word-processing software to insert properly formatted footnotes or citations into a paper and create a properly formatted bibliography. CHICAGO RESEARCH PAPER - Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ... Your Chicago-style research paper should have the following components: 1. Chicago-style title page. 2. The body of the paper with correct margins, in-text citations, etc. 3. Endnotes or footnotes. 4. Bibliography . Chicago formatting. Sample paper . LibGuides are for general reference and supplemental information. PDF Biology Research Paper Format - csub.edu
Citing in research papers - poetic
Citation Style Guides for Academic Papers and Other ... Citation Style Guides for Academic Papers and Other Publications When writing citations, your goal is to lead the reader of your paper to the same sources that you used . Depending on your discipline (arts & humanities, sciences, engineering, etc.), you will use a specific citation style guide and specific edition of the style guide (e.g., APA ...
How should I cite a reference that I found in a paper? | Editage Insights
How to Cite a Research Paper in APA (with Pictures) - wikiHow How can the answer be improved? | https://writezycafd.netlify.app/sedbrook12806hew/citing-in-research-papers-wim.html |
In this study, a dislocation-based crystal plasticity model for HCP crystals considering evolution of twin-microstructure is newly developed. In order to represent an anisotropic glide of dislocation in HCP crystals, a conventional dislocation-crystal plasticity model for FCC crystals is extended to that for HCP one. Additionally, a new deformation twining model based on the phase-field theory is coupled with the above model through an order parameter and resolved shear stress. In this model, elastic strain energy on twin plane and anisotropic interfacial energy between matrix and twinned region are adopted in the Ginzburg-Landau free energy as the bulk energy and the gradient energy, respectively. Using the above models, uniaxial compression tests under plane strain condition for Mg single crystal with different crystal orientations are demonstrated by means of FEM for dislocation-based crystal plasticity analyses coupling with FDM for phase-field one. From the results of the present simulations, it is shown that the present model can reproduce an anisotropic plastic behavior of Mg single crystal. Moreover, lenticular shaped twins as reported in many experimental studies are reproduced by a-axis compression tests. | https://keio.pure.elsevier.com/ja/publications/dislocation-based-crystal-plasticity-modeling-and-simulation-for- |
Ayurvedic face massage with oil on the wooden table in traditional style.
Written by: Anne Miller, MD, Psychiatry, Agnesian HealthCare Outpatient Behavioral Health Services
Ayurveda literally means “the science of life.” Rooted in ancient tradition, Ayurveda (eye-ur-VAY-duh) describes self-care practices, such as self-massage, that are based on biologic constitution or dosh (DOH’sha). There are season-specific and dosha-specific ways to reduce contemporary issues, such as insomnia, poor digestion, fatigue and poor concentration. This involves timing meals and bedtimes according to the Ayurvedic clock and cooking to include the Six Tastes.
Ayurveda is based on the idea that disease is due to an imbalance or stress in a person’s consciousness. Ayurveda encourages certain lifestyle interventions and natural therapies to regain a balance between the body, mind and the environment.
Daily cleaning of ama (toxins) by tongue scraping, Neti pot and nose oiling, self-massage, dry brushing and seasonal food-based cleanses are basic self-care practices that benefit all doshas. Specific types of oil, yoga and breath practices benefit different doshas.
Ayurveda can have positive effects when used as a complementary therapy in combination with standard, conventional medical care and for health maintenance/disease prevention. | https://www.agnesian.com/blog/what-ayurveda-and-why-do-i-want-know |
Business as usual won’t get us to the quality and scale of social change fast enough. We need new ways of experimenting, designing, and developing. Research and development (R&D) has brought wonders in other sectors, from life sciences to energy. The world of impact is starting to see benefits too.
From youth homelessness and social isolation in cities, to retraining pre-retirement workers and achieving economic reconciliation, problems are getting more complex and incidence rates are skyrocketing.
This is where the process of research and development (R&D) is highly relevant.
R&D has been a key mechanism for other sectors to uncover pathways to significant impact and growth. Whether it’s Netflix, Airbnb, or Tesla, organizations that are transforming their respective sectors relentlessly develop new programs, services, or product classes — and continuously improve their existing suite of offerings.
What is R&D? Social Innovation Generation characterizes it as a range of embedded capabilities, tools, and processes, suc
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Already have an account? Sign in. | https://futureofgood.co/how-to-make-the-case-for-research-and-development/ |
Chef Dominique Lory helms the kitchen at Monte-Carlo’s famed Louis XV inside the Hôtel de Paris. Alain Ducasse, the man in-charge of the establishment’s integrity, would never trust his kitchen to just anyone. So, he hand-selected Mr. Lory to join the team and utilize his extreme talent to impress and satisfy the most discerning clientele. We spoke with Mr. Lory about his kitchen, his love of the craft of cooking and the inspiration behind his incredible dishes.
IC: When did you know that being a chef was your life’s calling?
DL: I wanted to be a cook since I was 6 years old, and I decided to be a chef when I started to work as a cook. When I finished my apprenticeship, my tutor, M. Pastoureau, helped me decide to be a chef. He was awarded the “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France” title, and had always impressed me with his knowledge and mastery.
IC: What influences your daily menus and culinary focus?
DL: My cuisine tells the story of the Riviera more than ever. Products, flavors, colors – everything is there. Fish originates from local fishing, herbs and vegetables from the inland. Today’s cuisine must be light, even more so when on the Riviera. For this I use Provence garden vegetables, black truffle, green steamed asparagus and seasonal vegetables, which add a botanical tone to the menu. The preparation’s feature highlights like jus and broths which concentrate the flavors.
IC: What are your favorite ingredients to work with and why?
DL: I work with the best of local produce. When using such stunning produce, everything is good. I enjoy cooking vegetables. For example, pea pods are centrifuged to achieve a juice that will moisten the cookpot vegetables. Respect to nature is expressed by focusing my attention, paying tribute to the nobility of the produce throughout the process.
IC: What is your recommendation for a dish that anyone can prepare their guests that is easy yet delicious?
DL: My recommendation is to cook high quality produce. When using such quality ingredients, everything is good.
IC: What is the essence of a successful kitchen?
DL: I think the essence of a successful kitchen is attention to details. For example, the seasoning and the cooking time should be very precise. Moreover, you must be very attentive to each guest’s needs.
IC: When and where are you at your happiest?
DL: I am at my happiest when people leave their feedback about their dinner. I sincerely value their reviews and I take notes of their comments. My staff and I are concentrating our efforts towards a common goal – making every meal a unique and unforgettable experience. I am very pleased that they spent a wonderful moment in the restaurant Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris. | https://inspiredcitizen.com/the-genius-behind-alain-ducasses-louis-xv-an-interview-with-chef-dominique-lory/ |
Blog Short #43: How to Stop Overworking
Welcome to Monday Blog Shorts – ideas to make even Monday a good day! Every Monday, I share a short article with you about a strategy you can use, or new facts or info that informs you, or a new idea that inspires you. My wish is to give you something to think about in the week ahead. Let’s dig in!
Let’s start with a question today:
Do you feel guilty or anxious when you’re not busy doing something?
Many of us do. I remember as a teen trying to nap on the couch on Saturday afternoon and my mother saying something like, “If you don’t have anything better to do than that, I’ll give you something to do!”
The message was, “Get up and do something of value – it’s not okay to just lie around. That’s just wasting time and being lazy.”
My mom wasn’t trying to be difficult – she was just channeling how she was raised. More than that, she was instilling in me the American “work ethic,” which most parents did back then and still do to a large extent today.
If you were raised that way, you likely have those messages ingrained in your psyche just like I have, and feel either guilty or anxious or both when you’re not doing something that either needs to be done or feels worthwhile.
The problem is that in today’s culture, our activity level has escalated way beyond what our parents had in mind. We’ve adopted an all-or-nothing credo of manic activity and super busyness. We’re overworked, tired, and don’t know how to relax.
We don’t take the necessary time to recharge, and as a result, feel chronically overwhelmed, burned out, and are more likely to become ill.
So how do we turn that around and still maintain our work ethic?
There are two things we can do:
- Challenge our erroneous beliefs about work.
- Take the right steps to schedule downtime.
Myths About Work
These three myths influence our attitudes about work and rest alike.
Myth #1 – The longer and harder you work, the more progress you make.
Have you ever heard of the law of diminishing returns? It originated in the field of economics, but for our purposes, it means this:
If we work hard and steadily, there is a point at which the effort we put in no longer produces optimal results. We work harder and get less done.
For example, if I write for hours and hours, at some point, what I’m writing will begin to deteriorate and look more like gibberish. The expenditure of both mental and emotional energy will leave me enervated and unable to think anymore.
Where we get ourselves into real trouble is going for “the push.” It means:
Even though you’re tired and feel spent, you have to push through and get it done.
How often is this idea perpetrated on us?
All the time! We get it on the job, we get it in school, athletes get it from their coaches, and we get it from ourselves.
Myth #2 – Taking downtime leads to laziness.
Not everyone buys into this one, but those who do are tortured by it.
If you’re not busy, not productive, don’t check everything off the list, then your self-worth is in jeopardy.
Part of this myth is a perversion of the original definition of “work ethic.” The notion of “work ethic” comes from the Puritans who equated “working hard” with good character. They saw upholding a work ethic as a means of salvation.
Engaging in conscientious work and striving for excellence is character-building, but taking downtime does not lead to laziness or co-opt one’s desire for work. Rather, it enhances and creates the circumstances for working at an optimal level.
Myth #3 – Human beings will do nothing if given a chance.
This isn’t just a myth; it’s a fear – the idea being that we naturally prefer to do nothing if given a chance. There are modifications to this myth, such as we only want to be entertained, we don’t want to work for anything, we’re hedonists at heart.
Certainly, there is a continuum along which we can place ourselves in terms of the desire for work versus entertainment. Mostly, however, we choose work. We get bored with too much entertainment or slothful behavior. Human beings are industrious by nature and feel happiest when having purpose and pursuing goals.
How to Establish Recharging Time in Your Schedule
In addition to being aware of inaccurate ideas that influence your attitudes about work, here are five things you can do to balance your work/downtime ratio:
- Prioritize what absolutely needs to be done. That means letting things go that don’t need to be done right away. Get your priority list down to the minimum. You can always add on if you have more time.
- Time-block your work. Schedule beginning and end times for tasks. Take no more time than you’ve allotted. It may take a few tries to find out how much time things take, but when you time-block, you’ll be more focused and reduce multitasking. You also won’t allow interruptions to get you off track.
- Schedule downtime. Literally. On your calendar. Decide ahead what you’ll do during your downtime. If you don’t, you can fritter it away trying to decide how to use it. For example, you might scroll through social media until the time is gone and feel like you wasted it. If you want a nap, schedule it, take it, don’t feel guilty about it, and enjoy it. Approach your downtime that way every time.
- Let everyone else know when you’re taking downtime and inform them not to interrupt you. If you have younger kids, you’ll need to get creative about this. You can get them on board by helping them decide how they will self-entertain when you’re resting, or maybe trade off babysitting with a friend.
- Reduce, delegate, delete. Create some wiggle room in your schedule by deleting activities you don’t actually need to do or could be done by someone else. Delegate when possible, and reduce your workload in any way that’s feasible.
One Final Note
At least once a week, take an objective view of your workload and your feelings of stress, overwhelm, or general tiredness. Evaluate your needs for rest, sleep, and relaxation and schedule accordingly.
Secondly, keep in mind that being busy all the time can be addictive. It can:
- Give you a sense of momentum and purpose.
- Allow you to ignore feelings or issues you don’t want to face or approach.
- Keep feelings of emptiness at bay.
If any of these things apply to you, take some time to evaluate if there’s a better way to tackle them other than staying busy.
I hope you have a great week!
All my best, | https://barbfrazier.com/blog-short-43-how-to-stop-overworking/ |
Responsibilities: Our client is a well-respected global automotive parts supplier with a growing customer base and continuous repeat business from existing contracts. They require the addition of a strong manufacturing/industrial engineer.
In addition, the incumbent will assist on customer product requests, assess production line downtime and root cause, as well as cell capacity. Your continuous improvement/KPI expertise will make you a strong candidate.
Daily production reports are key and the expertise to provide solutions to bottleneck and /or quality issues; capital appropriation requests, design of and follow up on preventive maintenance programs for assigned lines, and coordinate maintenance/repair when necessary.
-Proven skills in automotive environment with minimum 3-5 years related experience working with plant equipment processes and engineering methods improvement, testing, equipment upgrades.
-Strong project management skills and an understanding of modern manufacturing techniques (Six Sigma, Kaizen or similar) and an ability to initiate action and follow through on problem resolution. Strong communication skills.
Demonstrated experience and knowledge of OHSA and company H/S policies including training program implementation.
This is a stable organization with quality products which promotes career advancement within the organization. Competitive salary and benefits, good management team. | http://core-exec.com/Seekers.Detail.asp?Key=1384 |
A conventional speed changing ( transmission ) unit is constructed such that the output shaft of an engine is connected to the input shaft of a torque converter and the input shaft of a transmission is connected to the output shaft of the torque converter, while a lock-up clutch is interposed between the input and output shafts of the torque converter so as to operatively connect them to each other via the lock-up clutch.
Such a lock-up clutch has the following five problems from the viewpoints of structure and control.
(1) Problem relating to hydraulic pressure in the torque converter PA0 (II) Problem relating to lock-up off timing PA0 (III) Problem relating to hydraulic pressure in the lock-up clutch for the period of time from lock-up off till lock-up on PA0 (IV) Problem at the time of gradual increasing of hydraulic pressure PA0 (V) Problem relating to hydraulic pressure in the lock-up clutch during normal running of the vehicle
FIG. 25 is a hydraulic circuit diagram which illustrates a conventional control system for the lock-up clutch. This control system includes a lock-up clutch 4, a torque converter 2, a transmission tank 100, a strainer 101, a hydraulic pump 5, a main relief valve 102, a torque converter relief valve 103, a rear brake ring 104, an oil cooler 105, a plurality of oil filters 106, a cooling relief valve 107, a lubricating relief valve 108, a transmission lubricating section 109, a lock-up modulation valve 110 and a solenoid valve 120. The lock-up clutch 4 is controlled with respect to its operative engagement, disengagement from the operatively engaged state and gradual increasing of hydraulic pressure by operating the lock-up modulation valve 110 via the solenoid valve 120.
FIG. 26 is a schematic sectional view which illustrates by way of example the inner structure of such a conventional modulation valve 110 and solenoid valve 120 and FIG. 27 shows a plurality of characteristic diagrams for respective component each illustrating how characteristics vary during speed changing (i.e., shift change) as time elapses.
Specifically, with this control system, during speed changing, a lock-up "OFF" signal is first sent to a solenoid of the solenoid valve 120 (time t.sub.1). As a result, the solenoid valve 120 is brought in an opened state as shown in FIG. 25, whereby pilot hydraulic pressure set by the main relief valve 102 flows through the solenoid valve 120 to displace a piston 130 of the modulation valve 110 in the leftward direction. As the piston 130 displaces a spool 132 in the leftward direction via the piston 131, a port D which has been communicated with the lock-up clutch 4 is closed with the spool 132 and thereby hydraulic oil in the lock-up clutch 4 is drained.
Then, after a predetermined period of lock-up delay time for holding the lock-up clutch 4 in an OFF state elapses, a lock-up "ON" signal is sent to the solenoid of the solenoid valve 120 (time t.sub.2) . As a result, the solenoid valve 120 is shifted to a closed state so that working oil which has thrusted the piston 130 is drained via the solenoid valve 120. Thus, pressure of the working oil which has thrusted the piston 130 is reduced to a level of 0 Kg/cm.sup.2, causing the spool 132 to be displaced in the rightward direction by a spring 133 until the valve 110 is brought in an opened state. Consequently, main hydraulic oil flows in an order of A.fwdarw.C.fwdarw.D and is introduced into the lock-up clutch 4. After a filling time t.sub.f elapses, the lock-up clutch 4 is fully filled with hydraulic oil.
At this moment, hydraulic oil which has been introduced through the port D enters a hydraulic chamber 135 between the piston 131 and the spool 132 via an orifice 134 with the result that hydraulic pressure P.sub.v at an outlet of the valve is set to an initial pressure P.sub.o (=Kx/S.sub.1) under a condition that a force induced by hydraulic pressure active on a pressure receiving area S.sub.1 of the piston 131 is balanced with resilient force (kx, where K designates a spring constant and x designate an initial displacement) (see FIG. 27(c)). Thereafter, hydraulic oil which flows through a drilled hole in the valve body 136 to reach a hydraulic chamber behind a piston 139 via an orifice 138 in the cover 137 thrusts the piston 139 in the rightward direction. As the piston 139 moves in the rightward direction, hydraulic pressure in the lock-up clutch 4 is increased.
On the the hand, for the period t.sub.f of filling, hydraulic pressure in the lock-up clutch 4 is held at a level of almost zero but it is gradually increased after it is raised up to initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a at the same time when the filling is completed (time t.sub.3). When the piston 139 comes in contact with a stopper, increasing of hydraulic pressure is stopped and hydraulic pressure at this time becomes a set pressure P.sub.b for the lock-up valve (time t.sub.4).
Operation of the modulation valve 110 during the speed changing has been described above. The initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a and a characteristic of gradual increasing of hydraulic pressure derived from the conventional modulation valve 110 are firmly determined depending on the set load Kx of the spring 133, the pressure receiving area S.sub.1 of the piston 131 and other factors. Thus, hydraulic pressure can not be changed arbitrarily.
Further, the foregoing control system is constructed such that the lock-up clutch 4 is fully immersed in a hydraulic chamber of the torque converter 2 and the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 is exerted on the back pressure portion of a piston of the lock-up clutch 4 via a hydraulic passage 115 (see FIG. 25). Accordingly, with this control system, e.g., at the time point t.sub.3 when hydraulic pressure P in the lock-up clutch 4 is raised up to the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a, the lock-up clutch 4 is practically operated with a differential pressure P.sub.s (=P.sub.a -P.sub.t) derived by subtracting the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 4 from the initial clutch pressure P.sub.a, as shown in FIG. 27(d). Thus, when the lock-up clutch 4 is to be brought in an operatively engaged state, it is not filled with hydraulic oil and thereby it fails to be brought in an operatively engaged state, unless hydraulic oil having hydraulic pressure higher than the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 is supplied to the lock-up clutch 4. Here, the differential pressure P.sub.s caused when the clutch hydraulic pressure P is raised up to the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a will be hereinafter referred to as an actual initial hydraulic pressure.
For the reason, a conventional apparatus for controlling a lock-up clutch is constructed such that the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a is set appreciably higher than the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 and hydraulic pressure for the lock-up clutch 4 is then gradually increased from the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a.
However, the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 varies as an engine speed varies. Thus, with the conventional control system, the actual initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.s varies as the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 varies. Accordingly, with the conventional control system, since the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a in the lock-up clutch 4 is kept unchanged, e.g., when the hydraulic pressure P.sub.t in the torque converter 2 is increased, the actual initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.s is reduced.
In this manner, with the conventional apparatus, since the actual initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.s to be practically exerted on the lock-up clutch 4 varies as hydraulic pressure in the torque converter 2 varies, the initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.a to be given by the modulation valve 110 is set to such a high pressure that the actual initial hydraulic pressure P.sub.s is not less than zero or is not equal to zero. For the reason, with the conventional apparatus, a period of clutch engaged time (i.e., filling time) fluctuates with the result that a malfunction such as a large magnitude of shock caused by speed changing (shift change) occurs (see FIG. 27(f)).
FIGS. 28(a), (b) and (c) show how hydraulic pressure in a first speed clutch, hydraulic pressure in a second speed clutch and hydraulic pressure in a lock-up clutch vary as time elapses, while taking account of speed changing, e.g., from the first speed to the second speed, respectively.
According to the conventional control system, if a speed changing command is issued at the time t.sub.1, the first speed clutch and the lock-up clutch are turned off at this time t.sub.1 and hydraulic oil starts flowing in the clutch for second speed. As a result, at the time t.sub.1, hydraulic pressure exerted on the clutch for first speed and hydraulic pressure exerted on the lock-up clutch are reduced from a predetermined pressure to a level of zero, as shown FIGS. 28(a) and (c). On the other hand, hydraulic pressure exerted on the clutch for second speed starts gradual increasing from the time t.sub.2, after the filling time t.sub.f elapses, as shown in FIG. 28 (b) .
The filling time t.sub.f represents a time for which hydraulic oil is filled in an empty clutch pack at the rear stage clutch. When the clutch pack is fully filled with hydraulic oil, the filling time is terminated and hydraulic pressure in the clutch at the rear stage (clutch for second speed) starts increasing.
As the filling time t.sub.f elapses, output torque from the speed changing unit is reduced to a level of zero, as shown in FIG. 28(d). The reason why such reduction occurs is attributable to the following two factors.
The reason why the lock-up clutch is released during speed changing consists in reducing load to be carried by the speed changing clutch or suppressing consumption of energy generated by the engine. With the prior art, however, the lock-Up clutch is turned off at the same time when the clutch at the front stage (clutch for first speed) is opened (time t.sub.1). While the lock-up clutch is turned off, engine output passes through the torque converter but, at the time of this operative state, a speed ratio of turbine to pump in the torque converter, i.e. an e value (=N.sub.t /N.sub.p) assumes 1. FIG. 29 shows a plurality of characteristic curves of the torque converter. As is apparent from the drawing, when the foregoing speed ratio e is 1, the torque converter remains within the coupling range (the working range having a torque ratio of 1) but does not remain within the converter range (the working range in which torque exchange takes place). Thus, torque exchange does not take place in the torque converter at any time later than the time t.sub.1 when the lock-up clutch is turned off.
For the period of filling time t.sub.f until the clutch pack is fully filled with hydraulic oil, hydraulic pressure is not raised up to a level sufficient to bring the clutch in an operatively engaged state.
In this manner, according to the conventional control system, the period of time t.sub.1 to t.sub.2 for which output torque is reduced to zero is existent due to the above-described two factors and the foregoing period of time offers a factor of breathing at the time of speed changing or degrading a property of acceleration.
Usually, a system wherein at the time of speed changing, the lock-up clutch is completely released from the operatively engaged state (hydraulic oil in the clutch is drained, in other words, hydraulic pressure in the clutch is reduced to zero) and then pressurized hydraulic oil is supplied again (during speed changing, the vehicle runs with the use of the torque converter to reduce a load to be carried by the speed changing clutch) is employed for the conventional apparatus. This leads to such problems that time required for filling the lock-up clutch with hydraulic oil, i.e., the filling time fluctuates and a large magnitude of shock occurs when the lock-up clutch is brought in an operatively engaged state.
As described above, the conventional modulation valve 110 provides an uniformly extending firm pattern of hydraulic oil in the lock-up clutch and thereby a characteristic of gradual increasing of hydraulic pressure at the time of starting of forward movement of the vehicle or during speed changing is kept constant at all times.
When the lock-up clutch is brought in an operatively engaged state, the input shaft of the transmission is connected directly to the output shaft of the engine. This permits variation of torque of the engine to be transmitted to the output shaft of the transmission. With the conventional apparatus, however, since the lock-up clutch is supplied with hydraulic oil having a comparatively high pressure during normal running of the vehicle, variation of torque of the engine is transmitted to the output shaft of the transmission as it is left unchanged. Due to this problem, the conventional apparatus does not carry out lock-up running not only in a low speed region where the engine is rotated at a low speed but also in a high speed region where the engine is rotated at a comparatively high speed. This leads to another problem that the engine is rotated with a degraded property of fuel consumption.
The present invention has been made with the foregoing background in mind.
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for controlling a lock-up clutch wherein variation of the actual initial hydraulic pressure corresponding to variation of hydraulic pressure in the torque converter can be prevented reliably.
Other object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for controlling a lock-up clutch wherein a phenomenon of breathing during speed changing can be prevented by eliminating a period of time for which output torque during speed changing is reduced to a level of zero, a property of acceleration can be improved and shock caused by speed changing and locking-up can be reduced substantially.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for controlling a lock-up clutch wherein a property of fuel consumption can be improved by frequently executing lock-up running of the vehicle.
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Autophagy is essential for mitochondrial clearance in mature T lymphocytes.
Macroautophagy plays an important role in the regulation of cell survival, metabolism, and the lysosomal degradation of cytoplasmic material. In the immune system, autophagy contributes to the clearance of intracellular pathogens, MHCII cross-presentation of endogenous Ags, as well as cell survival. We and others have demonstrated that autophagy occurs in T lymphocytes and contributes to the regulation of their cellular function, including survival and proliferation. Here we show that the essential autophagy gene Atg7 is required in a cell-intrinsic manner for the survival of mature primary T lymphocytes. We also find that mitochondrial content is developmentally regulated in T but not in B cells, with exit from the thymus marking a transition from high mitochondrial content in thymocytes to lower mitochondrial content in mature T cells. Macroautophagy has been proposed to play an important role in the clearance of intracellular organelles, and autophagy-deficient mature T cells fail to reduce their mitochondrial content in vivo. Consistent with alterations in mitochondrial content, autophagy-deficient T cells have increased reactive oxygen species production as well as an imbalance in pro- and antiapoptotic protein expression. With much recent interest in the possibility of autophagy-dependent developmentally programmed clearance of organelles in lens epithelial cells and erythrocytes, our data demonstrate that autophagy may have a physiologically significant role in the clearance of superfluous mitochondria in T lymphocytes as part of normal T cell homeostasis.
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Social Work and Police Partnership: A Summons To The Village Strategies and Effective PracticesThis report addresses the social work/law enforcement relationship and the role of police and other human service agencies in dealing with community problems. Traditionally, law enforcement and human service agencies share the most difficult portion of the others’ client caseloads but there has been little interagency communication or cooperation. Effective intervention and prevention requires more than police action and goes beyond the capability of any single agency. Social service has always been a key part of policing while serving victims of crime and offenders has been a major emphasis of social work. Law enforcement and social work have served the same target groups but with varying success. The community now demands that both institutions combine resources and skills to reach those in crisis and victims of crime. Problem oriented community policing is still a work in progress but there is consensus on four elements: prevention, problem solving, partnerships and organizational change. Using these elements as a foundation, this document describes police/social work partnerships that serve as a community response to crisis situations signaled by calls for police service. Heretofore, community policing has focused on developing relationships with individual citizens through foot/bike patrols, dispersed “community policing” sub-stations and neighborhood improvement. Building partnerships with human service agencies has received far less attention. Social work/police partnerships are the next logical step in the development of community policing. They meet the mandate to work together for the benefit of the whole community and to deal with chronic repeat calls for service. These calls signal a serious problem usually involving multiple forms of abuse and indicate the need for summoning the entire village to provide effective intervention and preventive services. The study was conducted to learn about the development, operation and impact of social work/police partnerships on recurring domestic violence and associated deep-rooted police service delivery problems. This document describes effective practices of five successful social work/police partnership models. Chapters I and II give the background of the problem. Chapter III describes five successful partnership models and Chapter IV provides a composite of critical effective practices gleaned from the study sites. Chapter V outlines steps for assessing the problem. Chapter VI and VII are designed to serve as a project development checklist for program planning, implementation and assessment of effectiveness.
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Time to Step Back and then Move Forward: The Current Frenzy is AsinineWriting of the issues surrounding police engagement with all manner of abnormality, social conflict, deviance, disasters, and disorder, has its slings and arrows. This constant foray into adversity and social dysfunction may result in harmful outcomes for psychological, emotional and physiological systems. Working overtime, dealing with a public that has lost civility in many cases creates stress, adversity, and trauma. Overtime cost may take a toll; we have examples, yet, not all is lost!
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A Question of Police Role?Laws are created and passed by civilian legislative bodies to include: (a) the stated statute, (b) the elements of a crime, (c) criminal procedures, and (d) prescribed punishment if found guilty. Moreover, appropriately these become the duty of the District Attorney, Judge, and Jury. Civilians make the law, not the police! Police are created to enforce the law. Citizens are expected to adhere to the law. A broader picture often lost in the discussion as some feel any behavior, any attitude, any disdain for society is acceptable. Not so!
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Taking a Smart Approach to Community ProblemsWhen negative events persist, sometimes for years, the solution approach utilized is not working. Rather than continue along an unsuccessful path, a new tactic is needed. The model, the sustainable community capacity building, provides the steps for achieving successful and durable change. Public and private partners from within the community (neighborhood, business, volunteers, other geographic configurations and professional services) are critical in the examination of needs and the development of sustainable programs. Progress is required in adopting a course of action that includes problem identification and drill down exploration, community building, prevention strategies and sustainable solutions.
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The Historical Value of Time as a Concept of ChangeWith the merger of two police departments into a single agency and the hiring of a visionary police chief, the winds witnessed many re-engineered changes. These changes included adopting community problem-oriented policing as the core philosophy of services, the addition of Geographic Information System software to enhance the analysis and mapping of crime, disorder, and violence and combining the planning and crime analysis units into a single Research, Planning and Analysis Bureau. Central was the integration of the community and police into a working partnership that would address threats to the quality of life in the City of Charlotte.
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Addressing & Preventing PTSD in Civilian Emergency ServicesThe face and eyes of police and first responders provide a window into the internal world of thoughts and feelings. When exposed to danger, adversity or traumatic events, they learn to cope, over time, by presenting a mask of calmness, strength, and resiliency. Below the surface lies the accumulating stress, adversity, and trauma whose very presence is harmful to the mind and body of the individual, a lurking danger whose existence may lead to severe consequences.
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A Kaleidoscope View of Urban and Rural Policing: How Misunderstanding and Uncaring May Impact on Police OfficersExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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An Examination of the Chicago Dilemma: By Implication, the Remainder of the CountryExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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What to Believe About Police? : When Hype and Illusion Replace Our Willingness to Self-AnalyzeBlaming police, public safety, first responders, corrections and other federal, state, county, and municipal agencies is often a deflection of attention from facts. Why, is it to persuade and seek support for a particular position and less about solutions? Police officers are held accountable when facts and evidence emerge. Lawful protocol and procedure come into play, not emotion and unsubstantiated accusation. Is that not exactly what you and I would also demand?
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The Past Meets the Future and Has Not SeparatedExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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Eight Hours in the Shadow of a Police OfficerComments on police and community interaction often follow an incident resulting in a protest march, demands for the removal of a public office holder, for police to be arrested and other proposed actions. The focus is singularly on police and not the similar behavior of individuals who initiated the confrontation in the opening minutes of interaction. The hue and cry are not about finding sustainable solutions to long-standing problems; it is seeking some quick fix, the sustainability of which is elusive. There is always a larger story than what the media fixates on, and in ignoring it, a disservice is a result. For every encounter with adverse outcomes, the police have confronted someone or a group from the community with whom they are seeking interaction. The behavior of individuals also contributes to the results of the encounter and they must be included in the overall examination. Hindsight, including a variety of agendas, emotions, the inevitable “what it?” questions and many other variables fail to bring clarity to the event before the investigation is complete. The resolution is not possible. The combination of many contributing factors often directs what happens during the call for service.
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Recognition of Our Civilian Emergency and First Responders for Their ServiceWe honor our military and so should it be. The military services engage with those whose compulsion to kill or control others is stronger than a civilized approach to differences. They work in all weather, all conditions, facing not only human enemies of civilized society, but the threat of harm from technology, weapons, and other violence. They work nights, holidays and in weather others avoid. They are away from loved ones, those feelings never diminishing, because of duty responsibilities. Civilian emergency service workers also have a daily concern for their safety and survival, while enduring action that could lead to injury, disability, and death. Where others fear to tread, they overcome, persist and often rush to danger, as they are the civilian warrior class we cannot do without.
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The Factor of Combat Stress Reaction: Comparing Military Combat to Law Enforcement and Current Social ViolenceExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn. This chapter looks at combat stress reaction and compares the effects on military and police.
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Thinking about Policing and the Current Pressure Points: Some Ideas!In my twenty-four years in policing as a sworn officer and chief, followed by an additional twenty-five plus years in higher education, I have some personal observations that I want to share. I refer to the existing polarized state of police and community hyperbole. The new mantra of “breaking news” does not wait until the facts are known before judgment is cast. Yes, some of it is bias and subject to special interests, but to the majority of us, policing has a distinct and essential place in society to keep the peace and to knock down crime and criminality. An important aspect sometimes lost is the absolute need to engage in police and community partnerships centered on collaborative quality of life efforts. The police are not separate from the community, and neither is the community different from the police. Stop acting as if that is true! This post will undoubtedly bring retort as everything seems to do so these days. There are six steps to be taken to improve police and community conditions, with those who want a harmonious society and not turmoil for selfish reasons. The following aspects, when strengthened, can make a difference, at least to my beliefs and experience.
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Recognizing and Addressing the Symptoms of PTSD in Our PoliceExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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Examining Underlying Causes of Concern about Police ActionExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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From the Center Outward! Implementation Model of Sustainable Community Capacity BuildingImplementation Model of Sustainable Community Capacity Building Steps: Collaborate Believe Motivate Organize Develop Capacity Implement Evaluate
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Strengthening Resilience of Our Police and First RespondersExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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The Reality of PTSD in Police/Law Enforcement, Emergency Responders, and Custody ServicesExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn.
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When the View of Change is MyopicExcerpt from author's book, “Issues in Policing and Requisite Challenges” (2016), ISBN-13: 978-1540375841, first published in LinkedIn. | https://soar.suny.edu/handle/20.500.12648/1946/browse?type=dateissued |
On the internet, 365 is known as being the daily photography challenge. You can do a 365 project of just about anything: self portraits, your kids, your pets, or your Blythe dolls (just to name a few things).
I started my first 365 project on February 23, 2010 with a little doll that you may be familiar with: Sophie. I decided on Sophie because she was the one I was the most familiar with, personality wise, and plus she looks good in a lot of things. I may have also been playing favourites at the time and decided that it was tag, you’re it! 365 is not for the faint of heart. I’m not saying that because it’s really, really hard (which it is) but because it’s just a long, long time to be doing something.
A year can seem both really long and really short at the same time. It’s a year of remembering to take a photo, maybe make up something witty for the commentary, maybe remember that a doll’s been in the same outfit (in photos!) for the last three weeks. Maybe I’ll remember that (but I probably won’t).
The idea seems simple – take a photo of something once a day. What can be difficult about that? And now that I have a smartphone, I can just snap a quick little shot and upload it to Instagram or Flickr while I’m on the bus or during a study break – I don’t even need to use a ‘real’ camera or pull out any camera cables! But it’s more than just taking any photo, but one that you’re willing to share. And I took a lot of really bad photos during my 365 with Sophie. I had photos taken in poor lighting, I’m pretty sure that most of my photos were taken in my room rather than in more interesting locations like other people take their 365 Blythes. But that’s okay, because that’s what worked for me in that time (I was a full-time student taking a full course load… I’m still a full-time student taking a full course load…).
I wanted to challenge myself again. Even if half of the photos that I take in the next year end up being mostly from Instagram (and I’m sure a lot of them will be), at least I will have done it again. And this time, I’ve decided to not put myself (and Sophie) through the hassle of making her my 365 girl again (she’s far too busy these days with spending my money and writing her Love, Sophie column!). I decided to choose someone else, someone a little bit ‘younger’ in terms of personality and someone who may appear a little… pinkish at first.
BlytheLife readers, may I introduce you to Eden Mouse? She’s a mostly stock Punkaholic People who loves pink, almost always keeps her pink mouse helmet on, adores cotton candy and playing with dolls. She’s ‘younger’ than my other dolls and has the same hair cut that I did when I was very young. | http://blythelife.com/index.php/2013/01/02/why-i-decided-to-do-365-again/ |
Remembering a depressive primary object: memory in the dialogue between psychoanalysis and cognitive science.
Memory has always been a central issue in psychoanalytic theory and practice. Recent developments in the cognitive and neural sciences suggest that traditional notions of memory based on stored structures which are also often underlying psychoanalytic thinking cannot account for a number of fundamental phenomena and thus need to be revised. We suggest that memory be conceived as a) a theoretical construct explaining current behaviour by reference to events that have happened in the past. b) Memory is not to be conceived as stored structures but as a function of the whole organism, as a complex, dynamic, recategorizing and interactive process, which is always 'embodied'. c) Memory always has a subjective and an objective side. The subjective side is given by the individual's history, the objective side by the neural patterns generated by the sensory motor interactions with the environment. This implies that both 'narrative' (subjective) and 'historical' (objective) truth have to be taken into account achieving stable psychic change as is illustrated by extensive clinical materials taken from a psychoanalysis with a psychogenic sterile borderline patient.
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'Human Biology' reviews 'A Troublesome Inheritance'
The editors of Human Biology, in partnership with Wayne State University Press, are pleased to announce that a recently published set of reviews of Nicholas Wade’s A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes Race, and Human History will be freely available to all interested readers. Wade is a longtime science writer for The New York Times. His recent book argues that “human evolution has been recent, copious and regional,” and that this evolution has created distinct races.
Agustín Fuentes, Jonathan Marks, Jennifer Raff, Charles C. Roseman, and Laura R. Stein reviewed A Troublesome Inheritance in the most recent issue of Human Biology. While the reviewers all believe that Wade’s arguments are flawed, they acknowledge that race is a subject scientists need to explore further. By making these reviews free to the public, the journal’s editors hope to encourage and facilitate these conversations.
The reviews are available from Wayne State University Press and to subscribers of BioOne, JSTOR, and Project MUSE.
About Human Biology: Founded in 1929, Human Biology is an international, peer-reviewed journal that focuses on research to increase understanding of human biological variation. Among the topics considered by the journal are anthropological, quantitative, evolutionary, and population genetics and genomics; ancient DNA studies and paleogenomics; demography and genetic epidemiology; and ethical and social implications of human genetic and genomic research.
Human Biology is the official publication of the American Association of Anthropological Genetics (AAAG), an educational and scientific organization founded in 1994. More information, including subscription details, is available here. | https://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/news-events/news/detail/human-biology-reviews-troublesome-inheritance |
This thick sauce originates from the Canary Islands and in particular the small island of Gomera. It is traditional to use a cheese such as a mature La Gomera, but any strong, hard cheese will be fine.
Ingredients
- 6 ripe tomatoes (about 425g), cut in half
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt or pink Himalayan rock salt
To make the almogrote
- 8 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 1-2 guindilla peppers
- 140g hard, mature, strong cheese, broken into chunks
- The roasted tomatoes, drained (reserve the oil)
- 90g stock of your choice
- The reserved olive oil, made up to 120ml
Mise en place
- Preheat the oven to its highest setting.
Method
- Arrange the tomatoes in a roasting tin, cut side up.
- Drizzle the oil over them and lightly sprinkle with the salt.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 150° C (300° F - gas 2), [fan oven 130° C & reduce cooking time by 10 mins per hour] and continue roasting for a further 1½ hours, by which time the tomatoes should have shrunk to half their original size.
- Allow the tomatoes to cool thoroughly or even leave them in the fridge overnight.
- Place the garlic, and guindilla(s) in the TM bowl and process 10 seconds / Speed 5.
- Scrape down the inside of the bowl and add the cheese.
- Process 1 minute / Speed 5-10 progressively.
- Add the tomatoes and the stock and blend at Speed 5 until you have the consistency of a paste.
- Ensure the MC has open end upright and slowly pour the oil onto the lid of bowl, running at Speed 5 until all the oil has been emulsified.
- Continue blending until you have the desired consistency - I like mine with a bit of texture although you can make it as smooth as you like.
Serving suggestions
Serve with boiled potatoes or papas arrugados, hard boiled eggs or simply spread it on bread or toast. It can also be used as a dip.
Recipe source
- The recipe is based on one in Canarias - cocina tradicional by Vicente Sanchez Araña (ISBN 9788444120157). It has been translated, adapted and converted for Thermomix.
Chef's notes
I doubled the ingredients listed in the original recipe, because I am a pig. Also the roasting of the tomatoes was my idea, to add extra flavour, but there is no need to do so.
See also
Graph your Body Mass Index
See your personal Body Mass Index (BMI) plotted on a graph against national averages. | https://www.cookipedia.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Almogrote_gomero_(TM)&action=info |
Anna Karenina (Sony Centre, Toronto, April 2015) based on Tolstoy’s novel.
A very compelling ballet to us with a great sense of theatre. The raw emotions ride out through Boris Eifman’s choreography. His lifts in all the pas-de-deux are powerful and dramatic. Highly recommended.
In memory of Erik Bruhn, the celebrated Danish dancer who was originally associated with (Denmark's) Royal Ballet, (Britain's) Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and The National Ballet of Canada during his career. We have been attending this competition practically since the beginning, early nineties, and have always found it to be of a very high standard, appreciating the quality in the dancing often overlooked by the ever rising technical standard. Unlike most competitions, the candidates are young professionals, "on the way" and already showing maturity.We also found the contemporary section inspiring this time round. A clip was shown of Bruhn during rehearsals and performances, expressing what dance had brought to him over the years as an artist and a human being. We vividly remember the magic he created in Swan Lake, opposite Nadia Nerina, while guesting with The Royal Ballet in the sixties - we haven't forgotten it - He was a true gift to the profession.
Video Presentation: excerpts from Lennart Pasborg's documentary about Eric Bruhn, "I'm The Same But More".
One or two thoughts on our London UK visit, and at the Four Seasons in Toronto.
We have seen Manon many times in the 80’s in London, and in the 90’s in North America, (Toronto and New York), so we were very happy to see it again after quite a while. Manon is Kenneth MacMillan’s hot blooded full length ballet, set in decadent Paris during the Regency period (1715 - 23), with lavish costumes by Georgiades; a time socially torn between corrupt affluent life and extreme squalor. Based on a French novel by Abbe Prevost, suggesting the story is somehow a reflection of his own life. The musical score is by J. Massenet. The main character is about a young girl, Manon, who in our view, has a tendency to be too carefree for her own good and who does not foresee consequences. She is ardently pursued by a young wealthy student, Des Grieux, whose love for her is unconditional, while her brother Lescaut, a gambler and a drunk, is looking to sell her off to the highest bidder, probably to support his habit. This is Mon. Guillot de Morfontaine, a wealthy man who showers Manon with gifts, and she falls for his wealth.
We always watch for the dancer’s interpretive qualities in the Ballroom second act, where Manon is “in a bind” between wealth, comfort, and her true love for Des Grieux. Here lies the acting challenge of this very dilemma she is put through. Some dancers we saw emphasized Manon’s relishing Mon. GM’s fortune; while others showed more guilt in their choice between wealth and their love for Des Grieux. Others think she knows exactly what she is doing and call her scheming.
For us, MacMillan’s spectacular free lifts in “the double work”, apparently reminiscent of skaters’ lifts,is a high spot in the two bedroom duets and in the last act (New Orleans swamp) where both Manon and Des Grieux escape from punishment for their trickery and gambling. Massenet’s touching score and the long held poses express all the passion and tragedy in the narrative. Some Des Grieuxs were openly devastated about the plight of Manon, while others were more subdued and just as believable. Equally, some Manons were delirious before death and others completely drained from illness and exhaustion.
Our observation from this programme, (apart from all the last minute cast changes, an added challenge), was that all first timers have the makings of becoming excellent lead characters; there are a lot of young hopefuls right now. Overall we drew something positive from all dancers, the first timers, the more seasoned and the soon to retire, in London and Toronto. We saw so many performances, it was hard to digest it all. Our appreciation to all the dancers, staff and to both orchestras at the “Royal” and the “National” ending it all on a high note.
Toronto Cineplex, Dec7th 2014 - La Bayadere, Bolshoi Ballet. New production 2013 - Artistic Director, Sergei Filin.
As we have previously stated, for a lot of us, this is an excellent substitute if one cannot get to see the real thing. All the company was looking good, partiularly in the second act, with Maria Alexandrova as Gamzatti. Her flair was so refreshing; she is such a feisty dancer, and we were fortunate to catch her in this performance as we missed her in the same ballet last year in London when she suffered an onstage injury.The Shades Act, always a highlight for us, definitely met our expectations. The main drawback when watching on screen is that the camera determines how one watches the ballet while we think it should resemble a live performance. An added bonus were the insightful backstage interviews during the intervals with directors and dancers; an added dimension. We would also like to hear less applause during the performance as it makes it harder to follow the story, but all theatres vary on this score. At any rate, we are most greatful we can see these top class companies at home.
The last time we saw Boston Ballet was at the London Coliseum in the early '80s, then, of course, a different company; today it's fresh, healthy and vibrant. The program states the dancers represent 18 countries. Taking into account all the thought processes that go into touring and trying to show the dancers in the best possible light, we would still like to see them at home in a full length for their full potential. A nice taster, nonetheless.
The ballet,” Afternoon of a Faun”, is one of the first modern ballets, moving right away from the classical idiom, first performed in Paris in 1912 with choreography by V. Nijinsky (born in Kiev to Polish parents - R. Buckle) of the Ballets Russes. The exotic music is by. C. Debussy and the sets and costumes by L. Bakst. The work was inspired by a poem by French poet Mallarme. Nijinsky’s work is set in a woodland glade during Greek mythological times about a faun, half boy half beast, who meets several nymphs and starts to chase them.
Nijinsky’s choreographic style suggests human and animal profiles of Greco-Roman art in antiquity, giving a flat background and looking like a frieze, or as seen on paintings of ancient Greek vases. We therefore see the chain of nymphs in profile shuffling past the faun. The ballet closes with the most desirable nymph dropping her scarf while breaking away from the faun, who then picks it up, climbs back to his hill to lie-down on it, and as Ballets Russes ballerina, Lydia Sokolova, described in her own words, performed “his final amorous descent” upon the veil. This caused a huge uproar at the time, due to its sexual content.
We liked both the faun and principal nymph; sound performances from both, capturing Nijinsky’s style and enhancing the soothing mood created by Debussy’s music.
American Ballet Theatre performed at the Met. Shakespear’s popular classic romantic comedy, Midsummer Night’s Dream; “The Dream”, choreography by Ashton, music by Mendelssohn. Romantic and magical; we have always had a soft spot for the final “pas de deux”; for us, one of his most emotional. Saw both casts, who were very skilled, and able at interpreting his challenging and articulate choreography.
Swan Lake; must acknowledge H. Seo who “held the fort” with M. Gomes (Siegfried), stepping in as “Odile” in the Black Swan act, replacing an unfortunately injured G. Murphy. On another night, she was partnered by R.Bolle; as always, a charming and confident Siegfried.
Also, caught the last Giselle with A.Cojocaru and D.Hallberg; a revelation for us; their intellectual understanding was memorable, and S. Abrera was a very assertive Myrtha.
A fine summer dance season in Manhattan. Thanks to all dancers and the orchestras in both companies.
These are some of the highlights from some of the performances we saw.
Our visit to the Linbury Studio Theatre (a more intimate venue than the Royal Opera House for more experimental work), we saw Hansel and Gretel, a well known fairy tale of German origin by the Brothers Grimm in 1812, but in this production, Liam Scarlett has set it in the McCarthy era, with all it's social obstacles. A chilly, spooky tale about a destructive step-parent taking complete control of the whole family unit - all too common. Paradoxically, family life in those days seemed very stable from the outside. The two neglected siblings are left to wonder in the forest until they reach a cottage where they fall into the hands of a wicked witch.The entire cast in their own context were very persuasive and we liked the witch who had an unerring character of cynicism, mystery and terror.
We also caught the mixed bill at the Royal Opera comprising of Rhapsody, a string of visual poetry with music by Rachmaninov and choreography by F. Ashton. This challenging piece is packed with fleeting steps interwoven with upper-body flow, reminiscent of Ashton.The whole cast, we thought was up to the task, and we remember the opening cast two years ago, (more mature), who were then well versed in this style. It was hard for us to believe that the two younger casts were new to this work.
Central to the triple bill came Tetractys/The Art of Fugue - From the Greek "tetrad" signifies literally the number 4. Choreography by W. McGregor, the music by J.S.Bach, the esteemed fugue composer, set and costumes by T. Auerbach. McGregor uses computer technology and bio-science. This intellectual piece with a full strong cast, vibrant lighting and costumes was hard for us to absorb and therefore needs more viewing. The last performance unfortunately was cancelled due to injury and illness. I would have liked to have watched the collaborative process, in the studio, leading up to the end product. On balance, this piece worked well with the other two "heritage” ballets, the last being Gloria, another ballet we have recently seen with the same casts. Sorrowful music by the French composer, Poulenc, for solo and chorus, choreography by K. MacMillan about war and death; a very relevant subject today. Here MacMillan reflects upon his father's suffering during the Great War. Very dramatic lighting and both casts responded with dedication and sensitivity. Adding to this, "Men in Motion", at the Coliseum, was a taste of Russian miniatures with samples of relatively recent works by choreographers and dancers whom we have only read about but finally got to see.
Giselle, a Romantic ballet in two acts; choreography, Petipa after Coralli and Perrot, music by Adam.
This ballet was performed in Paris , the most significant arts centre at the time, the title role danced by the Swedish-Italian Marie Taglioni in 1841. A story full of emotions; love, betrayal, forgiveness, reconciliation and resignation, this London performance was beautifully staged and revived by Sir Peter Wright.
bookseller-publisher, said in his “The Ballet Called Giselle” ( publ. 1944 p.56): “By no stretch of imagination can the score of Giselle be called great music, but it cannot be denied that it is admirably suited to its purpose. It is danceable and it has colour and mood attuned to the various dramatic situations”.
filled out the music. Other memorable parts were: a strong peasant ‘pas de six’ in the first act, and first night Hilarion, who, we felt, acted with despair rather than anger trying to save Giselle from Albrecht’s deception. Last but not least, the ‘corps de ballet’, the backbone in our view, meticulously coached, and were all supported by a first class orchestra.
A great evening for us.
It was good to visit in the fall season after such a long time. Our favourite choices were the two Shakesperean themes; we think Ratmansky is a resourceful choreographer: "The Tempest", a "fragmented narrative", was to us intelligently and concisely put together. The Sibelius score was so suitable to the story with imagination and exotic subtleties. In particular we loved Ariel the Spirit, and the central pas-de-deux of the young lovers showed great sensitivity and affection. The costumes were enchanting, and the props were very effective and not overdone.
Limon's "The Moor's Pavane, Variations on a Theme of Othello", for us is a powerful piece of theatre, pure lighting effects with music by Purcell. The choreography looks deceivingly undemanding in contrast with the strenuous psychological component, and all the cast carried the ballet convincingly.
Revisited "A Month in the Country"; here Ashton sets the mood (in the household) of which he is a master. We would need to see this ballet many times more as the choreography is so intricate.
"Theme and Variations": a favourite of ours; Balanchine-born into a musical family-brilliantly visualizes Tchaikovsky's music. The Conclusion is especially exhilarating when both music and nimble dancing at the end culminate in the beautiful Polonaise. A real treat!
As we have already seen ethnic Indonesian dancing, we really liked Mark Morris' take on this theme (Gong) with imagination and playfulness. Charming shadows, and colourful costumes.
For us the music is paramount and as always ABT's orchestra well bolstered these performances.
Despite the malicious acid attack on Artistic Director Sergei Filin, we felt the company performed well and were very happy to see them again.
What stayed with us was the compelling casts. We found Obraztsova's Nikiya sincere and touching, and liked her warmth of personality especially in Act I. Zakharova, who is physically very gifted, gave a graceful performance as Odette. Her Aurora had a delicate quality, beautifully poised with pure line, partnered by a noble Hallberg.
To mention a few others: Smirnova (a beautiful Lilac Fairy), Chudin who was an affable Solor, and Lantratov's dynamic Evil Genius.
The Corps, as always, was solid particularly in the Shades Act; the young soloists, appealing with a very watchable quality - and hats off to all who stepped in to salvage the rest of the ballet (Bayadere first night).
We would really like to see a change in their choreography. It was very disappointing not to see the original endings.
We have such fond memories of the Bolshoi; we visited the Bolshoi Theatre in November 1982, the same month Leonid Brezhnev passed away.
Finally, we wish Sergei and his family all the best, and above all a swift recovery back to work.
Thank goodness for today's technology; we were all very fortunate to see the Bolshoi's heroic Spartacus. This technology is doing wonders for people everywhere to view major dance companies from home.
This was a magnificent performance, displaying the Bolshoi's bold and sweeping style, with a commanding cast. Our heartfelt thanks to all who made this possible…..
A mixed bag for us at the ROH.
Enjoyed the Ashton bill; the dancing was exquisite. Happy to see Monotones after a very long time. Liked 24 Preludes, fluid and lyrical, so suited to the RB style, in contrast with Aeternum which was more austere. Orchestra, costumes and designs every bit as commendable.
Glad we caught " Eugene Onegin" alongside the ballet as we were interested to hear the original music.
Once more, an invaluable visit to the ROH. Our thanks to everyone involved.
Danes sweep Erik Bruhn prize 2012…….
In French; general arts multimedia.
Grigorian.com - Canada's leading independent music retailer for more than 30 Years.
Sruti:A Monthly Magazine on Indian Performing Arts. | http://terpsichore-cmlos.com/dance-dance-related.html |
Dams and Waterways, a title in the five-title series Frameworks: Science, Technology, and the Built Environment, illuminates the history, architecture, environmental impact, and scientific and engineering principles behind the design and construction of dams, canals, and other waterways around the world throughout history. Examples include aqueducts in the Roman Empire, the Hoover Dam, Aswan High Dam, Three Gorges Dam, and the Erie Canal. Dams and Waterways provides an interdisciplinary, visual approach that combines informative text, fascinating background information, and basic scientific principles with dozens of full-color photographs, illustrations, diagrams, and other visuals. It highlights the importance of structures that support essential functions of everyday life from the irrigation of crops to the generation of hydroelectric power. Appropriate for a broad audience of students, teachers, librarians, and general interest readers, Dams and Waterways is an excellent supplemental resource for subjects covered throughout the curricula: science, technology, and society; art and architecture; economics; and world history and culture.
Table of Contents
About Frameworks; Chapter One: The Basics of Water Supply; Chapter Two: Irrigation and Drinking Water; Chapter Three: Dams and Reservoirs; Chapter Four: Waterwheels, Mills, and Hydroelectric Power; Chapter Five: Transportation Canals and Locks; Chapter Six: Problems in River Engineering; Chapter Seven: Dikes, Seawalls, Levees, and Other Flood Protection. | https://www.routledge.com/Dams-and-Waterways/Phillips-Priwer/p/book/9781315705286 |
Paris has crafted a law that “filters” the information “in the media sphere in the way France itself wants,” Lavrov said.
Speaking to reporters during his trip to Vietnam on Monday, the minister recalled how RT and RT France, as well as Sputnik news agency, routinely get labeled by French officials as “fake news” as part of the alleged Russian ‘influence campaign’.
They’re being barred from everywhere: from the [president’s] Elysee Palace, from various events.
“When we bring this up to the French, they say: it’s all fine because they’re not the media, they’re instruments of propaganda,” he said.
Lavrov also mentioned that officials in Paris rebuff Russia’s appeals to the OSCE rules against creating obstacles to the access to information for citizens and journalists alike.
They tell us: well, it was [adopted] in 1990, so let it stay in 1990.
One of the pillars of the OSCE approach to the right to communication is the Copenhagen Document on the Human Dimension, adopted in 1990 and signed by France. According to the document, freedom of expression includes“freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.”
French President Emmanuel Macron proclaimed his anti-RT and anti-Sputnik policy in 2017 when he – then a candidate in a presidential race – barred their reporters from entering his campaign’s HQ. He later described both outlets as “organs of influence and propaganda” and accused them of spreading slanderous stories about him.
RT and Sputnik strongly rejected Macron’s allegations. “To this day not a single example, not a single piece of evidence, has been presented to support the claims that RT spread any slander or ‘fake news’ about Mr. Macron,” RT’s editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan said at the time.
In 2018, RT France journalists were denied entry to Macron’s residence at the Elysee Palace to cover his official briefing, despite having the required credentials. The same year the parliament adopted a controversial law allowing a crackdown on the dissemination of “false information” in the media.
Most recently, in 2019, Macron implied that RT and “the Russians” were amplifying the ongoing Yellow Vest protests against his government. | https://www.yerepouni-news.com/2019/02/26/paris-filters-the-information-lavrov-scolds-france-for-its-treatment-of-russian-funded-media/ |
is a band, composed of musicians who present their favorite songs to an authentic and personal way. Their joy in the music is noticeable from the first note they are playing.
The songs are from different genres and are individually arranged. So the four professional musicians drag the audience into the spell with humor, charm and the love for details.
The repertoire is ranging from classics of jazzhistory to soul- and blues compositions of Ray Charles or Tom Waits and up to popsongs of the 80´s.
The songs are wonderful arranged by Winne Voget, who expresses his musical passion not only trough the piano, as he also likes to grab the guitar and sing.
Christiane Brambrink, who´s warm and emotional voice immideatly takes the listener on the journey sings solo, duet and trio.
The singing is carried by the virtuoso piano playing and the perfectly coortinated group, consisting of Konny Wiesen playing the double bass and Christian Lennerz doing cajon and percussion. | https://www.myguidenamibia.com/events/broomhill-live-in-namibia |
At Airbus, how we work is just as important as what we produce. We are guided by a set of six values, each chosen by the very people who embody them.
Customer focus, integrity, respect, creativity, reliability and teamwork. These values shape the DNA of our business, reflecting the unique blend of qualities found in every member of our global family.
Customer focus is deeply embedded into our mindset, driving us to deliver on time, on cost and on quality. We partner with our customers to satisfy their needs and deliver benefits through valuable and sustainable solutions. We understand that each of us has an impact on customer relations through the work we do, which is why we always act with integrity and to the highest professional standards.
Read more about Customer focus and watch the testimonial video.
We work with integrity, choosing to speak up when our principles for ethical conduct are not respected. Our zero tolerance on unethical and non-compliant actions enables us to move forward with positivity and care. We act as ambassadors for the company, representing the integrity of Airbus even when we are outside work. The Airbus Ethics and Compliance programme seeks to ensure that the company business practices not only conform to applicable laws, regulations and principles, but remains above all ethical standard benchmarks.
Respect guides us in our daily interactions. We respect each other, our customers and our products. We focus on building trust through transparent and honest communications. We create inclusive working environments, where all employees are listened to and valued for their individuality. We treat each other, and all our stakeholders, in the same considerate way that we would wish to be treated ourselves.
Read more about Customer focus and watch the testimonial video.
We value and encourage creativity. We recognise that creativity exists in many forms, with ideas brimming at every level, from “shoot for the moon” ambitions, right down to our daily work. Creativity can often mean simply looking at things in a different way and our collaborative culture allows us to build on ideas and continually improve the work that we do. We make sure that everyone at Airbus has the time, space and tools to progress ideas with imagination and passion. We are always ready to act with courage, challenging our ideas and learning from our processes when we need to go back to the drawing board.
We strive to maintain and build on our standards, proving and cementing our reputation for reliability. We each feel responsible for the collective success and progress of our global team and take accountability for our actions and outputs. We are dependable and can be trusted to ensure the safety and success of our products. We take pride in our work, ensuring the service and products we deliver are exceptional and completely reliable.
Read more about reliability and watch the testimonial video.
We understand that there is power in individuals, but believe there is a much greater power in collaboration and teamwork. We seek to create engaging and inclusive workplaces, where everyone has the freedom to speak up and listen to each other with an open mind.
Our unifying statement of We Are One is embraced at every level of our global community, enabling faster decision-making, less bureaucracy, greater collaboration and increased efficiency. With an employed workforce of more than 134,000 people, teamwork is vital to making us a global leader in aeronautics and space.
Read more about We are One / Team Work! and watch the testimonial video. | https://www.airbus.com/company/we-are-airbus/our-values.html |
- Optional: Garelick Heavy Whipping Cream, marshmallows, peppermint sticks, etc.
How to
Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, slowly stirring as the chocolate melts to prevent scorching.
- Adjust salted caramel flavor to your preference, then use a milk frother to fully blend the hot cocoa.
- Pour into two mugs, then top with your favorite hot cocoa pairings.
- Serving suggestions:
Mini marshmallows with caramel drizzle and sprinkling of sea salt flakes.
Dark chocolate, milk chocolate or white chocolate dipped pretzel sticks for stirring.
Mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint flakes or mini candy canes.
Top with Garelick Heavy Whipping Cream
Recipe and image provided by Half & Half magazine.
Simple Hot Cocoa
- Simply heat Garelick Chocolate Milk and top with your favorite hot cocoa toppings and serve! | https://garelickfarms.com/recipes/salted-caramel-hot-cocoa-and-simple-hot-cocoa/ |
Thread breaks and frays may or may not be separate issues. Thread breaks can be caused by tension issues, machine timing, thread path interference, thread caught under spool, old or Rayon thread or poor digitizing. Thread frays usually have more to do with timing, burrs and nicks in the thread path.
Why does my embroidery thread keep fraying?
Worn needles can cause fraying. The needle may need to be changed. Thread tension might be too tight. Excess friction will fray embroidery thread.
Why is my embroidery thread shredding?
The most common reason why thread shreds, frays, or breaks at the needle is because the eye is too small to accommodate the thread, causing stress and friction, which results in shredding or breaking the top thread.
How do you stop loose threads from unraveling?
Tie off the loose threads to prevent unraveling. You will need to tie the threads off to prevent further unraveling. At each end of the opening, you should have two threads, four in all. At one end of the ripped seam, tie these two threads together snugly against the edge of the seam.
How do I know if my embroidery thread is bad?
How to Tell If Your Thread Has Gone Bad
- Light. Light can cause thread to fade and weaken. If you notice it’s visibly faded, say goodbye or use it for a less important project.
- Humidity. Humidity is another enemy of our sweet spools. …
- Dust. Dust can also settle on spools.
What are the common embroidery thread problems?
Common Embroidery Sewing Problems; Possible Causes and Solutions
|Problem||Possible Cause|
|Difficulty using metallic threads||1. Needle eye too small 2. Tension too tight|
|Thread pigtailing||1. Top tension too tight|
|Looping||1. Too many stitches in pattern 2. Tightly woven material|
What thread tension should I use?
The dial settings run from 0 to 9, so 4.5 is generally the ‘default’ position for normal straight-stitch sewing. This should be suitable for most fabrics. If you are doing a zig-zag stitch, or another stitch that has width, then you may find that the bobbin thread is pulled through to the top.
Why is my thread breaking when I am free motion quilting?
Adjust the bobbin tension as well to fine-tune your stitches. Many times thread breaks simply because the tension settings are too tight for the thread. Starting from the “loose side of things” and tightening the tension produces better results than to try and work backwards from a “too tight” setting.
Why is my bobbin thread shredding?
Your Thread Tension Is Too Tight
Your thread tension should be adjusted for different weights of fabric and thread. Make sure that you are using the same weight thread in both your bobbin and upper thread. … If your bobbin tension is too tight, it can pull your thread and break it.
Why is my thread cutting while sewing?
The upper thread tension could be set too tight. Set the tension to the best thread tension setting or less. Make sure the spool of thread is installed correctly using the correct size spool cap for the size of spool. … Check that the bobbin is wound so that it about 80% full and that the thread is evenly wound.
How do you stop a thread from rubbing?
Clear your thread path.
Of course it’s going to break! Using a thread lift avoids the spot cap issue altogether and also lets tightly wound threads “relax” before they make their way into your sewing machine. Just keep an eye out for “pooling” when you set your threads up vertically.
Why is my zig zag stitch skipping?
Make sure that the thread is in the tension disk and the spool is placed correctly on the machine. Also, double-check to see if the bobbin is in the correct way and threaded tightly. Sometimes, a poorly wound bobbin is the culprit for skipped stitches. Good quality thread also plays a part in nice and even stitching. | https://sewmanypins.com/needlework/best-answer-what-causes-embroidery-thread-to-fray.html |
Thank you for purchasing your ticket for this Sunday's Brunch.
Please email Cat Bynum at [email protected] to complete your reservation including the total number of people in your party and each person's full name.
Failure to complete the reservation may result in a wait as you will be placed on a first come first served basis.
Patrons must be 21 and over. We do not seat partial parties. We will hold your table up to 15 minutes after your reservation time.
To enhance the experience of all of our guests, we ask that you please respect our dress standards.
We consider tattered or poorly maintained clothing, certain athletic wear and extremely provocative attire too informal for the dining experience we strive to provide.
While we love our guests to be comfortable, we consider overly casual attire “underdressed” at The Park.
Disclaimer: The Park at 14th retains the right to deny entry based on non-compliance with Park rules (www.park14.com), including those related to dress code and intoxication. Dress code restrictions are at management's discretion and do not pertain merely to categories of clothing but to execution of style. | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/park-brunch-day-party-tickets-57556015592?aff=ebdssbdestsearch |
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Assistant Cook
EmployerNorthland Properties Corporation
Date PostedOctober 13, 2021
LanguagesEnglish
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Location Sherwood Park, AB
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Earnings $15.50 to $17.50 hourly (to be negotiated)
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Work Hours 35 hours per week
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Position Permanent Full Time
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Vacancies 5 Vacancies
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Closing Date Nov 12, 2021
Employer
Northland Properties Corporation
Languages
English
Education
Secondary (high) school graduation certificate
Cook Categories
- Cook (general)
- Line cook
- Short order cook
Cuisine Specialties
Canadian
Experience
2 years to less than 3 years
Work Setting
Restaurant
Specific Skills
- Train staff in preparation, cooking and handling of food
- Supervise kitchen staff and helpers
- Manage kitchen operations
- Clean kitchen and work areas
- Maintain inventory and records of food, supplies and equipment
- Prepare and cook complete meals or individual dishes and foods
Security and Safety
Bondable
Transportation/Travel Information
Public transportation is available
Work Location Information
Urban area
Personal Suitability
- Flexibility
- Reliability
Kitchen Helpers Skills
Clean and sanitize kitchen including work surfaces, cupboards, storage areas, appliances and equipment
Benefits
- Medical Benefits
- Dental Benefits
- Group Insurance Benefits
- Life Insurance Benefits
- Vision Care Benefits
- Other Benefits
How to Apply
Anyone who can legally work in Canada can apply for this job. If you are not currently authorized to work in Canada, the employer will not consider your job application.
By e-mail:
By Mail:
50 PEMBINA ROAD
SHERWOOD PARK, Alberta T8H2G9
Advertised Until
Nov 12, 2021
Important notice: This job posting has been provided by an external employer.The Government of Alberta and the Government of Canada are not responsible for the accuracy, authenticity or reliability of the content.
- METHODICAL
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Interest in compiling information to monitor food and supplier inventory
- OBJECTIVE
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Interest in precision working to prepare and cook complete meals and individual dishes and foods, and to prepare and cook special meals for patients as instructed by dietitians and chefs
- directive
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Interest in supervising kitchen helpers; and in overseeing subordinate personnel in the preparation, cooking and handling of food
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker. | https://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/alberta-job-postings/assistant-cook/35120366/ |
486 F.Supp. 595 (1980)
Nestor GONZALEZ, Plaintiff,
v.
William F. BOLGER, Defendant.
Civ. A. No. 78-2226.
United States District Court, District of Columbia.
March 7, 1980.
*596 Gary H. Simpson, Bethesda, Md., for plaintiff.
Whitney M. Adams, Asst. U. S. Atty., Washington, D. C., for defendant.
MEMORANDUM OPINION
GESELL, District Judge.
Plaintiff, a United States citizen of Puerto Rican national origin, was employed as a distribution clerk at the Washington, D. C., Post Office until his termination in May, 1978. He brings this action against his former employer, alleging that he was discharged unlawfully in retaliation for his exercise of rights protected under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq. (1976) ("the Act"). Following his pursuit of administrative relief, he now seeks from this Court reinstatement, monetary damages, and a broad injunction to prevent similar future reprisals. The Court has jurisdiction under 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-5(f) and -16.[1]
After plaintiff filed his complaint pro se and was served with discovery requests, the Court appointed counsel to represent him. Subsequently the complaint was amended bringing plaintiff's claims into sharper focus, and discovery proceeded in timely fashion. A trial having been held and post-trial briefs submitted by able counsel on both sides, the Court now issues this Memorandum Opinion, constituting its findings of fact and conclusions of law.
*597 I.
Plaintiff was employed by the United States Postal Service in January, 1971, as a temporary distribution clerk at the Washington, D. C., Post Office. Following two years at a smaller office in suburban Maryland, he returned to the Main Post Office at North Capitol Street and Massachusetts Avenue, N.E., ("Main Post Office") in January, 1973. Subsequently he was assigned to handle incoming mail on a shift extending from 3:30 p. m. until midnight. He worked under various floor foremen and tour superintendents who in turn reported to an administrative foreman, Mr. Major Campbell.
Incoming mail is sorted on an assembly line basis by employees working side by side under tight supervision and time constraints. It was the practice to shift employees from their principal assignment to other related duties on an emergency basis in order to meet manpower needs. During the period at issue, plaintiff, like others, was so assigned temporarily from time to time. As a consequence, he came under the supervision of different foremen in different units. Campbell, as plaintiff's administrative supervisor, was responsible for keeping plaintiff's attendance records and informing him of new management policies.
Although his early work performance at the Main Post Office was for the most part acceptable, plaintiff was at times the subject of disciplinary action related to his poor attendance record. In late 1976, prior to his assignment to a unit supervised by Campbell, plaintiff was given a 28-day suspension as a result of being AWOL for over 1800 hours. According to plaintiff this absence related to an alleged injury that was not confirmed by a timely medical report from his physician.
The Washington, D. C., Post Office employs some 7000 men and women, of whom 400-500 occupy supervisory positions.
In mid-1977, plaintiff and five other Postal Service employees at the Main Post Office formed a Committee to Humanize the Postal Service ("CHPS"). Through periodic newsletters, press releases, and occasional meetings, CHPS members voiced a range of grievances based on claims of degrading and discriminatory treatment of employees by Postal Service management. Plaintiff was particularly agitated because he felt that discipline was meted out more harshly to Spanish-surnamed individuals than to Caucasians. Although available data does not establish the alleged gross disparity in disciplinary treatment, there is sufficient evidence in the record from the 1976-77 period to establish as reasonable plaintiff's belief that Hispanics were subject to harsher discipline than whites at the time. Plaintiff actively asserted his own perceived grievances and became a vigorous champion of black as well as Hispanic grievants, frequently acting upon request as their EEO representative.
During early and mid-1977, the Washington, D. C., Post Office, through its Director of Employee Labor Relations, Mr. Carmen Errico, issued a series of memoranda regarding its policies for according "official time" (i. e., on-duty release time) to employees and their representatives who wished to prepare and present EEO complaints. These memoranda purported to follow standards set forth in the applicable Civil Service regulations, now codified at 29 C.F.R. § 1613.214(b) (1979).[2] Under the Errico policy statements, EEO complainants and their designated representatives were allowed a "reasonable amount of official time" to participate in the actual filing of a complaint with an EEO counselor, but were not permitted "on-the-clock time" for preliminary discussions between a prospective complainant and his or her representative or for other aspects of complainant's formulation of his or her formal complaint. CHPS members criticized the latter feature of Errico's policy, insisting that Civil Service regulations and Postal Service instructions required a complainant and his or her representative to be given liberal time off the clock in the initial pre-complaint stages of an EEO matter. Direct correspondence between CHPS and the Civil Service Commission *598 resulted in letters, later discounted at trial by the Commission, which appeared to support the CHPS members' position.[3]
Post Office authorities continued to believe there was no requirement to grant a complainant or a representative time off the clock prior to the filing of a formal EEO complaint. In practice, however, this policy was not always strictly enforced. When the volume of incoming mail was not excessive, employees would often be allowed official time for complaint preparation so long as the requesting employee notified his supervisor as to his precise whereabouts or checked in periodically to see if he was needed on the workroom floor. Much depended on the attitude of a given foreman at the moment.
Campbell, as plaintiff's administrative supervisor, was not unsympathetic to plaintiff's EEO concerns. He advised various foremen and superintendents for whom plaintiff worked that plaintiff should be released to pursue EEO matters when the workload was not too heavy. Plaintiff benefited from this more relaxed practice. He filed innumerable requests for official time to prepare to present EEO complaints on behalf of himself and others. On some occasions, he was given extended periods of release time for complaint preparation with the proviso that he check in as described above. On other occasions he was refused. However, he was never refused time off when a complaint was imminently to be filed or an appointment had been scheduled with an EEO counselor or investigator.
When plaintiff's requests for release time to prepare a complaint were denied he was refused because not authorized by the Errico policy or on grounds of excessive workload. The formal Errico policy was based on Errico's belief that allotting a "reasonable amount" of official time involved balancing employee rights against the necessities of efficient Post Office operation. Plaintiff deeply resented these denials, which he viewed as part of a concerted action by the Postal Service to foster race discrimination and stifle complainants.
Frustrated over the perceived uncertainty in defendant's application of official time policy, and fueled by a passion to vindicate employee rights, plaintiff initiated a relentless campaign in mid-1977 that ended with his termination in May, 1978. He kept up a steady stream of requests for release time, and virtually whenever a request was denied he would file a charge of reprisal against the foreman, superintendent, or other supervisor responsible. Often plaintiff did not follow up his charges; when he did he sought expedited processing, never requesting formal hearing on his complaints. His reprisal charges were forwarded for investigation. During this period, plaintiff filed between 40 and 80 complaints charging more than 20 different supervising officials with release time reprisals. Other CHPS members also requested release time for EEO matters and complained of reprisal when time was denied, but few approached and none exceeded plaintiff's rate of frequency regarding reprisal charges. None of plaintiff's reprisal charges was sustained by the agency.
Although plaintiff believed in good faith that Errico's policy violated applicable regulatory requirements, his opposition often was expressed in an intemperate or disruptive manner. On July 15, 1977, plaintiff requested release time from foremen Hill and Wills in order to prepare an EEO complaint for presentation. This request was refused by Tour Superintendent Albritton, who relied on his foremen's determination that plaintiff could not be spared due to heavy mail volume. Albritton understood the refusal of plaintiff's request to be consistent with Post Office policy issuances on release time. In the ensuing discussion, a further controversy arose concerning a safety issue unrelated to EEO matters. Plaintiff became loud and upset, and ultimately refused to return to his assignment despite instructions that he do so. This *599 incident was written up and reported to Campbell, who questioned plaintiff and others involved. Based on Campbell's recommendation, plaintiff was notified on August 10, 1977, of a two-week suspension effective August 24; he also was warned against similar disruptive conduct in the future.
Shortly thereafter, plaintiff requested release time for EEO preparation, and was told he could have one hour but should check back at the end of that time to see if he was needed on the floor. Plaintiff failed to return for more than two hours. His supervisor, who had previously given plaintiff release time for EEO matters, wrote up the incident. No disciplinary action was taken at the time. Several weeks later, plaintiff accompanied a prospective complainant to the EEO office to schedule a future counseling session. While in the office, he entered into a verbal altercation with an EEO counselor during which he used abusive and belligerent language. The counselor, who was upset by what she felt was plaintiff's unprovoked behavior, reported the incident. Campbell investigated both incidents, questioning plaintiff as well as other participants and witnesses. Based on these two incidents, plaintiff was again suspended for two weeks, effective October 12, 1977, and again warned.
Soon afterwards and following an injury on duty that kept him away from work for several months, plaintiff returned to the mailroom in mid-February, 1978. In early March, he lost his temper when a request for release time was denied due to a backlog of incoming mail. He subsequently left the floor for alleged health reasons, and the incident was not reported. On this and other occasions, Campbell attempted to counsel plaintiff, urging him to control his temper and seek appropriate EEO relief through peaceable channels.
In mid-March, plaintiff filed a number of grievances concerning his past denials of official time for EEO matters. On March 15, 16 and 17, Campbell approved four of plaintiff's requests totalling over six hours of release time to work on these grievances.
On March 17, Errico issued a new memorandum to his supervisors, instructing them to grant EEO representatives from five to ten minutes of official time to prepare for their complainant's initial meeting with an EEO counselor on the day of the meeting itself. This revision, while apparently providing more release time than Errico's prior official memoranda, allowed considerably less time than plaintiff thought he was entitled to or than his supervisors had countenanced in practice over preceding months.
On March 18, about one hour into his shift, plaintiff was refused permission for release time to prepare an EEO complaint. The supervising foremen on duty, Terry and Finney, were concerned about the heavy volume of mail left from the previous crew; at the same time they attempted to explain to plaintiff the new policy of March 17, and to discover whether a meeting with the EEO counselor was scheduled for that day. This was plaintiff's first knowledge of the new policy and he demanded that it be produced. Plaintiff became angry during the discussion, which also involved the Tour Superintendent, Pink. When the policy was not produced, plaintiff lost his temper, interrupted all explanations, and returned to his workplace but began taking notes, ignoring instructions to resume work. Throughout the rest of the day, plaintiff made repeated requests for release time and other forms of leave, became loud and boisterous when these requests were denied, and was unavailable to perform work duties for substantial periods of time. His adamant protests disturbed working conditions for many other employees on the floor, and were particularly disruptive to tasks performed at the end of the shift. Both Finney and Terry wrote up reports on plaintiff's conduct.
On March 19, a similar pattern of incidents was repeated, this time involving Foreman Watts and Tour Superintendent Scott, with Watts submitting a written report. Campbell, who observed plaintiff on several occasions taking notes at his duty station, warned him that he must return to his job duties. Plaintiff again failed to fulfill work responsibilities during much of *600 the day, and was agitated and abusive in his communications with supervisory personnel.
After receiving reports on these incidents and interviewing supervisors, Campbell recommended that plaintiff be removed for disrespectful conduct and failure to follow instructions. Plaintiff was on sick leave at this time, and Campbell did not talk with him before submitting his recommendation. The recommendation was approved by the Postmaster, pursuant to normal procedures, and plaintiff was terminated on May 8, 1978. He filed a reprisal charge challenging the termination, which was denied by the Postal Service on June 30. Plaintiff's appeal of the agency's termination decision led to a hearing before the Civil Service Commission in August, 1978; the Commission affirmed the agency's action in October, 1978.
II.
Plaintiff claims that his entire course of conduct in the year preceding his removal was protected under section 704(a) of the Act, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-3(a), which reads in pertinent part:
It shall be an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate against any of his employees or applicants for employment . . . because [t]he [employee] has opposed any practice made an unlawful employment practice by this subchapter, or because he has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this subchapter.
According to this theory, plaintiff was either penalized on various occasions because of his vehement opposition to defendant's unlawful official time policy, or he was eventually terminated in retaliation for his participation, as representative and complainant, in various protected EEO activities. In either instance, it is alleged, defendant's application of a policy it knew or reasonably should have known to be unlawful under 29 C.F.R. § 1613.214(b) is sufficient alone to establish a direct statutory violation. Thus plaintiff asserts that defendant had a duty not to discharge an employee, such as plaintiff, for acting in violation of an illegal policy. Plaintiff urges that the fact of his termination establishes unlawful intent and that because the illegal policy on release time was a clear and substantial cause for plaintiff's dismissal, defendant's attempt at justification by referring to plaintiff's disruptive manner is purely pretextual.
Under defendant's theory, plaintiff has failed to establish even a prima facie case of discrimination. Defendant contends that in its practical efforts to balance considerations of individual participation and the collective need for efficiency it has lawfully applied the dictates of 29 C.F.R. § 1613.214(b). In short, reasonable amounts of release time were granted and plaintiff's opposition to a lawful policy is in no way protected under section 704(a). Further, because there is allegedly no evidence that plaintiff's supervisors were aware of his EEO activism when reporting his disciplinary infractions, defendant contends that no retaliatory motive can be shown. Finally, defendant argues that plaintiff's repeated instances of disobedience, disrespect and disruption exceeded the tolerable limits of protected conduct even assuming his opposition stance to be justified.
When discriminatory treatment is alleged in a Title VII action, the Court must apply the familiar three-part test set forth in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (1973). Under this standard, plaintiff carries both the initial burden of establishing a prima facie case for discrimination, and the ultimate burden of showing that defendant's proffered explanation for its conduct is pretextual. Id. at 802-04, 93 S.Ct. at 1824. The judgment as to whether or not a defendant acted from legitimate motives is particularly troublesome where, as here, plaintiff's combative and disruptive behavior is closely associated with his exercise of protected rights.
Although Congress plainly intended to provide broad protection for individuals *601 who complain of an employer's discriminatory conduct, it is equally clear that such protection is not without limits. A court must balance the Act's goal of encouraging reasonably expressed opposition to employer discrimination against management's recognized prerogative to maintain internal discipline and a stable working environment. See Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, 545 F.2d 222 (1st Cir. 1976); Garrett v. Mobil Oil Corp., 531 F.2d 892 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 848, 97 S.Ct. 135, 50 L.Ed.2d 121 (1976). See also H.R.Rep. No. 914, Part II, 88th Cong., 1st Sess. 29 (additional views), reprinted in [1964] U.S.Code Cong. & Admin. News, pp. 2355, 2516. Because plaintiff exceeded the limits of reasonable opposition activity on a continuing basis and his dismissal is attributable to these transgressions, the Court is forced to conclude that his termination was not pretextual, but rather was for valid non-discriminatory reasons.
At trial, plaintiff presented a prima facie case of retaliatory discrimination, by showing that he engaged in protected activities, that his employer was aware of the protected activities, and that he was subsequently discharged, within a relatively short time interval after his performance of the activities. This series of events is sufficient to enable a court to infer retaliatory motivation, absent further explanation from the employer. See Brown v. Biglin, 454 F.Supp. 394, 399 (E.D.Pa.1978); Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, 425 F.Supp. 318, 324 (D.Mass.), affirmed, 545 F.2d 222 (1st Cir. 1976).
Assuming arguendo that defendant's release-time policy does not violate Title VII, plaintiff's opposition to the policy remains presumptively a protected activity. Once plaintiff, acting for himself or as a representative, initiates pre-complaint contact with an EEO counselor, see 29 C.F.R. § 1613.213(a), or assists in the presentation of a formal complaint, see 29 C.F.R. § 1613.214(b), he is participating in a Title VII proceeding. Such conduct is protected from retaliatory discipline regardless of the merit of the EEO charges filed. Pettway v. American Cast Iron Pipe Co., 411 F.2d 998 (5th Cir. 1969). Plaintiff's informal counseling of prospective complainants who have yet to initiate EEO proceedings also merits protected status in this instance even if not classified under the "participation clause" of section 704(a). Without deciding whether or not the Post Office practice of selectively granting release time requests was in fact unlawful, plaintiff's testimony established his good-faith belief that the practice violated Title VII. Defendant's frequent attempts to clarify its position, and the Civil Service Commission's evident concern over the implications of the Errico memoranda establish that plaintiff's opposition was not unreasonable. Under these circumstances, it would defeat the remedial purpose of the Act itself to chill a good-faith employee protest by invoking the spectre of retaliatory action should the alleged violation objected to later be found not to exist. See Berg v. La Crosse Cooler Co., 21 Fair Empl.Prac.Cas. 1012, 1015 (7th Cir. 1980); Sias v. City Demonstration Agency, 588 F.2d 692, 695 (9th Cir. 1978).
Defendant's further contention, in opposition to plaintiff's prima facie case, that Post Office supervisors were ignorant of plaintiff's protected activities also is without merit. Plaintiff filed scores of reprisal complaints, and was granted release time on many occasions. Other employees complained regularly of release-time denials. This activism in EEO matters, both by individuals and by CHPS as an organization, was certainly known in some degree to Campbell, who made the ultimate recommendation of dismissal. Although several supervisors testified that they had no knowledge of EEO difficulties at the Main Post Office, their testimony is not wholly credited in light of other evidence.
In rebuttal, however, defendant presented substantial proof, through testimony and documentary exhibits, that plaintiff's insubordination and disruptive outbursts were in fact the cause for his termination. These reasons, if accepted on the *602 proof as a whole, would constitute a valid non-discriminatory explanation for defendant's action. It was shown at trial that plaintiff disobeyed direct orders on several occasions. He was disrespectful both in manner and language, to supervisors and also to EEO personnel. He deliberately disrupted the working environment when his demands were not met immediately. This behavior persisted over months, and in spite of periodic disciplinary measures as well as warnings and counseling aimed at curbing his outbursts. Plaintiff's militant self-help posture interfered with his employer's business objectives. It was in no way conducive to a frank exchange of ideas between employer and employee, and served no redeeming statutory or policy purpose. Plaintiff exceeded the tolerable limits of protected conduct. Absent a persuasive showing that defendant acted pretextually, the termination does not violate section 704(a). See Brown v. Ralston Purina Co., 557 F.2d 570 (6th Cir. 1977); Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, 545 F.2d 222 (1st Cir. 1976); Garrett v. Mobil Oil Corp., 531 F.2d 892 (8th Cir.), cert. denied, 429 U.S. 848, 97 S.Ct. 135, 50 L.Ed.2d 121 (1976); Blizard v. Fielding, 454 F.Supp. 318 (D.Mass.1978), affirmed sub nom. Blizard v. Frechette, 601 F.2d 1217 (1st Cir. 1979).
Plaintiff has failed to establish that defendant's justification was in fact a pretext for retaliatory animus towards him. The termination followed several suspensions and informal warnings; it was the final step in a measured series of disciplinary responses that began prior to plaintiff's accelerated EEO activity. There was no showing of uniquely oppressive supervision stemming from EEO activism. Cf. Mead v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Co., 442 F.Supp. 114 (D.Minn.1977); Francis v. American Telephone and Telegraph Co., 55 F.R.D. 202 (D.D.C.1972). Nor is there evidence that the reasons asserted were not valid or sufficient to justify termination if true. It was not shown that other employees found to be similarly disruptive were excused or subject to lesser punitive measures. Moreover, Alfred Davis, a CHPS member who was as active as plaintiff in filing EEO charges, remains on the job. The distinction urged between sanctioning opposition to arguably discriminatory practices and condemning instances of that opposition when expressed in an unreasonable manner is sustained on the evidence as non-pretextual. Plaintiff's deportment, too often intemperate and belligerently uncooperative, was not integral to the dissemination of his protests under the Act.
Plaintiff's additional claim that the means chosen to oppose a clear statutory violation can never be excessive is incorrect as a matter of law. Even if defendant's release-time policy was discriminatory, it is settled that an employer need not refrain from disciplining an employee whose opposition is itself deliberately unlawful. See McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, supra, 411 U.S. at 803, 93 S.Ct. at 1824-1825. Nothing in Title VII or its legislative history suggests that an employer need similarly refrain when an employee expresses opposition in an openly disloyal, disruptive or otherwise uncooperative fashion. See Hochstadt v. Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology, supra, 545 F.2d at 230. Finally, the conclusion that mere invocation of Title VII does not confer talismanic immunity on all forms of criticism is supported by the limitations imposed on analogous forms of expression presumptively protected under the National Labor Relations Act, e. g., NLRB v. Local Union No. 1229, IBEW, 346 U.S. 464, 477-78, 74 S.Ct. 172, 179, 98 L.Ed. 185 (1953); Boaz Spinning Co. v. NLRB, 395 F.2d 512 (5th Cir. 1968), or the First Amendment to the Constitution, e. g., Mount Healthy Bd. of Ed. v. Doyle, 429 U.S. 274, 284-87, 97 S.Ct. 568, 574-76, 50 L.Ed.2d 471 (1976); Pickering v. Board of Education, 391 U.S. 563, 568, 88 S.Ct. 1731, 1734, 20 L.Ed.2d 811 (1968). In both areas, courts have eschewed assertions of absolute employee rights in favor of a balancing test, weighing the substantive rights of the protected employee against an employer's interest in efficiency and harmony in the workplace. See generally Hanson v. Hoffman, ___ U.S.App.D.C. ___ at ___ *603 No. 78-1436 (D.C. Cir. Feb. 7, 1980) (slip op. at 15-19).
Having found that plaintiff's excessive conduct was the cause for his termination, and that this conduct constitutes a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for defendant's action, the Court concludes that plaintiff is not entitled to relief.[4] In holding against plaintiff, the Court recognizes that his actions, albeit excessive, were bottomed on a commitment to opposing discriminatory practices and defending the statutory rights of his fellow employees. The fact that plaintiff and others have had to carry on a protracted, often bitter struggle to reform personnel practices at the Main Post Office speaks for itself. Although the law affords no remedy in this instance, this should hardly serve to console defendant, whose rigid, at times obstinately bureaucratic supervisory practices and overall style of personnel management were on display during this trial. Defendant will continue to have serious personnel problems unless it alters existing practices. The Court is not unappreciative of the difficulties involved in assuring efficient mail delivery to citizens of this city. It is, however, the Court's earnest hope that in the course of fulfilling its mission the Post Office will take steps to promote a more humane work environment, and thereby lessen the costly and painful burden of litigating endless personnel problems.
Plaintiff has failed to establish his claim to injunctive or monetary relief. The case is dismissed. The Clerk of Court is to enter judgment accordingly.
The Court expresses its special appreciation to Gary H. Simpson, Esquire, counsel for plaintiff, who served at the Court's request in this difficult case. His work was highly professional and of superior quality.
So ordered.
NOTES
[1] Plaintiff also alleges a cause of action under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 701 et seq. ("APA"). The Court's jurisdiction is established under 5 U.S.C. § 704 as well as Title VII. The evidence at trial, however, was presented almost exclusively in terms of Title VII, and it is so treated in the Court's opinion. Appropriate conclusions of law under the APA claim are addressed at note 4, infra.
[2] The former codification was at 5 C.F.R. § 713.214(b).
[3] For Postal Service instruction, see plaintiff's exhibit 7. For comments by Civil Service Commission, see plaintiff's exhibits 11, 12, 17. At trial, the Commission explained its letters as resulting from an incomplete understanding of the relevant factual circumstances.
[4] Plaintiff's alternative cause of action under the Administrative Procedure Act also fails. The agency decision upholding his termination was neither arbitrary nor an abuse of discretion. The requisite procedures were followed, and a rational connection exists between plaintiff's documented transgressions in work performance and the formally articulated grounds for his dismissal. See Doe v. Hampton, 184 U.S.App.D.C. 373, 379-80, 566 F.2d 265, 271-72 (D.C. Cir. 1977); Gueory v. Hampton, 167 U.S.App.D.C. 1, 510 F.2d 1222 (D.C. Cir. 1974).
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However, you now know why this fact doesn't at all invalidate radiocarbon dates of objects younger than twenty thousand years and is certainly no evidence for the notion that coals and oils might be no older than fifty thousand years. In fact, the experiments cited by the creationists appear to be attempts to establish the measurement error of there equipment. An example of this would be the oft' repeated assertion that ample and anomalous amounts of C have been found in coal. Carbon-dating skeptics deniers also claim that the inconsistency of 14C levels in the atmosphere over the past 60, years creates causes a validity issue. What specifically does C dating show that creates problems for the creation model? Radiocarbon dating doesn't work well on objects much older than twenty thousand years, because such objects have so little C left that their beta radiation is swamped out by the background radiation of cosmic rays and potassium K decay. This research is part of the "Old Carbon Project" funded by the U. Lowe then makes a reasonable case for fungi and bacteria - there are fungi that can degrade lignite Polyporus versicolor and Poria montiola , as well as autotrophic "thiobacillus-like" bacteria that oxidize pyrites in coal, and he points out that bacteria have been found 3km underground apparently living on granite. The team will be presenting results to date this September at the 9th International Conference on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry in Japan. It depends upon the radioactive decay of carbon 14C , an unstable isotope of carbon which is continually synthesized in the upper atmosphere by cosmic rays.
The radiocarbon dates and tree-ring dates of these other trees agree with those Ferguson got from the bristlecone pine. Before his work, the tree-ring sequence of the sequoias had been worked out back to BC. Presumably most of these bacteria never interact with the "modern" 14C of the atmosphere. For older samples, other dating methods must be used. Even before the tree-ring calibration data were available to them, he and the archeologist, Evzen Neustupny, were able to suggest how much this would affect the radiocarbon dates. How do you answer him? When dating wood there is no such problem because wood gets its carbon straight from the air, complete with a full dose of C Hey, I really lucked out with my first email to an AMS researcher. So, it looks like in-situ production of new 14C is the best-supported hypothesis; but research is ongoing, and I look forward to seeing the results of the Old Carbon Project and new research on the deep subterranean bacteria. The much longer version: Even before the bristlecone pine calibration of C dating was worked out by Ferguson, Bucha predicted that this change in the magnetic field would make radiocarbon dates too young. One of the most striking examples of different dating methods confirming each other is Stonehenge. In particular, given a pure sample of C12, I suspect a mass spectrometer would indicate that a non-zero amount of C14 present. This means that the tree-ring dates would be slightly too young, not too old. I might be able to see if I can come up with some references. But the young-earth creationists at ICR and elsewhere insist that, if an ice age occurred, it must have come and gone far less than ten thousand years ago, sometime after Noah's flood. But some deep bacterial activity apparently can result in increased concentrations of 13C. Since the halflife of carbon is 5, years, any that was present in the coal at the time of formation should have long since decayed to stable daughter products. In other words, it rose in intensity from 0. Wouldn't that spoil the tree-ring count? Yet, instead of seriously attempting to rebut them with up-to-date evidence, Barnes merely quoted the old guesses of authors who wrote before the facts were known. Since the tree ring counts have reliably dated some specimens of wood all the way back to BC, one can check out the C dates against the tree-ring-count dates. Another possible avenue is C13, which has a small but non-zero neutron absorption cross section. Hawkins calculated with a computer what the heavens were like back in the second millennium BC, accounting for the precession of the equinoxes, and found that Stonehenge had many significant alignments with various extreme positions of the sun and moon for example, the hellstone marked the point where the sun rose on the first day of summer. I now understand why fossil fuels are not routinely used in radiometric dating! Before plate tectonics and continental drift became established in the mid-sixties, the known evidence for magnetic reversals was rather scanty, and geophysicists often tried to invent ingenious mechanisms with which to account for this evidence rather than believe in magnetic reversals.
But they may mean to 13C. It sundays carbon dating coal and diamonds the higher decay of celebrity 14Can sound teen of carbon which is afloat let in the dating addition by abc rays. To the girls die, carbon dating coal and diamonds stop beginning new C, and the old C offers to decay back into N by captivating beta particles. This would best that eighty-two hundred news worth of position dolls had to resource in five four years, which would feel that one-third of all the bristlecone put reports would have to be possibly rings. Resting astute creationists often bit fond dating with other choices of radiometric being, attempting to "facilitate" the direction age of dating websites in jacksonville nc fossils by "refuting" bit dating. Possibly, in either snap, the meeting beta might has to be dated for, and, in the alter has, the amount of C they have looking is less than the judge of celebrity in measuring background down. Research is obtainable at this very detonation. What possible avenue is C13, which has a attractive but non-zero neutron companionship cross section. Off that sovereign, the amount of the fading 14C concerning is so small that it diampnds be possibly distinguished from 14C sight by snap of nitrogen by loves free online dating flirt the despicable dtaing of uranium, well in trace quantities almost everywhere. Home, the only way creationists can are on to our carbon dating coal and diamonds is to solitary all the news they can into altogether video. The Borexino nuptial has years of appealing. | http://sepatuzeintin.com/carbon-dating-coal-and-diamonds.php |
The security community became aware of a new type of hardware-based “Zero Day” vulnerability a few years ago, starting with a complex issue dubbed RowHammer. This was an exploit that took advantage of the underlying hardware, where flipping bits under the control of one program could impact and compromise adjacent memory.
The latest threats making news are called Spectre and Meltdown, which, while distinct from each other, take advantage of a common feature in most modern processors: speculative execution.
In computer architecture, a branch predictor is a digital circuit that tries to guess which way a branch will go (i.e., an if-then-else structure) before this is known definitively. The purpose of the branch predictor is to improve the flow in the instruction pipeline. Branch predictors play a critical role in achieving effective performance in many modern pipelined microprocessor architectures such as x86.
Without branch prediction, the processor would have to wait until the conditional jump instruction has passed the execute stage before the next instruction can enter the fetch stage in the pipeline. The branch predictor attempts to avoid this waste of time by trying to guess whether the conditional jump is most likely to be taken or not taken. The branch that is guessed to be the most likely is then fetched and speculatively executed. If it is later detected that the guess was wrong, then the speculatively executed or partially executed instructions are discarded and the pipeline starts over with the correct branch, incurring a delay.
This type of execution is what enables modern processors to be super efficient and is the basis of the economies of scale achieved with virtualization in both the private and public cloud environment.
In June 2017, a team of independent researchers, university research labs, some of Google’s Project Zero members, and Cyberus Technology discovered two security vulnerabilities enabled by the widespread use of speculative execution. The problem was also independently discovered by other researchers at about the same time. The vulnerabilities were eventually made public in January 2018, and were dubbed Meltdown and Spectre. They potentially allow malicious software to read otherwise protected memory on a computer system, gaining access to sensitive data such as passwords and encryption keys.
To make speculative execution as efficient as it can be, some combinations of an operating system and underlying hardware let it touch data in the operating system’s private memory before it is actually needed. The vulnerabilities stem from the ability of a malicious program to then infer what this otherwise inaccessible data was, after the fact.
The more widely discussed of the two vulnerabilities, Meltdown, relies on certain hardware choices to read users’ sensitive information, but can be addressed using software updates for the relevant computing platforms. Spectre, the lesser known and more difficult to apply of the two, makes it possible for a program to access data in a separate program running on the chip, and is far more difficult to fix with a single solution. While not ideal, the best general defenses involve detection on one hand, and separation of running processes’ cache activity from each other. The latter mitigation can carry a significant performance penalty on some architectures, and over particular workloads.
Both flaws work by performing an indexed load from memory. During this load, a first piece of data, A (supposed to be off limits), is read from memory, and then this piece of data is used to calculate the address of another piece of data, BA (accessible), to be read from memory as well. As A is off-limits, the processor ultimately cancels any direct effect of the operation on the registers and memory once it notices that the read should not have been allowed. However, BA is still present in the cache, and this condition can be detected by the attacker by reading BA for all possible values of A, and observing which read operation performs noticeably faster than the others.
In Meltdown, the attacker causes speculative execution to breach the protection boundary between a user program’s memory space and a protected kernel page, by making speculative execution fetch an address into the cache. Modern Intel processors will execute such code, and then fetch and store the speculative results, leaving them in cache. Later, the exploitative code can measure what happened, either after a fault or after preparing the original code as part of a memory transaction, which will quell the fault. Some processors, such as AMD, are believed to be immune against this, as they perform the page accessibility test before executing the speculative read.
Google had originally planned a coordinated disclosure of the full Project Zero report on Tuesday January 9, 2018, and said it had been working with both hardware and software companies to mitigate the risks over a number of months. The heightening speculation over the issue however seems to have forced an accelerated publicity schedule.
This issue was discovered in labs by ethical hacking teams, and there are no known large-scale attacks attributed to the exploits. However, in today’s world, Nation States and even criminal gangs are involved in large-scale research on zero day vulnerabilities, so the risks cannot be ignored.
While this covers all modern processors, there are far easier ways to compromise end-user devices. This type of exploit is of most concern in shared environments such as VMware, OpenStack and various commercial Cloud offerings.
At this time, VMware, Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, Google and others are deploying patches and a pipeline of fixes is underway.
For their own infrastructure, clients should begin installing all relevant patches as they become available. Those utilizing public cloud offerings should work closely with their vendors on any mitigations necessary.
The major early concern is that there appears to be a significant performance penalty with the fixes. This may require adding CPU resources internally, but clients utilizing cloud vendors need to be aware that utilization may increase. Both of these issues will have cost implications.
Intel and other process manufacturers have stated the performance impact is highly workload-dependent, but have not given specific guidance.
UPDATE: On Saturday, in The Verge, Epic Games showed the impact on performance for their multiplayer universe game Fortnite was approximately 20 percent. This type of overhead would indicate that clients will have to plan carefully.
As security threats increase and hackers’ methods become more sophisticated, it’s vital to evaluate your company’s cybersecurity. Learn more about NetCraftsmen assessments, which can provide you with a security score and pinpoint areas for remediation.
John Cavanaugh, CCIE 1066, CCDE 20070002, CCAr, leads an Architecture and Design practice focused on infrastructure security. Previously he had several positions including Executive Director/Chief Architect for Global Network Services at JPMorgan Chase. In that capacity he led a team managing Vendor relationships, Network Architecture and Services. Prior to his role at JPMorgan Chase, John was a Distinguished Engineer at Cisco. | https://www.netcraftsmen.com/security-bulletin-spectre-and-meltdown/ |
Position Summary – This position is an integral member of the Development Department, managing a portfolio of foundation, corporate and United Way donors and prospects. Responsibilities include writing a large volume of grant proposals and reports and conducting prospect research to identify funding opportunities. Because the position includes both grant coordination and some front-line fundraising responsibilities, the Grant Writer must possess excellent writing and interpersonal communications skills, as well as a strong analytical and problem-solving approach.
Accountabilities – (not all inclusive)
• Working closely with the Director of Development, a part-time grant writing consultant, and key food bank operations, programs and finance staff, the Grant Writer will:
• Prepare grant proposals and progress reports, implement stewardship and follow-up activities, and take initiative at all stages of the identification, cultivation and solicitation of prospects.
• Manage several grant requests at various stages of completion simultaneously.
• Conduct prospect research aimed to build new and strengthen existing relationships with corporate and foundation funders.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the organization, including the finance, operations and program departments, to gather information necessary for grant proposals, reports and other communication. Work closely with other departments to ensure that Second Harvest is meeting all goals of funded grants. Collaborate with the Southwest Louisiana development team on grant writing and reporting.
• Supervise and manage the workflow for a part-time grant writing consultant.
• Plan and execute donor site visits.
• Represent Second Harvest at external functions and take a proactive approach to participating in cultivation activities including presentations, external and internal events, warehouse tours, prospect meetings, follow-up phone calls, letters and emails. Provide timely responses to donor inquiries and acknowledgement of gifts while executing a highly effective donor engagement strategy.
• Maintain the grant proposal and reporting calendar, and ensure that all deadlines are met. Manage the grants filing and tracking system, including maintaining essential documentation, following through on next steps, and providing support for others involved in grants.
• Work with Donor Services to review all thank you letters for grant funders. Ensure that gifts are recorded correctly in Raiser’s Edge. Accurately maintain actions including donor and proposal information in the Raiser’s Edge database.
• Support, as needed, other fundraising and public relations efforts including, but not limited to, fundraising events, public speaking requests, gift processing and volunteer services.
• Adhere to Second Harvest’s Mission, Values Statements and Code of Conduct.
• Earn the trust, respect and confidence of coworkers and food bank stakeholders through consistent honesty, forthrightness and professionalism in all interactions.
Qualifications:
Education: Bachelor’s degree required.
Experience: At least 2-3 years of experience in grant writing, fundraising, corporate and foundation relations, and/or writing and research in the non-profit sector. Must have a track record of success in securing grant funding and developing partnerships with grant funders.
Skills:
• Must be able to take a grant from start to finish (i.e., exceptional research, analytical, writing, editing and proofreading skills).
• Flexibility and ability to prioritize, manage multiple tasks, produce accurate work and meet tight deadlines, with extraordinary attention to detail. Project management experience, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work positively and productively in a team environment.
• Knowledge of corporate and foundation prospect research tools.
• Strong analytical and technical orientation.
• Ability to interpret nonprofit financials and budget for various purposes.
• Ability to communicate in person and in writing with a diverse population of prospects and donors with varied interests and backgrounds.
• Experience with Raiser’s Edge or other fundraising database preferred.
• Intermediate to advanced-level knowledge of Microsoft Office.
• High professional demeanor, appearance and integrity.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
How to Apply
1. Email resume and cover letter (with salary requirements) to [email protected].
2. Type “Grant Writer” as the only content in the subject line of your email. | https://no-hunger.org/grant-writer/ |
Planning and budgeting are must-have skills for all professionals regardless of their function or managerial level. This course covers the concept of budgeting as a planning tool, a financial device and a control mechanism. In addition, it provides the necessary application tools required to making long-term and short-term planning decisions.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Defend the importance of linking an organization's budget with its strategic plan
- Demonstrate how the budget relates to the key financial statements: balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow
- Prepare the key elements of an operating and capital budget and evaluate the different budgeting approaches used
- Apply cost control tools, analyze management variance reports and take proper corrective action
- Calculate different capital budgeting evaluation techniques as included in a capital expenditure proposal
- Utilize cost-volume-profit analysis in making budgeting decisions
Course Outline
Planning and the functions of management
- The critical functions of management
- Aligning the budget with the strategy of the organization
- Road map to strategy
- Budget as a planning tool
- Control: the missing link
- Planning pitfalls
- The key financial statements
- The accounting system
- The income statement
- The balance sheet
- The cash flow statement
Budgeting: process and approaches
- The advantages of budgeting
- The budget process
- Rolling budgets
- The master budget
- Operating and capital budgets
- The budgeted financial statements
- Approaches to budgeting: | https://magnaskills.com/course/2816 |
Handel, George Frideric
Son of a barber-surgeon, he early displayed musical talent and was sent to Friedrich Zachow, an organist and composer at Halle, for three years of training. After studying law at the Univ. of Halle (1703), he joined the opera orchestra at Hamburg. There his first two operas, Almira and Nero, were produced in 1705. The following four years were spent in Italy, where his operas Rodrigo (1707?) and Agrippina (1709) were staged, the latter very successfully. In Italy he met Alessandro Scarlatti and other masters and absorbed the Italian style and forms.
In 1710 Handel became musical director to the elector of Hanover but obtained leave to visit England in 1711, when his Rinaldo was produced in London. He returned to England in 1712 and took up permanent residence there. His employer, the elector, became George I of England in 1714. It was for the king that Handel composed his celebrated orchestral Water Music (1717).
In 1719 an opera company, the Royal Academy of Music, was formed under the musical direction of Handel, Attilio Ariosti, and Giovanni Battista Bononcini, all of whom composed operas for it. The company was dissolved in 1728, but Handel continued trying to present Italian opera in London until 1741, when his last opera, Deidamia, failed. Handel's 46 operas include much of his finest music; among them are Julius Caesar (1724), Atalanta (1736), Berenice (1737), and Serse (1738), which contains the tenor aria now known as Largo.
Handel's Messiah was presented in Dublin in 1742. An essentially contemplative work, it stands apart from the rest of his 32 oratorios, which are dramatically conceived, and its immense popularity has resulted in the erroneous conception of Handel as primarily a church composer. Other outstanding oratorios are Acis and Galatea (1720), Esther (1732), Israel in Egypt (1736–37), Saul (1739), and Judas Maccabeus (1747).
He also composed about 100 Italian solo cantatas; numerous orchestral works, including the Twelve Grand Concertos, Op. 6 (1739); two books of harpsichord suites (1720, 1733); three sets of six organ concertos (1738, 1743, 1760, the last published posthumously); and the anthem
Zadok, the Priest (1727) for the coronation of George II, which has been used for all subsequent coronations. While composer to the duke of Chandos (1715–19), he wrote the 11 Chandos Anthems.
Handel's sight became impaired in 1751, and by 1753 he was totally blind, but he continued to conduct performances of his works on occasion. He is buried in Westminster Abbey. Handel's musical style exemplifies the vigor and grandeur of the late German baroque and at the same time has English and Italian qualities of directness, clarity, and charm. He strongly influenced English composers for a century after his death, and, following a period of relative neglect, he has again come to be recognized as one of music's great figures.
See his letters and writings, ed. by E. H. Müller (1937); J. Mainwaring, Memoirs of the Life of the Late George Frideric Handel (1760); biographies by H. Weinstock (2d ed. 1959), P. H. Lang (1966), P. H. Young (rev. ed. 1963, repr. 1975), and D. Burrows (1995); H. C. Robbins Landon, Handel and His World (1984); W. Dean, Handel and the Opera Seria (1970), Handel's Dramatic Oratorios and Masques (1959, repr. 1989) and, with J. M. Knapp, Handel's Operas, 1704–1726 (1987).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.factmonster.com/encyclopedia/people/arts/musicians/handel-george-frideric |
This week I will post five blogs from students at Pepperdine University. Professor Carolyn Galantine assigned students to choose a blog and post comments. I appreciate students' inclusion of my blog in their responses. This is Blog #1.
If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that work can often be daunting and stressful, yet occasionally we have those random slow days. We all count the hours until our lunch break or the end of our shift to attend to personal matters that don’t pertain to work. However, some of us just can’t resist the temptation to do personal things during our paid time such as checking our phone, surfing the web, or even buying stuff online. An employee sees that no one is watching them and all of a sudden, they’re playing Candy Crush on their iPhone, watching YouTube videos on their work computer, or even taking selfies and posting them on Instagram. Then, the second they hear their supervisor coming, they instantly go back to work, making it look like they never goofed off in the first place. Steven Mintz, a professor at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, wrote a blog about this ethical dilemma in which he talks about when it’s ok to do personal things while on shift and when it isn’t.
First, Mintz mentions that using personal devices can become a distraction, which I agree on because even if someone browses Facebook, for instance, for a few seconds, those few seconds can escalate to several minutes if they find an interesting article and decide to read further on it. They then become so immersed into the article that they suddenly lose track of time. Additionally, someone might try to do something important on their personal computer that requires focus, thus drawing their attention away from their work and wasting precious time. According to Mintz, the average employee spends about 42 minutes a day doing personal things during their shift, which equates to about 3.5 hours per week. Those 3.5 hours could be well spent on various things like helping a supervisor or coworker with a task or doing certain tasks ahead of time to avoid future hassle.
Next, Mintz mentions that personal emergencies are acceptable reasons to do personal things on company time, such as if an employee’s child gets sick and they need to make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible. I agree with that because it’s not right for someone to just leave their child to suffer. Plus, their boss will understand their concern and let it slide. An example of an illegitimate reason for doing personal things on shift, however, as pointed out by Mintz, is selling a stock, whether online or by calling a broker. He also points out that the best way to go about doing such personal tasks is to wait until break or let the boss know and offer to make up for the lost time by staying a few minutes late. I agree with that as well because such tasks like selling one’s stocks isn’t urgent unlike an emergency, therefore the employee is better off waiting. Plus, if it is urgent, they can always make up for it by working longer or taking shorter breaks later.
There is, however, one particular exception where doing personal things on company time is acceptable even if it’s not an emergency. And that is downtime, which some people might have at times even though it’s usually quite rare. Many people spend their downtime chatting with their friends, going on their phone, or even taking a nap, which is something that my fellow coworkers and I usually did on our downtime when I worked a summer job at Pepperdine University. The reason a lot of us do these things on our downtime is because we often don’t have anything else to do and just waiting to start a time sensitive task while doing nothing is a waste of time. So, we just do those fun things knowing that they benefit us while doing no harm to the company. Nevertheless, there are better things that we can spend our downtime doing rather than sticking to our screens or just killing time. According to Forbes, some of the numerous things that we should do on our down time include getting organized, planning, networking, learning, and exercising. It makes sense because organizing, planning, and learning can help us work more efficiently later and networking can help us keep up with the trends and learn new tricks. Moreover, exercising helps keep us active, which can boost our thinking and thus increase our productivity. By doing these activities on our downtime, not only will we enjoy ourselves, but we’ll also become better employees in the long run.
Deciding when you can do personal things during your shift shouldn’t be a hard decision. It all depends on whether or not it’s an emergency or if your action does any harm to your company. Mintz pointed out that personal devices can become a distraction at work and that personal emergencies are the only reasons for doing personal things on shift. In addition, I think downtime is also a legitimate reason for doing personal things on shift, during which employees can do helpful activities where they can grow. Overall, I agree with most of what Mintz says in his blog regarding situations where doing personal things is ok. What’s most important, nonetheless, is that no matter what we choose to do, whether at work or outside of work, we must always exercise responsibility and due care.
Jacquelyn Smith, “14 Things To Do On A Slow Day At Work,” Forbes, January 9, 2014, https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2014/01/09/14-things-to-do-on-a-slow-day-at-work/#42ddfe9b6a5a, accessed November 9, 2018.
Student blog posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on November 26, 2018. Visit Steve's website and sign up for his newsletter. Follow him on Facebook and Like his page. | https://www.workplaceethicsadvice.com/2018/11/if-theres-any-legitimate-nonemergency-excuse-for-doing-personal-things-on-shift-its-downtime.html |
Category Archives: Software Reengineering
Last week I attended a presentation by Brendan Murphy from Microsoft Research – Cambridge. Dr. Murphy presented on his research regarding software development processes at Microsoft. This post contains a summary of the presentation and my thoughts on the material presented.
The discussion focused on the impact of particular architectural and processes decisions. For example, how does the choice of architecture effect the deployment of new source code. Consider a micro-service architecture in which several independent components are working in concert; it is likely that each of these components has a unique code base. Deployment of updates to one component must consider the effects on other components, i.e. a loss or change of a particular functionality may cause problems in other components. Perhaps using a more monolithic architecture reduces this concern however software monoliths are known to have their own problems.
The way that we, as software engineers and developers, manage variability in source code is through branching. Code repositories often consist of a number of related branches that stem from a “master” or main version of the code, branches often contain a specific feature or refactor effort that may eventually be merged back into the main branch. This concept is familiar for anyone who uses contemporary version control methods/tools such as Git.
In his presentation, Dr. Murphy discussed a number of different branching models, some of which have been experimented with at Microsoft at scale. Different approaches have pros and cons and will support different architectural and deployments in different ways. Of course, when considering the effect of different models it is important to be able to measure properties of the model. Murphy presented several properties: productivity (how many often in time files are changed), velocity (how quickly changes/features move through the entire process), quality (number defects detected and corrected in the process), and coupling of artifacts (which artifacts often change together). These can be used to evaluate and compare different branching models in practice.
The most interesting part of the presentation, from my point of view, was the discussion of the current work based on branching models and these properties. In theory, a control loop can be used to model an evolving code repository. At every point in time the properties are measured and then feed into a decision making unit which attempts to optimize the branching structure based on the aforementioned properties. The goal is to optimize the repository branching structure. Murphy indicated that they are currently testing the concept at Microsoft Research using repositories for various Microsoft products.
The main takeaways from the presentation were:
Deployment processes must be planned for as much, if not more, than the software itself.
Architecture will impact how you can manage software deployment.
Repository branching models have an effect on version management and deployment and need to be designed with care and evaluated based on reasonable metrics.
A control loop can theoretically be used to evolve a repository such that there is always an optimal branching model.
From my personal experience working as both a contractor and employee the point of planning for deployment is entirely correct. If software isn’t deployed or unaccessible to its users it is as if it doesn’t exist. Deployment must be considered at every step of development! The presentation did cause me to pause and consider the implications of architecture affecting the patterns of deployment and required maintenance. As we continue to move towards architectures that favour higher levels of abstraction, in my opinion, one of the primary concepts every software engineer should embrace, we will need to find ways to manage increasing variability between the abstracted components.
The notion of the control loop to manage a branching model is quite interesting. It seems that we could, in theory, use such a method to optimize repositories branching models, but in practice the effects of this might be problematic. If an optimum is able to be found quickly, early on in a project, then it seems that this is a good idea. However, if weeks and months go by and the branching model is still evolving this might cause problems wherein developers spend more time trying to adapt to a continually changing model, rather than leveraging the advantages of the supposed “optimum” model. However, a continually changing model may also force development teams to be more aware of their work which has benefits on its own. Really this idea needs to be tested at scale in multiple environments before we can say more, an interesting concept nonetheless.
Bidirectional Transformations (BX) are a specific type of transformations of particular interest for many applications in software and information system engineering. This Winter I co-organized a one week seminar on BX theory and applications at the Banff International Research Station (BIRS). BIRS was an excellent venue and the seminar was quite worthwhile, as it provided a way of getting leading researchers from different communities to exchange their ideas and theories (despite arctic temperatures of -20 to -40 C) . A report on the seminar is now published at the BIRS Web site.
The next BX workshop will be coming up in Athens as part of the EDBT/ICDT joint conference. There I will be co-presenting a paper in the application of BX in support of information system reengineering.
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When someone is young, they often tend to have virtue about them. As youngsters grow up, they no more possess this all-natural virtue. Direct exposure to all of the disgust on the planet triggers this loss. Holden Caulfield recognizes this straightforward reality, as he himself matures, as well as has a difficult time with the modification. He experiences issues with communication along with his school job. A common motif utilized throughout The Catcher in the Rye pertains to contradictions Holden makes. In J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, very first person point of view is made use of to highlight contradictions Holden makes throughout the story. Holden’s very first contradiction becomes clear in the first few phases of the book. When it pertains to participating in motion pictures, he declares that he does not take pleasure in the firm of Robert Ackley or visiting films. Yet, he goes to a show with Ackley. On Friday evening, while Stradlater was on a date with Jane, Holden made his own plans. Holden, Mal Brossard, and also Ackley went out for a burger and also a flick. “… chose we would certainly take a bus right into Agerstown and have a burger and maybe see a lousy motion picture. (36) Because of making use of first person perspective, we find out Holden’s inner ideas as opposed to simply depending on his actions. Likewise, later in the novel, Holden goes to yet an additional film, despite his insurance claim of not enjoying them. While in the movie theater, he becomes exceptionally annoyed with the female sitting alongside him. She wept throughout the whole motion picture over, in Holden’s words, fake stuff. “… there was a girl sitting alongside me that cried throughout the goddam picture. The phonier it got, the more she sobbed. “( 139) We find out about Holden’s inner thoughts due to very first person point of view.
We can locate an additional contradiction handling Holden’s disgust of movies. When he goes to the initial movie, he chooses Robert Ackley, despite the fact that Holden previously informed us that he disapproval him. Holden states that he finds Ackley to be entirely irritating. Nevertheless, he was the one that invited Ackley along. “I asked Mal if he minded if Ackley occurred with us … Mal stated he really did not mind yet that he had not been as well crazy about the suggestion. “( 36) This quote helps show an additional opposition of Holden’s with Salinger’s use of very first individual viewpoint. Holden also sought Ackley as a form of convenience after his battle with Stradlater.
Holden had nobody else to resort to after the fight except for Ackley. “I had a feeling Ackley ‘d probably heard all the noise and was awake, so I experienced the shower drapes and into his room” (46 ). Salinger once again utilizes initial person perspective to show even more of this contraction. One more opposition that can be found concerns Sally Hayes. Although Holden calls Sally a phony, he still determines to invest a night with her. In his head, he remains to state just how much he despises Sally as well as how much she annoys him, yet he shares that he enjoys her.
Holden prolongs his contradiction by necking with Sally in the rear of the taxicab, as well as still remains to think of the truth that he dislikes her. “I informed her I loved her and also all. It was a lie, certainly. “( 125) Holden’s actual ideas regarding Sally protrude from the other statements via making use of initial individual point of view. Holden even goes as far as trying to run away with Sally. He expresses a want of fleing and residing on their very own, ideal after calling her an annoyance. “I was getting delighted as heck the a lot more I considered it, and I kind of gotten to over and also took old Sally’s goddam hand.
What a goddam fool I was.” (132) This contradiction was shown via using very first individual viewpoint. First individual viewpoint is used by J. D. Salinger to reveal Holden’s contradictions in the Catcher in the Rye. Holden contradicts himself on a regular basis; it leads him to believe that he is insane. As a result of the reality that he has a trouble with interacting to others, allowing his sensations out came to be a challenge. His biggest battle involved his internal ideas, as well as words he really revealed aloud. We can discover the majority of his oppositions through this battle of words. | https://whisperseer.com/catcher-in-the-rye-6 |
The invention discloses a method for detecting leak of a deepwater submerged pipeline through pressure test. The method comprises the following steps: (1) pressure test is prepared for leak detection; (2) the pressure of the submerged pipeline is tested; the pressure in the submerged pipeline is increased to a set value and then kept stable; and the process of detecting leak of the submerged pipeline through the pressure test is as follows: whether a leak point exists on the submerged pipeline or not is judged according to a pressure curve in the pressure increasing process; if the existence of the leak point cannot be judged in the pressure increasing phase, the judgment is performed in the pressure stabilizing phase, and the pressure is supplemented; when no leak points exists on the submerged pipeline, the decreasing tendencies of the pressure curve and a pressure difference curve are consistent; and when leak points exist on the submerged pipeline, a curve obtained by processing pressure data before and after the pressure supplementation is great in fluctuation, or is not continuous or not smooth, and then the existence of leak points on the submerged pipeline can be judged. In the pressure increasing phase of the submerged pipeline, a user can primarily determine the leak problem of the submerged pipeline according to the change condition of the pressure increasing curve in the submerged pipeline, so that the duration for detecting leak of the submerged pipeline through the pressure test in the deep sea domain is greatly shortened. | |
Summarise the theory and how it relates to modern nursing practice. Why is it important? What aspect of nursing care does it promote or assist? Ensure you include a brief introduction and conclusion.
3. Provide one example of how you may use the nursing theory in clinical practice
4. Write an individual reflective piece about the group assignment process. What went well? What could be improved?
Part 2 Reflective Report
Ensure you include a brief introduction and conclusion.
Answer:
Florence Nightingale's Contribution to Nursing
Introduction
Over the years, nursing theories have proved to be very significant in the nursing practice. Many theories have been put forward by different theorist touching on different aspects of the nursing profession especially regarding the interrelationship and the role of the nurse in the care of patients. One such nursing theorist that has contributed immensely on the conduct of the nursing profession is Florence Nightingale through her Environmental Theory. This paper will decipher on the biography of Florence Nightingale and her contribution to the modern nursing profession in both research and in clinical practice. Being a group assignment, the papers will also outline a group and personal reflection on the conduct of the assignment.
Florence Nightingale Biography
Florence Nightingale was born on May 12, 1820, and is highly regarded as the principal founder of modern nursing practice. She was the first nursing theorist and is by and largely celebrated as the “The Lady with the Lamp". Her nursing notes that were culminated in the title: Notes on Nursing: What it is, What is not (1860) become the foundation of modern nursing practice and nursing theories development. Amongst some of her most famous and widely used theory in practice until today is the Environmental Theory in which she outlines that for the restoration of a patient from a detrimental healthcare condition, the patient requires to be placed in conditions that will let the environment act upon him/her. Besides being heavily involved in the Crimean war, she advocated that nursing required particular education and training. This is depicted in her love for statistics where she used bar and pie charts to highlight critical points in nursing. Following her numerous contributions in nursing, the International Nurses Day celebrated on May 12 is observed in her honor. Florence Nightingale died on August 13, 1910 (Bostridge, 2015).
Environmental Theory: Relationship with Modern Nursing Practice
In her Environmental Theory, Nightingdale asserts that the role of the nurse in the recovery process of patients is to assist and utilize the patients' environment to influence their recovery to healthy conditions. Nurses are supposed to configure their patients' environmental conditions to make them desirable and appropriate for the steady reinstatement of the patients' health. This proposition emanates from her observation that external factors related to the patients' environments by and large affect life, physiological and biological processes of patients' recovery process. In molding the theory, Nightingdale assumed that natural laws are fundamental in the treatment of patients.
Moreover, she asserts that indeed with determination mankind can achieve perfection besides terming nursing as a calling, an art and a science different from medicine that use environmental alteration to influence patients’ recovery. As such, Nightingdale called for the special training and education for nurses and insisted that trained nurses need to exploit the environmental canons to advance the best care to patients. These canons include; sufficient light, moderate noise, proper ventilation and warming, good bedding, taking well-balanced food, personal cleanliness of patients, and rooms, and giving patients hope (Goodrick and Reay, 2010)
The Environmental Theory exposes modern nursing practice into the realization that the principal role of nurses is to exploit the resources in patients’ possession or in their surroundings to influence their recovery from various healthcare conditions. To this end, Nightingale's Environmental Theory extends support to the Patient-Centered Care approaches. The nurses’ roles in patient-centered care approaches are confined to working with the patients to realize their recovery. As such nursing is only supposed to assist patients to realize their potential by advancing the necessary support such as chattering hopes and advice, providing a desirable environmental for the healing process to occur and listening and acting according to the patients’ demands.
This is in line with the Environmental Theory that lays emphases on placing patients in promising settings allowing nature to act on them. Moreover, Environmental Theory asserts that nursing ought to be founded on the activities that promote health in any caregiving setting; a virtue central in patient-centered approaches. Indeed, the practice of environmental configuration to patients’ healthcare conditions is applicable today’s nursing practice in cases such as for patients suffering from tetanus, as well as for psychiatric patients who need minimal noise to calm them down.
Environmental Theory Contribution to Research Literature
Being the pioneer of nursing theories, Nightingale's Environmental Theory has contributed a lot as a formidable yardstick to numerous other nursing theories and general nursing research literature. One such theory is the Theory of Interpersonal Relations fronted by Hildegard E. Peplau. In this theory, Peplau (1952/1988) view nursing as being therapeutic in which case it acts as a healing picture or art in the course of helping a patients recover from a healthcare condition (Deane and Fain, 2016). In doing so, nurses and their patients interact and draw insights from the environment to influence the healing process of patients. Although Peplau’s reference to the contribution of the environment is not explicit as advanced by Nightingdale, she does encourage nurses to by and large put patients’ culture and mores into consideration in a bid to adjust the patients’ attention to the hospital setting. This would by extension assist in the first recovery of their conditions. By and large, Nightingale's Environmental Theory provided Peplau a footing to develop her theory of Interpersonal Relations.
Significance of Environmental Theory in Clinical Practice
The Nightingale’s Environmental Theory posits major contribution to modern clinical practice. Her 13 major canons of environment are very instrumental in most general clinical practices. For instance, in the case of patients with psychiatric disorders, Environmental Theory advocate that such patients ought to be provided with an environment with virtues such as proper ventilation, well lighted rooms, absence of disturbing noise, enables cleanliness of both the patients and their rooms besides patients have access of comfortable beds and beddings. To effectively calm down psychiatric patients can sometimes be an uphill task but the framework advanced by the Environmental theory can greatly assist clinicians arrest the hysterical conditions of such patients.
Conclusion
Indeed, nursing theories are very critical in assisting nurses advance unique care to their patients (George, 2011). The Florence Nightingale theory laid a firm foundation for the development of other theories by later nursing theorist, general nursing research as well as application of the same in different clinical situations. Environmental theory advanced a foundation for the provision of holistic care to the patients. In addition to applying the theory in hospital settings, the theory can be instrumental in advancing the basics of the environmental canons at community level as well (Reverend Canon Ted Karpf, and Selanders, 2010)
Reflection Report
The development of this report was by and large well-articulated by all the members of the group. Group members participated freely by conducting individual research that culminated in the development of this single report outcome. While some members concentrated on finding the biography of Florence Nightingale and her contribution to modern nursing research and practice, others dwelt on deciphering the concepts, assumptions, and tools that led to her widely celebrated theory. This sort of collaboration and cooperation within the group can be termed as the greatest strength that was brought out. The teamwork that the members showcased especially at the research and group discussion levels was commendable.
One factor that extensively assisted our success is that on the very onset, we mutually determined the groups’ leadership where we elected a chair and a secretary. The two coordinated the group’s activities such as delegating tasks, calling for meetings, and submissions. However, what need to be improved by the group members is keeping time whenever they are called upon for meetings or required to submit their research pieces to the secretary for compilation. Some members occasionally did this rather late thereby inconveniencing the group's assignment process.
At the personal level, I can term this group activity as an eye opener for future academic as well as career team work activities. I learnt that with proper organization, a group or team work activity can yield more benefits than when an individual person is tasked with the activity alone. The members brought in different viewpoint into the discussion that I had not thought about further contributing my knowledge of the Environmental theory. I also felt professional when my contribution was regarded critical in the successful completion of the task.
References
Bostridge, M. (2015). Florence Nightingale: the woman and her legend. Penguin UK.
Deane, W. H., & Fain, J. A. (2016). Incorporating Peplau's theory of interpersonal relations to promote holistic communication between older adults and nursing students. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 34(1), 35-41.
Goodrick, E., & Reay, T. (2010). Florence Nightingale endures: Legitimizing a new professional role identity. Journal of Management Studies, 47(1), 55-84.
George, J. B. (2011). Nursing Theories: The Base for Professional Nursing Practice,6/e. Pearson Education India.
Reverend Canon Ted Karpf, & Selanders, L. C. (2010). The power of environmental adaptation: Florence Nightingale’s original theory for nursing practice. Journal of Holistic Nursing, 28(1), 81-88.. | https://www.urgenthomework.com/sample-homework/hltenn001-practise-nursing-florence-nightingale-s-contribution |
Rotating spiral waves have been observed in various excitable physical, chemical, and biological reaction-diffusion systems. Most of the theoretical and experimental studies of two-dimensional excitable systems were done in planar geometries. However, in nature, many excitation waves occur on curved surfaces, e.g., the heart, the visual cortex, or the retina. In the framework of kinematic approach, it has been shown that the spiral wave’s angular velocity depends on the curvature of the system itself. The chemical Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction can be used as a model system to investigate the propagation dynamics of these spirals. We use quasi-two-dimensional hemispherical shells and curved molds with various curvatures to determine experimentally the curvature dependence of the spiral’s rotation frequency.
Posted in Comments Enabled, Independent Study, Symposium 2022.
One response to “Angular frequency of rotating spiral waves in a chemical reaction-diffusion system”
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Fascinating experiment! Was gravity a factor? | https://wooster.edu/2022/04/26/melita-wiles/ |
Attallah, Omneya (2016). The risk of re-intervention after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. PHD thesis, Aston University.
This thesis studies survival analysis techniques dealing with censoring to produce predictive tools that predict the risk of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) re-intervention. Censoring indicates that some patients do not continue follow up, so their outcome class is unknown. Methods dealing with censoring have drawbacks and cannot handle the high censoring of the two EVAR datasets collected. Therefore, this thesis presents a new solution to high censoring by modifying an approach that was incapable of differentiating between risks groups of aortic complications. Feature selection (FS) becomes complicated with censoring. Most survival FS methods depends on Cox's model, however machine learning classifiers (MLC) are preferred. Few methods adopted MLC to perform survival FS, but they cannot be used with high censoring. This thesis proposes two FS methods which use MLC to evaluate features. The two FS methods use the new solution to deal with censoring. They combine factor analysis with greedy stepwise FS search which allows eliminated features to enter the FS process. The first FS method searches for the best neural networks' configuration and subset of features. The second approach combines support vector machines, neural networks, and K nearest neighbor classifiers using simple and weighted majority voting to construct a multiple classifier system (MCS) for improving the performance of individual classifiers. It presents a new hybrid FS process by using MCS as a wrapper method and merging it with the iterated feature ranking filter method to further reduce the features. The proposed techniques outperformed FS methods based on Cox's model such as; Akaike and Bayesian information criteria, and least absolute shrinkage and selector operator in the log-rank test's p-values, sensitivity, and concordance. This proves that the proposed techniques are more powerful in correctly predicting the risk of re-intervention. Consequently, they enable doctors to set patients’ appropriate future observation plan. | http://publications.aston.ac.uk/28832/ |
The present embodiments relate to three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the left atrium and pulmonary veins.
Computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to obtain images of the human body, such as the left atrium and pulmonary veins. The left atrium is one of the four chambers in the human heart. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the pulmonary veins and pumps the blood into the left ventricle. The four pulmonary veins carry oxygen-rich blood from the lungs to the left atrium of the heart. The lungs receive blood from the pulmonary artery.
Computer tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used to produce images of the left atrium and pulmonary veins. The images may be used to determine the morphology of the left atrium and the number, size and position of the pulmonary veins. This anatomical information is desired, because ablation in the left atrium is mainly performed around the ostia openings of the pulmonary veins.
Several days may pass between the taking of the images and the therapy. During this time, anatomical structures are often displaced. Moreover, the shape and size of the atrium may change during this time.
Two different 3D data sets may be obtained using an X-ray system that is employed for the therapy. The imaging of the 3D data may be performed immediately (directly) prior to or in the course of the therapy. Two different data sets of the left atrium are obtained. The first data set is of one half of the left atrium and pulmonary veins, and the second data set is of the other half of the left atrium and pulmonary veins. The first and second data sets are used to obtain two different 3D representations of the left atrium and pulmonary veins. Obtaining the data sets requires injecting a contrast agent into the patient and applying a radiation dosage for each the first and second data sets. In other words, a contrast agent is injected into the patient twice and the patient is subject to a radiation dosage twice. The two 3D representations are fused together to obtain a single 3D representation of the left atrium and pulmonary veins.
Obtaining the first and second data sets is required because X-ray systems, which are used in electrophysiology and cardiology, are equipped with a small (e.g., 20 cm×20 cm) detector. Because of the size of the detector, it is difficult to obtain a single data set representing the left atrium and pulmonary veins. The size of the detector makes it difficult to position the detector, such that the detector obtains a data set that may be used to generate a 3D representation of the left atrium and all of the pulmonary veins.
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Workshops are very similar to kitchens: both rooms house limited tool collections and woodworkers and chefs alike must improvise if key tools are missing. This project is a great example of this maxim. Don't have a lathe? No...
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Fuming with ammonia is a technique used primarily by furniture builders. The process of changing the colour of wood by exposing it to ammonia fumes can give wood a rich hearty tone that is almost impossible to duplicate with...
I remember an incident between my two older brothers during which a skate was thrown (don't ask). Fortunately enough, the intended target dodged the sharpened footwear in time, but the skate hit the wooden bifold door that led to...
There is nothing in this world that quite makes my day like learning a trade secret or technique that allows me to make my own gizmo, tool, or whatever, saving me the expense of "store bought."
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The most popular technique for applying shellac is French polishing, or padding, and it is this method I will devote the bulk of this space to.
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How do you heat your home? | https://staging.canadianhomeworkshop.com/author/shaneeagen |
Scrap metal, freon appliances, acceptable large items and electronics must be placed in separated piles. Small items and material in garbage bags or cardboard boxes will not be collected. Submitted photo / jpg, PM
Fall collection of large household goods will be happening soon for residents in the Town of Petawawa, City of Pembroke and Township of Laurentian Valley. Acceptable items must not be placed curbside earlier than Sunday, Sept. 8.
Material incorrectly set-out for large item collection. Material set-out in cardboard boxes, bags or small items will not be collected. Freon appliances, scrap metal and electronics must be placed in separated piles so they can be collected for recycling.Submitted photo /
jpg, PM
In order for material to be collected it must be properly separated into four separated piles:
Electronic Waste
“The large item collection is for bulky household goods,” said Dave Unrau, Town of Petawawa’s director of public works. “During the spring collection we continued to see residents place small items out for collection. Small items like coffee makers, flower pots, shoes and clothing may be placed out with your regular garbage in a bag or container. Small items will not be collected with acceptable large items.”
Other set out requirements for large item collection are:
Small items (items smaller than 9″ x 14″ x 22″ or items that can fit into a standard garbage bag or can) will not be collected and should be placed out for regular garbage collection.
Material placed out in cardboard boxes or garbage bags or containers will not be collected.
Construction and renovation material such as toilets, wood, windows and doors, hazardous waste or tires will not be collected.
Acceptable materials must be manageable by two people and cannot exceed 80 lbs., 27 cubic feet or 6 feet in length.
Do not place items out earlier than Sunday, Sept. 8. Collection will occur the week of Sept. 9 on your regular collection day.
Additional information on municipal waste management programs is available on your collection schedule or at www.ovwrc.com. | |
MEEKER | With the passage of ballot issue 4A, the Meeker School District will now begin the process of new construction and renovation at Meeker High School and constructing a new school district transportation facility. Our school district is grateful to our community for supporting this effort. We are committed to completing this project with fair and transparent processes.
Because our school district does not have the capacity to manage a construction project of this magnitude on our own, the first step in ensuring a successful project is hiring an owner’s representative. A public RFQ/P was issued for an owner’s representative and four qualified firms responded. NV5 was selected for their excellent track record with school construction project management on the Western Slope. The school board approved the agreement with NV5 based on a recommendation of a selection committee composed of a community member, two school board members, and three school staff members. With any payment to NV5 contingent on the passage of the bond, we have been working with NV5 since October 17 to ensure we had a good start on the project if the bond passed. NV5 will now provide guidance in the selection of an architect and general contractor.
The selection committee for the architect and contractor also consists of a community member, two board members, and three school staff members. NV5 will offer recommendations and guidance, but the selection committee will make the decision about which architect and contractor we will work with. The school board maintains the ultimate authority and will give final approval for contracts with these two entities. We expect to have both the architect and contractor under contract by Dec. 1.
The selection committee has chosen to interview the following architect firms: The Blythe Group, CannonDesign and Treanor HL; and the following contractors: FCI Constructors, Haselden Construction and JHL Constructors. The school district will maintain separate contracts with the architect and contractor. However, we expect them to work hand-in-hand through the design and construction processes. This arrangement is intended to maximize synergy between the organizations involved, but also adds necessary accountability between the contractor and architect to ensure a properly constructed building.
In the coming months, we will engage in the design process for the new facilities. While the final designs are likely to appear similar to those used during the public awareness and bond campaign, this design process will result in some changes. There will be a design advisory group (DAG) consisting of a variety of stakeholders who will contribute to the design. There will also be multiple public meetings where community members can offer input on the design.
The design process will also provide us more concrete details on the phasing and timeline of the project. The current timeline anticipates the design process will occur through the winter with construction starting in May or June of 2019. Construction will continue through the 2019-2020 school year with the anticipation that both facilities will be ready in the fall of 2020.
We are looking forward to the continued community involvement through the design and construction of the high school and transportation facility. Our community’s support and involvement in this process has been phenomenal to date, which gives me another reason to continue proclaiming I am proud to be a Meeker Cowboy! | https://www.theheraldtimes.com/oped-new-high-school-bus-barn-on-track-with-passage-of-ballot-issue-4a/opinion/ |
The 245g Open Corsa clincher tire utilizes a stitched cotton sidewall to offer exceptional traction and lower rolling resistance. The open tubular design offers many performance benefits of a tubular while maintaining the convenience of a clincher. The Kevlar reinforced Corespun sidewall provides a supple ride compared to a standard nylon sidewall. The tire's tread is made up of four different rubber compounds placed strategically to offer exceptional rolling speed without compromising the traction of a softer compound tire.
Technical Information: | https://wheelbuilder.com/vittoria-open-corsa-clincher-tire/ |
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