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The invention discloses an over-frequency vibrating separator and a separating system. The over-frequency vibrating separator comprises a casing, a membrane set and a motor. A central driving rod is extended from the membrane set and is equipped with an eccentric block and first flange at a lower end thereof; an output terminal of the motor is provided with a second flange which is flexibly connected with the first flange through a belt. Thereby, the motor drives the eccentric block on the central driving rod to conduct eccentric exercise in order to initiate swing, and energy generated from swing promotes vibration of the membrane set through the central driving rod; when a rotating speed of the motor reaches a frequency required by a resonance environment, the vibrating amplitude of the membrane set reaches the maximum, and the shearing force generated by the membrane set transmits in a sine mode through diaphragm surfaces in the membrane set, so as to effectively solve a problem of diaphragm stagnation in the membrane set. The over-frequency vibrating separator, a charge pump, a charging cylinder and a filtering hydraulic cylinder form a separating system in order to separate a filtrate continuously and effectively and realize a higher sewage recovery utilization rate; meanwhile, a lot of energy can be saved to bring good economic and social benefits for an enterprise. | |
Would You Listen To Relationship Advice From Jessica Simpson? 2010-04-03 08:00:00
Would You Listen to Relationship Advice From Jessica Simpson?
Jessica Simpson has had ups and downs when it comes to relationships, but she's learned a lot about herself over the past year and has chronicled some of her personal growth on The Price of Beauty. She recently shared some wisdom about finding lasting love, saying:
"It’s important for women not to find their confidence in a man. I think you really have to know who you are before you can truly fall in love and give your all, and I don’t think a man can define you. You have to own that. So if you’re ever with anyone who says you should change something about yourself then they should never fall in love with you in the first place."
Jess has gone through marriage, divorce, and the breakup of multiple high-profile romances, but her message of respecting yourself is a positive one regardless. So, tell us — would you listen to relationship advice from Jessica Simpson? | https://www.popsugar.com/celebrity/Would-You-Listen-Relationship-Advice-From-Jessica-Simpson-2010-04-03-080000-7979501 |
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
BACKGROUND
SUMMARY
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present application claims priority of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0192001, filed on Dec. 29, 2014, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
1. Field
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate to an analog-to-digital converter and, more particularly, to an analog-to-digital converter that corrects an error generated therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
An analog-to-digital converter converts an analog signal to a digital signal. The analog-to-digital converter is used in an apparatus that processes digital signals. For example, an image sensor receives optical signals (Le, analog signals) from an external source, converts the optical signals into digital signals, and processes the digital signals. The image sensor includes a pixel array, for receiving the optical signals, and an analog-to-digital converter provided in each column of the pixel array to read a large amount of data at high speed. The analog-to-digital converter used in the image sensor needs to operate with low power, occupy a small area and have high resolution.
In this regard, a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter is used. The SAR analog-to-digital converter has advantages of fast conversion speed and low power consumption because it may convert one bit into a digital signal during one clock cycle. However, since a capacitor array that occupies a large area is included in the SAR analog-to-digital converter, it may not be applied to devices with limited available fabrication area, such as an image sensor.
Furthermore, when a comparator in the SAR analog-to-digital converter performs a comparison operation, an abnormal value may be outputted due to noise occurring in the circuit. Particularly, in the image sensor, since many SAR analog-to-digital converters are driven, the comparator may not normally perform the comparison operation due to limitations in drivability of a reference voltage, so that an error may occur in a digital signal (i.e. an output signal of an analog-to-digital converter).
Korean Application Patent Publication No. 2010-0031831 discloses an SAR analog-to-digital converter with multiple stages for correcting errors.
Various embodiments are directed to an analog-to-digital converter that may correct an error generated when an analog signal is converted into a digital signal, and an analog-to-digital converting method.
In an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter includes: an upper bit conversion unit suitable for receiving an input signal, and sampling upper bits from the input signal, a lower bit conversion unit suitable for receiving a residual voltage remaining after the sampling of the upper bit conversion unit, and sampling lower bits from the residual voltage, and an error correction unit suitable for correcting an error of the sampled upper bits and the sampled lower bits.
In an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converter includes: an SAR analog-to-digital converter suitable for sampling upper bits from an input signal; an SS analog-to-digital converter suitable for sampling lower bits from a residual voltage remaining after the sampling of the upper bit conversion unit; and an error correction unit suitable for correcting an error of the sampled upper bits and the sampled lower bits.
In an embodiment, an analog-to-digital converting method includes: sampling upper bits from an input signal; sampling lower bits from a residual voltage that remains after the sampling of the upper bits; and correcting an error of the sampled upper bits and the sampled lower bits.
According to the embodiment of the present invention, an error generated in an apparatus including many analog-to-digital converters may be corrected, so that a low noise signal with high linearity of an analog-to-digital converter may be obtained.
For example, in an image sensor, since many analog-to-digital converters are simultaneously driven to cause a limitation in the drivability of a reference voltage and a power supply, noise in the analog-to-digital converters is increased, so that errors occur in the output signal. According to the embodiments of the present invention, an analog-to-digital converter having high linearity and low noise characteristics may be provided by correcting such errors.
Various embodiments will be described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. Throughout the disclosure, like reference numerals refer to like parts in the various figures and embodiments of the present invention.
It is also noted that in this specification, “connected/coupled” refers to one component not only directly coupling another component, but also indirectly coupling another component through an intermediate component. In addition, a singular form may include a plural form as long as it is not specifically mentioned.
The drawings are not necessarily to scale and, in some instances, proportions have been exaggerated in order to clearly illustrate features of the embodiments. When a first layer is referred to as being “on” a second layer or “on” a substrate, it not only refers to where the first layer is formed directly on the second layer or the substrate but also to where a third layer exists between the first layer and the second layer or the substrate.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
101
110
120
130
is a block diagram of an analog-to-digital converter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to , an analog-to-digital converter may include an upper bit conversion unit , a lower bit conversion unit , and an error correction unit .
110
110
130
120
The upper bit conversion unit receives are input signal VIN from an external (e.g. an external source), that is, an analog signal, samples upper bits from the input signal VIN, converts the upper bits into a digital signal Dup. The upper bits may include N bits (N is a natural number equal to or more than 2) including a most significant bit (MSB). When N bits of the input signal VIN are sampled, a non-sampled voltage, that is, a residual voltage VRES, is generated. The upper bit conversion unit transmits the digital signal Dup to the error correction unit while transmitting the residual voltage VRES to the lower bit conversion unit .
120
110
120
130
The lower bit conversion unit receives the residual voltage VRES outputted from the upper bit conversion unit , samples lower bits from the residual voltage VRES, converts the lower bits into a digital signal Dlow. The lower bits include (M+A) bits (‘M’ is a natural number equal to or more than 2, and ‘A’ is a natural number corresponding to an error correction bit for example, ‘1’) including a least significant bit (LSB). The lower bit conversion unit transmits the digital signal Dlow to the error correction unit .
130
110
120
130
The error correction unit outputs a (N+M bit digital signal Dout obtained by combining the digital signal Dup outputted from the upper bit conversion unit and the digital signal Dlow outputted from the lower bit conversion unit . The error correction unit corrects an error included in the upper bits and the lower bits by using the ‘A’ bit.
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
FIG. 2
110
120
110
111
112
113
110
is a detailed diagram of the upper bit conversion unit and the lower bit conversion unit illustrated in . Referring to , the upper bit conversion unit may include a to capacitor array , a comparator , and a memory . That is, the upper bit conversion unit may include a successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter.
101
The analog-to-digital converter may further include a switch SWk that controls the input of the input signal VIN.
111
0
1
130
0
0
1
1
1
130
111
0
0
110
0
110
111
112
The capacitor array includes a plurality of capacitors C to Cn and a plurality of switching elements SW to SWn. Each switching element, for example, includes one or more MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor). The switching elements may be controlled by the error correction unit or a controller (not illustrated). It is preferred that one switching element is connected to one capacitor. The capacitors C to Cn are connected in parallel to one another. One end of the respective capacitors C to Cn is connected to a node for receiving the input signal VIN, and the other end thereof is connected to one end of the respective switching elements SW to SWn. The other end of the respective switching elements SW to SWn is selectively connected to a ground terminal GND or a reference voltage VREF. The switching elements SW to SWn may be controlled by the error correction unit or the controller (not illustrated). The capacitor array samples the upper bits from the input signal VIN. Each of the capacitors C to Cn outputs one bit. Among the capacitors C to Cn, a signal outputted from the uppermost capacitor Cn corresponds to the MSB of the upper bits outputted from the upper bit conversion unit , and a signal outputted from the lowermost capacitor C corresponds to the LSB of the bits outputted from the upper bit conversion unit . Signals outputted from the capacitor array are inputted to the comparator .
0
121
111
The input signal VIN is applied to one end of the lowermost capacitor C and a ramp signal VRAMP outputted from a ramp signal generator is applied to the other end thereof. The ramp signal may be a step waveform signal. Accordingly, when the ramp signal VRAMP is applied, the capacitor array outputs a step waveform signal in synchronization with the ramp signal VRAMP.
1
111
1
1
Initially, all of the switching elements SW to SWn are connected to the ground terminal GND. Then, when the signal VIN is inputted to the capacitor array from an external, the switching element SWn to the switching element SW are sequentially connected to the reference voltage VREF. Accordingly, the voltages of the capacitors C to Cry are sequentially outputted.
112
111
113
120
112
112
112
The comparator compares the signal outputted from the capacitor array with the reference voltage VREF, and transmits a result of the comparison to the memory and the lower bit conversion unit . That is, when the inputted signal is equal to or higher than the reference voltage VREF, the comparator outputs a high level voltage, that is, a power supply voltage of the comparator , and when the inputted signal is lower than the reference voltage VREF, the comparator outputs a low level voltage, that is, a ground voltage. The high level voltage is represented by “1” and the low level voltage is represented by “0”.
112
111
112
111
The comparator may be applied with the reference voltage VREF substantially equal to the reference voltage applied to the capacitor array . Furthermore, the comparator may be applied with a reference voltage that is different from the reference voltage VREF applied to the capacitor array .
113
112
113
113
The memory receives and stores the signal output from the comparator . The memory may include a random access memory (RAM) or a flash memory. Data stored in the memory is outputted to an external under the control of the controller (not illustrated).
120
121
123
112
110
120
120
The lower bit conversion unit may include the ramp signal generator and a counter . The comparator included in the upper bit conversion unit may be shared for an operation of the lower bit conversion unit . That is, the lower bit conversion unit may include by a single slope (SS) analog-to-digital converter.
121
121
0
110
121
The ramp signal generator receives a clock signal CLK from an external and outputs the ramp signal VRAMP. The ramp signal generator transmits the ramp signal VRAMP to the capacitor C for lower bit generation of the upper bit conversion unit . The ramp signal VRAMP outputted from the ramp signal generator includes (M+A) bits.
112
110
120
120
Although it is described that the comparator is provided in the upper bit conversion unit and commonly used by the lower bit conversion unit . The lower bit conversion unit may have a separate comparator.
123
112
110
123
110
120
The counter receives the clock signal CLK and the residual voltage VRES outputted from the comparator , and samples and outputs the lower bits. The residual voltage VRES is a voltage remaining after the upper bit conversion unit converts the input signal into the digital signal of the upper bits. The lower bits outputted from the counter include (M+A) bits. The N bits outputted from the upper bit conversion unit and the M bits processed from the lower bit conversion unit may have substantially the same number.
110
111
1
111
112
111
1
1
1
1
111
120
121
111
FIG. 3
The upper bit conversion unit samples the upper bits from the input signal VIN, compares the upper bits with the reference voltage VREF, and adjusts the reference voltage VREF connected to each capacitor of the capacitor array , thereby performing an analog-to-digital conversion operation for the upper N bits. When sampling the least significant bit of the N bits, the lower capacitor C of the capacitor array is connected to the reference voltage VREF before the comparator operates. At this time, an output voltage VDAC of the capacitor array is compared with the reference voltage VREF, so that the least significant bit of the upper bits may be obtained. Then, when the least significant bit is ‘1’, that is, when the output voltage VDAC of the lower capacitor C is larger than the reference voltage VREF, the lower capacitor C is connected to the ground terminal GNB from the reference voltage VREF, and when the least significant bit is ‘0’, that is, when the output voltage VDAC of the lower capacitor C is smaller than the reference voltage VREF, the lower capacitor C substantially maintains the previously connected reference voltage VREF. Accordingly, the output of the capacitor array has a non-sampled residual voltage VRES as illustrated in . Then, in an operation period of the lower bit conversion unit , the ramp signal VRAMP is supplied from the ramp signal generator the output voltage VDAC of the capacitor array is compared with the reference voltage VREF to determine the size of the residual voltage VRES, and the lower bits are sampled.
FIGS. 4A, 4B, 5A and 56
111
112
1
111
1
2
1
112
1
111
1
1
112
1
111
1
1
2
112
1
111
2
2
112
2
2
112
2
th
N
N
N
N
show a change in the output voltage VDAC of the capacitor array when the comparator outputs a normal value and an abnormal value when an Nbit (i.e., the least significant bit) of the upper bits is sampled. To determine the least significant bit, the lower capacitor C of the capacitor array is connected to the reference voltage VREF, and the output voltage VBAC has a first voltage VDAC higher than the reference voltage VREF or a second voltage VDAC lower than the reference voltage VREF. In the case of the first voltage VDAC, in a normal operation, the comparator outputs ‘1’, and the lower capacitor C of the capacitor array is connected to the ground terminal GND from the reference voltage VREF. Accordingly, a first residual voltage VRES has a value of (VDAC−VREF/2). However, when the comparator outputs an abnormal value, for example, ‘0’, since the lower capacitor C of the capacitor array substantially maintains the previously connected reference voltage VREF, the first residual voltage VRES has substantially the same value as that of the first voltage VDAC. In the case of the second voltage VDAC, in the normal operation, the comparator outputs ‘0’, and the lower capacitor C of the capacitor array substantially maintains the previously connected reference voltage VREF, so that a second residual voltage VRES has substantially the same value as that of the second voltage VDAC. However, when the comparator outputs an abnormal value, for example, ‘1’, the second residual voltage VRES has a value of (VDAC−VREF/2). Accordingly, when the comparator outputs the abnormal value, the residual voltage VRES has an error of VREF/2and deviates from the reference voltage VREF in the range (VDAC−VREF/2) of an ideal residual voltage VRES.
101
120
M+A
To correct the error, the analog-to-digital converter uses a ramp signal VRAMP with a constant magnitude and a wider range. That is, the number of steps of the ramp signal VRAMP is increased, and thus the resolution of the lower bit conversion unit is increased from M bits to (M+A) bits. In this case, the total number of steps of the ramp signal VRAMP may be represented by 2.
FIG. 6
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
FIG. 6
111
110
120
M
M+A
M
illustrates the output voltage of the capacitor array , and is an enlarged diagram of a portion ‘A’ shown in . Referring to , in an operation period of the upper bit conversion unit , the output voltage substantially maintains the ground voltage GND, and in an operation period of the lower bit conversion unit , the output voltage starts to change from a voltage lower than the ground voltage GND, for example, GND−(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2.
M
M
M+A
M
M+A
M
M
M+A
M
In this case, the step size is (VREF/2) and the total step size is increased from 2to 2Accordingly, a ramp signal VRAMP applied from an external is changed from GND−(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2 to GND+VREF+(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2.
FIG. 6
120
121
111
111
120
M
M+A
M
M+N
M+A
M
N
M+N
M+A
M
M+N
M+A
M
M+N
M+A
M
In , the lower bit conversion unit starts to operate, the ramp signal VRAMP applied from the ramp signal generator is changed from the ground voltage GND to GND−(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2, so that the output voltage VDAC of the capacitor array is changed to VRES−(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2. Then, when the ramp signal VRAMP is applied, the output voltage VDAC of the capacitor array is increased to VRES+VREF/2+(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2. To determine the size of the residual voltage VRES, since a maximum value of the output voltage VBAC is larger than the reference voltage VREF, the lower bit conversion unit may sample the residual voltage VRES from VREF−(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2 to VREF+(VREF/2)×(2−2)/2.
130
To obtain a digital output signal Dout having final bits (N+M bits) obtained by combining a sampling result of the upper bits (N bits) and the lower bits (M+A bits) with each other, the error correction unit uses Equation 1 below.
<math overflow="scroll"><mtable><mtr><mtd><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>OUT</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo></mo><mi>M</mi><mo>×</mo><mrow><munderover><mo>∑</mo><mrow><mi>i</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow><mi>N</mi></munderover><mo></mo><mstyle><mspace width="0.3em" height="0.3ex" /></mstyle><mo></mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>UPPER</mi></msub><mo></mo><mrow><mo>[</mo><mi>i</mi><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mrow><mi>N</mi><mo>-</mo><mi>i</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow><mo>+</mo><mrow><munderover><mo>∑</mo><mrow><mi>i</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow><mrow><mi>M</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>A</mi></mrow></munderover><mo></mo><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mrow><msub><mi>D</mi><mi>LOW</mi></msub><mo></mo><mrow><mo>[</mo><mi>i</mi><mo>]</mo></mrow></mrow><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>2</mn><mrow><mi>M</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>A</mi></mrow></msup></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></mrow></mrow></mtd><mtd><mrow><mi>Equation</mi><mo></mo><mstyle><mspace width="0.8em" height="0.8ex" /></mstyle><mo></mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></mtd></mtr></mtable></math>
UPPER
LOW
th
th
N
N
M
M
112
In Equation 1 above, D[i] denotes the idigital value of the upper bits (N bits) and D[i] denotes the joutput of the lower bits (M+A, bits). When the comparator outputs an abnormal value, the residual voltage VRES has an error of VREF/2as compared with a normal value. The error VREF/2of the residual voltage corresponds to a 2LSB at the time of sampling of the lower bits (M+A bits), and in Equation 1, the 2LSB is multiplied to the upper bits (N bits) and is then added to the lower bits (M+A bits). In Equation 1, error correction is performed by adding the error generated in the upper bits to the lower bits or subtracting the error from the lower bits.
Hereinafter, an 8 bit analog-to-digital converter for sequentially sampling upper 4 bits and lower 5 bits, for example, N=4, M=4, and A=1 will be described as an example. When it is assumed that a normal analog-to-digital conversion result of the upper 4 bits is ‘0111’ and a normal analog-to-digital conversion result of the lower 5 bits is ‘00101’, the final output Dout of the normal analog-to-digital converter is 117 LSB by Equation 1.
110
112
120
120
101
4
4
In lowermost bit sampling in the upper 4 bit analog-to-digital to conversion process of the upper bit conversion unit , when the comparator outputs an abnormal value, the upper 4 bits is ‘0110’ and the residual voltage VRES has an error of (VREF/2) with respect to a normal value. The (VREF/2) corresponds to 16 LSB of the lower 5 bits of the lower bit conversion unit . Accordingly, the output of the lower 5 bits for the lower bit conversion unit is ‘10101’, obtained by adding ‘1000’ to ‘00101’ of the normal operation. When the sampling result ‘0110’ of the upper 4 bits and the sampling result ‘10101’ of the lower 5 bits are combined with each other according to Equation 1, the final value of the analog-to-digital converter is 117 LSB, and this value is substantially equal to the final value of a normal analog-to-digital converter.
101
According to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, an error generated in the process of converting the input signal VIN to the digital signal Dout may be corrected, so that the digital signal bout outputted from the analog-to-digital converter has high linearity and low noise characteristics.
Although various embodiments have been described for illustrative purposes, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a block diagram illustrating an analog-to-digital converter in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2
FIG. 1
is a detailed diagram of an upper bit conversion unit and a lower bit conversion unit illustrated in .
FIG. 3
illustrates an output voltage of a capacitor array generated after upper bits are sampled from an input signal.
FIGS. 4A and 4B
FIG. 2
are waveform diagrams for describing a change in an output voltage of a capacitor array when upper bits are sampled in a normal operation of a comparator illustrated in .
FIGS. 5A and 5B
FIG. 2
are waveform diagrams for describing a change in an output voltage of a capacitor array when upper bits are sampled in an abnormal operation of a comparator illustrated in .
FIG. 6
is a timing diagram for describing an output voltage of a capacitor array when upper bits and lower bits are sampled.
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
is an enlarged diagram of a portion ‘A’ shown in . | |
Drinking well now and will develop nicely in the bottle for the next 5-10 years.
Vintage 2015 can be best described as having a mild growing season.
time. Most importantly there were no days of extreme hot weather which is ideal for flavour development. There was a period in late January of high humidity, but careful management of the vines kept the fruit free from disease. The continuing consistent warm days, enabled the vines to ripen the fruit at a consistent rate. This meant there was a reduced need for irrigation which resulted in a very strong vintage for all varieties.
with some lees stirring. The wine was in barrel for nine months. This complex wine has great fruit length and structure with texture and mouth feel added from the barrel fermentation.
complex wine has great fruit length and structure with texture and mouth feel added from the barrel fermentation. | http://www.rutherglenestates.com.au/product/wine-archive-29/ |
The latest House of Lords Brexit report focuses on trade in non-financial services and concludes that a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU is needed. To enable UK companies to continue to operate within the EU, without serious non-tariff barriers, this would need to include a range of complex mutual provisions.
In the absence of Single Market membership it will be much harder to provide for liberalised trade in services than trade in goods.
A ‘no deal’ scenario, or a UK-EU trade deal which gave no special consideration to UK non-financial services, would risk serious harm to sectors such as professional business, digital, broadcasting, aviation, and travel services.
In aviation and broadcasting services, WTO rules do not provide for trade with the EU at all. Instead, UK firms would have to rely on outdated and restrictive agreements, so there is no adequate ‘fall-back’ position in the event that no deal is reached. Businesses could be forced either to re-structure or relocate their operations to the EU27.
The Government has also under-estimated the reliance of the services sector on the free movement of people. In forthcoming immigration legislation, the Government must ensure that it retains sufficient room for manoeuvre to negotiate an agreement on this key issue.
These are among the conclusions of the report, Brexit: trade in non-financial services, published today by the House of Lords EU Internal Market Sub-Committee.
Commenting on the report, Lord Whitty, Chairman of the EU Internal Market Sub-Committee, said: “The UK is the second largest exporter of services in the world and the EU receives 39% of the UK’s non-financial service exports. This trade is critical to the UK’s economy as it creates employment and supports goods exports – we can’t afford to lose that.
“To protect the UK’s status as a global leader of trade in services, the Government will need to secure the most comprehensive FTA that has ever been agreed with the EU. Walking away from negotiations without a deal would badly damage UK plc, particularly in sectors such as aviation and broadcasting which have no WTO rules to fall back on.
“Given the consequences of a ‘no deal’ scenario and the length of time agreeing an FTA will take, the Government must prioritise securing a transitional trading arrangement with the EU. This would operate as we leave the EU in 2019 until a full comprehensive FTA with the EU can be concluded. This re-iterates the recommendation we made in our report, Brexit: the options for trade, published in December 2016.”
The Committee concluded that, in negotiating a UK-EU FTA, the Government should seek to secure market access and specific reciprocal arrangements in a number of areas. The following are examples:
- Professional business services
A FTA should include significant provisions surrounding the mutual recognition of professional qualifications and regulatory structures. It should also include rights of establishment for all types of UK service providers, particularly legal services, in the EU and vice versa.
- Data protection standards
The UK should aim to secure an adequacy decision from the European Commission, which recognises that the UK has adequate data protection standards, in order to maintain the free flow of data. This is particularly important for digital service providers.
- Telecommunications
To ensure UK consumers do not suffer increased prices, a UK-EU FTA should include provisions extending the abolition of roaming charges in the UK beyond 2019.
- Broadcasting licences
Broadcasting licences from Ofcom should continue to be recognised in the EU.
- Intellectual property
Strong protections should be afforded to intellectual property rights across the creative services sector, such as for registered and unregistered designs.
- Aviation
UK airlines should be able to fly to any point within the EU and provide intra-EU services, either through full voting membership of the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), or by means of a comprehensive UK-EU air services agreement. This will allow UK airlines to continue to offer the routes they fly today.
The continued movement of workers and service providers in both directions is seen by the UK’s booming services sectors as necessary to support growth.
In a ‘no deal’ scenario, WTO rules would not sufficiently facilitate the cross-border movement of people nor would they ensure the free flow of data. Rules on market access also differ between EU Member States – increasing the regulatory complexity for UK firms.
The Government must narrow down uncertainty so the UK’s services sector can prepare themselves to survive and flourish post Brexit. | https://www.finance-monthly.com/2017/03/comprehensive-fta-with-eu-crucial-to-protecting-uk-services-sector-post-brexit/ |
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Recently scholars around the globe have given attention to conflict prevention, management and resolution. A considerable body of literature has been added to our academic libraries mostly by scholars from the Western societies. Conflicts in the developing areas by contrast are only minimally researched. For quite some time the assumption seems to have been made that the Western techniques of conflict prevention, management and resolution will also apply to Third World nations. Recently, however, some scholars in the developing countries began to think otherwise. Cultural diversities do not only shape our perception of conflicts but also determine techniques to be employed in handling them. The study of conflicts in the Sudan has significance for scholars in Africa, the Middle East and, indeed, around the globe. Sudan reflects the cultural heritage of Africa and the Middle East. Sudan has known a central authority that brought all its territory under effective control only since the beginning of the colonial era in 1898. Before that time local communities were largely left to administer themselves, inventing their own mechanisms for handling conflicts. Customary mediation is such an important mechanism which appears to have been effective up-to-now among tradition-bound communities. Over the course of time, and because of societal normal processes of change, government-sponsored mediations have been introduced, incorporating to a large extent indigenous practices. Lately, however, government intervention appears to be doing more harm than good, leading to the exacerbation of intergroup conflicts and the inadequacy of customary mediation to solve them. The article explores both phenomena, pinpointing what went wrong. It also argues that customary mediation, as a Sudanese practice, may have relevance for scholars in Sudan, Africa, the Middle East and indeed around the globe.
Introduction
Currently Sudan is troubled by three types of conflict: (1) conflicts with some of its neighbours (e.g. Uganda, Eritrea), (2) a protracted civil war in the south, the Nuba Mountains and southern Blue Nile area and (3) intergroup conflicts that are presently prevailing in the extreme western Sudan and among southern Sudan ethnic and/or tribal groups (Mohamed & El-Amin 2001). To a large extent, conflicts in which the state is involved (i.e. civil war and interstate conflicts) captured the attention of the world community. Oftentimes they make global head news. Intergroup conflicts, on the other hand, go unnoticed, although they are sometimes no less devastating than civil wars. For instance, the Masaleet-Arabs violent conflicts (1996-1998) forced some Masaleet tribesmen to seek refuge in neighbouring Chad after having being looted of every thing they owned and having to flee their homeland for safety.1 Takana (1998) reported that the Masaleet-Arabs conflicts during the period (1996-1997) left on the side of the Masaleet 722 dead, 109 injured, 50 burned villages, 2833 burned houses and considerable loss of property. Losses on the part of the Arabs were relatively smaller, amounting to 220 dead, 40 injured, 922 burned houses and considerable loss of animal wealth (Mohamed & Wadi 1998).
Unlike the civil war and interstate conflicts, intergroup conflicts are hardly heard of by the Khartoum populace, let alone by the international community. Two factors account for this: (1) they take place in too remote areas (the south and extreme western Sudan) to be of concern to the Khartoum populace, (2) they are oftentimes treated by the government as security matters of which the publication might do more harm than good. Lately, however, some post-graduate students got interested in the phenomenon and several post-graduate theses have been added to university libraries.2 It can be generally observed, however, that student theses tend to be case studies and mostly descriptive. Lately, some scholars also got interested in studying intergroup conflicts, but again, these studies are mostly descriptive.3 Furthermore, students or scholars have not studied customary mediation as a cultural heritage that has been constantly threatened by local developments and central misguided policies. This article, therefore, briefly discusses the nature of intercommunal conflicts, but places more emphasis on customary mediation as a mechanism for conflict prevention, management and resolution. It will also show how over the course of time it appears that customary mediation has been losing its sanctity and effectiveness, implying what needs to be done to strengthen it.
Intergroup Conflicts
Societal conflicts are inevitable wherever scare resources are unequally distributed among competitors and inequity is reflected in cultural and political relationships between groups. In the case of the Sudan, the problem is further compounded by a multiplicity of divisive factors: cultural, ethnic and religious. The first population census (1955-1956) estimated that 7 major ethnic groups inhabited Sudan, further subdivided into 46 smaller groups that spoke different languages and followed different religious creeds (Department of Statistics 1994). On the other hand, the 1993 population census estimated that 71 percent of the Sudan population lived in rural areas, competing over meagre natural resources. For western and southern Sudan, intergroup competition over natural resources is even more acute and conflict-generating because of the prevailing modes of living. An International Labour Organisation commission that visited the Sudan in 1971 described the principal modes of living in those regions to be traditional rainfed agriculture and livestock raising (International Labour Organisation 1976). Clashes between farmers and herdsmen are inevitable as livestock raising takes the form of pastoral nomadism. In any case, conflicts are always likely among farmers or herdsmen as the increasing numbers of human and animal populations overwhelm the land’s carrying capacity. Furthermore, although all rural Sudan is relatively underdeveloped, the rural parts of southern and western Sudan are even more so. Rural populations in those areas still manifest cultures and behaviour patterns of traditional communities (e.g. identity group solidarity, the warrior man image, tendency to take revenge etc).4 A war culture and actual engagement in violence are further perpetuated by prevailing illiteracy and absence of modern security forces that prevent and manage conflicts.
In western Sudan, Takana (1998) reported that during the period 1968-1998, 29 major intergroup violent conflicts were recorded. He showed how damaging those conflicts had been. Underlying causes of conflict might be grouped into two categories: competition over natural resources and competition for leadership positions (Mohamed & El-Amin 2001). The tribal or ethnic landholding system also aggravates the conflict situation. Two interpretations exist with regard to land and its uses: (1) that all unregistered land is government land and therefore all citizens are entitled to its use, and (2) that as a “de facto” reality in rural Sudan, every inch of land is claimed by an identity group (ethnic or tribal). Access to land and its uses constantly becomes one of the possible causes of clashes between landowners and newcomers. Over the course of time, and particularly when violence resulted in homicide, intergroup feuds developed and further complicated the conflicting situation.5 Episodic factors will then add to the conflict-riddled situation. Population exodus because of war or climatic changes is one such episodic factor leading to intergroup violence. The direct causes of conflict might range from homicide, word or deed of abuse, animal damage of property, to animal theft or elopement with a girl (Mohamed & El-Amin 2001).
Intergroup conflicts in both western and southern Sudan have become more devastating as a result of the proliferation of firearms. Since the early 1970s, firearms have found their way into the hands of ordinary tribesmen in Darfur region as a spillover from the protracted Chadian civil war (Mukhtar 1998). On the other hand, since 1991 when the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) split into warring factions, divisions were along tribal lines (Mohamed & El-Amin 2001). Even ordinary tribesmen have been armed and trained to use firearms. As a result, tribal militia has become a phenomenon in both western and southern Sudan, making it difficult to prevent, manage or resolve conflicts through traditional customary mediation.
Customary Mediation Experiences
Intergroup warfare is not the only manifestation of conflicts at the grassroots level. In addition, there are conflicts within families, among individuals and within modern social associations. Today, Sudan maintains five mechanisms of handling conflict at the grassroots level: (1) modern state courts and law enforcement institutions, (2) native courts that apply customary laws, (3) Sharia law courts that handle disputes when Muslims are involved, (4) citizen-based customary mediation practices and (5) government-sponsored peacemaking conferences. It is the latter two mechanisms that this article explores. On the other hand, the discussion of conflict is limited to intra or intergroup warfare.
Causes of inter or intragroup conflicts are numerous. Some long-lasting intergroup feuds have structural causes (e.g. competition over natural or political resources). Other causes are episodic (e.g. demographic or climatic changes) (Mohamed & El-Amin 2001). In other words, in rural southern and western Sudan, communal life is often pregnant with conflict. Direct causes leading to violent conflicts are also numerous, ranging from word or deed of abuse, affray, cow theft, animal damage of crops or elopement with a girl, to homicide (Mantier & Dhal 2000, Mohamed & El-Amin 2001). Small-scale conflicts will soon develop into widespread intergroup violence if steps were not taken to handle them. Identity group solidarity drives more and more people into intergroup violence.
Citizen-based customary mediation
Fortunately, in both southern and western Sudan, grassroots communities have developed their own mechanisms for conflict prevention, management and resolution. In northern Sudan, particularly in Darfur region, the practice is known as “Judiyya” (i.e. mediation). The people who act as mediators are called “Ajaweed” singular “Ajwadi”. In its historical context, Judiyya is performed by the tribal elderly who are versed in customs and traditions and are reputed for their impartiality and peace loving. In general, in rural Sudan the elderly used to enjoy high regard from all members of the local community. Their words of wisdom are rarely disputed. Over the course of time Judiyya acquired sanctity. To fail to respect Judiyya rulings subjects one to considerable communal pressure. One will be labeled as “deviant” a detrimental verdict in situations where group solidarity and support are vital for one’s security and well-being.
Two episodes may help to explain how in the past Judiyya had been effective and helped to prevent limited conflicts from developing into large-scale communal warfare. Cunnison (1966) wrote that among the Humr tribe of western Kordofan, when homicide took place, the Ajaweed would hurriedly hide the killer in a protected place, capture the victim’s relatives of kin who would be most likely to go off immediately and commit an act of vengeance, tie them up to trees, and order the killer’s clan to change its pastoral route so that they would not come in contact with the victim’s relatives of kin. Then they will take both the killer and the victim’s relatives of kin to be kept by government authorities. Then the Ajaweed arrange for a series of conflict resolution meetings that would normally end with a grand meeting in which brotherly relations would be restored. Government authorities would then be asked to release all captives (Cunnison 1966:144-145).
The other episode comes from the extreme southwestern corner of Darfur region, where the Fellata and Bani Halba tribes are living. During the colonial era, a Fellati is said to have killed a man from Bani Halba. The Fellati was brought to a state court presided over by the British district commissioner, who eventually released the accused for lack of evidence. The Fellata “Nazir” (paramount chief) ordered that the accused be put in jail until the issue was resolved with the Bani Halba. The district commissioner got furious that his ruling was not honoured by his subordinate. The dispute between him and the Nazir was raised at higher administrative levels, which ultimately supported the position of the Nazir. The Nazir was convinced that the Fellati was the killer and was aware of the possible retaliation by Bani Halba should the case not be subjected to traditional conflict resolution practices.6
Several observations may be made: Firstly, about the sanctity that the Judiyya used to have among rural communities. This is exemplified in young men (i.e. the relatives of kin) allowing themselves to be tied up to trees by elderly people. Secondly, about the status and confidence those native administrators used to enjoy from the colonial government. The Fellata Nazir, a follower of the district commissioner, was made triumphant over his boss. Thirdly, it can be seen how citizen-based customary mediation may help avert possible large-scale intergroup violence.
For the most part customary mediation still plays an important role in conflict prevention, management and resolution in areas where modern state institutions do not exist. In an interview with Zakiddeen,7 he related to me that in most cases he referred disputes presented to his native court to be settled through customary mediation practices. Asked why he would do that, he answered: “The court will postpone the problem, the Judiyya will solve it”. The court declares one of the disputants victorious; the other will feel being the loser and will never forgive the victor. The Judiyya, on the other hand, makes both disputants satisfied with its decision, thus pre-empting future tense relations.
Both El-Bashar and Zakiddeen have had wide experience as mediators in conflict situations. El-Bashar asserted that none of the mediations in which he participated failed to reach amicable agreements. Zakiddeen, on the other hand, explains how the Ajaweed proceed with mediation so that they would solve the problem. They divide themselves into “doves” and “hawks”. The doves work relentlessly to persuade parties in conflict to forgive and forget. They remind them how their ancestors lived in peace and what types of friendship they maintained. Considerable citation from the Koran, Sudanese proverbs and sayings is also made, praising the virtue of forgiveness and showing how feuds are mischievous in this life and hereafter. The wrongdoers will normally be asked to make friendly gestures, mostly symbolic such as kissing the heads of the victimised. On the other hand, the hawkish group would threaten the recalcitrants about the mischief that they would get into should they refuse to accept Ajaweed judgment.
Although customary mediation is normally performed by a group of Ajaweed, sometimes a single Ajwadi may do the job. For instance, in 1978, Hussain Dawsa, a leading Zaghawa tribesman, managed to avert impending violence between members of his own tribe and another tribe the Rezaigat (Mohamed & Badri 1999). In southern Sudan, customary mediation is performed by even more developed institutions. Depending on the type and magnitude of conflict, it can be resolved by a grand “Mejlis” in which professional actors and ordinary citizens may take part in “talking” (Mantier & Dhal 2000).
Mantier and Dhal (2000) found that among the Dinka and Nuer tribes five categories of mediators might be identified:
- the traditional earth priests;
- the oldest traditional leader;
- members of customary law courts;
- the “rephraser” of story-telling in mediation meetings and;
- the cattle camp leader.
In most cases, customary mediations result in deciding several types and amounts of compensation for losses and injuries. Blood money is particularly important when conflict results in homicide. In the past, compensation was paid in kind (livestock). At a gradually increasing rate, it is now being paid in money. Blood money helps to control the drive for vengeance.
Government-Sponsored Mediations
The colonial government (1898-1956) adopted two policies that greatly lessened intergroup violent conflicts: (1) a heavy-handed pacification policy and (2) the establishment of a tribal leadership system, commonly known as Native Administration. By definition, colonisation implied pacification so that extraction of economic benefits would be possible. Disturbing law and order was made punishable and in most cases individual responsibility replaced the traditional communal responsibility for dealing with crimes. Homicide, for instance, became a crime punishable by the death of the killer. On other hand, besides the collection of taxes, the primary function of native administrators was to maintain law and order within and between tribes (Mohamed, in Ahmed 1998). They did the job very successfully, enjoying acceptance from the government and their followers (Bakheit 1985). Furthermore, native administrators were encouraged by the government to maintain friendly relations among themselves, holding meetings seasonally to solve problems, exchanging gifts and taking wives from each others’ tribes (Bakheit 1985).
Nevertheless, intergroup conflicts were inevitable; and when native administrators failed to resolve them, the government would normally call for a grand peacemaking conference to which several parties would be called: representatives of parties in conflict, representatives of the government authority and, most importantly, the Ajaweed, who are mostly native administrators but also include saints and some community notables that are versed in intercommunal customs and traditions. It is the Ajaweed who actually work out dispute settlements. They do this through soft and harsh tactics as indicated above. Just like in citizen-based customary mediation, in government-sponsored mediation the Ajaweed also decide a variety of compensations for the victimised. Important among these is blood money in cases of homicide. If properly estimated and paid, blood money will normally help in soothing tensions and preempting resort to vengeance.
Before a government-sponsored peacemaking conference is convened, preparatory measures will be taken by the government authorities, including: deciding the time and place for the conference; directing security forces to prepare lists of deaths, injuries and material losses; selecting and notifying the Ajaweed; asking the parties in conflict to select their representatives; and arranging how the conference is to be managed. A fairly senior public officer, believed to be capable and acceptable to the parties in conflict, will be designated as chairperson for the conference and will be assisted by a working group. Of course, it is the government that meets the financial obligations for the conference.
When the conference is convened, the procedure goes as follows: A moderator will ask one of the saints to recite verses from Koran and the Hadeeth. Citations will normally concentrate on verses and Hadeeth that commend living in peace for individuals and communities. Listeners are also reminded of the mischievous consequences for engaging in feuds and homicide. Then the chairperson addresses the conference acknowledging the difficulty of the task at hand, but indicating his confidence in the Ajaweed whom he is sure have the ability to solve the problem and restore brotherly relationships between parties in conflict.
The next step is story telling by representatives of the conflicting groups. In general, each party will try to demonstrate how the other party was the one responsible for starting and worsening events leading to violence. As a way out, each party will lay down extreme conditions for the other party so that the conflict might be resolved. A written statement will normally be read out by a representative of each party and will be submitted to the Ajaweed and government authorities as a conference document. The floor will then be open for more story telling by representatives of each group, confirming in most cases what the group had decided on in its written document. The meeting will then be adjourned so that the Ajaweed might sit by themselves and deliberate on how they may proceed with the mediation. The government authorities would have already decided about who should be the Ajaweed chairperson.
The Ajaweed will then meet with each party in caucuses for deliberations on issues they raised and solutions they suggested. The Ajaweed will be careful not to indicate sympathy with either side. Rather, they would express their understanding of the points parties made, and would advise them to be lenient on certain issues that might block the reconciliation process. Again, the Ajaweed will sit by themselves and agree on what they perceive to be the solution for the problem. They go back and forth between the parties after having assigned roles for the “doves” and “hawks”. Their tentative judgments will by now be clear and their most difficult task is convincing parties to accept such judgments. This process of convincing might take hours and sometimes days in which not only the Ajaweed but also the government authorities will put pressure on the party refusing settlement conditions. Certainly no side will want to be labeled as the obstacle to making peace or the one refusing the wisdom of the Ajaweed. The representatives of parties in conflict will normally find themselves in the difficult situation of having to accept Ajaweed judgment while fearing grassroots reaction to what may be perceived as unjust problem solving. This is one of the reasons why increasingly government-sponsored peacemaking conferences have failed to put an end to intergroup conflicts. Judiyya judgments might not always be properly and honestly conveyed to people at the grassroots level.8
Why Mediations Fail to End Conflicts
Mohamed and El-Amin (2001) found that for most part customary mediation still functions effectively in tradition-bound communities. Even those rural communities who moved to Khartoum, to stay in camps as internally-displaced persons (IDPs) or in squatter settlements, tend to resolve their disputes through customary mediation rather than resorting to the nearby, modern state law courts. But on the whole, in rural areas customary mediation is no longer having the sanctity and effectiveness it used to have during the colonial era. Post-independence years have been characterized by (1) steady escalation of intergroup violent conflicts, (2) increasing frequencies of government-sponsored peacemaking conferences and (3) increasing failure of such conferences to put an end to conflicts.
As a case study, Darfur region best illustrates these three phenomena. Takana (1998) found that 29 major intergroup violent conflicts took place in a thirty-year period (1968-1998). In other words, every year a major intergroup battle was fought in that region. On the other hand, Mukhtar (1998) reported that in a forty-year period (1957-1997) 29 government-sponsored conferences were held to resolve intergroup conflicts in that region. By contrast, only one conference was held during the colonial era (1916-1956). The colonial authority appears to have held only one major conference to settle disputes among camel nomads of northern Darfur state and their counterparts in northern Kordofan state (Mukhtar 1998). Astonishingly, five conferences were held for the same camel nomads in a forty-year period (1957-1997), indicating not only the multiplicity of conferences but also their failure to put an end to conflicts. Conferences were repeated not only for the camel nomads but also for other groups, nomads and non-nomads.
In this article our concern is not so much with explaining the phenomenon (i.e. repeated conferences) as with understanding why government-sponsored customary mediations would fail to end conflicts. Two explanations might be hypothesised: (1) that such conferences did not address the root causes of conflicts but rather the superficial ones, (2) that customary mediation as a traditional institution, has been losing its sanctity and effectiveness in a changing society (see Mohamed 2000). That conferences do not address the root causers can be demonstrated by the fact that none of conferences discussed the problems related to modes of living and land carrying capacity; to the controversial issue of tribal “dars”, i.e. homelands; nor to the prevalence of illiteracy among combatants.9
That customary mediation has been losing sanctity can be explained by reference to several factors. First, as human societies move from traditionalism to modernity, traditional institutions tend to become less effective in controlling individual attitudes and behaviour. For instance, as people become urbanised or educated, they tend to rely on modern government institutions rather than on those of identity groups for settling their disputes. Although rural communities in both western and southern Sudan are still tradition-bound, the segment of the transitional individuals is on the rise, and they are less bound by customs and traditions (Palmer 1980).
Secondly, for the last thirty years, small arms found their way into the hands of ordinary tribesmen. In Darfur region this was the result of the protracted Chadian civil war. Most tribes of the Darfur region have relatives of kin in neighboring Chad, which enabled Chadian combatants to cross the border and receive shelter with relatives in the region. Often retreating Chadian troops brought with them their weapons and offered them for sale at affordable prices (Mukhtar 1998). Eventually, tribes in Darfur started using firearms to settle old-time intergroup feuds. Tribal militia could not be controlled by traditional means.
Thirdly, post-independence central governments have been consciously or unconsciously undermining the customary mediation institution by undermining the system of “native administration” or by the manipulation of ethnic diversities. At times the central government was captured by revolutionary elements (in 1964, 1969 and 1989). The October 1964 caretaker government was dominated by leftist elements. They passed a resolution for the liquidation of native administration. Traditionally, leaders of the national movement, and particularly the leftists who were urbanized and educated, perceived native administrators as “colonial stooges”, founded to help the foreign rule pacifying the rural population and prolonging its existence (Bakheit 1985). Further, radical political elements have always felt that native administrators blocked their way to the rural “masses” (Bakheit 1985).
Radical elements regarded native administrators as influential supporters for the conservative political parties in the rural areas (Bakheit 1985). So, the October 1964 government was quick in passing the resolution that native administration be dissolved. However, the caretaker government was short-lived and the conservative government that succeeded it ignored the implementation of the resolution. But the harm had already been done. Native administrators lost credibility in the eyes of their followers and lost interest in performing their traditional responsibilities (Bakheit 1985). Then the more serious blow to native administration came in 1970 when the second radical government (1969-1985) practically dissolved the system, unseating the paramount chiefs. Although further attempts have been made by subsequent governments to reinstall the system, it has not been possible to make it perform the same functions.
Fourthly, not only revolutionary governments but also all central political associations allowed themselves to manipulate ethnic and/or tribal divisions. In the Fur-Arabs conflicts (1980-1989), each of the two principal political parties (the Umma and the PDP) was alledgedly sympathetic with one of the conflicting groups. A much clearer central tendency to support one group against the other can be demonstrated by the stand taken by the present government (1989-2002). Many independent observers are convinced that the central government took the side of the Arabs in the Masaleet-Arabs conflicts. While the Arabs demonstrated their political support for the government, the Masaleet failed to do so. Then the government intervened with the controversial issue of tribal landholding. The Masaleet had a long-history of an established sultanate in which they formed a clear majority and other tribes, including the Arab, were minorities. The Sultanate territorial area had been recognized even by official documents as “Dar Masaleet” (Masaleet homeland). In 1995 the western Darfur state governor took a unilateral decision subdividing the sultanate into administrative emirates, with the majority of them being given to the Arabs (Rabbah 1998). The Masaleet were furious about the decision and were bent on preserving their landholding right. Although the Arabs were a minority, they had advantages over the numerous Masaleet. They are basically nomads, moving from one place to the other, which makes it difficult for the Masaleet to attack them as a group. Furthermore, the Arabs were allowed to possess and carry firearms for guarding their herds. The Masaleet, on the other hand, are settled farmers, living in huts and are forbidden by law to possess and carry firearms. When violence erupted the Masaleet were sitting ducks.10
Fifthly, conference decisions are often largely ignored, improperly disseminated to the grassroots or not implemented. Most Ajaweed being interviewed mentioned this as the major cause of renewed violence. Several reasons are behind the failure to disseminate conference agreements or implement them. One: native administrators are either non-existing or demoralised. They are the ones who traditionally used to do the job. The antagonistic central policies towards them made them disinterested in the job and its function. Two: group representatives might not be whole-heartedly in favour of agreements reached. They are less willing therefore to convey conference resolutions effectively to tribesmen at the grassroots. Three: in the past government authorities had no mechanisms for implementing agreements. Native administrators used to do the job. Only recently has a modern mechanism been created. The Fur-Arabs (1989), the Rezaigat-Zaghawa (1996), and the Masaleet-Arabs (1999) are all agreements that were followed by a government-appointed mechanism to oversee that agreements were implemented.11 None of them had setbacks.
Implications for scholars and practioners
Recently, conflict prevention, management and resolution have become global concerns. Statesmen, scholars and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are all concerned about handling conflict. In the Western world, a considerable body of literature has been produced, delineating techniques of conflict prevention, management and resolution (CPMR). By contrast, in the developing countries controlled studies have been scanty and it appears that a presumption is made that what applies in the Western world will also apply in the developing countries. Lately, however, it has been realised by scholars in the developing countries that this might not be so (see Salem 1997). During the period January 21-23 1998 a workshop was held in Arusha, Tanzania, to look into African experiences with conflict mediation. Statesmen, theoreticians and practitioners took part in deliberation and came to the conclusion that Africa had no such documented experiences (see Othman 1998). The need grows for cross-cultural examination of conflicts.
Irani (1999) made a useful comparison between Western and Middle Eastern nature and perceptions of conflicts and techniques employed in handling them. The Sudan, influenced by both African and Middle Eastern cultural heritages, may present useful experiences that deserve being looked into by scholars in Africa, the Middle East and the Western hemisphere. It will be evident that managing conflicts in rural Sudan reflects clear differences from that of the Western societies. First, in the Sudan conflicts erupt among identity groups rather than among individuals, as it is common in the West. Then, disputes are referred to customary mediation institutions rather than to modern societal professional mediators who are paid by the parties in conflict (Irani 1999). By contrast, in the Sudan, mediators are volunteers who would not ask for compensation for their time and effort. Secondly, while mediators in the Western world are required to be convincingly neutral, helping the parties in conflict to find solutions for their own problems, the Ajaweed in the Sudan, and indeed in the Middle East, are not expected to be neutral. They take the side of the party interested in peace and put pressure on the one wanting to continue with feuds. As Irani (1999) notes, the mediator is perceived as a person with the capability of solving any problem, with a record as peacemaker, and someone enjoying acceptance from both sides of the conflict. Thirdly, although material compensations are decided on for those affected by war, material considerations are not as important as the psychological aspects. Disputants must be persuaded or even pressured to forgive and forget so that tensions might be soothed and future recurrence of violence preempted. Irani (1999) identifies four rituals as being extremely important for resolving conflicts among Middle Eastern communities: the Sulh (settlement), the Musalaha (reconciliation), the Musafaha (handshaking) and the Mumalaha (partaking of salt and bread, i.e. eating together). Western statesmen and theoreticians need to take these rituals into consideration as they venture to resolve conflicts in Africa or the Middle East.
The African scholars also need to look into Sudan’s experiences with customary mediation. It has been argued that among most tradition-bound communities, customary mediation may still be effective but needs to be acknowledged and supported with capacity building. It is less expensive and more effective. When societies move from traditionalism to modernity, however, customary mediations need to be reformed so that they take account of the changing milieu. Sudan’s government-sponsored mediations could be cited as an example worthy to be considered by African and Middle East scholars. This article indicates, however, what went wrong so that Judiyya became less effective in ending conflicts. Those are lessons to be learnt by African scholars and statesmen.
In fact, findings reached by this article might be even more relevant for decision makers in the Sudan than elsewhere. It has been indicated that in general conflict transformation rests with changing the modes of living that are up-to-now conflict generating (pastoral nomadism and shifting rainfed agriculture). The areas where intergroup violence is mostly occurring are the western and southern Sudan. They are also relatively the most underdeveloped. Until modes of living are changed through calculated development projects, and until illiteracy rates are reduced, intergroup conflicts will increase rather than decrease over the course of time. Land carrying capacity will steadily become overwhelmed by the growing need to feed human and animal populations.
Until development is realised, however, customary mediation mechanisms will have to be empowered to be more effective in ending conflicts. Citizen-based customary mediations need to be acknowledged and strengthened, as they are now the only mechanism for resolving conflicts in areas where modern government institutions do not exist or are not resorted to by ordinary citizens. The central government must give priority to individual protection of life and property rather than to being overly concerned with building political support for itself in the rural areas. The antagonistic policies towards traditional leaders and policies of manipulating ethnic or tribal differences have greatly impaired the effectiveness of customary mediation.
In view of the growing magnitude of intergroup conflicts, government-sponsored peacemaking conferences appear to be more realistic than the citizen-based customary mediation, although some of the interviewed Ajaweed argue to the contrary. In any case, government-sponsored mediation conferences need to be reviewed so that they become more effective. Firstly, the Ajaweed must be given a free hand to work out solutions in the interests of parties in conflict rather than to realise government-desired solutions. Secondly, the government must improve its image of being biased. The government can make this happen by wholeheartedly supporting judgments reached freely by the Ajaweed. Effective support of Ajaweed decisions implies that government must play an effective role in implementing them. Finally, a consistent policy must be adopted and implemented with regard to the issue of tribal homelands. It will have to be a grassroots creation so that the government might not be accused of taking sides. But once an agreement is reached, its implementation must be universal. The Masaleet are now complaining, not so much about why their territory has been portioned, but rather about why their territory alone has been portioned! A grand meeting for the entire regional population could resolve this issue once and for all.
References
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- International Labour Organisation 1976. Growth, Employment and Equity, A Comprehensive Strategy for the Sudan. Geneva: International Labour Organisation.
- Irani, George E. 1999. Islamic Mediation Techniques for Middle East Conflicts, in Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA), Vol 3, No 2 (June 1999).
- Mantier, A. & Dhal, A. 2000. The Dinka-Nuer Conflict: A Review of Traditional Methods of Conflict Resolution. Uunpublished Report. Omdurman: Ahfad University for Women, in Partnership with Center for Strategic Initiative of Women (CSIW).
- Mohamed, Adam A. 1998. Societal change and its impact on tribal conflicts in the Sudan, with special reference to Darfur Region, in Mohamed & Wadi 1998.
- Mohamed, Adam A. 2000. Native Administration in the Sudan: Past, Present and Future, in Ministry of Social Planning, Scientific Symposium on Ethnic Diversity and National Unity. Khartoum: Ministry of Social Planning (Nov 2000).
- Mohamed, A.A. & El-Amin, Khalid 2001. Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution: Capacity Assessment Study for the IGAD Sub-region Phase 2: Implementation. Leeds: Centre for Development Studies, University of Leeds (Oct 2001).
- Mohamed, A.A. & Badri, B.Y. 1999. The Rezaigat-Zaghawa Conflict in Darfur Region. Unpublished report. Omdurman: Ahfad University for Women, in Partnership with Center for Strategic Initiative of Women (CSIW).
- Mohamed, A.A. & Wadi, E.I. 1998. Perspectives on Tribal Conflicts in the Sudan (in Arabic). Khartoum: Institute of African and Asian Studies, University of Khartoum.
- Mukhtar, E.A. 1998. About Tribal Conflicts in Darfur: Causes, Reconciliation Conferences and Mechanisms of Implementing Agreements, in Mohamed & Wadi 1998.
- Naeem, Ali J. 1978. Maaliya-Rezaigat Tribal Conflict. Unpublished diploma thesis. Institute of African and Asian Studies, University of Khartoum.
- Othman, Haroub 1998. Summary Report, Learning from Conflict Resolution in Africa. Arusha, 21-23 Jan. 1998.
- Palmer, Monte 1980. Dilemmas of Political Development, An Introduction to the Politics of the Developing Areas. Itasca, Illinois: Peacock Publishers.
- Rabbah, Nazik E. 1998. The Role of the Central Government and Native Administration on Tribal Conflicts Resolution in Darfur. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis. Department of Political Science, University of Khartoum.
- Salem, Paul 1997. A Critique of Western Conflict Resolution from a non-Western Perspective, in Salem, Paul (ed), Conflict Resolution in the Arab World. Beirut: American University.
- Salih, Tigani M.M. 1998. Tribal Conflicts in Darfur Region: Causes, Consequences and Remedies. Khartoum: Government Printing Press.
- Takana, Yusuf S. S. 1998. The Consequences of Tribal Conflicts in Darfur, in Mohamed & Wadi 1998.
Notes
- An interview with Ibrahim Yahya Abdul Rahman, a former western Darfur governor. He was interviewed in my office, December 1999. Rabbah (1998) confirms the governor’s report but caution must be had, as the governor is a Masaleet tribesman.
- For instance, in Khartoum University theses included: Naeem 1987; Ayyoub 1991; Ali, M.A.N. 1998; Rabbah 1998; Haggar, A.A., 2001
- Examples of scholarly studies include Salih 1998 and Harir and Tvedt 1994.
- For more elaboration on attitude and behaviour patterns in traditional and transitional societies see Palmer 1980 and Evans-Pritchard 1990.
- For details about how feuds developed among identity groups in Sudan see Evans-Pritchard 1990 and Al-Hardollo 1975.
- This information comes from Ahmed El-Sammani El-Bashar, the present Fellata Nazir. He was interviewed in my house in Khartoum, 30.6.2000.
- Azzain, H. Zakiddeen is the present “emir” for the Bedairiyya tribe in northern Kordofan, and president of a native court. He was interviewed in his house in el-Obeid, 16.2.2001.
- Information about Judiyya processes comes from a personal experience. Besides being a Darfur native, I served as a province commissioner for both southern and northern Darfur states, during the period 1982-1985. I was ex officio participant in some peacemaking conferences.
- See: Bureau of Federal Governance 1999.
- For details about the tragic Masaleet-Arabs conflicts see Rabbah (1998). | https://www.accord.org.za/ajcr-issues/intergroup-conflicts-and-customary-mediation/ |
An international team of researchers has explained how a new compound works to reduce the environmental impact of ruminant animals by cutting the production of the greenhouse gas methane.
Researchers at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) are part of an international team that has been able to show how a new molecule, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3NOP), inhibits methane production by ruminants. The work is published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
The potential value of this study is to reduce the environmental impact of ruminants, without adverse effects on the animals themselves. Livestock farming is responsible for 18 percent of the world’s greenhouse gases, and ruminants such as cattle, sheep and goats generate 35 percent of one of these gases – methane.
Ruminants digest their food through fermentation carried out by microorganisms living in the rumen. This process produces organic acids – such as acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid – all of which are absorbed and metabolized by the animal as a source of energy. But, in addition, the process produces methane, which escapes into the atmosphere in the form of gas.
How does it work?
By 2014, scientists had demonstrated the effectiveness of 3NOP in reducing methane production in sheep but they were unaware of how it actually worked.
Now, reports CSIC, the new research using incubated anaerobic microorganisms from ruminants’ digestive systems has revealed how 3NOP only affected the methane-producing microorganisms and not those that contribute to digestion. This points to a reduction in the production of methane without adverse effects on the animal’s health, production or welfare.
“Up until now, no one had described the mode of action of a compound which can repeatedly reduce (by 30 percent) methane production in animals without any risks, either to the animal’s health, or to their productivity,” said David Yáñez, a CSIC researcher at the Zaidin Experimental Research Centre in Granada in southern Spain. “We will see an increase in the efficiency of ruminant production systems as better use is made of the energy taken in in animal feed, given that methane production accounts for a loss of up to 12 percent of the energy an animal ingests.”
This work open up the possibility of reducing methane emissions from ruminant animals and so contributing to a reduction in global temperatures that are influenced by greenhouse gases.
The University of Auburn in the U.S. and the Max Planck Institute in Germany collaborated on this project, as did the Swiss company, DSM Nutritional Products, which developed and owns the patent to 3-nitrooxypropanol.
The scientific paper, by Evert. C. Duin and others, is titled “Mode of action uncovered for the specific reduction of methane emissions from ruminants by the small molecule 3-nitrooxypropanol” and published in PNAS.
More on 3-nitrooxypropanol
According to DSM Nutritional Products, several molecules substituted at various positions with at least one nitro-oxy group have been identified as potential inhibitors of methane production from the digestive system. One of these compounds is 3NOP, which was developed from related compounds that had been identified in lab experiments. Further work showed that 3NOP exhibited a significantly higher potential to reduce methane production than another well-known model compound, bromoethanesulfonate.
A paper by Haisan and others in Journal of Dairy Science in 2014 showed that feeding 3NOP to lactating dairy cows at 2,500mg/day reduced methane emissions, without compromising dry matter intake or milk production.
In 2015, Hristov and others in PNAS found that 3NOP, applied at 40 to 80mg/kg feed dry matter, decreased methane emissions from high-producing dairy cows by 30 percent and increased body weight gain, without negatively affecting feed intake or milk production and composition. This inhibitory effect persisted over 12 weeks of treatment, they added, offering the prospect of an effective methane mitigation practice for the livestock industries. | https://www.feedstrategy.com/animal-feed-additives/study-shows-how-to-reduce-methane-emission-from-ruminants/ |
This treatise is meant to preserve this knowledge of how the greatest instrument makers in history thought about sound and how to enhance it.
Back in the early 1990’s of the last century, my brother Robert Hill asked me to resoundboard a Grotrian Steinweg concert grand piano that he had just purchased for the purpose of getting it rebuilt acoustically to be optimized to the fullest extent of what was possible at that time. I was living and working in Manchester, Michigan where I had my harpsichord shop. He was living and working in Freiburg a. B., Germany. I agreed to make a new soundboard and tune it according to my acoustical principles if he sent me the original soundboard intact in Manchester. Well, when I got the original soundboard and tapped on it, what I heard had all the musical qualities of a door…as in “dead as a door”. Undaunted by the abysmal amusical properties of the original, I used it as a template to build another soundboard, which I tuned and proceeded then to reuse the old bridge, with some acoustical modifications, and apply the many ribs where I thought they should be glued on instead of following the common practice used by all modern piano makers since 1850. Finally, I shipped the soundboard back to my brother in Freiburg, where he had it installed into the body of the Grotrian Steinweg case.
Later, when I visited Europe to buy more soundboard wood, my brother asked me to spend as much time as needed to completely acoustically adjust the action on this Hill - Grotrian concert grand piano. This I did, which radically improved the playability of that piano. Other than hearing one or two pieces Robert used to test the piano out before I departed, I never again heard that piano. Thereafter, Robert had the hammers replaced with ones made from rabbit felt and had the bearings in the piano replaced to refresh the touch and to make it more responsive. Otherwise, I never actually heard that piano until I received a recording of a concert performed on it earlier in 2018, a program of all Albinez music played for a Master’s degree recital by one of his students at the Hochschule für Musick in Freiburg. That is the first time I have actually ever heard the results of my acoustical work some 25 years earlier.
The recording offered below was recorded live by Professor of Harpsichord, Mark Edwards, at Fairchild Chapel in Oberlin, Ohio on September 27th, 2016 on my harpsichord, a copy of the 1624 Ruckers harpsichord in Colmar, France. I made the instrument in April of 2016 and finished the instrument in September. The photo below is of Prof. Edwards preparing for the concert on that harpsichord when the instrument was in the conservatory building the afternoon of the concert. This instrument is presently for sale.
Since I began building instruments in 1971- 1972, I have made more than 494 instruments for professional musicians and serious amateurs alike. In all that time, I have received only half a handful of thoughtful well considered critiques about my instruments. That makes a review written to me recently by Jan Katzschke of Dreseden, Germany all the more interesting. As most of my readers already know, I base my work exclusively on aesthetic and musical principles that I submit myself to and apply as faithfully as possible. The less of my self I interject into the business of making an instrument the better. This review, see below, is an affirmation that my decision to govern my instrument making behavior according to these principles was not made in vain.
Last weekend I played the first three concerts on the Taskin and the result was absolutely amazing and in that degree unexpected for me.
First (what I enjoyed already at home): The resonance, bloom, transparence, dynamic ... of the instrument is uniquely rich. The touch is absolutely delightful, like moving my hands in warm water. The dynamic is absolutely amazing, if I want to emphasize a single tone or theme of a middle part of the score, only the intention is enough to make the instrument immediately react dynamically. I know this partially from other instruments, but this one is far beyond everything I know elsewhere. Every single tone is singing on a maximum degree.
Before writing all this to you, I wanted to await the first concerts. As I told you, I played a French programme together with a violinist, consisiting of 50% chamber music an 50% solo music for harpsichord.
For the first time in my life in making chamber music, I did not have the feeling that the fundamental of the harpsichord feels completely gone while playing as soon as other instruments join in. In all of the 3 different concert rooms (small village church, acoustically "dry" modern chamber music hall, bigger church with rich delay of the room) the feeling while playing never changed. The sound stayed completely resonant all the time for me.
The first concert was visited by a singer of my church choir. He is very musically, but usually is a quite cynical man almost never expressing emotions. After the concert he could not stop saying how deeply moved he was. That for me was the strongest and most unexpected reaction of the weekend.
The reactions of the people in the third concert concerning the harpsichord were as excited as in the other concerts regarding the solo pieces.
So, your Taskin has proved to be outstanding not only at home, and I simply want to thank you again that you made such a wonderful sounding instrument for me. I feel to be a blessed donee!!!!
Harpsichord after Blanchet opus 398 belonging to Elizabeth Farr . This is one of my most favorite decorations both to do and to look at - It is based on the Couchet double in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The recording below was made on this instrument.
Now you are able to view my "Opus List" by scrolling to the last entry on the ABOUT KEITH HILL page. Most of these harpsichords, clavichords, violins, guitars, and fortepianos continue to serve music as I intended them so to do when I made them. My chiefest aim has always been to build sounds that inspire a way of playing that deeply moves and excites listeners. This aim can be realized only by acoustical work of the highest quality. I define quality as anything that makes my instruments more like the antique instruments.
Now that I have achieved my personal goal of a reliable mastery over sound, I am able to produce the kind of sound I could only dream of 40 years ago. It is that skill and understanding that I am able to bring to each and every instrument I make. It is this skill and understanding which makes my instruments unique in our time. That is what I have to offer.
The photograph below is of a 1769 Taskin model harpsichord I built and decorated for myself in 2000, which recently sold to the University of Western Australia in Perth. The following performance is of my brother, Robert Hill, playing the first concert on that instrument in Perth.
My chinoiserie on this harpsichord was inspired by seeing actual antique chinese decorated furniture . . . the result was both stunning and to my surprise made purposely dirty and mottled. I loved the effect because it makes the outcome so much more interesting. On the antique chinese furniture all what looked like real gold was actually a product made to imitate the appearance of gold by fusing mars yellow (iron oxide) on mica flakes. This harpsichord is now at the University of Western Australia in perth, australia.
Here is a Sound Sample Bach's Sarabande in d minor from Robert Hill’s transcription from the solo violin Partita.
The cardinal signs of a Hill instrument are: powerful tone, gorgeously vocal trebles, solid and resonant basses, beauty of tone color, intensely musical behavior of sound, flexibility of touch and color, and a singing and affectively "loaded" tone.
Here is a Sound Sample of Bach's Fugue from his solo concerto in a minor played by Elizabeth Farr on my most recent 16' Harpsichord.
The next Sound Sample is from CPE Bach's concerto for piano and harpsichord played on one of my Cristofori Pianos and one of my Taskin Harpsichords.
Why are these traits necessary? It is obvious that players and composers in the 18th century demanded instruments possessing these qualities to be made so that they would aesthetically support their musical conceptions and intentions. How do we know this? CPE Bach states explicitly in his Versuch to "Play from the Soul, not like a trained bird...endeavor to avoid everything mechanical and slavish". J.J.Quantz in his treatise, On Playing the Flute, explains to musicians that "musical execution may be compared with the delivery of an orator..." and that musicians and orators should aim "to make themselves masters of the hearts of their listeners, to arouse or still their passions, and to transport them now to this sentiment, now to that".
Pictured below are photos of the 1658 de Zentis harpsichord, which I restored in 2004 and which now resides at the Piccola Academy in Montisi, Italy, and of my most recent Italian Harpsichord- a copy of the de Zentis of 1658. Below the photos are sound samples, of the harpsichords pictured, played by Pamela Ruiter Feenstra, Martha Folts, and Elizabeth Farr, and Leonardo Garcia-Alarcon.
I understand that they meant these things literally, rather than hopefully. Therefore, I build my instruments with the sole aim of creating sounds which enhance and support (meaning: to make reasonable, logical, and beautiful) a highly expressive, highly flexible, highly affective, highly inflected, powerfully communicative, yet balanced style of playing. Playing that is, in a word, soulful.
Until I built this 6 Octave Cristofori Fortepiano, no one had ever attempted to take Cristofori's design to its maximum limits. It is double strung in Brass. The two pedals work the Dampers and the Una chord keyboard shift. This piano is my Opus 363 made in 2003 and finally completed and sold in 2007 to the Technical University in Trondheim, Norway. The recordings below were made by Marianne Ploger on this piano just before it was shipped to Norway.
My goal now is to do everything in my power to encourage a return again to a sane, meaningful, highly expressive, masterful way of playing great music and creating great art. It is to this end that my instrument making is dedicated.
I have posted an article I wrote some years ago titled "The Art of Listening" in which I explain my understanding of the nature of what it means to listen...not merely hear. You can read this article by clicking on the ARTICLES button under the main heading of this page and selecting the specific page. I wrote "The Art of Listening" as a chapter in my "Treatise on the True Art of Musical Instrument Making" but was told that my view on the business of listening had no place in my Treatise, so I removed it even though I disagreed with the few readers who thought it best not to reveal how I listen. I hope you enjoy reading it and that it reveals something that will help you improve your own skill of listening.
I have been in the business of making musical instruments for 44 years. If you own an antique or vintage HILL harpsichord and have not had the instrument renovated somewhat recently, that instrument is in sore need of being renovated with new strings, new quills, and new dampers. This sort of work needs to be done regularly about every 15 years depending on time and use.
I purposely assigned opus numbers to my instruments applying the label on the pinblock in the treble on most harpsichords and on the pinblock in the bass if there was no room in the treble. The reason first was to keep track of where my instruments were located and second to have a clear record of my development as an artist for my own use. In other words, if someone wrote to me and said they owned opus 34 and proceeded to describe something other that what my records indicated, I would tell them if their instrument was or was not genuine, as happened occasionally over the years. Third, and most importantly, was to demonstrate to those, who tend to attribute anything of high quality to one’s talent, just how wrong that is. I have had to work extremely hard to figure out all that I have come to understand about making a high quality sound, one that I personally consider worth listening to. Anyone who would think otherwise is wrong. And central to all that hard work is being attentive to intelligent criticism and figuring out how to use it. By this I mean not succumbing to the usual reaction to hearing criticism, which is, being offended. I consider the inability to hear, accept, and use criticism as the principle reason why most musical instrument makers make instruments that are not worth listening to. As one very fine violinist and critic of my violins recently told me, “You are one of the only violin makers I know who can actually accept and make use of criticism.” I responded by saying that I learned that lesson after having built my second harpsichord, that is, one can wallow in feeling offended or one can pay close attention to what is being said by the critic in order to improve the work. It is just a choice, nothing more.
To begin, here are some useful definitions of words used in this article to describe age or date of the instrument and especially the kind of work needed.
ANTIQUE means older than 25 years. Any Hill harpsichord built before 1991 is an antique. If you own an antique Hill instrument and you have not had any significant work done on it since it was made, then your instrument is in serious need of being reconditioned.
VINTAGE means a particular period during which your Hill instrument was made. I delineate those periods according the degree of acoustical development and/or place or year in which your Hill instrument was made.
2004 - the present. This period involved another move, in 2010, to Nashville, Tennessee. Opus 484 is my most recent instrument…a violin.
Those harpsichords from Opus 350 and before, depending on the conditions in which your Hill instrument has been kept, will likely be needing to be restrung, requilled and redampered, in a word…renovated, unless that has already been done earlier, that is, sometime within the previous 15 years.
RENOVATING - Means restringing because over time iron strings rust and brass strings corrode. Rust and corrosion act as an abrasive, which eats away at the tips of the quills causing the sound to become coarse and dull. This means the strings and the quills need to be replaced. Replacing all the quills with new quills often needs to be redone more regularly because over time many quills will have broken and were replaced by technicians who may or may not understand how to get the best sound from the instrument. Redampering is necessary if the damper cloth has been ‘eaten’ away by the strings.
RECONDITIONING - Whereas renovating involves only those aspects of set up that degrade through time and use, a reconditioning includes renovating and can but not necessarily involve any or all of the following, things which I recommend, i.e.: replacing plastic jacks with wooden jacks (which produces an improvement in tone of about 5-10%), changing all the cloths and felts in the instrument with a special material called woven-felt (which produces an improvement in tone of about 15%), acoustically adjusting/tuning the keyboards (which produces an improvement in tone of about 15%), acoustically adjusting/tuning the jacks (which produces an improvement in tone of about 5%), and when the strings are off the instrument, unpinning the bridges and tuning as well as acoustically adjusting the bridges (which produces an improvement in tone of about 5%).
REBUILDING - Usually involves replacing the soundboard, as well as everything done in a reconditioning. Since the soundboard has been removed, it also can involve acoustically adjusting the inside of the case and a re-engineering of the bracing system, should that prove acoustically beneficial.
To assess the quality of an instrument I rate every possible enhancement on a scale of one to 100. 1% assumes that the instrument is a competent piece of woodworking. 100% means that the maker has divined every possible means of enhancing the sound of an instrument and has applied all possible enhancements. I always use the finest, best sounding great antique instruments from the 17th or 18th centuries as my acoustical standard and call them “100%” instruments. Why? Because the ancient makers did everything in their power to enhance the sound of each instrument they made. The Colmar 1624 Ruckers is an 85% instrument only because the maker who converted the instrument from its original condition in order to upgrade the compass and specifications was not particularly astute about all possible enhancements of the things that got changed. The de Zentis that I restored in 2004, now in Montisi, Italy was a 100% instrument until the original 17th century Ivory key tops had to be removed due to customs requirements in order to ship it to Italy. The Grimaldi in Nüremberg, Germany is a 100% instrument. The Jan Couchet in Brussels, Belgium is also a 100% instrument. The Ahaus Ruckers used to be a 100% instrument before it was degraded in restoration to a 65% instrument as the soundboard was removed to flatten it. The 1769 Taskin was a 100% harpsichord when I first played it 45 years ago. Indeed, most well restored working antique harpsichords average between being a 55% - 85% instrument, because not all makers from the Baroque period had a complete knowledge of how to enhance every part of the instrument.
The old “serien” plucking piano type harpsichords commonly made in the 1930’s-70’s in Germany were only able to yield a 1-5% result. If the maker does everything any respectable furniture maker would do, by selecting the design and materials intelligently, the maximum result would be a 5-15% instrument. The best possible result most makers today can achieve, doing nothing to otherwise enhance the sound of the instrument beyond makinga jot and tittle copy of a piece of furniture, yields about a 15-25% instrument.
For myself, I have always aimed to make 100% instruments, having figured that it is better to fall short of the mark than to not aim at all, yet also always assumed, no matter how good the sound might have been, its never good enough. So should you own an earlier Hill instrument and discover that my opinion of it may not be as high as yours, that is my artist’s prerogative. I see it as my job to have a skeptical ear, especially of my own instruments. Today, because I have done a few, a full rebuild of one of my earlier period instruments can yield a 65% - 80% result. A particularly good sounding example of my previous work can yield a 70% – 90% instrument.
Each stage of reworking an instrument brings with it costs both for time and materials, and knowledge of how to create the best possible sound. The cost for renovating a double manual harpsichord is between $2100 - $4000, depending on the extent of the work and who does the work. A reconditioningof the same instrument costs between $5000 - $8,000. A complete rebuild costs between $15,000 - $22,000, depending on who does the work. This assumes no repair work needs to be done.
Here are 130 + videos, that can be found of YouTube, in which my instruments are featured. I am sure that there are significantly more. That they do not appear in this list is probably because I have yet to either know about them of must accidentally discover them while browsing...not one of my favorite activities.
J C F Fischer: Suite in D Minor 'Uranie', complete. Robert Hill, harpsichord by K. Hill 1988 after M. Mietke - strung completely in brass.
Bach: Adagio Bb, Allemande A, Sarabande Em - Bradley Lehman Harpsichord and pedal harpsichord.
Johann Sebastian Bach, Goldberg-Variationen, 2. Variation - Gerhard Oppelt spielt am Cembalo nach Ruckers, gebaut 1999 von Keith Hill.
J. S. Bach - Toccata BWV 912 in D major- 2°JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 317 1997.
J. S. Bach - Toccata BWV 912 in D major- 1° JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 317 1997.
C. Ph. E. Bach - Sonata in a minor Wq 49/1 - 1° JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 3171997.
C. Ph. E. Bach - Sonata in a minor Wq 49/1 - 2°JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 3171997.
J. Ph. Rameau - Pieces de clavecin (1706) - 2°JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 3171997.
J. Ph. Rameau - Pieces de clavecin (1706) - 1°JERMAINE SPROSSE - harpsichord Hill / Taskin Opus 3171997.
Bach - Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D major BWV 1050 Michael Behringer - Hill/Ruckers Opus 263 1992-3.
J.S. Bach - BWV 1080 - (18) Fuga a 3 soggetti "B-A-C-H motif"
Jan Katzschke - Hill Lute-harpsichord. | http://keithhillharpsichords.com/ |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The present invention relates to a control device for controlling the movements in a multi-way valve for driving a cylinder-piston assembly.
As is known, earthmover machines, and agricultural machines, such as tractors, conventionally comprise valves affecting hydraulic pistons, which are designed for driving, for example, a bucket or operating assemblies supported at the rear of a tractor, such as turning over devices, plows, mowing devices and the like.
In order to control from the vehicle driving cab the above mentioned devices, hydraulic pistons are provided, the delivery, respectively return pipe thereof, is coupled to a driving or control valve, for example a fourth-way valve, conventionally supplied by a valve maker.
Inside the vehicle driving cab, a control lever is moreover provided, by which the multi-way valve can be brought to a position suitable to provide the involved device with a raising stroke, a further position of said lever allowing said valve to be brought to a position allowing the device to be lowered and, in a first position of the valve, the device being adapted to be subjected to a floating movement.
In this prior system, the control operations exclusively depend on the driver skillness, who not only must accurately drive the vehicle but, moreover, must also bring, with a very high sensitivity or accuracy, the multi-way valve to a precise target position, with the danger of performing erroneous handlings.
Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary control device, to be associated with a multi-way valve of a per se known type, arranged for a hydraulic circuit, for preventing the vehicle driver from freely operating the control lever controlling the valve and in which, by controlled movements of said lever, it is possible to lock said valve at a plurality of preselected positions.
The above aim is achieved by a control device for controlling movements in a multi-way valve, designed for driving a cylinder/piston assembly, characterized in that to the control stem of a multi-way valve, adapted to be actuated by the vehicle driver, is coupled an additional control stem of an auxiliary device, that the additional control stem is operatively coupled to a tubular body, urged by a pressure spring, that the tubular body is operatively coupled to a rotary selector and that said tubular body comprises longitudinal slots and circumferential slots therewith a ball can be engaged, said ball being housed in a circumferential chamber of a further tubular element arranged at a radially outer position.
Further advantages of the invention are defined in the dependant claims.
The subject matter of the present invention will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter with reference to an exemplary embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, where:
FIG. 1
4
7
shows a hydraulic piston and related driving circuit, together with the control valve including the selector device according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
shows, by a perspective view, the selector device;
FIG. 3
shows, by a further perspective view, the front side of the selector device;
FIG. 4
shows, by a further partially broken-away perspective view, the selector device;
FIG. 5
shows, by a further perspective view, a control sleeve arranged inside the selector device;
FIGS. 6, 7
8
9
, and show, in axial cross-section, the selector device in different operating positions thereof; and
FIG. 10
shows, by a partially cross-sectioned perspective view, the valve.
FIG. 1
1
2
3
As shown in , the hydraulic assembly comprises a driving piston , to which a delivery duct and a return duct , for a hydraulic fluid, are coupled.
2
3
4
5
6
6
FIG. 1
The ducts and are operatively coupled to a multi-way valve having a control stem which can be driven by a control rod arranged inside the vehicle drive cab, said control rod being shown in in three different positions thereof.
5
4
105
7
7
8
To the stem of the valve is operatively coupled the stem of a selector device which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter. The selector device comprises a rotary selector element which will be also disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter.
9
1
10
7
11
The chamber of the piston is coupled to a further duct extending toward the device and including a device for setting a maximum operating pressure, such as a pressure gauge .
FIG. 2
7
8
5
shows in perspective view the selector or adjusting device as well as the selector element in the form of a rotary knob, designed for defining accurate positions to be assumed by the valve stem .
8
Said knob , in particular, can be brought to different positions as indicated by A, B and C.
FIG. 3
7
8
shows, by a further perspective view, the adjusting device together with its setting knob .
7
108
4
105
From the front side of said device , coupling means allowing a connection with the body of the valve project. Moreover, it is possible to see the front portion of the control stem which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter.
7
15
16
On the front side of the device an opening and a further coupling opening , which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter, are provided.
15
4
The opening operates as an inlet for the pressure X of the fluid inside the multi-way valve .
16
11
The opening , in turn, constitutes an outlet for the pressure Y, present inside the valve, to be supplied to the control sensor .
7
105
20
21
22
23
24
Inside the device is housed said control stem which, at its rear end portion receives a resilient ring element operating as a detent or stop means for a bracket thereagainst is abutted a spring abutting against a further bracket in turn abutting against a tubular body .
24
105
23
22
The tubular body encompasses the stem and is urged, through said bracket , by a preloaded spring .
24
25
26
27
28
29
The tubular body comprises a plurality of circumferential slots , , which can be contacted by a ball housed in a further tubular element which outward radially projects.
29
100
28
30
31
The tubular element is encompassed by a further tubular element which, on the side thereof facing said ball , comprises a circumferential chamber delimited by a slanted surface .
100
32
57
4
16
7
4
FIG. 3
The tubular body is preloaded by a preloading spring and by a ring element (FIG. ) which is urged by the fluid pressure supplied through the hole formed through the body () and directly derived from the valve in turn coupled to the hydraulic pump of the system.
32
15
105
9
FIG. 5
FIG. 6
FIGS. 7, 8
The calibration of the spring and the inclinations of the recesses shown in causes the overall system to snap assume a neutral position, as shown in , as the pressure supplied through the hole drops to zero MPa, independently from the position of the stem , as shown in and .
FIG. 5
24
25
26
27
33
24
As is clearly shown in , the tubular body further comprises, in addition to the circumferential slots , and , a plurality of longitudinal channels , allowing the tubular body to be axially driven.
FIGS. 6, 7
8
9
7
8
, and show different operating positions of the device and related knob .
FIG. 6
22
23
105
33
In , the spring is shown in a maximally expanded condition, and it presses, through the bracket , on the body of the stem . In this position, the tubular element can freely move, owing to the provision of the longitudinal slot .
FIG. 7
105
22
25
28
In , the stem, indicated by , has been driven in the direction shown by the arrow (f) thereby pressing the spring and receiving in the circumferential slot the ball .
FIG. 8
105
28
26
20
22
In , said stem has been driven in the direction indicated by the arrow (g), thereby causing the ball to enter the circumferential slot , and causing the detent ring to contact the spring .
FIG. 9
105
7
28
27
22
In , the stem has been further displaced from the device and the ball engaged in the circumferential slot . In such a position, the spring is maximally pressed.
FIGS. 6, 7
8
9
The operation of the device can be clearly understood from , and .
FIG. 6
28
33
5
105
7
In , the ball is arranged in the slot and, accordingly, the valve shaft or stem can perform an axial floating movement, whereas the stem can project from the device for a distance (a) given by way of an example.
FIG. 7
105
7
28
25
5
In , the stem has been withdrawn inside the body of the device , thereby causing the ball to engage with the circumferential slot , to lock the stem in this position.
FIG. 8
28
27
24
105
7
In the position shown in , the ball has been engaged in the circumferential slot of the tubular body , and the stem of the device projects from said device by an amount (b).
FIG. 9
105
7
Finally, as shown in , the stem has been further projected for an amount (c) from the body of the device .
105
105
4
FIG. 7
Since the end portion of the stem is operatively coupled to a multi-way valve, the different positions assumed by said stem , as shown in , allow the multi-way valve to accurately and controllably assume the desired positions thereof.
8
24
51
28
50
105
9
FIG. 4
FIGS. 7, 8
With the selector element arranged in the position (A), as shown in , the tubular element turns about its pivot axis through 45° owing to the provision of the element , thereby causing the balls to abut against the abutment wall ; thus, the stem will be locked at one of the three positions shown in and .
8
24
51
8
52
28
33
105
28
FIG. 2
FIG. 9
With the selector element arranged in the position (B), as shown in , the tubular element further pivots about its pivot axis through 45° also due to the element coupled to the selector element by the screws , thereby bringing the balls into the longitudinal slot ; thus the stem will be held engaged in its position only if the balls drop into the slot or groove ().
8
24
28
54
105
9
FIG. 2
FIGS. 7, 8
With the selector element arranged in the position (C), as shown in , the tubular element turns through further 45°, thereby the balls will abut against the slanted surface , to allow the stem to be held engaged in all the three positions shown in and .
10
55
56
16
53
51
53
58
100
28
105
FIG. 1
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
FIG. 6
The characteristic of the function (C) is that, as a maximum pressure is delivered by the line (), the valve , urged by the spring , will be axially displaced under the pressure supplied through the hole (), which pressure is released in the chamber () (owing to the angular position of the element communicating the chamber with the chamber ), thereby causing the tubular element to move leftward, and freeing the balls . Thus, the stem will return to its neutral position, as shown in . | |
Classic Images were established in 1983. For almost 30 years we have worked closely with many architects and designers, on some of the most prestigious properties in London and the Home Counties. We manufacture high quality architectural joinery and cabinet works, from our workshop in Chessington, Surrey. Offering a full design, planning, finishing and installation service.
Our company has successfully combined traditional skills with modern machining methods to obtain the highest standards of workmanship. Whatever the size or complexity of a project; from a single door, to a full house renovation, attention to detail remains our highest priority.
The company is proud of its fastidious attention to detail in all aspects of each commission, and of harmonising its design to your property. We can offer our own in-house interior design service to make your dreams a reality and have own team of builders, plumbers, electricians and decorators to carry out any building works required.
The directors recognise the importance of being as green and environmentally friendly as possible, in both the running of our workshop and commissions. We recycle as much of our waste material as is possible.
We help to ensure that your building's "u-value" is minimised by fitting the highest specification double glazing and using the best insulation materials possible. | http://classicimages.co.uk/about_classic_images.php |
Passengers Were Left Confused This Morning At DXB Following A Power Cut In T3
Passengers at DXB, Terminal 3 were left confused following a power-cut which was the result of a technical issue.
Flights were unaffected and the issue, which happened shortly after 11am, was rectified in half an hour.
A Dubai Airports official reported, “Dubai Airports can confirm that there was a power outage at Dubai International’s Terminal 3 at 11.04am due to a technical issue”, “power was restored within 30 minutes of the outage with minimal impact on operations.” according to an update via The National.
Passengers took to Twitter to voice their concern
I really can’t believe that the power on Dubai Airport was cut off rn
— Maryame X big dick energy ?? (@anxiousavo) July 15, 2019
Terminal 2 is the place to be: A solar energy system was announced today in T2
The largest for any airport in the region, made up of 5,000 photovoltaic panels, the solar panel will make savings of AED3.3million and is a smart project by DEWA to promote the use of clean, renewable energy sources. | https://lovindubai.com/news/dubai-airport-power-out |
Carpinus betulus "Pendula"
Common hornbeam
5 m.
16,4 f.
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Family: Betulaceae
Genus:
Carpinus
Genus of evergreen trees with green leaves that turn yellow in autumn. Grown for their crown and their autumn colour.
They grow in full sun or partial shade, in moist, well-drained, fertile soils.
Plant alone or in rows, or use for hedges.
Propagate typical species by seeds that require cold-moist stratification to germinate, and cultivars by grafting.
Latin name:
Carpinus betulus "Pendula"
Small, pendulous-branched tree.
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Moving into the season of winter and the holidays, I often look back on the year and remember things that I feel grateful for. The quiet and stillness of this season of falling leaves, of beings going to sleep for the winter always resonates deep within me.
This year my season is filled with enormous gratitude as well as sadness. My beloved father passed away a month ago, and my mother passed this month three years ago. They both lived wonderful long lives, 65 years of it happily together. My gratitude to my parents has grown these last few years. So much that I received from them is part of who I am today, especially my love of nature, my connection with animals, and the joy of creating and making things.
We had a sunny day recently, so I went to the barn to sit with a mare I’m getting to know. I’ve done bodywork with Eve a few times, and we are growing deep connection that I want to nurture. Respecting her space is the key. I set up my chair in her pasture at a distance, pleased that my arrival didn’t disturb her or her companion as they napped in the sun, stamping flies off their legs.
After about 20 minutes, Eve came to visit. She walked over and sniffed; the other mare followed and sniffed a lot. They hung around with me for a while, moving in and out of close range. My only goal was to share space with them and just be, letting the warmth of the sun, the peace of horses grazing, and bird sounds seep into my core. I took a few photos of Eve with the sun streaming around her casting deep shadows. One is at the top of this page.
Offering Reiki brought them both over to me again, checking out my hands, looking for where the energy was coming from—lots of animals do this. Then I stood a few feet from Eve’s shoulder. Sharing space closer. We stood together. She turned and looked at me a few times as they also tracked something at a distance.
Standing there, I found myself in tears, telling them how much I missed my father. Eve stood still and lowered her head; the other mare moved closer. We stood that way for some time, enjoying each others’ presence and the sense of connection. I felt so held by these two mares standing just at the edge of my energy bubble. The connection felt healing and real and alive. My heart was soothed.
I turned and faced Eve’s shoulder, and spent a few minutes stroking her dirty, water streaked coat. It felt good. Then she walked away. I am grateful for horses every single day. | http://barbarabreckenfeld.com/november-gratitudes/ |
Milton Keynes is Britain’s town with the highest concentration of newly built homes as the bulk of developers’ investments are concentrated in the South East, new analysis shows.
New homes in the Buckinghamshire town account for over a third of all property sales in the postcode area at 33.2 per cent, according to analysis of Hometrack figures by property website Zoopla.
London as a city was excluded from the study, which used postcode areas of Britain, but as a whole it would have come second, with new builds accounting for 31 per cent of sales in the capital.
New builds: Areas such as Milton Keynes and Crewe are attracting investment by developers
Only two Northern towns - Crewe in Cheshire and Middlesbrough in Yorkshire – make it in the top ten for newly built homes, which account respectively for 29.6 per cent and 20.3 per cent of all sales there.
While Crewe makes it to second place, Ilford, a district in East London, comes third, with new build properties making up 28.8 per cent of all sales.
The South East has the biggest concentration of new builds, with five out of ten towns with the highest proportion of new homes in the region, while the remaining three are in The Midlands, according to research.
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At the other end of the table, the Shetland village of Sandness has the smallest proportion of property sales accounted for by newly built properties, at only 0.5 per cent.
The second lowest is Greater London’s Orpington, at 2.7 per cent, closely followed by the Scottish town of Dumfries with 2.9 per cent.
Analysis also shows that there’s a correlation between new builds and rising prices, as areas with the highest concentration are also showing some of the biggest increases in property values.
TOP 10 AREAS FOR NEW BUILDS IN BRITAIN (EXCLUDING LONDON)
Ranking
Location
Change in property value since June 2012 (%)
Change in property value since June 2012 ()
New build concentration percentage
1
Milton Keynes
30.90%
£74,941
33.20%
2
Crewe
22.60%
£41,709
29.60%
3
Ilford
42.20%
£134,849
28.80%
4
Salisbury
21.30%
£59,759
26.60%
5
Gravesend
42.50%
£105,119
25.40%
6
Telford
18.70%
£30,612
25.40%
7
Oxford
29.70%
£95,123
22.10%
8
Middlesbrough
8.20%
£11,029
20.30%
9
Shrewsbury
19.90%
£39,199
20.10%
10
Northampton
29.10%
£53,670
20%
However this is also caused by the fact that areas where developers are building most are also areas where demand has been rising, which in itself contributes to push prices higher, according to the report.
Prices in Milton Keynes rose by almost 31 per cent over the past five years, or almost £75,000, while in Crewe they rose 22.6 per cent, or almost £42,000.
Prices rose most in South London postcode of Croydon over the past five years, by 44 per cent or over £132,000, even though sales of new builds accounted only for 5 per cent of all sales in the area.
On average, areas which have a new build concentration of 25 per cent or more have grown in value on average by almost 30 per cent over the past five years - 6 per cent above than the national average property price growth rate which stands at 23.6 per cent.
BOTTOM 10 AREAS FOR NEW BUILDS IN BRITAIN (EXCLUDING LONDON)
Ranking
Location
Change in property value since June 2012 (%)
Change in property value since June 2012 ()
New build concentration percentage
1
Sandness
11.50%
£13,456
0.50%
2
Orpington
39.40%
£51,420
2.70%
3
Dumfries
14.20%
£18,957
2.90%
4
Hawick
15.80%
£24,211
4.10%
5
Bournemouth
25.80%
£70,392
4.10%
6
Dundee
12.10%
£16,450
4.30%
7
Brecon
14.70%
£27,636
4.80%
8
Hereford
17.50%
£39,251
5.10%
9
Croydon
44.30%
£132,657
5.10%
10
Bolton
17.50%
£24,369
5.20%
Lawrence Hall, spokesperson for Zoopla, said: ‘New housing sales account for 1 in 10 property sales each year but this varies across the country. These new findings give us a useful overview of where new builds are most common around the country, outside of London.
'Clearly, areas such as Milton Keynes and Crewe are benefiting from new investment by developers.
‘While there is a correlation between a large proportion of new builds and higher property price growth, new homes are typically developed in areas of high demand, which has already contributed to a rise in property values.’
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Product development specialists and sophisticated laboratory developmental facilities ensure your competitive edge...concept to finished products. Major areas of support and services include:
Sensory evaluation facilities are used to determine consumer preferences. Studies with both trained panelists and consumers are used to evaluate food flavor, color and texture associated with ingredient/ process modifications, product quality and shelf-life. They are also used for test market introduction and to monitor competitive products. (see: Sensory Evaluation Centre)
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Phone the Ag-Info Centre, toll-free in Alberta at 310-FARM (3276), for agricultural and forestry information. | https://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/fpdc5049 |
During Spring Break, senior Jack Williams and his father traveled by plane to London, England. Before heading towards their hotel, the pair made the most of the available daylight and took a bus tour around the city. While on the bus tour, they caught a glimpse into the daily lives of locals, as they went about their day and the eye-catching architecture that the city offers.
The next day, the two travelers took another bus tour around the rest of the city. After the tour concluded, Jack and his father visited the London Eye, the most popular tourist attraction that serves as an observation wheel that takes visitors to a higher point in order to see across the Thames River and all the city action. “At the top of the London Eye the view was spectacular and it gave me a great view of the whole city.” says Williams. The next sunny morning offered a trip to the historical Tower of London, a segment of the Queen’s Royal Palace. Afterwards, Williams visited the Tower Bridge, an iconic symbol of London, which stretches across the Thames River, providing transportation for those traveling across the massive river.
A day of adventure awaited the two when they arrived at the Buckingham Palace, an architectural masterpiece often viewed by tourists. Williams and his father admired and took pictures of the focal point of Westminster, London. Later, they traveled to the Westminster Cathedral and observed the view of the high ceilings and art all over the building’s walls. The next day, the two took a boat tour down the Thames River to see the city from a different point of view. Later that evening, as the weather turned brisk, the pair attended a soccer game at the Emirates Stadium while watching their favorite team, the Arsenal F.C. “The soccer game was my favorite part of the whole trip.” explained Williams. After the game both of them squeezed into the crowded subway train and made their way back to the hotel.
The pair decided to take a trip around Windsor Castle, England’s oldest royal residence, known to attract visitors from throughout the globe. “The building was massive, and it took us a long time to see everything,” Williams recalled. After visiting many different attractions and monuments around England, Jack and his father decided to take advantage of the last day to relax and wander the city without premeditated plans. “Even without making plans for certain things, you can see so much by just walking outside of our hotel,” said Williams.
Williams expects to always remember this trip, as it fostered a father-son bonding experience and allowed him to cross off a traveling destination from his list. Williams stated, “It was a great experience that I will always remember, I will definitely try to come back here again sometime.”
The seven day trip gave the two a look at life across the Atlantic Ocean, creating memories that will last a lifetime. | https://midloscoop.com/26034/spotlights/williams-travels-across-the-atlantic/ |
Job candidates plummet with NHS among sectors hit worst, says study
Employers are running out of options to fill vacancies, with sectors like the NHS worst affected, says a report.
Nursing, medical and care employees were the most in-demand type of short-term staff in May
Demand for staff was the strongest in almost two years, but the number of candidates had plummeted, said the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).
Demand for permanent staff increased across all categories in May, especially in engineering and nursing, said the report.
The slowest increase in demand was for construction workers.
Nursing, medical and care employees were the most in-demand type of short-term staff in May.
Tom Hadley, REC's director of policy, said the challenges facing the next government were stark, adding: "Official data shows unemployment has dropped to the lowest level since 1975, and EU citizens are leaving the UK in droves.
"Employers seeking to fill vacancies are running out of options.
"Skill shortages are causing headaches in many sectors.
"The NHS, for example, is becoming increasingly reliant on short-term cover to fill gaps in hospital rotas because there aren't enough nurses to take permanent roles.
"Meanwhile, the shortage of people with cyber security skills is a particular concern in many businesses.
"Whichever party forms the next government must focus on improving the employability of our young people and boosting inclusion for under-represented groups.
"Alongside this, these figures clearly show that in many sectors we need more, not fewer, people so that businesses can grow and public services continue to deliver." | |
With a length of 6.5 kilometres and width of 2.5 kilometres, the Fuente de Piedra lagoon is one of the two largest remaining in the Iberian Peninsula. It is home to a huge colony of Common Flamingo.
The lagoon was declared a Ramsar site in 1983, a nature reserve in 1984, a Special Protection Area for Birds (ZEPA) in 1988 and again in 2013 and a Special Area Conservation Area (ZEC) in 2013. | https://www.visit-andalucia.com/national_park_andalucia.php?park=laguna-de-fuente-de-piedra-reserva-natural |
WHAT IS YOGA?
6/20/2018
Yoga to me is finding balance among the chaos, finding peace within myself and joy in the seemingly small things in life. It makes me stop and watch the sunrise, allow the beauty of our surroundings to diffuse into every cell of my being and to appreciate the journey which we call life. Technology and fast pace living leaves us all with a constant list of things to do, places to go and deadlines to meet. We are often thinking of 15 things whilst trying to do one. No wonder we can't concentrate, no wonder we can't relax and no wonder our stress levels and anxiety are rising along with conditions such as insomnia, auto immune dysfunction and adrenal fatigue.
Yoga has recently become very popular as a form of physical exercise and there seems to be an abundance of classes available. Unfortunately some of these are being conducted by people with great intention, yet limited physical knowledge and this can lead to injury or scare people off returning to class. Yoga seems to have become a new "fad" exercise where people feel that unless they have the correct "yoga clothes" or can bend themselves in half then they are not able to attend. This is such a shame as the whole idea of yoga is to come to peace within our own bodies and not to compare ourselves to others. The actual word "yoga" means to unite/to yolk the mind, body and breath.
Yoga is for anyone. Any size. Any shape. Any fitness. Any flexibility. I hear so often people saying "I can't do yoga as I am not flexible/strong/young enough and I would love to dispel this myth. We do not have to fit any "mold" in our yoga practice. We just need to come with the intention to want to make ourselves feel better.
As we are all individuals and not all postures are suited to everyone. In fact the majority of them were designed for Indian boys to perform so no wonder we can't all do them. Traditional poses can be easily modified to suit each individual to enable you to gain the most you can from your practice. If you can't do a one armed handstand or wrap you feet behind your head (I know I can't) your "yoga" journey will not be restricted. You can find bliss and allow your brain to kick into neutral much easier in a seated pose than hanging upside down!
Laura Duncan
6/20/2018 06:47:33 pm
Great read! Thank you Sarah.
Reply
Leave a Reply.
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SARAH REID
I am Sarah Reid, Physio. Yoga Therapist, Yoga & Pilates Teacher and mother to two beautiful girls. | http://www.yogio.com.au/blog/what-is-yoga |
Geographical Location: Sharjah/ Kalba road.
Wadil-helo is a wildlife protected area with mountain slopes and valleys, and is known for Sidr trees or Christ’s thorn trees. It is considered a home for various species of birds, reptiles and rodents, in addition to freshwater fish communities.
It has been declared as a protected area to protect and preserve the physical and biological resources such as mountains and valleys, as well as species such as birds, reptiles, rodents, and freshwater fish that inhabit the area. It has an ecological significance since it has unique biodiversity in flora and fauna. Around 216 plant species has been recorded in the region, including 147 species recorded in the natural environments, and 111 species have been recorded in active farms. The study also recorded the most six rare plants which has been registered in the country once or twice only. | http://www.epaashj.ae/protected-areas/wadil-helo/ |
Welcome to Doctors Medical CenterDoctors Medical Center Modesto is a full-service, comprehensive health care facility, dedicated to providing the finest medical care for the community. From preventative and diagnostic services, to expertise in some of the world's leading technologies, DMC's multidisciplinary team of physicians and healthcare professionals is dedicated to your good health and well-being. Recognized for innovative cardiac and neonatal intensive care to advanced stroke and trauma treatment, the outstanding doctors at DMC represent most major medical specialties and are committed to being there for you, when you need them most.
Summary
Reporting to the Director of Surgical Services/Designee, the RN Shift Manager is responsible for all equipment, supply needs and the development and maintenance of resource maps specific to their service. Accountable for providing in-service and orientation to staff and new hires. Works closely with surgeons to meet the needs of the service.
CA RN License
ACLS
PALS
TCAR (within 1 year of hire)
5+ years operating room experience
2+ years leadership experience
Benefits
401(k) savings plan
Medical/vision/dental/life insurance after the 31st day of employment
Healthcare and dependent care reimbursement accounts
Paid time-off program
Online educational program
Employee stock purchase plan
Employee assistance program
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Employment practices will not be influenced or affected by an applicant�s or employee�s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or any other legally protected status. Tenet will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. | https://careers.wiaap.org/jobs/14409160/rn-shift-manager-surgery-full-time-rotating-shifts |
14 Healthy Recipes For Dinner This Summer
*This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer here.
Light dinner fare for warm and breezy summers! Rainbow salads, easy make at home pho and veggie loaded recipes to make this summer’s dinners, healthy!
Eating healthier seems like a natural thing in the summer. Because it’s hot outside, our bodies crave lighter dishes that won’t weigh us down. Here are 15 healthy recipes for dinner you can add to your summer meal rotation.
1. Grilled Chicken With Hot And Sweet Sauce
Char-grilled chicken with chili flakes served with peppery arugula, salty cashews and a dipping sauce that’s out of this world – spicy, sweet, savory. The best! GET THE RECIPE
2. Salmon En Papillotte
This may just be the easiest healthy recipe you’ll make for dinner this summer! All you need to do is put salmon, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, dill and capers in parchment paper and baked it for 15 minutes. Voila and bon appetit! GET THE RECIPE
3. Chicken Chop Suey
Like chicken chop suey? Then try this better than takeout version. Not only is it tastier, it’s also less oily and loaded with veggies. GET THE RECIPE
4. General Tso Tofu
Lightly fried tofu cubes that are crisp on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Toss them in a sweet and tangy red sauce and you have a tofu dish your whole family will love. I promise! GET THE RECIPE
5. Slow Cooker Chicken Soup
We love and crave this soup all the time. It’s incredibly light, savory and packed with colorful veggies. Slow cookers don’t let out any heat which makes it a perfect tool to use throughout the summer. GET THE RECIPE
6. Soba Noodles With Citrus Vinaigrette
So cleansing and refreshing! This is a healthy soba noodle salad tossed in a citrus vinaigrette and served with cold cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes and orange segments. GET THE RECIPE
7. Crockpot Vegetable Soup
Another slow cooker recipe I’m in love with. What I really enjoy about the process is that there is little cooking involved other than chopping vegetables. This is a clean vegetarian option. GET THE RECIPE
8. Thai Red Curry
The easiest curry you’ll ever make and yet the flavors will make you believe otherwise. Light coconut milk, fish sauce and red curry paste are the base of this simple Thai inspired curry recipe. GET THE RECIPE
9. One Pot Quinoa Enchilada
Quinoa can be a little bland and boring sometimes but not when it’s paired with savory enchilada sauce, black beans, cilantro and cheese! Add shredded chicken to the mix and you have yourself a healthy meal that’s kid friendly and super tasty! GET THE RECIPE
10. Spaghetti Squash Yakisoba Style
Substitute pasta for spaghetti squash and discover how satisfying eating gourd can be. You’ll feel less bloated while feeling very satisfied. All the flavors of traditional yakisoba are there – it’s umamilicious! GET THE RECIPE
11. Easy Chicken Pho
Another incredibly easy recipe that requires little work in the kitchen. Roast chicken imparts smoky flavors to the broth and pairs with fish sauce and spicy jalapeno to a tee. This is one of my favorite noodle soup recipes. GET THE RECIPE
12. Filipino Salmon Sinigang
This is a classic Filipino dish I can’t get enough of! The broth is light and sour and accompanied by flaky pieces of salmon and lots of perfectly cooked vegetables. GET THE RECIPE
13. Summer Rainbow Salad
The colors alone show how healthy this summer rainbow salad is. Tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, fresh corn are tossed in a bright miso, lemon and red wine vinegar dressing. This is summer cooking at its best! GET THE RECIPE
14. Zesty Quinoa Salad With Vegetables
Cherry tomatoes, pitted black olives, capers, jalapenos, basil, vinegar and oil. Blend it all up and you have a vibrant, sweet and spicy sauce. Pour it over char-grilled vegetables and quinoa and you have yourself one healthy and delicious dinner recipe! GET THE RECIPE
Pickled Plum is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. | https://pickledplum.com/14-healthy-recipes-dinner/ |
These categories group together and put in context the legislative and non-legislative initiatives which deal with the same topic.
Regional policy > Review and the future of regional policy
The Community Lisbon Programme
In July 2005 the Commission proposed establishing a Community Lisbon Programme in response to the social, economic and environmental challenges facing the European Union. The programme contains three objectives and eight key actions.
Document or Iniciative
Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament of 20 July 2005 – Common Actions for Growth and Employment: The Community Lisbon Programme [COM(2005) 330 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
Summary
At present, Europe needs to turn the challenges it is facing (ageing populations, increasing global competition, technological change, environmental pressures) into new opportunities.
Europe’s economy needs to be modernised and lasting solutions proposed, against a background of sound macroeconomic policies to secure the European social model.
The European Council invited the Commission to present, as a counterpart to the national programmes, a “Community Lisbon Programme” covering all actions at Community level. The policy measures proposed under this programme fall under three main areas:
- supporting knowledge and innovation;
- making Europe a more attractive place to invest and work;
- creating more and better jobs.
The Commission proposes that these objectives be included within the Structural Fund and Cohesion Fund programmes. The new Rural Development Fund is a good example, as it focuses on investment in people, innovation, know-how, take-up of information technologies in rural areas and rural diversification.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund also contribute funding to Community Lisbon Programme initiatives.
Supporting knowledge and innovation
Investment needs to be higher (the target is 3% of gross domestic product) and more efficient (pooling of resources) in order to stimulate competitive European research. This is essentially the responsibility of the Member States.
The Commission also supports knowledge and innovation in Europe via financing instruments and effective regulation. For the period 2007-2013 there are two major financing instruments at Community level:
- support for innovative initiatives for the European economy. The programme proposes in particular strategic public/private partnerships in fields of major interest for competitiveness. It also helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to benefit from research;
- the Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme will promote the use of ICTs and environmental technologies in businesses.
Other financial instruments are as follows:
- the Trans-European Network budget lines support the practical application of RTD knowledge programmes. This knowledge may be applied to industrial projects designed to reduce congestion in transport;
- the Environmental Technologies Action Plan is designed to promote the development and application of such technologies, which have significant economic and environmental potential. The Structural Funds and the EIB support the Action Plan.
The Agreement on the Community Patent remains a vital element in promoting a knowledge-driven, innovative economy. The Community will support efforts to maintain a strong industrial capacity where the Member States alone cannot successfully address research, regulatory and financing challenges at European level.
The Commission proposes simplifying the administrative framework for State aid and targeting this State aid towards knowledge and innovation, training, mobility and clustering. The new regulatory framework will facilitate the granting of State aid to SMEs and to young and innovative companies, not only through direct financial support, but also by facilitating access to risk capital funding. The new rules will ensure that State aid is granted only where spillovers for society are significant and competitive conditions are not distorted.
Making Europe a more attractive place to invest and work
To facilitate market access it is important to improve the regulatory environment and to complete the internal market.
Improving the quality of legislation can create the right incentives for business, cutting costs and removing obstacles to adaptation and innovation. Taking account of SMEs’ concerns, the Commission will continue its work on:
- assessing the impact of all new policy initiatives;
- thorough screening of proposals which have been pending for some time before the Council/Parliament;
- simplification of existing legislation by means of sectoral action plans.
The internal market for services must be made fully operational, while preserving the European social model. Given the current importance of the services sector in terms of job creation and added value in the EU, adoption of the Services Directive could lead to an increase in the employment rate and in the EU’s gross domestic product.
The Commission also intends to:
- publish guidelines in order to promote effective and high-quality Services of General Economic Interest (following up on its White Paper on this subject);
- target the financial assistance available towards projects related to the development of the trans-European transport network;
- coordinate 45 “quick-start” cross-border projects for transport, energy and broadband networks, R&D and innovation, provided that the Member States embark upon a planning and financing process;
- try to achieve an agreement on a common corporate tax base for businesses operating in several Member States with different tax rules.
The full integration of financial markets may facilitate more efficient capital distribution. The rules are in place, but the barriers to market entry now need to be removed.
To ensure that markets are competitive both within and outside Europe, the Commission recently embarked upon its agenda for external competitiveness. This agenda comprises initiatives relating to market access, European policy towards China, public procurement, trade defence instruments, greater recognition of intellectual property rights and a new generation of bilateral trade relations. It highlights the European Union’s commitment to the World Trade Organisation.
Creating more and better jobs
The Commission supports Member States’ efforts in the areas of human capital, education and vocational training, for example by means of:
- the European Youth Pact;
- the ‘Education and Training 2010’ Programme;
- the Lifelong Learning Programme;
- the establishment of a European Institute of Technology;
- assisting Member States in the development of active ageing strategies.
The Commission will also complement the efforts of the Member States to achieve the objectives at the core of the Social Agenda. To this end, it calls on the European social partners to play a leading role.
To create a truly pan-European labour market, it is necessary to eliminate obstacles to mobility. The Commission will propose a European Qualifications Framework, creating the conditions for transparency and mutual trust.
The Commission will work towards a common framework for managing economic migration, comprising accelerated admission procedures for long-term stays of third-country researchers and the facilitation of short-stay visas.
Restructuring is an inevitable consequence of economic progress and market integration. However, it may have a destabilising effect on the people concerned. The Commission wants to establish a new fund to help the people and regions most adversely affected by the restructuring to cope with the changes. It will also follow up on its Communication on restructuring and employment.
Background
The Community Lisbon Programme is the Community’s contribution to the partnership for growth and employment, which was established by the renewed Lisbon strategy. The idea of the partnership is to create synergies between Community and national decision-making levels with a view to increased, stable growth and more and better jobs.
Like the Member States’ reform programmes, the Community Programme is thus in line with the Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs, set out by the Council in June 2005. However, it concerns mainly measures with clear added value, complementing national measures.
A report (EN) (pdf ) on progress in implementing the Community Lisbon Programme was presented on 23 October 2006.
Every year the Commission carries out a review of the Lisbon Strategy in an annual activity report, which covers the implementation of the partnership for growth and employment at Community and national levels.
Related Acts
Council Decision 2006/702/EC of 6 October 2006 on Community strategic guidelines on cohesion [Official Journal L 291 of 21.10.2006].
The draft Community strategic guidelines for cohesion, growth and employment were adopted by the Council on 6 October 2006. These strategic guidelines provide the indicative framework for implementation of the cohesion policy and assistance from the Funds during the period 2007-2013.
Council Decision 2006/144/EC of 20 February 2006 on Community strategic guidelines for rural development (programming period 2007 to 2013) [Official Journal L 55 of 25.2.2006].
Reports
Communication from the Commission to the European Council of 11 December 2007 ‘Strategic Report on the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs: launching the new cycle (2008-2010), Part I [COM(2007) 803 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
Based on the results of the first cycle of reforms under the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs, the Commission is presenting a series of actions with a view to launching the second cycle (2008-2010) and achieving the strategy’s objectives. To this end, various measures to be implemented in partnership between the Community and the Member States are envisaged in four priority areas: investing in knowledge and innovation; unlocking the business potential, especially of SMEs; investing in people and modernising labour markets; and transforming Europe into a low carbon and energy-efficient economy
Communication from the Commission of 12 December 2006 to the Spring European Council – “
A year of delivery
” – Part I: Implementing the renewed Lisbon strategy for growth and jobs [COM(2006) 816 final – Not published in the Official Journal].
In the run-up to the launch in 2008 of the second cycle of the strategy for growth and jobs, the Commission reviews the implementation of the strategy, giving an overview of the progress made at Community level and in each Member State. This Communication evaluates macroeconomic, microeconomic and employment policies. The Commission reviews the implementation of the NRPs and calls on all Member States to step up their efforts with regard to the four priorities: investment in knowledge and innovation; business potential (especially of SMEs); the modernisation of labour markets; energy and climate change. Overall, Member States’ progress has been promising. However, in the Commission’s view many Member States could take stronger action in areas such as long-term sustainability of public finances, labour market reform, R&D, climate and energy policies, innovation and competition.
Communication from the Commission of 25 January 2006 to the Spring European Council – “
Time to move up a gear
” – Part I: The new partnership for growth and jobs [COM(2006) 30 final – Not published in the Official Journal]. | https://europeanlaw.lawlegal.eu/tag/deepening-of-the-european-union/ |
The introduction of the paper sets the stage by introducing two basic observations. The first defines architecture as something that does not exist in isolation but rather inevitably takes part in a playful exchange of ideological codes capable of being shared between numerous cultural forces. The second brings to light the traditional limits design produces for purposes such as legibility and unity, limiting its ability to take full advantage of the before mentioned exchange and its ability to achieve its potentially unconstrained plurality of text. In contrast to this, non-design is suggest as it produces a scriptable text unrestricted by tradition and remains permeable and flexible.
Having made these observations, Agrest begins the essay with the belief that criticism has failed to recognize the relationship of architecture to ideology or social production of meaning in any sufficient way and has failed to incorporate the cultural problematic of architecture. An exploration of cultural relations of architecture is proposed in which a design and non-design are to be seen as two forms of cultural production. Design being the mode by which architecture relates to cultural systems outside itself and non-design being the way different cultural systems interrelate and give form to the built world.
Rather than the accepted mode of comparing architecture to architecture or architecture to society, a technique is proposed where the notion of architecture as design is opposed to the notion of non-design in an attempt to investigate the active relationship between design and other cultural systems.
First looking at design, it is basically a closed system to other cultural systems reducing and condensing general cultural notion within its own distinct parameters. It possesses specific characteristics that distinguish it from all other cultural practices and establish a boundary between what is design and what is not. This boundary produces a kind of closure that allows for a controlled and regulated permeability toward other cultural systems. In this case culture is understood as a system of social codes that allow the passage of information into the public domain. The relationship between design and culture is the way in which design is articulated as one cultural system in relation to other cultural systems at the level of codes. These relationships display themselves as changes in the structures of meaning as they are passed from one cultural system to another. This is made most clear at moments of significant change in usage.
A given example of this would be the new use elementary geometrical figures during the French Enlightenment as a way to expressing new notions of the sublime and representing scientific development.
The codes that allow for such a transfer of meaning are organized into three types as they relate to design. The first type of code is that exclusive to design and not shared with other cultural systems. An example of which would be the code allowing the reading between the plan and elevation of Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye.
The second type of codes are those shared by various cultural systems such as spatial or iconic. The third are those that while crucial to one cultural system participate in another by virtue of a shared characteristic such as rhythm to music and architecture. In the same way music does, both Villa Savoye and the Parthenon use rhythm to set up a consistent legible structuring system.
While each level of coding has its own level of specificity as they relate to design, when they are combined it is there specific combination that defines there specificity to design rather than the codes in isolation. For example musical codes and arithmetical proportions to create an architectural code used to determine elements in the building.
This system of coding as it relates to design allows for linkages to other cultural systems through the less specific codes while the most specific codes remain within the system of architecture.
This can be seen as a form of filtering restricting the access of certain codes and figures from other systems into architecture. To better clarify this process metaphor and metonymy are brought in as the mechanisms of opening and closure.
An example used is the well-known metaphor of Le Corbusier’s Villa Savoye where the dwelling and the ocean liner are made to relate by way of common elements. The metaphoric operation carries codes from the liner to the house. The new form is then loaded with new meaning, and the similarity making the metaphor possible.
At the urban scale, the role of the metaphor as a filtering device becomes particularly evident.
Referencing Le Corbusier again, the metaphoric operation establishes a relation between geometry and the city by the commonality of the grid as the element of order. The codes of the geometric grid transferred through a figurative substitution to the city plan giving additional meaning to the plan. Here there is an example of the old city being seen as all things bad and the new founded on geometry being seen as all things good hence contributing both at an instrumental level but also at a symbolic level. It is pointed out that this is not a new idea and can be found in earlier examples such as that found in the work of Piranesi.
The article then speaks of attempts such as those of Team 10 to make explicit the articulation between architecture and other cultural system as a reaction against functionalism. In their attempt metaphors were used as the substitutive operation to incorporate vital aspects into design relating city to nature with the intent of evolving an architecture from the fabric of life. The resulting system failed to be different as a result of the filtering mechanism, which precisely defines the limits of design.
Seeing then design as being to some degree impenetrable, non-design, the product of culture, is explored where architecture is no longer seen as the dominant system but simply one of many. From this point of view, there is only a complex system of intertextual relationships. Where design has a preconceived set of confinements making it a fixed system, non-design is completely free of restriction. Non-design is instead the articulation between different cultural systems. There are the actual existence of systems where each system is closed and juxtapositions result rather than relationships or a set of related codes where all systems can communicate. The result is an open system.
Its potential then begins to lay the proposal of a productive reading of non-design. Again, having no preconceived definitions or earlier readings to restrict the reading of design, the new reading acts a point of departure.
Russian filmmaker Eisenstein made the observation that Piranesi, through his work, was beginning to think in a similar way, reacting against the restricted architecture of his time. It is suggested that he was assessing the problem of the limits of architecture as a language that is as a closed system.
The reading then being infinite and non linear, instead they are grown through a mechanism of chains and shifters which articulate readings in relation to other readings, replacing the some with others. Shifters specifically are the conditions producing and structuring different readings and allowing for a production of sense.
In conclusion, if the reading of design is a closed system of language, non-design is a non-language void of any sense already established and permits the development of a new understanding of the built world and a new logic as to where it might go. | http://blogs.cornell.edu/arch5302sp15/2015/03/17/design-versus-non-design-agrests-proposition-of-an-alternative/ |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a method for measuring the distance between two points exactly and economically for knowing the existence of a moving object by sending high frequency power modulated with a synchronizing signal from the measuring side as wave, converting the frequency of a high frequency signal received in the opposite side and sending it to the measuring side.
SOLUTION: Synchronizing signal from a synchronizing signal generator 3 is modulated with a modulator 4 and sent to the air as high frequency wave signal by a transmitter 1 via a transmission antenna 2. This wave coming in a receiver 6 from a receiving antenna 5 on the opposite side is amplified, converted in frequency 7 and sent to the air from a transmitter 8 via a transmission antenna 9. This wave reaches the measurement side, comes in a receiver 11 via a receiver antenna 10 and a synchronizing signal is detected with a synchronizing signal detector 12 and output to a terminal 13. As the synchronizing signal generated in a generator 3 is output, the time difference of occurrence of both synchronizing signals is calculated and the distance between the two points can be calculated from the transmission delay time subtracted of a fixed delay time.
COPYRIGHT: (C)1997,JPO | |
The Kwame Nkrumah Presidential Library was born from the dream of Samia Nkrumah, the daughter of the political leader Kwame Nkrumah who led Ghana to independence in 1957.
She is now leading the political movement of the father Convention People ‘s Party. The library is designed as a large square of knowledge: a catalyst tool for society and a privileged engine for social innovation. There are spaces for reading and consultation but also spaces of meeting and confrontation.
There are spaces for events and conferences, workshops and activities of co-working, workshops for music and visual arts and crafts. The library will become part of the network of the Ghanaian education system being one of key tool for the training of new generations.
The project is localized to Akosombo, near Lake Volta , the largest artificial lake in the world, a source of drinking water and fishing site where more than 2 million Ghanaians live. Finally, the Kwame Nkrumah’s Presidential Library is a bioclimatic building able to maintain high levels of thermal, visual and audible comfort throughout the whole year, thanks to the balance of a few elements: shape, materials and simple technologies. | http://www.beta-architecture.com/kwame-nkrumah-national-library-mario-cucinella-architects/ |
Most people who seek medical help for tinnitus experience it as subjective, constant sound like constant ringing in the ears or a buzzing sound in the ear, and most have some degree of hearing loss. Things that cause hearing loss (and tinnitus) include loud noise, medications that damage the nerves in the ear (ototoxic drugs), impacted earwax, middle ear problems (such as infections and vascular tumors), and aging. Tinnitus can also be a symptom of Meniere's disease, a disorder of the balance mechanism in the inner ear.
A common cause of tinnitus is inner ear hair cell damage. Tiny, delicate hairs in your inner ear move in relation to the pressure of sound waves. This triggers cells to release an electrical signal through a nerve from your ear (auditory nerve) to your brain. Your brain interprets these signals as sound. If the hairs inside your inner ear are bent or broken, they can "leak" random electrical impulses to your brain, causing tinnitus. | https://banishtinnitus.net/reddit-tinnitus-cure-youtube-reddit-tinnitus-cure-youtube.html |
- Mrs Brown’s boys is a comedy starring Brendan O’Carroll as Agnes Brown, the Irish mother of six who can’t help interfering in their lives. The show started out as a radio play before O’Carroll wrote a series of books about the character. Mrs Brown’s Boys has been extremely successful in the theatre, but is best known for the television sitcom which first aired in 2011. Several Christmas specials have already been aired (the special in 2015 attracted 9.49 million viewers), and the show has become one of the nation’s favourites.
- Strictly Come Dancing has been a BBC One hit since it was first aired in 2004, and features celebrities pairing up with professional dance partners to see which one of them manages to fare best. The show has enjoyed very good viewing figures from the start, and is as popular with as many children and teens as it is with the older generation. The 2015 Christmas Day show attracted 8.54 million viewers.
- The Great Christmas Bake Off is a festive special edition of popular show, which has been running since 2010. Here, amateur bakers compete against each other and, although the show started out on BBC Two, it proved so successful that it shifted to BBC One. The show will air on Channel 4 for the next three years, but The Great Christmas Bake Off will be aired on BBC One and it will be the last time that Paul Hollywood, Mary Berry, Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins will appear together. Only Hollywood has signed up for the Channel 4 series.
- Call the Midwife is a period drama about a group of midwives which stars Miranda Hart. The first episode of the show aired on BBC One in 2012, and it has now run for five seasons, with four specials. Last December it was announced that there would be a 2016 Christmas special and a sixth season in 2017, and just last month it was additionally announced that three more seasons have been commissioned, a telling indicator of how successful the show has been. The 2015 Christmas Day broadcast of this show attracted 9.30 million viewers.
- EastEnders should need no introduction, having been a popular BBC One soap opera since its launch in 1985. The show has established a tradition of giving the nation some of its most dramatic storylines over the festive season, with the most famous being Den Watts giving his wife Angie divorce papers on Christmas Day in 1986. That iconic moment attracted more than 30 million viewers, which is still the most that the show has ever had. Eastenders has always pulled out all of the stops for Christmas, and last year’s show attracted 7.66 million viewers.
- Other contenders for the Top Christmas Day TV Programme include the Queen’s Speech, the movie Frozen, Coronation Street, Doctor Who and Top of the Pops, to name just a few.
Sports.net’s View
Last year’s top Christmas Day TV programme was Downton Abbey, which was broadcast on ITV, but that show has ended and therefore the commercial channel won’t be able to repeat the feat this year. The BBC holds all of the aces this time around, and we think that Mrs Brown’s Boys, the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special and Call the Midwife are the mostly likely programmes to achieve the lion’s share of viewers on Christmas Day.
Which one of those shows will win the contest is harder to call. It can be argued that Strictly Come Dancing appeals to the widest demographic, and that period drama Call the Midwife is the closest thing to a Downton Abbey that will be on our screens this year, but Mrs Brown’s Boys is the show that offers the most humour, and so we will side with the Irish Mammy to get the best viewing figures.
- Sports.net’s Top Tip – Mrs Brown’s Boys – 7/4
*Please note, odds may fluctuate in the run-up to Christmas. | https://www.sports.net/betting-tips/top-christmas-day-tv-programme-betting |
This presentation will discuss the challenges that the C70 project team encountered and overcame in delivering the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) largest design-build/P3 project to date. These challenges included coordination and reconstruction of the UPRR mainline crossing over I-70 into Denver, minimizing environmental impacts to the surrounding community during construction and viaduct demolition, coordination with local agencies and the community on the construction of a new 4-acre park over I-70, and construction of the lowered interstate through a previous Superfund site. This presentation will disseminate best practices, lessons learned, and innovative techniques used by the Central 70 project team to successfully deliver this critical piece of infrastructure for the State of Colorado.
Objectives
1. Incorporate lessons learned and best practices for working with railroads
2. Acquire knowledge of innovative techniques and strategies to manage and mitigate hazardous materials and environmental impacts
3. Understand and apply lessons learned on appropriate risk allocation between Owner and Design-Build Contractor on mega projects
4. Implement innovative strategies and approaches for working with local agencies and the public on designing and constructing a park over the interstate.
Stacia Sellers
Central 70 Communications Manager and Government Affairs Liaison
Colorado Department of Transportation
Stacia has been with the Colorado Department of Transportation for nearly 6 years and is dedicated to working with the public to make sure their needs are met and that their voices are heard. While working on the Central 70 Project, she and her team have been able to build strong relationships with the public and have led award-winning campaigns that connect the public to the project and build a positive reputation.
Jason Proskovec
Project Director, C70
Kiewit Infrastructure Group
Jason’s career includes large, alternative delivery project experience in Colorado and across the United States, in which he is known for building team cohesion and successful relationships through trust, growth and collaboration. He brings proven alternative delivery systems, strategy and processes gained from managing complex civil infrastructure projects. Jason believes in Construction excellence through outstanding partnerships with clients and project stakeholders.
Shawn Albert, PE, DBIA
Senior Project Manager
Atkins North America, Inc
Shawn Albert has 25 years of civil engineering experience involving program and construction management, engineering design, project controls, and structural inspection and testing. He has worked on a variety of projects throughout the United States, including airports, highways, tunnels, commuter and light rail corridors, and bus rapid transit facilities. He has worked on seven design-build projects in his career, including three P3 projects. | https://education.dbia.org/products/central-70-lessons-learned-in-delivering-colorados-largest-interstate-project |
422 N.W.2d 86 (1988)
228 Neb. 258
ALBION NATIONAL BANK OF ALBION, Nebraska, a National Banking Corporation, Appellee,
v.
FARMERS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION OF ST. EDWARD, Nebraska, Appellant.
No. 86-637.
Supreme Court of Nebraska.
April 15, 1988.
*87 *88 Rodney W. Smith, for appellant.
Larry D. Bird of Treadway, Bird & Albin, P.C., Fullerton, for appellee.
BOSLAUGH, CAPORALE, SHANAHAN, and GRANT, JJ., and BURKHARD, District Judge.
CAPORALE, Justice.
Defendant, Farmers Cooperative Association of St. Edward, Nebraska, appeals from the judgment entered in favor of plaintiff-appellee, Albion National Bank of Albion, Nebraska, asserting that the district court erred in finding that the bank had a security interest in and thus a superior right to the proceeds of certain corn delivered to the cooperative by the bank's debtor. We affirm.
Thomas A. Shotkoski and his wife, Veronica, were the operators of a multicounty farm operation. The bank advanced funds to the Shotkoskis for the 1984 crop-year which the Shotkoskis used to pay expenses for their entire operation, including those associated with lands located in Platte and Boone Counties.
The 1984 corn in question was grown by the Shotkoskis in Platte County. After it was harvested, it was transported to, dried, and stored in Boone County. The Shot koskis thereafter, on February 19, 1985, delivered this corn to the cooperative, in exchange for which the cooperative credited $10,120 against the Shotkoskis' outstanding debt there.
The parties stipulated that at no time did the bank perfect a security interest in the corn by filing any documents in Platte County. The record is clear, however, that the bank held a continuously perfected security interest in the Shotkoskis' farm products in Boone County from August 24, 1981, through the date on which the corn in question was delivered to the cooperative, and thereafter.
We note at the outset that the cooperative does not allege a competing security interest in the subject corn under Neb. U.C.C. § 9-312(2) (Reissue 1980). Rather, the cooperative argues, in essence, that the bank had no security interest in the corn and therefore is not entitled to the proceeds realized from its sale to the cooperative.
Though no longer the law (see Neb. U.C. C. § 9-401 (Cum.Supp.1986)), at the time relevant to this action, prior to September 1, 1981, § 9-401 provided in part as follows:
*89 (1) The proper place to file in order to perfect a security interest is as follows:
(a) When the collateral is unharvested crops, then in the office of the county clerk in the county where the land, on which the crops are growing or are to be planted and grown, is located, and in the office of the Public Service Commission, where a duplicate copy shall be filed and indexed as a crop lien. There shall be no filing fee or charge for the filing of a duplicate....
....
(c) When the collateral is any other type of tangible or intangible personal property, the following rules apply: When the debtor is a resident of this state, then in the office of the county clerk in the county of the debtor's residence.
§ 9-401 (Reissue 1980). Clearly, "farm products" are within the meaning of the phrase "other ... tangible or intangible personal property." Genoa Nat. Bank v. Sorensen, 208 Neb. 423, 304 N.W.2d 659 (1981). See, also, Matter of Sekutera, 62 B.R. 387 (Bankr.D.Neb.1986).
Neb. U.C.C. § 9-109 (Reissue 1980) defines "farm products" as
crops or livestock or supplies used or produced in farming operations or ... products of crops or livestock in their unmanufactured states (such as ginned cotton, wool-clip, maple syrup, milk and eggs), and ... in the possession of a debtor engaged in raising, fattening, grazing or other farming operations. If goods are farm products they are neither equipment nor inventory.
Comment 4 to § 9-109 points out:
Products of crops or livestock remain farm products so long as they are in the possession of a debtor engaged in farming operations and have not been subjected to a manufacturing process....
....
Products of crops or livestock, even though they remain in the possession of a person engaged in farming operations, lose their status as farm products if they are subjected to a manufacturing process. What is and what is not a manufacturing operation is not determined by this Article. At one end of the scale some processes are so closely connected with farmingsuch as pasteurizing milk or boiling sap to produce maple syrup or maple sugarthat they would not rank as manufacturing. On the other hand an extensive canning operation would be manufacturing. The line is one for the courts to draw. After farm products have been subjected to a manufacturing operation, they become inventory if held for sale.
Drying corn, while certainly an act of processing, is not a manufacturing process as that term is understood within the context of article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. The corn in question, therefore, constituted a "farm product" while dried and stored on the Shotkoskis' land in Boone County.
The cooperative's difficulty with the result in the court below seems to be an unwillingness to accept the notion that under article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code, goods can change character from one class of collateral to another as circumstances change; as this change in character occurs, goods which had previously fallen outside the scope of a perfected security interest in a certain class of collateral may come within the scope of that security interest, and goods previously within the scope of such a security interest may fall outside it. Genoa Nat. Bank v. Sorensen, supra, illustrates this principle. At the time of its decision, a security interest in "unharvested crops" was perfected by filing the appropriate documents in both the county where the crops were growing or to be grown and with the state Public Service Commission, § 9-401 (Cum.Supp.1978); to perfect a security interest in "`any other type of tangible or intangible personal property,'" the statute required filing in the debtor's county of residence only. Genoa Nat. Bank, supra 208 Neb. at 425, 304 N.W.2d at 661. Sorensen had given Fichtl and Nelson secured interests in crops then growing on Sorensen's land; Fichtl and Nelson had filed their financing statements in the county but not with the Public Service *90 Commission. After Fichtl and Nelson had made their county filings, and after the crops had been harvested and stored in an elevator, Genoa National Bank acquired a judgment lien against Sorensen and thereafter levied on the crop in the elevator. This court held that although Fichtl and Nelson had not perfected their interests in the growing crop in time by filing both in the county and with the Public Service Commission, they had timely perfected their interests with respect to the crop in the elevator; once harvested, the crop was no longer "growing crops" but, rather, had changed character and become another "type of tangible ... personal property," as to which filing in the county only had perfected Fichtl's and Nelson's security interests. The Genoa Nat. Bank court noted that Neb. U.C.C. § 9-303 (Reissue 1980) provided, as it does now, that
"(1) A security interest is perfected when it has attached and when all of the applicable steps required for perfection have been taken. Such steps are specified in sections 9-302, 9-304, 9-305 and 9-306. If such steps are taken before the security interest attaches, it is perfected at the time when it attaches."
(Emphasis in original.) Genoa Nat. Bank v. Sorensen, 208 Neb. 423, 426, 304 N.W.2d 659, 661 (1981). See, also, § 9-303. In sum, where the filing requirements for perfection of security interests under the Uniform Commercial Code differ depending upon the character of the collateral, and where the filing requirements are not met regarding one character of collateral but are met regarding another character of collateral, a security interest in the collateral is perfected as of the time the collateral changes character from that as to which filing requirements were not met to that as to which filing requirements were met.
Once harvested, transported to Boone County, and dried, the corn in question here was no longer a growing crop in Platte County, but had become a farm product in Boone County, as to which the bank had previously perfected a security interest. We need not determine the precise moment when the change in character of the Shotkoskis' corn from growing crop to farm product occurred; it is sufficient to note that well before the corn was transported to the cooperative, it had been moved to Boone County, had been processed by the Shotkoskis there, and had become a farm product subject to the bank's perfected security interest in the same. Genoa Nat. Bank v. Sorensen, supra. In other words, if an otherwise unperfected security interest in collateral of a certain character is not filed at all places required by the Uniform Commercial Code, but is filed at all places required by the code regarding another character of collateral, and the collateral later changes character and becomes that as to which filing meets the requirements of the code, the security interest becomes perfected when the change in character occurs, and the security interest thus perfected has rights superior to all other liens not perfected prior to the time the change in character occurred.
The cooperative argues that at times relevant to this case, Neb. U.C.C. § 9-402(1) (Reissue 1980) provided in part: "When the financing statement covers crops growing or to be grown, the statement must also contain a description of the real estate concerned." The bank's financing statements did not contain a description of the land in Platte County, and, therefore, according to the cooperative, the bank's secured interest, if any, in "crops growing or to be grown" in Platte County was not perfected. In this the cooperative may be correct, a matter we need not and therefore do not decide, for the cooperative overlooks the fact that the bank had a perfected security interest in farm products in Boone County; the Boone County land was at all relevant times adequately described in financing statements on file in that county; and by the time the Shotkoskis delivered the corn to the cooperative, that which had once been "crops growing or to be grown" in Platte County had become "farm products" in Boone County by virtue of having been dried and stored there. Under § 9-401(1)(a), the bank had a properly perfected security interest in the Shotkoskis' Boone County farm products.
*91 Since the judgment of the district court is correct, it is affirmed.
AFFIRMED.
| |
Sugar Awareness Week
From 11th – 17th November it is Sugar Awareness Week – it is now recommended that our intake of free sugars should not exceed 5% of total energy intake each day. But there is lots of confusion around this, with many of us not knowing how much this is and how to reduce our consumption.
Below, we answer some common questions to help reduce the question mark surrounding sugar intake.
What are free sugars?
Many people think of sugar as something they add to their recipes or drinks in the form of table sugar. However, free sugars are all sugars added to food and drink including those in food production. This includes everything from crisps, biscuits, cakes, soft drinks, ready meals and sauces. These sugars should be consumed less often and in small amounts.
What are natural sugars?
Sugar in dairy foods such as milk and yoghurt, fruit and vegetables in all forms, i.e. canned, frozen, fresh and dried, all contain natural sugars and don’t count towards your free sugar intake. These foods form an important percentage of a healthy and balanced diet.
Why should I reduce my free sugar intake?
Having a higher intake of free sugars means you will likely be consuming more calories overall, which is likely to lead to weight gain and eventually obesity. You are also at higher risk of developing tooth decay and type 2 diabetes.
Why do fruit and vegetables contain natural sugars but fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies contain free sugars?
The UK government have separated these two types of sugars. Whole fruits and vegetables contain sugars that remain inside their cells, whereas juices, smoothies, purees and pastes contain sugars that are released from their cell structure during production. It has been suggested that sugars that have been released from their cell structure are more easily consumed in greater quantities. For example, you would likely be able to drink a whole smoothie much more quickly and easily than you would consume the equal quantity in whole fruit and vegetables that it took to make it. This could lead to overconsumption in calories and sugar. Therefore, it is recommended not to consume more than 150ml of fruit and vegetable smoothies each day, with this counting at one of your 5-A-Day.
Which foods contain the most free sugars?
The main sources are both foods and drinks that contain added sugar. This includes soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, sweets and desserts.
How do you know how much free sugar is in the foods I buy?
By law, packaging must include the total sugars on their nutrition label. Total sugars are a combination of free sugars and naturally occurring sugars.
Working out the free sugar quantity is tricky due to that fact that we are given the total sugar value. Looking at the ingredients is helpful as sugars added to the product must be included on the list. Free sugar can appear on the ingredients list as ‘sugar, honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, treacle, nectars, maltose, corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, isoglucose and crystalline sucrose’. Ingredients are listed in descending order of weight; the lower down the list the added sugar comes, the less that has been added. If there is no sign of any, all the better.
Are there lots of hidden sugars in the foods I buy?
Savoury convenience foods can have sugar added to them, such as sauces condiments, ready meals and soups. The government has implemented a strategy to reduce calories of such foods by 20% by 2024, resulting in a reduced level of added sugar. However, sugar isn’t ‘hidden’ in food, by law everything contained within the food product must be displayed within the ingredients. Take a few seconds to check over the ingredients list before purchasing.
How can I decrease my free sugar intake?
Eating a diet of whole foods with limited processed products will enable you to significantly reduce your sugar intake. Eat a diet of fibre-rich starchy carbohydrates, fresh fruit and vegetables, foods high in protein such as lean meat, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy products. Swap sugar laden drinks with unsweetened alternatives such as water, low-fat milk, no added sugar squash and fruit teas. Bear in mind that alcoholic drinks currently contribute to around 10% of adults’ free sugar intakes. Therefore decrease your intake by alternating between alcoholic beverages and glasses of water. | https://www.thehealthyemployee.co.uk/sugar-awareness-week/ |
Legend:
Breeding Range Map
Click to enlarge distribution map
Map with historical museum records
Occurs in a narrower range of habitats and altitudes than the Coast Mole. All specimens were from locations below 2000 feet except in the Olympic Mountains where all were either below 2000 or above 4500 feet in sub-alpine meadows. The high-elevation animals are a separate subspecies with no known contact down to the lowland subspecies. Townsend's Mole occurs mainly in meadows, lawns, gardens, and cultivated areas in lowlands and in flood plains. It occurs only spottily and uncommonly in coniferous forest and almost never in hardwood forest.
Core zones are low and mid-elevation forested zones west of the Cascade crest. In the Olympics, Silver Fir, Mountain Hemlock, and Sub-alpine Fir are excluded but Alpine/Parkland is core. Good habitats in all zones except Alpine/Parkland are low-density development, agriculture, fresh water/wetlands, and non-forested habitats. In the Alpine/Parkland of the Olympics, all non-forested (except sparse) and water/wetlands are good and conifer forests are adequate. | http://naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/maps/wa/mammals/WA_townsends_mole.html |
Booklet of 12 self-adhesive postage stamps at the price of the green letter to France entitled "BRIDGES AND VIADUCTS". Use the stamps according to the weight of your shipment. A postage stamp is required for postage up to 20 g.
The bridges which illustrate the stamps of this notebook were chosen to show architectures from different periods, different countries, made in different materials, allowing the passage from one bank to another of people on foot or by bicycle, trains, Cars, tramways, cargo loads, etc. This booklet presents architectures of a certain beauty and utility: bridges, aqueducts, viaducts, in France and abroad, presented in such a way that That one sees or guesses the two banks.
These bridges have, for the most part, a great reputation and are still predominantly still in service. Two stamps allow to see two bridges, one clearly visible, and the second, in the second plane.
A tribute to the architects of all times with the means of their time and to architecture, the art of designing and building buildings. | https://www.wopa-plus.com/en/stamps/product/&pid=38589 |
The Piedmont Singers began as a one-time performance project of Dr. Helena von Rueden with sponsorship from Hampden-Sydney College in 2016. The successful project led to subsequent seasons and to the ensemble you see on this page, now performing regularly in Central Virginia. Made of up eight vocal professionals, the members of the Piedmont Singers are committed to the choral art at the highest level.
Helena von Rueden, director/alto
Mezzo-soprano and Founder/Director of The Piedmont Singers, Helena von Rueden is an Elliott Assistant Professor of Fine Arts and Director of Choral Activities at Hampden-Sydney College. Her vocal performance career spans opera, choral, and oratorio. Dr. von Rueden has worked with the Central Virginia Masterworks Chorale, Capitol Opera Richmond and Sanctuary in Richmond. Before moving to Virginia, Dr. von Rueden enjoyed performing with Simon Carrington Chamber Singers, Opera Santa Barbara, the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale, and the Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra. As a choral conductor, she has directed the University of Santa Barbara Men’s Chorus and Women’s Chorus, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum Chamber Singers. She is thrilled to be singing with her inspiring colleagues as member and director of The Piedmont Singers.
Pam McDermott, soprano
Pamela McDermott is Director of Choral Activities at Longwood University and choir director at Farmville United Methodist Church. She holds a DMA in Choral Conducting and is active as a clinician, conductor, and chorus master. She is a member of NAfME, NCCO, and is President for the Virginia Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. She lives with her husband, Mike, in Hampden-Sydney and has twin daughters, Rachael and Amanda.
Kyle Nielson, tenor
Kyle Nielsen is Director of Choral Studies at Southern Virginia University, where he conducts the Chamber Singers, community-based Choral Union, teaches applied voice, and oversees the conducting internship and vocal music education programs. In addition to his university appointment, Nielsen also collaborates in a variety of capacities with some of the country's leading vocal ensembles. He is the Artistic Coordinator for the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, where he coordinates all artistic contracting and operations in addition to supervising the artistic wing of the community outreach program. Previous positions have also included Associate Conductor of the Master Chorale of South Florida and 2016-2017 conducting fellow with the Grammy-nominated professional choir Seraphic Fire. Recent ensemble singing appearances include the Piedmont Singers (Virginia), Brevitas (Utah), and Musica Judaica (Florida).
Nerissa V. Thomson, alto
Nerissa V. Thompson is making her debut appearance as a member of the Piedmont Singers. A native of the Hampton Roads area, Thompson relocated to Princeton, New Jersey and received her training at Westminster Choir College as a candidate for a Bachelors in Music Education. There she discovered a love for performance and has since returned to Hampton Roads to continue exploring that passion. Professionally, she has performed with the Virginia Opera Adult Chorus in several productions including Madame Butterfly, Turandot, The Flying Dutchman and Carmen. She has also sung with the Virginia Chorale for several seasons and currently serves as a section leader and soloist at First Lutheran Church of Norfolk. Thompson expresses her gratitude for being offered this exciting, new opportunity and wishes her fellow musicians well as we make glorious music together this season.
Abby Outlaw, soprano
Soprano Abby Outlaw received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from VCU. She has appeared with Central Virginia Masterworks Chorale, Capitol Opera Richmond, the Virginia Chorale, the Richmond Symphony, and Richmond Choral Society. Currently, Abby sings at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church as a soloist, soprano section leader, and a member of Sanctuary, a Renaissance chamber ensemble. Ms. Outlaw also regularly performs with the Piedmont Singers of Central Virginia and the Schola Cantorum at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
Joel Shapiro, tenor
Joel Shapiro (T) grew up in upstate New York, and received his Bachelor's degree in music education from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, studying with Dr. Rollo Dilworth, Dr. Mitos Andaya, Dr. Paul Rardin, and Dr. Paul Jones. While at Temple, Joel had the opportunity to music direct Broad Street Line A Cappella for several years, culminating in a performance for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. He now teaches choir at Woodbridge Senior High School in Woodbridge, VA. In his free time, Joel enjoys traveling, hiking, biking, skiing, swimming, and finding new coffee shops and restaurants on Yelp.
Daniel Stipe, bass/baritone
Daniel Stipe, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is equally at home as a solo recitalist, collaborator and arranger on both the piano and the organ. Daniel earned bachelor’s degrees in organ and piano performance from the University of North Texas, and a master’s degree in organ performance from Westminster Choir College in 2012. Daniel serves as Director of Music at Trinity Lutheran Church in Richmond, Virginia. He maintains an active concert schedule, with recent performances in Richmond, Tulsa, Princeton, New York City, Hartford, Denver, and Atlanta. In his spare time he enjoys road cycling, hiking, role-playing games, and good literature.
Ryan Tibbetts, bass/baritone
Ryan Tibbetts is Director of Music at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Goochland. He also serves as Artistic Director of both the Central Virginia Masterworks Chorale and the Richmond Concert Chorale and performs frequently on harpsichord with Jefferson Baroque. He received his DM in Choral Conducting from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, MM in Choral Conducting from the University of Delaware, and BA in Music from Princeton University. Prior to moving to Virginia, he served as Assistant Conductor of Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia, Assistant Conductor of the Newark Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Newark Symphony Chorus, directed choirs and taught conducting at The College of New Jersey, and sang professionally with Choral Arts Philadelphia and The Philadelphia Singers. He lives in Richmond with his wife, Kate, and their cat, Rocky. | https://www.thepiedmontsingers.org/about_us |
Document:
WildFire® Administrator's Guide
Virtual Machine Interface Overview
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Virtual Machine Interface Overview
The VM interface (labeled
1
on the back of the appliance) is used by WildFire to improve malware detection capabilities. The interface allows a sample running on the WildFire virtual machines to communicate with the Internet so that the WildFire appliance can better analyze the behavior of the sample file to determine if it exhibits characteristics of malware.
While it is recommended that you enable the VM interface, it is very important that you do not connect the interface to a network that allows access to any of your servers/hosts because malware that runs in the WildFire virtual machines could potentially use this interface to propagate itself.
This connection can be a dedicated DSL line or a network connection that only allows direct access from the VM interface to the Internet and restricts any access to internal servers/client hosts.
The VM interface on WildFire appliances operating in FIPS/CC mode is disabled.
The following illustration shows two options for connecting the VM interface to the network.
Virtual Machine Interface Example
Option-1
(
recommended
)—Connect the VM interface to an interface in a dedicated zone on a firewall that has a policy that only allows access to the Internet. This is important because malware that runs in the WildFire virtual machines can potentially use this interface to propagate itself. This is the recommended option because the firewall logs will provide visibility into any traffic that is generated by the VM interface.
Option-2
—Use a dedicated Internet provider connection, such as a DSL, to connect the VM interface to the Internet. Ensure that there is no access from this connection to internal servers/hosts. Although this is a simple solution, traffic generated by the malware out the VM interface will not be logged unless you place a firewall or a traffic monitoring tool between the WildFire appliance and the DSL connection.
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© 2021 Palo Alto Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/wildfire/9-0/wildfire-admin/set-up-and-manage-a-wildfire-appliance/set-up-the-wildfire-appliance-vm-interface/virtual-machine-interface-overview.html |
making process.
Additionally, there is no provision of advocacy.
This is an obvious gap in this proposed legislation and the Disabled
Peoples and Representation Act 1986. It is critical that any proposed
legislation must include such proposals as one person says:
Without such proposals many people may be WRONGLY
perceived to be without capacity, when in fact they need support
on how to participate in the decision-making process.
The Mental Incapacity Bill assumes that anyone
making decisions on behalf of people without perceived capacity
is always acting in their best interests. There is no acknowledgement
of any conflict of interest, which may rise in any decision, both
"significant" and "insignificant". Some examples
where the bill may allow others to make decisions on behalf of
people without perceived capacity where conflict of interests
will arise WITHOUT FAIL.
John and Lesley were living in separate group
homes. Both of them were married and wanted to live together as
a couple in their own home with support of Direct Payments. The
staff in the group homes were against the idea and made this clear
at John's care planning review meeting.
The conflict of interest arises where the staff
are only being paid whilst residents live in the home. It is not
in the staffs' interests if residents want to live on their own.
Another example will be where persons without
perceived capacity are living at home.
This is another example where there will be
conflict of interest. In this case, parents may rely on the financial
income from their daughter or son with learning difficulties and
therefore be unwilling to give money to him or her.
We have concerns that the Mental Incappacity
Bill will violate the fundamental rights of people without perceived
capacity. Under Article 6, the claimant must have a right to an
effective remedy where his/her European Convention Of Human Rights
(ECHR) have been violated. The proposed Bill GIVES NO EFFECTIVE
Remedy if a person without perceived capacity believes his/her
fundamental rights (ECHR) have been violated. In this case Articles
6, 8, 10, 14 (the right to a fair trail, right to privacy and
family life, freedom of association and assembly and not to be
discriminated against on the grounds of disability.
Such cases where people without perceived capacity
rights will be violated:
This Bill will affect the rights of people without
perceived capacity, in this case disabled people labelled with
learning difficulties.
If the Mental Incapacity Bill becomes law Disabled
People with learning difficulties like these would have no RIGHT
to appeal where a declaration that their rights have been violated.
Furthermore, the person with learning difficulties will not be
able to seek an injunction against the decision makers.
It is very clear that the Human Rights Act covers
the actions and decision-making processes of statutory bodies.
This also includes service provision. Such landmark cases include
X, Y and Z where it was ruled that the manual handling procedures
of carers/personal assistants services must respect disabled care
receipt ants with learning difficulties fundamental human rights
(Articles 3 and 8). The Human Rights Act is limited to STATUTORY
Bodies decisions which may include their directly contracted services.
The Human Rights Act is likely to fail when non statutory bodies
or persons employed by them make decisions on behalf of persons
without perceived capacity. Many people with learning difficulties
are stopped from making and implementing their own decisions by
their parents and carers who would not be covered by the Human
Rights Act.
When such decisions are made on behalf of persons
with learning difficulties there will be no redress even under
the Human Rights Act. Such redress will need to be incorporated
in any proposed Bill.
The Government says there is sufficient checks
and balances to ensure that only the right people can make decisions
on behalf of someone without perceived capacity. From our understanding
a person can make decisions on behalf of another if she or he
"reasonably" believes that a person lacks capacity to
make a particular decision. The problem with this is that it allows
anyone to consider another can't make decisions based on the stereotypical
assumptions about what people with learning difficulties can do
as People First say.
The Government says that some decisions should
be made by the courts. Here, the Bill have not specified which
decisions should or should not be made by the courts. As a consequence
it will be left up to the "integrity" of the decision
maker to invite the courts to make a ruling. We would assume that
most decision makers wouldn't refer the matter to the courts.
As with now, the courts are involved with financial and healthcare
matters for people without perceived capacity where one would
expect legal safeguards to be in place. However, it is unclear
whether such legal safeguards will remain.
Where a person is unable to make a decision
for whatever reason legal safeguards must be in place to ensure
ALL decisions are made in the best interests of the person with
perceived incapacity. Anyone making decisions must be registered.
Independent advocates must also be involved.
We think having a lasting power of attorney
is a good idea where people who are unable to make decisions can
choose people who they can trust to make decisions for them. This
could be extended to selecting particular persons to make specific
decisions.
To conclude we would like to see a Bill titled
"Supported Decision Making" where the focus will be
on how people can be supported to make their decisions. Where
decisions cannot be made by a person a tough legal framework is
in place to ensure conflict of interests of decision makers is
kept to a minimum.
Changing Perspectives providing training and
consultancy on disability rights issues. Simone Aspis (director)
and disability rights activist was the former People First Parliamentary
and Campaigns Worker. Additionally, Simone has been very active
in campaigns to safeguards the rights of disabled people who are
perceived to be without capacity.
Alongside People First, we would be interested
in submitting oral evidence. It is important that the committee
hears the voices from many disabled people with learning difficulties.
The Committee needs to find a balance of hearing non disabled
people's organisations that claim to represent people with learning
difficulties and self-advocacy groups run by disabled people with
learning difficulties. | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/jt200203/jtselect/jtdmi/189/3102102.htm |
By definition, Distributed Development is difficult due to the ‘tyranny of distance’. In fact, in the early days of Agile adoption, some purists believed that Agility and Distributed Development could not coexist, going by this principle - “The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is via face-to-face conversation”. Distributed Development is a reality today and in most cases, a necessity due to some very convincing reasons. Despite all the advancements in technology related to communication and collaboration of virtual teams, Distributed Development still faces challenges, as people are ‘not in the same room’. Let us examine some of these challenges in this post.
Barriers to Communication and Collaboration
Culture
Distributed Development often involves teams spread across nations and continents. As we all know, cultures vary widely across the globe. When people are ignorant of culture, even an innocuous gesture, or the lack of it, can cause ill-will among people.
An example will illustrate this point. In some countries, it can be quite uncomfortable for many people to directly say ‘no’, whereas in others, it is perfectly acceptable to say so, and also expected, rather than getting a mixed response. One can imagine the awkwardness on a telephone conference call when there is a long silence or an incoherent response, when the person actually means to convey a ‘no’. Such situations could potentially create major misunderstandings, and can impede building of trust, and impact software delivery as well.
Time Zone
Distance between teams not only inhibits face-to-face communication, but poses additional practical challenges as well. If teams are working in vastly different time zones, e.g. San Francisco (US West Coast) and Pune (India), there is a challenge in overlapping working hours. Either or both sides would have to start work early or end work late, and this can lead to another problem, one of resentment.
Language
Another situation that often characterizes distributed teams is when both teams are from different parts of the world, and their primary language is not the same. A team in China, that speaks Mandarin, finds it difficult to communicate with another in Brazil, that speaks Portuguese. These teams would have to use a language common to both, say English. Given that it is not the primary language of either team, the ability to communicate clearly and crisply, while keeping a neutral accent, is challenging.
Lack of the ‘Big Picture’ View
This challenge typically occurs when the Product Owner (PO) and Business Analyst (BA) are in separate locations from the rest of the delivery team. While they may conduct a ‘big bang’ session to provide the big picture view, their conversations around the big picture may get ignored, and most of the team members might just get to see limited pieces of the puzzle. The problem is further aggravated when the team's work is directed from a remote location.
Requirements Misunderstanding
Another challenge arising from the distance between the PO/BA and the team is that opportunities to elicit and clarify requirements are rare. This can naturally lead to higher documentation for communicating requirements, and clarifications done over the phone. This poses a huge risk of requirements being misunderstood, especially if there is no common primary language.
Lack of Trust
Building trust between team members is a ‘chicken and egg’ problem. When people are separated by distance, there needs to be greater trust between them, to work collaboratively. And trust cannot be built between people unless people connect in person and spend meaningful time together. Absence of trust leads to a ‘throw over the wall’ mindset and finger pointing when things slip or fail. In this situation, there is a very high risk of negative feedback being given or taken in the wrong spirit.
This is an important challenge when teams are distributed and have a high level of dependencies between them. Imagine a day when a team in Pune (India) leaves behind a broken Build as the other team in San Francisco starts the workday. This will result in loss of productivity for the team in San Francisco. Even if there is every reason to believe that this was an inadvertent slip from the India team, it could cause resentment in the US team, thereby leading to an increase in the trust deficit.
Lack of Visibility
While working from a remote location, it is quite difficult to get good visibility of work happening in other locations, as radiation of information across locations is a huge challenge. This can lead to ‘multiple sources of truth’, which can result in misunderstandings and unpleasant surprises.
Low Morale
This is typically seen at offshore locations, when onshore has a superiority complex. When onshore team members carry the belief that the work done by the offshore team is relatively of low value as compared to their work, they seldom appreciate the other team members. This can lead to a feeling of being taken for granted and result in low morale.
Lack of Collective Code Ownership
Collective code ownership means that no single member of the team owns a piece of code, it is owned by the entire team. This means that the code is up for refactoring to all team members. Implementing this in a distributed environment poses two major challenges. First, unless appropriate tools and a Version Control System is used, maintaining collective code ownership can be difficult across locations. Second, lack of trust between team members can lead to highly negative consequences like blaming each other.
Risk of Unpleasant Surprises when ‘Everything Comes Together’
When multiple locations are producing work that needs to be integrated at some point, there is a huge risk of things falling apart, unless Continuous Integration is practiced rigorously. Inconsistencies between locations in types of tools used, an unsuitable Version Control System and lack of common quality standards can become major impediments towards achieving ‘surprise-free’ integration.
Summary
After reading all the above challenges, it might appear that Distributed Development is doomed for failure. However, many organizations have worked towards implementing measures which significantly help in overcoming these challenges, if not fully eliminating them. I am going to share some of these good practices in my subsequent posts. | https://www.thoughtworks.com/insights/blog/challenges-faced-distributed-development |
ORIcursion Original Origami by Robert Lang
Lang explores nature and beauty through shapes and lines.
About the Exhibit:
ORICursion is an exhibition of the origami art of Robert J. Lang that explores themes of recursion and self-referentiality through the medium of folded paper and other materials. In the modern incarnation of the traditional Japanese art of origami, one folds paper into representational or geometric shapes: usually square, usually a single sheet, almost always without cutting.
For 50 years, Lang has explored and developed this art form, creating new techniques and designs, often inspired by nature and wildlife, sometimes inspired by the austere beauty of the mathematical underpinnings of paper. Throughout his life, recursion, self-referentiality, and self-similarity, have been a part of his work, whether explicitly in the repetition of shapes and lines in the folded form, embedded in the hidden symmetries of crease patterns, or expressed through the serial process of the Floral Recursion series.
The works in this show are Lang’s original designs, expressed through his own folding and through collaborations with sculptor Kevin Box and photographer Amy Lamb. In addition, you as a visitor are invited to join the collaboration by contributing your own folding of an original Lang design created especially for this exhibition.
The Flock:
The Trout Museum of Art invites you to participate in the creation of The Flock, a community based art project, which will feature hundreds of small paper cranes folded by members of the community at various events leading up to the ORIcursion art exhibit. The small paper cranes will be hung in the museum’s gallery to form one large paper crane and will truly be a magnificent sight to see.
If you’re interested in contributing a small paper crane to The Flock, please visit the museum during Art on the Town on July 21, the Appleton Farm Market on July 29 or Mile of Music from August 3 – 6. The public can also create paper cranes at Art at the Park on July 30.
Exhibit Details
Aug. 19 – Dec. 31, 2017
CONTACT US
The Trout Museum of Art
Fox Cities Building for the Arts
111 W. College Avenue
Appleton, WI 54911
HOURS OF OPERATION
Admission varies by Exhibit. | http://www.troutmuseum.org/oricursion |
The following is a white paper prepared for the June 10–11, 2009, workshop on medical surge capacity, hosted by the Institute of Medicine Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events. All opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and not necessarily of the Institute of Medicine.
By William M. Smith
Senior Director
Emergency Preparedness
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
INTRODUCTION
The fact that hospitals and health systems face numerous financial pressures relating to everyday operations is well documented. The dawn of less advantageous private third-party payor agreements and reductions in federal reimbursements, along with increasing human resource, supply, and technology costs and an aging infrastructure, have created significant hardships. In addition to this economic stress, hospital emergency departments and inpatient facilities are routinely operating at or near 100 percent of capacity on a daily basis. Given all of this, the unilateral investment in surge capacity has been minimal.
In the face of an emergent surge condition, whether occasioned by a sentinel incident such as Hurricane Katrina or a slower growing event such as pandemic influenza, hospitals’ already stretched resources are stressed even further. (However, actual evidence from Toronto in 2003
shows that hospital inpatient admissions may actually decrease during such an event.1)
Federal funding for hospitals and public health entities has been provided through the Hospital Preparedness Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to date. These have served to improve the position of hospitals and other health entities in relation to equipment and supplies. The restrictions in these programs, however, have discouraged investments in other surge-sensitive areas such as infrastructure, alternative care site planning, or staffing.
Another facet of the surge dilemma is the need for care providers to be able to provide adequate documentation and support to third-party payors. The requirement for fiscal responsibility extends to these entities so they can continue their mission in the maintenance of the healthcare system.
The goal of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events Financing Surge Capacity and Preparedness section is to “identify funding mechanisms that could be utilized to ensure effective and efficient medical surge capacity preparedness and response.”2
PROJECTED SURGE IMPACT ISSUES
The effects of an acute or extended surge event on hospitals include numerous factors. Staffing may be compromised for a variety of reasons: ill employees, transit impacts, staff reticence to “bring something home,” or a feeling of need to remain home with their families. Supplies (including pharmaceuticals and durable medical equipment) could be negatively affected due to supply chain interruptions, competing demands from all other providers, international transportation interruptions, or raw material shortages. Physical facilities may also be insufficient to support an influx of large numbers of injured or ill persons.
In the wake of Katrina the following access-to-service issues were identified:
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Closure of most acute care hospitals, including Charity Hospital
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Loss of Level 1 Trauma, mental health beds, other specialty care
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Open hospitals operating at reduced capacity, but almost full
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Open safety-net clinics decreased from 90 to 19
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Doctors and other health workforce relocated
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Pharmacies closed, including Charity’s low-cost pharmacy
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Half of nursing homes closed
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49 percent of New Orleans residents surveyed reported no usual place of care prior to storm; greater impacts later
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27 percent were uninsured
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18 percent reported mental health challenges3
An added detrimental effect on the profitability of the institutions, and hence, their ability to remain in operation as a support resource, is also projected. “HHS has advised hospitals in a pandemic to ‘Defer elective admissions and procedures until local epidemic wanes,’ freeing capacity for influenza patients.”4 Deferring higher profit surgical cases for lower margin flu cases will result in diminished revenues. In addition, issues relating to increased numbers of uninsured patients requiring care would surface. “Using U.S. pandemic planning assumptions and national data on healthcare costs and revenues, a 1918-like pandemic would cause U.S. hospitals to absorb a net loss of $3.9 billion, or an average $784,592 per hospital.”5
DISCUSSION
The discussion of what key elements must be considered in future funding initiatives should be multipronged:
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Funding Use Restrictions
Current grant programs used by healthcare facilities to improve surge capacity include significant restrictions on the use of the funds. What is the process by which future grant guidelines should be evaluated in terms of the most efficacious use of these funds to promote true surge capacity enhancements?
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Partnerships on Reimbursement Strategies
The need for collaborative planning relating to disaster condition workable reimbursement strategies is great. The success of a health plan or other insurer in timely restoration of normal business operations relies on collaboration with “employees, vendors, health care providers, government agencies, and other community organizations.”6 Should public and private stakeholders be able to readily identify the approved courses of action
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in designated emergencies so that the payor process continues in an uninterrupted manner?
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Regional Initiatives
As available monies for preparedness become more restricted, the need for cooperative regional uses of the funds becomes greater. To date, the bulk of preparedness support for hospitals to address surge capacity has been managed primarily at the local institutional or health-system level. Should future grant guidelines mandate the development of coordinated regional projects?
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Regulatory Activity
The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform conducted an analysis of U.S. hospital surge capacity compared to the post-bombing experience in Madrid in 2004. The report, titled Hospital Emergency Surge Capacity: Not Ready for the ‘Predictable Surprise,’ stated:
After conducting the “snapshot” survey on March 25 at 4:30 p.m., the Committee staff sent follow-up questionnaires to the hospitals surveyed. Twenty-three of the hospitals responded to the questionnaire. Their responses indicate that the level of emergency care they can provide is likely to be further compromised by three new Medicaid regulations, the first of which takes effect on May 26, 2008. According to these hospitals, the new Medicaid regulations will reduce federal payments to their facilities by $623 million per year. If the states choose to withdraw their matching funds, the hospitals could face a reduction of about $1.2 billion. The hospitals told the Committee that these funding cuts will force them “to significantly reduce services” in the future and that “loss of resources of this magnitude inevitably will lead to curtailing of critical health care safety net services such as emergency, trauma, burn, HIV/AIDS, neonatology, asthma care, diabetes care, and many others.7
What are the regulatory efforts that could assist in improvement of institutions’ pre-incident preparation for catastrophic events and ensure viability after the incident?
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Recovery Strategies
A piece of the emergency surge continuum that has not been addressed adequately in funding strategies to date is the formalization of recovery efforts. Returning the healthcare system to “green” status is vital to the restoration of public health support. Should emphasis on investment in the recovery processes for hospitals and insurers be part of future funding considerations?
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Gap Analyses and Measurement
The ability to conduct gap analyses of the current versus desired states of surge capacity funding may dictate that some sort of “metrics of preparedness” be developed. What are the best metrics to assess surge success: regulatory compliance, exercise performance, other elements?
CONCLUSION
Today’s financial realities are clearly reflected in the healthcare sector. Investment in surge capacity as a “what if” hedge is increasingly weighed as a lesser priority in the face of other difficult decisions impinging on the day-to-day solvency of the institutions. The growing time lapse since the most recent September 11–like event has also promoted an “it can’t happen again” attitude. The work of groups like the IOM in formulating policy discussions on fiscally responsible ways to address the issue of surge capacity in health care is vital to the ability of the healthcare system to face future threats, both natural and from humans.
REFERENCES
1. Schull, et al. Surge capacity associated with restrictions on nonurgent hospital utilization and expected admission during an influenza pandemic: Lessons learned for the Toronto severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak. Acad Emerg Med 2(11):1228–1231, E-pub 2006 Jun 28.
2. Institute of Medicine Forum on Medical and Public Health Preparedness for Catastrophic Events Draft Agenda, June 2009.
3. Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. August 2006. Voices of the Storm: Health Experiences for Low-Income Katrina Survivors (KCMU publication #7538).
4. Matheny, J., Toner, E., Waldhorn, R. 2007. Financial Effects of an Influenza Pandemic on U.S. Hospitals. Healthcare Finance 58.
5. Ibid., 62.
6. Armstrong, S., Cutler, B. 2007. Preparing the Way: Disaster Readiness Planning for Health Insurance Plans. P. 12.
7. U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, majority staff, Hospital Emergency Surge Capacity: Not Ready for the “Predictable Surprise.” May 2008. Washington, DC: GPO. P. iii. | https://www.nap.edu/read/12798/chapter/11 |
Ph.D.
Program
Psychology
Advisor
Roseanne L. Flores
Subject Categories
Developmental Psychology | Education Policy
Keywords
academic achievement; Head Start; parenting practices; Social-emotional development
Abstract
During the preschool years, children develop social-emotional skills -- such as cooperation and self-regulation -- which predict later academic achievement. Research shows that parents play an important role in the development of these skills. However, it remains unclear how specific parenting practices may facilitate the relationship between social-emotional development and academic success. Often, children who grow up in low-income families are at risk for a variety of cognitive and emotional problems. Head Start is a federal program offered to low-income families that provides services, including early childhood education programs, to help offset these risks. Using Bronfenbrenner's bioecological theory, the purpose of this dissertation was to explore the relationship among these three factors -- social-emotional skills, academic achievement, and parenting practices -- in an effort to better understand child development. There were three primary aims of this dissertation: (1) to demonstrate the inter-relatedness of several social-emotional skills for children who attended Head Start at age three; (2) understand the relationship between social-emotional skills during preschool and academic achievement at the end of kindergarten; and (3) understand how parent characteristics can influence the relationship between social-emotional skills in preschool and academic achievement by the end of kindergarten. Using a large, nationally representative data set from the Head Start program, several specific research questions were addressed through secondary data analysis. Findings from backwards regressions and moderation analysis indicate that there was a relationship between social-emotional skills at age three and academic achievement at age five, and that these relationships were sometimes moderated by parenting approaches.
Recommended Citation
Dow, Emily A. A., "The Relationship between Social-Emotional Development, Academic Achievement and Parenting Practices in Young Children who Attend Head Start" (2015). CUNY Academic Works. | https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/908/ |
The Biology E/M Subject Test begins with a general section that encompasses all topics of biology, and and ends with a section that allows students to choose questions with an emphasis in ecological or molecular biology.
Our educational approach to the Biology Subject Test focuses on core concepts in biology that underlie the material tested on the exam. Each program is individually tailored—we have found that not all topics tested on the exam are covered in a student’s school curriculum. Tutors review familiar concepts and teach new content, depending on each student’s background.
Students are given homework, quizzes, and proctored, full-length practice tests to reinforce concepts and practice problem-solving skills as they master the material on the test. Tutors use the initial diagnostic test and subsequent meetings with the student to determine which specialized section—ecological or molecular—the student should take.
Contact us to speak with a program consultant and set up a diagnostic Biology Subject Test. | https://www.advantagetesting.com/test-prep/sat-subject/biology-em/our-program |
The governance of security in West Africa manifests numerous challenges which point to the need for a comprehensive security agenda to integrate various actors often operating from opposing perspectives. This article argues that the disproportionate focus on the role of commercial security actors in West Africa effectively eclipses research and policy interest in other non-state actors in security governance and tends to undermine sustainable peacebuilding. The article attempts a typology of non-state actors engaged in security governance beyond security contractors and argues that the governance of security should be seen to include ‘insecurity actors’ (such as criminal networks and local mercenaries) because they form part of the ‘push-and-pull’ – exerted by various security actors – whose end result is the de facto governance of security. The challenge of peacebuilding therefore is to bridge the gap between the normative value of security governance (predicated on democratic principles of accountability, transparency and participation) and the reality of diverse interests and perspectives.
The Role of Security Sector Reform in Sustainable Development: Donor Policy Trends and Challenges
This paper attempts to account for the gap between donor policies in support of SSR in developing countries, in particular in post-conflict African states, and their record of implementation. It explores the inadequacies of the present development cooperation regime and argues that a substantial part of this gap can be explained by the tension that exists between the prevalence of a state-centric policy framework on the one hand, and the increasing role played by non-state actors, such as armed militia, private security and military companies, vigilante groups, and multinational corporations on the other hand, in the security sector. This paper, which acknowledges the growing importance of regional actors and questions the state-centric nature of SSR, recommends a paradigmatic shift in the current approaches to development cooperation. The external origin and orientation of SSR needs to be supplemented by more local ownership at the various levels of SSR conceptualisation, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation in order to enhance synergy between donor priorities and interests on the one hand, and local needs and priorities on the other hand. | http://pcr-project.insct.org/author/adedejiebo/ |
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Yamanouchi family, Yamanouchi also spelled Yamauchi, family of Japanese feudal lords who from 1600 to 1868 dominated the important fief of Tosa on the island of Shikoku.
The rise in the Yamanouchi family’s fortunes began with Yamanouchi Kazutoyo (1546–1605). For his successes on the battlefield in the service of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, then the most powerful general in Japan, Kazutoyo was rewarded with a small fief. After Hideyoshi’s death, Kazutoyo switched his loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), whom he aided at the Battle of Sekigahara (1600) by benevolent neutrality. Ieyasu became the dominant power in Japan, and he rewarded Kazutoyo with the large fief of Tosa.
Throughout the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), the Yamanouchi, unlike many of the other great lords, remained loyal to the Tokugawa. When agitation against the Tokugawa family began in the mid-19th century, the head of the Yamanouchi family, Yamanouchi Toyoshige (1827–72), tried to negotiate a favourable settlement for the Tokugawas with the dissident lords. But, when his efforts failed, he joined the rebels in overthrowing the Tokugawa rule in order to prevent warriors of rival fiefs from obtaining too much influence in the new imperial government. Under this imperial government, formed in 1868, Tosa was made into Kōchi prefecture, and Toyoshige was given the hereditary title of prince, though his feudal prerogatives were eliminated. | https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yamanouchi-family |
The principal responsibility of senior management and policymakers of state and local government is to evaluate the economies and the environment in which the organization operates, noting existing and potential opportunities and threats confronting the organization and the community. At the same time, the community and organization should be examined to ascertain strengths and weaknesses in such areas as organizational structure, finance, productivity, service delivery capability, community involvement and understanding, and overall management capacity. Through a systematic meshing of external opportunities and perceived threats with institutional strengths and weaknesses, the governing body. As far as emerging trends in local government, some may be important to a specific jurisdiction, some may not. Some trends are local or regional, some are external to the organization, and some are internal. All are important as public managers consider the future.
Main body
In public service, strategic planning has become the hallmark of well-managed organizations, managers are often skeptical about its usefulness and how it should be done. Some managers argue for a comprehensive, rational approach that lays out a course of action for five years or so. Yet, managers need to develop resources to face an uncertain future and react to opportunities and threats as they arise with these resources (Foster and Ketti 2006). Interpersonal skills, of course, are the key to using this analysis, and the overall concepts of organization development are important for public managers (Boyle,1996). But even the most outstanding interpersonal skills will not make up for poor strategy and tactics. Public agencies operate in turbulent environments that impose numerous, rapidly changing demands and require substantial adaptive capacity. In order to manage the future course of the organization and to establish the most viable strategy for achieving organizational goals, leaders must understand the dynamics of strategy in public organizations.
The key responsibilities of public managers are to apply ethical and moral principles into practice responding to community needs and expectations. In much of the management literature, strategy is presented from a process perspective, focusing on systematic analysis, comprehensive planning, strategy formulation, and purposeful choice and action by strategic managers and planners. In a separate stream of research, the content approach has emphasized understanding the specific pattern of both inside and outside forces that produce a strategy and set the direction for the organization (Frederickson et al 2003). Regardless of orientation (process or content), theories of strategy and strategic management generally have been concerned with private business organizations. The strategies of public organizations arise within a government authority system. That is, rather than being formed in response to the requirements of markets, the strategies actually carried out by public organizations are products of complex processes and interactions set in the context of constitutional government (Boyle,1996).
One of the most frequent complaints heard from both public and private sector top executives is that they are seldom provided with a true choice about the strategic direction of their organization. More often they are presented with a single proposed course of action on which they are expected to stamp their approval. This step in the strategic planning process is designed to provide decision-makers with a choice–an opportunity to select from significantly different strategic directions and to focus on the tradeoffs that may be required and the benefits to be derived. By following such a course of action, the chance of producing innovative, imaginative, and workable strategies greatly increases, and top management can more confidently select a strategy to expand, contract, continue “as is,” or proceed in some radically different direction (Frederickson et al 2003).
The efforts of executives to improve the management process have resulted in an influx of technological advances. Both public and private sector institutions have been introduced to a series of new management tools. Familiar tools include job enrichment, project management, time management, and management-by-objectives. The communication process is important in establishing priorities and alternatives and identifying roles that subordinates play in attaining overall objectives. Through this process, a system is set up for performance evaluation. The managerial philosophy underlying objectives is one which encourages the entire organization to be action-oriented toward fulfillment of a basic organizational mission. The result is greater organizational productivity. Strategic alternatives may be generated at all levels in the organization’s hierarchy. At the organizational level, alternatives are concerned with the form of government, its basic style and policies, and its central service delivery purpose and strategy (Boyle,1996). At the department level, alternatives deal with the direction the organization should follow for each major service being delivered. At the division level, alternatives are concerned with the direction the organization should take in regard to discrete systems, processes, methods, and approaches. All reasonable alternatives are subject to comparative evaluations of both non-financial and financial factors in order to ensure the selection of the most satisfactory strategy (Frederickson et al 2003). Elements of the organizational environment, feasibility, cost, and the desirability of the strategy with respect to organizational purposes and values make up the evaluation criteria. In the course of the evaluation, unsuspected obstacles may be discovered, or the possibility of a future controllable event may require that a “next best” strategy be considered as a contingency. Attitude toward change refers to the agency’s intentions with regard to itself and its environment. For example, strategies may be designed to produce a change in programs, organizational structure, service delivery systems, or relationships with external actors. Conversely, strategies may be designed to maintain the status quo both inside the organization and in its external relations (Foster and Ketti 2006).
The government has imposed laws, regulations, and other forms of persuasion on both businesses and the public. In turn, the business has used lobbying and its own form of persuasion on the government for favorable treatment, while the public, in general, has used the political process, voting, and pressure and interest groups to make their voice heard by the government. Much of this battle that goes on between government, business, and society is a result of the conflict that exists between these three areas and their different views on economic and social responsibility goals (Foster and Ketti 2006). Opinions differ between the goals and objectives of government, business, and society and how best to achieve these goals and objectives. The bottom line is that someone has to pay for any changes or dislocations that result from new laws and legislation; it does not come free even though some people seem to think that it does.
The federal government has held no privileged position in generating new laws and legislation in recent times. Even though the local and state governments lost much of their “state’s rights” control over their own territories to the federal government with the passage of new federal legislation, the local governments and state governments have generated a proliferation of new rules, laws, and regulations of their own. With the growth and expansion of towns and cities, the local and state legislatures felt compelled to write new legislation which would “protect the social welfare” of the increased and higher density population (Foster and Ketti 2006). New zoning laws were passed on lot sizes, fence heights and locations, sidewalk requirements, and on every imaginable subject one might think of. In all cases, the local governments must still comply with these additional laws and regulations at a cost to someone. Lower taxes, an abundant and/or low-cost labor supply, convenience to raw materials and/or markets, or other desirable factors may offset the other more restrictive laws and regulations of a particular location. Under a free-market economy local governments and county, state, and federal governments can and do, sometimes relieve themselves of certain costs associated with the disposal of waste materials by using the atmosphere, oceans, lakes, rivers, and landfills, as free waste receptacles. If it is to the economic advantage of the particular emitter to do so, it will normally take advantage of this free resource (Frederickson et al 2003).
Conclusion
In sum, managers in public service should possess high moral values and ethical knowledge in order to respond effectively to community demands and needs. Communication skills and a high level of the profession are important for public managers. Public managers should see their role as the helper, promoter, and protector of the general health and welfare of the nation, business, the community, and the consumer. With this complexity of new laws and regulations, the federal government has become all-powerful in its role with business and the public. Almost every move or decision made by either business or the public today is affected by one or more of these rules and regulations.
References
Boyle, R. (1996). Measuring Civil Service Performance, Dublin: Institute of Public Administration.
Fesler, J.W., Ketti, D.F. (1996). The Politics of the Administrative Process, 2rd edition.
Frederickson, J. et al. (2003). Public Administration: Theory Primer. Westview Press. | https://edufixers.com/managers-duties-in-public-administration/ |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of art to which this invention pertains is electronic musical instrumentation. In particular, the present invention pertains to instruments that incorporate automatic orchestration control.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is well known in the field of automatic harmonization to generate a group of one or more harmony notes to accompany the melody note selected by a performer. Prior art methods have utilized both mechanical and electronic means to occasion the sounding of one or more notes below the melody note. In general, these systems add only the harmony notes selected on the accompaniment keyboard. These notes are sounded in a limited, preselected musical compass below the selected melody note. Examples of such systems are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,283, 056 issued Nov. 1, 1966 for "CONTROLLED HARMONIZATION FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS", a mechanical system, and 3,929,051 issued Dec. 30, 1975 for "MULTIPLEX HARMONY GENERATOR", an electronic system.
Systems as above-referenced only approximate musically optimal harmony. Oftentimes, harmony, of which the above is an approximation, is best achieved by adding tones from the scale of the selected harmony chord other than chordal tones.
In popular music, melody notes which are not chord tones of the given harmony may be classified as various kinds of passing tones (i.e., appoggiaturas, suspensions, etc.), according to their position and function relative to the scale from which the given harmony was derived. By harmonizing such tones accordingly, the skilled musician may prevent harmony tones from making awkward skips, provide more logical voice leadings and increase harmonic interest. It is additionally customary for the skilled musician to add additional harmonizing tones such as sixths, sevenths, and ninths not present in the given chord to melody notes while sometimes omitting certain of the tones of the given harmony. These techniques add "fullness" and "color" to the sound.
For example, in FIG. 7 there is shown a line of music from the tune "Melancholy Baby". The topmost set of bars contains the melody of the piece while the bottommost contains its harmony. Using the standard orchestration control systems described above, one would sound the embellished melody of the second line of music (written in treble clef). ("Embellished" as referred to in this application is to be understood to be of the homophonic type wherein homophonic denotes music in which a single melody is supported by chords as distinguished from monophonic and polyphonic.) A preferred musical harmonization (which, it will be seen, is obtained by means of the present invention) is contained in the third set of lines.
Comparing the second and third lines of FIG. 7, starting with the first note ("E"), line three presents a four-part harmonization by adding the tones "C", "A" and "G" to the melody tone "E". The note "A", for example, is not part of the given harmony. The second melody note ("F") presents a more complex situation. Line two shows the addition of "C" and "G" (the same two notes added to melody note "E"). Since melody note "F" is not compatible with the harmony tone "E" of the given harmony, the "E" note is omitted, leaving a poorly defined chord (a "C" major chord containing the suspended note "F"). The melody note "F" comprises a passing tone. Proper harmonization is shown in line three, the tones "D", "C" and "A" forming a passing chord. Line two shows the third melody note, "F♯", harmonized with the same two tones as before, "C" and "G". When combined, these three tones make an unpleasant sound comprising no chord at all but rather a tone cluster which has no harmonic function. The proper harmonization shown in line three includes the tones "D.music- sharp.", "C" and "A" with the appoggiatura "F♯" as a passing chord. The fourth melody note, "G", is also present in the given harmony. In line two, only the tones "E" and "C" are added. The proper harmonization indicated in line three adds the tones "E", "C" and "A". Line two shows the tones "G" and "E" added to the fifth melody note, "D". The chosen configuration presents a cadencial feeling of repose which incorrectly sounds as if the song could end at this point. Line three shows the harmonization of the appoggiatura note "D" with the tones "B", "G" and "E" which avoids the cadencial feeling yet comprises a substitute harmony for the given harmony ("C" major). The sixth ("C") and seventh ("G") melody notes are harmonized in the same fashion as the first and fourth while the eighth ("G" flat or "F" sharp) is harmonized in the same fashion as the third melody note. Regarding the ninth melody note ("F"), a comparison of the second and third lines shows the omission of the "E", present in the given harmony, since it is incompatible with the melody note "F". Line two adds the tones "C♯", "A" and "G" whereas line three substitutes the tone "B" for the tone "A" and also adds the tones "C. music-sharp." and "G" to provide a richer sound. In accompanying the tenth melody note ("E"), line three includes the tone "A" instead of "B".
Present-day automatic harmonization systems are thus limited musically by their inability to utilize advantageous non-chordal or non- scale tones when these notes are not explicitly sounded by the musician. This inability becomes particularly critical when a musician of limited ability and/or dexterity seeks to sustain an accompanying chord with only a minimum number of tones. In such instances, chordal tones selected to accompany the melody will occasionally provide only a simple and plain sound, not always musically correct, including potential tonal skips or dissonant combinations, when played on present-day orchestration control systems. Thus, while the aforementioned systems have advanced the art by expanding the playing range of many musicians, they still do not incorporate some significant aspects of musicianship and do not derive the accompaniment notes on the basis of harmonic relationship between the melody and the selected chord.
Melody notes not contained within the tones of the chord defined by the accompaniment are referred to as "passing tones". As is the case in the above example, most melodies contain some notes which are not tones of the selected chord. The passing tones may be either non- chordal or non- scale with respect to the harmony defined by the accompanying chord. These passing tones are, however, intimately tied both to the melody and to the harmony; the existence and definition of such a harmonic relationship is necessary for selecting appropriate accompaniment notes to augment the melody.
The table below, presenting a set of tonal relationships, illustrates these musical principles. It lists appropriate accompaniment notes for a major chord having a root of C. Each of the twelve columns of the table corresponds to an indicated melody note. Thus, if the melody note selected is F, a musically proper set of accompaniment notes for a major chord having root C is D, C, A, and F, selected from column 6 of the table. ##TBL1##
Accordingly, a skilled musician appreciates that a different chord type, such as minor or seventh, will result in different accompaniment note combinations, as reflected in each of the melody note columns. In addition, he knows that each of the five chord types will vary according to the style of voicing desired, resulting in a different proper set of accompaniment notes, for each melody note and chord type. For this reason, there exists a separate set of five tables (one table for each of the chord types--major, minor, seventh, augmented and diminished) containing appropriate accompaniment notes for each of the common styles of voicing: open (three-note or four-note), closed (three- note or four-note), block, duet (country or common) and hymnal.
The desirability of selecting a group of accompaniment notes from a table as above, the table being derived on the basis of the harmonic relationship between the melody and the selected chord, is evident from the preceding musical discussion. However, disregarding for the moment the complications added when one desires a variety of voicing styles, the use of such a method occasions a difficult-to-manage information storage and retrieval problem. Since there are five possible chord types and twelve possible roots for each of twelve melody notes, 720 (5× 12. times.12) memory locations are required to store each set of four accompaniment notes (certain voicing styles may require more or less than four accompaniment notes for optimal harmony) for each style of voicing.
In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided for enhancing the musical quality of a piece as played by a performer on an electronic musical instrument by introducing harmonious accompaniment notes selected without being limited to tones of a "recognized" chord, and without being limited to a predetermined compass beneath a "recognized" melody note, using minimal hardware and storage capability for practical implementation; the apparatus incorporates significant additional musical features including voicing style selectivity and a selective orchestration capability.
More particularly, there is provided in one of its aspects a method for embellishing a melody represented by the actuation during a time frame of one or more playing keys of a musical instrument keyboard capable of representing a plurality of notes. The invention defines a method including the selection and recognition of at least one chord. At least one accompaniment note is then derived from the harmonic relationship of said melody to said chord. The melody and accompaniment notes are then sounded to produce an embellished melody.
In a further aspect, the present invention comprises a method for deriving a signal representative of at least one accompaniment note chosen according to melody and harmony. In this aspect, melody and harmony signals are generated that are responsive to the actuation of the keys of a keyboard. A plurality of listings of harmonious accompaniment notes, stored according to musical chord type, is addressed to locate at least one accompaniment note in accordance with the chord root and the melody note. An accompaniment note signal is then generated responsive to the located accompaniment notes.
In a third aspect, apparatus is provided for sounding at least one accompaniment note. The apparatus includes means for generating signals responsive to both melody and harmony. Additionally, there is provided means for storing at least one accompaniment note and for locating the accompaniment note and generating a signal responsive thereto. Finally, means are provided, responsive thereto, for sounding the selected accompaniment note.
These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will appear for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, in connection with accompanying drawings wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout and wherein:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a system schematic view of the present invention;
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) present schematic diagrams of the upper or melody and the lower or harmony keyboard input circuitry, respectively, of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of the output circuitry including output tone switching apparatus and voicing and mixing circuitry of the present invention;
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) present a logical schematic and a pin diagram, respectively, of the microcomputer of the present invention, showing the microcomputer functions and pins utilized in the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the operations and computations utilized by the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment of the output circuitry of the present invention. The circuitry of this figure incorporates an orchestration capability into the system of the present invention; and
FIG. 7 illustrates, by way of comparison, the musical limitations of prior-art orchestration control (second set of lines from top) in the harmonization of a portion of the music to "Melancholy Baby. "
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 is a diagram of an electronic organ system incorporating the present invention. In it, an upper ("melody") keyboard 10 and a lower ("harmony") keyboard 12 provide conventional means for playing the instrument (i.e., for manipulation according to the techniques of musicianship) and for the application of data to the system. The data is then processed according to the methods of the present invention which incorporate the musical principle of transposition. Keys 14 are arranged to correspond to standard musical scales and are assigned ordinal numbers for data-processing purposes. Separate melody and harmony keyboards are provided according to FIG. 1. The present invention may also be practiced by means of an organ system utilizing a single keyboard. It will also be noted that the selection of harmony may be achieved by means of a conventional button-type chord selector. In the event such chord selection apparatus is employed, it will be appreciated that the chord detection or recognition apparatus and method disclosed infra may be bypassed in implementing the system herein.
A switch is associated with and activated by the application of pressure to a number of the keys 14. Each such switch assumes a first state and, upon the performer striking an associated keyboard key 14, a second, opposite state. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein "low true" input logic is employed, the closing of such a switch by striking its associated key 14 causes the application of a positive voltage +V through a pull-up resistor to a preselected storage location in a shift register (as discussed in connection with FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)) to cause the storage therein of a logic "zero".
The data generated by the manipulation of the keyboards 10, 12 is applied in parallel fashion over a melody bus 16 to the upper or melody keyboard register 20 and over a harmony bus 18 to the lower or harmony keyboard register 22. As will be discussed, the registers 20, 22, which are controlled by signals from a microcomputer 28, include shift registers for the storage of successive musical frames defined by the states of the sets of the switches associated with keys 14 depressed at a given instant of time. The frames of data are read out of the registers by the application of clocking pulses from the microcomputer 28. Each of the registers 20, 22 thereby provides playing data, in registration corresponding to the relative locations of the keyboard notes, to the random access memory (RAM) of the microcomputer 28 by means of serial bit streams transferred along a melody conductor 24 and a harmony conductor 26. A timing crystal 29 aids the various functions of the microcomputer 28.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes an Intel 8048 microcomputer, a programmable device manufactured by the Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. A detailed discussion of the system operation of the microcomputer 28 will be undertaken with regard to FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b). For the present, it will suffice to say that the microcomputer 28 is specifically adapted in the present invention to control the various functions of the organ system and, in particular, to gather and process musical data to generate the appropriate accompaniment which adds texture to the pitches selected by the musician.
Data representative of the accompaniment notes generated is provided to output tone switching circuitry 34 by the data bus 32. The output tone switching circuitry 34, which is controlled by the microcomputer 28, includes alternative embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 6 comprising further novel features of the invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, an orchestration capability is achieved. After processing within the output tone switching apparatus 34, resultant analog signals are applied along a bus 36 to voicing and mixing circuitry 38. The circuitry 38 provides an analog waveform for an amplifier 40 which, in turn, feeds the amplified analog signal to a conventional speaker or speaker system 42 to sound the desired music.
FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) present in greater detail the input (melody and harmony) systems of the organ. In FIG. 2(a), the upper ("melody") keyboard circuitry, it can be seen that the upper keyboard register 20 includes a plurality of shift registers 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 which communicate with the melody keyboard 10 via the melody bus 16. A plurality of conductors 44, provides electrical connection between a positive voltage, +V, common to each of the keys 14, and an associated location of one of the selected shift registers 46-54 through a corresponding plurality of key-activated switches 15. It will be noticed that the melody keyboard 10 includes only 37 keys. This reflects the fact that, although the standard spinet organ keyboard includes 44 melody keys (F1 through C4), the lower seven keys (i.e., F1 to B1) are not sampled to allow, in the invention, the sounding of a number of accompaniment notes below all melody notes processed. Thus the accompaniment generation technique of the present invention is not responsive to the potential depression of these lower-scale melody tones, and does not "recognize" those tones as melody input for accompaniment purposes. As a reflection of the limited melody input from the keyboard 10 and the utilization of five eight-bit shift registers (each of which may be, for example, a DC 4014B manufactured by the Radio Corporation of America of Princeton, N.J.) the first three locations of the register 46 are tied to a common positive voltage which, for the "low true" input logic employed, corresponds to a logic "zero".
The control bus 30 applies clocking and latching functions to the upper keyboard registers along conductors 62 and 64, respectively. A clock pulse is applied to the registers upon the completion of each melody note computation cycle of the microcomputer 28 (discussed infra). Its application enables the registers 46-54 to retain the data input from the keyboard 10 until forty-four clock pulses have arrived from the microcomputer 28 to read an entire frame of melody data into the microcomputer.
FIG. 2(b) is a detailed illustration of the lower ("harmony") keyboard input circuitry. The harmony keyboard 12, the output of which is utilized to identify the chordal-type selected by the musician, also includes a plurality of switches 15, each associated with a single note, for connecting a positive potential +V to preselected locations of shift registers 68, 70 which comprise the lower keyboard register 22. The organ utilizes a harmony keyboard 12 of twenty-eight keys. Unlike the situation discussed with respect to the melody keyboard 10, it can be seen that the twenty-eight outputs of the keyboard 12 are cross- connected in a reducing matrix 66 so that the harmony bus 18 applies only twelve independent, parallel outputs to the registers 68, 70. Corresponding thereto, the first four inputs 72, 74, 76, and 78 of the eight-bit shift register 68 are wired directly to a positive voltage, storing logic "zero's" in the corresponding shift register locations.
Thus, although the harmony keyboard 12 comprises twenty-eight tones arranged in order of ascending frequency, left to right, from the lowest tone (A1) to the highest tone (C3), the reducing matrix 66 assures that the content of the shift registers 68, 70, comprising the lower keyboard register 22, will not reflect the octaval origin of the applied tones. Such simplifaction of circuitry eliminates harmonically redundant information from the data input of the system. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this simplification of data consequently reduces the electronic complexity of the device. The discarding of octave information with respect to the harmony keyboard's input is permitted since chordal identification or recognition as to both type and root is independent of octave when determined according to the teachings of the present invention and those of U.S. Pat. No. 4,248, 118 of George R. Hall and Robert Hall, for "HARMONY RECOGNITION TECHNIQUES", the teachings and content of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
As was the case with respect to the upper keyboard register 20, the shift registers 68, 70 of the lower keyboard register 22 receive control signals from the microcomputer 28 by means of the control bus 30. More particularly, the clock line 62 and the latch line 80 control the shift registers 68, 70 in a fashion analogous to the control of the upper keyboard register 20 by the microcomputer 28. The clock line 62 provides identical clocking to the shift registers of the upper and the lower keyboard latches while the melody and harmony shift registers are individually latched by signals carried along the conductors 64 and 80.
Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown a detailed schematic view of output circuitry according to the present invention. It includes the interacting output tone switching circuitry 34, voicing and mixing circuitry 38, output amplifier 40 and speaker 42 disclosed in FIG. 1.
The output tone switching circuitry 34 includes six eight-bit serial- to-parallel converters 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, 94, the last four locations of which are unresponsive to incoming data. Each of the converters 84-94 may be a CD 4094 manufactured by the Radio Corporation of America, essentially a combination shift register and buffer-latch. A stream of forty-four bits of data, generated by methods to be discussed, is clocked along the conductor 95, which provides electrical connection between the converter 84 and the microcomputer 28, into the forty-four utilized locations of the six eight-bit converters. The bits are clocked into the converters 84-94 by the PROG clocking pulses of the microcomputer 28 which are applied along the conductor 62. Each PROG pulse is toggled by the execution of an "OUTPUT" instruction within the microcomputer 28. Hence, it will be seen, each bit of data generated by the method shown in FIG. 5 is appropriately clocked into the converters 84-94. A latching pulse, provided through the conductor 96, initiates the "dumping" of the data, which has been clocked serially into the converters, along forty- four parallel conductors 98. The latching signal is generated upon the affirmative interrogation of a loop counter (the countdown register R4 of the Intel 8048 microcomputer, discussed infra). Affirmative interrogation indicates a system determination that all thirty-seven melody notes of the input have been processed. (Although there appears to exist a discrepancy between the length of the input melody keyboard 10 and the number of tones generated by the output circuitry, one must keep in mind the fact that derived accompaniment notes supplement the tones "called up" by the playing of the input keyboards.)
The forty-four parallel outputs applied to the conductors 98 represent forty-four independent keying signals. Each keying signal is in turn applied to an AND gate 100, the other input port of which is tied to one of forty-four tones generated from a standard organ oscillator system (not shown). The keying pulses applied to the AND gates 100 pass the tones therethrough. Each output of an AND gate, a single frequency analog voltage signal conveying one musical pitch, is applied to the conventional, homogeneous voicing and mixing circuitry 38. The circuitry 38 includes standard organ filters and related mixing circuitry, by means of which the individual keyed tones from the AND gates 100 retain tonal integrity as they are combined into a composite signal. The resultant signal is applied to the output amplifier 40 and finally to the speaker 42 which acts as an electro-audio transducer, translating the analog signal into sound.
FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) are detailed illustrations of the microcomputer 28 which supplies the various control functions of the present invention. FIGS. 4(a) and 4(b) use the nomenclature of the Intel 8048 microcomputer chip utilized in a reduction to practice of the present invention. In the event a more general appreciation of the details of this machine and its functions may be desired, one can refer to MCS-48 Microcomputer User's Manual published by the Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. (1976). This invention is by no means limited in implementation to this particular microcomputer 28 nor, in fact, to any device, programmable or otherwise, as a control mechanism. Extensive reference to the Intel 8048 is made only for the purpose of illustration and as a basis for reference to the interworkings of the programming scheme illustrated in FIG. 5. The scheme of that figure discloses the control method used in the actual implementation of the present invention by means of an Intel 8048 and incorporates corresponding component designations of such microcomputer including its registers and the like.
FIG. 4(a) presents the logical functions of the eight-bit Intel 8048 single component microcomputer which relate to the invention. FIG. 4(b) illustrates the pin configuration of the Intel 8048 employed in an actual reduction to practice of the present invention.
Referring concurrently to the above-referenced figures and proceeding down the left-hand side of the logic diagram of FIG. 4(a), it is seen that the crystal input for the internal oscillator of the microcomputer is connected across the second and third pins of the computer chip. The microcomputer 28 is initialized by the application of a RESET signal generated in an RC circuit which communicates with its fourth pin. The melody conductor 24 transfers the aforementioned stream of melody bits to the thirty-ninth pin, a testable input (T1). The bit state at this pin reflects the state of the rightmost location of the shift register 54 of the melody input latch 20.
The twelfth through nineteenth pins locate an eight-bit data bus which provides a frequency "divisor" to the alternative output configuration illustrated in FIG. 6. This bus is not utilized when the output configuration of FIG. 3 is employed.
Port 1 of the microcomputer 28, a "quasibidirectional" port, provides three pins (of eight), the thirty-first, thirty-second and thirty-third, engaged to style selectable keyboard apparatus (not shown). Such apparatus, comprising a relatively simple switch of conventional design well known in the art, enters a three-bit number into the accumulating register RA of the microcomputer 28. The number is utilized in the present method to allow the performer to select a preferred voicing style. For any of up to eight voicing styles, there is provided a set of five tables, the content of each table of such set varying according to the style selected. The five tables refer to five different types of chords. The voicing styles, such as open (three-note or four- note), close (three- note or four-note), block, duet (country or common) and hymnal, reflect relationships between the melody and harmony of a piece of music and, by varying the style selected, the performer may vary its melodic emphasis.
Port 2 is a second quasi-bidirectional port. Five of the eight components of port 2, accessed at the twenty-first through twenty-fourth and thirty-fifth pins of the microcomputer 28, are utilized. The pins communicate, respectively, with the output latching conductor 96, the melody input latching conductor 64, the harmony input latching conductor 80, the output conductor 95 and the melody input conductor 24. It may be noted that the port as utilized is clearly bidirectional, in that it both accepts data along the conductor 24 and transfers data out of the microcomputer 28 along the conductor 95.
The eighth and thirty-sixth pins of the chip provide means for communicating addressing signals to a programmable oscillator chip, the data input of which is addressed through the pins of the eight-bit data bus, discussed supra. The data bus forms a significant element of the alternative output configuration of FIG. 6.
Utilizing the apparatus disclosed in the preceding figures, there is employed in the present invention a data-processing method including various program steps stored in the internal program ROM of the microcomputer 28. The program steps, by means of which the system processes and operates upon keyboard data to generate various control signals and functions, embody a method for deriving, from the input harmony and melody data, a number of accompaniment notes, the sounding of which will be harmonious with and will enhance the melody selected by the musician.
In the present invention, the musical principle of transposition, based upon the regular progression of frequencies throughout the equally- tempered scale and the doubling of frequencies from octave to octave, enables the extraction of complex harmony from a limited information storage system. Stated simply, the principle of transposition, recognizing the regularity within musical scales, permits one to obtain the same order of harmony tones obtained when one combines a first melody note with a chord having a first root (melody note and root not necessarily the same note) by sounding a second melody note with a chord having a second root provided all the accompaniment notes employed in the first instance are shifted in the same direction on the scale by the number of tones that separates the second chord root from the first chord root. Based upon this principle, and in accordance with the present invention, there is derived a set of five chord type tables, each of the tables containing a set of numbers representing the musical- scale relationships of the accompaniment notes. Each of the five tables, as mentioned above, was derived on the basis of the harmonic relationship between the twelve melody notes and the chord. By arbitrarily assigning the value "one" to a specific note of the musical scale, the values of the table may be subsequently adjusted for a different chord root according to the preceding teaching. For example, below is the table for a major chord: ##TBL2## Assigning the value "one" to note C, and adding "one" for each successive chromatic semitone, starting over at twelve, one can see that the appropriate accompaniment notes for melody note D (column 3 of the table) are numbered 12, 8, 5 and 3. These correspond to the notes B (note 12 with respect to C), G (note 8 with respect to C), E (note 5 with respect to C) and D (note 3 with respect to C). In the event that the root of the chord was F (note 6 with respect to C), rather than C, the appropriate notes for D could be determined by shifting the values of the notes in column 3 by an amount equal to the shift in the chord root. Since the note F is five above the note C, the table above would be transposed by adding five to each accompaniment note value. The new values in column 3 would then be 5, 1, 10 and 8.
In accordance with the invention, one applies the above musical verity to reduce the complexity and information storage capacity otherwise required of a system capable of selecting accompaniment notes for optimum harmony. The application of this principle to electronic musical instrumentation allows practical implementation of highly enhanced automated orchestration control as shown in FIG. 7. By designing accompaniment note tables as above, readily amenable to mathematical transposition based upon the underlying musical fundamentals, and by performing the transposition in light of the melody and harmony recognized by the machine (i.e., identified from the depression of keyboard elements), one need only utilize 12×5 or 60 storage locations, a relatively manageable situation as contrasted with 720, for the sets of accompaniment notes.
The method of the present invention involves essentially the retrieval and output of one column of data or notes from one table of a set of five (corresponding to five basic chord types) stored in a ROM of the microcomputer 28. The musician, by depressing the keys of the melody and harmony keyboards, provides input data for deriving the address of the proper column of accompaniment notes. Additionally, there exist a number up to eight, of separate sets of five tables each, the choice of which is dependent upon the voicing style desired by the player. As mentioned earlier, the player may input into accumulation register RA of the microcomputer 28 a three-bit word which will result in the addressing of a column of notes appropriate, not only for harmonious accompaniment, but also reflecting the musician's desired tonal emphasis.
FIG. 5 describes the accompaniment note selection routine of the program instructions stored in the ROM of the microcomputer 28. Briefly, the proper accompaniment notes are located by a column- addressing technique based upon musical transposition.
The computation is initialized when power is applied to the circuit by application of a RESET pulse to the fourth pin of the microcomputer 28 from an RC circuit. In step S-2, the harmony data of the lower keyboard latch 22 is clocked out of the shift registers 68, 70 and applied to the thirty-fifth pin of the microcomputer by the conductor 82. The data of the serial bit stream is then scanned for chord type and root by a method such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,118 of George R. Hall and Robert Hall discussed above. In this method, playing key pattern representations are stored in a digital memory at locations having addresses defining the corresponding chord type. A playing key pattern signal identifying the pattern of the keys played by the performer is then generated and used to locate the corresponding stored playing key pattern representation. When a match occurs, the chord type and root are derived, i.e. recognized, by a processor.
After deriving and storing the relevant chord information, the microcomputer 28 proceeds to the processing of the melody data. In step S- 3, the count of an eight-bit, downcounting register R1 is set to zero while the count of register R4 of the Intel 8048 is set to forty-four. R1 will be seen to store the location of the accompaniment information while R4 serves as a loop or melody note counter, indicating at all times the number of notes of the melody keyboard which remain to be processed.
The loading of data into the upper keyboard registers 46-54 is signalled by the application of a downgoing latch signal from the microcomputer (twenty-second pin) along the conductor 64 of the control bus 30. At the end of this step, forty bits of data have been loaded into the upper keyboard latch 20, the locations of individual bits therein corresponding to the relative locations of the notes of the upper keyboard 10.
Entering the computation loops, step S-5 examines the state of the bit located in the rightmost portion of the upper keyboard latch. This location, in communication with the thirty-ninth pin of the microcomputer, through the conductor 24, corresponds initially to the melody note C, octave 4 (note number forty-four). As successive clocking (PROG) pulses shift the data of the latch 20 rightward, notes to the left of this note are examined.
Assuming the interrogation of step S-5 does not disclose a depressed key, the method proceeds to step S-9. In S-9, a zero count is entered into accumulating register RA of the microcomputer 28. The entry of a zero into RA signifies the NOT TRUE condition. When this is followed by an "OUTPUT" command, the terminal interfacing the twenty- fourth pin will go low. (The "OUTPUT" command additionally toggles the PROG clock function so that the low state of the twenty-fourth pin is then clocked into the leftmost location of the converter 84 along the conductor 95.)
The register R1 is decremented in step S-10 and, in S-11, interrogated to determine whether its count has reached zero. The initial decrementing of register R1 changes its count from zero to two hundred and fifty-six. Later it will be shown that the count of R1 is altered by means of the subroutine SWAPM contained in lines 43 through 58 of the program listing of Appendix A, contained in the patented file of the instant application, but not reproduced herein.
Assuming that no accompaniment bits have yet been entered into R1 by SWAPM and that R1 has not yet been decremented to zero, the method then proceeds to step S-14, an "OUTPUT" instruction which directs the aforementioned clocking of a low state into the converter 84 in response to the "zero" count of the accumulating register RA. Loop counting register R4 is then decremented by one at step S-15 and interrogated at step S-16. The latter interrogation determines whether or not forty-four melody notes have yet been processed by the microcomputer 28. In the event that the count of the register R4 has, in fact, reached zero, a "one" bit is entered into the register RA and transferred to its twenty- first pin whence it is applied to the converters 84-94, "dumping" the keying data thereof into the plurality of AND gates 100.
Assuming that the interrogation at step S-16 has been negative, the routine returns to step S-5 and the state of the bit of data next shifted into the rightmost location of the melody shift register 54 by the toggling of a PROG pulse in step S-14 is examined. Assuming further that it is now determined that the new key is depressed, the method then proceeds to step S-6, a subroutine denominated GET AOC, the steps of which are contained in lines 130 through 650 of the program listing of Appendix A.
The GET AOC subroutine retrieves two bytes, each comprised of two four- bit nibbles of binary data defining a note. The bytes are arranged in a column of an accompaniment note table that is arranged according to and contains information as in Table 2. The table is stored in a ROM of the microcomputer 28. The bytes are stored in two registers (R5 and R6) of the RAM array of the microcomputer 28. Each number represents the interval from the last-named note of the table, going down columns and starting with the leftmost column. That is, if it were to be determined that the last note called out by the table were the note G, octave 3, then the number 5 as the succeeding entry in the table would correspond to the note located five tones to its left or D, octave 3. It will become apparent from the discussion to follow why intervals rather than absolute values are stored.
GET AOC initially locates and addresses the column which contains the four desired accompaniment notes. To do this, the subroutine employs modulo 12 addition of the difference between the number of the melody note whose depression was detected in the most recent step S-5 and the number of the chord root (which was determined in step S-2). Once the computation has been performed and there is derived the position of the depressed melody note relative to the chord root, it remains only to determine the table to enter. The determination of the table is a function, in the first instance, of the voicing style selected by the musician. As discussed supra, this decision is entered into the microcomputer 28 through the application of signals to the thirty-first through thirty-third pins by means of a keyboard switch or the like. The second determinant, chord type, is derived (step S-2).
The two bytes of information defining the four (or less, in the event that the particular voicing style calls for fewer than four) accompaniment notes located by the addressing of the table are stored in the eight-bit registers R5 and R6. The method of computation then proceeds to the subroutine SWAPM (step S-7) which transfers the rightmost four-bit nibble of the register combination R5, R6 into register R1. In addition, the remaining bits are shifted four register locations to the right and a zero count entered in the leftmost position. The program then proceeds to step S-8 wherein a zero count is entered into the accumulating register RA. (In the event the melody note is to be sounded in addition to the accompaniment notes, one would enter the hexadecimal 08H into RA to set up a "true" output.) In step S-14, an "OUTPUT" command shifts the zero count of the accumulating register to the twenty-fourth pin of the microcomputer 28 and toggles the PROG function to clock a low bit into the converter 84.
As before, register R4 is decremented to indicate the completed processing of the last melody note. After an interrogation at step S-16 determines whether the information in the comparators 84-94 may be "dumped", the routine returns to the interrogation of step S-5. Assuming that the next melody note (i.e., that to the left of the prior tested note) is not depressed, the method then proceeds to step S-9 wherein a zero count is loaded into RA in preparation for an output instruction. In step S-10, the register R1, which now contains, via SWAPM, a count equal to the rightmost nibble, corresponding to the first accompaniment note of the chosen column, is decremented by one. At step S-11, the count of R1 is interrogated to determine whether or not it has yet been decremented to zero. By induction, and observing the flow chart of FIG. 5, one can see that, assuming a second, closely spaced melody note does not interrupt the process by diverting the flow at step S-10 into the sequence of steps S-6 through S-8, additional zero or low output bits will be entered or clocked into the converter 84 via the steps S-14 through S-16 until such time as the interrogation at step S-11 yields an affirmative result. This affirmative result indicates that the count of register R1 has gone to zero. It is achieved after "zero" pulses, equal in number to the tone interval separating the first accompaniment note from the melody note, have been clocked into the counter 84 since the last affirmative interrogation at step S-5.
The program then proceeds to step S-12 where the SWAPM routine is again called forth. As before, the rightmost four-bit number representing the next accompaniment note is shifted by this subroutine into register R1 and the remaining two nibbles of the combined registers R5, R6 are transferred one four-bit nibble to the right. In step S-13, the hexadecimal 08H is entered into the accumulating register RA. This count indicates the outputting of a high or "one" bit when an "OUTPUT" command is given. The "OUTPUT" command and accompanying toggling of the PROG function occur at the next step, S-14. The command enters the high bit into the converter 84 at the completion of the entry of "zero" bits equal in number to the last accompaniment note contained in register R1. The process continues. One can see, by identical reasoning and analysis, that the loop will continue to return to the steps S-9 through S-13, assuming no interruption by the detection of an additional melody note at step S-5, clocking "zero" bits into the converter 84 equal in number to the latest interval shifted into R1 by SWAPM (step S-12). Should an interruption occur, the process would begin again with the new melody note from step S- 5 and proceed as described above.
After the proper number of "zero" bits, a high output bit is clocked out following a positive interrogation at step S-11. Thus it can be seen that there will be clocked into the converters 84-94 a stream of digital data bits having "one" bit spacings which correspond to the numbers selected from the accompaniment tables. When all forty-four bits have been clocked into the converters, there exists a one-to-one relationship between the spacing of the locations within the converters 84-94 and the intervals stored within the transposition chord table. In addition, by setting a true instruction at step S-8, the melody note actually played by the musician will be entered into the stream of data bits and located with respect to the accompaniment notes. Thus, by assigning proper values to the locations within the converters 84-94, there is obtained a "one" bit or a "zero" bit in each location indicative of the preferred sounding or non-sounding of its associated tone.
FIG. 6 shows an output configuration which may be utilized as an alternative to that shown in FIG. 3. The arrangement includes an orchestration capability by means of which a number of instrument sounds may play the accompaniment notes derived by the method just illustrated.
Eight parallel conductors 104 comprising the data bus of the microcomputer 28 apply, in two separate loadings, a sixteen-bit divisor to a programmable oscillator chip 106. The chip 106 is a conventional device, the detailed operation of which is disclosed in Service Manual: Model L-15/L-5, publication number 993-030885 of Lowrey Organ Division of Norlin Industries, 707 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, Ill. (September 1979). It is driven by a master oscillator having a frequency of, for example, one MHz for successful functioning within the present system. Internal to the chip are a number (five) of register-comparator-counter combinations. The register addressed retains the sixteen-bit divisor applied from the microcomputer 28 along the conductors 104. The counter keeps count of the number of cycles of the master oscillator, resetting upon a signal from the comparator when the count of the register is equalled. The reset pulses are repeated with a frequency equal to the frequency of the master oscillator divided by the count of the register (i.e., the divisor). Thus, by adjusting the value of the divisor, the frequency of the reset signal applied along one of five conductors 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 that link the programmable oscillator chip 106 to the voicing circuitry of the output may be set.
The desired output tones are determined by the decoding of the accompaniment notes generated in FIG. 5. Once the note to be sounded has been decoded, it is a relatively simple matter to determine the proper divisor to deliver to the twelfth through nineteenth pins of the microcomputer 28. The subroutine PUT POP, the steps of which are contained in the program listing of Appendix A at lines 845 through 893, performs this relatively straightforward operation. The content of the bus is read into the programmable oscillator chip 106 by the interaction of a WRITE command from the microcomputer 28 to the corresponding input of the chip 106 via the conductor 108 and an ADDRESS/DATA command communicated to the chip 106 from the microcomputer 28 by means of the conductor 110. The loading operation is well known and discernible by those skilled in the art and familiar with the Intel 8048 and related devices. Similar devices may require a different sequence of functional steps to achieve the loading of data. Such sequences will, of course, be dependent upon the particular programmable oscillator chip 106 employed.
Each of the five tones produced by the chip 106 is transferred by one of conductors 112, 114, 116, 118 and 120 to five individual voicing circuits 122, 124, 126, 128 and 130, each of which utilizes filters and envelope circuitry to convert a frequency input into a musical instrument simulation. Thus, an arranger may, by means of the output apparatus of FIG. 6, select an orchestral arrangement (i.e., determine which instruments will play in which octaves and/or be used at all) for playing the melody and derived accompaniment.
The shaped frequencies emanating from the voicing circuits 122- 130 are combined and mixed into a composite analog waveform in mixing circuitry 132 comprising the resistors 134, 136, 138, 140 and 142 in combination with the differential amplifier 144 with associated feedback resistor 146. The output of the operational amplifier is then applied to the output amplifier and speaker or speaker system disclosed in FIG. 1 to produce the orchestrated sound.
Thus it is seen that there has been brought to the musical instrumentation art a new and improved method and apparatus for its practice by which musical texture can be added to the notes selected by the musician. A performer utilizing methods and apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to either a preselected melody compass or to the harmony tone selection in the range of accompaniment notes available to him. The invention allows the performer to increase the complexity of melody available without multiplying the complexity of the automatic fill in process to the point of impracticability. Rather, by relying upon the underlying principle of musical transposition, the present invention allows the achievement of the aforesaid desirable advantages in a practical manner. | |
Greet the 'Meghalayan Age' - Geologists term for Earth's new phase
After which Earth experienced an abrupt mega-drought. This epoch also includes the Greenlandian Age - the oldest phase of the Holocene - and the Northgrippian Age, which dates from 8,300 years ago up to the beginning of the Meghalayan.
The history of our planet now has a new chapter, the Meghalayan Age, that began 4,200 years ago.
These latest modifications are now to be included in the International Chronostratigraphic Chart, the diagram that depicts the timeline of our planet's history, describing all of Earth's eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages. The lower boundary of the Meghalayan stage is defined at a specific level in a stalagmite from a cave in the state.
The last 4,200 years have been classified by geologists as a new distinct age in Earth's history, called the "Meghalayan Age," named after the Indian state of Meghalaya. But the Holocene itself can be subdivided, according to the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS).
"The Holocene is now defined by three stages: the Lower Holocene Greenlandian Stage, the Middle Holocene Northgrippian Stage, and the Upper Holocene Meghalayan Stage", the IUGS International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) said in a statement. This latest geological epoch of Earth started with a global warming event that pushed the planet out of the last Ice Age.
"The Meghalayan Age is unique among the many intervals of the Geologic Time Scale in that its beginning coincides with a cultural event produced by a global climatic event", Dr Stanley Finney, secretary general of the International Union of Geological Sciences, said.
According to Prof. Mike Walker of the University of Wales in the United Kingdom, the shift in oxygen isotopes indicates that monsoon rainfall decreased by 20 to 30 percent. The Meghalayan, the youngest stage, runs from 4,200 years ago to 1950.
Local caver Brian D. Kharpran Daly, who accompanied the scientists from California to Krem Mawmluh, told The Shillong Times on Thursday that the first batch of scientists and researchers led by Ashish Sinha from California studied the cave in 2003 and later researcher Sebastian Breitenbach joined the team.
Evidence has been collected from multiple sites all over the world, but the specific starting point of this most recent age is based on differences in oxygen isotopes in a stalagmite taken from a cave in northeast India.
The drought resulted in the collapse of civilisations and human migrations in Egypt, Greece, Syria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, the Indus Valley and the Yangtze River Valley. "Beautiful, I know!" someone commented, but we recommend that you follow the entire thread on Twitter. Depending on which events are deemed the most impactful, the periods can be further broken down into smaller stages.
"We have lots of new definitions that perhaps now contradict the Anthropocene Working Group and go against what most scientists perceive to be the most important change on Earth in the last 10,000 years", said Maslin.
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Flight from Monticello : Thomas Jefferson at war / Michael Kranish.
Book
Available copies
- 6 of 6 copies available at Evergreen Indiana.
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|Location||Call Number / Copy Notes||Barcode||Shelving Location||Status||Due Date|
|Carnegie PL of Steuben Co - Angola||973.46092 KRA (Text)||33118000140068||Adult: Nonfiction||Available||-|
|Danville-Center Twp PL - Danville||B JEF (Text)||32604000200193||AD Biography||Available||-|
|Fayette Co PL - Connersville||B JEFFERSON (Text)||39230031113739||Adult Books||Available||-|
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Record details
- ISBN: 9780195374629 (hardcover : alk. paper)
- ISBN: 0195374622 (hardcover : alk. paper)
- ISBN: 9780199837328 (pbk.)
- Physical Description: xii, 388 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm
- Publisher: Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 2010.
Content descriptions
|Bibliography, etc. Note:||
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Includes bibliographical references (pages -369) and index.
|Summary, etc.:||
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Kranish describes Jefferson's many stumbles as he struggled to respond to the British invasion of colonial Virginia, and along the way, the author paints an intimate portrait of Jefferson, illuminating his quiet conversations, his family turmoil, his private hours at Monticello, and the lessons he learned during those dark hours as Virginia's governor that would serve him all his life. | https://evergreen.lib.in.us/eg/opac/record/15195360 |
A golf ball has a large number of dimples on its surface. The dimples disturb airflow around the golf ball during flight and cause turbulent separation. This phenomenon is referred to as “turbulence”. Turbulence causes a separation point at which air separates from the golf ball to shift rearward, and thus drag is reduced. Moreover, turbulence promotes the shift between an upper separation point and a lower separation point due to backspin, and thus lift acting on the golf ball is enhanced. Accordingly, good dimples disturb airflow better, and thus significantly extend the flight distance.
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Revised, Superseded, Withdrawn
Published
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May 2008
Replaced By
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BS ISO 17090-2:2015
BS ISO 17090-3 is the international standard that specifies the certificate profiles required to interchange healthcare information within a single organization, between different organizations and across jurisdictional boundaries. It details the use made of digital certificates in the health industry and focuses, in particular, on specific healthcare issues relating to certificate profiles.
The healthcare industry is faced with the challenge of reducing costs by moving from paper based processes to automated electronic processes. New models of healthcare delivery are emphasizing the need for patient information to be shared among a growing number of specialist healthcare providers and across traditional organizational boundaries.
Healthcare information concerning individual citizens is commonly interchanged by means of electronic mail, remote database access, electronic data interchange and other applications. The Internet provides a highly cost-effective and accessible means of interchanging information, but it is also an insecure vehicle that demands additional measures be taken to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of information. Threats to the security of health information through unauthorized access (either inadvertent or deliberate) are increasing.
It is essential to have available to the healthcare system reliable information security services that minimize the risk of unauthorized access.
How does the healthcare industry provide appropriate protection for the data conveyed across the Internet in a practical, cost-effective way? Public key infrastructure (PKI) and digital certificate technology seek to address this challenge.
The proper deployment of digital certificates requires a blend of technology, policy and administrative processes that enable the exchange of sensitive data in an unsecured environment by the use of “public key cryptography” to protect information in transit and “certificates” to confirm the identity of a person or entity. In healthcare environments, this technology uses authentication, encipherment and digital signatures to facilitate confidential access to, and movement of, individual health records to meet both clinical and administrative needs.
The services offered by the deployment of digital certificates (including encipherment, information integrity and digital signatures) are able to address many of these security issues. This is especially the case if digital certificates are used in conjunction with an accredited information security standard. Many individual organizations around the world have started to use digital certificates for this purpose.
Interoperability of digital certificate technology and supporting policies, procedures and practices is of fundamental importance if information is to be exchanged between organizations and between jurisdictions in support of healthcare applications (for example between a hospital and a community physician working with the same patient).
Achieving interoperability between different digital certificate implementations requires the establishment of a framework of trust, under which parties responsible for protecting an individual’s information rights may rely on the policies and practices and, by extension, the validity of digital certificates issued by other established authorities.
Many countries are deploying digital certificates to support secure communications within their national boundaries. Inconsistencies will arise in policies and procedures between the certification authorities (CAs) and the registration authorities (RAs) of different countries if standards development activity is restricted to within national boundaries.
Digital certificate technology is still evolving in certain aspects that are not specific to healthcare.
Important standardization efforts and, in some cases, supporting legislation are ongoing. On the other hand, healthcare providers in many countries are already using or planning to use digital certificates. ISO 17090 seeks to address the need for guidance of these rapid international developments.
BS ISO 17090 describes the common technical, operational and policy requirements that need to be addressed to enable digital certificates to be used in protecting the exchange of healthcare information within a single domain, between domains and across jurisdictional boundaries. Its purpose is to create a platform for global interoperability. It specifically supports digital certificate enabled communication across borders, but could also provide guidance for the national or regional deployment of digital certificates in healthcare.
The Internet is increasingly used as the vehicle of choice to support the movement of healthcare data between healthcare organizations and is the only realistic choice for cross-border communication in this sector. ISO 17090 should be approached as a whole, with the three parts all making a contribution to defining how digital certificates can be used to provide security services in the health industry, including authentication, confidentiality, data integrity and the technical capacity to support the quality of digital signature.
BS ISO 17090-1 defines the basic concepts underlying the use of digital certificates in healthcare and provides a scheme of interoperability requirements to establish digital certificate-enabled secure communication of health information.
This part of ISO 17090 provides healthcare-specific profiles of digital certificates based on the international standard X.509 and the profile of this, specified in IETF/RFC 3280 for different types of certificates.
BS ISO 17090-3 deals with management issues involved in implementing and using digital certificates in healthcare. It defines a structure and minimum requirements for certificate policies (CPs) and a structure for associated certification practice statements. ISO 17090-3 is based on the recommendations of the informational IETF/RFC 3647, and identifies the principles needed in a healthcare security policy for cross border communication. It also defines the minimum levels of security required, concentrating on the aspects unique to healthcare.
Contents of BS ISO 17090-2 includes:
Buy Part 3 of this standard
BS ISO 17090-3:2008 Health informatics. Public key infrastructure. Policy management of certification authority is also available.
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One thing the American Left likes to do is repeatedly excoriate the Right for being “anti-scientific” for their positions on things like evolution and global warming. The problem is that the Left is just as unscientific, only about different topics … case in point are progressive views on gender, intersexual dynamics, and the human female biological clock.
Let me say first that, as a practicing PhD scientist, the Left is correct at least in that denying the validity of evolution is silly. The scientific evidence for that is solid, including both paleontological evidence (e.g. fossils) and genetic evidence. The Left is also correct in that denying the validity of climate change as it relates to the release of greenhouse gases and deforestation and melting glaciers is silly. One only has to look at our next-door neighbor Venus to see the effects. And long-term temporal climate data clearly shows a trend of rising global temperatures over the last century. One could perhaps argue over whether such climate change is man-made, but it is indisputable from the data that it is occurring. It is also indisputable that human activities are releasing large amounts of greenhouse gases.
But Progressives on the Left pointing the finger at people on the Right about being unscientific are basically like the pot calling the kettle black. A prime example of progressives’ equally deluded stances is their view on gender and gender identity.
Let me ask this question: if one accepts the validity of evolution, and acknowledges that humans are a sexually reproducing species, then what would be the evolutionary purpose for gender fluidity? Would evolution not ween those gender fluid individuals out over time? That is how natural selection works. Evolution clearly needs, for a sexually reproducing species, two distinct biological genders … to the point that in mammals it created separate X and Y chromosomes for sex determination (with a few more complicated exceptions like platypuses).
The advantages of sexual reproduction (versus asexual) are rooted in recombination of parental chromosomes and the genetic variance it creates, allowing a species to be resilient to wide-ranging environmental changes. But sexual reproduction also comes at a two-fold cost, with slower reproduction rates and the loss of the guarantee that all individuals can reproduce (they have to search for a willing mate first to do so). So given all of that, it doesn’t make sense for evolution to maintain 12 genders in humans, or gender fluid individuals … because the cost of sexual reproduction is already high enough. Species that did so would quickly go extinct.
And of course this doesn’t even broach the issue that most transgender re-assignment surgeries are Male-to-Female (most estimates say somewhere around 70-75%), rather than 50:50, nor the relative rarity of gender dysphoria in human populations based on epidemiological studies (averaging roughly 0.03% across studies). There are clearly social aspects to the push for gender fluidity that have no basis in biology.
To sum up, Progressives on the Left arguing for gender fluidity make about as much sense as people on the Right arguing we should teach creationism in schools. Both positions are equally anti-scientific. In fact, debating with Progressives about gender identity often feels strangely like debating with evangelicals about evolution …
Now, to be clear, I’m not arguing anyone should be mistreated … live and let live I say. If Progressives want to create a social construct (in the form of fluid gender identity), and then try to convince other people to accept it, they can certainly do so. In that regard, it’s no different than religion. The problem of course comes when people want to legislate their beliefs and force others to accept them. That would be equivalent to legislating religion … unfortunately that parallel is lost upon Progressives. Such attempts are a direct attack on the classical liberal principles Western society is built upon.
The above doesn’t even touch on other anti-scientific positions of the American Left, in particular their views on intersexual dynamics between men and women, and their denial of the existence of the female biological clock (or should we say “The Wall”).
The Progressive assault on masculinity in the West is a case in point here, attempts to redefine women as men, and co-opt masculine traits as some sort of ideal “feminine” traits. Despite the fact, as noted in the previous section, that evolution has clearly defined two separate biological genders, and created both the genetic and physiological infrastructure to maintain these two, with distinct physical and behavioral attributes. There is ample scientific evidence for the effects of testosterone on the human brain and its basis for differences in male/female behavior.
And so children growing up in the modern West are obviously confused when they get to adulthood and find – despite all the Progressive Left’s brainwashing about “gender being a social construct” and “feminized men in touch with their feelings being attractive” – that members of the opposite sex are NOT attracted to what they are told they should be … no, they are attracted to what millions of years of evolution has engrained them with. Any Red Pill man knows this intuitively.
Because that is how evolution works. And anyone who takes a scientific view of the world realizes the world doesn’t always work the way we think it should … it works the way it does. Or in other words: an Empirical view. Your feelings don’t matter, cupcake.
So no, lady, being bitchy and aggressive and “assertive” doesn’t make you attractive to most men. Men in general are drawn to women who exhibit neotenous traits, across cultures (more on the scientific basis here). I realize there are exceptions, but remember: the exception to the rule does not invalidate the rule.
The worst part of this is women literally believing they can still have babies when they are 40-years-old as if they are 20-years-old. About 1 in 7 women are infertile by age 35 (essentially triple the rate of a woman in her late twenties). not to mention the risk of birth defects and down’s syndrome skyrocket by the time you reach 40. Any pregnancy in a woman over the age of 35 is actually medically considered a geriatric pregnancy. A lot of women in their 30’s also think they have plenty of time, but the average duration of courtship in the West is 2-3 years, if not longer in many cases. So for that 30-year-old woman, if you meet someone today it will take years to get to the point of being married and pregnant.
All that said, women shouldn’t have to have babies if they don’t want to. But it is equally problematic for the Progressive Left to be filling their heads with anti-scientific ideology and fairy tales that undermine their ability to do so if they choose. Misinformation is a very dangerous thing.
Which brings us back to our main point: There are just as many anti-scientific viewpoints on the Left as there are on the Right, they just come in different forms. It is critical for those of us who believe in the importance of science and scientific integrity to objectively hold both sides accountable when they attempt to spread anti-scientific viewpoints, particularly when they attempt to pass those myths off as “fact”. And from a classical liberal standpoint, we must acknowledge that rational empirical thinking is necessary for individuals to make good decisions … indeed the entire premise of classical liberalism and the Doctrine of Individualism rests in individuals having correct information upon which to base those decisions. | https://www.illiberal-liberal.com/2016/12/the-anti-scientific-positions-of-the-left/ |
Yesterday was World Cat Day so I thought I’d celebrate it (albeit belatedly) by writing a post about one of the most easily recognisable artefacts seen in the original Tomb Raider and Tomb Raider Gold: Unfinished Business, the Gayer-Anderson cat statue.
A replica of this famous and much-loved statue could be found in the City of Khamoon and was apparently so appealing that Lara returned to the site in Unfinished Business to add the statue to her growing collection of looted, ahem, “acquired” art. In fact, you can find the statue tucked away in the Croft Manor basement in Tomb Raider II and on display in the indoor pool area in Tomb Raider III. Really, Lara. That statue belongs in a museum…
The real Gayer-Anderson cat statue has been part of the British Museum’s collection of Egyptian antiquities ever since it was donated to the museum by its former owner, Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson (1881-1945). Although Major Gayer-Anderson originally trained as a doctor before embarking on a career as an army officer, he was also an Orientalist and fell in love with Egyptian history and culture during his time serving with the Egyptian army.
He and his twin brother, Colonel T.G. Gayer-Anderson, began to collect ancient Egyptian art and antiquities and organised regular exhibitions to display their impressive collection of scarabs, pottery fragments, statues, and jewellery. Gayer-Anderson acquired the bronze cat statue from a dealer in Cairo in 1934 and donated it to the British Museum in 1939, though the statue did not arrive at the museum until 1947. Since then, it has viewed by thousands, possibly millions, of visitors and has been loaned out to other museums on numerous occasions over the past few decades.
If one takes a close look at the statue, it’s impossible not to be captivated by its beauty. The life-size bronze statue is thought to represent the cat goddess Bastet (or Bast) and was probably found in Saqqara, which was home to the Sacred Animal Necropolis and was a major pilgrimage centre for numerous animal cults in Egypt’s Late Period (ca. 664 BC-332 BC). The Gayer-Anderson cat would have been one of many votive statues (and mummified cats) buried at that site, though its fine craftsmanship suggests that this statue may have been dedicated by a noble or perhaps even royalty.
Archaeologists are unable to carbon date the statue but its artistic style and method of manufacture are consistent with those in common use in the early 7th century BC. The statue was cast using the lost-wax method and X-ray analyses conducted in 2007 revealed that not only are there cracks around the body, the head was also fastened to the body with a metal cylinder, hooks and wires to keep it from falling off.
Despite these flaws, the Gayer-Anderson cat, with its gold earrings and nose ring, broad silver collar, winged scarab, and silver protective udjat amulet, is still a majestic work of art. It’s easy to see why a certain treasure hunter would want to add it to her collection.
If you’d like to learn more about cats in Ancient Egyptian mythology, culture, and art, treat yourself to a copy of Jaromir Malek’s book, The Cat in Ancient Egypt, available for purr-chase on Amazon or Amazon UK.
Sources & Further Reading:
- A new look at an old cat: a technical investigation of the Gayer-Anderson cat (British Museum)
- Bronze figure of a seated cat (British Museum)
- Collector: Gayer-Anderson, (Major) Robert Grenville ‘John’ (1881–1945) (The Fitzwilliam Museum)
- Examination of the Gayer-Anderson cat (British Museum)
- Gayer-Anderson cat (Wikipedia)
- The Cat in Ancient Egypt by Jaromir Malek (British Museum Press, 2006)
- The Gayer-Anderson cat (Seshat’s Journal)
- The Gayer-Anderson Cat (Objects in Focus) by Neal Spencer, British Museum Press (2007)
Related Articles: | https://tombraiderhorizons.com/2013/08/09/arte-factual-tomb-raider-i-cat-statue/ |
It has just dawned on Bryce Wettstein, the 16-year-old skateboarding phenom from Encinitas, California, that she could win the first Olympic gold medal in women’s park skateboarding ever. “When you just said that, I feel like I’m tingling. I’m like, Woah! I didn’t even think about it like that,” Wettstein says. “That is just so indescribable, it’s almost like you’d need Leonardo da Vinci next to you to paint it.”
Winning isn’t why Wettstein, who has been competing since she was seven, skates. For her, skateboarding is more of a philosophy.
“It’s sort of like skateboarding takes you on a roller coaster of who you are. That’s what makes it liberating—you find all of these downfalls and pitfalls and uplifting things that you would never find. It’s an introspective thing,” she says. “I’ve never found anything like that before. When I’m skating, I feel like I’m sort of in another cosmos—more like my own universe.”
It is clear within the first 30 seconds of a conversation with Wettstein that she has a kaleidoscopic view of the world. She’s a whole vibe—a seeker, an explorer, a multihyphenate who trains by surfing and playing volleyball and making sure to “never just do one thing all the time.” She is in so many ways the antithesis of the stereotype of the rigid, self-punishing athlete we’ve come to associate with Olympic glory—those who push themselves so hard they vomit, or compete through injuries, or sacrifice their mental health as a matter of routine.
In that way, Wettenstein is part of a cohort of women embodying a different type of Olympian at the Tokyo Games. Like fencer Lee Kiefer, who, while in med school, became the first Asian American woman to win gold in the sport. And Simone Biles, who had the bravery and the foresight to step away from competition at the biggest moment of her career to prioritize her well-being (and then make a bronze medal-winning comeback). And swimmer Lilly King, who called bullshit on those who act like silver and bronze medals shouldn’t be celebrated. These women are challenging the cultural bedrock of competitive sports which for centuries has told athletes, and the rest of us watching them, that winning—gold only—is everything.
As she prepares to compete in the women’s park competition on August 4, Wettstein isn’t thinking about the medals. Instead she’s bringing the same wide-eyed wonder to the competition as the little girls she coaches in her free time. “I feel like they’re always teaching me things that I never knew about the world. It’s hard to see the world in the same way all the time, but when you have the mindset that they do [when you’re skating], you can see things in a million new ways,” she says.
She might be on to something. When skateboarding debuted with its first Olympic event in July, it was three teen girls who took the podium—Japan’s 13-year-old Momiji Nishiya, who won the first-ever Olympic gold in the women’s street skating competition, 13-year-old Rayssa Leal who won silver, and 16-year-old Funa Nakayama, who took bronze.
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Medal or not, Wettstein is excited to share the philosophy of skateboarding from the Olympic stage. “Skateboarding is always changing, always malleable, always ready for something else,” she says. “It is constantly, constantly in the process of changing—that’s what makes it so majestical.” | |
SQL Nexus is a tool that helps you identify the root cause of SQL Server performance issues.It loads and analyzes performance data collected by SQLDiag and PSSDiag.
Many a times, you come across a requirement to update a large table in SQL Server that has millions of rows (say more than 5 millions) in it.In this article I will demonstrate a fast way to update rows in a large table Consider a table called which has more than 5 millions rows.Suppose you want to update a column with the value 0, if it that column contains negative value.Let us also assume that there are over 2 million row in that column that has a negative value.The usual way to write the update method is as shown below: The issue with this query is that it will take a lot of time as it affects 2 million rows and also locks the table during the update.You can improve the performance of an update operation by updating the table in smaller groups.
Consider the following code: The above code updates 10000 rows at a time and the loop continues till @@rowcount has a value greater than zero. Best practices while updating large tables in SQL Server1.Always use a WHERE clause to limit the data that is to be updated2.If the table has too many indices, it is better to disable them during update and enable it again after update3.Instead of updating the table in single shot, break it into groups as shown in the above example.You may also want to read my article Find the Most Time Consuming Code in your SQL Server Database Madhivanan,an MSc computer Science graduate from Chennai-India, works as a works as a Lead Subject Matter Expert at a company that simplifies BIG data.He started his career as a developer working with Visual Basic 6.0, SQL Server 2000 and Crystal Report 8. | http://1sbroker.ru/sql-updating-table-5704.html |
Now that you’ve decided to move into a St. Louis retirement community, it’s time to find the right living environment. Retirement living communities vary depending on a number of factors, including:
- Living arrangements
- Activities
- Services offered
Therefore, your decision should involve more than selecting a floor plan—it’s all about the community’s lifestyle.
Many St. Louis retirement communities provide residents with the ability to live independently and stay active, but offer access to a full range of care and services if or when your needs change. Since each senior living community in St. Louis has its own personality, you should review this list on what to look for when you explore your options.
Scope Out the Location
Consider the convenience and location of the community. Think about what is important to you:
- Do you want your new home to be close to family and friends?
- Do you prefer a community in an urban setting or a more rural area?
- Do you feel comfortable and safe in the neighborhood?
- Does the retirement community offer transportation? If not, is public transportation easily accessible?
- Do you prefer to live within walking distance from restaurants, shops, supermarkets, banks, parks and theaters?
Remember, what would be great in your early years may not work in later years of retirement, so be sure to think long-term before making a final decision.
Explore the Community Culture
Most likely, you’ll be spending a fair amount of time with your new neighbors by sharing meals and attending social events or outings together. Take some time to get a feel for the “culture” by learning about the community and your prospective neighbors.
It is common for residents of a particular community to share the same interests and have similar backgrounds. Planned activities and events can be driven by the interests of the residents. Ask yourself: do you want to be around people who are interested in the same things you are? Or are you more interested in being with people whose experiences are different from yours? Check out the activities calendar to help you decide if the activities offered suit your personality and desires.
Some St. Louis retirement communities have guest apartments used primarily for visiting family, but some allow you to stay for a night or two to experience the place for yourself.
Dining in Your New Community
Food is probably one of the most important factors in selecting a St. Louis retirement community. Many communities feature on-site dining and offer custom-designed meal plan packages where residents can select a number of different meals per week.
Most St. Louis retirement communities will treat prospective residents to lunch, giving you the opportunity to see if the food is tasty, healthy, and prepared from scratch using fresh ingredients.
Figure the Cost
Most St. Louis retirement communities offer maintenance-free living and a carefree lifestyle. However, the cost can vary based on the size of the apartment, location of the community, and services needed. Often, retirement communities offer one or more of the following:
- A month-to-month rental choice
- An entrance fee
- Additional fees for special services
Make sure to ask each community about their individual costs and services.
Compare Different Retirement Communities
Deciding where to live is very important, so spend some time visiting several St. Louis retirement communities before you decide which senior living community is right for you. Most likely, it will take more than one visit to make a decision. Schedule visits that include opportunities to speak with the community’s representative to go over any questions or concerns.
If you’re considering an independent living community in St. Louis, schedule a tour at one of Bethesda’s six communities across the area.
Want to find out more?
If you’d like to stay up to date with Bethesda Health Group, sign up here to receive our blog and newsletters! | https://bethesdahealth.org/blog/2021/01/05/rethinking-retirement-finding-right-community/ |
For parents with only one child, this is a difficult situation. And even if there is more than one child the sharing of burden can often seem difficult and unfair. Eventually it may come to a situation where the family will seek outside help for care of the senior.
Help Outside the Family Group
Public and private agencies offer a variety of home care services that may be available to you, including the following – Home Health Care, either part-time or 24-hour care; Personal care and homemaking services, such as shopping, cooking and cleaning; Services delivered to the home, such as meals programs, transportation and home repair; Adult day care centers that offer more intensive services than senior centers – there are more than 2,000 such centers around the nation and they are usually affiliated with churches or non-profit community agencies; and Respite services which are programs that provide periodic break.
Types of Assisted Living
Senior Citizens Low Income House
Many of the elderly cannot afford private payment retirement homes. They often qualify for various programs which are state or federal funded for low income housing. Housing funded by government is typically owned by a housing authority which acts as the manager or landlord of the housing property. The process of obtaining a low-income, assisted living program housing apartment starts with an application to the housing authority. The cost of the housing to a senior is calculated as a percentage of their income. A typical program cost is about 35% of the senior’s income. Here are some of the key points which impact eligibility for these programs:
Age – Generally the age of the head of the household must be 62 years old or older. Younger aged persons could live with the head of household as long as this requirement is met.
Availability – Today there are more people seeking low-income housing assistance than the number of units available. Priorities for some programs are available and may include priority for: individuals facing domestic violence, for local programs – local residences, working people, US Veterans, certainly the elderly and seniors or other persons who are disabled.
Household size – This is a logical issue, the total number of people living in the housing unit must be in accordance with the legal codes of the area.
Citizenship – Federal programs require that the head of household have a legal US status; most commonly this means they are a Citizen of the United States.
If you are interested in applying for low income living assistance you can go to your state websites or this federal website: http://www.hud.gov/groups/seniors.cfm.
The contracts for assisted living can be very detailed and confusing. It is highly recommended that a senior contact an elder law attorney before signing any contract.
Respite Services
Caring for a loved one with a long-term illness is a 24/7 job. Caregivers need occasional time away from their responsibilities to rejuvenate, pursue personal interests, or socialize. Respite services give caregivers that opportunity.
There are many different types of respite services, including round-the-clock services. Assisted living facilities and nursing homes may provide overnight, weekend, and longer respite services for caregivers who need an extended period of time off. Not all assisted living facilities and nursing homes accept people for short-term stays, however, so contact your local facility. They also include adult day care. If a caregiver works, an adult day care facility can help. Adult day care facilities provide care and companionship outside of the home and give seniors the chance to interact with peers. The facility can provide social or therapeutic activities. Some day care facilities are especially designed for Alzheimer’s patients. And they include in-home care. If you don’t want your loved one to have to leave your home, you can take advantage of one of the many in-home services that may be available. In-home care can involve a large range of services, including companionship services to help entertain your loved one, services to help the caregiver do housekeeping chores, personal care services, and skilled/medical care services. In addition, you can have someone come in to stay with your loved one while you work or for longer stays when you need to be out of town.
The cost of respite services varies from service to service. Medicare does not pay for these services, but Medicaid may pay for adult day care services. There may be other federal or state aid available. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information.
To find respite services, go to the National Respite Locator or contact your local Area Agency on Aging. If you are caring for an Alzheimer’s patient, you may have local support groups and other help for caregivers.
Assisted Living
Assisted living facilities offer room and board in a home-like, more upscale living situation. Assisted living housing typically is a building with common areas for socializing, eating and exercise activities with private apartments. The benefit of assisted living is it allows the senior or elderly person to retain a sense of independent living, personal freedom and privacy. In addition to these advantages, there is support services offered around the clock, 7 days a week, year round. Depending on the type of independent building type there may also be medical support and medical oversight.
The cost of assisted living is higher than low-income housing but generally lower than nursing homes. Surveys show that as of 2010 the cost of living within an assisted living unit ranges between $2,200 per month and up to or in excess of $6,500 per month. The cost also will vary depending on the area of the country and cost of living. While assisted living is more expensive than low cost living supported house, it is less costly than nursing homes. Here is a link to a survey of assisted living costs for seniors – click here. Another useful website to visit to learn more about seniors assisted living is the Assisted Living Consumer Alliance (ALCA). This organization is a non-profit organization for the elderly. It is an advocate for consumer protection for the people who live within assisted living communities.
Removal from Assisted Living Home
An elderly person might need the help of an elder care attorney if they are facing the prospect of being evicted from their assisted living apartment. This can happen when they have a serious change in health which can change the conditions under which they entered the assisted living home.
For a number of reasons, managers of assisted living have a wide range of control when they are considering discharging a resident. The National Senior Citizens Law Center shows that almost 40 states allow an assisted living facility to remove a person if they are no longer able to meet the needs of that person. When faced with this situation the senior citizen has certain rights which an elder care attorney can advise them of. Since the laws are somewhat vague if you or a family member is in this situation it is highly advisable to seek legal advice from a senior law attorney.
If all else fails, you may be able to use anti-discrimination laws to challenge the discharge. The Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act all protect tenants against discrimination on the basis of a physical or mental disability. Landlords are required to reasonably accommodate a disability unless it would cause an undue hardship. So, for example, if the reason you are being discharged is because you are now in a wheelchair and your assisted living apartment does not have ramps, you may be able to argue that the landlord is required to install the ramps as a reasonable accommodation. Using anti-discrimination law is very difficult and would require the assistance of a lawyer.
Medicare and Medicaid – Assisted Living
Medicare and Medicaid provide some coverage of the medical portion of home health care. Although the coverage is often inadequate, when combined with other resources available to the older person and his or her family, it may be enough to keep an older person at home for a longer period of time. For an explanation of the coverage of home health care available under Medicare, click here. Medicaid offers very little in the way of home care except in New York State, which provides home care to all Medicaid recipients who need it. Recognizing that home care can cost far less than nursing home care, a few other states — notably Hawaii, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Wisconsin — are now pioneering efforts to provide services to those who remain in their homes.
Roughly one half of the several thousand private home care agencies in the country are Medicare/Medicaid certified. Those certified agencies are eligible for expense reimbursement by the two federal programs. Here are links to the three largest organizations which accredit home care agencies. Community Health Accreditation Program: http://www.chapinc.org; the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations: http://www.jcaho.org; and the National Association for Home Care: http://www.nahc.org.
Non-medical services are also available to help older persons remain independent. A federal act, The Older Americans Act funds makes non-medical services available through about 10,000 senior centers through grants to states and to Area Agencies on Aging. The programs which are provided through this program include the well-known Meals-on-Wheels program, general transportation, respite care for caregivers of the seniors, housekeeping, personal care, money management programs as well as shopping help. For more information of these valuable, but sometimes limited programs go to the Eldercare Locator at this website: http://www.eldercare.gov . You can also call this toll-free number: 1-800-677-1116.
Alternatives to Nursing Homes
The reality is that it is sometimes impossible or too expensive for an elderly person in poor health to remain at home. Other seniors may simply wish to live with others rather than be isolated. Fortunately, over the last two decades there has been an explosion of supportive housing alternatives for seniors, and the options are no longer limited to an agonizing choice between staying at home and moving to a nursing home. If you (or a loved one) do not require round-the-clock skilled nursing care, one of these supportive housing alternatives may be just right.
Supportive housing options range from board and care homes to large institutional complexes. Supportive facilities provide food, shelter and personal assistance while encouraging independence and personal dignity. The services offered may include help with activities such as eating, dressing, preparing meals, shopping, as well as monitoring and other supervision.
The main alternatives are board and care facilities, assisted living facilities and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). But these broad categories encompass a huge range of options in terms of services and costs. Generally, the more you pay the more services you get. There is a great disparity in quality as well, with facilities ranging from excellent to sub-standard. This means you need to research the options carefully before making a choice, and this section can help you in that process. But if you can find a high-quality facility, supportive housing can make a great deal of sense. It’s reassuring to know that help is there to take care of tasks like cooking, cleaning and home maintenance.
What is a Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs)
Continuing care retirement communities, often called a CCRC, are bridge type residential housing which offers an extension from assisted independent living to an assisted living environment with around-the-clock care in one location with health care services offered. When an elderly person enters a CCRC they pay and entry cost or fee. In addition, they pay a monthly rental payment which is adjustable which guarantees them a place to live for the rest of their life. Typically someone would enter into such a home in good health and get increasing care as the need for care increases. It is very common with a CCRC that some form of nursing care in a nearby location or in the CCRC itself.
A typical CCRC would range in size from 75 to over 600 living units. They would offer very diverse services. In terms of style a CCRC could be very urban to very suburban. One might be a high rise apartment building, another might be low rise apartments, and still others might be like cottages, detached condos or single family homes.
The key benefit of CCRCs it that they guarantee a place to live for the life span of the elderly person. As you might know from reading here, a normal assisted living facility or nursing home will not make a guarantee of this kind. Of course with the guarantee, there is a cost associated with it. It is not untypical for the one-time fee for entry into the CCRC to be from $25,000 to in excess of several hundred thousands of dollars. The monthly cost can also range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. The fee arrangement for payments to a CCRC is changing and expanding. In fact while the fixed entry and monthly rental is most common, some arrangements include rental or equity arrangements. The contracts involved in a CCRC are more detailed and confusing. It is highly recommended that a senior contact an elder law attorney before signing any contract.
As a general statement most seniors would like to live in their own homes as long as possible. This is based on considerations of being in familiar surroundings, remaining as independent as possible, being near family and friends, and certainly cost. Most frequently younger family members undertake the responsibility of caring for the seniors in their homes. This includes all activities involved with daily living including food and cloth shopping for the elders, doctor appointments, exercise, house cleaning, meals, etc. This is often very exhausting when considering the other responsibilities of the family caregivers. | http://lawyers4seniors.org/articles/senior-law-assisted-living-for-seniors/ |
Application form items as predictors of performance and longevity among respiratory therapists: a multiple regression analysis.
Errors in employee selection and consequent high turnover rates are expensive and can result in poor staff morale and possible harm to patients and personnel. We investigated the predictive validity of commonly used application blank items as measures of future performance, absenteeism, tardiness, and tenure (the criterion variables) among 100 hospital-employed respiratory therapists and looked at the relationships among the criterion variables. Regression analysis showed the most significant predictive variables to be grade point average in respiratory therapy school, college education in addition to respiratory therapy training (particularly an associate degree in health sciences or a baccalaureate degree), and, surprisingly, the neatness of the application form itself. No important differences were found among the types of respiratory therapy program attended or the length of previous respiratory therapy experience. The data offer cautious evidence for the validity of some application items to predict some employee behaviors. The relatively low correlations among the criterion variables (absenteeism, tardiness, tenure, and performance) suggest that these items may be assessing substantially different aspects of employee behavior.
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For the past two thousand years, most Christians have been wondering what the prophecies in the Book of Revelation really mean. Most people were taught the visions in the scroll prophesied the disasters at the End Time, either pre-tribulation or post-tribulation. Unfortunately, or fortunately, all these past interpretations are incorrect.
The reason people have such a misconception for a long time is that people tried to fit all the visions in the Book of Revelation into the "70th Week" in the prophecy of the "Seventy-Weeks" in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 9:24-27), but they forgot that in the Book of Daniel, the vision of the Four Beasts prophesied the rising of Four Kingdoms - Babylon, Medo-Persia, Macedon-Greece and the Roman Empire, which lasted over six hundred years. How could all the visions in the Book of Revelation, including the coming of the Four Riders, fit into a "Seven-year" period of the "End Time"?
In fact, all these visions in the Book of Revelation, just like the vision of the four beasts and the vision of the ram and goat in the Book of Daniel, prophesied the major historical events in the Christian history in the last two thousand years up to the New Millennium, like the establishing of Christianity as the state religion of Roman Empire, the rising of Islam & the expansion of Arabic Empire, the Dark Ages and the Inquisition, the Renaissance, the Reformation, the French Revolution, the "Two Witnesses of God", the American Civil War, the World War I & II, the rising of Communism, the birth of the "Man Child", "Sept. 11", the War in Iraq, etc. And they were all prophesied in the chronological order as the Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament.
The Book of Revelation is actually
the Book of Chronicle for the New Testament!
This is the must-learned information for all Christians to fully understand the true meaning of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation and learn how God interacted with His children throughout the human history. It is especially important for the pastors, priests, ministers, Sunday School teachers, Christian leaders and scholars to come to the Training Camp as the Continue Education on the Word of God and then bring this New Revelation of God back to the people in their congregations. This is a rare opportunity for people to learn the true meaning of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation from the ONE who was part of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation.
“Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Matthew 13:16-17)
Time: June 29-30, 2018, Friday & Saturday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Salt Lake Community College, Larry Miller Campus
For more information, please visit the website:
When & Where
Salt Lake Community College Miller Campus
9750 South 300 West
Sandy, | https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-symposium-of-the-book-of-revelation-tickets-45914294892 |
Ask Dan! about DSS - What evaluation criteria are used for decision support projects?
What evaluation criteria are used for decision support projects?
One can categorize computerized decision support project evaluation concerns into 4 general criteria areas: 1) economic, 2) operational, 3) schedule, and 4) technical. In any computerized decision support project evaluation, these general criteria must be considered. Let’s examine the 4 criteria in more detail.
Economic criterion – a measure of the net benefits of a decision support project or solution. This is often called a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). Cost-benefit analysis is grounded in finance and accounting theory and terminology and closely tied to the budget process. Although CBA is difficult to use for decision-support, infrastructure, and strategic Information Technology projects, it is important to examine the economic impact of a proposed system. Project leaders and sponsors should identify both tangible and intangible costs and benefits.
Operational criterion – a measure of how well the specific solution will work in the organization. It is also a measure of how people feel about the computerized decision support proposal. Applying this criterion involves reviewing assumptions about whether targeted users really need and want the proposed solution.
Schedule criterion – a measure of the reasonableness of the project timetable. The estimates of project effort are often overly optimistic. An assessment of this criterion should focus on the consequences of the worst case schedule, especially negative consequences from schedule delays and the impact on project costs.
Technical criterion – a measure of the practicality of a specific technical solution and the availability of technical resources and expertise. In some computerized decision support proposals technical issues are the major risk concern. The stability and maturity of the proposed technology should be carefully reviewed. Using emerging technologies for large scope, poorly structured projects increases risks, but such projects may have large strategic payoffs. Technology optimism is always a danger and IT managers should evaluate emerging technologies carefully.
Which of the criteria should be the focus at various project evaluation stages? The initial project evaluation should focus on the project need and the anticipated benefits. The focus should be on the economic and operational test. As the project evaluation continues more feasibility issues need to be evaluated and the costs and benefits need to be assessed more carefully to insure that project advocates are not inflating benefits and minimizing problems. The economic issues should be revisited a number of times, and all four criteria should be a major part of a feasibility analysis for a large scope, enterprise-wide project.
Decision support projects have various levels of risk associated with them. When DSS projects have ambiguous objectives and low structure, the projects have higher levels of risk because the costs and scope of work of the project are hard to define. The schedule and technical tests are very important for high risk projects. Also, because the objectives of the project are ambiguous, it can be difficult to assess the return on the investment. When economic returns are hard to assess more qualitative economic analyses should also be used.
DSS projects with a higher degree of structure and more clearly defined objectives generally are lower risk. More detailed planning is possible for projects with specific objectives. The economic criterion is easier to apply and also tests should be more concrete and detailed in the feasibility analysis. The size or scope of a DSS project in terms of the number of users served and the size of databases developed also impacts the risk of the assessed projects. Small DSS projects in terms of scope or dollar expenditures tend to be of lower risk than large projects. Finally, the sophistication of the technology and the experience of the developers using the technology influence the overall project risk. The ultimate decision to invest in a computerized decision support project should be based on an assessment of all four criteria and not solely on project risk. Innovative DSS projects that are most likely to result in a competitive advantage are often the riskiest project.
In general, evaluation activities and the application of the economic, operational, schedule and technical tests should be proportionate to the scope, complexity, and cost of a proposed DSS project. In narrow scope DSS projects that are highly structured, the amount of analysis and evaluation will often be limited, but as the project scope increases and the amount of structure is reduced for DSS projects, project risk increases and hence more frequent and more elaborate evaluation is needed. For large scope, low structure DSS projects, multiple detailed evaluations are probably needed and justified.
In all DSS evaluations, one needs to consider the longer term consequences and not solely immediate cost savings and decision process time improvements. DSS may reduce some costs, but that is not usually the motivating factor for a new system. No DSS project decision should be made in isolation from the overall IT project portfolio. Even small projects can sometimes have major business impacts. It is important to broadly examine DSS project impacts. Once a DSS project is completed managers need to follow-up and periodically evaluate what is working well with the system and why and what problems are being encountered.
As always, your comments, suggestions and feedback are welcomed.
Keen, Peter G. W. "Value Analysis: Justifying Decision Support Systems." MIS Quarterly. March, 1981. pp. 1-15.
Power, D. J. "Justifying a Data Warehouse Project", Part I and II. DS*, The On-Line Executive Journal for Data-Intensive Decision Support, February 3 and 10, 1998: Vol. 2, Nos. 5 and 6, URL http://dssresources.com/papers/justifydw/index.html .
Power, D. J. Decision Support Systems Hyperbook. Cedar Falls, IA: DSSResources.COM, HTML version, 2000, accessed on (today's date) at URL http://dssresources.com/subscriber/password/dssbookhypertext.
Whitten, Jeffrey L., L. D. Bentley, and V.M. Barlow. Systems Analysis and Design Methods (3rd ed.), Burr Ridge, IL: Irwin, 1994. | http://dssresources.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&id=152 |
The Religions, Medicines, and Healing Unit welcomes paper and/or panel proposals that explore specific intersections of religious and other healing traditions and practices. Proposals should address the social context of the topic, as well as theoretical and analytical frameworks, such as how this analysis helps us to understand religions, medicine, and healing in new ways. For 2021, we welcome any proposal that addresses our goals, and we have a particular interest in the following themes:
1) Faith in a Time of COVID-19: Religion and Public Health Measures: This panel invites papers that consider religious communities’ responses to public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, including restrictions on religious gatherings, mask wearing, and vaccine compliance. With attention to the history of medical racism and religious persecution, papers may also explore various communities’ experience of health disparities and access to healthcare. We especially welcome proposals addressing these issues from Africana and other Indigenous religious perspectives for potential co-sponsorship with the African Religions unit, the Indigenous Religious Traditions unit, and the Bioethics and Religion unit.
2) The Materiality of Asian Medicines and Religions Compared: This panel, co-sponsored by the Indian and Chinese Religions Compared Unit, invites paper proposals that compare the intersections of Asian medical traditions with Buddhism, Daoism, and/or Hinduism, with a particular focus on the material culture of healing. Topics may include the comparison of medical practices and practitioners, botanical knowledge, other materia medica, geographical routes of transmission, body map illustrations, surgery, merchants and markets, biographies, alchemical practices, gendered bodies, physical movements and bodily hygiene (such as yoga, martial arts, diet, etc.), food, medical records, and other material aspects of healing. Proposals should also attend to related theoretical issues.
3) Mormonism, Medicine, and Healing: This call, co-sponsored with the Mormon Studies Unit, seeks papers that examine the interrelated themes of both units by exploring medicine and healing in the Mormon tradition (broadly defined) from a variety of methodological approaches and historical eras. We especially appreciate papers that can connect their topics to lived traditions and practices among Mormons, past or present.
Graduate Student Award: Graduate students are the future of our profession and contribute substantially to the success of the Religions, Medicines, and Healing Unit by delivering papers based on original research. Through the RMH Graduate Student Paper Award, we recognize this contribution and encourage outstanding research by students. Papers will be evaluated for their originality, appropriate use of sources, and the quality of writing. Eligible students must 1) be actively enrolled in a doctoral program and pursuing a research topic in any discipline related to Religions, Medicines, and Healing, 2) have had a paper accepted by the RMH Unit for presentation at the 2021 Annual Meeting, and 3) have indicated when submitting their proposal that they are applying for the award. Further instructions will be emailed after proposal acceptance.
The Religions, Medicines, and Healing Unit is committed to the value of diversity, equity, and social justice in our standards of excellence.
Anonymity: Proposals are anonymous to chairs and steering committee members until after final acceptance/rejection.
Mission Statement:
The study of religions, medicines, and healing is a growing field within religious studies that draws on the disciplines and scholarship of history, anthropology (particularly medical anthropology), phenomenology, psychology, sociology, ethnic studies, ritual studies, gender studies, theology, political and economic theory, public health, bioscientific epidemiology, history of science, comparative religion, and other interdisciplinary approaches to interpret meanings assigned to illness, affliction, and suffering; healing, health, and well-being; healing systems and traditions, their interactions, and the factors that influence them; and related topics and issues. As a broad area of inquiry, this field incorporates diverse theoretical orientations and methodological strategies in order to develop theories and methods specific to the study of illness, health, healing, and associated social relations from religious studies perspectives. Although religious texts serve as important resources in this endeavor, so do the many approaches to the study of lived religion, religious embodiment and material culture, and popular expressions of religiosity. Finally, like its sister field of medical anthropology, the field of religions, medicines, and healing encourages examination of how affliction and healing affect social bodies through fractured identities, political divides, structural violence, and colonialism. We support the work of graduate students, religion scholars, scholar-activists, and scholars in allied fields. We promote collaboration with other interdisciplinary Program Units and those focused on particular traditions and/or regions.
Method of Submission:
INSPIRE
We try to make the proposal acceptance process more transparent but encouraging everyone to submit a formal proposal on INSPIRE.
Co-Chairs:
Kyrah Malika Daniels, [email protected]
Kristy Slominski, [email protected]
Steering Committee: | https://aar-conference.imis-inspire.com/a/page/ProgramUnits/religions-medicines-and-healing-unit |
I gave a paper on confluences between postwar experimental architecture and academic experiments with computer-aided architectural design software, specifically centering around new conceptual and technical renditions of architectural memory, in the 10th Annual Meeting of the Special Interest Group for Computing, Information, and Society, part of the Society for the History of Technology (SHOT). Full abstract below:
Software for “Sociology’s Hardware”: Experimental Modernisms, Computer-Aided Design, and the Reimagination of Architectural Memory ca. 1970
This paper examines the reconceptualization of architectural memory as informational abstraction in utopian experimentations of postwar architectural modernism and its ties to research on computer-aided architectural design in the late 1960s. It weaves together technical infrastructures, intellectual debates, and institutional settings that engendered a new imagination of architectural memory not as remembrance, commemoration, or mnemonic activation of architectural form, but instead as a sequence of synchronic spatial configurations, amenable to mathematical representation and analysis, and “storing” states of human behaviour.
Specifically, the paper focuses on two computer program prototypes developed by Hungarian-born French utopianist Yona Friedman: a prominent figure of postwar “radical” architecture in Europe and participant of early research on computer-aided design in North America. The FLATWRITER, presented at the 1970 architectural World Fair in Osaka (Expo ’70), and YONA (Your Own Native Architect), developed from 1973-1975 in the context of MIT’s Architecture Machine Group NSF-funded project Architecture-by-Yourself, were both conceived as tools for do-it-yourself architecture and urbanism. Friedman promoted these software prototypes as both instruments for, and mathematical articulations of, his utopian visions of ever-changing architectural and urban assemblies affording urban mobility — a proposition epitomizing Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius’s professed definition of architecture as “sociology’s hardware”.
The FLATWRITER and YONA were implementations of a mathematical rendition of Friedman’s architecture-theoretical propositions, which he had developed during research and teaching appointments at MIT and the University of Michigan between 1964-1971. In it, Friedman suggested using labeled planar graphs to map the spatial configuration of domestic and urban space in tandem with “activities” of its inhabitants. The graph collapsed architectural memory into a storing of, and recalling from, a series of prefigured states. Friedman imagined the graph as both container of architectural memory and design possibility. It enabled recording and storing the different states of architectural and urban form that was persistently ephemeral, ever-changing, amnesiac. At the same time, through a simple exercise of graph combinatorics, it could reveal all possible future states of one’s house and city.
The paper situates the development of these programs at the intersection of modernist displacements of architectural time and memory with the intellectual and material infrastructures of computer aided design. Ultimately, the goal is to open a conversation on how modernist theoretical commitments about architectural memory were reified in, and also inflected by, early computer-aided design programs and human-machine interfaces. | https://openarchitectures.com/2018/10/14/paper-on-caad-and-the-reimagination-of-architectural-memory-ca-1970-in-sigcis-18-stored-in-memory-st-louis/ |
EBA Issues Opinion On Measures To Address Macroprudential Risk Following Notification By Finansinspektionen
Date 19/10/2020
The European Banking Authority (EBA) published today an Opinion following the notification by Finansinspektionen, the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FSA), of its intention to extend a measure introduced in 2018, which aims at enhancing the resilience of Swedish banks to potential severe downward corrections in residential real estate markets. Based on the evidence submitted, the EBA does not object to the extension of such measure, which Finansinspektionen intends to apply to credit institutions that have adopted the Internal Rating-Based (IRB) Approach. The extension will be applied from 31 December 2020 until 30 December 2021.
With the extension of the proposed measure, Swedish institutions adopting the IRB approach would be subject to a minimum level of 25% risk weight on Swedish retail loans secured by real estate. This risk weight floor will act as a backstop to ensure that these credit institutions fully capture the risk of credit losses stemming from a severe downward correction in real estate markets.
In its Opinion, addressed to the Council, the European Commission and the Swedish Authorities, the EBA acknowledges, in line with the recommendation on medium-term vulnerabilities in the residential real estate sector in Sweden issued by the European Systemic Risk Board (ESRB), that the combined increase in house prices and debt levels could pose a threat to the financial stability in Sweden in the event of a downturn. The EBA also encourages the Swedish authorities to monitor closely the developments during the COVID-19 pandemic and potential unintended consequences.
In light of this conclusion, the EBA does not object to the extended deployment, by Finansinspektionen, of macroprudential measures, which will be applied from 31 December 2020 until 30 December 2021.
Background
Already in its Opinion issued on 28 June 2018, the EBA did not object to the adoption of this measure, taking into consideration its effect on increasing the resilience of the Swedish banking sector. For more information on this EBA Opinion, please see this news item. | |
Jennifer,
I have a student in my class who has issues with his fine motor skills too. I also found myself thinking of my student while I read the articles. I have tried grippers and weighted pencils. Next week I think I will try the slant board with him. I agree that students need to be given freedom to write about what they choose on a regular basis to maintain motivation. I also thought that your comment on giving your students an appropriate model for writing was also very important.
Alternative Pencils
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Jennifer Wherritt Ridenhour,
Sun Oct 2 14:28
After reading the Fostering Emergent Writing for Children with Significant Disabilities article, I began to realize how extremely important it is for students, no matter their disability, to write...
more
Re: Alternative Pencils
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fayk,
Tue Oct 4 22:46
Jennifer, It is not that I haven't thought about it before- but not as in depth as now- but I completely and totally agree with you that ALL children deserve the opportunity to write. If there is a...
more
Re: Alternative Pencils
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ginger.mason,
Sun Oct 2 19:15
I worked with a student two years ago that had difficulty writing in first grade. At first I thought he had trouble putting his thoughts on paper, but soon realized that he felt uncomfortable writing ...
more
Re: Reply to Jennifer -
Stacy Durham,
Sun Oct 2 17:52
Re: Reply to Jennifer
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redingerj,
Sun Oct 9 13:11
I was thinking the same thing about trying a slanted board for my child with some fine motor weaknesses. Did you try it yet? I was going to begin the slanted board with him specificially tomorrow...
Re: Reply to Jennifer
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Stacy Durham,
Sun Oct 9 15:16
My student was out sick all of last week. I am still planning on trying this when he returns, which will hopefully be tomorrow. Let me know how it works with your student!
Re: Alternative Pencils
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beasleylm,
Sun Oct 2 17:36
I also think it is very important to start letting students choose their topics to write about, even it is once or twice a week. I feel like sometimes I am just cramming things on them and worry... | http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?disc=244957;article=107;title=RE%205111%20Fall%202011 |
During these uncertain times, how can we help?
See below to participate in our Impact Sector survey, access our COVID-19 Resource Hub, and explore our growing directory of COVID-19-specific and virtual volunteering opportunities.
Do you want to make a difference for our planet and get hands-on work experience at an international conservation NGO? Rainforest Partnership (RP) is a non-profit based in Austin, Texas, with team members in the US and Peru. We conserve and restore tropical rainforests by working with communities to develop sustainable livelihoods that empower and respect both people and nature.
RP is looking for a World Rainforest Day Coordinator to help plan and prepare World Rainforest Day (WRD) 2021. The expected time commitment is 10-20 hours per week.
The World Rainforest Day Coordinator will work to develop online content and communications, manage partner relationships, and support the overall preparation leading up to and execution of World Rainforest Day on June 22nd 2021. Coordinator is serving as the global convener of this annual celebration of rainforests, providing leadership both internally and externally.
OUR VALUES
RESPONSIBILITIES
Event coordination and preparation
Outreach and communications
QUALIFICATIONS
800 W 34th St, Suite 105, Austin, TX 78705, US
Rainforest Partnership is an international nonprofit organization based in Austin, Texas. Our mission is to protect and regenerate tropical rainforests by working with the people of the forests to develop sustainable livelihoods that empower and respect both people and nature. We envision thriving tropical rainforests that support a healthy, vibrant planet.
Our central objectives are to:
- Protect tropical rainforests and mitigate local drivers of deforestation by making it more profitable for the rainforest communities to keep the forests standing;
- Improve local livelihoods by helping communities establish and manage economically and ecologically sustainable businesses that flourish long after our work with the community is over;
- Make community members key players in the protection and monitoring of the forests where they live;
- Achieve added beneficial objectives alongside the key goal of rainforest protection including biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and;
- Create enduring, replicable models in regions where we work and beyond.
We are currently working with communities in the Amazon rainforest region in Peru and Ecuador, developing businesses specific to each project area, including biodiversity potential; land management practices, socio-economic conditions; cultural diversity etc.
We believe the time we invest to establish trust with partner communities, identify appropriate businesses, and form strategic partnerships are the building blocks for our project success. Each of our projects become an important site for understanding the synergy between environmentally sustainable economic development and rainforest conservation.
We'll work with your schedule.
This is a Virtual Opportunity, with no fixed address. | https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp3319330.jsp |
Suffolk Coastal is asking local people if they want us to implement a series of new dog control orders.
In recent months, the Council has introduced a number of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). These have been largely to replace existing byelaws across the district.
However, a number of communities, through their Town and Parish Councils, have now asked us to consider introducing additional dog controls within their areas.
So, before Suffolk Coastal makes any decision on this issue, it is asking for the views of local people through a 6-week public consultation – which starts on Monday, 12 November, and runs until Friday, 21 December 2018.
“This is not about Suffolk Coastal District Council wanting to bring in draconian restrictions on dogs or their owners. We are carrying out this consultation in response to local communities asking for additional controls in specific areas to allow everyone to enjoy the amenities,” explained Cllr Steve Gallant, Suffolk Coastal’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Community Health.
“Suffolk Coastal is a dog friendly district and we recognise that most dog owners are incredibly responsible about where they walk their dogs, and cleaning up after their pets. However, the local communities feel there are certain areas where dogs should be controlled and kept on leads.”
“We have a legal duty to consider these requests and also consult with the wider public, before making any decision. I would encourage people to take this opportunity to have their say on these draft proposals, so we can make our final decision based on a clear consensus of public opinion.”
In total, six new PSPOs are being suggested. One is the replacement of an existing by-law, to exclude dogs and dogs on leads on defined areas of Thorpeness Beach from 1 May to 30 September each year.
The five new controls relate to:
- Dogs on leads on Charsfield recreation ground
- Dogs on leads within Martello Park, Felixstowe
- Dogs on leads on Felixstowe Town Hall Gardens
- Dogs on leads on Felixstowe Seafront Gardens
- Exclusion of dogs from Langer Park children’s play area, Felixstowe (NB. This purely covers the area of Langer Park, where the swings and other play equipment is – not the whole park!).
Full details of the proposed orders.
If you wish to comment on these proposed new Public Space Protection Orders, please do so through the online survey form or email: [email protected]
Or you can write to: PSPO Consultation, c/o Environmental Protection, Suffolk Coastal District Council, East Suffolk House, Station Road, Melton Suffolk IP12 1RT
Your comments should reach us by no later than midnight on Friday, 21 December 2018.
All consultation responses will be given due consideration by the Council before any orders are made. The final decision will rest with the Suffolk Coastal District Council and will be scheduled for consideration at a Cabinet meeting after the closure of the consultation period.
If you require any further information or have any queries related to this matter, please contact or write to us using the details given above.
ENDS
Public Space Protection Orders
Please Note: A PSPO is already in place across Suffolk Coastal in relation to dog fouling. It is an offence not to clear up after your dog in any public open space at any time of the year.
Background: Dog Control – Public Space Protection Orders: The Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, introduced powers for Local Authorities to make a “Public Space Protection Order” (PSPO) in respect of land to either prohibit activities or impose requirements on people using the land where it appears necessary and reasonable to do so in order to “prevent a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those resident in the area”.
A PSPO remains in force for a period of 3 years after which it must be reviewed and re-made.
Suffolk Coastal District Council has already considered and approved a number of PSPOs following public consultation:
- Exclusion of dogs from gated and fenced children’s play areas
- Exclusion of dogs from a defined area of Aldeburgh beach from 1 May to 30 September
- A requirement to clean up after your dog in all public open spaces
- Controls at Landguard Point Nature Reserve
- Dogs on leads on a specified area on the beach south of Shingle Street from 1 May to 30 September
- Exclusion of dogs on a defined area of Felixstowe beach from 1 May to 30 September
The 2014 Act specifies a process which must be followed in order to make a PSPO and this includes:
- that the Council considers the availability of alternative facilities for dog owners to exercise their dogs in public places unrestricted by any PSPO,
- the effects on people who rely on assistance dogs and
- for the proposals to be subjected to appropriate consultation, including affected land owners and the chief constable for the area.
The 2014 Act provides that any “interested person” who is aggrieved by the restrictions imposed by a PSPO may appeal to the High Court within 6 weeks of the PSPO being made on certain grounds.
Once made, a PSPO makes it an offence for any person to fail to comply with it. The maximum penalty in the Magistrates’ Court is £1000, but the offence may be dealt with by way of a fixed penalty notice of £80.
Enforcement may be undertaken by Council Officers or its agents and by police officers or PCSOs.
Each and every proposal must be the subject of a consultation exercise during which the specific controls being considered must be publicised and public comment invited and subsequently considered prior to making any order. | http://charsfield.org.uk/word2/?p=3379 |
No, rocks don’t last forever but some have been around for a very long time!
The Earth is believed to be 4.54 billion years old but the rocks that form the crust are generally much younger, for example, rocks that formed at the time the dinosaurs were wiped out are only 66 million years old. In this article, you will find out why only a tiny fraction of rocks are extremely old. It helps if you know about the three types of rock (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic).
The Rock Cycle
The simple answer to why rocks don’t last forever is the rock cycle. In the rock cycle, one kind of rock changes into a different kind of rock – rocks are constantly being formed, uplifted to the surface and eroded away. Plate tectonics is the force that keeps the rock cycle going, helped also by the weather!
Metamorphic Rocks
To understand the rock cycle, we need to start somewhere so let’s start with metamorphic rocks. When any of the three types of rock gets pushed down into the Earth’s crust, heat and pressure changes it from what it was originally. Rocks formed in this way are called metamorphic rocks.
Igneous Rocks
If plate tectonics pushes any rocks far enough down into the Earth, they melt and become magma. Magma is a liquid so the original rock no longer exists. The magma rises through cracks in the crust and can solidify. When the magma is solid, it is called an igneous rock.
Sedimentary Rocks
Sometimes rocks of all three types are slowly pushed towards the surface of the Earth by plate tectonics, forming mountain ranges. The rocks of the mountains are worn down by the weather creating smaller fragments. These fragments of rock are washed to lakes and the sea by streams and rivers where they end up on the sea or lake bed as layers of sediments. After thousands or even millions of years, these sediments turn into new rock.
Round and Round…
So the rocks go round and round the rock cycle, changing from one type of rock into the other types of rock over periods of millions of years.
The oldest rocks of the Earth are about 4 billion years old. They found in very stable areas of our planet that are called ‘cratons’ that have not been affected by plate tectonics for all those billions of years. They are never completely destroyed, they are changed from one type into another. Geologists have found fragments of rocks that are even older, almost as old as the Earth itself – look up zircon crystals on the Internet to find out more! | http://madefrom.com/science/earth-sciences/rocks-last-forever/ |
Today elected representatives take the tough decisions about public finances behind closed doors. In doing so, democratic politicians rely on the advice of financial bureaucrats, who, oft...
Daniel Gros explores how the Eurozone, despite global uncertainty, has entered a period of stability, and discusses how it can stay there.
UBS has published the 'Global Real Estate Bubble Index' examining house prices in global financial centres.
A new study examines the link between urban concentration and the rate of economic growth, suggesting the dominant view of the relationship might be wrong.
Jon Danielsson, of the London School of Economics, says he doesn't understand the point of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
High and rising income inequality is a serious concern in many countries, however, wealth is distributed even more unequally than income.
Economic growth in developed and developing countries appears to be synchronizing. But can it continue?
New research looks at the impact of having children on earnings, highlighting that even in a country like Denmark with generous paid leave, the effect is still significant - on women.
The turmoil that erupted on many of the world’s financial markets in the past days is a timely reminder of risks and vulnerabilities.
“Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.”
Dambisa Moyo looks at recent stock market volatility and its implications for the global economy more broadly.
Also in this week's round-up of top stories: DQ vs cyberthreats and how Uber’s pay formula benefits men.
In this opinion piece, Steven Pearlstein looks at the impact of automated trading on recent stock market losses.
Humanity's progress has been remarkable in recent centuries, as new research shows.
There is growing consensus that populism constitutes a grave threat to liberal democracy, and to the liberal international order on which peace and prosperity have rested for the past two... | https://www.weforum.org/system-initiatives/shaping-the-future-of-economic-growth-and-social-inclusion/articles/ |
Ask the CEO: Stephanie Peters, CAE
Stephanie Peters, CAE, president and CEO of the Virginia Society of CPAs, answers questions from VSCPA member Iris Wigodsky Laws.
How are you addressing gender and cultural diversity in the profession? What advice do you offer other women who aspire to become leaders?
Organizations with diverse teams perform better. Period. That’s why diversity and inclusion is one of our core values. Minorities represent only one in six professionals at accounting firms nationwide, and that doesn’t match the makeup of the country. VSCPA is committed to fostering an environment that reflects the diversity of people, cultures, and perspectives.
As for myself, I’ve been incredibly fortunate during my years at VSCPA. Being female has never been an obstacle. I realize this is more the exception than the norm, so I encourage all women to decide what you want for your career, set self-doubt aside, and continue to strive for what you deserve.
How do you help members adapt to advances in technology?
New technology tools, such as artificial intelligence and data analytics, are dramatically changing how CPAs work and the services they provide. There is a tremendous opportunity ahead, but we must be open to changing how we work. We believe CPAs will thrive in the future by using innovation and vision. That’s one of the reasons why we created a Center for Innovation and conducted dozens of technology-focused trainings for members.
What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in our association, and where do you see the association industry in 10 years?
Twenty years ago, our members were taking paper CPA exams, nothing was “in the cloud,” and only a few organizations had websites. Now we have members who are experts in data analytics, cybersecurity, digital currencies, and forensic accounting.
To keep delivering value to members, associations must provide meaningful, high-quality, and innovative learning opportunities and resources that they can’t find anywhere else. At the same time, we must look around the corner for the next threat or opportunity that members might encounter. | https://associationsnow.com/2020/01/ask-the-ceo-stephanie-peters-cae/ |
As Ghana’s COVID-19 cases continue to see a spike in the last few weeks, the Ghana Health Service (GHS) is rolling out a project to ensure laboratories carrying out testing for the virus, produce accurate and quality results.
At an event to launch the project, a virologist at Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, Professor William Ampofo, said the labs would be supervised to ensure results they produce are incontestable.
National Laboratory Quality Assurance Project
The National Laboratory Quality Assurance programme and data management for COVID-19, implemented by the Ghana Health Service with support from PharmAccess, is to cut out instances of false tests by some labs. “Because we have a network of laboratories, testing thousands of samples, it is important to have a quality assurance system, to check the reliability of the results and the accuracy of the tests that are being done by the different labs using sometimes different kits and machines, but all producing a result that the person has covid or not,” Professor Ampofo said.
The project will also ensure all the laboratories accredited to conduct the tests, do so strictly by the protocols and produce desired results.
Professor Ampofo told pressmen, “all the labs in the network will receive a fully-characterized panel with results already known to the committee, and the results from these labs will be matched against the original results.”
The committee will also visit the labs, to check if the right processes are being used for the testing.
“We would also administer a questionnaire to check if the staff are well-trained and if the processes being undertaken plus the data reporting processes are what they have to be.”
Data management system enhancement
A set of fifteen laptops were handed over to the Ghana health service as part of the project to enhance data management and reporting.
Director-General of the service, Dr. Patrick Kuma Aboagye vowed to crack the whip on laboratories which fail to meet the quality control standards.
“We would not hesitate to de-list laboratories that fail these quality control protocols, because we want to ensure the highest standard of test results which would inform our responses.”
The Director-General also noted, “one of the challenges at the early stages of the pandemic in Ghana was the lack of laboratories to do the testing and then our data management.”
So far, twenty three laboratories have received accreditation to carry out covid 19 tests, as fears grow, the relaxation in adherence to the safety protocols could trigger a spike in the numbers.
He said, “the hump in cases we have seen in the last few weeks, probably could be from the fact that the data was not properly managed to identify the positive cases and to respond on time.”
Dr. Aboagye believes the support from PharmAccess and the Dutch government in this area is welcome to boost the service’s data management and covid response.
Dutch ambassador to Ghana, Ron Strikker lauded Ghana’s management of the pandemic. He said, “sometimes the picture is painted that what is bad in Europe must be worse in Africa, but do not forget that a country like Ghana is so determined to get this right and it is good news from Ghana and Africa.”
Ghana’s Covid-19 statistics
Ghana as of November 21, 2020, had carried out more than five hundred thousand tests. Out of the number fifty thousand, seven hundred and seventeen (50, 717) cumulative positive cases have been recorded, with forty-nine thousand, two hundred and eighty one (49,281) recoveries and discharges. Total active case count stands at one thousand, one hundred and thirteen (1,113). | https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/boxing/Ghana-Health-Service-intensifies-quality-assurance-for-coronavirus-1115296 |
Other Causes Of Dizziness In Seniors
If you are a senior struggling with dizzy spells, there are several potential causes other than BPPV or spinal degeneration. The first is abnormal blood pressure, who can lead to orthostatic, or postural, hypotension. This results in quick dizzy spells when you stand up too quickly and is a concern to address with your doctor. Some medications also cause dizziness as a side effect, including ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, and calcium-channel blockers. Additionally, certain medications can interact with one another and cause dizziness. Finally, untreated mental health conditions like anxiety can cause dizziness. If youre anxious about retirement or other age-related concerns, you might notice more frequent dizzy spells.
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Your golden years should be a relaxing opportunity to explore your interests and connect with family members. You shouldnt have to deal with frustrating dizzy spells. While there are several causes of dizziness in seniors, the vast majority of these conditions are highly treatable. Reach out to a trusted medical professional today so you can treat your dizziness and get back to enjoying your senior years.
How Many Stages Of Dementia Are There
There are several different types of Dementia, with Alzheimers disease being the most common. Though when it comes to the different stages of Dementia, we can typically categorise the trajectory of the disease as mild, moderate or severe.
Although this three stage model is useful for providing an overview of early, middle and final stages of Dementia, most people prefer a seven stage model that breaks cognitive decline down into seven specific categories. The progression of Dementia will be different for everyone, but knowing where a loved one falls on this scale can help to identify signs and symptoms, whilst also determining the most appropriate care needs. So, what are the 7 stages of Dementia?
If I Took One More Blow To The Head I Could Die
Afterwards, he received a jaw-dropping wake-up call.
The real shocker came after seeing a specialist who I always remember had a big smile, he said.
I was thinking everything was going to be okay.
He then went on to say if I took one more blow to the head I would either be fine, paralyzed or could die.
Stuart has spoken out about fears his concussions could have increased his risks of dementia.
But he says no one was fully aware of the long-term risks and, despite them, hed still let his children take part in the sport.
He said: Contact sports give so much more to people than what the risks are.
We can get concussed and we can get hurt.
The difference now is that more people have knowledge what the long-term effect is and how we recover and look after our bodies and teammates.
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Information About Having Dizzy Spells And The Vestibular System
Both dizziness and hypotension are two conditions that may not get as much attention as they should. When these two conditions occur, whether together or individually, many people often push them off since they only last for a short amount of time. Even doctors may disregard these symptoms as minor issues.
The truth is that, when studied as a whole, dizziness and hypotension are a part of a bigger picture and the number of people that deal with these conditions are surprising. They are part of an epidemiology that is composed of:
- Dizziness
- Depression
- Vaso-vagal episodes
Researchers and doctors find that these issues usually occur in a combination of at least two or three of them rather than individually. It has also been found that more women that men suffer from these issues in combination.
When studying these conditions together, they are liked as being vestibular problems. This means that its a condition of the inner ear, which is where the human body gets its balance from. However, vestibular functions are often linked to certain cognitive functions such as memory and emotions.
Based on this, it should be no surprise that blood pressure problems are showing a correlation with cognitive disorders. Exploring the this correlation can lead to a major advance in solving vestibular issues in addition to dementia.
What Are The Most Likely Causes Of Dizzy Spells
There are lots and lots of disorders where dizzy spells can crop up as a symptom. Thankfully, the most common ones are typically pretty easy to treat or dont last very long. Here are four of the most common reasons for dizzy spells.
We could all probably put down the latte and pick up our water bottle a little more often. After all, your body is between 55% and 78% water, and losing even 1.5% can cause symptoms of dehydration, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Even mild dehydration can cause dizziness, along with headache, fatigue, muscle weakness, and problems focusing. Its good to hydrate regularly throughout the day, but be extra diligent when exercising or enjoying the outdoors when its particularly hot and sweaty.
BPPV is the most common peripheral vestibular system disorder, which just means that fluid and other delicate parts of the ear are out of whack. While it most often affects people assigned female at birth and those in the 50-to-70 age group, there are plenty of people who can experience this condition at any age.2 This sounds very New Age, but the reason people get BPPV is the movement of calcium carbonate crystals in the inner ear to an area where they shouldnt be, Erin G. Piker, Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A, associate professor and director of the Vestibular Sciences Laboratory at James Madison University, tells SELF.
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Causes Of Dizziness And Lightheadedness
Dizziness and lightheadedness can make you feel faint, like you need to pass out. Causes of dizziness, including vertigo- that whirling sensation you may experience while sitting still- may include anemia from vitamin B12 deficiency or low iron, heart disease, or one of several other conditions that share symptoms of nausea, fatigue, and loss of balance.
How Will Your Doctor Arrive At A Diagnosis
It would be so awesome if you went to see the doctor for dizzy spells, and there was a test that just spits out the answer to all your problems. Unfortunately, your doctor is going to have to consider your individual symptoms and try to piece together the puzzle.
This includes factors like:
- How long does the dizzy spell last?
- How long have you felt dizzy in general?
- What other symptoms do you have ?
- What is your medical history?
Your doctor can help you distinguish among different types of dizziness. These include:7
- Disequilibrium: This involves difficulty with balance or coordination.
- Disorientation: This can manifest as confusion or feeling unfamiliar with your surroundings.
- Oscillopsia: This is the feeling that objects around you are moving, but you are staying in place.
- Presyncope: The sensation that you are going to faint.
- Vertigo: The feeling that you are spinning, with other items either spinning or staying stationary.
Your doctor will also consider your symptoms when making a recommendation for testing and treatments.
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Central Vertigo And Dizzy Spells
Central vertigo refers to dizziness caused by brain issues. These causes can be more serious and difficult to treat than most cases of peripheral vertigo.
One distinguishing factor of central vertigo is that fixing your eyes on one spot does not help relieve dizziness. Also, central vertigo episodes are more intense and last longer. Although hearing is not as affected as it is in peripheral vertigo, people often experience headaches, trouble swallowing, and weakness.
Factors known to cause central vertigo include head injury, illness, infection, multiple sclerosis, migraines, brain tumors, stroke, transient ischemic attacks , and neurological autoimmunity.
Resilience: The Best Defense Against Dementia
Strangely, some people with physical signs of Alzheimers, Vascular dementia, Lewy body or even all three show no cognitive symptoms at all. The reason is a mystery, and the medical community refers to it as resilience or cognitive reserve. We dont know much about it, Dr. Cora admits. But the more you use your brain develop connections and associations the easier the brain can look for other areas to resolve issues.
Manage hearing loss
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Being Confused About Time Or Place
Dementia can make it hard to judge the passing of time. People may also forget where they are at any time.
They may find it hard to understand events in the future or the past and may struggle with dates.
Visual information can be challenging for a person with dementia. It can be hard to read, to judge distances, or work out the differences between colors.
Someone who usually drives or cycles may start to find these activities challenging.
A person with dementia may find it hard to engage in conversations.
They may forget what they are saying or what somebody else has said. It can be difficult to enter a conversation.
People may also find their spelling, punctuation, and grammar get worse.
Some peoples handwriting becomes more difficult to read.
A person with dementia may not be able to remember where they leave everyday objects, such as a remote control, important documents, cash, or their keys.
Misplacing possessions can be frustrating and may mean they accuse other people of stealing.
It can be hard for someone with dementia to understand what is fair and reasonable. This may mean they pay too much for things, or become easily sure about buying things they do not need.
Some people with dementia also pay less attention to keeping themselves clean and presentable.
Imaging And Laboratory Investigations In Patients Presenting With Neurological Symptoms
Brain MRI was performed in 9 of 11 patients at time of neurological symptoms, including perfusion analyses in 7 of 11 . Of note, all patients were already treated with ASA for a few days but still had neurological symptoms at time of MRI. In all but 2 patients, MRI was normal. In one patient described above, a left transverse sinus thrombosis was discovered. In the second patient, MRI showed a small sequela of a cerebellar infarct. This patient had complained of fluctuating dizziness one year before the MRI was carried out. This image was considered to be unrelated to the clinical symptoms, because the patient had experienced episodes of fluctuating dizziness over one year, and the infarct was small and located in the cerebellar hemisphere. In the 3 patients who had TIA, cardiac transthoracic and supra-aortic echography and ultrasonography were performed. No cardiovascular etiology was confirmed.
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Why Do I Get Dizzy Common Reasons And Solutions
The sudden lack of control is frightening when a dizzy spell, or vertigo, hits you. The world spins and rocks, the ground feels like its giving way, your ears ring, and nausea may grip your gut.
Vertigo feels terribly wrong and frightening and understandably has people worrying, Why do I get dizzy?
Several things can cause vertigo. its important to understand the underlying cause of your dizzy spells to improve your success in addressing them.
Before looking for underlying causes, first figure out what type of vertigo you have.
How Does Ad Cause Dizziness
Unlike many other degenerative dementias, AD is not particularly associated with dizziness. This is because AD mainly affects the cortex and does not typically cause either low blood pressure , basal ganglia feature , or slow eye movements . Dizziness from AD instead typically might include falls due to:
- Reduced vigilance
- Diffuse impairment of cortical function
Alzheimer’s is a “anything goes” type dementia and one can certainly attribute dizziness to AD. Posterior cortical atrophy, for example, is defined as shrinkage of the visual part of the brain, due to whatever cause, but mainly Alzheimer’s disease, as AD is a major cause of cerebral atrophy. Posterior cortical atrophy is described in an open journal here.
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Progression And Later Stages Of Vascular Dementia
Vascular dementia will generally get worse, although the speed and pattern of this decline vary.
Stroke-related dementia often progresses in a ‘stepped’ way, with long periods when symptoms are stable and periods when symptoms rapidly get worse. This is because each additional stroke causes further damage to the brain. Subcortical vascular dementia may occasionally follow this stepped progression, but more often symptoms get worse gradually, as the area of affected white matter slowly expands.
Over time a person with vascular dementia is likely to develop more severe confusion or disorientation, and further problems with reasoning and communication. Memory loss, for example for recent events or names, will also become worse. The person is likely to need more support with day-to-day activities such as cooking or cleaning.
As vascular dementia progresses, many people also develop behaviours that seem unusual or out of character. The most common include irritability, agitation, aggressive behaviour and a disturbed sleep pattern. Someone may also act in socially inappropriate ways.
Occasionally a person with vascular dementia will strongly believe things that are not true or – less often – see things that are not really there . These behaviours can be distressing and a challenge for all involved.
People Who Feel Dizzy When They Stand Up May Have Higher Risk Of Dementia
- Date:
- American Academy of Neurology
- Summary:
- Some people who feel dizzy or lightheaded when they stand up may have an increased risk of developing dementia years later, according to a new study. The condition, called orthostatic hypotension, occurs when people experience a sudden drop in blood pressure when they stand up.
Some people who feel dizzy or lightheaded when they stand up may have an increased risk of developing dementia years later, according to a new study published in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The condition, called orthostatic hypotension, occurs when people experience a sudden drop in blood pressure when they stand up.
The study found the link with dementia only in people who have a drop in their systolic blood pressure, not in people with only a drop in their diastolic blood pressure or their blood pressure overall.
Systolic is the first, or top, number in a blood pressure reading and systolic orthostatic hypotension was defined as a drop of at least 15 mmHg after standing from a sitting position.
“People’s blood pressure when they move from sitting to standing should be monitored,” said study author Laure Rouch, Pharm.D., Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco. “It’s possible that controlling these blood pressure drops could be a promising way to help preserve people’s thinking and memory skills as they age.”
The study was funded by the National Institute on Aging.
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Why Dementia Affects Balance
Memory problems and difficulty thinking are the side effects most commonly associated with Alzheimers disease and similar dementias, but loss of balance is a scary issue that caregivers should be prepared for, especially in later stages.
In earlier stages, or even before other dementia symptoms develop, losing balance while standing or walking can indicate an increased potential to develop Alzheimers. It may also be a sign that your loved one is suffering from a kind of dementia other than Alzheimers, like vascular dementia.
The part of the brain that controls body movements is the cerebellum, located near the back base of the skull. Diseases that affect the cerebellum are likely to affect balance, and certain types of dementia fit the bill. Vascular dementia, for instance, is different from Alzheimers disease because the illness is caused by a lack of blood flow carrying oxygen to the cerebellum. Some people with vascular dementia will actually experience feelings of vertigo before they have trouble with thinking and memory.
There is also a specific kind of Alzheimers, called posterior cortical atrophy, which targets the cerebellum and, as a result, affects balance. People with posterior cortical atrophy can lose their sense of knowing which direction is up, are more prone to dizziness, and may be frequently leaning to one side.
Did You Know?
Medications that Impact Balance
Can Thyroid Problems Cause Dizziness
Thyroid hormones participate in a number of processes and functions in our body. Higher or lower production of these hormones is manifested through a wide range of symptoms. That being said, some symptoms of thyroid problems are widely discussed. For example, hair loss and weight gain/loss are often addressed, while symptoms such as dizziness do not get enough attention although its important to get informed and know as much as possible in order to manage your condition successfully. Studies on this subject are scarce, but hopefully, things will change in the near future.
If youre wondering whether thyroid problems can indeed cause lightheadedness, the answer is yes. In fact, both hypo- and hyperthyroidism can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded. How? Lets see.
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Dementia Risk Linked To Dizzy Spells In Middle
Written byCarly RaffiekPublished onMarch 14, 2017
Middle-aged adults who experience dizzy spells upon standing may have a higher risk of developing dementia later in life according to new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. These dizzy spells are caused by a sudden and temporary drop in blood pressurereferred to as orthostatic hypotensionand have the potential to cause long-term damage to brain function caused by reduced blood flow to the brain.
To discover this relationship, researchers looked at data from over 11,500 adults with an average age of 54. These participants were followed over the course of at least 20 years, and it was found that those who had orthostatic hypotension at the beginning of the study were 40 percent more likely to develop dementia than their peers without it. These individuals were also found to be 15 percent more likely to experience cognitive decline. While a relationship was discovered by this research, it did not prove a causal link, meaning investigators were unable to prove whether the middle-age dizziness was responsible for the development of dementia later on. | https://www.dementiatalkclub.com/can-dementia-cause-dizzy-spells/ |
For some, the 13th day of the month occurring on a Friday strikes fear into their hearts. We thought today we'd look at the language of fears, phobias, and superstition. It should be noted, however, that the superstition of Friday the 13th is not a global phenomenon. In Spain, Tuesday the 13th is the unlucky day , while Italians consider Friday the 17th to be unlucky.
The day is undoubtedly the most feared day of the year in English-speaking cultures and studies have even be shown to prove this. However, as I believe superstition to be nonsense (until England play their World Cup matches), we're going to look at the language behind fears and phobias.
Phobia is obviously the best place to start, and this word comes from the Greek phobos, much like the moon. Though it originally referred to "flight" in Homer, it later evolved to refer to fear, panic, and terror. As a suffix, -phobia arrived in the English language from the French language, which had taken the suffix from Greek.
As the suffix is originally Greek and the English have a love-hate relationship with the French, phobias have generally followed a Greek naming convention. The following are some of the most common phobias and their origins.
|We wouldn't be so cruel as to put a picture of an actual spider!|
Arachnophobia
Despite the Greek naming conventions, the most common phobia in the world, arachnophobia, the fear of spiders, comes from the French word arachnide coupled with the Greek -phobia suffix. However, this is because the term was coined by a French biologist and he clearly didn't want to play by English rules.
Ophidiophobia
The term ophidio is thought to have come from the Modern Latin term ophidia, which is technically a Latin neologism that was created just so taxonomists could name snakes in Latin following the naming convention they had decided upon. However, the term has its roots in the Greek term for snake, ophis. If you haven't guessed yet, it's the term for the fear of snakes.
Acrophobia
The term acrophobia is the correct term for an irrational fear of heights, though it is likely that the idea of falling is more terrifying than the actual altitude. The Greek term akros, meaning "at the top" or "at the end" was used in conjunction with -phobia by Italian Dr. Andrea Verga to describe the condition that he himself suffered from. This phobia is often wrongly referred to as vertigo, which actually refers to dizziness and is a Latin term which comes from the verb vertere, meaning "to turn".
Agoraphobia
The fear of open spaces and difficult-to-escape situations comes from the Greek term agora, which, unsurprisingly, means "open spaces". Simple.
Cynophobia
The term cyno in this phobia has its origins in the Greek term kynos, meaning canine. Despite the prevalence of dog ownership in a number of countries, cynophobia is still one of the most common fears.
Astraphobia
While this prefix comes from the Latin term for the stars, another common name for the condition is brontophobia, from the Greek term bronte, meaning thunder. That's right, astraphobia is a fear of thunder and lightning.
Trypanophobia
The term for a fear of injections is unlikely to ease anyone's worries once they know the origins of the word. The Greek term trypano refers to a "borer", someone or something that pierces or bores into something. Sounds like a perfectly rational thing to fear.
|The launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia,|
which disintegrated during reentry.
Pteromerhanophobia
The biggest burden pteromerhanophobes about to embark on long distance flights face isn't the risk of delays, it's the fear of flying. The ptero part of the fear is the Greek term for feather and pteron refers to a wing. The terms aerophobia and aviatophobia are both used as well, referring to aero (air) and Latin avis (bird). Some believe that this fear is caused by a multitude of fears, such as claustrophobia, the fear of enclosed spaces, acrophobia, and agoraphobia, as it is difficult to escape from a plane in flight.
Mysophobia
Mysophobia is the fear of dirt, germs, and uncleanliness. Myso means "uncleanliness" in Greek and rounds out our most common phobias.
Xenoglossophobia
While not one of the most common phobias, we felt this one deserved a special mention. If you are aware of xenophobia, then you should know that xeno- comes from the Greek for "foreign". The glosso part is also Greek, meaning "tongue". Xenoglossophobia is the fear of foreign languages, which we certainly don't suffer from.
Do you have any interesting irrational fears or know anyone who does? Tell us about them and their etymology in the comments below. | https://www.thelinguafile.com/2014/06/etymological-investigations-friday-13th.html |
SAGE Therapeutics is searching for an experienced PV Scientist that is a creative, resourceful and integrative thinker. The person in this role works closely with the Global Safety Lead (GSL) and with the VP of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance and provides pharmacovigilance and signal detection expertise. Effective communication skills will be key as this role provides an excellent opportunity for close collaboration with colleagues from other functions such as Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs and Medical Affairs. The PV Scientist will provide scientific/clinical expertise, strategic input, and support for deliverables and activities associated with signal management activities, safety and benefit-risk evaluations for assigned products, management of potential safety issues for assigned products, evaluation of databases for safety signals, and drafting of responses to regulatory inquiries on product safety issues including oversight of aggregate reporting for assigned product.
Roles and Responsibilities
Overseeing aggregate reporting, clinical trial activities, signal management, literature review, and ad hoc regulatory responses for assigned product group
Lead product safety surveillance activities for assigned product(s)during all phases of the product life-cycle
Review study protocols, statistical analysis plans and other clinical study-related documents
Review standard design of tables, figures, and listings for safety data from clinical studies
Manage updates to Investigator Brochure, Company Core Safety Information and other Reference Safety Information
Signal detection, evaluation, and management
Implement signal detection strategy approved by GSL and VP of Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance
Review adverse event data, literature, and other safety-relevant data for the purpose of signal detection
Prepare review of potential safety signals for GSO and VP of PVRM
Provide safety contents for risk management plans
Assisting in the successful implementation, execution and maintenance of safety processes and systems that conform to the company’s business strategy, industry standards and compliance with global regulations
Experience, Education and Specialized Knowledge and Skills
Must thrive working in a fast-paced, innovative environment while remaining flexible, proactive, resourceful and efficient. Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to develop important relationships with key stakeholders, good conflict management and negotiation skills, ability to analyze complex issues to develop relevant and realistic plans, programs and recommendations. Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into action; excellent analytical skills and an ability to communicate complex issues in a simple way and to orchestrate plans to resolve issues and mitigate risks.
Basic Qualifications:
Advanced degree (RN, PharmD, NP, PhD, MD, MPH, NP, or DVM with specialty board certification)
Minimum of 6 years pharmacovigilance experience, including experience in aggregate safety reports and safety signal management
Preferred Qualifications:
Expertise in the following; Argus Safety Database, MedDRA, Sharepoint, Microsoft Office, Excel
Sound clinical acumen and decision making
A proactive and innovative approach and a flexible, hands-on nature that works with a high sense of urgency.
Ability to review, synthesize and analyze and communicate (verbally and in writing) complex safety data and clinical/pharmaceutical information
Expertise in international regulations governing drug safety (US and EU) for pre and post-marketing
Demonstrated leadership and collaborative skills necessary to influence across functions and earn credibility across a complex and rapidly growing organization.
Level will be commensurate upon experience and qualifications.
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Prior experience contributing to the development (process improvement, training, etc.) of a drug safety would be desirable
Embrace our core values: Put People First, Do Big, Be Accountable, Grow through Learning and Change, and Work Fun
Excitement about the vision and mission of Sage
Employment Type:
Employee
Number of Openings:
1
Job ID:
R000584
#Biotechnology #Careers #ThisIsSage
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.
EEO is the Law (https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf)
EEO is the Law - Poster Supplement
We value our relationships with professional recruitment firms. To protect the interests of all parties, and given the large volume of inquiries received from third-party placement agencies, we are not able to respond to all agency inquiries. We do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from candidates for current or future positions. Submission of unsolicited resumes in advance of a signed agreement between our company and a placement agency does not create an implied obligation and, if an unsolicited candidate represented by a placement agency is hired, we are not obligated to pay a fee. Only approved recruitment firms will be allowed to provide services to Sage Therapeutics, Inc. | https://mass-green.jobs/cambridge-ma/associate-director-pv-scientist/7A4A6C77DAC140E6BE0899D1DBDFD42C/job/?vs=28 |
The International Symposium on Code Generation and Optimization (CGO) provides a premier venue to bring together researchers and practitioners working at the interface of hardware and software on a wide range of optimization and code generation techniques and related issues. The conference spans the spectrum from purely static to fully dynamic approaches, and from pure software-based methods to specific architectural features and support for code generation and optimization.
Original contributions are solicited on, but not limited to, the following topics:
Code Generation, Translation, Transformation, and Optimization
* For performance, energy, virtualization, portability, security, or reliability concerns, and architectural support
* Efficient execution of dynamically typed and higher-level languages
* Optimization and code generation for emerging programming models, platforms, domain-specific languages
* Dynamic/static, profile-guided, feedback-directed, and machine learning based optimization
* Static, Dynamic, and Hybrid Analysis
* For performance, energy, memory locality, throughput or latency, security, reliability, or functional debugging
* Program characterization methods
* Efficient profiling and instrumentation techniques; architectural support
* Novel and efficient tools
* Compiler design, practice and experience
* Compiler abstraction and intermediate representations
* Vertical integration of language features, representations, optimizations, and runtime support for parallelism
* Solutions that involve cross-layer (HW/OS/VM/SW) design and integration
* Deployed dynamic/static compiler and runtime systems for general purpose, embedded system and Cloud/HPC platforms
* Parallelism, heterogeneity, and reconfigurable architectures
* Optimizations for heterogeneous or specialized targets, GPUs, SoCs, CGRA
* Compiler-support for vectorization, thread extraction, task scheduling, speculation, transaction, memory management, data distribution and synchronization
Authors should carefully consider the difference in focus with the co-located conferences when deciding where to submit a paper. CGO will make the proceedings freely available via the ACM DL platform during the period from two weeks before to two weeks after the conference. This option will facilitate easy access to the proceedings by conference attendees, and it will also enable the community at large to experience the excitement of learning about the latest developments being presented in the period surrounding the event itself.
Authors of accepted papers will be invited to formally submit their supporting materials to the Artifact Evaluation process. The Artifact Evaluation process is run by a separate committee whose task is to assess how the artifacts support the work described in the papers. This submission is voluntary and will not influence the final decision regarding the papers. Papers that go through the Artifact Evaluation process successfully will receive a seal of approval printed on the papers themselves. Additional information is available on the CGO AEC web page.
Authors of accepted papers are encouraged to make these materials publicly available upon publication of the proceedings, by including them as "source materials" in the ACM Digital Library. | http://www.wikicfp.com/cfp/servlet/event.showcfp?eventid=46609©ownerid=85079 |
Everyone would like to travel to Mars, right? Well, no one more so that the dynamic duo of 39 Days to Mars, who decide on a whim that they’re going to take their steam engine ship (the HMS Fearful) on its maiden voyage to the red planet. Thankfully, they’re a pair of resourceful explorers who know their way around a problem, which is fortunate because they’re going to come across PLENTY on their thirty-nine day journey…
39 Days to Mars is a multiplayer-focused experience, though it can be played solo too. In local multiplayer (no online, sorry), both players are able to traverse the 2D environment, but when it comes to puzzle-solving they take control of a hand each. The puzzles are designed in a way where players have to control mechanics in conjunction with one another or use their hands together to manipulate objects, so having someone else to do it with is a LOT easier. When playing solo, you can control both hands at the same time. Typically, you’d think this would be the easier way to approach the game, but it feels like you’re trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time – it’s possible, but it’s very fiddly.
I do have to give the game credit for its puzzles, each of which are both unique and intricate in design. You’ll be clueless as to what you have to do when you first approach a puzzle, with a bunch of different objects or mechanisms in place for the player to potch around with – now, this might sound a little obtuse, but the experimentation aspect of the game just works and when you finally figure out what you need to do it’s incredibly satisfying. The variety of puzzles is impressive too: doing things like gathering a key with a fishing rod, unravelling a hidden keycode by manipulating a consolation-like mechanism, using a lift by co-operatively handling a rope, or even making a cup of tea are presented as complex yet enjoyable conundrums. These sort of puzzles are typically straight-forward in a traditional puzzler, but 39 Days to Mars’ unique approach makes them all the more enjoyable.
The only real problem comes with how awkward the controls can be. As mentioned, they’re fiddly when playing solo, but they can also be tricky to get on board with when trying to manipulate objects together in multiplayer too. Granted, that’s part of the game’s challenge, but there were a few moments where simply trying to work together just felt a little frustrating.
39 Days to Mars isn’t a particularly long game either, with my first playthrough with a friend taking around an hour and a half to complete – that was with some puzzles stumping us for a while too, so I could imagine that cleverer gamers may get through it a bit quicker. Players shouldn’t go into 39 Days to Mars expecting some lengthy co-op experience, but rather something that they’ll be finished with in an evening. Is that a problem? Not really, but some players may wish there was a little bit more to see on the adventure.
I’d be remiss not to mention the presentation of 39 Days to Mars, which is absolutely on point throughout. The game has an aesthetic that embraces both a Victorian and almost blueprint-like style, which fits the puzzling vibe of the experience perfectly. The music is charming throughout too, so you’ve always got a pleasant tune playing as you try in vain to get through each tricky enigma that’s thrown your way.
Summary
39 Days to Mars is a quirky and fun puzzler, but it’s definitely best experienced in multiplayer with a friend. Sure, you can solve the well-designed puzzles on your own, but it’s going to be a lot more fiddly than if you had an extra player on board to help you out. The game’s presentation is charming throughout too, with the music particularly standing out during my playthrough.
It’s not perfect though, with the awkward controls and brevity of the experience the more obvious issues that stand out. Fortunately, they’re minor issues in the grand scheme of things and they don’t stop 39 Days to Mars from being easy to recommend for puzzling fans who’ve got a friend on hand to help them out. | https://www.useapotion.com/2019/11/39-days-to-mars-review/ |
There is a widely accepted but undocumented number of colloquial terms used within the architectural lighting profession, briefly described as ‘light effects’. They are seen as vague and unsuccessful in describing the phenomena in question. Therefore a thorough retrospection of classifications or explorations by lighting designers, researchers and artists such as Richard Kelly, John Flynn and Laszlo Moholy-Nagy is carried out in search of understanding the underlying criteria. The hypothesis of the thesis is that designers perceive light effects and conceive lighting schemes as compositions of light effects during the design process, according to five generic principles of ‘space and light’. They are briefly described as: direction and position of light source, geometry of light distribution, illumination perspective, use of abstraction in luminous compositions and syntactic relationship of surface and source. In the second part, an empirical evaluation of the hypothesis is unfolded. Lighting designers are recorded while planning the lighting for a purpose-designed residence. With methods influenced by protocol analyses of design studies, the corpus of coded transcripts supported by produced sketches and videos is analysed in an interpretative approach. It appears that designers clearly consider the first three principles as directly affecting the formal properties of a lighting scheme while also thinking on a more organisational level of luminous compositions, which involves some use of abstract and a lesser use of syntactic thinking. The use of ‘metaphors’ and ‘archetypes’ is identified as an extra mental tool that interlinks the itemised light effects to an overall conception of space by providing ‘content’. Overall, the thesis attempts for the first time to accurately address the elusive nature of ‘light effects’ based on designers’ opinions and establishes five criteria that work as an articulation of architectural lighting design principles. | https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.565178 |
The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) is committed to maintaining an environment free from sexual misconduct, discrimination or harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, or political philosophy.
OIE affirms the UCCS Core Values especially Inclusive Diversity. We value inclusive diversity as a foundation for teaching and scholarship that prepares students, faculty, staff and community members for both local and global multicultural realities. We provide an open, safe and supportive campus environment based on mutual respect, engagement and learning for everyone including those from the full spectrum of backgrounds, social identities, abilities, cultures, perspectives and university roles.
Our Mission
The OIE’s mission is to create and foster a safe, inclusive, and accessible environment. Utilizing a comprehensive and integrated approach, the OIE facilitates accommodations, case resolutions, education, and supportive and safety measures. OIE treats all individuals who request our assistance with respect and dignity.
OIE is located in Main Hall Room 201. You can reach the office by emailing [email protected] or by calling 719-255-4324. | https://equity.uccs.edu/ |
The Medicines for Children website aims to be accessible for all users. Our website has features that allow users to find and engage with information in the way they find easiest.
Web standards
Medicines for Children is compliant to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, level A minimum, level AA for the majority of content. This creates a fast loading website that is accessible to screen readers and is usable in most browsers and browsers available on non-Windows systems.
Text
Text in images is avoided where possible, but is always available in the ALT tags.
We use Plain English whenever possible.
Should you need to, most browsers enable you to change the text size – you can see information for Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox here and instructions for Google Chrome are here.
Images and design
All images have ALT tags. Where appropriate, ALT tags provide screen reader users and those with images turned off with a description of the content of the picture.
Alternative to video
Unfortunately, Medicines for Children does not have the resources at present to provide transcripts and audio descriptions for video content.
Browser upgrades
We have tried to make our website compatible with all browsers. If you are using an older browser, our pages may not be presented in the best possible way. It may help you to download a newer version of a browser.
The following are available to download for free, which may help: | https://www.medicinesforchildren.org.uk/accessibility/ |
To say the lotus flower is an important symbol in India would really be an understatement. The potent and resilient plant, which has no trouble thriving in the muddiest of swamps without breaking a sweat, or even getting dirty, has become the supreme icon of beauty, strength, longevity and fertility in Indian culture. In Hinduism, the lotus is also a symbol of divinity that seems to turn up everywhere, even growing from Vishnu’s belly-button! In fact, they believe the spirit of the Lotus itself exists within every human being. That’s a lot of lotuses… Loti?
Anyhoo, it is only fitting that there is a temple in New Delhi bearing semblance to a giant lotus flower preparing to bloom. Pretty sweet.
Also looks a bit like a citrus juicer. | http://www.teammarcopolo.com/tag/lotus/ |
In this week’s roundup: The Hate Report isn’t going to be weekly anymore, so we can focus even more on original reporting.
After nearly two years of delivering The Hate Report to your inbox every Friday, we’ve decided to change things up.
We’ll be moving away from the weekly format of some curation from other sources and some original reporting. Instead, we’re going to spend more time researching our own original stories and send out The Hate Report periodically when those stories are ready.
We launched The Hate Report as America was waking up to a new era of hate. There were increasing hate attacks, and we were just beginning to understand the alt-right. We wanted to get ourselves and our readers up to speed on an urgent story.
Now, two years later, hate certainly isn’t going away. Neither is our investigative reporting on it. But we’ve all begun to understand the contours of the story better. There are scores of reporters on the story. And we think our energy is best spent focusing on new, original investigations.
One of the things we’re most proud of is the formation of the Hate Sleuths, a crack team of newsletter subscribers who volunteer their time to help us research. We’ll still keep that team going and already have them tracking down potential stories.
We’re going to dig into data sets, rake through the internet’s darkest corners and file Freedom of Information Act requests to discover the hidden truths about the hate movement, before they explode out into the open in the form of violence harassment or discrimination. In short, we’ll be aiming to do the sort of impactful journalism Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting does best.
So you’ll have to wait for your dose of The Hate Report, but our hope is that when we bring you something to read, it will be a breaking news story or a more in-depth investigation that will shed light on new issues or controversies.
It’s worth remembering what the world was like when we launched in 2017.
The country had a new president who brought with him a cadre of advisers with deep connections with the world of white nationalism, from alt-right architect Steve Bannon to infamous Islamophobe and anti-Semite-supporter Sebastian Gorka. Reports of hate crimes were spiking across the country, while President Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant vitriol and tough-guy nationalism was emboldening a new generation of hate.
It was in this atmosphere, in which hate seemed to be both growing in scale and moving closer to the center of American discourse, that we decided to start The Hate Report to chronicle this tumultuous period in the country’s history. We wanted to both catalogue and understand the movements driving hate-fueled attacks, covering a beat that, at the time, was sparsely written about.
We began by collecting and documenting hate crimes from around the country and looking at how that violence connected to the organized hate movement. A few months after our launch, Charlottesville happened. Seemingly overnight, America began to fully wake up to the threat posed by hate-filled young men loosely affiliated with the alt-right movement.
In the 18 months since then, the alt-right has shaken and sputtered. Figureheads of the movement have found themselves ostracized by the same big tech companies that helped them blossom. Lawsuits and prosecutions have bitten deep into the movement.
Over the same period, coverage and investigation of America’s extremists has flourished. News organizations from The Washington Post to NBC News have devoted increasing time and resources to understanding the underbelly of hate in America.
And we’ve done our part, too, from detailing Trump’s role as instigator-in-chief of hate attacks to hounding neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin and building a team of volunteer Hate Sleuths who already have helped us break two stories.
We’ll need your help. We’re still looking for more volunteers to join our team of Hate Sleuths, and this work will become more important than ever. Want to see your hard work or smart sleuthing turn into a major news story? Sign up here.
Still need a weekly/daily/hourly dose of hate reporting? Follow these folks
The past two years have seen an explosion in great reporting about hate in America.
Reporters have taken up coverage of white supremacy as their dedicated beat, and hate researchers have gained new insight into the toxic political environment fueling hate.
And if you’re looking for people to follow online to get a sense of the daily ebbs and flows of the white supremacist ecosystem, here are some of the people we’ve been reading and following each week to bring you The Hate Report:
- HuffPost reporter Andy Campbell
- One People’s Project Executive Director Daryle Lamont Jenkins
- George Washington University Program on Extremism fellow J.J. MacNab
- HuffPost reporter Chris Mathias
- Southern Poverty Law Center correspondent David Neiwert
- Free Radical Project founder Christian Picciolini
- Anti-Defamation League Center on Extremism senior researcher Mark Pitcavage
- VICE News Tonight correspondent Elle Reeve
- New York Times and Rolling Stone contributor Janet Reitman
- ProPublica reporter Ken Schwencke
- “American Hate” author Arjun Sethi
- Daily Beast reporter Will Sommer
- ProPublica reporter A.C. Thompson
- Daily Beast reporter Kelly Weill
Give them a follow! And we’ll be back soon with the next new-and-improved Hate Report.
Sign up to get The Hate Report by email.
Have a hate incident to report? Tell us about it here, or contact The Hate Report team: Aaron Sankin can be reached at [email protected], and Will Carless can be reached at [email protected]. Follow them on Twitter: @asankin and @willcarless. | https://revealnews.org/blog/the-hate-report-changes-are-coming-to-how-we-report-on-hate/ |
5.08: Employees Receiving Workers' Compensation
Workers’ compensation payments made to your employees while absent from work are considered the same as sick leave pay while absent from work as long as the employer/ employee relationship has not terminated. All workers' compensation wages reported on a DTL2 record on or after July 1, 2010, regardless of the date the wages were earned, are subject to employer and member contributions and retiree health care for the Defined Benefit portion of a member's benefit plan. (No part of WWC wages are subject to DC contributions for a Defined Contribution, Pension Plus, Pension Plus 2, or Personal Healthcare Fund participant.) You must report hours that would otherwise have been regularly worked by the employee. Since your employees are not penalized with a loss of retirement service credit while receiving workers’ compensation, you should not reduce the hours reported.
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Full-Time (FT)
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Employees paid workers’ compensation
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Hours that would have been regularly worked
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Hours that would have been regularly worked
For example: an employee is receiving workers’ compensation. That employee normally would have worked 80 hours per pay period. Continue to report 80 hours per pay period with the reported workers’ compensation wages.
If you have a substitute employee receiving workers’ compensation and are unable to determine the number of hours to report, contact Employer Reporting at 800-381-5111 for assistance. | https://www.michigan.gov/psru/0,2496,7-284-97268_75792_75812-381357--,00.html |
To Grow Wise In Face Of Trials
- We should pray because we are spiritually stronger for praying.
- We should pray because it brings peace and security as we entrust our self to God and pour out our anxious thoughts.
- We should pray to stand firm in the face of temptation.
- And today, we need to pray, because, through prayer, we grow wise in the face of trials. And perhaps this is among the most significant reasons.
The immense value of gaining godly wisdom:
- I Kings 3 – The Lord to Solomon: “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (verse 5). Solomon answered, “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people, that I may discern between right and wrong. For whom is able to govern this great people of yours?” (verse 9). “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this.” (vs. 10)
- Proverbs 2:6 – “For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
- James 3:13-18, James differentiates between wisdom that comes down from heaven, and wisdom that is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil. Worldly wisdom results in envy, selfish ambition, disorder, and every evil practice. Wisdom from above, on the other hand, is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, it’s impartial and sincere.
- I Thessalonians 5:21 – “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
Asking For Wisdom:
- “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…” (vs. 2)
- Why consider trials as a cause for joy? Because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance. “Perseverance must finish its work so you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (vs. 3)
God doesn’t allow these trials as a means to _________________ down or destroy our faith – but to ________________ our faith. (note verses 13-18)
- “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will
be given to him.” (vs. 5)
Wisdom is more than knowledge. Knowledge has facts. Wisdom knows what to do with facts. Someone said knowledge is raw information; wisdom knows how to use it. Another said that knowledge is the ability to take things apart; wisdom is the ability to put things together. I don’t think those definitions exhaust the subject, but they’re helpful.
To receive wisdom, we simply _______________ of God. (James 1:5-7)
- God will give _______________________. (NIV) Some versions say, “liberally.”
- He gives without _______________ ________________.
- We must ask in _____________________. (Verses 6-8)
QUESTIONS & EXERCISES
For Daily Devotionals or Bible Study Group
- Of the reasons given to pray in this series (see below), which do you feel in most need of at present? Why? Write out a prayer for that particular concern.
• For strength
• For security and peace
• For resistance to temptation
• For wisdom
- If you had put this series together, what reasons for prayer would you include that were not covered? How has your prayer life grown through this series?
- How would you define “wisdom” if asked? What are some of the ways that worldly, or earthly wisdom, is different from wisdom that comes from above (read and carefully consider James 3:13-18? How can we tell if we are operating by wisdom from above?
- If you were asked to tell a younger person why wisdom is of higher value than money, possessions, or power, what would you tell them? What are some reasons that God was so pleased with Solomon for asking for wisdom (Read I Kings 3:1-10)?
- What trials or challenges are you facing today that you can seek God’s wisdom concerning? Take time to list and pray for wisdom in each trial. | https://frontroyalchurchofchrist.com/peak-of-the-week-why-pray-to-grow-wise-in-face-of-trials-part-5/ |
Flashcards in Chapter 44 - Hazardous Materials Deck (5)
Loading flashcards...
1
cold zone
the area adjacent to the warm zone in a hazardous materials emergency. Normal triage, treatment, and stabilization are performed here. Also called support zone.
2
hazardous material
material that in any quantity poses a threat or unreasonable risk to life, health, or property if not properly controlled during manufacture, processing, packaging, handling, storage, transportation, use, and disposal.
3
hot zone
the area where contamination is actually present. It generally is the area that is immediately adjacent to the accident site and where contamination can still occur. Also called exclusion zone.
4
safety zones
areas surrounding an accident involving hazardous materials, designated for specific rescue operations. See also hot zone, warm zone, and cold zone. | https://www.brainscape.com/flashcards/chapter-44-hazardous-materials-2248764/packs/3598539 |
Received:
23
October
2002
Accepted: 6 January 2003
This paper discusses the location of a sample of planetary nebulae on the HR diagram. We determine the internal velocity fields of 14 planetary nebulae from high-resolution echelle spectroscopy, with the help of photoionization models. The mass averaged velocity is shown to be a robust, simple parameter describing the outflow. The expansion velocity and radius are used to define the dynamical age; together with the stellar temperature, this gives a measurement of the luminosity and core mass of the central star. The same technique is applied to other planetary nebulae with previously measured expansion velocities, giving a total sample of 73 objects. The objects cluster closely around the Schönberner track of 0.61 , with a very narrow distribution of core masses. The masses are higher than found for local white dwarfs. The luminosities determined in this way tend to be higher by a factor of a few than those derived from the nebular luminosities. The discrepancy is highest for the hottest (most evolved) stars. We suggest photon leakage as the likely cause. The innermost regions of the non-[WC] nebulae tend to show strong acceleration. Together with the acceleration at the ionization front, the velocity field becomes “U”-shaped. The presence of strong turbulent motions in [WC] nebulae is confirmed. Except for this, we find that the [WC] stars evolve on the same tracks as non-[WC] stars.
Key words: planetary nebulae: general / stars: evolution / stars: Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) and C-M diagrams
© ESO, 2003
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Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while. | https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/abs/2003/12/aa3219/aa3219.html |
Our wide spectrum of investment options gives us the ability to offer a selection of customized solutions to suit investor risk tolerance, investment objectives and timeline horizons.
Risk Management
Burlington Alliance Capital Management investment approach seeks to preserve and grow wealth across market cycles. It considers each client’s risk tolerance and focuses on strategies that manage risk and attempt to avoid significant drawdowns. Our goal is to have long-term investments experience the power of compounded returns. | http://www.bacapitalmanagement.com/strategies.php |
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterised by the concomitant occurrence of impaired social interaction; restricted, perseverative and stereotypical behaviour; and abnormal communication skills. Recent epidemiological studies have reported a dramatic increase in the prevalence of ASD with as many as 1 in every 59 children being diagnosed with ASD. The fact that ASD appears to be principally genetically driven, and may be reversible postnatally, has raised the exciting possibility of using gene therapy as a disease-modifying treatment. Such therapies have already started to seriously impact on human disease and particularly monogenic disorders (e.g. metachromatic leukodystrophy, SMA type 1). In regard to ASD, technical advances in both our capacity to model the disorder in animals and also our ability to deliver genes to the central nervous system (CNS) have led to the first preclinical studies in monogenic ASD, involving both gene replacement and silencing. Furthermore, our increasing awareness and understanding of common dysregulated pathways in ASD have broadened gene therapy’s potential scope to include various polygenic ASDs. As this review highlights, despite a number of outstanding challenges, gene therapy has excellent potential to address cognitive dysfunction in ASD.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”—Viktor E Frankl.
In autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting ~ 1.5% of the population , aetiologically diverse deficits in cognitive plasticity lead to broad impairments in communication and restricted, repetitive behaviours . Comorbidities are common (~ 70% of cases) and include epilepsy; attention, mood and language disorders; sleep disturbance; gastrointestinal problems; and intellectual disability .
Despite the great personal and sociological cost of ASD (estimated to be $2 million/patient/year ), only the antipsychotics risperidone and aripiprazole are currently FDA-approved to treat ASD, indicated solely in the treatment of irritability symptoms . A fundamental reason for this lack of disease-modifying therapies may relate to ASD’s pathogenesis, which appears to be principally driven by heterogeneous genetic mutations and variants and modulated by diverse gene × environment interactions, to include pregnancy-related factors (e.g. maternal immune activation, maternal toxins) and perinatal trauma [2, 6–10]. Many of the encoded proteins implicated in ASD pathogenesis—such as cytoskeletal proteins, cell adhesion molecules and DNA-binding proteins—may be ‘undruggable’ using conventional small molecule drugs, which principally only modulate the function of receptors and enzymes .
In contrast, gene therapy—broadly defined as the delivery of nucleic acid polymers into cells to treat disease—may be used to repair, replace, augment or silence essentially any gene of interest in a target cell, opening up new areas of the proteome for drug targeting . Other advantages of gene therapy versus small molecules include the ability to effect long-lasting clinical benefit with a single treatment and the potential to control cellular targeting via vector modifications .
Indeed, gene therapy is already making a clinical impact in the field of neurology, with Nusinersen, an antisense oligonucleotide therapy approved in Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and more recently Luxturna, a viral-based gene replacement strategy approved in Leber’s congenital amaurosis, acting as the first disease-modifying therapies in both of these diseases [14, 15]. In addition, a clinical trial in SMA by AveXis using systemic delivery of recombinant adeno-associated virus 9 (rAAV9) carrying a replacement SMN1 gene recently proved safe and efficacious in neonates . On the other hand, gene therapies are clearly expensive in the short-term, with current therapies costing at least $500,000 per treatment, and thus remaining unaffordable in many healthcare systems (see ref for a thorough economic analysis).
This review will highlight key targets for ASD gene therapy, the utility of ASD models, and recent advances in our ability to deliver such therapies to the central nervous system (CNS). It will then move on to discuss recent gene therapy strategies in ASD, concentrating on conditions with available preclinical data, and the roadblocks facing their clinical translation.
ASD may be divided into conditions driven by a single genetic defect (monogenic ASD) and conditions driven by multiple genetic defects (polygenic ASD). Monogenic ASD conditions often contain a variable cluster of phenotypes which include autism as part of a syndrome . Whilst only accounting for ~ 5% of ASD cases , such disorders are prime candidates for gene therapy for two major reasons: firstly, they lend themselves to developing genetic models of ASD, which enable elucidation of the genotype to phenotype pathway, the potential for disease reversibility postnatally, and the efficacy/toxicity of novel therapeutics; secondly, correction of a single causative protein defect has the potential to arrest and possibly reverse disease pathology. Indeed, a basis for preclinical gene therapy studies in ASD was founded by identification of the nature and function of causative genes for a number of monogenic conditions with autistic features, including Rett syndrome (RS), fragile X syndrome (FXS), Angelman syndrome (AS) and tuberous sclerosis (TSC) [19–23] (Table 1).
More recently, our understanding of the genetic landscape of ASD has been revolutionised by several whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing studies, identifying hundreds of de novo and rare inherited variants influencing sporadic ASD risk [24–32]. Many of these genes appear to be involved, either directly or indirectly, in synaptic morphology and activity, leading to the concept of ASD as a ‘synaptopathy’ [33, 34] (Fig. 1). Certainly, the idea of using gene therapy to increase or decrease the expression of target proteins within this network and ‘retune’ the synapse is a powerful one, which may be applicable to certain ASD cases.
However, in such a heterogeneous condition as ASD, it is important not to become evangelical about a single causative mechanism, especially given recent insights into the apparently critical roles of immune dysfunction and epigenetics in at least certain ASD cases [35, 36]. Furthermore, recent phase II clinical trials which looked to regulate synaptic function via GABA and glutamate receptor modulation failed to demonstrate significant overall benefit, despite strongly positive responses in certain patients [37, 38]. Thus, it is important to consider whether targeting the synapse using gene therapy may be most appropriate for correcting particular ASD endophenotypes in specific patient subsets, rather than seeing it as a panacea for ASD, a topic that is returned to later in this article.
The field of gene therapy is littered with examples of therapies which failed to translate from their preclinical promise. In many cases, blame can be attributed to the predictive validity of the animal model used, which is itself related to its construct validity (i.e. how well the model mimics disease aetiology) and face validity (i.e. how closely the model’s phenotype represents the human disorder) .
Given the challenges clinicians have faced in developing diagnostic criteria for ASD , and how various social traits often appear to be inherently ‘human’ qualities (although this is itself highly contested ), it is little wonder that generating ASD animal models with good face validity has been challenging. Nevertheless, whilst caution should always be taken when ascribing behavioural outcomes in animals to autism, various monogenic ASD rodent models have capably demonstrated quantifiable social and communicative behavioural traits [42–44], laying the ground for preclinical therapeutic studies.
As a caveat, it must be noted that a major limitation of ASD animal models relates to their inability to reflect heterogeneous environmental influences on the ASD phenotype, with various toxic, inflammatory and psychosocial factors difficult to incorporate in robust, reproducible animal models. This deficit in construct validity is especially relevant in modelling polygenic ASD, in which the gene × environment interaction plays a more fundamental role , and which therefore bears a particular risk for future translational work.
Identifying specific cells and circuits dysregulated in ASD is crucial in gene therapy design, as vectors may be targeted to specific brain regions or cell types (discussed in detail later). In particular, nascent data suggest the hippocampus, cerebellum and corpus callosum contain key pathogenic circuits [34, 46–48], whilst influential cell types include pyramidal cells, Purkinje cells and glial cells [34, 49].
Recent technological advances have begun to elucidate the relationship between cell type-specific function and particular ASD endophenotypes. For example, in a RS mouse model, cre/lox-mediated deletion of MECP2 specifically from forebrain glutamatergic neurons led to a partial disease phenotype, with deficits in social behaviour and motor coordination, but preserved locomotor activity and fear-conditioned learning . Meanwhile, in a TSC mouse model, chemogenetic excitation of the Right Crus I (RCrusI) region of the cerebellum—an area consistently noted to be altered in the ASD brain in neuroanatomical and neuroimaging studies [51, 52]—was sufficient to specifically rescue social impairments, without rescuing repetitive or inflexible behaviours .
Within individual circuits, it appears that different ASD mutations may have opposing effects on synaptic function. For example, TSC2+/− and FMR1−/y knockouts appear to have opposite effects on mGluR-dependent long-term depression (LTD) in the hippocampus, whilst mice bred with both mutations balance each other out at the synaptic and behavioural levels . Such data not only exemplify the heterogeneic nature of ASD but also highlight the necessity of optimal synaptic control, and are the first hint that a successful gene therapy must walk a narrow therapeutic tightrope between over- and under-stimulating synaptic transmissions.
A crucial further question is whether autistic phenotypes can be reversed or are neurodevelopmentally fixed. Remarkably, an array of studies in different monogenic ASD animal models have consistently demonstrated the potential for reversal of established neuronal dysfunction, either after pharmacological intervention or genetic reactivation of silenced alleles [55–60]. These findings imply that postnatally, indeed post-symptomatically, the genetic horse may not yet have bolted, and genetic correction via a delivered vector might be useful in treating cognitive dysfunction.
If the ASD phenotype is reversible rather than neurodevelopmentally fixed, as implied by studies in monogenic animal models, then it follows that continuous genetic correction will be necessary for a sustained therapeutic effect. Currently, only viral packaging systems have combined efficient transduction with long-term gene expression in vivo (although, as will be discussed later, certain ASD conditions may be amenable to non-virally delivered antisense nucleic acid therapies).
Of the viruses which can transduce post-mitotic cells, rAAVs have emerged as the principal CNS delivery candidate . This is based upon their relatively low immunogenicity (compared to adenovirus and herpes simplex virus), limiting the likelihood of an encephalitic immune response, their ability to persist in episomal form, reducing their oncogenic potential (compared to retroviruses [63, 64]), and their high production titres . Indeed, rAAV vectors have already been used safely in a number of early clinical studies in CNS gene therapy, in disorders ranging from SMA to idiopathic Alzheimer’s disease .
Optimising cell-specific targeting is critical in maximising the number of transduced target cells/dose and limiting off-target toxicity. There are two major ways in which the spatial dynamics of rAAV vectors can be adjusted. Firstly, the properties of the vector itself can be modified, to include a cell type-selective capsid (e.g. AAV9 is particularly neurotropic [66, 67]) and/or promoter .
Secondly, the mode of delivery can be adjusted. Historically, rAAV vectors have been delivered intraparenchymally via stereotactic CNS injection, leading to high local concentrations with limited vector spread . Although invasive (each injection requiring a craniotomy), such a localising method of delivery might have utility in correcting specific dysregulated ASD circuits linked to particular clinical endophenotypes, analogous to the recent improvement in motor scores seen after lentiviral vector delivery of a dopamine-producing gene therapy to the nigrostriatal pathway in Parkinson’s disease .
However, ASD appears to involve global synaptic dysregulation and thus will require global CNS gene correction to fully reverse cognitive phenotypes [71, 72]. The discovery that rAAV9 crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and globally transduces CNS neurons and glial cells , and the recent derivation of more efficient BBB-traversing rAAVs by targeted evolution , has opened up the possibility of using intravenous injection in ASD gene therapy.
It remains to be seen, however, whether side effects relating to peripheral tissue transduction, as well as the presence of neutralising circulating antibodies (anti-AAV9 antibodies are present in 47% of humans), will preclude intravenous administration in various ASDs [75–77]. Changes to the viral vector nucleic acid sequence outside of the transgene—such as the inclusion of ‘detargeting’ sequences recognised by micro RNAs (miRNAs) expressed specifically in off-target cells —might circumvent the former issue, but use up highly limited space (rAAV’s packaging capacity is limited to ~ 5 kb ). The latter issue may be negotiated by the use of engineered rAAV capsids, which may have lower neutralising antibody seropravalences .
An alternative to systemic delivery is intrathecal administration, which potentially combines (relatively) safe administration and global CNS transduction with fewer peripheral complications, and a higher spatial resolution limiting the dose requirements. However, there are conflicting data regarding the ability of intrathecally delivered rAAV to efficiently transduce areas outside the spinal cord , as well its own ability to avoid both peripheral leakage and a neutralising antibody response [83, 84]. Of note, an intrathecal AAV9 approach has been corrective in a model of giant axonal neuropathy and has progressed to a clinical trial.
In ASD disorders defined by loss of function mutations (e.g. RS, FXS, TSC), simple gene replacement may restore synaptic function . Given the limitations imposed by imperfect gene delivery strategies, a key question is whether sufficient transduction of target cell types can be attained to exert phenotypic benefit.
Encouragingly, a number of studies using monogenic animal models have demonstrated behavioural improvements after rAAV-delivered gene replacement. In a RS mouse model, systemic delivery of a rAAV9-MECP2 vector sufficient for ~ 10% CNS transduction (of principally neuronal cells) led to moderate behavioural improvements [86, 87]. Meanwhile, at an ~ 6-fold higher vector dose, ~ 25% CNS transduction resulted in marked behavioural and phenotypic improvements . Finally, it was recently demonstrated that rAAV-mediated delivery of even a fragment of the MECP2 gene (lacking N- and C- terminal regions along with a central domain) led to phenotypic improvement in RS mice, potentially allowing extra room for construct modifications to aid target cell transduction and expression . Similarly, substantial phenotypic improvements were seen in studies using FXS and TSC models after intra-CNS delivery of replacement genes, although none of these studies quantified CNS transduction [90–92].
Although a cause for optimism, none of the above studies evidenced total phenotypic reversal after gene replacement. Such incomplete phenotypic reversal may be secondary to insufficient CNS transduction. In RS for example, ~ 80% gene reactivation in neuronal cells appears to be sufficient and necessary for total phenotypic reversal [56, 93]. However, increasing the vector dose in order to increase transduction must be balanced against the risk of dose-related toxicity. This may occur secondary to off-target cell transgene expression: for example, transgene-specific liver toxicity was seen at high doses of rAAV9-MECP2 [86, 94], possibly due to MECP2’s role in liver metabolism .
Toxicity may also occur secondary to supraphysiological expression in target cells. For example, after rAAV-mediated delivery of FMRP in FXS, toxicity developed at 2.5-fold expression above wild type , whilst duplication of MECP2 leads to MECP2 duplication syndrome in males [97–99]. Such toxicity may occur even at low transduction percentages due to uneven vector distribution within the CNS or, in the case of X-linked disorders in females, due to a mosaic pattern of CNS expression caused by random X-inactivation . Reassuringly, a fragmented version of the MECP2 promoter appeared to limit MECP2 expression to physiological levels in both wild type and MECP2null/x female mice, even at vector doses leading to ~ 25% CNS transduction .
Nonetheless, further studies are required to pinpoint the optimum balance between CNS transduction and on-target toxicity in various ASD syndromes. Additionally, future gene replacement studies must better characterise the relationship between gene dose and dendritic function (which was not assessed in any of the above studies).
Gene expression can be silenced by sequence-specific knockdown of mRNA transcripts using techniques such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which use the exquisite specificity conferred by Watson-Crick base pairing to bind particular mRNA transcripts and prevent their translation (for a detailed mechanism see ref ). These nucleic acids are typically relatively easy to manufacture, can be modified to limit degradation and inflammation, and do not require a viral vector (although long-term expression of ASOs is possible using viral delivery of short hairpin RNAs [shRNAs]) [101, 102]. Indeed, such therapies are already being used in the treatment of SMA and in clinical trials for Huntington’s disease [103, 104].
These techniques are principally useful when total or partial knockdown of a particular transcript may restore synaptic function. For example in MECP2 duplication syndrome, halving MECP2 expression was shown to restore cellular function and phenotype postnatally in a conditional MECP2-overexpressing mouse model . In the same study, intraventricular delivery of ASOs (delivered at a constant rate by a pump) specifically targeting MECP2 led to widespread ASO distribution in the CNS, effective knockdown of MECP2 to nearly wild type levels, and sustained phenotypic reversal (~ 10 weeks) .
Another strategy in which RNA silencing may be useful is in knocking down a gene which inhibits a target gene’s expression, i.e. disinhibition. For example, triplication of 15q11-13 leads to a relatively common and highly penetrant type of autism linked to increased expression of UBE3A (which functions as a transcription regulator in addition to its ubiquitin ligase function) and subsequent downregulation of Cerebellin 1 Precursor (Cbln1), a synaptic organising protein, in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) . Thus, knockdown of UBE3A could be used to restore sufficient Cbln1 expression in the VTA, which has already been shown to effect phenotypic change after cre/lox-mediated restoration in a UBE3A-triplicated mouse model .
Another application of this strategy could be in AS, where the long non-coding UBE3A antisense transcript (UBE3A-AST) causes imprinting of the paternal UBE3A allele, ensuring that a loss of maternal UBE3A allele function yields the AS phenotype (another example of how genetic defects in ASD may be bidirectional, with optimal gene expression in specific brain regions crucial). Indeed, a recent paper demonstrated that a single intracerebroventricular injection of a degradation-resistant ASO targeting UBE3A-AST in an adult AS mouse model led to specific and sustained reductions in UBE3A-AST levels, with partial restoration (~ 40%) of UBE3A levels throughout the CNS .
Interestingly, in the same study, whilst motor deficits were restored, other behaviours—such as anxiety and repetitive behaviours—were not. A later study, using Cre-dependent UBE3A reactivation in an AS mouse model, showed a temporal dependence for specific phenotype reversal, with anxiety and repetitive behaviours requiring gene reactivation during early development, whilst motor deficits could be restored into adulthood . Such temporal factors have not been thoroughly investigated in other monogenic ASDs but are clearly critical when considering the time point of useful intervention in humans.
Finally, in a similar vein to excessive gene replacement, hyper-knockdown of target RNA may lead to rebound toxicity in both target cells and off-target cells. Furthermore, both ASOs and siRNA may cause unpredictable off-target knockdown . From this perspective, the requirement for regular intra-CNS administration of ASOs is a double-edged sword in ASD: whilst on the one hand, it is clearly less convenient than a once-off injection of viral vector, on the other hand, it allows for the possibility of dose uptitration and determination of an optimal therapeutic level.
One of the most exciting recent developments in gene therapy is the advent of easily customised sequence-specific editing techniques, such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas9, enabling either correction of a genetic mutation via non-homologous recombination (providing there is a suitable template) or gene silencing via non-homologous end-joining . Such techniques would generally enable gene expression at physiological levels in target cells, negating the problems of transgene-associated toxicity seen with both gene replacement and RNA knockdown techniques.
Unfortunately, at least in vivo, gene editing techniques still remain a distant therapeutic prospect, with a wealth of technical hurdles to overcome, including how to deliver gene editing systems to target cells, how to increase the efficiency of editing, and how to avoid off-target editing [111, 112]. Still, recent work by Doudna and colleagues provides optimism in this regard, with the demonstration of greatly improved editing of post-mitotic neurons in adult mouse brains using cell-penetrating peptides tagged onto Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes .
As previously mentioned, in comparison with monogenic ASD, polygenic ASD has a greater environmental component driving its phenotype . In this respect, damaging, nonsynonymous postzygotic mutations in whole-exome sequences from the largest collection of trios with ASD were recently identified, with some of these genes being particularly enriched for expression in the amygdala, a key brain region for social conditioning and learning . Such factors, combined with the current paucity and constructional limitations of animal models in polygenic ASD, make it a less obvious target for gene therapy.
Nonetheless, despite the bewildering array of rare genetic mutations linked to polygenic ASD, an important focus of these mutations appears to be in the regulation of synaptic function, with diverse ASD mutations potentially connecting aberrant translational inputs and outputs (Fig. 1) . For example, in mice, deletion of the translational repressor Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 2 (4E-BP2) led to overexpression of the NLGN class of cell adhesion molecules , mutations of which have been causally linked to ASD [46, 116, 117]. Furthermore, such deletion resulted in disruption of the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory synaptic inputs, as well as an ASD behavioural phenotype, which was corrected by NLGN1 knockdown .
This leads to the idea that many ASD mutations might be treated by fine-tuning the expression of influential proteins acting within dynamic translational loops. The apparently fundamental role of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway in various causes of monogenic ASD , as well as the phenotypic reversal seen using small molecule inhibitors of mTORC1 preclinically , suggests that this pathway may be a critical target for gene therapy in certain cases of ASD.
However, given ASD’s heterogeneity, it is once again important not to focus myopically on a single pathway. Rather, instead of embarking on a ‘one size fits all’ therapeutic approach, the effect of any particular ASD mutation on translational output and synaptic function should be categorised, before deciding whether and how to target a particular gene or pathway. For instance, NLGN3 knockout mice demonstrate a FXS-like disruption of mGluR-dependent synaptic plasticity , suggesting that either FMRP overexpression or PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway knockdown (given the aforementioned opposition of these two pathways) might correct this phenotype.
Finally, recent evidence has emerged of ASD behaviours caused by amino acid deficits [121, 122]. For example, homozygous dysfunction of the BBB solute carrier transporter 7a5 (SLC7A5) and corresponding CNS loss of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) has been linked to ASD, which is reversible in mouse models upon intra-CNS administration of BCAAs . Thus, direct protein replacement therapy might provide an important additional therapeutic avenue in certain ASD cases. It is also possible to imagine using gene therapy as an adjunct here: for example, combining systemic BCAA replacement with vector-delivered SLC7A5 targeting BBB cells.
Given the heritable component of ASD, gene therapy offers a promising alternative to conventional small molecule therapies. Preclinical studies over the last 5 years using animal models displaying autism-like traits have demonstrated that directly altering gene expression using rAAV-delivered transgenes can reverse the behavioural phenotype, either via gene replacement or RNA knockdown. Such studies establish proof-of-concept and set up a platform for clinical translation in various monogenic ASDs, with RS being a frontrunner in this regard.
However, major hurdles remain, not least the fact that the majority of ASD disorders, even monogenic ones, show variable penetrance, with epistatic and gene × environment interactions determining phenotype. Not only is such genetic and environmental heterogeneity inherently difficult to model, hindering clinical translation, but also in clinical trials that do go ahead, ASD subgroups that benefit from a particular treatment may be lost amongst other unsuitable subgroups. Furthermore, we still do not know whether, or in which cases, epigenetic factors may preclude reversibility in humans. Cyclically, this brings us back to the question of animal models and whether these have sufficient construct validity to actually begin to answer such questions in the first place.
A number of additional questions remain: Firstly, can vector design be optimised to the extent that intravenous delivery achieves sufficient CNS transduction without peripheral toxicity? Secondly, where is the optimum balance between CNS transduction and the risk of on-target transgene-related toxicity for each ASD syndrome? Thirdly, will demonstrations of acceptable levels of CNS toxicity hold when studies commence in larger animal models? Fourthly, is there a time point beyond which some or all autistic features lose their reversibility? Answering these questions will be key to moving ASD gene therapy into clinical trials, and perhaps one day generating a genetic treatment for ASD.
We thank Dr. C. Proukakis for interesting discussions around the subject of this review.
NDM was supported by the ERC and CDKL5 Foundation grants during the period of this work.
NDM and MB did the literature review; MB wrote the manuscript. MK assisted with the writing of the manuscript. All authors read, corrected and approved the final manuscript. | https://molecularautism.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13229-018-0222-8 |
Gabrielle Le Roux is an artist, storyteller and feminist activist based in South Africa who creates travelling exhibitions of portraits drawn from life accompanied by first person narratives around different social issues. Her work pays tribute to people whose rich contributions to society are forgotten, ignored or discriminated against because of their race, gender, class or sexual orientation.
Gabrielle ran Women’s Media Watch South Africa for several years. Her background working broadly with women’s rights, and particularly representation (and lack of it) in the media, informs her current work which is the fusion of her creative and political passions.
EXPLANATION OF THE PIECE
Transgender stories to expose as a social and political issue.
DESCRIPTION
By given voice to Turkish transgender people to tell their stories, the author is promoting a cultural intervention for social justice. | http://artivism.elaninterculturel.com/?popuppress=proudly-trans-in-turkey-videos |
The business world is obsessed with collaboration but the team approach can breed laziness, a “groupthink” culture that doesn’t really deliver solutions, according to a recent article on Inc.com.
Take it from Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple and tech visionary. When he was asked by the New York Times about corporate collaboration, he didn’t spend much time rhapsodizing about corporate collaboration.
In fact, he gave the opposite counsel. "I'm going to give you some advice that might be hard to take. That advice is: Work alone... Not on a committee. Not on a team," he was quoted.
So what's wrong with collaboration? Here are just a few issues you might run into when members of a team put their heads together.
Stop, collaborate, and conform
Innovative ideas rarely come from a culture of conformity. Unfortunately, too much collaboration can lead to a workforce not willing to rock the boat. Research has discovered conformity can sometimes facilitate creativity given the right circumstances, but most likely it will result in less innovative and outside-of-the-box ideas.
When your best people reach a decision as a group, they can easily become overconfident with the results based entirely on the approbation of the group. This can have a quelling effect on creativity, leading those with better ideas to pipe down in service of keeping the group happy.
Teamwork can make you lazy
Have you ever been at a meeting where half the participants seem mentally checked out? Everyone attending thinks, "I don't have to prepare, someone else will pick up the slack."This phenomenon is called "social loafing," and it occurs when group members hope to skate by without much effort when put in a group.
Teamwork can hold you back
As we've seen, herding employees into groups can often lead to a kind of groupthink where nothing much is accomplished. According to research from psychologist Anders Ericsson, the best way to master a field is to work on a project that is challenging to you personally. If you're always in a group troubleshooting problems, however, you'll never actually master tasks.
In a group, any individual is only contributing a small percentage of the work and innovation. Instead of working on an idea and developing it, then looking to a group for improvement and guidance, the group ensures individuals never truly become masters at anything. This can hamper both learning and overall professional growth.
How To fix collaboration
Of course, you shouldn't just throw out collaboration because it's not a magic bullet. Here are four ways to fix the collaborative atmosphere in your company, so workers flourish and grow while still working together:
1. Switch roles
It's easy to become complacent when workers always take on the same role on every team and in every brainstorming session. To get your teams out of the box and spur innovation, encourage employees to take on new roles they find challenging.
As noted, you can't become a master at anything unless you tackle a big challenge headfirst. Ask your workers never to become happy with "good enough," and to fight the status quo. This will stop your teams from sleepwalking through their collaborative projects, and will cut down on social loafing.
2. Play devil's advocate
Is the brilliant idea your team came up with actually brilliant? Elect one person on the team to play devil's advocate and question the decisions of the team. Just by electing one person to ask the tough questions, your team will be forced to consider new perspectives, defend their position, and make sure any brainstorm can actually stand up to scrutiny.
3. Put together a balanced team
Don't fill a team with employees who all perform the same role. These workers are likely to think in a similar fashion, reducing the odds of coming up with truly creative solutions to problems. Instead, put together a team with a variety of skills, and ensure each team member has a dedicated and clear-cut role. This way, your team will take ownership of their specific tasks, further reducing social loafing.
4. Allow for alone time
Alone time in necessary for creativity. This is why many classrooms are adopting a flipped classroom model, where students come into the classroom having already familiarized themselves with the material. If workers have already done part of the work solo, they'll have better ideas of the challenges on the horizon, and will have more specific questions and advice to seek from the group.
Collaboration isn't a magical cure-all. But this doesn't mean that your business should do away with collaboration altogether. By clarifying roles, allowing for alone time, and avoiding groupthink, your collaboration can be more effective and help employees do their best work.
This story originally ran on Inc.com
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and computer program product for optimizing software pipelining. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method and computer program product for identifying constrained resources in a loop and modifying a swing modulo schedule based on the identified constrained resources.
2. Description of Related Art:
Software pipelining is a compiler optimization technique for reordering the hardware instructions within a computer program loop being compiled such that the number of cycles required for each iteration of the loop is minimized. Particularly, software pipelining seeks to optimize the number of required cycles for execution of the loop by overlapping the execution of different iterations of the loop. Modulo scheduling is a technique for performing software pipelining. A modulo scheduling algorithm selects a likely minimum number of cycles that the loop may be executed in, often called a minimum initiation interval, and places instructions into a schedule of that size. Instructions are “wrapped” around the end of the loop into the next iterations(s) until all instructions are scheduled. If the number of cycles exceeds the initiation interval, the initiation interval may then be incremented and a schedule having a number of cycles corresponding to the initiation interval is attempted to be found.
Swing modulo scheduling (SMS) is a specific modulo scheduling algorithm designed to place instructions into the schedule in such a way that the schedule is nearly optimal in number of cycles, length of schedule, and registers used. SMS comprises three general steps: building a data dependency graph (DDG), ordering nodes of the DDG, and scheduling nodes.
The DDG graph is analyzed to find strongly connected components (SCCs). SCC are graph components which are cyclic data dependencies. Various parameters, such as height, depth, earliest time, latest time, and slack of each node (where a DDG node corresponds to an instruction) are then determined.
Node ordering of the DDG is performed based on the priority given to groups of node such that the ordering rows out from a nucleus of nodes rather than starting two group of nodes and connecting them together. An important feature of this step is that the direction of ordering works in both the forward and backward direction so that nodes are added to the order that are both predecessors and successors of the nucleus of previously ordered nodes. When considering the first node, or when an independent section of the graph is finished, the next node to be ordered is selected based on its priority (using minimum earliest time for forward direction and maximum latest time for backward direction). Then, nodes that are predecessors and successors to the pool of nodes are added to the ordering such that whenever possible nodes that are added only have predecessors or successors already ordered, not both.
The SMS algorithm for performing scheduling of the nodes evaluates the nodes in the order generated as previously described and places the node as close as possible (while respecting scheduling latencies) to its predecessors and successors. Because the order selecting in the node order can change directions between moving backward and forward, the nodes are scheduled such that they are an appropriate number of cycles before successors or after predecessors.
One of the most difficult types of loops to schedule is when one particular machine resource is heavily used by a large number of instructions in a loop. Examples of possible types of constrained resources are a particular hardware execution unit, or a class of registers. Scheduling loops when one particular machine resource is heavily used by a large number of instructions in the loop is particularly problematic with a conventional SMS algorithm implementation. Most loops in computer programs can be considered resource constrained since most loops consume one type of machine resource more heavily than other types. As referred to herein, these types of loops are called “resource constrained” because the heavy usage of a particular resource makes it difficult to freely place instructions that use that resource into a schedule. Instructions represented by nodes in the DDG can be said to be resource constrained if they make use of the resource that is heavily used for a particular loop.
It is often difficult to schedule resource constrained loops in an optimal number of cycles due to the contention for the constrained resource using a conventional SMS algorithm. The high contention for a particular resource often results in nodes not being placed in an optimal location in the schedule which can lead to schedules that are less than optimal in terms of number of cycles and register usage.
Thus, it would be advantageous to provide a mechanism for optimizing an SMS algorithm. It would further be advantageous to provide a mechanism for optimizing instructions scheduling based on instruction contention for constrained resources.
The present invention provides a method, computer program product, and a data processing system for scheduling instructions in a data processing system. Dependencies among a plurality of nodes are analyzed to determine if any of the plurality of nodes use a constrained resource. Each of the plurality of nodes represents an instruction in a set of instructions. A subset of the plurality of nodes is designated as resource-constrained nodes. An attempt is made to generate a schedule with the subset of the plurality of nodes scheduled with priority with respect to any of the plurality of nodes not included in the subset.
A first aspect provides a method of scheduling a set of instructions in a data processing system, the method comprising the computer implemented steps of: analyzing dependencies among a plurality of nodes to determine if any of the plurality of nodes use a constrained resource, wherein each of the plurality of nodes represents an instruction in the set of instructions; responsive to analyzing the dependencies, designating a subset of the plurality of nodes as resource-constrained nodes; and performing a scheduling attempt with the subset of the plurality of nodes scheduled with priority with respect to any of the plurality of nodes not included in the subset.
A second aspect provides a computer program product in a computer readable medium for scheduling a set of instructions in a data processing system, the computer program product comprising: first instructions that analyze dependencies among a plurality of nodes to determine if any of the plurality of nodes use a constrained resource, wherein each of the plurality of nodes represents an instruction in the set of instructions; second instructions that, responsive to the first instruction analyzing the dependencies, designate a subset of the plurality of nodes as resource-constrained nodes; and third instructions that attempt to generate a schedule that includes each of the plurality of nodes assigned to an execution cycle, wherein the subset of the plurality of nodes are assigned priority for placement in the schedule with respect to any of the plurality of nodes not included in the subset.
A data processing system for scheduling a set of instructions for execution in a data processing system, comprising: a memory containing an instruction set for scheduling the set of instructions for execution; and a processing unit, responsive to execution of the instruction set, for analyzing dependencies among a plurality of nodes each representative of one of the set of instructions, designating a subset of the set of instructions as resource-constrained, and, responsive to designation of the subset of the set of instructions, attempting to generate a schedule including each of the plurality of nodes, wherein the processing unit assigns the subset of the set of instructions to the schedule with priority over other instructions not included in the subset.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a pictorial representation of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a block diagram of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary loop sequence that may be scheduled according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
is a diagrammatic illustration of a data dependency graph for the loop shown in and that may have nodes thereof initially ordered in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5
is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary modulo reservation table calculated by a swing modulo scheduling routine for an example loop as is conventional and which may be optimized in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6
is a flowchart of an swing modulo scheduling routine for optimizing node scheduling in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
is a diagrammatic illustration of a modulo reservation table calculated by the swing module scheduling routine described with reference to in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1
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With reference now to the figures and in particular with reference to , a pictorial representation of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A computer is depicted which includes system unit , video display terminal , keyboard , storage devices , which may include floppy drives and other types of permanent and removable storage media, and mouse . Additional input devices may be included with personal computer , such as, for example, a joystick, touchpad, touch screen, trackball, microphone, and the like. Computer can be implemented using any suitable computer, such as an IBM eServer computer or IntelliStation computer, which are products of International Business Machines Corporation, located in Armonk, N.Y. Although the depicted representation shows a computer, other embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in other types of data processing systems, such as a network computer. Computer also preferably includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that may be implemented by means of systems software residing in computer readable media in operation within computer .
FIG. 2
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Referring to , a block diagram of a data processing system that may be implemented as a server, such as server in , is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Data processing system may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including a plurality of processors and connected to system bus . Alternatively, a single processor system may be employed. Also connected to system bus is memory controller/cache , which provides an interface to local memory . I/O bus bridge is connected to system bus and provides an interface to I/O bus . Memory controller/cache and I/O bus bridge may be integrated as depicted.
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Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge connected to I/O bus provides an interface to PCI local bus . A number of modems may be connected to PCI local bus . Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to clients - in may be provided through modem and network adapter connected to PCI local bus through add-in connectors.
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Additional PCI bus bridges and provide interfaces for additional PCI local buses and , from which additional modems or network adapters may be supported. In this manner, data processing system allows connections to multiple network computers. A memory-mapped graphics adapter and hard disk may also be connected to I/O bus as depicted, either directly or indirectly.
FIG. 2
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware depicted in may vary. For example, other peripheral devices, such as optical disk drives and the like, also may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted. The depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention.
FIG. 2
The data processing system depicted in may be, for example, an IBM eServer pSeries system, a product of International Business Machines Corporation in Armonk, N.Y., running the Advanced Interactive Executive (AIX) operating system or LINUX operating system.
The present invention provides a mechanism for determining the resource in a loop that is most scarce and causes the most difficult in instruction scheduling such that successive attempts to schedule the loop can give higher priority to nodes that use the resource. The invention includes a modification to the SMS ordering step that gives higher priority to both SCCs and individual nodes that use a constrained resource without comprising the prioritization of other important features of loops. The invention also includes the discovery of constrained resources by examining the reason why earlier attempts to find a schedule failed. In this scheme, the algorithm learns from previous failed scheduling attempts and uses that information to influence the priority it gives to different nodes on its next attempt to find a schedule. The invention facilitates identifying schedules for loops that are more often optimal in number of cycles and register usage. It achieves this result without a significant increase in completion time.
FIG. 3
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The processes of the present invention may be better understood with reference now to that shows an exemplary loop sequence that may be scheduled according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Loop comprises eleven instructions each enumerated with a node -. Each node comprises an instruction operator, e.g., load, add, etc., and a corresponding instruction. In the illustrative example, a floating point register that is the object of an instruction has a prefix of “fp”, and an integer register that is the object of an instruction has a prefix of “gr”.
For illustrative purposes, assume the given loop sequence is compiled for execution on a processor that can process two instructions per cycle. Further assume that the processor can execute one integer instruction per cycle, one floating point instruction per cycle, and two load/store instructions per cycle. Delays between all dependent instructions are two cycles and the processor does not have rotating registers. Thus, register values longer than one loop iteration must be preserved with register copy instructions.
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
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is a diagrammatic illustration of a DDG for the loop shown in and that may have nodes thereof initially ordered in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. DDG comprises nodes - with node dependencies designated with dashed lines. For example, node comprises the instruction to multiply (MULT) the integer register result of the node result (gr) by sixteen, and thus node cannot be executed until node has been executed. Accordingly, node is shown connected with node by a dashed line to illustrate the dependence of node on node .
A conventional SMS algorithm may generate a node order of <1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11> for the above loop. The scheduling routine of the SMS algorithm would then attempt to generate a schedule with an initiation interval (II) of II=6 due to the loop having six floating point instructions and the processor having a single floating point register.
FIG. 5
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illustrates an exemplary modulo reservation table calculated by an SMS scheduling routine for the example loop provided above as is conventional and which may be optimized in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. On an initial schedule attempt, the SMS scheduling routine attempts to schedule the loop for execution in six cycles due to the loop having a total of nodes and the exemplary system constraint of two instructions per cycle.
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Nodes - are scheduled at respective cycles , and due to the example processor limitation of a two cycle latency between dependent instructions. Node is scheduled in cycle and can be executed along with node in this cycle since the processor can execute two load/store instructions per cycle.
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Node is scheduled for cycle and can execute with node since they use different execution units, that is since node uses the integer register and node uses the floating point register. Node is scheduled in cycle and may execute with node since node and node use different execution units.
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Node is placed in cycle because it cannot be placed in cycle due to the limitation of instructions per cycle and the algorithm has already scheduled nodes and for the previous cycle. Accordingly, nodes and are scheduled for respective cycles and due to the processor limitation of a two cycle latency between dependent instructions.
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The SMS scheduling routine is unable to schedule node in any of cycles - because none of cycles - have sufficient resources free. Particularly, node comprises a floating point add (FPADD) and each of cycles - have a floating point operation previously allocated. Because the exemplary system has a processing limitation of one floating point operation per cycle, the SMS scheduling routine is unable to schedule node within the six-cycle modulo reservation table. Notably, the SMS scheduling routine is unsuccessful at completing the loop schedule due to the non-floating point nodes - being placed in the schedule prior to the most constrained nodes, namely floating point nodes -.
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Conventional SMS scheduling routines would then attempt to schedule the loop by incrementing the number of cycles in the initiation interval, that is to say, by incrementing II to . The present invention improves on conventional SMS scheduling routines by identifying resource constrained nodes and prioritizing the resource constrained nodes for scheduling.
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is a flowchart of an SMS scheduling routine for optimizing node scheduling in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The routine is invoked and reads an instruction set, for example the instructions comprising the loop shown and described above with reference to , to be scheduled (step ). A DDG is then generated (or alternatively read from a storage device if the DDG has previously been generated) for the instruction set (step ). The DDG is then analyzed for identification of any resources that are heavily used (step ). For example, a static analysis may be performed to analyze the loop DDG to determine if an execution unit, e.g., a floating point execution unit, an integer execution unit or the like, is heavily used. An evaluation of the analysis of step is then made to determine if any heavily used resources were identified (step ). If no heavily used resources were identified at step , the scheduling routine then exits (step ). If any resources were identified as heavily used at step , the scheduling routine proceeds to identify the resource-constrained instructions, i.e., instructions that make use of the heavily used resources, of the instruction set (step ). For example, if a floating point execution unit was identified as a heavily used resource at step , any instructions that use a floating point execution unit are then identified as resource-constrained instructions at step . The scheduling routine then designates the resource-constrained instructions so that they are identifiable as such (step ). For example, the resource-constrained instructions may be flagged or otherwise marked so that they are distinguishable from other instructions that are not resource-constrained. The scheduling routine then performs another scheduling attempt, e.g., by generating another modulo reservation table, with the resource-constrained instructions scheduled with priority (step ). The scheduling routine cycle then ends (step ).
FIG. 7
FIG. 6
FIG. 3
FIG. 4
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With reference now to , an exemplary modulo reservation table calculated by the SMS scheduling routine described above with reference to for the example instruction loop described above with reference to is shown in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The scheduling routine reads the loop and generates a DDG of the loop, for example DDG shown and described above with reference to . The scheduling routine then attempts to generate a schedule with an initiation interval of II=6. The DDG is then analyzed to identify any heavily used resources. In the present example, the floating point execution unit is identified as a heavily used resource, and thus each of nodes - are marked as resource-constrained instructions and are provided precedence when scheduling the nodes.
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An exemplary ordering of the nodes may then be generated as follows: <10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 11> because nodes - are resource constrained. Node may be selected first for scheduling of the resource constrained nodes by biasing selection of a starter node to be the highest priority of the resource constrained nodes. Accordingly, scheduling of the nodes is made as follows. Node is first scheduled in cycle (the earliest cycle in modulo reservation table shown in ). Nodes and are then assigned to respective cycles and to accommodate the example processor limitation of a two cycle latency between dependent instructions. The scheduling routine is unable to place node in cycle due to cycle already having been placed in schedule and of the exemplary system limitation of one floating point instruction per cycle. Thus, node is placed in cycle . Nodes and are then placed in respective cycles and to accommodate the example processor limitation of a two cycle latency between dependent instructions. Node is assigned to cycle for execution with node since nodes and use different execution units. Likewise, node is assigned to cycle for execution with node since nodes and use different execution units. In a similar manner, nodes and are assigned to respective cycles of 1 and −2 for execution with respective nodes and since nodes and (as well as nodes and ) use different execution units. Finally, node is assigned to cycle for execution with node since nodes and use different execution units.
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Accordingly, nodes - are completely scheduled within the initiation interval of six cycles rather than the seven cycle schedule of a conventional SMS algorithm. By giving priority to the resource constrained nodes such that the resource-constrained nodes are ordered before other nodes that are not resource-constrained, an optimal schedule is determined. Notably, SMS prioritization by node height and depth in the graph may still be respected. Thus, the present invention may be implemented by modification of an SMS algorithm in a manner that still accounts for ordering heuristics, such as height and depth and strongly connected components, that conventional SMS algorithms utilize.
It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a RAM, CD-ROMS, DVD-ROMS, and transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links, wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms, such as, for example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. The computer readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. | |
How do the media interpret reproductive interventions that involve genetic testing? When a scientist performed the first known genetic editing on twins, Lulu and Nana, he ignored ethical considerations of CRISPR use. This project provides a content analysis based on a review of popular science and newspaper articles. Our interpretation of these articles suggest that there is a lack of critical understanding of this unethical procedure and a similar attitude towards future genetic developments. While the public is curious about the repercussions of genetic editing, not enough focus is applied to the ethics of conducting such a procedure.
Comments
This poster was presented at the 31st Semi-Annual Honors and Undergraduate Research Scholars Poster Presentation at New York City College of Technology, Dec. 4, 2019. Mentor: Professor Katherine Gregory (Health Sciences). | https://academicworks.cuny.edu/ny_pubs/518/ |
Gait Analysis is a term that typically describes the testing or scrutiny of an individual’s movement patterns, or gait, and is common practice in running shoe stores and medical clinics. Gait analysis is regularly performed with the runner or walker moving on a treadmill, while the observer takes note of certain movement behaviors. Emphasis is placed on how closely an athlete emulates ‘perfect gait,’ or ‘textbook movement patterns’ with the goal of isolating behaviors that are either ineffective or potential contributing factors for dysfunction, imbalance or injury.
Optimal use of gait analysis helps to identify inefficiencies within an athlete’s form, utilizing whole-body sensors, multiple camera views and countless computer analyzed data points. Skilled assessment from a trained coach, trainer or medical professional can lead to determining sources of an athlete’s injury or localize parts of gait that are perhaps less than ideal. But rather than this optimal implementation of gait analysis, most systems of gait analysis have a narrow focus. For example, the primary function of most footwear store gait analysis programs is to determine the function of only one joint within the foot, the subtalar joint. The subtalar joint is responsible for controlling the motions of pronation and supination, two perfectly normal and necessary components of healthy gait. This post will explore aspects of gait analysis when done well, and how to identify gait analysis done poorly.
The first thing to consider for gait analysis, regardless of the skill level of the professional conducting the test, is that most gait analysis has one innate flaw; the treadmill. Treadmill gait is not natural gait, leading to small, but influential differences in movement patterns and muscle activation. The belt of the treadmill acts upon the athlete by pulling the loaded leg backward, rather than the athlete activating muscles to project their body forward. While subtle, this difference can have huge consequences over great distances, particularly if the athlete doesn’t train on a treadmill. This slight difference between treadmill gait and natural gait becomes more profound if the athlete typically exercises on irregular surfaces, such as a trail runner or hiker. So, as we proceed into any nuances of gait analysis, keep in mind that the very foundation in which we are analyzing an individual is innately flawed, and thus, it’s difficult to extract useful data even if all other testing factors are perfect.
Let’s first discuss the most common form of gait analysis, and what is currently done at most athletic footwear stores. With several treadmills near a wall of shoes, a customer will be asked to hop on and demonstrate their normal running or walking form. The salesperson is likely not trained in biomechanics, has not studied anatomy and is armed with limited knowledge such as how to determine arch height, or how to look for pronation and supination. While the customer runs or walks on the treadmill, a footwear salesperson creates an eyeballed assessment of the customer’s arch height and arch movement. The salesperson then matches the customer with a specific shoe style or brand that most ‘corrects’ or ‘fixes’ what the salesperson has deemed unacceptable in arch height or function. This system is not necessarily gait analysis, but rather, subtalar joint or arch analysis. It is exactly this subtalar evaluation (only one joint in the whole body) which determines how most athletes pick their shoes.
While the above scenario is commonplace, is it a valid form of assessment?
As we have discussed in previous blogs, arch height is not a credible measurement of dysfunction. Rather, arch height and movement varies within normative genetic values within the human population, see Arch Height vs. Arch Function. So, this subtalar joint evaluation is measuring a value that is innately different in every individual, and these differences are not necessarily ‘bad.’ Additionally, this type of testing was without sensors, cameras, computer generated force statistics or any substantial evaluator training. This testing also ignores some key factors; while the treadmill analysis may expose movement irregularities, it lacks the capacity to address muscle imbalances, hypertrophy and atrophy of tissues or the overall complexity of muscle activation. If there is a movement anomaly present for an athlete, great! With that additional information, that athlete can now address the imbalance with training changes, physical therapy, coaching, etc, rather than having a shoe provide instant correction. A new shoe, insert or orthotic doesn’t fix the inherent imbalance, but artificially addresses the result of the imbalance. Superficially propping up parts of the foot does not rectify the root muscular imbalance present. ‘Creating’ textbook gait will not always decrease injury, nor will it always increase efficiency.
True ‘cure’ will occur only with strengthening, modifications, or changes made by the athlete over time.
Moving beyond subtalar joint or arch analysis and into true gait analysis involves a lot more time, training and equipment. Professional gait analysis typically involves a physical therapist, podiatrist, kinesiologist, biomechanist or some other trained movement specialist. Markers are placed all over the body to capture joint angles, muscular activation, force upon impact, among many other factors. The movement of the individual is videotaped, to fully capture frame-by-frame images of the activation and involvement of each data point collected. Rather than being primarily focused on foot or ankle mechanics, the individual receives more of a whole-body movement analysis. These results are typically cross-referenced along with a full physical examination, dietary consultation, postural analysis, fitness level and blood testing. At the end of systemic testing and interpretation, an individual plan to correct movement errors is created. The plan may include strength changes, habitual postural adjustments and coaching on movement form. Upon several weeks or months of interventions, movement analysis is reassessed, changes are documented and additional revisions are added to the plan.
The belief that an individual’s current gait is unchangeable or that present gait anomalies are persistent with every step an individual takes is grossly incorrect. A 10-minute glimpse of an individual’s treadmill gait is exactly that, a glimpse. Gait analysis is not a summation of exactly how that person moves every step of every day. Yet the evaluation of one’s gait can lead to the acceptance by both the athlete and evaluator that the gait patterns demonstrated at that moment are always consistent and incapable of alteration. It’s possible to alter one’s gait, consciously or unconsciously, based off mood, fatigue, walking surface or even within the presence of music. It has even been proven that men walking with a woman they are romantically involved with will slow down below their optimal pace. Additionally, there are predictable gait variations experienced while walking on pavement versus sand, as well as similarly experienced gait changes when an individual switches between dress shoes versus athletic shoes. In an extreme example, movement differs while wearing a ski boot versus a flip flop. These movement differences are not necessarily bad but demonstrate the wide range of movements that a body is capable of completing.
This adaptability in gait helps us compensate in a variety of situations, but some of these compensatory mechanisms alter how muscles and joints within the body are intended to function. Ideal foot and ankle function occurs when joints sit in natural alignment, with the foot held on a level or flat platform. This means that regardless of the walking surface or aesthetic of the shoe, our footwear should not squeeze or lift toes, and should ideally be zero-drop with no heel elevation. Many gait abnormalities decrease as foot muscles strengthen, so the ideal shoe sole should be flexible enough to encourage foot muscles to flex and contract. Strengthening or re-balancing of tissue is necessary for optimal functioning; however, strengthening of tissues takes time. Returning to natural movement patterns via foot alignment and strengthening should be implemented slowly and progressively. Balancing and strengthening tissue by utilizing footwear that is naturally shaped, zero-drop and flexible will change gait patterns. It’s important to recognize that there is no one perfect human gait or ideal movement type that works for everyone, we each have our own individual ideal patterns. Natural footwear will help every individual to achieve their specific, ideal gait.
For athletic and casual shoes that encourage foot strengthening and alignment, check out our Shoe List. For additional information on foot health and natural movement, please see www.correcttoes.com, or contact us. | https://www.correcttoes.com/foot-help/what-is-gait-analysis/ |
The major challenge of intensive care in Zambia is limited availability of resources. With the increase in the number of intensive care units in the country, a tool to evaluate and compare the standard of care across these units could be used to help direct resources and provide quality assurance. Prognostic scoring systems may provide such a tool. Currently UTH has no specific data collection or prognostic scoring systems in place. Due to lack of facilities to directly measure oxygen partial pressure and arterial pH in many of Zambia’s intensive care units, the APACHE II (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II) scoring system, one of the most commonly used prognostic critical care scoring systems, may not be feasible to undertake countrywide. This study aimed at assessing how a modified APACHE scoring system excluding blood gas analysis (i.e. no pH and PO2) compares to the full APACHE II scoring system. This was a prospective cohort study conducted at the UTH intensive care unit, where 51 patients were recruited with a mean age of 34 years. Clinical and physiological variables were collected in the first 24 hours of admission, and a score calculated for each scoring system. The primary outcome was mortality. Specificity and sensitivity for each scoring system was determined and compared. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for the APACHE II was 0.78 (CI = 0.65–0.91, P = 0.01) and mAPACHE II 0.78 (CI = 0.66–0.91, P= 0.01). No significant difference between the two scoring systems was found. There was no significant difference between the areas under the two ROC curves for the standard APACHE II scoring system and mAPACHE II scoring system. This study suggests that the modified APACHE II may be an acceptable alternative to the full APACHE II scoring system. | http://dspace.unza.zm/handle/123456789/5242 |
Recently, I was reading Sarah Erdman’s post on the National Museum of American History’s O Say Can You See blog about engaging young visitors in exhibits that aren’t interactive. I found myself nodding my head frequently to her comments both as a museum educator and as a mother of a 2-year-old boy.
My husband and I frequently bring my son to the Bullock Texas State History Museum‘s exhibits. A typical visit lasts about 30 minutes and involves us following a very non-sequential line punctuated by my son saying “ooh,” pointing at an object he can identify, or (infrequently) pushing a button that makes something happen. Is he learning facts about Texas history? Nope. But is he having a good experience that makes him excited to hear us say “let’s go to the museum”? Yep. And if that isn’t the point, and the way to create a long-term museum visitor, then help me out with other ideas.
The blog made me think further too, about how we talk to family visitors about what they can do in our gallery spaces. I’ve asked our Family Programs Manager, Katie Raney, to take it from here. She writes:
Many families come to the Bullock Museum to explore our state’s stories together. Ideally, we want each of them to find a connection to Texas. Exploring a museum with an iPad in hand can lead to some awesome discoveries, but it’s not the only thing you can do in a museum gallery. We use a few different techniques to introduce families to our (mostly) non-interactive exhibits.
- Stress our dynamic nature. Artifacts and objects cycle in and out of the Bullock Museum on a regular basis as a non-collecting institution. I encourage families to choose a favorite object on their first visit, return to see it, and then pick a new favorite.
- Talk about the big things. An airplane doesn’t have to be interactive. My go-to response to families with especially small children is to seek out the areas with our largest displays. Kids are fascinated by the astronaut and the movie theater sign because those items stand out.
- Go beyond education. I want to see happy and engaged visitors — not just engaged with our museum’s content, but involved with each other. They may not remember the ins and outs of the state’s lumber industry, but these families will remember discussing different jobs together and how they feel about them.
- And of course, use interactive elements. But wait — isn’t this entire post about non-interactive museum exhibits? Sure, but a hands-on experience is one part of the visitor experience. We’ve recently introduced new exploration stations within our exhibits, facilitated by staff and volunteers, that let visitors see and touch objects from our teaching collection, like bison horns, chain mail and K-rations.
As we continue to rely on technology to rule our daily lives, we can encourage families to take a break, focus on each other and lead each other to memorable discoveries. Let’s make museums with interactive and static exhibits alike a place where groups can reconnect with their stories and, most importantly, each other. | https://aaslh.org/no-buttons-no-problem-helping-families-interact-with-non-interactive-exhibits/ |
MP Boris Johnson has successfully had a private criminal prosecution against him thrown out of court, by submitting an application for a judicial review of the decision to issue him with a court summons. But what exactly are judicial reviews, and how are they used?
*This article was updated on 7/6/19 to reflect the outcome of the judicial review in question*
The case of Boris Johnson
Mr Johnson was the subject of a private prosecution brought by a campaigner who crowdfunded £200,000 for the case, involving the criminal offence of misconduct in a public office.
Private criminal prosecutions have become increasingly common as cuts to the police and courts system have left many victims of crime without proper avenues to justice. They can be brought by anyone, however, in order to get the prosecution started it is necessary to first persuade a magistrate or District Judge to issue a summons.
To do this, the magistrate or District Judge must be satisfied that, among other things:
- an offence in law has been committed;
- there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial or judgment;
- the prosecution is brought within an appropriate time of the alleged offence;
- the court has the necessary jurisdiction to proceed; and
- the prosecution is not vexatious (i.e. brought solely to harass or subdue an adversary).
Given the significant public interest in the case of Boris Johnson, the District Judge held a hearing before deciding that a summons should be issued.
This is known as considering the summons ‘on notice’, and while it is rare in public prosecutions (i.e. those brought by the Crown Prosecution Service via the police, or by another prosecuting body such as HMRC or the Environment Agency), it is not unusual in private prosecutions.
Challenging a summons via a Judicial Review
Every decision made in the Magistrates’ Court can be challenged by Judicial Review in the High Court.
During a Judicial Review, judges at the High Court must decide whether the decision made by the magistrate/District Judge to issue the summons was so unreasonable or irrational that no reasonable person would have arrived at the same decision.
This is known as the ‘Wednesbury Test’, named after a famous historic case involving a town planning case in Wednesbury. Despite this being a high test to pass, it is not uncommon for those receiving a summons to make an application for a Judicial Review – indeed, this is exactly what Boris Johnson’s legal team did.
A solicitor who is experienced in private prosecutions will expect to deal with this type of application, and in the case of Boris Johnson, the prosecutors will have prepared for it long before the summons was issued. However, in this case, despite the arguments put forward by the prosecution, the High Court judges decided that the summons was not lawful, and overruled the District Judge’s decision to issue it.
Other ways to challenge a private prosecution
In cases where a defendant fails to have a prosecution dropped via a Judicial Review, there are a number of other ways in which the case can be challenged.
It is sometimes possible to persuade the CPS to take over the prosecution and discontinue it, for example:
- if on review of the case papers, either the evidential sufficiency stage or the public interest stage of the Full Code Test is not met; or
- if there are factors which would be damaging to the interests of justice if the prosecution was not discontinued, including where the prosecution would interfere with the investigation or prosecution of another offence; where the defendant has been promised immunity from prosecution; or where the defendant has already (and appropriately) been given a simple caution or a conditional caution for the offence.
Should a defendant fail in all of these challenges, it is still possible to launch an application to dismiss a private prosecution once the case reaches the Crown Court. | https://www.reganpeggs.com/judicial-reviews-in-private-prosecutions/ |
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, by earning a 2011 Silver Rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Ratings System (STARS), is ahead of the curve among public universities – and improving.
STARS is a voluntary, self–reporting framework developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) to help measure sustainability performance over time and among colleges and universities nationwide. The UNLV Sustainability Council oversaw STARS, which by measuring sustainability can help UNLV to reduce energy consumption and waste, improve education, attract research, and generate jobs.
A rating of Silver puts UNLV in great company – with Yale, University of North Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Florida, and Michigan State – and improving.
A Few Highlights
- UNLV has secured more than $99 million in funding for renewable energy research over the past 10 years.
- UNLV scored high marks for its new Renewable Energy Minor and Graduate Cirtificate program.
- Greenspun Hall earned LEED Gold and the Science and Engineering Building scored LEED Silver designations.
- Grounds and Landscape earned a perfect score.
- Rebel Recycling diverted 60% of all waste.
- STARS will serve as a road map for a Comprehensive UNLV Sustainability Action Plan.
Keywords
Energy auditing; Energy conservation; Environmental impact analysis; Sustainability; Sustainability Tracking; Assessment & Ratings System (STARS); Sustainable development reporting; Universities and colleges—Environmental aspects; University of Nevada; Las Vegas
Disciplines
Environmental Policy | Environmental Sciences | Natural Resources and Conservation | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Sustainability | Urban Studies and Planning
Repository Citation
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(2011).
UNLV STARS fact sheet. | https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/reports/4/ |
Your people are your most valuable resource. Charged with doing specific roles, team members are the ones who know the function best. Their skills, knowledge and experience are among the most critical factors that need to be considered when you are developing an effective team. They are familiar with what can go wrong, what difficulties there can be, and what needs to be done to get things right. Therefore, it can be said that these team members are the best people to consult when you are trying to improve how the team and its members perform their functions.
Improvements can be made most easily when you are bringing together experts who know the process well, and you allow them to work on their respective areas of expertise freely. Staff must be given the authority to work on these areas and make changes that they feel will improve the service best. Staff members who are involved and who participate in decision-making and improvement processes feel most committed to making the changes work.
Organisational members will appreciate the opportunity to discuss their working environment and even their problems, such as their relationship with a colleague or manager. Talking an issue through can help diffuse a negative situation before it gets out of hand. With this in mind, you should devise strategies that will encourage this type of open communication among your staff.
This workplace philosophy should come from the top. There ought to be a commitment from upper management to encourage open communication and discussion. By showing that management is willing to listen and make changes on the basis of what the staff has discussed, you will encourage staff to be more open. Regular personal contact between staff and supervisors will assist in promoting this type of communication.
As a leader, you will be responsible for ensuring that the team has the resources necessary to complete tasks and meet goals, key performance indicators, and objectives. They also need to build relationships with the teams in their workplace.
Establishing good relationships and maintaining those relationships to reach desired goals and objectives is achieved in a very similar way to creating and maintaining personal relationships. Business relationships are built by being open, honest, co-operative, and productive.
There are several effective ways to offer support and assistance to team members with skills issues. These include:
1. Coaching
Generally speaking, coaching follows the format of individual guidance. It focuses on job performance and is aimed at one person alone. In this method, the coach specifically advises the person on how to tackle and perform a particular task. They provide constructive feedback and delegate further similar tasks, setting goals or higher-level tasks for the individual to complete. In most instances, the coach would be an immediate supervisor or manager responsible for the department’s overall performance. Ultimately, coaching is about having a positive relationship where the coachee respects, trusts, and identifies with the coach.
2. Mentoring
Unlike coaching, mentoring generally follows the format of generalised advice and guidance for career development. This method is about developing a relationship between a more senior and experienced mentor and an inexperienced mentee. The former guides and develops the mentee’s knowledge and career progression.
In most cases, the mentor would be someone who is not the mentee’s immediate supervisor/manager or within your organisation. This allows the mentee the luxury of talking to an independent and impartial confidante who is not their manager. As such, mentors can listen to the mentee’s issues, allow them to vent unrestrictedly, and support them in achieving their goals.
3. Training and Development Opportunities
Training and development refers to the formal, ongoing efforts made within organisations to improve the performance and self-fulfilment of staff members. These efforts include a variety of educational methods and programs. In the modern workplace, such efforts have taken on a broad range of applications, such as instruction in highly specific job skills and long-term professional development.
The method has recently emerged as a formal business function, an integral element of strategy, and even a recognised profession with its own distinct theories and methodologies. Various kinds of organisations have embraced ‘continual learning’ and other aspects of training and development into their operations. In particular, these are often used as a means of promoting staff member growth and acquiring a highly skilled workforce. Interestingly, both the quality of staff members and the continual improvement of their skills and productivity through training are widely recognised as vital factors in ensuring the long-term success and profitability of small and big organisations alike.
4. Clarification of Roles and Expectations
The clarification of roles and expectations is something you ought to do on an ongoing basis. This method is essential on an individual level (i.e., setting and clarifying expectations for each member), but it is even more vital to do so for the whole team.
Setting and clarifying expectations is most crucial when a new staff member starts work, an existing member takes on a new role or undergoes a change in responsibilities, or when you take on a new team or are part of a team whose responsibilities change. Successfully doing so will help members clarify their responsibilities and realign their performance as necessary.
Failure to set clear standards of performance and behaviour can cause confusion or misunderstanding among your members, and this may render them unable to perform their roles despite being capable of doing so.
5. Short-term Measures and Long-term Goals
When developing a strategic plan, any organisation must balance short-term measures and long-term goals for the business. Though it is tempting to focus on hitting revenue targets for the upcoming quarter, too much emphasis on such can have far-reaching effects in the long run. It is essential to foster a culture where the emphasis on immediate targets doesn’t negatively impact the organisation.
Short-term measures are effective at getting staff members focused on specific targets. For instance, if you’re looking to push a new project line, setting a sales goal would influence members to highlight its attributes to customers. This may be achieved by offering bonuses to top performers or setting commission-based compensation policies. Short-term measures are also paramount when they are critical to business needs. For instance, a struggling new business that needs to reach its revenue goal and pay back its stakeholders may heavily push for current period sales, regardless of the discounts required to influence them.
On the other hand, long-term goals incorporated into the planning and policy-making process often focus on promoting the desired company culture or protecting the brand name. As such, you must consider how decisions affect those areas of your business.
You likely have a vision of you want your company to be in the near or far future – not only in terms of growth but also in terms of your position in the community. Thus, every decision you must consider the effects on reaching those goals.
6. Meetings
In the past decade, technology has signalled the shift from solely having face-to-face meetings to having virtual meetings in the form of conference calls, video conferencing, online document sharing, and webinars. These emerging form of meetings can be as effective as traditional face-to-face meetings.
Be it physical or virtual, regular staff meetings help remind staff members that there is more going on than their issues and deadlines. Through meetings, members may find opportunities for mutual support and collaboration and obtain vital information from each other. On the other hand, meetings help managers get a ‘quick pulse’ about how their staff are doing.
Regular staff meetings also create an opportunity for different layers of the organisation (e.g., managers, staff members, interns, contractors) to align around current priorities and organisational goals.
Establishing Effective Working Relationships
You will find that the people you must establish relationships with are determined by the tasks you need to perform. However, it may be difficult to form relationships with those you work with. This could be a result of various factors, such as working with people who you normally would not choose as friends or those who are very different from you. To overcome these difficulties and build effective working relationships, four attributes can guide you. These are:
1. Openness
Being open means that you are willing to provide all the information that is required to make a successful and effective decision. For example, if you are working with someone, but you do not provide him or her with all the information they need, they will most likely make a poor decision. In order to build a strong working relationship, all parties need to know that you can openly share information and provide opinions without the fear of retribution should those opinions be different from those held by others.
2. Honesty
As with your personal relationships, it is difficult to operate without honesty. You need to know that you can trust those you work with, and much of that trust comes from knowing that you are being told the truth. It is, therefore, important to be sincere and show that you are being honest with everything you are saying. Openness and honesty go hand-in-hand and help to build a long-lasting working relationship.
3. Productivity
For a working relationship to be effective, there must be a productive result. Achieving results and increasing productivity can enhance a working relationship. A strong working relationship will actually achieve its aims while a weaker working relationship is unlikely to achieve everything that was set out for it. Therefore, it is vital that you become accountable and co-operate to achieve these aims and objectives.
4. Co-operation
Finally, the working relationships you have can be enhanced through increased levels of co-operation. Co-operation is essentially the willingness to help out as necessary and do what is required to get the job done. This can be shown by being proactive and showing the other parties that you will do anything you need to do to help make the job easier. | https://evolation.edu.au/topic/1-3-support-team-members-in-meeting-expected-performance-outcomes-supporting-the-team/ |
Artist Spotlight: Ben Kishore
Here at Western Reserve Academy, we are fortunate to be amongst the presence of many creative and talented artists. One of these individuals is Ben Kishore. During his time at Reserve, Kishore has actively pursued individual work in the field of photography.
Kishore owes his initial interest in photography to his mother: “My mom got me into photography. She is an artist and always encouraged me to pursue artistic ventures but I was not great at drawing or painting,” Kishore explained. “I also hated getting my picture taken so I always volunteered to take the photos instead. When I got to Reserve, Mr. Doe helped me to better understand photography and made me look deeper into the art,” Kishore continued.
Mr. Doe’s help has been instrumental to people like Kishore. It has allowed the Reserve student body to better cultivate artistic inclinations amidst the chaotic, academic environment of an elite preparatory school.
Kishore’s work consists predominantly of portraits. It is through this format that Kishore gathers most of his inspiration: “I am influenced a lot by the people I take pictures of and my own personal interests like fashion and current events,” Kishore elaborated. The idea of unique personality gives Kishore a great deal of creative opportunity within each shot: “I enjoy doing portraits because it is personal and you have the ability to manipulate and ultimately decide how you want to portray the subject in the final product.” The ability to pick and choose how to portray individuals is an artistically liberating sensation; this personal approach to a conventional field such as portrait photography gives Kishore’s work a unique aspect.
When asked why photography is special, Kishore responded that “photography is special to me because it is a simple task but it takes some thought and learning how to properly use a camera to execute it properly.” Being able to correctly manipulate a complex device despite an apparently simple activity is crucial to success in the field. Photography provided Kishore with an opportunity to express clear, artistic manifestations without using a pen or paintbrush. Being able to portray an individual in the most real way possible––without pen, pencil, or paintbrush––reveals a distinct clarity in the photographed. Through this clarity, Kishore is able to reveal personal characteristics of his subjects.
Kishore’s work is just one of the many excellent examples of the result of determined, creative individuals that pursue excellence outside of the conventional classroom. We look forward to seeing what Kishore can deliver in the future! | https://reserverecord.com/2017/03/09/artist-spotlight-ben-kishore/ |
Electronic structure calculations are to be employed to identify the individual roles of active site residues in alpha-chymotrypsin, carbonic anhydrase, and pepsin. Aid in understanding the catalytic mechanisms is obtained from computed charge distributions, geometries, electrostatic potentials, and interaction energies. The x-ray crystal structures which have been determined for heme proteins, iron-sulfur proteins, flavo-proteins and other oxidation-reduction proteins show hydrogen bonds between the active centers and the apoprotein. Use of electronic structure calculations can extend this geometrical information to charge distributions and binding energies and thereby help to characterize the observed coupling between protein oxidation state and hydrogen bond conformation. They also yield insight into how these hydrogen bonds influence the redox potential of the proteins. Ab initio (all electron, exact Hamiltonian) methods are to be used in the calculations for the enzyme active sites and for the hydrogen bond model in redox proteins. This well-established approach is known to give quantitatively useful results for small organic and inorganic molecules and it is possible to utilize it for protein studies because of a recent advance in the computational efficiency of carrying out energy optimization. Amino-acid residues outside the active site and solvent molecules can be represented accurately by a procedure employing electrostatic potentials.
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What is cooperative individualism?
A:
Quick Answer
The sociopolitical philosophy of cooperative individualism calls for people of all societies to establish a legal system that promotes and protects equal opportunity, liberty and human rights. Cooperative individualism is a branch of cooperative economics that promotes the ownership and control of workplaces by the workers. Cooperative individualists argue that company profits should be paid as dividends to its workers.
Keep Learning
Cooperative individualism is a part of the cooperative movement, which is active in several European and Asian countries. The Mondragon Corporation located in Spain is one of the largest and most successful examples of cooperative individualism.
Cooperative individualism has several basic principles. People who follow this movement believe that all people have the same needs in order to live a decent human existence. These needs are not limited to food, water and shelter. Education, medical care, leisure and culture are considered needs as well. Cooperative individualists also believe that because all humans are born on the Earth, all humans should have equal access to it and the goods produced from it that are necessary for survival. This philosophy also promotes liberty as the basis for moral human behavior. Behavior is only considered criminal if it violates the liberty of other people.
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Publication Type:
Journal Article
Authors:
Todor Tagarev
;
George Sharkov
Source:
Information & Security: An International Journal, Volume 34, Issue 1, p.59-68 (2016)
Keywords:
collaborative networks
,
cyber maturity
,
cybersecurity strategy
,
intelligent complex adaptive system
,
multi-stakeholder approach
,
organizational framework
,
organizational model
,
public-private partnership
,
stovepipes
Abstract:
Identifying and involving all relevant stakeholders in national cybersecurity strategy (NCSS) development is key for defining the scope, setting the goals and approaches, and the roadmap to achieve targeted maturity levels. It is more than involving the three groups (government, private sector, academia) and requires a holistic approach towards security and resilience of all interconnected segments of national and international cyberspace. The paper presents the approach to making the Bulgarian NCSS (BG-NCSS). Different aspects of stakeholders' involvement and engagements are considered: for identifying the scope and developing the strategy, defining the responsibilities and engaging with the development of a national collaboration operational network, strategy implementation and the roadmap to a resilient society, and collaboration to achieve operational cyber resiliency. As a collaboration mechanism, applications of public-private partnerships at different levels are envisaged.
Tag:
Policy and strategy
Organization
Organizing
Tags:
Cybersecurity
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