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"Collective intelligence" refers to ways that information and communications technologies are bringing people and computing together to achieve outcomes that were previously beyond our individual capabilities or expectations. Google's search algorithms, Wikipedia's millions of articles, Amazon's recommendations, and open source software's multiple successes are prominent examples of ways in which technology and people are being brought together to exhibit behaviors that, collectively, are more intelligent than is possible by people or machines alone. Collective intelligence makes contact with machine learning in three ways. First, machine learning scholars and practitioners are using collective intelligence as an element in conducting their work, such as using crowdsourcing resources like Amazon Mechanical Turk to create corpora in computational linguistics or computer vision or to evaluate results in user interfaces or information retrieval. Second, existing techniques and new innovations in machine learning have become a key enabler of many examples of collective intelligence, such as mining consumer behaviors and product review sentiments to facilitate product recommendation. Finally, collective intelligence offers a provocative phenomenon to consider by those seeking to expand our ability to build computational systems that can be said to learn. This tutorial will survey the state of the art in collective intelligence from a machine learning perspective. First, it will discuss examples in which people explicitly serve as participants in collectively intelligent systems, such as editing Wikipedia articles, participating in the Netflix Challenge, identifying astronomical objects in GalaxyZoo, providing reviews and ratings on Amazon or TripAdvisor, or using Amazon Mechanical Turk to label images with tags. Second, it will present examples in which collectively intelligent outcomes arise through the computationally distilled wisdom of the behaviors and creations of individuals otherwise acting for their own, often unrelated purposes, as exhibited by Google's page ranking algorithm and Amazon's recommendation system. The tutorial will conclude with a discussion of prospects for the future.	http://techtalks.tv/events/62/107/
The prospect of retirement doesn’t just signal the end of a career; it offers the chance to recalibrate and re-prioritize in life. We're saddened by the news that renowned architect Zaha Hadid has passed away. Known for her embrace of technology and cutting-edge forms, Hadid's signature vision both challenged and expanded the boundaries of the profession. As the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize, her legacy will continue to influence generations of architects.	http://www.archive.dwell.com/post/article/remembering-zaha-hadid
What are the principles that keep our society together? This question is even more difficult to answer than the long-standing question, what are the forces that keep our world together. However, the social challenges of humanity in the 21st century ranging from the financial crises to the impacts of globalization, require us to make fast progress in our understanding of how society works, and how our future can be managed in a resilient and sustainable way. This book can present only a few very first steps towards this ambitious goal. However, based on simple models of social interactions, one can already gain some surprising insights into the social, ``macro-level'' outcomes and dynamics that is implied by individual, ``micro-level'' interactions. Depending on the nature of these interactions, they may imply the spontaneous formation of social conventions or the birth of social cooperation, but also their sudden breakdown. This can end in deadly crowd disasters or tragedies of the commons (such as financial crises or environmental destruction). Furthermore, we demonstrate that classical modeling approaches (such as representative agent models) do not provide a sufficient understanding of the self-organization in social systems resulting from individual interactions. The consideration of randomness, spatial or network interdependencies, and nonlinear feedback effects turns out to be crucial to get fundamental insights into how social patterns and dynamics emerge. Given the explanation of sometimes counter-intuitive phenomena resulting from these features and their combination, our evolutionary modeling approach appears to be powerful and insightful. The chapters of this book range from a discussion of the modeling strategy for socio-economic systems over experimental issues up the right way of doing agent-based modeling. We furthermore discuss applications ranging from pedestrian and crowd dynamics over opinion formation, coordination, and cooperation up to conflict, and also address the response to information, issues of systemic risks in society and economics, and new approaches to manage complexity in socio-economic systems. Selected parts of this book had been previously published in peer reviewed journals. - About the authors - Dirk Helbing, ETH Zürich Chair of Sociology Dept., Theoretical physicist, Worldwide leading scientist in computational social sciences and econophysics/complexity research. - Reviews - From the reviews:	https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9783642240034
Top Pick When we think about grand and bland website design, we mostly focus on the “feel” and “look” of the website. This can include fonts, layout, structure, colours and images. Though these things are important, good website design requires more than that. What separates the prolific from the wanting is the website’s design, functionality and user experience. As the world has
Islands That Struggle With overtourism. Be a traveller, not a tourist From the very start, tourism as a way of spending time became very attractive for people worldwide. What could be more challenging than discovering new countries and sites, enjoying nature’s miracles, or learning about other countries cultures? Nothing, we can say. But tourism itself led to a new problem, overtourism. Today, it is a real mess for lots of picturesque places that were merely ruined due to this phenomenon. In that article, we decided to take the time to with enclosing you the problem of over-tourism and its impact on various islands around the world. What Is Overtourism The very definition of overtourism is easy to distinguish from the name of this concept. Too much tourist flow in certain directions means. The tourism industry itself is constantly evolving, and the processes of globalization and modern technologies lead to the fact that more and more people decide to travel and see the world. Thanks to the emergence of low-cost airlines and budget travel agencies, tourism is becoming more accessible. But they also give rise to such a phenomenon as overtourism. As a result, even the obvious benefit for the economy of tourist locations is offset by the problems that arise due to the huge flow of tourists. What kind of overtourism problems can arise, and why are they so terrible? - The very overtourism definition suggests that the flow of tourists is too large. And this entails an increase in the population in a tourist location. Often overtourism results in a lack of resources, queues, and traffic jams. - Overtourism leads to damage to nature. Masses of tourists harm the environment, which is especially critical for nature reserves. - Damage is also being done to cultural sites. This is important from the point of view of preserving cultural heritage. As an example, Charles Bridge in the Czech Republic exists in a single copy, and if every tourist damages at least a square inch of its surface, the site will simply disappear. That is, overtourism is really one of the current issues in tourism. All these problems of overtourism are becoming especially relevant today. And this relevance is very acutely felt on the islands, closed parts of the land, on which there is often a unique ecosystem. The List of the world’s most visited tourist attraction (Islands) As for the directions most prone to overtourism, they are primarily associated with popular tourist routes. Besides, this is an often visited place that is easy to get to thanks to well-established tourist links. Agree, it is difficult to talk about overtourism on the islands, which are thousands of miles away from the mainland. In Europe, the tourist mean islands most prone to overtourism today are: - Santorini island in Greece, - The islands of Tenerife and Las Palmas in the Canary archipelago, - Isle of Skye in Scotland, - Iceland, - Mallorca and Ibiza in Spain. In Africa, overtourism examples are fewer. But first of all, this is Zanzibar, an island archipelago that has become a popular resort in recent years. As for the New World, here the largest influx of tourists occurs on the islands of the Bahamas and in general on the islands of the Caribbean. Hawaii, the main island state of the United States, has also become a well-known attraction point for overtourism. If we talk about the Asia-Pacific Region, then overtourism places are also noted here. These include: - Maldives, - Bali, - Islands of Thailand, Phuket, Koh Samui, Samet and others. Then let’s enclose the main problems overtourism impacts the most in the most popular directions worldwide taking only islands as examples. Hawaii – the Lost Paradise – the world’s most visited tourist attraction Sunny and beautiful Hawaii is a hotspot for tourists from all over the world. Overtourism in Hawaii is a big problem as besides doing harm to the ecology of the islands, tourists also ruin the iconic culture of Hawaiians. As the statistic says, the main reasons for overtourism on Maui, the Hawaiian biggest island, are as follows: - Restaurant waiting for several hours. Tourists and locals cannot get to their tables as fast as they want. - Traffic jams all over the island make the life of locals harder. - The harm done to endangered mammals and birds spiced caused by tourists. As a result, overtourism in Hawaii causes more harm than all the tornadoes and storms. Read also: How to Choose the Best Hawaiian Island for Your Trip Pacific Isles That Also Suffer from too many tourists When we talk about Pacific tourism area overtourism issues, it is Thailand that comes to the lips first of all. Thailand’s capital is the most visited place in the world. However, the most actual example is the famous Maya Bay depicted in The Beach movie starring Leonardo Di Caprio. The popularity of the bay and the whole of Ko Ko Phi Phi Leh island increased crucially and it led to coral erosion and huge waste accumulation in the shore waters and beaches. The next example worth mentioning is fabulous Bali. The island that is the centre of the Buddhism religion and the motherland of lots of picturesque volcanoes suffers from the touristic multitude. Bali’s overtourism problems are actual for the last decade no less. Locals get the most income from visitors yet they still do not understand the level of danger tourists bring with them. Isle of Skye Skye islanders called for help as their island with a heroic history and cultural value was attacked by tourists. Besides overcrowding by tourists, the island suffers from multiple TV shows running on that site. The biggest problem Isle of Skye gained from overtourism is traffic jams that were evoked on local narrow roads. Besides, Isle of Skye overtourism impacts the state of legendary Fairy pools that are clogged with waste. Besides, there is an imbalance as tourists choose the most popular destinations leaving apart other, no less beautiful zones of the island. Iceland If we talk about the Iceland overtourism issue, then the main problem of the island is that its infrastructure is designed to provide for the local population, which there are about 400,000. But there are 6 times more tourists on the island. This entails a problem with the supply of food and the provision of services. In addition, environmentalists fear that Iceland’s natural parks may suffer due to the large influx of visitors. You might find it interesting: Ellidaey and the loneliest house in the world Ibiza, Tenerife and Mallorka tourism area All three popular tourist destinations on the islandish Spain (By the way, Spain is the second most visited country in the world.) are Mallorca, Ibiza, and Tenerife. And all three of these islands suffer from the number of tourists. Every year, the ecology of the islands suffers huge damage, including due to the amount of plastic left by tourists, garbage on the beaches, and damage to natural attractions. Read also: The Most Complete Guide to the Balearic Islands Santorini Issues Each year, it is over 33 million tourists make steps on the white streets of Santorini island. Its picturesque sunsets and white walls, overwhelming sea sites and cosy taverns attract over 18,000 tourists daily. Yet the whole population of an island is no more than 15,000 people. That is less than the number of tourists coming daily. The main problem with this tourist attraction point is that all the visitors come for a single day which is not a good omen for the local economy. Solutions for tourism problems. How to deal with overtourism? Overtourism is a problem that depends mostly on tourists themselves. Lots of agencies and governments of the touristic hotspots offer visitors to adhere to the rules of responsible tourism as overtourism can be overcome only with them. These rules include the following points: - Travel, choosing not the busiest locations. Not always vacationing in a most visited place is the best idea. Sometimes it is worth choosing a small town in the location you are interested in, and not hanging out in a big city or tourist hub. - Monitor the environment. Do not litter yourself and help clean up the garbage for other, less responsible tourists. - Do not travel by car. Alternative transport exists, and with its help, you can not only stand less in traffic jams but also help reduce harmful emissions into the air. - Choose a vacation, not in high season. It helps to see the world from a new angle, and at the same time unloads the tourism industry. - Be a traveler, not a tourist. A tourist is someone who goes to a place for the sole purpose of seeing it. They want to experience the destination, but they don’t want to get too involved in the local culture or make any real effort to learn about it. They’re just there to look around and take pictures, maybe eat some food, and then move on. A traveller, on the other hand, is someone who goes to a new place with the intent—to experience not just what’s happening at that moment in time but also what happened there before and what will happen next. All these rules are very simple and it is enough to follow them to make your vacation enjoyable and the situation on the beautiful island tourist centres stable.	https://findislands.com/islands-that-struggle-with-overtourism/
Professor Sternthal's work focuses on understanding how people process the information presented in persuasive messages, and the consequences of this processing for brand judgments. He applies this understanding to the development of effective advertising strategies. He also investigates the strategies consumers use to self-regulate their behavior and how they might modify these strategies to enhance the attainment of their goals. His methodological interest centers on designing rigorous experiments to represent theory in data and using data in advancing theory.	https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/en/persons/brian-sternthal
We will work in partnership with our local community and all those who share our core values of Inclusion, Progression and Excellence. Above all we will work in partnership with all those who form our Academy community, staff students and parents, to create a successful, thriving academy. We aim to be a learning environment which is valued by learners, their families and the extended community. WE aim to become the heart of the community that WE serve, to develop strong links with all members and to provide learning opportunities for people of all ages. Primary Partners We acknowledge the importance of working closely with our primary school partners. This will minimise stress and anxiety for students and parent/carers. It will also ensure continuity between the primary and secondary stages, so that the progress your child makes in primary school is sustained and built on at our Academy. Partnership with Parents and Carers Here at the Academy we understand and value the vital role that parents and carers play in their child’s education and we will develop close links with you. We want to encourage you to take an active role in the Academy and provide support for your child’s education. We will support you in encouraging your child to access the range of learning opportunities, that will be delivered beyond the Academy day. Clear and frequent communication is important to enable you to support your child. We will offer regular opportunities throughout the year, for you to monitor your child’s progress and to talk to teaching staff. Communication between the Academy and home will take various forms: Academy newsletters, letters, telephone conversations, meetings and online access via our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).	https://www.consett-academy.org.uk/19/academy-life
The mission of the Consortium is to mobilize and amplify the voices of U.S. doctors, in partnership with public health experts and fellow health professionals, to successfully advocate for equitable climate solutions that protect and promote the health of all people. Consensus Statement We – the undersigned medical societies – support the international scientific consensus, as established in multiple national and international assessments, that the Earth is rapidly warming, and that human actions (especially burning of fossil fuels) are the primary causes. As established in the 2016 U.S. Climate and Health Assessment – The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment – the resulting changes in our climate are creating conditions that harm human health through extreme weather events, reduced air and water quality, increases in infectious and vector-borne diseases, and other mechanisms. While climate change threatens the health of every American, some people are more vulnerable and are most likely to be harmed, including: infants and children; pregnant women; older adults; people with disabilities; people with pre-existing or chronic medical conditions, including mental illnesses; people with low-income; and indigenous peoples, some other communities of color, and immigrants with limited English proficiency. As medical professionals, many of our members know firsthand the harmful health effects of climate change on patients. We know that addressing climate change through reduction in fossil fuel use will lead to cleaner air and water, to immediate health benefits for Americans, and will help to limit global climate change. We support educating the public and policymakers in government and industry about the harmful human health effects of global climate change, and about the immediate and long-term health benefits associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions (i.e., heat-trapping pollution) and taking other preventive and protective measures that contribute to sustainability. We support actions by physicians and hospitals within their workplaces to adopt sustainable practices and reduce the carbon footprint of the health delivery system. We recognize the importance of health professionals’ involvement in policymaking at the local, state, national, and global level, and support efforts to implement comprehensive and economically sensitive approaches to limiting climate change to the fullest extent possible. Our organizations are committed to working with officials at all levels to reduce emissions of heat-trapping pollution, and to work with health agencies to promote research on effective interventions and to strengthen the public health infrastructure with the aim of protecting human health from climate change.	https://medsocietiesforclimatehealth.org/about/mission-and-consensus-statement/
Dreams, from my experience, are the domain of what psychology calls the subconscious and on a deeper level, the soul. For me, dreams are my soul’s way of telling me what’s REALLY going on with me. To understand what is happening at the soul level, beneath my conscious awareness, it is instructive, I have found, to keep a dream journal. Why have I found this? In keeping a dream journal and writing down my dreams and analyzing them, I connect the dots of what messages my subconscious, my soul is communicating to me over time and it helps me to gain inner clarity with a deeper part of myself that I may not keep the deeper aspects of my psyche hidden from myself. When I ignore these dream messages of my subconscious/soul, I risk my psyche developing emotional and mental imbalances in order to get my attention. The subconscious/soul is a receptacle for all that is going on in our lives and it is also intuitive, prophetic and sagacious. It doesn’t lie and is a great aspect of our complexity as humans to call on so that we may better understand ourselves and others. My dreams are always memorable and sharp and while I don’t remember every detail of every dream, I write down as much as I can recall of the dream and go over its written and mental remembrance to glean it’s significance in my life. This helps me to stay in touch with that part of me that is out of my conscious awareness and I believe that it helps me to stay whole, in balance and clear in my persona/psyche/ego.	http://www.stepontoyourownwisdompath.net/2018/12/keeping-dream-journal.html?spref=bl
Since the beginning of 2017, Sultan Qaboos University’s Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies and Research (DVC-PSR) has been organizing a series of workshops and training sessions that focus on a variety of research topics and research-related skills. These events have covered a diverse range of topics, including academic writing and publishing, increasing faculty and university research visibility, research methodology and analysis, academic English skills, and using software to enhance research. In February 2017, the DVC-PSR Office organized a workshop series entitled “An Introduction to Research and Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences”. The workshops, facilitated by Dr. Christopher Denman, a researcher from the DVC-PSR, offered a practical introduction to research and writing for novice researchers in the humanities and social sciences with a specific focus on the Omani context. The workshop series offered participants practical experience with designing, implementing, and reporting research, in addition to a theoretical orientation to the nature of research in the humanities and social sciences. Participants were encouraged to discuss a number of important areas that researchers and other scholars should be aware of in their fields, and examined such topics as data collection and analysis techniques, writing research proposals, putting a dissertation and research paper together, and steps for getting published. This was followed in December 2017 by a series of workshops that explored practical actions that SQU staff and faculty can take to increase the university’s research visibility. These were delivered by Dr. Denman and Dr. Sunayana Nandagopal, from the DVC-PSR Office. These workshops covered a number of areas, including individual steps that SQU faculty and staff can take to help enhance the university’s Scimago Institutions Rankings, increasing research visibility through self-archiving, funding opportunities for researchers at SQU, and important considerations when publishing academic work. The workshops were attended by university faculty, administrators, researchers, and staff from across SQU’s colleges, deanships, and research centres. These workshops have been complemented by training sessions that started during the same period and that focused on the research and academic English skills of the university’s research centre staff. These sessions, which were developed based on the workshops held in February, are being conducted by Dr. Denman, and seek to encourage research output among trainees in terms of academic papers and conference presentations by building proficiency in the core language skills needed to confidently engage in academic exchange. Following the success of these workshops and training sessions, the DVC-PSR Office arranged a workshop series on research methodology and analysis in January, 2018. These workshops, which were again facilitated by Dr. Nandagopal and Dr. Denman, offered an examination of various aspects involved in conducting research that was aimed at new researchers. Topics covered in these workshops included an overview of the nature of research, common data collection and analysis techniques, and the use of data analysis software. The workshops were attended by a diverse audience which included SQU faculty members, researchers and research assistants, technical staff, and postgraduate students. These are set to be followed by a workshop in April conducted by Prof. Dr. Naeema H. Jabur Razzouki from SQU’s Department of Information Studies at the College of Arts and Social Sciences. This workshop is entitled, “Managing references and bibliographies using Mendeley: Practical tutorial” and has been jointly organized by the DVC-PSR Office and the College of Arts and Social Sciences as part of the “Increasing Research Visibility at SQU” series. The workshop will offer a hands-on experience with using the free reference program Mendeley to manage references and biographies, and will focus on such areas as data entry, reading and citing texts, and online work collaboration. It is targeted at all faculty, researchers, and staff at SQU who are involved in research and who would like to learn more about how Mendeley can be used to facilitate their investigative work.	https://anwaar.squ.edu.om/en/2018/04/11/research-workshops-and-training-held/
The Pharos Arts Foundation is a non-profit cultural and educational organisation dedicated to the promotion of a wide range of activities in the fields of the arts and humanities. The Foundation presents cultural and educational programmes that are characterised by a strong commitment to artistic excellence and the creative process. Since its inception in 1998, Pharos has organised hundreds of concerts with some of the world’s most important musicians and ensembles, and it has become one of the leading cultural foundations in Cyprus. The Pharos Arts Foundation draws on Cyprus’ unique heritage and location, offering a vehicle for increased interaction and intercultural dialogue within Europe, as well as between the EU and the rest of the world. Our mission is to inspire and empower through the arts and in particular through the power of music by presenting the greatest examples of music, supporting artists in the creation of new works and serving as a leader in arts education by nourishing and nurturing the human spirit. Pharos has become a leading cultural foundation in Cyprus through its pioneering work in music and music education. We seek to provide programmes that inspire a passion for the arts and reinforce a general understanding of its vital role in a healthy, ethical, and productive society. Knowledge and culture create successful societies. To ensure our programmes are always inspiring and exciting for the young and reach a wide audience through community outreach and exposure to special needs groups. To ensure that, through careful planning and sponsorship management, Pharos’ two festivals will continue on an annual basis for many years to come, enriching our society and promoting Cyprus as a cultural destination of the highest level. To present some of the most renowned artists in the world but also identify and endorse emerging young talent from Cyprus and abroad; to offer them residencies, as well as performing opportunities in Pharos’ unique venues. To offer young people and students from all communities the opportunity to meet visiting artists and scholars. To deepen their appreciation of different music styles and genres, and expand their knowledge on cultural issues of global importance. Our ultimate vision is to create a world class centre for the visual and performing arts in an exquisite rural setting where musicians, composers, visual artists and writers are inspired to create new work. The venue will become the main home of Pharos’ events and two international festivals. Our vision is to expand the activities of the Pharos Arts Foundation by creating the Pharos Centre for Art, Culture and Dialogue in a beautiful setting of ancient olive groves and pine forest at Delikipos. The Centre will provide space for the visual and performing arts as well as a library and accommodation for visiting artists, writers, composers, musicians, and thinkers from all disciplines and backgrounds. Sign up to our mailing list to receive updates on our events and stay updated on what’s happening in the Pharos music and arts scene. New membership are not allowed.	https://pharosartsfoundation.org/the-foundation/
Homestead is a property tax reduction program, intended to keep taxes lower on owner-occupied properties, according to Minnesota Statutes 273.124. Property taxes are lower on owner-occupied properties than they are on similar non-homestead properties. In order to receive homestead classification, you must present proof of ownership, complete a homestead application and provide the social security numbers of all owners. You must be listed as the owner on county tax records. Residential Homestead Qualifications Those who own and occupy their primary place of residence, including manufactured homes, qualify for homestead including: - Owner-occupants - Certain relatives of the owner. The definition of "relative of the owner" includes: - child - stepchild - daughter-in-law - son-in-law - parent - stepparent - parent-in-law - grandchild - grandparent - brother - brother-in-law - sister - sister-in-law - aunt - uncle - niece - nephew \| \|\| \| Note: Applicants must be Minnesota residents. Agricultural Homestead Qualifications Those who own and occupy a farm as their primary home qualify for an agricultural homestead. Agricultural-classed parcels within four townships of the home, (even across county lines) and held in title by the same ownership are linked for extended homestead benefits. Certain relatives of the owners, who are claiming no other homesteads, may be eligible for an Agricultural Relative Homestead. The definition of relative for this classification includes: - child - stepchild - daughter-in-law - son-in-law - parent Special Ag Homestead Homestead classification is allowed upon farms of at least 40 acres where the owner does not live on the farm, but within four townships from the farm. The owner must actively farm the land, be a Minnesota resident, and may not be claiming another agricultural homestead in Minnesota. Persons engaged in "actively farming" must participate in: making day to day farming decisions, labor, administration/management, financial risk and profit and loss. An applicant is not required to own the residence where they live. A provision allows a homestead classification for an owner that does not live on the farm, but is living within four townships from the farm, and is renting the land to their son, daughter, or grandchild who is actively farming the land. Corporate/Partnership Farm Homestead The Agricultural Homestead Law now allows a full homestead classification for each shareholder or partner who resides on the Corporate/Partnership property if it is certified as a "Family Farm", as defined by Minnesota Statute 500.24, by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Other Homestead Classifications There are classifications for the blind, disabled or paraplegic veterans and some people in military service. If all owners do not occupy the property, a partial homestead classification may be given. Homestead for Property Owned by a Trust Certain trusts can qualify for homestead. A Certificate of Trust must be completed and approved by the County Assessor, or the Trust must be provided for the Assessor’s review. Homestead for ‘Life Estates’ Life-estates qualify for homestead as long as the life estate interest is shown on the deed, and the holder of the life estate meets all the homestead requirements. Applying for Homestead You should apply for homestead as soon as possible after you purchase and move into your home. If you purchase and occupy by December 1st of any year, and make application by December 15th, the following year’s property tax will reflect the homestead rates. You can file for homestead in person at the Dodge County Assessor’s Office, call or e-mail this office or download the forms from this web site. Any correspondence you receive from the Assessor's Office is very important. Please read and return any forms and questionnaires you receive, in a timely manner. Contact the Dodge County Assessor’s Office with any questions or for further homestead information.	https://www.co.dodge.mn.us/departments/land_records/_homesteads.php
Spousal support, sometimes referred to as alimony, is ordered on a regular basis in North Dakota divorces. A court decides whether or not to order a spousal support obligation, and the amount of the obligation, by applying the facts of a case to certain factors referred to as the “Ruff-Fischer guidelines.” If these factors weigh in favor of a spousal support payment, the court must also determine whether or not to make the award permanent or of a shorter duration. An award of shorter duration is commonly referred to as “rehabilitative” spousal support. For a very long time, North Dakota did not have a statute (law) that addressed what should happen to a spousal support obligation if the receiving party cohabitated with another individual in a relationship analogous to a marriage. During those years in which there was no formal cohabitation statute, the “law of the land” was that cohabitation could not be the sole basis for the termination of a spousal support award, unless that was an express condition laid out within the court’s order. That changed in 2015 when the North Dakota legislature amended its spousal support statute to add subsections 2, 3, and 4 found below: N.D.C.C. § 14-05-24.1 Spousal Support - Taking into consideration the circumstances of the parties, the court may require one party to pay spousal support to the other party for a limited period of time in accordance with this section. The court may modify its spousal support orders. - Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties in writing, spousal support is terminated upon the remarriage of the spouse receiving support. Immediately upon remarriage, the spouse receiving support shall provide notice of the remarriage to the payor spouse at the last known address of the payor spouse. - Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties in writing, upon an order of the court based upon a preponderance of the evidence that the spouse receiving support has been habitually cohabiting with another individual in a relationship analogous to a marriage for one year or more, the court shall terminate spousal support. - Subsections 2 and 3 do not apply to rehabilitative spousal support. Now, if a person obligated to pay spousal support can prove their ex-spouse has been habitually cohabitating with another individual for more than one year, the court must terminate the spousal support obligation. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. First, there is a proof problem. Getting someone who might have to forfeit spousal support to admit they are in a relationship analogous to a marriage can be difficult. As a result, the party often must use “circumstantial” evidence to convince a judge the relationship is not simply that of roommates. Things such as deeds, bank accounts, and utility bills can be used to this end. Second, this statute may not even apply to your case if a judge determines the award is “rehabilitative.” Is anything other than permanent spousal support “rehabilitative”? If you pay your ex until his or her retirement, is that still considered “rehabilitative”? These are good questions that have not yet been fully addressed in North Dakota, but which will have to come to fruition soon. Third, whether you were divorced prior to 2015 or after may have a huge impact on how a court decides your case. Recently, the Supreme Court of North Dakota determined that in a divorce granted prior to 2015 a spousal support obligation could not be terminated because the parties had agreed it would only terminate upon certain, other, circumstances. Supreme Court Justice Crother’s concurrence to that opinion states that if the exact same judgment had been entered after the effective date of the statute cited above, the court would have been required to reach exactly the opposite result. Conclusion Whether or not your spousal support obligation can be terminated by reason of cohabitation depends on a multitude of factors. If you are interested in whether or not your spousal support can be terminated for this reason, you should talk with an attorney experienced in this area of the law. Any of the experienced family law attorneys here at SW&L are happy to discuss the issue of spousal support with you. You can reach the Family Law Team at 701-297-2890. Or you can email us through the contact form below. The information contained in this article and on this website is for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice.	https://www.swlattorneys.com/terminating-spousal-support-cohabitation/
The Philippines on Sunday said maritime disputes in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) have evolved into an “environmental issue.” During the annual meeting of states that are parties to the United Nations Convention ... - June 15, 2015 PH-Taiwan Fisheries Facilitation Agreement slated for signing in Q1 The Philippines and Taiwan are expected to sign this first quarter a Fisheries Facilitation Agreement that should enforce existing laws on fishing between the Taiwan and Northern Luzon seas, overlapping exclusive economic ... - January 20, 2015 West Philippine Sea construction work to cut PH, vietnam fish supply Vietnam and the Philippines will be the first ones to experience the negative ecological impacts of the ongoing construction at the West Philippine Sea. National scientist Dr. Angel Alcala said this is because the reclamation ... - June 14, 2015 US, PH to hold war games near Spratlys Philippine and US sailors and Marines will hold bilateral military exercises near the Spratlys Islands amid tensions over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The United States will send its ... - June 19, 2015 DFA to presidential aspirants: prioritize West PH Sea territorial claims All those aspiring to be the next president must include – if not prioritize – the nation’s claim to West Philippine Sea territories in their respective platforms of government, a senior official of the Department of Foreign ... - October 14, 2015 China seeks peaceful resolution of disputes China seeks a peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea but will not subjugate its national interest, Admiral San Jiaguo told a regional defense forum in Singapore. There is no change to China's interest in ... - June 2, 2015 Taiwanese poachers charged The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has filed charges against the purported Taiwanese poachers apprehended off Babuyan Claro in Cagayan province last June 11. Based on the incident report by the quick ... - June 19, 2015 South China Sea tensions flare at Asia security talks China was a diplomatic collision course with some of its neighbors and the United States over its controversial island-building, as regional security talks opened Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur. Beijing is expanding tiny reefs ... - August 5, 2015 Japan may give planes to Manila for South China Sea patrols Japan wants to give planes to the Philippines that Manila could use for patrols in the South China Sea, sources said, a move that would deepen Tokyo’s security ties with the Southeast Asian nation most at odds with Beijing ... - August 7, 2015 ASEAN to focus on members' sea dispute with China The Association of Southeast Asian Nations ( ASEAN) will intensify efforts towards achieving the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea ( DOC) and work vigorously ...	https://ani.seafdec.org.ph/handle/20.500.12174/1/discover?rpp=10&filtertype_0=dateIssued&filtertype_1=subject&filter_relational_operator_1=equals&filter_relational_operator_0=equals&filter_1=Territorial+waters&filter_0=2015&filtertype=periodical&filter_relational_operator=equals&filter=Manila+Bulletin
Submitted by Mac Slavo via SHTFPlan.com, Territorial disputes are a delicate thing… and potentially deadly as well. That’s why the U.S. is backing up its positions with an ever-increasing presence of warships in the South China Sea. China is very touchy about these territories, and unwilling to give up what they perceive as their waters, even as a UN tribunal just denied their claims and strengthened the U.S. hand. Indeed, the entire situation is combustible and very dangerous. As James Holbrooks of the Underground Reporter noted: In a congressional hearing on Wednesday, former Director of National Intelligence and retired Navy admiral Dennis Blair told the panel that the United States should be prepared to use military force to oppose Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. “I think we need to have some specific lines and then encourage China to compromise on some of its objectives,” Blair, who headed the U.S. Pacific Command while in the Navy, said at the hearing. The admiral’s recommendation came the day after a United Nations tribunal invalidated China’s claim of territorial rights to nearly all of the waters in the South China Sea. The U.S., citing the territorial dispute and security concerns raised by its allies in the region, have for months been sending warships into the South China Sea as a check against Chinese hostility. Beijing, acutely aware of the military buildup off its coast, has publicly warned the U.S. it’s more than ready to defend against provocations. “China hopes disputes can be resolved by talks… but it must be prepared for any military confrontation.” It seems that the situation is being deliberately stoked into conflict, and that tensions are programmed to reach a boiling over point. If true, there is no indication of where the point of no return would be. The U.S. has the excuse of protecting its ally, and former territory, the Philippines, and thus has a pretext to play policeman in the region. But in turn, that is only a thinly-veiled ruse to amplify the military pressure, and let bloated speech and menacing saber-rattling episodes set the tone for ‘diplomacy’ with the Red Dragon. Now, there is not only an escalation, but an acknowledgement on both sides of the Pacific that things are headed towards war – and it is being openly discussed in those stark terms: “If our security is being threatened, of course we have the right to demarcate a zone,” Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said Wednesday at a briefing in Beijing. “We hope that other countries will not take this opportunity to threaten China and work with China to protect the peace and stability of the South China Sea, and not let it become the origin of a war.” And war, it appears, is becoming increasingly likely by the day — with other countries in Southeast Asia beginning to take sides. […] So, with the U.S. demanding compromise from a China who refuses to bow down — and forcing local powers to choose sides in the process — it seems the stage is being set for a potential military conflict in the South China Sea that could engulf the entire region. Are we really to expect a looming world war from China, who has played the parts of villain, ally, trade partner and rival all at the same time? No one can say, but there is plenty of worry that war could really happen. Even billionaire George Soros warned that the potential danger of WWIII breaking out with China was ‘not an exaggeration’: The US government has little to gain and much to lose by treating the relationship with China as a zero-sum game. In other words it has little bargaining power. It could, of course, obstruct China’s progress, but that would be very dangerous. President Xi Jinping has taken personal responsibility for the economy and national security. If his market-oriented reforms fail, he may foster some external conflicts to keep the country united and maintain himself in power. This could lead China to align itself with Russia not only financially but also politically and militarily. In that case, should the external conflict escalate into a military confrontation with an ally of the United States such as Japan, it is not an exaggeration to say that we would be on the threshold of a third world war. And yet, President Obama and numerous other U.S. officials have been deliberately stoking the tension and adding fuel to the fire with provocation in the disputed waters. As Michael Snyder wrote several months ago: Barack Obama sent a guided missile destroyer into disputed waters in the South China Sea to see if the Chinese would start shooting at it. Yes, this is what he actually did. Fortunately for us, the Chinese backed down and did not follow through on their threats to take military action. Instead, the Chinese have chosen to respond with very angry words. The Chinese ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, says that what Obama did was “a very serious provocation, politically and militarily.” And as you will see below, a state-run newspaper stated that China “is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region”. So why in the world would Obama provoke the Chinese like this? Yes, the Chinese claims in the South China Sea are questionable. But there are other ways to resolve things like this. Most Americans assume that an actual shooting war between the United States and China is not even within the realm of possibility, but many of our leaders see things very differently. For instance, just check out what CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell thinks… The current posturing in the area has led to heightened tensions between the world’s preeminent military powers, and in May Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell told CNN that the confrontation indicates there is “absolutely” a risk of the U.S. and China going to war sometime in the future. Not long ago, the U.S. also demonstrated ballistic missiles – armed with nuclear warheads – over the coast of California in an apparent demonstration towards China regarding the readiness and seriousness of their clash. Though it isn’t on the front burner right now amid other sensational headlines, keep an eye to the fact that World War III is slowly being brewed on the back burner. Someday, it could ignite into a full blown nightmare. Stay vigilant. Hope for peace, prepare for war.
Spiritual wellness acknowledges our search for deeper meaning in life. When we’re spiritually healthy, we feel more connected to not only a higher power, but to those around us. We have more clarity when it comes to making everyday choices, and our actions become more consistent with our beliefs and values. Aug 15, 2018 How do I access my spiritual gifts? Discover Your Gifts Ask others to let you know. Sometimes we don’t see in ourselves what others can see in us. … Look for gifts in adversity. … Pray for the help to recognize your gifts. … Don’t be afraid to branch out. … Search the word of God. … Look outside yourself. … Think about people you look up to. … Reflect on your family. More items… Why is spirituality so important? It encourages people to have better relationships with themselves, others, and the unknown. Spirituality can help you deal with stress by giving you a sense of peace, purpose, and forgiveness. It often becomes more important in times of emotional stress or illness. Oct 25, 2021 How can I practice spirituality at home? Praying more, meditating more, attending gatherings of like-minded believers more often and joining a prayer or meditation group are just a few ways you can put your spirituality into practice. What is another word for spirituality? What is another word for spirituality? faith belief piousness theism spiritual-mindedness belief in a higher power religious belief religious persuasion divinity veneration 6 more rows What is spiritual life? Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all. What are spiritual factors? any moral, religious, or mystical belief that plays a role in influencing behavior, emotions, or thoughts. Is spirituality Good for Your health? In fact, many studies associate spirituality with increased quality of life. A meta-analysis performed by the American Cancer Society’s Study of Cancer Survivors found that spirituality was an independent predictor of a better quality of life and emotional well-being. May 14, 2021 How does spirituality affect your life? Some research shows a connection between your beliefs and your sense of well being. Positive beliefs, comfort, and strength gained from religion, meditation, and prayer can contribute to well being. It may even promote healing. Improving your spiritual health may not cure an illness, but it may help you feel better. Sept 23, 2020 What are spiritual care needs? Spiritual needs are those needs whose satisfaction causes the person’s spiritual growth and make the person a social, hopeful individual who always thanks God. They include the need for communication with others, communication with God, and being hopeful. How do you connect with your soul? Living Artfully in Five Steps Remember “I am not my thoughts.” Distance from, and dis-identify with, your thoughts. Accept yourself completely. Find your inner voice and state your truth before your higher self. Wait as long as it takes. Let your soul guide you. What is spiritual needs in the Bible? Biblical spirituality can be defined as the process of the divine restoration and healing of the broken relation between the Triune God and humanity. As such, biblical spirituality is the response of a repentant human heart and mind to the loving heart and mind of God (1 Cor 2:12-‐13; Rom 8:14). What is spiritual care? Spiritual care attends to a person’s spiritual or religious needs as he or she copes with illness, loss, grief or pain and can help him or her heal emotionally as well as physically, rebuild relationships and regain a sense of spiritual wellbeing. What is one of the deepest needs in life? Connection/love You truly understand that love wakes you up to the gift of life. People need love, and this can lead to some incredibly fulfilling relationships – but it can also cause you to sacrifice self-care in order to take care of others or maintain a partnership. How do you have a spiritual relationship? 5 Ways to Build a Spiritual Connection with Your Partner Religious and Spiritual Connections. … Create Spiritual, Mental, Emotional, and Physical Alignment. … Self-Reflection. … Have Meaningful Conversations. … Design Your Daily Spiritual Practice. … Create Time for Regular Intimacy. … Identify the Primary Intention of the Relationship. Oct 27, 2017 What are the signs of soul ties? 7 signs you have a soul tie with someone: You feel connected on a deeper level. They elicit strong reactions from you. They feel familiar. You may feel like they “complete” you. Your relationship feels unique or one-of-a-kind. They showed up at a significant time. More items… • Apr 30, 2021 When a person dies what happens to the soul? When we die, our spirit and body separate. Even though our body dies, our spirit—which is the essence of who we are—lives on. Our spirit goes to the spirit world. The spirit world is a waiting period until we receive the gift of resurrection, when our spirits will reunite with our bodies. How do I heal my soul? True, deep and lasting healing for your soul and mind requires a holistic approach, honoring the spiritual and the personal. … Giving yourself space to feel and heal is important for moving through these emotions. Feel it all. … Go at your own pace. … Meditate. … Sleep and/or move mindfully. What are the 5 gift from God? The gift of the Holy Spirit The gift of the Holy Spirit. The gift of faith. The gift of forgiveness. The gift of the church, and. The gift of heaven. Mar 3, 2020 What is the greatest gift from God?	https://selfgrowthresources.com/why-is-spiritual-health-important/
It was a pleasure to meet architects, urban planners, artists and performers from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Sweden and the UK at the eurau conference over the last few days. Panels were held at Staffs and at Birmingham City University. The panel I chaired attended to the concerns of art and performance in engaging with the contemporary city and addressing issues of marginalisation and regeneration. Fabiano Miocci considered the historic and contemporary use of collage to imagine and re-imagine the city by juxtaposing images and symbols that relate to the experience of urban space in the context of 21st century Athens. Ludovica Campione and Giovangiuseppe Vanneli, both postgrads at the University of Naples, talked about the relationship between architecture and performative arts in articulating marginalised identities in heterotopic spaces in both conventional theatre spaces and site specific performance. Anna Moro told us about the fascinating new processes and methodologies being used in and around Milan to reconnect marginalised, disadvantaged and fragile communities to the wider city through community arts. As part of the conference, we were treated to a fantastic meal at the sumptuous Potters Club near to the university and a performance on the last day exploring, through dance, play and multi-media (joined by the magic of the internet by artists from India) the relationship between the body and space. We concluded with a tour of the inspriring Stoke on Trent British Ceramics Biennial. A new project has been conceived as a result of the conference. A Psychogeography of the 6 Towns will explore the polyvalent nature of Stoke on Trent’s historic six towns through urban exploration, architectural history, poetry and urban theory. The participants will be Maria Maria Martinez Sanchez (urban planning and architecture), Martin Brown (urban and architectural history), Lisa Mansell (geo-poetics) and Mark Brown (urban cultures and theory). We will deploy Situationist techniques to explore the centres, margins and inbetween spaces of the city to plot and map its history, culture and future.	https://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/ecw/2021/09/
What has been the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Africa’s e-commerce sector? JULIET ANAMMAH: It is important to recognise that we are currently facing a public health crisis that is having a significant impact on people’s lives. Nonetheless, it has been interesting from a business perspective to adapt to the evolving situation. At Jumia our primary concern is business continuity. To that end, we have had to adapt from a platform where at any time consumers can buy whatever they want to a platform that primarily makes sure consumers can access basic essentials, such as food, sanitary items and personal hygiene products. Another important aspect was working to make the right kind of partnerships to guarantee that customers could purchase goods at affordable prices. We have also had to adapt to the lockdown situation, during which our operations were permitted to continue due to exemptions granted for warehouse operators and delivery services. To ensure that we were given an exemption, we worked to educate the government on the importance of e-commerce during this time. This entailed a lot of engagement and discussions. However, some of our sellers did not meet this criteria and could not bring us the items once an order had been placed. One of the areas that was notably affected was payments, as there was concern about the cleanliness and safety of cash transactions. To address this, we migrated to contactless deliveries, and made sure that that our deliverymen had hand sanitiser, wore masks and dropped items at the front doors. This shift had to happen in the space of one month. We benefitted from the fact that, as an e-commerce company, a significant part of our business is already online, and due to our geographic spread across the continent, decision-making, team meetings and brainstorming sessions have always been done online. To what extent do you think this crisis can help bring more of Africa’s population online? ANAMMAH: This crisis will help bring more people online. We are already seeing positive signs of this in Nigeria, where the governor of one of the states reduced the costs of the right of way for laying broadband cables to such a degree that 1km of right of way now costs less than $200. This was a significant drop from where it used to be, and has traditionally been a critical cost component for telecoms firms looking to lay cables for broadband access. The move was a good signal and recognition of the importance of remote access, especially in remote areas. Many are realising that for people to social distance, they need the tools to make it happen. Internet access is one of them. However, for penetration rates to reach their potential, high smartphone costs need to be addressed. Ensuring there are no tariffs on smartphones, especially on more affordable models, will help individuals in villages afford the technology. This will encourage more people to migrate from traditional mobiles to smartphones, thus increasing internet access and penetration. In what ways will the Covid-19 pandemic change the nature of financial transactions throughout the region? ANAMMAH: The Covid-19 pandemic will encourage more people to move away from cash transactions to the extent that they have a choice. In fact, we have seen recently that many of our customers in Nigeria do not want to use cash if possible. This choice is based on multiple factors, such as access to devices with digital payments, the cost of the transaction and payment solutions. It is important to breakdown all these elements to make sure the cost of digital transactions is low to encourage more people to go digital. How do you see the combination of lower oil prices and the pandemic impacting e-commerce in Nigeria in the short to medium term? ANAMMAH: To some extent, we saw a similar situation in 2016, when oil prices plummeted and the value of the naira fell dramatically. We expect a similar scenario to unfold now due to the combination of the Covid-19 pandemic and falling oil prices. In times of crisis we have seen that customers change habits. They are willing to purchase less-expensive brands, instead opting for value brands. However, at the same time the volume of transactions has increased because people make purchases more frequently. When you consider the Covid-19 pandemic, the public health aspect adds an additional layer of complexity. Brands must ensure that they make products accessible from a price perspective, while also ensuring that they do not expose consumers to health risks. This can be a significant opportunity for brands to make sure that within their product portfolios there are offers for different demographics and price points. We expect that the shift will likely be more brand focused as consumers look for value within the brands they are familiar and comfortable with. What are the main changes that you expect to see in the e-commerce space moving forward? ANAMMAH: It is likely that in the future you will see more small and medium-sized companies that previously had no online operations want to be available on e-commerce platforms. We are seeing now an increase in interest from these companies, and this is expected to continue. It is our responsibility to identify ways in which we could bring more parties online. Most people assume that selling online is simply listing your products, but there is a lot of capacity building, training and knowledge transfer that needs to occur for the process to be successful. Recently, for example, we launched a partnership in Uganda with the UN Development Programme in which we bring local, informal market sellers of basic items to our platform. About Jumia Jumia is a leading e-commerce platform in Africa. Our marketplace is supported by our proprietary logistics business, Jumia Logistics, and our digital payment and fintech platform, JumiaPay. Jumia Logistics enables the seamless delivery of millions of packages while JumiaPay facilitates online payments and the distribution of a broad range of digital and financial services. Follow us on, Linkedin Jumia Group and twitter @Jumia_Group For more information about Jumia:	https://group.jumia.com/news/oxford-business-group-juliet-anammah-chairwoman-jumia-nigeria-and-head-of-institutional-affairs-jumia-group
Effect of expressions of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1B on peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer. Our study aimed to investigate effect of expressions of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1B (IL-1B) on peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer (GC). From June 2012 to June 2014, a total of 60 patients with advanced peritoneal metastasis from GC were collected from Department of Gastrointestinal and Nutriology Surgery at Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University. Furthermore, 60 GC patients without peritoneal metastasis were enrolled as controls. Immunohistochemistry was performed to test TNF-α and IL-1B expression, and logistic regression analysis was employed for evaluating risk factors for peritoneal metastasis of GC. Our results showed that TNF-α expression in metastatic group and non-metastatic group was significantly different (P = 0.043), but no significant difference was found in IL-1B expression between two groups (P = 0.261). In addition, TNF-α expression in metastatic group and non-metastatic group was associated with tumor size, depth of invasion, the degree of differentiation (all P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that tumor size, depth of invasion, the degree of differentiation and TNF-α expression were risk factors for peritoneal metastasis of GC (all P < 0.05). Our study found that TNF-α expression may play a vital role in peritoneal metastasis of GC, while IL-1B expression might not be correlated with peritoneal metastasis.
Introduction: Optimal management of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) remains undefined. However, recent data support the conclusion that upfront consolidation with high dose therapy with autologous stem cell rescue (HDT/ASCR) can improve the PFS (Dreyling, et al., 2005; Geisler, et al., 2008) and possibly OS (Geisler, et al. 2008). Based on gene expression profiling data, the proliferation signature has emerged as a critical determinant of prognosis in MCL (Rosenwald, et al., 2003). Immunohistochemical assessment of proliferation as estimated by MIB-1 (Ki-67) staining has been shown to predict outcome in patients with MCL treated with chemotherapy or immunochemotherapy. With conventional chemotherapy, the reported MIB-1 staining cutoff associated with poor prognosis reportedly varies from 10–30%. Since 1994 we have treated patients (pts) with MCL with sequential chemotherapy followed by HDT/ASCR. The current analysis is a retrospective review of our treatment program focused on the impact of upfront consolidation with HDT/ASCR on the prognostic significance of proliferation as measured by MIB-1 immunohistochemistry. Methods: Seventy-nine patients underwent upfront consolidation with HDT/ASCR for MCL. Fifty-two patients had evaluation of proliferation by MIB-1 immunohistochemistry. MIB-1 expression was estimated visually and assigned a percentage. Patients were binned into quintiles of MIB-1 expression: 0–20% (n=32, 61.5%); 21–40% (n=5, 9.6%); 41–60% (n=5, 9.6%); 61–80% (n=5, 9.6%); and 81–100% (n=5, 9.6%). Outcomes were analyzed by the method of Kaplan-Meier and comparisons were by log-rank. Results: The EFS and OS at 5 years was 65.1% and 61.4% respectively for the subset of patients with available MIB-1 staining (n=52); the outcomes for the entire group (n=79) did not differ from the subset. Outcomes (PFS, OS) were evaluated by MIB-1 quintile with successive cutoff values of 20%, 40%, 60% and 80%. MIB-1 cutoff values of 40% or less were not predictive of outcome. However, when the cutoff was 60% or 80%, both the PFS and OS were significantly worse for the high proliferation group. Nineteen percent of patients had a proliferation fraction of greater than 60%. For patients with MIB-1 staining of >60% the PFS was 4.2 years and was not reached for the group with staining ≤60% (p=0.004). Similarly, overall survival was significantly different, (p=0.031). Conclusions: These findings suggest that upfront consolidation with HDT/ASCR can partially overcome the adverse impact of proliferation on outcome and the adverse outcomes are seen in a subgroup of approximately 20% of patients with MIB-1 staining of greater than 60%. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.	https://ashpublications.org/blood/article-split/112/11/3759/61424/Sequential-Chemotherapy-Followed-by-High-Dose
While the title doesn't do justice to Radiohead’s No Surprises, it fits well enough with the subject I would like to discuss. One day, what was pretty much a homework question popped up on my Quora feed. The question was “Can one write Java code that prints 1 through 100 without using any loop or conditions?”. Straightforward question with more or less inspired responses, each of them more or less wrong. I will leave aside the snarky, and low hanging fruit jokes, such as , and ... I would like to point out that the latter is one correct solution to the problem, albeit not the one that is expected, since the point of the exercise must be to actually write a lot of numbers without automating the work, and without intensive manual labor. In other words, the solution must be solvable in a decent number of steps, not necessarily linearly dependent on the number of values, with a fixed number of print calls that will still print all the numbers. Imagine fully unrolling a loop and getting a smaller chunk of code than you would expect, which still does the same job. So what does no loops and no conditions mean? The most straightforward answer is that you are not allowed to solve this specific problem with a code that looks like this: If the condition above was not explicit enough, it can’t look like this, either: However, most of the answers tried to circumvent the iteration and condition with various tricks: If it’s built-in, then it’s not a loop If it’s a recursive call then it’s not a loop… … especially if it throws an exception to avoid a condition Now it’s time to understand what we mean by iterations, loops, conditions, exceptions and recursion to make sure that we’re not making any confusions. An iteration is the repeated application of a procedure to the result of a previous application of that procedure for the purpose of refining the result. A loop is a procedure (meaning a group of instructions) that is continually repeated. The difference here being that there are no state assumptions, so loop doesn’t need to maintain a state, or to even complete, for that matter. However, in the case of our problem, the loop involved would be an iteration A condition is the representation of a state of an entity. In the case of conditional constructs in programming (if-then-else) a binary-state is required and a boolean condition is used for the decision making process. However, the condition does not need to be represented as a boolean, it’s whatever works to represent two mutually exclusive possible states. An exception is an exceptional condition in the flow of an application, a binary state differentiating between normal execution and abnormal execution. There is no difference between an exeption and a conditional other than the syntactic sugar that enables them in different languages. In fact, not all languages have an exception handling mechanism, thus relying on explicit conditionals. Recursion is an approach to solving a specific problem by resolving one or more other instances of the same problem. Recursion is a different way to express an iteration, while hiding certain implementation details. Certain compilers will actually convert a tail-recursive call into an explicit loop. Most of solutions given to this problem were a variation of these solutions. However, in each case a repetitive operation (either explicit or implicit) is clearly involved, and a condition is also present, whether hidden (within an iterator), or not (ternary operator, exceptions). There is one solution I have seen that deserves its own category, because the thought process is a bit different, and because it almost avoids the pitfalls from the other solutions. It is somewhat similar to the problem of expressing a monetary value in amounts of differently valued coins. The problem is that the output process still includes an iterative refinement, as can bee seen below: All the methods resolve to print1(), which will be called 100 times without iterating over each call, however the output is iterated over as a side-effect, by incrementing currentValue. While not completely satisfactory, this problem points in the right direction by managing to remove the conditional. Let’s consider the following question: Is there any way of representing a set of 100 elements into multiple equivalent sets of smaller cardinalities such that the sum of those cardinalities is less than 100? Keep in mind that those cardinalities multiplied would still need to be 100. The answer is yes. If we get the prime factors of 100 we obtain: 100 = 2 * 2 * 5 * 5. This means that we can have a bijective function that takes a number between 1 and 100 and can transform it into 4 numbers each part of its respective interval. Furthermore, the sum of the cardinalities of these sets is 14, which tells us that we can write 4 functions, each corresponding to an interval, and each providing a partial mapping of the bijective function, which will require us to write 14 lines of code (leaving out the method declaration) calls between all of them. Applying the inverse function for the given bijection we will get the equivalent number from the 100 elements interval. This is not the first time this problem is encountered. Think of the representation of a number as multi-byte. The single value may not fit in a single byte so it will be broken into multiple values in the [0, 255] interval (if byte==8 bits). The only difference between this problem and ours is that, in our case, we have to deal with intervals with different cardinalities, rather than settling on a fixed representation. Sure, we could use a small enough fixed value, but the smaller the value the more functions we have to write, because we get more intervals. As we’re going to see, later on, these intervals may require some extra help. One thing to note here, which we will address later, is that we can actually cut down the number of functions from 4 to 3, because 2 * 2 = 2 + 2 = 4, so we can use the 100 = 4 x 5 x 5 equivalence without overhead, actually quite the opposite. We’ll consider indexes starting from 0 to simplify things and we’ll add the one at when we print the number. This will not be a side-effect recursion because the operation at each step is not based on a previous step and it will not help the next step, we just add it as a starting value. Thus, a quick way to solve the problem is the code below: 4 calls x 5 calls x 5 calls = 100 calls. 4 calls + 5 calls + 5 calls = 14 lines of code. Now imagine that your homework becomes not printing 1 to 100, but 1 to 101. We get the prime factors and we’re stumped. “There can be only one”, and it’s 101! More on that in the next iteration of this document, where we go meta.	https://www.sabaltech.com/post/no-iterations-and-no-conditions-please
Nowadays, simulative approaches are mandatory to analyze, design, evaluate, and to prepare real test-runs during the development of these CPS. They enable risk-less and resource-efficient experiments to validate system functions and product families. For example, complex simulations of sensors and the environment are required during the development and validation of self-driving vehicles to safely test the sensor data fusion and algorithms for situation-adaptive driving decisions. The models, which are utilized in these simulations, are continuously improved and enable in the foreseeable future complex analyses of the simulated system, its behavior, and its context. However, simulation experts to design, realize, and maintain these interconnected simulations as well as the simulation environments are limited factors during the development. Thus, methods, metrics, and tools for the engineering of these complex simulation systems are required to effectively design and evaluate these CPS also in the future. Call for papers We invite submissions according to the following potential topics for the workshop ES4CPS, which are not limited to: - Simulations for sensor-based and interconnected CPS - Cloud-based simulations for CPS - Metrics to analyze, monitor, and optimize simulations for CPS - Approaches for simulations for the evolution of sensory and environmental models - Planning and management of simulations for CPS - Methods for combining and aligning simulations and real test-runs - Simulation-based prediction models to plan, manage, and optimize real test-runs - Planning and management of simulation-supported real test-runs for sensor-based and interconnected CPS - Simulation for testing, validation, verification of CPS - Experience reports - Tool support and simulation environments Submission guidelines We are looking for submission of full research papers and experiences reports (up to 8 pages) and work in progress submissions (up to 4 pages) formatted according to ACM style. All submitted papers will be reviewed on the basis of technical quality, relevance, significance, and clarity. At least two reviews for each paper will be conducted. All workshop papers should be submitted electronically in PDF format through the EasyChair website:	http://wikicfp.com/cfp/servlet/event.showcfp?eventid=33085&copyownerid=57779
The psychologist with a troubled past… Dr. Christopher Kellan spends his days at Loveland Psychiatric Hospital, overseeing a unit known as Alpha Twelve, home to the most deranged and psychotic killers imaginable. His newest patient, Donny Ray Smith, is accused of murdering ten young girls and making their bodies disappear. But during his first encounter with Donny, Christopher finds something else unsettling: the man looks familiar. The killer with a secret… Donny Ray knows things about Christopher—things he couldn’t have possibly learned at Loveland. As the psychologist delves deeper into the mysterious patient’s case, Christopher’s life whirls out of control. The contours of his mind are rapidly losing shape, and his grasp on reality is slipping even faster. Is he going mad, or is that what Donny Ray wants him to think? The terror that binds them… In this taut psychological thriller from Andrew E. Kaufman, bestselling author of The Lion, the Lamb, the Hunted, a tormented man must face his fear and enter the mind of a killer to find the truth…even if it costs him his sanity.	https://www.andrewekaufman.com/twisted.html
In this work, a novel method to model off-diagonal disorder in organic materials has been developed. The off-diagonal disorder is taken directly from the geometry of the system, which includes both a distance and an orientational dependence on the constituent molecules, and does not rely on a parametric random distribution. To study this method, a system is generated by running molecular dynamics simulations on phenylene-vinylene oligomers packed into boxes. The impact of the model is then investigated by means of Monte Carlo simulations of the charge transport in these boxes and a comparison is made to the commonly used model of off-diagonal disorder, where only the distance dependence is properly accounted for. It is shown that this new model has a significant impact on the charge transport, while still being compliant with previously published and confirmed results. funding agencies\|Swedish Research Council (VR)\|\|MATTER Network\|\|SERC\|\| Charge transport below the mobility edge, where the charge carriers are hopping between localized electronic states, is the dominant charge transport mechanism in a wide range of disordered materials. This type of incoherent charge transport is fundamentally different from the coherent charge transport in ordered crystalline materials. With the advent of organic electronics, where small organic molecules or polymers replace traditional inorganic semiconductors, the interest for this type of hopping charge transport has increased greatly. The work documented in this thesis has been dedicated to the understanding of this charge transport below the mobility edge. While analytical solutions exist for the transport coefficients in several simplified models of hopping charge transport, no analytical solutions yet exist that can describe these coefficients in most real systems. Due to this, Monte Carlo simulations, sometimes described as ideal experiments performed by computers, have been extensively used in this work. A particularly interesting organic system is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Besides its overwhelming biological importance, DNA’s recognition and self-assembly properties have made it an interesting candidate as a molecular wire in the field of molecular electronics. In this work, it is shown that incoherent hopping and the Nobel prize-awarded Marcus theory can be used to describe the results of experimental studies on DNA. Furthermore, using this experimentally verified model, predictions of the bottlenecks in DNA conduction are made. The second part of this work concerns charge transport in conjugated polymers, the flagship of organic materials with respect to processability. It is shown that polaronic effects, accounted for by Marcus theory but not by the more commonly used Miller-Abrahams theory, can be very important for the charge transport process. A significant step is also taken in the modeling of the off-diagonal disorder in organic systems. By taking the geometry of the system from large-scale molecular dynamics simulations and calculating the electronic transfer integrals using Mulliken theory, the off-diagonal disorder is for the first time modeled directly from theory without the need for an assumed parametric random distribution.	http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2:482869
Israeli Securities Authority Establish Committee to Consider ICO Regulations. The Securities Authority of Israel establishes a committee to consider the regulations of the ICO. The head of the Israeli Securities Authority (ISA) has announced the establishment of a committee tasked with assessing the need for ICO regulations in Israel. The committee has been assigned to determine whether or not initial coin offerings fall under the purview of securities legislation. The new ISA committee is expected to submit its assessments of ICO regulations by December 31st, 2017. The committee is to be headed by the head of the ISA’s Corporate Department, Moti Yamin, and ISA chief economist, Dr. Gitit Gur-Gershgoren. The committee is reported to have been tasked with five specific directives. These are specified below: “1. Evaluate the financial essence of ICOs and whether it overlaps with other financial activity under Israeli law; 2. Make a comparative analysis of cryptocurrency regulations in various countries to evaluate the legitimacy of Bitcoin; 3. Examine if cryptocurrency trading and ICOs should be watched by the ISA; 4. Devise a new regulatory policy balancing between alternative funding channels and technological innovation while protecting Israeli investors from unsupervised investments; and 5. Examine potential collaborations with fellow regulators and with the local Blockchain industry.” The Israeli Securities Authority has claimed that more than $ 1 trillion USD was raised during the first half of 2017 through ICOs. ISA believes that “Israel is considered as a leading country in blockchain technology development with a flourishing industry,” and must affirm itself as a world leader in the development of ICO regulations. The ISA is particularly concerned about initial coin offerings being utilized as a vehicle to bypass established financial regulatory apparatus, stating that “some see ICOs as a financial bubble lacking any financial reasoning, and participating in some ICOs as a way to bypass current IPO regulations.” CEO of 99bitcoins, Ofir Beigel, has spoken out in favor of ICO’s balanced regulations. Beigel described the ICO market as “become some sort of an OTC stock market which allows everyone to ‘join the party’… While I really think this is a great and innovative way to raise funds, most of the public is still unaware of the huge risks it entails. Government regulation for ICOs, if done properly and without stifling innovation, seems like a good initiative to protect the public.” Therefore, Israel has joined the United States, Canada, China and Singapore to move towards the development of ICO regulations. Nir Porat of Porat and Co. Law Firm, a trading firm and cryptocurrency law, has “welcome[d] the ISA’s initiative”, emphasizing the risks associated with an unregulated ICO market. “If left to operate without regulation and supervision, negative influences are sure to enter this realm, be they illegitimate coin offerings without sufficient foundation, hacking attacks, or thefts from digital wallets… The Israeli regulator needs to set appropriate monitoring and enforcement guidelines, while at the same time checking that it is creating a fair and balanced regulatory framework. This framework should protect the public but not apply unfair weight upon companies in the market, lest it stifle innovation and profitability.” The establishment of the ISCO’s ICO commission comes amid the growing concern of financial regulators around the world. This week, the US Securities and Exchange Commission warned investors against initial coin offerings, describing ICOs as sometimes being used to “convince potential victims to invest their money in scams.” It has also been revealed that Chinese regulators recently considered suspending all ICOs occurring in China, in addition to a number of measures designed to curb the proliferation of initial coin offerings. In summary, investors for new innovation projects will receive protection under the laws of some countries that care about the resources of potential investors, meanwhile bitcoin will follow the path of success with these legal measures. New announcements are expected. Reference: news.bitcoin.com Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes only. Information does not constitute an investment advice or an offer to invest. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, they do not necessarily represent infocoin views and should not be attributed to Infocoin.	http://infocoin.net/en/2017/09/05/israeli-securities-authority-establish-committee-to-consider-ico-regulations/
Check out a Diversity and Inclusivity Session at the 2018 AIChE Annual Meeting Research shows that workplace diversity can increase creativity, innovation, enhance decision making, and boost productivity. AIChE, the global home of chemical engineers is leading the charge to have an open and inclusive dialogue at the 2018 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh (October 28 - November 2, 2018) with dedicated volunteers and meeting attendees who are students, young professionals, academics, researchers and industry executives in the profession. The AIChE Foundation invites you to attend the societal impact sessions, join the discussion and expand your understanding of inclusive workplaces. Together, we as chemical engineers can ensure that the world is a better and safer place.	https://www.aiche.org/giving/impact/stories/check-out-diversity-and-inclusivity-session-2018-aiche-annual-meeting-0
Njord is a deity in the Norse pantheon. He is the most senior of the Vanir gods, and father to Frey and Freya. He was previously married to the giantess Skadi, but as a sea deity he could not abide her mountain home. The people of Midgard say that the couple's travel between the seaside and the mountains each year created the seasons. Contents - 1 Description - 2 Abilities - 3 Portfolio - 4 Worship - 5 Relationships - 6 Artifacts - 7 Realm - 8 History - 9 Publication history - 10 Creative origins - 11 References Description Appearance and personality Njord is a handsome bearded man. He stands at seven feet tall, although he can change his size at will, and is exceptionally muscular. He frequently wade barefoot in the ocean. Njord is said to be gentle. His favorite foods are ale and baked fish. He is of neutral good alignment. Titles Njord is called the God of the Sea and Winds. Abilities As a deity, Njord is immortal. He is invulnerable to numerous ordinary effects, such as disease, paralysis, polymorphing, magical imprisonment, and planar banishment. Njord can change his size at will, growing to giant size or shrinking to the size of a human or smaller as he wishes. He can summon and speak to sea animals, and grant sentience to sea animals or plants. He can control the weather, and surround himself with a vortex of storm and positive energy that injures undead. In addition to controlling the the weather, he is said himself to be immune to the effect of storms. He can control sea creatures and water elementals. He can also wind walk to travel swiftly. He can bring a dead being back to life, or slay a living being instantly. He can see, sense speak to anyone within 11 miles of himself, his temples or any place his name or title are spoken. He is a warrior of great strength, skill, and cunning. He is particularly adept at fighting giants, goblins, dragons, aberrations, and undead, and his attacks are exceedingly lethal against giants. He fights even more effectively within water, and is a competent swimmer. He is also a skilled sailor, and can instantaneously take actions regarding sailing, diplomacy, and appraisal of valuable things. He can create any magic item related to ships or fishing, and can create all but the most legendary items in this way. He can cast numerous spells, including acid fog, air walk, gaseous form, chain lightning, cone of cold, and [obscuring mist]]. He is particularly skilled with water magic, and is himself immune to harm from such magic. Portfolio Njord is a god of the sea and wind. Due to the importance of shipping in trade, he is also a god of commerce. He has particular power over the domains of air, good, and water. Njord automatically senses whenever a merchant or coastal fishing vessel sets sail or undertakes a business transaction. Worship Dogma Njord protects seafarers against shipwrecks and storms. He protects the souls of common folk in their passage to the afterlife. Njord's cult is friendly and positive in its outlook, and focused on the improvement of reliable trade, shipbuilding, fishing, and and the acquisition of wealth in general. Followers of Njord prefer to make safe, reliable journeys, sailing within sight of the shore. Worshipers While the people of Midgard typically worship the Norse pantheon as a collective group, Njord is particularly followed by sailors, fishermen, vikings, pirates, and other people who rely on the sea for their livelihood. Those seeking wealth or a good fishing haul will first pray to Njord. Clergy The priesthood of Njord spend most of their lives near the water, whether in dockside temples or sailing on rivers. They support the development of sea trade and travel, and charge fees in exchange for their aid in business negotiations. The clergy are particularly interested in acquiring up-to-date information about weather and seafaring conditions. When they travel, clergy of Njord are required to carry no more equipment than they can safely swim with. The clergy have a particular hatred of undead. Rituals Sailors will pray to Njord to calm the seas when their ship is caught in a storm. Fishermen seeking a good haul will likewise pray to Njord. Sacrifices to Njord are made by dropping ale and baked fish into the sea. Njord is gentle and easily placated, and does not require much more than this to earn his favor; Holy sites Njord's temples are typically built by the sea, with dedicated docks and piers. They contain a great deal of shipping supplies. Those near wealthy cities are often highly profitable thanks to their connections with trade, and some have secret vaults hiding significant amounts of treasure. Other temples are built near rivers, lakes, and other important waterways. Holy symbol Njord's holy symbol is a gold coin. The pole star is also said to represent him. Favored weapon Njord favors the longspear. Relationships Family Njord was once married to Nerthus, a goddess better known among followers of the Anglo-Saxon pantheon. Following the Aesir-Vanir war, Njord married the giantess Skadi, who selected him based on his exceptionally beautiful and clean feet. Njord has two children, the twins Frey and Freya. Their mother is variously said to be either Nerthus or Skadi. Enemies As ally of the Aesir, Njord will likely fight against Loki at Ragnarok. Allies and minions Njord is the most senior of the Vanir gods, allies of the Aesir. Artifacts Njord's longspear has the icy burst property. He also possesses a trident with the powers of fish command and submission. Realm Njord inhabits the great harbor Noatun in Asgard. It is a seaside hall, built beside the ocean. History War with the Aesir War between the Aesir and Vanir gods broke out when the Aesir killed the Vanir-affiliated witch Gullveig. The Vanir burned down the wall around Asgard, but in the end neither side saw victory, and the gods tired of war. Njord proposed a peace treaty, which the wise Aesir accepted. To secure the treaty, Njord and his children Frey and Freya would join the Aesir as hostages, while the Aesir sent Honir and Mimir to live with the Vanir. Publication history Original D&D Njord first appears in Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976), p.30. AD&D 1st edition Njord is named in Legends & Lore (1e) (1985), p.101 and in Deities & Demigods (1e) (1980) as Frey's father, but does not appear himself. Njord is given further detail in two articles in Dragon #110 (Jun 1986): For Better or Norse: I, and For Better or Norse: II. AD&D 2nd edition Njord is not mentioned. D&D 3rd edition Njord is detailed in Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), p.184-186. D&D 4th edition The Norse pantheon does not appear in D&D 4th edition. D&D 5th edition Njord is one of twenty Norse gods listed in the Player's Handbook (5e) (2014). Creative origins Njord appears in Norse myth. His name is also written Niord, Njorth, Njördr, or Njörðr. In Vafthruthnismal, the giant Vafthruthnir (Riddle-Weaver) tells that at Ragnarok, Njord will return home to the wise Vanir. Odin notes that Njord has hundreds of temples and altars. In Grimnismal, Njord's high-timbered hall is called Noatun. In Lokasenna, Loki accuses him of fathering Frey with his own sister, who is never named, but in For Skirnis Frey's mother is suggested to instead be the giantess Skadi. According to Snorri's interpretation in the Prose Edda, Nord's children Frey and Freya were born after he married Skadi. This seems to contradict the version of events in Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), which describes that they were already born when he came to Asgard. Norse specialist Jackson Crawford suggests there may have been more Vanir who were killed in the Aesir-Vanir war. References - ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 For Better or Norse: I, Dragon #110 (Jun 1986), p.18-21. - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Gods, Demi-Gods & Heroes (1976), p.30. - ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 Deities and Demigods (3e) (2002), p.184-186. - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 For Better or Norse: II, Dragon #110 (Jun 1986), p.24-29.	https://dungeonsdragons.fandom.com/wiki/Njord
UAE – Dr. Rifat Latifi, Medical Director of Trauma Services at HMC’s Hamad General Hospital, has been elected to the Board of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH). The not-for-profit Society facilitates the international dissemination of knowledge and experience in the fields of telemedicine and eHealth and provides access to recognized experts in the field worldwide. Dr. Latifi joins an international board of nine other members from Switzerland, the USA, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany and Russia. In addition to his current post at HMC, which he has held since January 2011, Dr. Latifi is also Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona in the USA and the President and Founder of the International Virtual e-Hospital Foundation; the US-based not-for-profit organization’s telemedicine program for the Balkans and other countries has received worldwide recognition. Hamad General Hospital’s Trauma Center is one of the leading centers for the care of injured patients in the Middle East. As part of the award-winning Trauma Center team headed by Dr. Hassan Al Thani, Dr. Latifi has helped transform trauma care in a region where trauma is a major cause of death and disability. Hamad General Hospital’s Trauma Center is seeking Level I verification from the American College of Surgeons and practices the highest international standards in trauma care. Dr. Latifi is an internationally recognized expert in the field of telemedicine. A rapidly developing application of clinical medicine, telemedicine allows physicians to provide care to patients at a distance using telecommunication and information technology: for instance, conducting live consultations over video. It improves access to medical care for patients who live far from the main hospitals, and can save lives in emergencies or where critical care is needed. Dr. Latifi has been working to transform healthcare and medical education worldwide through telemedicine and advanced medical technologies by creating and establishing self-sustainable telemedicine and eHealth programs around the world, particularly in the developing world. “Today, with all the technologies around us, there is no reason for anyone to die or suffer significant morbidity from trauma because there was no expert present. Telemedicine and advanced technologies make it possible for any one of us to be telepresent in any part of the world, at any time,” says Dr. Latifi. - Disclaimer - News, data, and statements included in this release are intended exclusively for general information purposes. Talent4Boards does not guarantee that news is accurate or about the correct person and accepts neither liability for the consequences of the reader’s reliance, nor responsibility for the accuracy of the information. Nothing in this release should be considered for decisions about referred securities. Products and brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Comments are closed.	https://talent4boards.com/dr-rifat-latifi-elected-to-board-of-isfteh/
The signals are generated through the central nervous system. the nodes of Ranvier have lots of sodium and potassium channels that are voltage sensitive. action potentials drive the opening of the channels to allow the action potential to propagate down the length of the Axon terminal Don't forget about the age old question of Do abused parents become abusers? it’s a depolarization response not an all or nothing response sodium ions are distributed through the terminals (the collaterals) – its not an action potential when its in the nerve terminals, it’s a depolarization that then sets off the opening of the calcium voltage gated channels the calcium ions then come in and cause NT release. A neuron which gets multiple inputs which cause the local graded depolarizations Voltage gated channels open and ions come in NT release When GABA is released onto GABA receptors, they open up and allow chloride to come in leading to hyperpolarization’s The waves of sodium concentration and chloride concentrations move down to the terminal If you want to learn more check out Notre dame in paris is a what church? Gs (potassium out) Gq calcium Go on presynaptic side which can shut down NT release These are all influencing the neuron and there are metabotropic G protein coupled responses and ligand gated ionotropic responses in the distal dendrite. The closer the inputs are to the axon hillock, the more influential they will be. When there is a higher negative inside relative to outside the neuron is at rest. Page 2 Then when there is a depolarization and it hits the threshold theres enough sodium coming in close to the cell body and axon hillock that it will cause the voltage gated sodium channels to open. The Na+ channels open because the amino acid sequence is pushing up and twisting open so the sodium comes in and leads to a rise in the action potential. Then there is the absolute refractory period where you cannot generate another action potential because there is another part of the Na+ channel which is the voltage sensitive part that closes because the ball comes in and plugs the channel so there cannot be another action potential. If you want to learn more check out You perform a cross between a heterozygous tall pea plant and a homozygous short pea plant and obtain 30 tall plants and 20 short plants in the f1 generation. assuming standard mendelian inheritance of this character, how many tall and short plants would during that same time you have voltage sensitive potassium channels open o when the channels open they cause potassium to leak out and it overshoots to below the resting potential and that causes hyperpolarization o there is a lot of K+ leaking out and no Na+ coming in during the relative refractory period, the non-voltage sensitive gated channels open and the voltage sensitive part is closed so you can generate another action potential but it just needs a stronger depolarization We also discuss several other topics like Who designed a tabulating machine for the census bureau in 1890 which used a punch card system? The nonvoltage sensitive part opens, voltage sensitive closes K+ channels open and K+ goes out = absolute refractory period where inner non voltage sensitive part of the channel closes Properties of ion channels Protein spans the membrane with a central water-filled pore to both the inside and outside of the cell Within the plane of the membrane, a ring of negative/ positive charges forming the selectivity filter for cations/ anions o the amino acid sequences that line the inside of the channel is which allows the selective permeability of the ion channels (allows some ions to pass and not others) Channels contain gates that open and close to control ion movement A. Each subunit is composed of six transmembrane helices (domains) which form the voltage-sensor domain/ pore domain (green) with a positively charged S4(voltage sensor domain); S5-S6 forms the pore domain (orange) with the selectivity filter (red). B. Four subunits tetramerize to form an ion channel with a central pore-forming unit (orange) surrounded by four VSDs (green). Make a 3D pore with the voltage sensitive domains on the outside C. A change in membrane voltage moves S4 charges in outward direction leading to the opening of the ion channel. We also discuss several other topics like What exactly is inequality? o A change in the membrane voltage pulls the connected transmembrane domains outwards, out of alignment, to cause the channel to open. Page 3 Don't forget about the age old question of What is additive model? Page 4 - The amino acid sequence is continuous from the start to the finish. It is relatively fixed - The beta subunits are modulatory and they dictate how the sodium channel responds to voltages. - The main structure is the alpha unit made up of the four subunits - In the calcium channel, the different units have a large effect on the channel. The channel is very flexible - The potassium channel: each of the 4 subunits are separate. There are 4 alpha subunits and there is a gap in between them. Very important for hyperpolarization. There are many different types because the subunits are interchangeable and modulatory. By changing which ones can fit in there you are changing the channel The alpha1 subunit of CaV2 channels – calcium The S1 through S4 segments serve as the voltage sensor module (yellow) Segments S5 and S6 in each domain and the P loop between them form the pore module Ten distinct α1 subunits have been described, associated with six different classes of VGCCs (splice variants) Ancillary subunits modify the biophysical properties of the VGCC, second messenger modulation and intracellular transport Voltage gated sodium (Nav) channels A single polypeptide (a) that consists of four domains (I–IV) each with six transmembrane segments (S1–S6) o Positive charges respond to depolarization and push the S5 and S6 out of alignment to open up the channel. S4 of each domain contains positively charged arginines that are primarily responsible for voltage sensing S5-S6 region forms the pore domain through which sodium ions flow. And. This is how you get selectivity to ion movement o So now with a positive inside with calcium on the outside, the S4 is being pushed up out of the way and the channel is opening through the S5-6 region and it is serving as the selectivity domain o The basic building blocks S1-6 and other components modulate how the channel works and the property of pushing the S4 domain up can be altered, stopped, facilitated β-subunits affect kinetics and voltage dependence o all four subunits make up the alpha-1 piece of the calcium channel Page 5 - A-1 subunit: S1-S4 on outside - S5-6 on outside, making the pore and selectivity filter - N-type calcium channels are on the nerve terminal - The A-1 subunit dictates the channel properties so when there is a depolarization close to the cell body, positive ions fill in and the N-type calcium channel opens up, NT released or not and the signal goes to neurons o You can have depolarizations filling in all the active zone but as there are VGCC in the active zone next to vesicles you can have some active zones not release NT Page 6 - The subunits modulate how the channel works - S4 has a lot of positive charges. Intracellular positive depolarization pushes it up and opens the pore through the S5 and S6 domains. - Focus on the alpha 1 subunit Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels A single polypeptide (a) that consists of four domains (I–IV) each with six transmembrane segments (S1–S6) S4 of each domain contains positively charged arginines that are primarily responsible for voltage sensing o These channels respond to depolarization. What. Matters is that there is a positive charge on the inside 6 o This repels the S4 segment, and acts on the S5-S6 segment which allows only Na+ channels to flow through S5-S6 region forms the pore domain through which sodium ions flow. β-subunits affect kinetics and voltage dependence o they are separate- not hooked on o can change the threshold for activation – dictates the threshold based on kinetics of side units of the channel Page 7 Selectivity filter contains a ring of four glutamines (strongly hydrophilic), from each subunit (purple). The ring forms the narrowest level of the open pore The conformational flexibility of the side chains stabilizes multiple ionic occupancy states, helping sodium ions to pass through the selectivity filter This channel becomes active. It has voltage sensors. When there is an action potential, the voltage sensors are responding to the positive ions inside, and pushing up the S5.6 domains, opening up the pore and you see a rise in the depolarization o When they push up, it allows Na+ ions to come in During the absolute refractory, the voltage insensitive part is closed o In the hodgkin/ huxley: Theres one S4 unit that isn’t pushed up in the open phase. It gets pushed up in the inactivated phase which causes the channel to close o Coupled inactivation model: Theres a gate in the inactivated state. Theres a ball and chain which pushed up and closes it independent from the voltage sensors (independent mechanism) the ball and chain is between 3 and 4 o The channel becomes inactivated. It is no longer voltage sensitive and that’s what underlies the absolute refractory period of the action potential Page 8 o Sodium channel selectivity Selectivity filter contains a ring of four glutamines (strongly hydrophilic), from each subunit (purple).	https://studysoup.com/guide/2833616/why-do-stimulus-cause-an-action-potential
We've updated the menu according to your selected delivery arrival time. x Main Course Costolette D'agnello Oven roasted rack of lamb served with sautéed potatoes and cannellini beans. Tagliata di Manzo con Rucola al Rosmarino Sliced beef tenderloin in rosemary oil served with mixed grilled vegetables and rucola. Filetto di Bue Served with seasonal vegetables and potatoes wedges. Ravioli di Burrata e Tartufo Nero Homemade ravioli with stuffings of delectable burrata cheese and black truffle, tossed in light and creamy porcini mushrooms sauce and topped with crispy parma ham and truffles caviar. Salsiccia Alla Griglia Italian pork sausage marinated and grilled with mixed salad, crispy potato wedges and mushroom sauce on the side. Grigliata Mista di Pesce Assorted seafood marinated and grilled and served with seasonal mixed grilled vegetables. Trancio di Pesce Spada Grilled swordfish marinated in olive oil and oregano served with mixed grilled vegetables. Filetto Di Salmone Grilled salmon fillet served with broccoli, potatoes and lemon butter sauce. Piccata Alla Milanese Chicken breast baked in egg and Parmesan cheese served with spaghetti in pomodoro sauce. Starters Tagliere di Salumi Platter of assorted Italy-imported gourmet cold cuts. Tagliere di Formaggi Platter of assorted Italy-imported gourmet cheese. Piadina Baked pizza dough bread flavoured with a light spread of tomato sauce, olive oil, chili and rosemary. Garlic Bread Garlic butter bread, oven toasted with parsley. Plain Bread Oven toasted plain bread served with butter. Bruschetta al Pomodoro Fresco Fresh tomato cubes seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and oregano, topped on slices of oven toasted bread. Arancini di Riso Italian rice balls stuffed with heavenly mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and served with arrabbiata sauce. Bastoncini di Pollo Homemade Italian style chicken fillet coated with breadcrumbs. Served with hot potato wedges and accompaniment of tomato sauce or spicy tomato sauce. Bastoncini di Pesce Homemade Italian style dory fish fillet coated with breadcrumbs. Served with hot potato wedges and accompaniment of tomato sauce or spicy tomato sauce. Crochet Crispy first bite with smooth and creamy blend of real potatoes, egg, mint, and Parmesan cheese. Patate a Spicchi Hot potato wedges served with tomato sauce and mayonnaise. Calamari Fritti Squid rings crispy fried in batter, served with spicy Italian tomato sauce. Insalata di Rucola e Parmigiano Fresh rocket salad tossed in balsamic vinegar dressing and topped with shaved Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Insalata di Pollo Romaine and iceberg lettuce tossed with tender-grilled chicken breast, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, cannellini beans, and served with boiled egg wedges and balsamic vinegar dressing. Bruschetta con Mozzarella Mozzarella cheese oven toasted on slices of garlic butter bread. Grissini Casalinghi Freshly baked breadsticks served with spicy tomato sauce. Grissini Parma Ham Freshly baked breadsticks wrapped with slices of succulent Italian parma ham. Grigliata Mista di Verdure Assorted vegetables grilled and seasoned with black pepper, oregano and parsley and drizzled with olive oil. Insalata di Giulo Cesare Romaine lettuce tossed with an emulsion of mayonnaise, anchovies, and chopped garlic, topped with Parmesan cheese shavings, bacon bits and croutons. Burrata E Prosciutto Di Parma Burrata cheese with two slices of parma ham, rucola, cherry tomatoes, and green olives drizzled with olive oil and Italian seasoning. Prosciutto Crudo E Mozzarella Italian parma ham and fresh mozzarella cheese dressed with oregano, olive oil and olives. Mozzarella E Pomodoro Alla Caprese Fresh mozzarella cheese and tomatoes slices, drizzled with olive oil and basil. Insalata Mista di Stagione Seasonal mixed fresh salad with Italian dressing. Melanzane Alla Parmigiana Juicy eggplant baked in layers of mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce. Tagliere Misto Mixed platter of imported Italian gourmet cold cuts, gourmet cheese and assorted vegetables preserved in extra virgin olive oil. Burrata Contadina Burrata cheese with porcini mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini, red chicory, romaine lettuce, eggplant, rucola, and pan-fried cherry tomatoes drizzled with basil oil and red wine reduction. Baked Dishes Crespelle Ai Funghi Italian-style crepe filled with sauce of sautéed mushrooms, onions, Parmesan cheese, and oven baked with your choice of tomato or cream sauce. Cannelloni Ricotta e Spinach Rolled pasta sheets with fillings of spinach ricotta cheese oven baked with creamy bechamel sauce. Lasagna Gratinate All' Emiliana Mama's lovely dish, made of pasta sheets layered with bolognese sauce, bechamel, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese. Olive Oil Base Pasta Aglio Olio e Peperoncino Simple yet delightful sauce of olive oil sautéed with garlic and chilli. Alla Pastora Shepherd inspired sauce of bacon and mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, garlic and chilli. San Giovannese Classic sauce of cherry tomatoes, black olives, capers, garlic, chilli, and Parmesan cheese. Seafood Base Pasta Zucchini e Gamberetti Bisque di Aragosta Succulent and sweet lobster meat simmered in a tomato sauce blend of chopped carrot, onion, celery, and fresh basil. Polpa di Granchio Pasta fresca's signature sauce of soft crabmeat sautéed with garlic, crushed black pepper, cherry tomatoes, and white wine in tomato sauce. Alle Vongole Clams sautéed with olive oil and garlic, in your choice of white wine or tomato sauce. Mare e Monti Delicate and sweet crabmeat and button mushrooms sautéed with white wine in contemporary pink sauce. Al Salmone Smoked salmon tossed with chopped onions, white wine and crushed black pepper in contemporary pink sauce. Alla Marinara An irresistible choice for seafood lovers - prawns, squids and mussels sautéed in olive oil and garlic, with your choice of white wine or tomato sauce. Tomato Base Pasta All' Amatriciana A popular sauce of bacon and onion, sautéed and simmered in zesty tomato sauce. Al Pomodoro e Basilico Traditional Italian sauce made from pasta fresca's secret blend of San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, vegetables, and basil. Alla Puttanesca A slightly spicy tomato sauce sautéed with black olives, capers and anchovies. Alla Bolognese An all-time Italian favourite - minced beef slow cooked with tomato sauce. All' Arrabbiata Spicy and tangy Italian tomato sauce with chilli and garlic. Alla Vegetariana Assorted seasonal vegetables tossed in zesty tomato sauce. Cream Base Pasta AI Funghi E Salsiccia Homemade Italian pork sausage and mushrooms sauteed in light cream Al Prosciutto Di Parma Succulent Italian Parma ham, mushrooms, diced tomatoes and onions tossed in contemporary pink sauce Al Pesto Genovese Classic aromatic sauce blended with fresh basil, pine nuts or walnuts, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese Ai Quattro Formaggi An exquisite meld of four cheese Alfredo Diced chicken, ham, and garden peas tossed in cream sauce Ai Funghi E Asparagi Mushrooms and asparagus sauteed in cream sauce Alla Carbonara Popular, sauteed bacon in a velvety creamy blend of egg yolk and Parmesan cheese 12" Gourmet Pizza Diavola Pizza Top with your choice of spicy pork or beef salami slices. Napoletana Pizza A specialty of napoli made with anchovies and capers. Prosciutto e Funghi Pizza Mouth-watering combination of ham and button mushrooms. Capricciosa Pizza Heavenly loaded with pork salami, ham, artichokes, mushrooms, anchovies, and black olives. Pizza Lecce Margherita pizza embellished with bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, oozing egg and topped with dollops of fresh ricotta cheese. Hawaiian Pizza A tropical inspired pizza of ham and juicy pineapple bits. Marinara Pizza Scrumptious Mediterranean assorted seafood pizza. Parma Ham Pizza Gourmet pizza with the king of Italian ham. Mascarpone (White Pizza) Mascarpone cheese and param ham with fresh rucola and tomatoes. Italia (White Pizza) Pizza with mozzarella cheese, parma ham and mushroom. Zingara (White Pizza) Pizza with mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, salami, and capsicum. Margherita Pizza Fresh, simple, classic pizza invented in the royal palace in the 1800s with zesty tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Quattro Formaggi Pizza A luscious meld of 4 cheese. Vegetariana Pizza Oven-baked with assorted grilled vegetables and mozzarella. Pollo e Funghi Pizza Moist marinated chicken cubes and button mushroom. Quattro Stagioni Pizza Four seasons pizza loaded with ham, mushrooms, artichokes, and black olives. Mozzarella Fresca e Pomodorini Pizza Signature pizza with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh rucola. We're always working to get the most accurate information. Let us know if you come across anything that's outdated!	https://food.grab.com/sg/en/restaurant/pasta-fresca-da-salvatore-boat-quay-delivery/SGDD11354
From left, sophomore Joshua Isaac, freshman Nick Ryan, and sophomore Lucas Hickman act in “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut" that was held at the college in Fall 2017. Isaac is one of the founders of the new theater group on campus, Theatrists Theatrics. The students behind Ithaca College’s staging of a “South Park” movie musical last semester have created their own organization — and a new word — to bring nontraditional theatrical productions to campus. Theatrists Theatrics is a new theater group that encourages students to experiment with different roles and responsibilities associated with producing plays and musicals. Each member is able to take on different responsibilities associated with lighting, acting, costume design and other disciplines, rather than being assigned one specific role. In Spring 2018, the group plans to stage a version of the musical “Grease” in which the gender of each character is swapped. The organization’s name contains the word “theatrist,” a word created by the group which means “someone who participates in many aspects of theater, such as the production side, the artistic side or the executive side.” Sophomore and co-founder Jeremy Werner created the word to describe himself and his friends. Theatrists Theatrics had already produced one musical before deciding to formally become a group. In December 2016, sophomore Joshua Isaac suggested to Werner that they put on a staged version of “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” a musical comedy film based on the television show “South Park.” The pair asked sophomore Jaime Rockafellow to be stage manager for the show, which premiered Oct. 28 and 29, 2017 and was funded by donations and the three founders’ personal funds. After the large attendance of the musical, the three decided to continue putting on productions by creating their own formal group. The group closed its online application to become members on Jan. 22. It must reach the minimum 10 members required to be recognized as an official club through the Office of Student Engagement and Multicultural Affairs. “Bigger, Longer & Uncut” involved 19 cast members as well as a pit orchestra. Auditions for the show will be held Feb. 23 and 24. Werner said the group wants to produce obscure and original plays, as well as adding its own spin on existing shows. It is planning a production of “Plague! The Musical,” a dark comedy–musical based on a London outbreak of bubonic plague in the 1600s, for Fall 2018. “We want to make it interesting and give people a reason to come other than just seeing a student production of a show they like,” Werner said. Isaac said the group wants to reach out to the community and provide a platform for students to showcase their original work. Werner has used this opportunity to begin writing the script and music for a potential show about a boy’s adjustment into a special education classroom. “We want people to be able to come up to us and say, ‘Hey, I want to put on this kind of show, can your theater company help me do it?’ which I don’t know that other theater companies on campus do,” Isaac said. He also said the organization will expand to include comedy shows and other live performances beyond plays and musicals. The group will also be producing a comedy showcase on March 2. Werner said audition dates are not yet determined but will be held before the first week of February. The application to join the organization included questions that asked to define what a theatrist is and how applicant embodied the word.	https://theithacan.org/life-culture/students-bring-nontraditional-theater-group-to-campus/
Talk About Prescriptions Month (October) October is National "Talk About Prescriptions" month (TAP Month). According to the National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE), the best way to use medication safely and appropriately is to be well-informed with good reliable information and to be willing to ask questions of your health care professional about your medicines (prescription or over-the-counter). Questions should include instructions for use, precautions, and side effects, especially whenever a new medicine is prescribed. Make sure you share information with your doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health care professionals about other prescription and OTC medicines you are taking. Be sure to include dietary supplements, herbal remedies and vitamins too. To help you stay current and accurate about your own medications or medications for someone whom you are a caregiver, create a current list of all the medicines, including prescription and OTC medicines. Carry this list with you and/or give a copy to a friend or family member in case of an emergency. Show the list to your healthcare providers at every visit. It is important to read all written information that comes with the medicine, as well as save it for future reference. NCPIE addresses six important questions to ask your health care professional in their "Educate Before You Medicate" campaign. - What is the name of the medicine and what is it supposed to do? Is this the brand or generic name? - How and when do I take it – and for how long? - What foods, drinks, other medicines or activities should I avoid while taking this medication? - What are the possible side effects, and what do I do if they occur? - Will this new prescription work safely with the other prescription and nonprescription medicines I am taking? - Is there any written information available in large print, or in a language other than English? The NCPIE is also launching the campaign: "Be Medicine Smart", to improve medication adherence. Many people have multiple chronic conditions, so they have more medications to take. Adhering to a medication plan can be challenging, but can be done.Information in this article was obtained from the NCPIE website. Many more resources are available for consumers and health care providers at http://www.bemedwise.org/ Article provided by Dana Breeding, RN Health Educator with Community Outreach.	https://www.augustahealth.com/community-outreach/talk-about-prescriptions-month-october
The switching on (or “expression”) of a gene is brought about by the binding of a set of specific proteins, called transcription factors, to the DNA in a special (regulatory) region of the gene. This is the first step in a pathway leading to the eventual product of the gene, a protein (or RNA). The most frequently used class of transcription factors in the human genome are called zinc fingers, so-called because they contain short stretches of protein folded about a zinc ion and they grip or grasp the DNA double helix. Each finger recognizes the sequence of three successive DNA base pairs. The zinc finger motif was discovered in 1985 during our biochemical studies on a protein called TFIIIA which regulates the expression of certain genes in the frog, but it was subsequently found to be widespread throughout nature. It has long been the goal of molecular biologists to design and construct DNA binding proteins for the specific control of gene expression. The natural zinc finger design is ideally suited for such purposes, discriminating between closely related DNA sequences both in vitro and in vivo. Whereas other DNA binding proteins generally make use of the 2-fold symmetry of the double helix, zinc fingers do not, and so can be linked linearly in tandem to recognize DNA sequences of different lengths, with high fidelity. This modular design offers a large number of combinatorial possibilities for the specific recognition of DNA. By fusing zinc finger peptides to repression or activation domains, genes can be selectively targeted, and switched off and on. More generally, using other effector domains, genes can be manipulated. Over the last twenty years my colleagues and I have been developing the technology for practical applications of gene regulation, whereby virtually any human gene can be specifically targeted. Several recent applications of such engineered chimeric zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) are described, including the activation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in a human cell line and in an animal model. Clinical trials have recently begun on using VEGF-activating ZFPs to treat human peripheral arterial obstructive disease, by stimulating vascular growth. Also in progress are pre-clinical studies using chimeric zinc finger nucleases to target the defective genes in two single gene disorders, severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) and sickle cell anaemia (SCA). The aim is to replace them in each case by a correct copy from an extrachromosomal DNA donor by means of the natural process of homologous recombination. Promising results have been reported.	https://www.mediatheque.lindau-nobel.org/abstracts/29852/2005-from-the-laboratory-to-the-clinic-towards-therapeutic-applications-of-engineered-zinc-finger-protein/laureate-klug
Monoclonal antibodies are artificially produced antibodies designed to target and bind to specific antigens. They are use to treat specific conditions such as: arthritis, asthma, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, Crohn’s disease, dermatitis, melanoma, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and many more. Antibodies are molecules produced by the body’s immune cells in response to the presence of an antigen. An antigen is a foreign molecule recognised by an antibody; antigens can be bacteria, virus, fungi or allergens. An antigen may be a protein expressed on a cell membrane or a toxin produced by a bacteria. An antibody recognises a specific small region of an antigen (known as an epitope). In the case of a protein antigen the region is in the range 5-12 amino acids, these amino acids may be in a continuous linear stretch in the primary sequence or the epitope may be created upon folding of the protein into its tertiary structure. When an antigen enters the body it elicits an immune response resulting in the production of antibodies by B-Cells. A typical healthy adult body has thousands of antibodies all specifically recognising different antigens and their epitopes. An antibody binds to an antigen with high affinity and this is referred to as an antibody- antigen complex (Goldberg Theory). There are several types of antibodies (IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM), each antibody specifically recognises a particular type of antigen. For example IgE antibodies are produced in response to an allergen (pollen) in the lungs and skin, IgG antibodies are produced to prevent infection and are found circulating in the blood. The role of the antibody is to bind to the antigen, inactivating it so immune system processes can take over and destroy it. Antibodies’ specificity for binding a unique epitope/antigen is a property exploited for many uses such as in the treatment of diseases and cancers, in medical diagnostics and in the scientific research in laboratories. Monoclonal antibodies (mABs) (mono from the Greek meaning one) are antibodies produced from an identical B cell which specifically only recognise a single epitope in contrast to Polyclonal antibodies which recognise multiple different epitopes. Monoclonal antibodies were first produced in laboratory environment by Kohler and Milstein in 1975. They exposed mouse immune cells to an antigen, stimulating production of specific antibodies. These immune cells were then fused with myeloma cells, forming hybridoma cells. Myeloma cells are immortal – they are cancer cells which replicate indefinitely. Small cell samples were taken from the hydridoma cell culture and their antibody production monitored. Cells showing strong stable production of the antibody were further isolated and cloned. This ability to produce antibodies in laboratory environment ledeventually to industrial-scale antibody production. a chemical messenger within the body that is secreted by one type of cell and acts on another type of cell. the body's system of defences against disease - composed of certain white blood cells and antibodies. antibodies that are identical because they are produced by identical immune cells. They can be used to detect a specific antigen. white blood cells that are involved in rejecting foreign tissue, regulating immunity and controlling the production of antibodies to fight infection.	http://sta.ie/lesson/monoclonal-antibodies-in-cancer-treatment
Investor-State Dispute Settlement – an uncertain future? Updated: Dec 3, 2021 What is Investor-State Dispute Settlement? Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) is a system through which investors can take legal action against a nation-state over perceived discriminatory practices concerning foreign direct investment in said nation. ISDS is thus an instrument of international law, and, as such, clauses pertaining to the recourse to this arbitration on the part of the investor are enshrined in a network of approximately 2,750 bi- and multilateral investment treaties as well as a number of free trade agreements. The total ISDS case count as of 2020, according to UNCTAD’s recent IIA report, stood at 1,104. A background Following the rapid expansion of world trade in the 1960s, Western nations began to realise the need for a harmonisation of the myriad of heterogeneous standards and rules that governed international trade at the time. Furthermore, decolonisation saw the emergence of scores of new nation-states in Africa and Asia in which Western multinational corporations had significant investments. Most of these new nation-states had weak judicial institutions to protect against government overreach; a supranational legal system through which governmental abuses could be checked was thus deemed necessary. Two international institutions arose out of this realisation. The first was the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, or ICSID. The ICSID was set up under the auspices of the World Bank in 1966, and through its Convention provides the rules for the enforcement of those relevant clauses found in numerous bi- and multilateral investment treaties. To be processed in accordance with the ICSID Convention, a legal dispute has to exist between a member-state and an investor from a member-state. This is an important caveat as some large economies, namely Brazil, India, Mexico and South Africa, have never been party to the ICSID’s Convention. The second institution was the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, or UNCITRAL. Formed as a subsidiary body of the U.N. General Assembly in 1966, UNCITRAL’s official mandate is “to promote progressive harmonisation of international trade law”. To this end it drew up the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration in 1985, designed to be incorporated into domestic legislation on arbitration. Furthermore, and not to be confused with the Model Law, UNCITRAL drew up its own Arbitration Rules, which could be used instead of those offered by ICSID should both parties wish. Both UNCITRAL and the ICSID do not conduct arbitration proceedings themselves, however the ICSID can and most often does administer those proceedings. UNCITRAL on the other hand, merely promotes legislative and procedural uniformity through its Model Law and Arbitration Rules, without conducting or administering any cases. To further complicate matters, the ICSID can help administer cases heard at its offices under UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules; however, in the majority of cases where UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules are used they are in ad hoc arbitrations. Finally, while arbitrations are most often resolved under ICSID rules in their Paris office, there are even more institutions which offer their own completely separate rules and administrative services, including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Centre for Dispute Resolution of the American Arbitration Association (ICDR), the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). Regardless of which rules are used, ISDS tribunals are composed of one arbitrator (nominated by each the claimant investor and defendant host States) and a third arbitrator (jointly nominated by both other arbitrators). After all that, you may not be surprised to hear that the ISDS system is suffering from a “crisis of legitimacy”. The “crisis of legitimacy” Various critics, for at least a decade, have charged that “the system is afflicted by pro-investor bias, undue secrecy, conflicting jurisprudence and high levels of compensation, which is compounded by concerns that developing countries are burdened with excessive legal costs and frequently lose cases against foreign investors.” In what may be a validation of the colonialist critiques the system has received, serious discussion about reform only appeared to arise following ISDS claims being brought against Western nations, the most infamous being the Vattenfall v. Germany (II) case. There have been two consequences to this. The first is that states have recently begun to limit their obligations regarding foreign investors by renegotiating their international investment agreements. Only two agreements in 2020 out of the 17 concluded provide for arbitration in investor-state disputes. Secondly, in 2017 UNCITRAL formed a Working Group which during its November 2018 meeting in Vienna pledged to tackle widely-held concerns with the system: excessive costs and lengthy proceedings, inconsistent and incorrect decisions, and a lack of arbitral diversity and independence. Reform Langford et al. in their 2020 paper “UNCITRAL and Investment Arbitration Reform: Matching Concerns and Solutions” broadly outlined four reform options on the table: 1. Improve the existing system. 2. Add an appellate mechanism to the existing system. 3. Introduce a single multilateral investment court to hear all cases. 4. Completely reject the system as a whole, and leave investor-state disputes to be resolved in domestic courts. All four options have their benefits and pitfalls which we cannot explore here, however it does appear that the Working Group is making progress. They are set to produce a report at UNCTRAL’s 41st session, held in Vienna, from 15th – 19th November 2021. The session will focus on an adjudicator’s code of conduct in disputes, first raised in draft form in May 2020 under the title “Draft of the Code of Conduct for Adjudicators in Investor-State Dispute Settlement.” The preliminary draft looks promising – Article Six curtails what is colloquially called “double hatting”, a reference to the practice of an adjudicator simultaneously acting as counsel, expert, or other roles in ISDS proceedings as well as that of adjudicator. Considering no common ethical rule and standards are currently codified into ISDS proceedings, there will certainly be high hopes that a homogenisation of practices in this area will lead to a fairer and more equitable system for all. This is, however, just one of many issues the Working Group has identified, and all involved recognise that a root and branch reform of the system, if decided upon, will be a long and arduous process. Covid and the climate Placing long-term reform efforts aside, what is the short-term prognosis for ISDS? No doubt to be influenced by whatever agreements arise from the much anticipated and as-of-writing ongoing COP26 conference, ISDS has increasingly been seen as a new avenue for climate change litigation. A 2021 collaboration between Columbia University, Hasselt University and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change identified at least 13 “climate-related” ISDS cases filed in the nine-year period since 2012. Furthermore, around 17 percent of the ISDS cases as of January 2020 (at least 173 cases) stemmed from investments in or related to the fossil fuel sector. National climate policies in the wake of COP26 will inevitably clash with the interests of deep-pocketed and well-entrenched fossil fuel multinationals, clashes which have already resulted in cases. A selection include Uniper v. Netherlands, Westmoreland v. Canada (I and II) and Lone Pine v. Canada. Covid-19 and the cases that may potentially ensue will be paradigmatic. As has been powerfully argued, nation-states overwhelmed with health crises are in no position to fight a deluge of ISDS cases that may come their way. Yet such a scenario appears to be in the offing. In recognition of this threat the Columbia Centre on Sustainable Investment has issued a public letter calling for an immediate moratorium and a permanent restriction on all ISDS cases. Concluding thought Climate change and Covid-19, two of the greatest vicissitudes in recent history, have the potential to galvanise ongoing ISDS reform to achieve far more than mere incremental change. Yet in the current landscape it appears that regardless of the magnitude of reform, when it comes, it will be nation-states, not investors, who will celebrate.	https://www.ucllawforall.com/post/investor-state-dispute-settlement-an-uncertain-future
Intel Bill Passage is Breakthrough for Whistleblower Protections Statement of Danielle Brian, Executive Director, Project On Government Oversight: Congress is finally sending protections for national security and intelligence community whistleblowers to President Obama for his signature. While the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, which the House passed Tuesday, is not everything we sought, it goes a long way to putting into statute President Obama’s policies. This is a breakthrough for whistleblowers and accountability—a real anti-leaks measure. I’d especially like to thank two members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and their staff who championed these protections: Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon). Too often, federal workers who witness wrongdoing don’t speak up out of fear of risking their reputations, losing their jobs, or worse. This legislation will encourage them to speak up about wrongdoing and help us to root out government corruption in the most secretive and unaccountable parts of government. However, this legislation does not protect intelligence community contractors, leaving them without statutory protections for using legal channels to disclose wrongdoing. So there is more work to be done. After the Senate passed the bill, we noted in a joint statement with the Make It Safe Coalition that the bill provides: - Protection for intelligence community government workers against retaliation banned by the Whistleblower Protection Act. Disclosures by whistleblowers would be protected when made within their agencies, to the Office of Inspector General, or to the select congressional intelligence committees. - Extension of free speech rights to workers holding security clearances. Whistleblowing now will be accepted as an affirmative defense in legal proceedings involving these workers, although agencies that normally are defendants will still control initial hearings, and legal burdens of proof are modified for national security concerns. - Equal protection for those exercising personnel rights or providing testimony. - Rights to appeal to an administrative board selected by the Director of National Intelligence. - Appeal board authority to rule do novo that an agency action is illegal whistleblower retaliation, with authority to order continued employment, and payment of up to $300,000 in compensatory damages (attorneys’ fees are available under the Equal Access to Justice Act). - Preservation of all existing rights, including limited whistleblower protection already available for FBI employees.	https://www.pogo.org/press/release/2014/intel-bill-passage-is-breakthrough-for-whistleblower-protections
Dating back many thousands of years, with its roots in the brush strokes of Chinese Calligraphy, Chinese Brush Painting (“guohua” 国画 ) is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Chinese painters use a traditional brush dipped into black ink, or colour on special paper or silk. Subjects include flowers, birds, animals, mountains and rivers. The painter aims to capture the life and spirit of the subject, making it live through the brush of the painter and the eyes of the viewer. There are two main styles of traditional Chinese Painting: meticulous and free brush. The meticulous style, “gong bi” ( 工笔 ) is very detailed and naturalistic. Paintings are calm and elegant, realistic but expressing the harmony of nature as a principle. This style uses outline and blended washes. The painting style of the literati is called free brush or freestyle, actually “xie yi” meaning to write an idea ( 写意). This style is simple and spontaneous, and uses a wide range of brush strokes to represent the subject. See our Gallery, for examples of Chinese Painting by our members. Chinese painting materials are readily available in the UK and are not expensive. Look here for details on materials, including the “Four Treasures”: special brushes and paper, ink and ink stones. Here is a list of some books on Chinese Painting, art and history. Lectures on Chinese Painting by Professor James Cahill. Wikipedia has much information on Chinese Painting and famous Chinese artists. Learn about the Lingnan school of Chinese Brush Painting. More on painting and calligraphy.	http://cbps.org.uk/learn-cbp/intro_cbp/
Prion diseases, also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, are rapidly progressive, uniformly fatal brain diseases that can infect humans and animals, including cattle, sheep, goats, mink, deer, elk, cats, and zoo ungulates. In humans, prion diseases can occur as a sporadic or inherited disease, or as a result of iatrogenic transmission. Prion diseases generated great public concern after an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy occurred in many European countries and scientific evidence indicated its transmission to humans. Research in prion diseases is hampered by certain unconventional properties of the presumed etiologic agent and the long incubation period associated with these diseases. Most conventional laboratory methods used to study viruses and bacteria may not be applicable. In the past, the etiologic agent of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies was believed to be a slow virus, primarily because of its transmissibility, ability to retain infectivity after filtration, and long incubation period. The successful transmission of scrapie, a centuries-old prion disease of sheep, to mice in 1961 greatly facilitated identification and characterization of the scrapie agent. Several characteristics of the scrapie agent suggest that the agent is not a virus but is likely composed primarily of a protein. The agent\'s characteristics include the absence of disease-specific nucleic acids; resistance to radiation, nucleases, and standard sterilization and disinfection methods; and inactivation by protein-modifying procedures. These observations and purification of the scrapie prion in the early 1980s led to widespread acceptance of the prion hypothesis. Since the 1980s, both the scope and nature of prion disease research has progressed rapidly. The economic and human cost associated with the bovine spongiform encephalopathy outbreak fueled the need to better understand the etiologic agent of prion diseases and their basic transmission mechanism. Prions and Prion Diseases: Current Perspectives summarizes the advances in prion disease research. It expands on a previous volume edited by David Harris that was published in 1999 under the title Prions: Molecular and Cellular Biology. The book\'s 10 chapters describe the biochemical and molecular features of prions and the normal prion protein, various laboratory methods for studying prions, and advances in the pathogenesis and immunology of prion diseases. Chapters 2 through 6 detail laboratory methods developed to study the unconventional agent of prion diseases. Chapter 2 describes a cell-free conversion reaction system to study how pathogenic prions associated with different species interact with host cellular prion protein. Such systems have been used to study the biochemical mechanisms of prion diseases and can potentially be used to screen new therapies for their effectiveness against prion diseases. Chapter 3 describes the mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis and cell biology of the cellular prion protein by using cell culture systems. Understanding the detailed biochemical properties of the cellular prion protein will help show the molecular basis of its interaction with, and conversion to, the pathogenic prions. Subsequent chapters in the book describe other laboratory methods, including transgenic mouse models, which can be used to investigate the transmissibility of prions among different species, the extent and degree of the \"species barrier,\" the mechanism of prion propagation, and prion disease pathogenesis. Overall, the book provides a wealth of information on the progress made in understanding the molecular, immunologic, and genetic aspects of prion diseases and the laboratory methods used to study them. This book will be valuable to prion disease researchers, to scientists who want to gain more knowledge about the progress made in understanding the mechanisms of prion propagation, and to persons just beginning to study these unconventional, fatal brain diseases. Suggested citation for this article:Belay ED. Prions and prion diseases: current perspectives \[book review\]. Emerg Infect Dis \[serial on the Internet\] 2004 Dec \[date cited\]. <http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid1012.3040847>
Julie Marshall at CK Science is currently recruiting for a Chemoinformatician to join small team within a Drug Discovery Company based Hertfordshire in on a full time, temporary basis. Liaising with scientific contacts, identifing technical solutions and partner with local and global informatics teams to deliver projects. Providing advanced technical expertise and systems integration in supporting existing informatics tools and in developing and deploying new tools. You must be able to analyse, model and optimise workflows, develop and use best practices, and must have applied technical abilities. The application and refinement of existing protocols to aid in generation of focused compound libraries. The development of novel protocols and implementation of chemoinformatics techniques to improve selection processes. The analysis and interpretation of large data-sets related to chemistry, biology and biochemistry using existing methodology. The development and implementation of tools and interfaces to support our Drug Discovery project teams. Strong theoretical and practical knowledge of computational chemistry and chemoinformatics methodologies including but not limited to: library design, data triage, multivariate data analysis, QSAR. Experience with chemistry software and pipelining tools is essential, with expertise in Pipeline Pilot and MOE highly preferred. Practical experience of data analysis, data management and data mining/integration in a chemical environment. Strong linux and windows skills. Experience of working in a chemoinformatics role within a pharmaceutical or biotech environment would be desirable. If successful, you will be joining a global Drug Discovery company and in return there is a competitive salary, coupled with excellent benefits and career progression opportunities. Please contact Julie for more details. To apply for this Chemoinformatics position, please contact Julie Marshall via email [email protected] or telephone: 01438 723 500.	https://ckscience.co.uk/chemoinformatician-hertfordshire/
Tableware bosses sentenced for contempt of court over beer glass design claim Two directors of Utopia Tableware have been convicted of contempt of court in a case over design rights of a beer glass. The directors, Stephen Dodd and Martin Core, were accused of giving false witness statements in the case Utopia Tableware v BBP Marketing. They received sentences of six months and two months respectively. The directors were attempting to bolster an already strong case by asking suppliers to email them to raise concerns about BBP Marketing's beer glass and suggest that it looked like a direct copy. This emails were then used in court by Dodd and Core to back up their claim. Their claim for infringement of design rights relating to the Aspen beer glass were upheld, but the judge took a dim view of the claimants original witness statement claim that the emails were genuine. Referring the contempt case to the Attorney General, Judge Birss said: "Signing false witness statements, repeating the lie in further false statements, conspiring to present false evidence and tampering with the dates of emails amount to a serious contempt." Although the high court found that the claimant's design rights were valid with reference to the Aspen beer glass, on 31 January Justice Andrews convicted Dodd and Core with contempt of court for fabricating evidence. They are appealing their sentences. Kevin Glover, a barrister for Shortland Chambers in Auckland, New Zealand, who has been following the case, said: "This case was very unusual. Prosecutions for contempt of court are relatively rare, let alone cases where a judge refers the matter to the Attorney General.	https://thecaterer.com/archive/tableware-bosses-sentenced-for-contempt-of-court-over-beer-glass-design-claim
Explaining the past to shape the future is a basic tenet of any mature political process. Outside Spain, other European countries are increasingly able to face up to their own dark history. Visitors to cities such as Berlin, Nuremburg or Lyon, for example, will find world class museums that deal candidly with their role in the 20th century, and Liverpool’s museum of slavery sheds light on a shameful episode for the British. Yet in Madrid there is not a single information point or visitor centre attempting to tell the history of the civil war. The PP administration is unable to deal with the diversity of claims on the past and so it prefers to try and lock down any discussion at all. Indeed, many streets still bear the names of Franco’s accomplices, yet disturbingly, it is the solitary monument to the International Brigades that is targeted. How can Madrid advertise itself as an “open, diverse, and transparent city of the future” if it promotes an asymmetrical narrative of the war, actively suppressing any public display that might challenge this narrative through a shady interpretation of the law. To sign the petition protesting the IB Memorial’s removal, click here. To read previous Volunteer coverage of the IB Memorial, click here.	http://www.albavolunteer.org/2013/06/madrids-dangerous-attempt-to-rewrite-scw-history/
An integral aspect of the online learning experience at MTU is providing opportunities for students to engage and participate in their own learning. Students benefit from taking an active role in their learning and learning resources can help engage our students outside of class time and prepare them for, or supplement, class activities and assignments. However, we know and understand that preparing effective learning resources can be unwieldily and time-consuming. With this in mind, the TEL team rolled out H5P across the university. H5P is an integration available in all Canvas modules that allows you to build, share and publish a wide range of interactive learning resources for your students. The tool provides creators with the ability to design interactive content like Interactive Videos, Presentations, Games, Quizzes and more. It can improve student engagement and learning in your Canvas module by providing students with content that can be interacted with, outside of class time and at the student's own pace. There are a wide range of content types available which can be used in a variety of ways from presenting information in an easier to read format to promoting higher order thinking through decision-making scenarios/case studies. \| \| H5P overview 1. What is H5P?	https://tel.cit.ie/digitalforteaching/designing-interactive-learning
BOSTON and ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 30, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a clinical hold on the Investigational New Drug Application (IND) for CTX001 for the treatment of sickle cell disease pending the resolution of certain questions that will be provided by the FDA as part of its review of the IND. The IND was submitted to the FDA in April to support the planned initiation of a Phase 1/2 trial in the U.S. in adult patients with sickle cell disease. CRISPR and Vertex expect to obtain additional information on the FDA's questions in the near future and plan to work rapidly with the FDA toward a resolution. Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning: the timing of filing of clinical trial applications and INDs, the Company's ability to address questions raised by the regulators satisfactorily in connection with its clinical trial applications (CTAs) and INDs, the Company's ability to obtain regulatory approval(s) of its CTAs and/or its INDs, the timing of commencement of clinical trials, the intellectual property coverage and positions of the Company, its licensors and third parties, the sufficiency of the Company's cash resources and the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies and therapies. You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although the Company believes that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, the forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: uncertainties regarding the intellectual property protection for our technology and intellectual property belonging to third parties; uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies for the Company's product candidates; availability and timing of results from preclinical studies; whether results from a preclinical trial will be predictive of future results of the future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and the timing of such regulatory approvals; and those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, and in any other subsequent filings made by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.	https://investors.vrtx.com/news-releases/news-release-details/crispr-therapeutics-and-vertex-provide-update-fda-review
What is inductive conductivity? Inductive conductivity is sometimes called toroidal or electrodeless conductivity. An inductive sensor con- sists of two wire-wound metal toroids encased in a corrosion-resistant plastic body. One toroid is the drive coil, the other is the receive coil. The sensor is immersed in the conductive liquid. What is toroidal conductivity? A toroidal conductivity sensor consists of two wire wound toroids encased in a plastic body. When an alternating voltage is applied to one of the toroids, it induces an ionic current in the solution surrounding the sensor. Conductivity is equal to the measured conductance multiplied by the cell constant. What sensor measures concentration? The ISC40 inductive conductivity sensor is ideal for determining percent concentration, with an accuracy of 0.5% of reading plus 0.5 uS/cm for any conductivity value, whether measured in rinse water or in concentrated acids. Where is conductivity used? Testing the electrical conductivity of water provides much practical information about a solution. Not only is the conductivity measurement itself useful, but it can also be used to estimate the total dissolved solids (TDS) or salinity of water. How does a conductivity transmitter work? A conductivity transmitter measures the amount of electrical current in a solution. The probe is placed into a liquid to be measured, the transmitter activates a voltage between two electrodes within the probe, this then produces electrical resistance which causes a drop in the voltage. This is then read by the meter. What is a toroidal sensor? Toroidal conductivity sensors (also called inductive sensors) are used in applications that are susceptible to high fouling/coating, metal corrosion, high conductivity, and percent concentration due to the fact that their sensing elements (electrode coils) don’t come into direct contact with the process. How does a water conductivity sensor work? Contacting conductivity sensors are commonly used for the measurement of water that will provide low conductivity readings. An alternating voltage will then be applied to the two electrodes, which produces an electric field that causes the free ions in the water to move between the electrodes and produce a current. How is liquid concentration measured? Divide the mass of the solute by the total volume of the solution. Write out the equation C = m/V, where m is the mass of the solute and V is the total volume of the solution. Plug in the values you found for the mass and volume, and divide them to find the concentration of your solution. What do you think about refractometer? Refractometers measure the degree to which the light changes direction, called the angle of refraction. A refractometer takes the refraction angles and correlates them to refractive index (nD) values that have been established. Using these values, you can determine the concentrations of solutions. Why is conductivity important in water? Conductivity measures water’s ability to conduct electricity due to the presence or absence of certain ions. While pure water conducts electricity poorly, water that has certain chemicals or elements in it, and at varying amounts—including sodium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride—is a better conductor of electricity. How is conductivity used in real life? Because conductivity can be used to estimate the dissolved mineral content of water, it may be used to monitor demineralization processes used to prevent scale or remineralization processes used to prevent corrosion. Which electrode is used in conductivity meter? The two electrode cell is the most commonly used conductivity cell Glass cells have electrodes made of platinum….Conductivity Cells. \|Water\|\|uS/cm\| \|Surface water\|\|30 – 7000\| \|Waste water\|\|700 – 7000\| \|Brackish water\|\|1000 – 8000\| \|Ocean water\|\|40000 – 55000\| What is isc40 toroidal conductivity sensor? Yokogawa’s ISC40 toroidal conductivity sensor has only one cell factor (constant) and covers nearly the entire conductivity measurement range: ~50-2,000,000 µS/cm. With proper installation, the ISC40 is virtually maintenance free. What type of PEEK are the isc40g/isc40s available in? The ISC40G and ISC40s are available in PEEK (sensor type GG) for general use. In applications where sample is aggressive to Peek we offer the sensor in Teflon (Sensor type TG). How accurate is the isc40? The ISC40 has an accuracy of 0.5% of reading plus 0.5 µS/cm for any conductivity value (whether measured in rinse water or in concentrated acids). The sensors have a large bore for optimal resistance to fouling processes, providing long term stability, and with proper installation, the flow will keep the sensor clean, preventing measuring errors. What wires should I use with the isc40g sensor cable? Inductive conductivity, contacting conductivity, gas density, and pH can be utilized to increase the quality of the end product, as well as protecting expensive processes. With an Ohm meter check the following wires on the ISC40G sensor cable: 11 to 12 (Pt1000 or Thermistor) 13 to 17 – Sensor coil – expect low resistance.	https://www.joialife.com/writing-guides/what-is-inductive-conductivity/
From The Strange World of the Crossword by Roger Millington If The Times crossword puzzle is the world's most famous, then by common consent the world's toughest are those that have appeared weekly for almost fifty years in The Observer. Only The Listener can claim to rival this series for consistent ingenuity. This supremacy was won for The Observer first by the great Torquemada (Edward Powys Mathers) and then by his successors. Mathers was born at Forest Hill in 1892, the only son of Edward Peter Mathers, the founder of the newspaper South Africa, and of Mary Powys, through whom he was related to the three Powys brothers, T. F. Llewelyn and John Cooper. In 1924, while earning his living as a literary critic, he came across the crossword puzzle which had then just reached England. At this time crosswords on both sides of the Atlantic employed only the simplest 'dictionary clues' but Mathers realised that with more difficult clues it held the makings of a first-class entertainment. While he may not have invented the 'cryptic clue', there is no doubt that he was the first compiler to use cryptic clues entirely. For the amusement of his friends, he constructed the first Torquemada puzzle, writing the clues in couplets, in the style then current in The Observer. Against his wishes, a friend took it to the Editors of the Saturday Westminster, who persuaded him to produce more. In all, Torquemada published twelve puzzles in this paper; their appearance was heralded by green posters bearing the warning 'Crosswords for Supermen'. Later the twelve were collected in a book entitled 'Crosswords for Riper Years'. When the Saturday Westminster came to an end, Torquemada was approached by The Observer to contribute puzzles on similar lines. The first was printed in March, 1926, and appeared under the title 'Feelers' as Mathers felt he was feeling his way with his new and wider public. Over the next few months he received a massive correspondence, much of it from readers protesting mildly that they were wasting many hours tussling with his clues. Within a couple of years he already had his copyists employing cryptic clues; at the same time his own 'constant solvers' were getting on his nerves and requesting a fuller display of his invention and ingenuity. He then abandoned the normal crossword grid pattern and devised a form without any black squares. This gave him greater elasticity in the choice of words and enabled him to reduce to a minimum the number of unchecked letters. Only his successor Ximenes had such mastery of the art of composing tortuous and exasperating - but always scrupulously fair - clues. During the years that he worked on The Observer puzzles, he received many letters from solvers indulging in speculations as to his identity. His fondness for Biblical clues led many to endow him with ecclesiastical rank. In fact, Edward Powys Mathers won considerable eminence under his own name as a poet and translator. Even the verse in which he composed his puzzles was often quite distinguished: one of his solvers wrote to say that she had learned many of his rhyme puzzles off by heart. Enquiries were also frequent as to how he set about composing his weekly puzzles. Several years after his death, his widow answered this curiosity in the foreword to a book of Torquemada puzzles: 'I see him sitting cross-legged in bed, with a puzzle in front of him, looking very like a somewhat relaxed Buddha, a cigarette between his fingers and eyes fixed in the distance - until something clicks and, with a contented smile or discontented shrug, he writes on the list in front of him, and ticks off the word in gaily coloured chalk. Or prowling around his shelves in baggy flannel trousers, his shirt open at the neck and sleeves rolled above the elbow, in search of a quotation through which he would lead his solvers to read or reread some favourite in verse or prose. Or sitting at a table in the living room, kitchen or garden, one ankle resting on the other knee, a hand hugging the foot, drawing marginal decorations in vari-coloured chalks while he broods on some uninspiring word.' How long did it take him to compile his masterpieces? According to his widow, the more straightforward puzzles took on average about two hours - although he rarely completed one at a sitting, preferring instead to divide into quarters and sand-wich it with other work. Puzzles with the clues buried in a narrative story or those based on a particular book or author took longer because of' the amount of preparation required. Although his remarkable fertility led many solvers to believe that a Torquemada team was at work, his only collaborator was his wife. Mathers would choose his subject and make a list of words he wished to include. H is wife's part was to select from this list and construct the diagram. From time to time, readers would post him their own 'Revenge' puzzles and occasionally he would borrow a clue from one of these, but less than fifty of the thousands of clues he presented came from these contributions. When his widow examined some thirty thousand clues in The Observer series, she found the same word cropping up fifty times over the years and was astonished at how he succeeded in continually varying the clues. Considering the difficulty of his puzzles, the wonder is that so many readers were able to solve them. Up to seven thousand correct solutions were received by The Observer each week, and it was estimated that another twenty thousand regularly com-pleted the puzzle without bothering to put the result into the post in pursuit of the prizes for the first three correct solutions opened each week. However, on occasions there were only a handful of successful solvers - on at least two occasions the list of prize-winners was restricted to one lady. Torquemada addicts were widespread. Solutions were received from a man in West Africa who didn't even have a dictionary to turn to. The first air-mail post from India brought a solution, while another came from four men snowed up in Alaska with only a copy of The Observer for entertainment. A Scottish lady of over seventy relied on com-pleting them before Morning Prayer, otherwise her worship was distracted. On the other hand, on one occasion the entire Balliol Common Room admitted that working in combine they still hadn't managed to finish one particular1y brain-twisting puzzle. A great many solvers worked together in concert sometimes over the telephone: an anguished complaint came from a Scot bewailing the expenditure on trunk calls over one set of clues. Up to his death in February, 1939, Mathers published 670 Torquemada puzzles in The Observer. It is a great pity that these have so long been out of print for so many years. A selection of 112 Torquemada puzzles was printed in book form in 1942 - Torquemada: 112 Best Crossword Puzzles, published by the Pushkin Press. More unusual is The Torquemada Puzzle Book, published by Victor Gollancz Limited in 1934. This contains a number of crossword puzzles with a Cheats' Dictionary con-taining a list of all the words used in the puzzles, but without definitions. The Torquemada Puzzle Book also includes a section of perforated tracing papers; the idea is that you can tear these out, lay them over the puzzle diagrams and work out your solutions. This way, the unmarked book can be enjoyed by more than one reader. The book finishes with a 100-page detective story called 'Cain's Jawbone'. What makes the story so special is that the pages are printed in the wrong order. Each page has been written so as to finish at the end of a sentence and readers were invited to work out the correct page sequence. Despite the offer of a cash prize, only three correct solutions were received by the publishers!	http://www.crossword.org.uk/mathers.htm
It is widely recognized that American football has been greatly influenced by two distinct sports. These sports were both developed in the 19th century and represent the two cultures that most influenced the formation of the sport, which are the British and Irish cultures. During this time, there was a lot of communication between these two cultures through commerce and immigration, which led to constant competitions on both sides. Related: How long is a football field in feet One can see a clear influence of English rugby rules in American football through its formations (such as scrimmage, line-up and line of scrimmage). Meanwhile, the Irish tradition of hurling played a major role in shaping American football. As a result, the sport is known colloquially as “gridiron football”, which was the term that was used to describe it by the media and sportswriters. Why Is American Football Called Football The first documented football game played in the United States was between two teams from collegiate rugby teams at Yale University on November 6, 1873. The game was referred to as “football” at the time, and no league to define rules and set a standard for games existed. This first documented American football game drew more than 10,000 fans to Yale’s outdoor field. Two of the players were named Walter Camp and Amos Alonzo Stagg. Walter Camp continued to be a major influence on the sport of football for years to come. This led many to start wondering why is american football called football. However, a significant development in the history of this sport happened when the college students decided to choose a uniform and set some rules of their own. They agreed that the game would be played with 25 players per team and with 8 bases instead of 15 as it was originally conceived by Rugby Football Union. They also established a limit for the length of the game. This led to the creation of a unique code for American football, which was developed in 1876 at the Massasoit convention. How Did American Football Get Its Name This code was referred to as the “Uniform Rules of Professional Football” and was subsequently renamed the “Collegiate Rules of Football”. In this list of rules, there is no mention of “football”, which makes us wonder why is american football called football. The reason for this can be found in the fact that there was another sport that was popular during this time — Australian rules football. The sport was introduced in the United States at the same time as rugby was, and it was immediately labelled as “footy”. In Australian English, the term “football” is used to refer to Australian rules football. This term can also be used to refer to the United States and Canada. When Walter Camp tried to get the “Collegiate Rules of Football” accepted as an official rule book for college football games, he encountered difficulties because of this word. He then decided to get rid of the word altogether and replace it with “American football”. This led to a discussion among the leaders of the American football community, where it was eventually agreed that all league games played in the United States will be referred to as “American football”, not as “footy”. The Name ‘American Football’ The name “American football” was officially accepted at the Massasoit convention and it appeared for the first time in public documentation on October 21, 1876. This decision was confirmed at a meeting held on November 17 in New York City, where the participants agreed that the name of the sport will be “American football”. Some scholars believe that Walter Camp himself initially called his rules draft “Athletic Football”, but this is not true. Walter Camp , who was a participant of the Massasoit convention, later decided to use the title “American football” in his rules. According to many historians, Walter Camp was inspired by the English term “sports” and not by “football”. However, if we continue looking at the history of American football as it is seen today, the name “American football” would be almost impossible to imagine without Walter Camp. Conclusion American football is one of the most famous and popular sports in the world. With over 100 million players, 32 national collegiate leagues, and a large number of annual games, it is a game that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life. And now you know why Americans call it football?	https://langleyrams.com/why-is-american-football-called-football/
The demand of oil/petroleum products is increasing day by day due to rapid global industrialization which resulted in pollution load on the environment. These industries release toxic compounds in the form of oil sludge during different upstream and downstream processes viz. drilling, storage, transportation and refining. This oily waste poses a crucial environmental pollutant and creates problem of ground water contamination due to improper disposal/discharge on nearby lands of refineries. The oily sludge is recalcitrant residue which contains hydrocarbons compounds of different classes, viscous liquids, solid particles, heavy metals, asphaltene, resins etc. The total fractions of oily sludge are total petroleum hydrocarbon compounds (TPHs) classified in four main groups including aliphatics, aromatics, nitrogen sulphur oxygen (NSO) containing compounds, and asphaltenes (Hu, Li, & Guangming, 2013). In complex oily sludge, aliphatics and aromatic hydrocarbons usually contribute up to 75% of petroleum hydrocarbons which are comprised of alkanes, cycloalkanes, benzene, toluene, xylenes, naphthalene, phenols, and various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (Ward, Singh, & Hamme, 2003). Among NSO fraction, nitrogen (N) contents are less than 3% whereas sulphur (S) contents can be in the range of 0.3-10% and the oxygen (O) contents are usually less than 4.8% (Kriipsalu, Marques, & Maastik, 2008). However, this group of hydrocarbon compounds is characterized on the basis of physico- chemical properties like water solubility and structural complexity which decides their toxicity on the environment. The lower molecular weight, simple aliphatic compounds are degraded in natural environment by volatization, photooxidation/ natural attenuation etc. However, higher molecular weight aromatic compounds which include PAHs are difficult to degrade due to low aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability. They exert harmful and toxic effect on the environment and have been classified as hazardous chemicals due to carcinogenic and mutagenic nature. Degradation of such compounds is on top priority work and needs most safe and environmental friendly treatment method. During last decade, much research has been carried out on treatment technology for oily sludge management which includes land farming, incineration, solidification/stabilization, solvent extraction, ultrasonic treatment, pyrolysis, photocatalysis, chemical treatment, and biodegradation (Hu et al., 2013; Mater et al., 2006). But no single method is capable for removing / degrading total components of oily sludge. Bioremediation provides a reasonably viable solution for remediation of sites contaminated with petroleum/oil hydrocarbons (Shukla et al., 2011; Gojgic-Cvijovic et al., 2012; Rahman, Banat, Thahira, Thayumanavan, & Lakshmanaperumalsamy, 2002). Basic microbial metabolism of contaminants involves aerobic reaction(s) that acts on a wider range of hydrocarbon compounds, carry out more difficult degradation reactions and transforms pollutants into more simple molecules than those of plants (Cunningham, Berti, & Hung, 1995; Frick, Farrell, & Germida, 1999). Microorganisms surviving on contaminated sites have the degradation potential as they are flexible in nature and get adapted quickly to contaminants on polluted sites. However, the degradation efficiency is decided by the environment key factors like contaminant concentration, bioavailability, and catabolic strength of micro-flora, nutrients requirement, moisture level and geographical situations. The limitation of low bioavailability of these hydrophobic organic pollutants can be overcome by applying microbial biosurfactant. Microbes produce surfactants or release enzymes in the presence of contaminants which play much important role in pollutants detoxification process (Rahman et al., 2002). Biodegradation pathways of aromatic compounds proceed through certain catabolic enzymes viz. catechol dioxygenase which plays a central role in degradation mechanism. This enzyme attacks on aromatic rings either on meta- or ortho- side. The gene(s) encoding for catechol dioxygenase or other monooxygenases can be used as indicator of PAH/alkane metabolism. The detection of catechol dioxygenase activity or its encoding gene in bacterial genome at an early stage of degradation can be used as a bio-monitoring tool for remediation. PAH: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon –Aromatic compounds containing two or more benzene rings. Biosurfactant: Biomolecule of microbial origin having surfactant property. TPH: Total petroleum hydrocarbons- present in different fractions in oil. Rhizodegradation: Degradation takes place under plant root sphere. HMW: Higher molecular weight- higher molecular weight hydrocarbon compounds.	https://www.igi-global.com/chapter/microbe-associated-phytoremediation-technology-for-management-of-oil-sludge/135087
We create great places and the connections that get people and goods moving—whether by car, bus, train, plane, or their own two feet. Working within the context of the communities we serve, we provide planning, engineering, and infrastructure management services that fit the needs of our clients and improve the overall transportation experience. Join our team and help us keep communities connected. YOUR OPPORTUNITY: The role of a Senior Structural Engineer is to lead engineering teams on projects and serve as quality control for both design calculations and plan development. They may be responsible for preparing designs and ensuring the development and delivery of successful structural projects such as bridges, highway interchanges, roadway reconstruction, railroad infrastructure and public spaces. The Senior Structural Engineer will provide direct supervision; act as an advisor and may become actively involved, as required, to meet schedules and resolve problems. Work assignment is unstructured and Employee is responsible for establishing and directing the mission, vision, and objectives of the Division. Duties performed involve weighing and evaluating multiple complex and abstract factors requiring a high degree of concentration, analytical ability, judgment, problem solving, and an external awareness on a variety of political, business, and community factors. The Senior Structural Engineer will be responsible for managing the scope and integration of subcontractors and employees. It is expected that the Senior Structural Engineer supports business development and the delivery of proposals. Under general supervision, plan, design, and direct structural engineering projects. Provides resources and schedules in response to specified completion dates and technical applications. Prepares proposals and cost estimates and evaluates all project progress and recommends changes, if needed, in final procedures. YOUR KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: - Manages projects completely, including the managing of client relationships and bringing in new clients - Responsible for the review and sealing of projects - Supervises the work of other engineers - Leads the preparation and coordination of the project specifications with construction documents - Liaises with clients, agencies and others to obtain and determine project requirements and approvals - Responsible for invoicing, managing and monitoring financial performance of project budgets using PM dashboard access - Performs on technically complex projects and acts as a technical resource by providing guidance to other team members - Stays up to date on regulatory changes and may establish working relationships with regulatory officials - May write and negotiate proposals as project issues arise with clients or reviewing agencies - Serve as an inspection team leader on bridge inspection projects. YOUR CAPABILITIES AND CREDENTIALS: - Possess or able to obtain P.E. licenses in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi - Possess or able to obtain Certified Bridge Inspector status. - Efficient project management of multiple concurrent projects - Ability to lead one or more teams through all phases of project document production - Technical expert in all relevant areas of design and understanding of various design methods - Thorough understanding of codes, legal and design requirements in relevant jurisdictions - Proficient in Microstation, AASHTOWare BrR, MDX, LEAP, and any other relevant design software - Proficient in Microsoft (MS) Office Suite - Ability to check the work of others for accuracy and completeness and manages time to meet project budget and schedule - Understands client expectations, budgeting, proposal writing, invoicing and collecting accounts receivable - Ability to participate and collaborate in project team setting, engage in creative and critical thought, and effectively communicate ideas, design issues and solutions to others - Ability to create and interpret sketches, drawings, building program and other similar material EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Bachelor’s degree in Structural Engineering or related field & Licensed Professional Engineer. Masters degree preferred. Minimum of 10 - 15 years of experience. Position will work in both an office and field setting. This description is not a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that may be required of the employee and other duties, responsibilities and activities may be assigned or may be changed at any time with or without notice. Stantec is a place where the best and brightest come to build on each other’s talents, do exciting work, and make an impact on the world around us. Join us and redefine your personal best.	http://www.lasce.org/employment/job21.html
In the production sector, where innovation and creativity activities are intensely realized, organizations need not only creativity activities but also process management in a successful organizational culture in order to be successful in the competitive environment in terms of both leadership and innovation activities. In terms of leadership, institutions need to be managed with a correct understanding. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationships between open leadership, innovation orientation, employee creativity, organizational culture and process management variables. In this study, the effects of open leadership role on innovation and employee creativity activities and process management were investigated. At the same time, innovation orientation mediated effect was demonstrated. In the scope of aim of the study, a survey was conducted with 418 engineers working in the production sector. IBM SPSS 25 program, LISREL program and SOBEL calculation tool were used in the analysis. The data obtained were evaluated. Confirmatory and explanatory factor analysis and reliability analysis were performed on questions used Likert scale. In this study, it is concluded that the mediation variable effect of innovation orientation variable is on both organizational culture and creativity and process management. SourceBusiness: Theory and Practice Volume20 Collections The following license files are associated with this item:	https://acikerisim.medipol.edu.tr/xmlui/handle/20.500.12511/5015
One of my rugby maxims is that it is possible to look 50 per cent better than you really are as an open-side flanker if you are bald, blond or red-headed, or wear a scrum-cap. Even the most hardened inhabitant of the press box will say: "Look at that No 7. He's everywhere. Should be in line for a cap before long." This is one maxim which has survived the onset of professionalism and changes in the laws. A more recent maxim of mine is: the worst position on the field is hooker. No wonder they shave their heads and trot around the pitch as if they expect to be arrested at any minute, as, indeed, some of them - no names, no writs - undoubtedly should be. Their burdens are legion, their responsibilities multifarious. They are expected to secure the ball on their own put-in. True, they always were. This aspect of their duties has become lighter with the passage of the years, as referees now tolerate flagrantly crooked feeds which, if they are spotted at all, are penalised with an indirect penalty. More, they are expected to cavort around the field like supernumerary flankers, turning up here, there and everywhere. Several of them are very good at this aspect of their tasks. Colin Deans, the former Scotland hooker, was as fast as a back. Richard Cockerill, the current occupant for England, would not claim to be a Deans, of whom he may well never have heard. But he is no slouch either. Above all, hookers are expected not only to throw in straight at the lineout but so to direct their throw that their own side secure possession. If a hooker fails to do this he is liable either to receive the sympathy of the commentators as a player who is having a bad day or to be denounced by them as someone who is not up to the job. The latter fate befell Phil Kearns, the Australian hooker - who, after Sean Fitzpatrick of New Zealand, used to be considered the best practitioner in the world. The occasion was the recent England v Australia match at Twickenham. Poor Kearns kept missing the target, wiping the ball and becoming perceptibly more worried by the minute. At half-time he was substituted. It was evident that the ball was not landing where Kearns wanted it to land. However, it is a big jump from this to lay down that the hooker must always throw in such a way as to secure possession from the lineout. For this is to admit that the lineout has become a formality - or a farce. A scrum, even with the rarity of a straight put-in, still gives the advantage to the side putting in. It does so because of the relative positions of the feet of the hookers and the props. A lineout, even with lifting allowed, should provide no comparable advantage to the side throwing in. In the nature of things there must, of course, be some advantage, because the hooker, his scrum-half and several forwards know - or ought to know - the point which he is aiming to reach. It does not follow from this that the hooker should guarantee possession. If he can, there is something wrong with the supervision of the lineout by the referee. I believe there are two evils at present. One is that players dart about, changing places as if they were engaged in some childish game, while the hooker pretends to make a throw. The referees should put a stop to musical chairs and dummy throws. The forwards (or the number of forwards chosen) should be required to stand in the order in which they propose to contest the lineout. The hooker should then have to throw in without delay and with no dummying allowed - any more than either ploy would be allowed in a scrum-half putting into the scrum. The second evil is more controversial. Indeed, it is popularly regarded as a shining virtue. I refer to the gap between the players. If there is one spectacle calculated to arouse the enthusiasm of dear old Bill McLaren, it is that of a referee parading up and down between the two lines of forwards like a sergeant-major, roughly pushing apart citizens about three times his size. And yet this much-prized gap is an invitation to violent collision. It also encourages the musical chairs. It should be diminished drastically or even eliminated altogether. And why, in any case, should the hooker be responsible for throwing in? Until the late 1960s the wings did the job. Very often it was the only contact with the ball which they enjoyed throughout the game. The French persisted with this system for longer than anyone else. Then Jacques Fouroux, the French coach and former scrum-half, handed the task to the scrum half. Coaches should once again show more imagination about who does the throwing in. Referees should be more vigilant unless they want the lineout to go the same way as the scrum as a source of uncontested possession. But perhaps this is precisely what the organisers of modern rugby have wanted all along.	http://wesclark.com/rrr/hooker.html
The AES CTE Blog The latest ideas, tips, and trends for CTE, career readiness, business education, and computer applications teachers. For students in any grade level and any state, taking tests (and doing well on them) is an expectation. Between unit tests, final exams, and standardized assessments, the pressure is on to do well. Whether you’re an administrator, supervisor, or teacher, you’ve heard of formative assessments and summative assessments. They're both essential parts of any curriculum map. But what do they actually mean? In a nutshell, formative assessments are quizzes and tests that evaluate how someone is learning material throughout a course. Summative assessments are quizzes and tests that evaluate how much someone has learned throughout a course. In the classroom, that means formative assessments take place during a course and summative assessments are the final evaluations at the course’s end. That’s the simple answer, though. To really understand formative vs. summative assessments, we have to dive into the details. Download this free eBook to learn the Do's & Dont's of Student Engagement.	https://www.aeseducation.com/blog/topic/assessment
Caffeine and bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. The effects of caffeine consumption on rates of change in bone mineral density (BMD) were examined in 205 healthy, nonsmoking, postmenopausal women. BMD of the spine and total body were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and dietary intakes by food-frequency questionnaire. Among women with calcium intakes above the median (744 mg/d), 1-y rates of bone change–adjusted for years since menopause, body mass index, physical activity, and baseline BMD–did not differ by caffeine intake. However, among women consuming less calcium, those with the highest caffeine intakes (> 450 mg/d) had significantly more bone loss (ANCOVA, P < 0.05) than did women consuming less caffeine (0-171 and 182-419 mg/d). Percent change in BMD by lowest to highest tertile of caffeine consumption was 0.26 +/- 2.74, 0.70 +/- 2.70, and -1.36 +/- 2.70 at the spine and -0.19 +/- 1.24, 0.23 +/- 1.23, and -0.68 +/- 1.25 at the total body. Daily consumption of caffeine in amounts equal to or greater than that obtained from about two to three servings of brewed coffee may accelerate bone loss from the spine and total body in women with calcium intakes below the recommended dietary allowance of 800 mg.	https://osteoporosis-studies.com/caffeine-with-800mg-calcium-may-accelerate-bone-loss/
The Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget and National Planning arm has met with Representatives of Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), African Union Commission (AUC) and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for Information and Sensitization Mission on the Lake Chad Basin Regional Stabilization Strategy, in Abuja. The purpose of the forum is to ensure a clear understanding, knowledge and appreciation of the Regional stabilization strategy and engender national level coordination and collaboration with relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the strategy. In his welcome speech, the Honorable Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Olusola Idowu, said that Budget and National Planning is favorably disposed to the implementation of the strategy and the recovery of communities in the region affected by Boko Haram insurgency. He also acknowledged the effort and commitment demonstrated by the stakeholders in ensuring that the lives of those residing in the affected region return to normalcy. To achieve successful implementation of the strategy and return of stability to the region, Prince Agba urged the donors to establish maintain synergy in terms of funding. This, he explained involves ensuring that funds are channeled to areas of greater needs in order to return normalcy to the region. Also speaking, the Director, International Cooperation, Mrs. Elizabeth Egharevba noted that in the implementation of the strategy, synergy with the Departments of Monitoring and Evaluation and International cooperation of the Budget and Planning Ministry is of essence. Briefing earlier, the Executive Secretary, Lake Chad Commission, His Excellency, Ambassador Mamman Nuhu, who is also the Head of Mission, Multinational Joint Task Force, stated the aim of the visit to the Ministry to include: Building support for the strategy at the highest level in order to address the humanitarian and development challenges in the region; raise level of awareness about those in the region(Bornu, Yobe, Adamawa) amongst others. Nuhu harped on the role of Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in the implementation of the strategy to include as follows: ensure the overarching strategic planning and national coordination of intervention projects; ensuring nexus between Federal and State response; allocative responsibility to stability, recovery and resilience in the affected States; complement and manage counterpart funding from Federal Government; Overall fiduciary monitoring and accountability on the implementation of the stabilization strategy and to ensure that funding for the strategy is captured at the National budget level. Imaobong Udoh For: Director Information 20/03/2020.	https://nationalplanning.gov.ng/budget-and-national-planning-stakeholders-meet-on-lake-chad-basin-regional-stabilization/
Many of us heard the story going around last week of Logan Blythe, the 15 year old Boy Scout in Utah that carried the dream of one day becoming an Eagle Scout. He’d worked hard for two years to gain nearly two dozen merit badges, and his Eagle Scout project had been approved-or so, he thought. When his father, Chad Blythe emailed representative for the Boy Scouts Debbie Roberts to confirm his project, he found that she had chosen to reject it. Her reasoning? His disability, Down syndrome, made him in her eyes “unable to fulfill the requirements needed” to both complete his Eagle Scout project or keep any of his badges. Roberts ordered Blythe to cease all work on his project immediately, devastating the young boy’s family and crushing his dream. Yet his story doesn’t end there-Logan’s father decided to stand up to the Boy Scouts of America, suing the organization for $1 to prove a point-his son worked just as hard as anyone else, his project had been pre-approved, and he deserved a chance. Earlier this week, I spoke with Michael Rodrigues, President of Thrive Support & Advocacy in Marlborough, who praised Logan Blythe and his family for their courage in standing up for what is right to pave the path for others who may one day face the same challenge. “He probably has used more of his ability than his peers to this point if you think of Logan and what he is capable of doing and the challenges he faces,” says Rodrigues. “I think rather than discourage someone like that, the scouts should look at him and say, ‘This is what a Boy Scout should be’.” Rodrigues also pointed out that, ironically, the Boy Scouts of America actually have a disabilities badge themselves that they require each boy to fill to understand the challenges that individuals living with disabilities face. “The Boy Scouts of America actually have a disabilities awareness merit badge, and if you read through the requirements, one of the requirements is to speak with a Boy Scout who has a disability and ask him about his experiences. I think if they were to fulfill the requirements for the merit badge themselves, they may find the situation very enlightening,” says Rodrigues. Thrive believes so much in the support of those that wish to become leaders in their community that Rodrigues actually created the “LEAD” team at Thrive, a program that guides its members through participating in various community service projects partnering with corporate mentors from around the area. Each of their future LEADers are living with a disability, and work together with their mentors to plan a large, very public community service project at the end of the program followed by a graduation to congratulate their hard work. Check out the full story below from this week’s story on WMCT News:	https://emmalynanderson.com/2018/03/
Post-Quantum Crypto Side-Channel Tests and CSP Walk-Through (Q22a) The speaker, after five years of engineering work with the NIST PQC candidate algorithms, can say that their secure implementation is even more challenging than they could have first imagined. This is especially true for hardware modules that need to be protected against side-channel attacks. FIPS 140-3 requires the protection of CSPs against non-invasive physical attacks. The speaker has developed a suite of side-channel tests for Post-Quantum Cryptography KEM and stateful/stateless signature algorithms. The tests address the coverage of countermeasures against attacks based on power, electromagnetic emissions, and timing channels. The methodology aligns with the “push-button” TVLA (Test Vector Leakage Assessment) approach of the latest versions of ISO/IEC 17825, which is expected to be adopted for FIPS 140-3 at levels 3-4. The new tests are being proposed for discussion and possible inclusion into ISO 17825 / FIPS 140-3 non-invasive requirements. The speaker will do a walk-through of the lattice-based digital signature and key establishment (KEM) algorithms, explaining the high-level algorithmic steps of these algorithms in a practical, implementation-oriented way. They will identify Critical Security Parameters (CSPs) among the algorithm variables and discuss common protective countermeasures used in PQC implementations. The main takeaway is to see some of the ways how leakage of secrets will show up in power and emission traces. Black-box tests of this type are already in industrial use as they allow third parties to verify the coverage of side-channel countermeasures in a semi-automatic fashion. We describe algorithm-dependent (but implementation-neutral) test vectors that expose CSP leakage in PQC algorithms. Precise and consistent trace acquisition and test calibration are essential. There are also shortcomings: Leakage detection tests can’t fully replace more time-consuming manual penetration testing and analysis of “attack potential.” Furthermore, there is a risk of false positives (detection of non-CSP leakage) as actual secret key extraction is not required with this approach.	https://icmconference.org/?session=post-quantum-crypto-side-channel-tests-and-csp-walk-through-q22a
Randy Ableman is entering his 33rd year at the helm of the illustrious University of Miami diving program in 2021-2022. Since joining the Hurricanes coaching staff in the spring of 1989, Ableman has developed the Hurricanes diving team into the nation’s premier program, while making his mark as one of the nation’s most respected diving authorities on the collegiate and national level, respectively. Ableman swept the Atlantic Coast Conference diving awards in the spring of 2019, winning ACC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year and ACC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year. His divers combined for five All-America honors, one All-America Honorable Mention recognition and two national runner-up performances at the 2019 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships in Austin, Texas. In a shortened 2019-20 season, Ableman was named ACC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year after guiding his men’s platform divers to the top-four finishes at the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships, marking the first time ever that a team swept the men’s platform at the event. The Hurricanes repeated the feat at the NCAA Zone B qualifiers before the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships were cancelled. Ableman’s diving contingent – comprised of Alicia Blagg, Zach Cooper, David Dinsmore and Briadam Herrera – captured the top medal in each of their respective events at the 2019 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships in Greensboro, N.C. Blagg swept the springboard on the women’s side, Herrera swept springboard for the men, and Dinsmore and Cooper took the top-two finishes, respectively, in the men’s platform. A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Ableman is a nine-time CSCAA Diving Coach of the Year, earning the national recognition six consecutive years from 1995-2000. Ableman was also named ACC Women’s Diving Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2018 and captured ACC Men’s Diving Coach of the Year honors in 2015 and 2017. He earned BIG EAST Conference’s Men’s Diving Coach of the Year recognition in 2000, 2002 and 2003. Alongside that, he was selected as the Women’s Coach of the Year four consecutive times from 2000-2003. In 2002, Ableman was honored by U.S. Diving as he was awarded the Phil Boggs Award, presented annually to honor those who have achieved individual excellence in diving and have given back a part of themselves to assure the sport’s continuation and success. Ableman, who coached the South African diving team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, served on the U.S. coaching staff for the 1996 (Atlanta), 2000 (Sydney), 2004 (Athens), 2012 (London) and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro) Olympic Games. Most recently, Ableman coached David Dinsmore to a national championship in the 10-meter platform in the spring of 2017. He also coached then-senior Sam Dorman to a record-breaking performance in the 3-meter event at the 2015 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. Dorman’s score of 529.10 was the highest total in NCAA history for the six-dive version of the event, which earned him the first national championship by a Miami men’s diver since Reuben Ross in 2008. Dorman’s storybook journey at Miami was far from over; Ableman would go on to coach Dorman at the 2016 Rio Olympics as a member of the Team USA staff, and led his protégé to a silver medal as a member of the 3-meter synchro team. All three of Ableman’s active divers qualified for the 2013 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships in Indianapolis. Kara McCormack, the 2013 ACC Women’s Diver of the Year, earned All-America status in the platform event, while Lindsay Lester was named All-America in the 3-meter. Ableman has coached 12 National Champions to a NCAA-record 23 individual national titles, including four-time NCAA Champions Dean Panaro, Rio Ramirez and Tyce Routson. Recently added to his list of national awardwinners were Brittany Viola and Reuben Ross who each collected individual titles in 2008. From 1991-2002, in one of the most impressive streaks in NCAA diving history, the Miami men’s and women’s diving teams combined for 20 individual NCAA Championships. During which time, the Hurricanes won at least one national title for 12 consecutive seasons, naming at least two NCAA Champions in six seasons. Miami swept the field at the 1997 Men’s NCAA Championship, winning the 1-meter springboard, 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform and in 1996 the Hurricanes placed first, second and third in both the 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform. Ableman led the Hurricanes to another NCAA record in 1996 with the trio of Tyce Routson, Brian Gillooly and Chris Mantilla becoming the first freshman in NCAA history to sweep the 10-meter platform at the NCAA Championships. Under Ableman’s guidance, 24 Hurricanes have garnered All-America honors with at least one (1) UM diver earning All-America status every year since 1989. In 1995, the Hurricanes became the first school in NCAA history to have five divers – Jose Gil, Brian Ramos, Chris Mantilla, Brian Gillooly and Tyce Routson – earn All-America honors in the same year. National title holders Viola and Ross were added to the long list of All-Americans coached under Ableman in 2008. Hurricane divers have also excelled on the Olympic level during Ableman’s tenure, with a total of 11 divers, representing seven different countries, competing at the Olympic Games since 1992, including U.S. Diving Team member and former Hurricane Kyle Prandi. In 2004, Ableman made his third trip to the Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic Diving Team coaching staff. He also served on the 1996 and 2000 Olympic teams and in the summer of 2003, Ableman served as the U.S. Pan Am Games head coach. More recently, Ableman served as head coach of the diving team for the Republic of South Africa and coached two more Hurricanes in Summer Olympic Games. Jenna Dreyer (South Africa) made her second trip to the Olympic Games to represent her home country under the guidance of Ableman in 2008 in Beijing, China. Also participating for the Hurricanes as a member of a national team was Dreyer’s teammate Reuben Ross–representing his home country of Canada. Dreyer was also a member of the South African national team in 2004 during the Olympic Game sin Athens, Greece. Ableman came to Miami in 1989 after a five-year stint as the head diving coach at the University of South Carolina from 1985-1989 and a one-year stay as the head coach at Wright State in 1984. Ableman graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor’s of science in recreation and education in 1983. A four-time All-America diver at Iowa, Ableman was the 1981 NCAA Champion in the 1-meter springboard and still to this day holds the Hawkeyes school record in the 3-meter springboard. Ableman was inducted into the University of Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005 and the UM Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. In 1980, Ableman was named to the U.S. Olympic Diving Team, but was forced to miss the 1980-Moscow games due to an American boycott. From 1978-1984, he was a member of the U.S. National Team. He is married to the former Karen Gorham, who was the 1980 U.S. Indoor champion in the 1-meter springboard.	https://miamihurricanes.com/coach/randy-ableman/
The work herein investigates the potentially competitive uptake and translocation of plutonium (Pu) and iron (Fe) in corn (Zea mays) to gain insight into the Pu uptake pathway. Plutonium has no known biological function in plants yet it has many chemical properties similar to Fe (an essential nutrient) implying that Pu may share the Fe uptake pathway. A series of experiments was conducted in which two hydroponically grown corn species (one healthy and one deficient in the transporter protein for Fe) were exposed to varying ratios of complexed Pu and Fe. Results suggest increased presence of Fe inhibits Pu translocation into the shoots of the corn plant. For example, increasing the Fe concentration in hydroponic solution from 1 ppb FeCl3 to 10 ppb FeCl3 resulted in Pu concentrations to decrease from a 7.57 (+/- 0.00 ) mg g-1 median shoot Pu concentration to 2.7300 (+/- 1.203) mg g-1 in a healthy strain of corn. Additionally, comparison of citrate and DFOB ligand influence on Pu uptake and translocation into corn plants determine Pu complexed with DFOB remained in the roots of the plant, while translocation of Pu into the shoots of the plant was more prevalent with the Pu-citrate complex. Recommended Citation Hoelbling, Stephanie, "Competitive Uptake of Plutonium and Iron in Corn (Zea mays)" (2016). All Theses. 2468.	https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/2468/
Agriculture stimulates other sectors, not just in terms of demand, but also concerning the raw materials. It creates the taxable base for the government to invest in education, health and infrastructure. Basically, agriculture is the “cow” that has to feed the family in the early decades of economic development. How important is agriculture to Africa’s economy? With post-harvest activities taken into account, agriculture-related industry accounts for nearly half of all economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa. The region holds about half of the world’s fertile and as-yet-unused land – and yet it spends US$25 billion annually importing food. What is the purpose of Agriculture in Nigeria? The main purpose of agriculture is to provide food and raw materials for human use. Nigeria is currently poised to be a world power in the agricultural sector. The fact that Nigeria is richly blessed with abundant human and natural resources is one point that has been consistently repeated in various fora. How does agriculture affect the growth rate of the economy? If agriculture fails to meet the rising demand of food products, it is found to affect adversely the growth rate of the economy. Raising supply of food by agricultural sector has, therefore, great importance for economic growth of a country. Increase in demand for food in an economy is determined by the following equation: Why should the process of economic development begin for agricultural sector? As a matter of fact, if the process of economic development is to be initiated and made self-sustaining, it must begin for agricultural sector. Role of Agriculture in Economic Development: What role does agriculture play in the economy? Agriculture plays a major role in economic growth and development. As the provider of food it is a cornerstone of human existence. As a furnisher of industrial raw materials it is an important contributor to economic activity in other sectors of the economy. What does North Africa’s economy rely on? Agriculture and food. Agriculture is still one of the most important sectors of the economies of North Africa, both for feeding the population and for export. Does North Africa have agriculture? The agricultural sector in North Africa has experienced significant transformation in the last few decades. As Table 1 shows, the share of agriculture in GDP is low. Yet despite the declining share of agriculture in GDP, the agricultural sector remains a primary source of employment, particularly in Egypt and Morocco. Why is agriculture significant in economic development in Africa? Agriculture constitutes the main source of employment of the majority of the world’s poor. In total, the share of agriculture in total employment in developing countries constitutes 53% of the total workforce in 2004. In Sub-Saharan Africa 60% of the economically active population works in the agricultural sector14. What is the agriculture in Africa? Africa produces all the principal grains—corn, wheat, and rice—in that order of importance. Corn has the widest distribution, being grown in virtually all ecological zones. Highest yields per acre are recorded in Egypt and on the Indian Ocean islands of Réunion and Mauritius, areas where production is under irrigation. What resources of North Africa are the most valuable? Africa’s two most profitable mineral resources are gold and diamonds. Why is North Africa unsuitable for agriculture? This system of permanent cultivation is used where population densities are very high, farmland is very scarce—as in North Africa—or where the soils are naturally very rich—as with the volcanic soils of east Africa. How does agriculture contribute to the economy of South Africa? Agriculture is central to fostering economic growth, reducing poverty, and improving food security in the Southern African region. More than 70 percent of the rural population depends on agriculture for their livelihoods, and regional economic growth has been constrained by poor performance in the agriculture sector. What are the main crops grown in North Africa? AlgeriaEgyptMoroccoBarley Oat WheatBarley Corn Cotton Maize Rice Sorghum Sunflowerseed WheatBarley Corn Oat Sunflowerseed Rapeseed Wheat Why the agriculture is important? Agriculture plays a chiefly role in economy as well as it is considered to be the backbone of economic system for developing countries. For decades, agriculture has been related with the production of vital food crops. The Present era of farming contains dairy, fruit, forestry, poultry beekeeping and arbitrary etc. What is importance of agriculture? Agriculture provides most of the world’s food and fabrics. Cotton, wool, and leather are all agricultural products. Agriculture also provides wood for construction and paper products. These products, as well as the agricultural methods used, may vary from one part of the world to another. Why is agriculture important for developing countries? Agriculture can be important for developing countries in several ways; where food security is weak it can be a vital source of nutrition, it provides income for farmers and farm workers and thus revenues for rural areas, job opportunities in related areas such as processing and in some cases export revenue and thus … How much of Africa’s GDP is agriculture? Agriculture averages 24% of GDP across the continent. With post-harvest activities taken into account, agriculture-related industry accounts for nearly half of all economic activity in sub-Saharan Africa. The region holds about half of the world’s fertile and as-yet-unused land – and yet it spends US$25 billion annually importing food. What was the agricultural development of China in the late 1970s and 1980s? farm machinery. With strong backward linkages between these rural enterprises and Chinese farmers, agricultural development in China grew substantially in the late 1970s and 1980s. This happened through farmland capital construction, chemical fertilisation and mechanisation. How many smallholder farmers does Heifer International serve? In Malawi, for instance, Heifer International is implementing a programme alongside USAID that is designed to stimulate a dairy industry. But it serves only 180 smallholder farmers. How does rural enterprise help China? By keeping workers and economic activity in rural areas, China has helped expand rural markets and limit rural-urban migration. What is value chain in Africa? Value chains in many African countries feature an informal chain that serves lower-income consumers and a formal chain that caters for high-income domestic consumers or exports. In many sectors the vast majority of the volume moves through the smaller, less formal businesses. What are the main industries in China? China’s initial rural enterprise strategy focused on the so-called five small industries it deemed crucial to agricultural growth: 1 chemical fertiliser; 2 cement; 3 energy; 4 iron and steel; and 5 farm machinery. Is there venture capital in Africa? Venture capital in Africa, however, barely exists outside South Africa. African countries also need to make a concerted effort to leverage expertise in the diaspora. This cohort provides links to existing know-how, establish links to global markets and train local workers to perform new tasks. What is the role of agriculture in the economy? Agricultural sector plays a strategic role in the process of economic development of a country. It has already made a significant contribution to the economic prosperity of advanced countries and its role in the economic development of less developed countries is of vital importance. ADVERTISEMENTS: In other words, where per capita real income is … Why is agriculture important? Agriculture is the basic source of food supply of all the countries of the world—whether underdeveloped, developing or even developed. Due to heavy pressure of population in underdeveloped and developing countries and its rapid increase, the demand for food is increasing at a fast rate. How does rural economy affect social welfare? The rising agricultural surplus caused by increasing agricultural production and productivity tends to improve social welfare, particularly in rural areas. The living standard of rural masses rises and they start consuming nutritious diet including eggs, milk, ghee and fruits. They lead a comfortable life having all modern amenities—a better house, motor-cycle, radio, television and use of better clothes. What is agriculture in India? Agriculture provides employment opportunities for rural people on a large scale in underdeveloped and developing countries. It is an important source of livelihood. Generally, landless workers and marginal farmers are engaged in non-agricultural jobs like handicrafts, furniture, textiles, leather, metal work, processing industries, and in other service sectors. These rural units fulfill merely local demands. In India about 70.6% of total labour force depends upon agriculture. What happens to agricultural production during a depression? During depression, industrial production can be stopped or reduced but agricultural production continues as it produces basic necessities of life. Thus it continues to create effective demand even during adverse conditions of the economy. What will happen to agriculture as a result of industrialization? As a result of agricultural progress, there will be extension of market for industrial products. Increase in agricultural productivity leads to increase in the income of rural population which is turn leads to more demand for industrial products, thus development of industrial sector. Why is agricultural advancement important? Agricultural advancement is necessary for improving the supply of raw materials for the agro-based industries especially in developing countries. The shortage of agricultural goods has its impact upon on industrial production and a consequent increase in the general price level. What was the role of agriculture in Nigeria? The Role of Agriculture in Nigeria. Prior to the discovery of oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the mainstay of the economy. Agriculture was then the highest earner of foreign exchange for the country, and Nigeria was also largely self-sufficient in food production. However, with the discovery of oil, the lure of petro dollars turned the focus … What has the government done to promote agriculture in Nigeria? In recent years, the government of Nigeria has put forth policies to promote agriculture in the country. Although a lot has been achieved in the area of food security, a lot still has to be done. Provision of Raw Materials to Support Industries. How much cocoa does Nigeria produce? In the agricultural sector, cocoa is the highest foreign exchange earner with Nigeria producing more than 200,000 tons of cocoa per annum. This output can be greatly increased if the current traditional methods of cultivation are traded for more modern mechanized methods. How much land is arable in Nigeria? This land area amounts to about 82 million hectares. Unfortunately, only about half of this arable land mass is being currently cultivated. How much does agriculture contribute to the GDP of Nigeria? Agriculture currently contributes between 30 and 40 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP) of the country with a huge majority of the rural population engaging in subsistence agriculture. The relatively diverse variety of climatic conditions in Nigeria makes it possible to raise a wide range of crops across the country. Why is food security important in Nigeria? Food Security. It is a common saying that the quality of food consumed by a people is a stark revelation of the quality of life of the people. With a population of more than 160 million and growing, Nigeria needs to produce enough food to cater for her growing population and also export to earn foreign exchange. What is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria? Although no longer the largest sector of the Nigerian economy, agriculture still remains the single highest employer of labour in Nigeria, most especially in the rural areas. Why is agriculture important in economic development? The role of agriculture in economic development is crucial because a majority of the population of developing countries make their living from agriculture. We explain below the role of agriculture in detail and point out in what ways agriculture can … What is the market contribution of agriculture? The market contribution of agriculture means the demand for industrial products. In the earlier stages of development when urban sector is very small and markets for exports have not yet been found, agricultural sector of developing countries is a major source of demand or market for industrial products. What happens if agricultural productivity does not rise? If agricultural productivity does not rise the marketable surplus for industrial growth has been obtained by some countries through coercion as was the case in Japan at the time of Meiji Restoration (1869) when through compulsory taxation marketable surplus was extracted from the farmers. How does agriculture help in eradicating poverty? In any strategy of eradication of poverty agricultural growth plays an important role. Agricultural growth raises the productivities and incomes of small and marginal farmers, and raises and employment and wages of agricultural workers. With this, it helps to reduce poverty and disguised unemployment. How can agriculture be used to help industrial growth? Agriculture can also be a major source of saving or capital for industrial growth of developing countries. Even, in poor developing countries, as income from agriculture is unequally distributed, rural people with high incomes can invest their savings for industrial development. In Britain at the time of industrial revolution rich landlords voluntarily invested some of their savings in growing industries. Besides, small farmers can deposit their small savings in banks operating in the rural areas and then these banks can provide loans to the industrialists for investment purposes. Why is agriculture taxed in Japan? In Japan a tax on agriculture was levied to mobilise savings for capital accumulation. In India land revenue from agriculture has been a negligible source of State income. A committee headed by late Dr K.N. Raj recommended ‘Agricultural Holding Tax’ to mobilise savings from agriculture for economic development. Why is there stagnation in the industrial sector? In India it has been found that whenever there is sluggish or negative agricultural growth, there is stagnation in the industrial sector due to lack of demand for the industrial products.	https://agrifarmingtips.com/what-role-does-agriculture-play-in-north-africa-s-economy/
Dr. Alling H. Yancy, vice president, food safety and production programs for the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association recently outlined the proposed policy of the FSIS regarding Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) in broilers. Addressing an attentive audience at the North Carolina Poultry Health Meeting in early November, Yancy raised a red flag and urged preemptive action to avert a crisis in the broiler industry. The intended action by FSIS on SE was telegraphed by Dr. Dan Engeljohn, then Deputy Assistant Administrator of the FSIS, in a presentation made on January 28, 2009, at a meeting of the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan. In his address, Dr. Engeljohn announced a new FSIS initiative aimed at reducing the prevalence rate of SE in broiler carcass rinse samples. Dr. Engeljohn’s 2009 presentation included the following statements, “Know that broilers, not eggs, are a primary source for SE” and “There is no known industry-wide or collective focus on addressing SE.” Those statements were reinforced by a subsequent comment, made earlier this year, which indicated the FSIS had considered the notion of declaring SE an adulterant. All of these comments have potentially ominous implications for the broiler industry. It is apparent that the FSIS is of the dubious opinion that SE can be prevented from entering the food chain and that on-farm controls are practical and feasible. FSIS puts focus on plants It seems the FSIS intends to target SE and collect information on the prevalence and source of the organism in rinse samples collected in plants. Concurrently, the FSIS has proposed to correlate available public health information from sources local to plants where SE is found in an attempt to define the epidemiology of SE outbreaks. This appears to be a superficial and unproductive approach since processing plants distribute their products through wide geographic areas and to diverse consumer and institutional segments. The situation is further complicated by the range of items the industry’s plants produce including whole birds, carcasses, cut-up and further processed items It is noted that with respect to the U.S. only 50% of SE outbreaks can be attributed to a specific vehicle, and data obtained from FoodNet suggest that approximately 64% of outbreaks of SE occur where the transmission is identified as from eggs. Tracking from plants to grow-out farms? It is understood that the FSIS may attempt to identify individual growers with a “prior record of SE” and that it will then be necessary to address SE as a hazard by applying HACCP principles. If so, Dr. Yancy suggested that the FSIS will effectively extend its authority from the plant backward into live production. This is a fallacious approach, since experience gained in the industry demonstrates that SE infection is vertically transmitted. It is expected that individual grow-out farms may become contaminated, but there is no practical or available modality that can be used to consistently eliminate Salmonella infection in earth-floored broiler grow-out housing. Lessons available from egg industry experience Advertisement The industry must obviously take the initiative, and identify objectives and develop appropriate programs to develop a realistic strategy to address SE. It is noted that the U.S. egg industry through its producer association developed a patently defective and self-serving surveillance program, which did little to reduce the prevalence of SE in commercial flocks. Inactivity, self-deception based on a concern for costs and denying the epidemiologic realities of SE infection in consumers of eggs, resulted in the Food and Drug Administration developing and implementing the “Final Rule” to reduce the incidence rate of SE in consumers. This mandate now forces producers to perform regular assays, and divert eggs to breaking and pasteurization if a two-step detection process, involving an environmental screen and assays of egg pools, confirms the presence of SE in flocks. Broiler industry to take initiative on SE The U.S. Poultry & Egg Association took the initiative to identify poultry industry specialists who developed a voluntary SE monitoring program for parent broiler breeder flocks that was recently adopted by the General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) at its 40th biennial conference. This group of specialists comprises representatives from the American Association of Avian Pathologists, the National Chicken Council, the Association of Veterinarians in Broiler Production and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council. A program is necessary to counter the contention that there is “no known industry-wide or collective focus on addressing SE.” Establishing a structured and consistent SE-Monitored Program under the NPIP will gather data on the prevalence of SE in broiler production and will help facilitate development of appropriate countermeasures. Vertical transmission dictates focus on breeders Based on the fact that SE is vertically transmitted, prevention programs must focus on parent breeding. The NPIP SE monitoring program does just that, and does not designate specific corrective actions or preventive measures that must be taken following isolation of SE as a result of the requisite assays. Dr. Yancy urged the formation of a poultry industry coalition to address SE and indicated he was actively in the process of doing so. The primary purpose of such a group would be to gather and present scientific evidence and economic justifications to oppose the previously proposed FSIS SE policy and offer an alternate, more meaningful approach to address the risk of this food safety hazard associated with chicken meat. The experience of the egg industry should be a salutary lesson to broiler producers. Unless a viable, practical and economically sound program is developed and implemented by the broiler industry, it is obvious that regulatory agencies will impose draconian rules, which will seriously impact efficiency and profitability.	https://www.wattagnet.com/articles/7681-salmonella-enteritidis-emerging-as-a-broiler-issue
This Report shows that a lack of attention to education quality and a failure to reach the marginalized have contributed to a learning crisis that needs urgent attention. Worldwide, 250 million children – many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds – are not learning the basics, let alone the further skills they need to get decent work and lead fulfilling lives. It describes how policy-makers can support and sustain a quality education system for all children, regardless of background, by providing the best teachers. It also documents the reductions in aid that are holding back progress towards education goals, and shows how countries can boost education funding by tapping into domestic resources more effectively. As the international community prepares to formulate post-2015 development goals, the Report makes a compelling case for giving education a central place in the global framework. It presents the latest evidence from around the world of the power of education – especially of girls – to help improve health and nutrition, reduce poverty, boost economic growth and protect the environment. The EFA Global Monitoring Report was established in order to inform, influence and sustain genuine commitment to achieving the Education for All goals by 2015. It monitors progress towards the goals across some 200 countries and territories, and acts as an authoritative reference for education policy-makers, development specialists, researchers and the media. A girl's right to say no to marriage. Working to end child marriage and keep girls in school Plan International, June 2013 One in three girls in the developing world is married by the age of 18. Child marriage is a violation of children’s human rights. Despite being prohibited by international human rights law and many national laws, child marriage continues to rob millions of girls of their childhood, forcing them out of education and into a life of poor prospects. This report calls on national governments and the international community to ensure national legislation prohibits child marriage, to ensure girls' access to quality education and to consistently raise child marriage as a human rights issue. Youth and skills: Putting education to work UNESCO, 2013 Many young people around the world – especially the disadvantaged – are leaving school without the skills they need to thrive in society and find decent jobs. As well as thwarting young people’s hopes, these education failures are jeopardizing equitable economic growth and social cohesion, and preventing many countries from reaping the potential benefits of their growing youth populations. The 2012 Education for All Global Monitoring Report examines how skills development programmes can be improved to boost young people’s opportunities for decent jobs and better lives. From Access to Equality: Empowering Girls and Women through Literacy and Secondary Education UNESCO, 2012 This report aims to raise public awareness of the importance of investing in girls’ and women’s education. It highlights relatively neglected areas of education that are interrelated: secondary education and literacy. Published within the framework of the UNESCO Global Partnership for Girls and Women’s Education – “Better Life, Better Future” – it provides the Partnership with a strategic vision and gives concrete examples of ways to tackle obstacles to both access and equality. It is hoped that the Report will contribute to re-defining the role of education from a gender perspective in view of supporting the achievement of broader development goals by 2015 and contributing to the post-2015 discussions on gender equality and Education for All. Because I am a Girl. Africa Report 2012. Progress and Obstacles to Girls’ Education in Africa Plan, 2012 Plan’s Because I am a Girl annual global report maps the state of the world’s girls. While women and children are often recognised as specific target groups in policy and planning, girls’ particular needs and rights are often ignored. These reports provide evidence, including the voices of girls themselves, on why girls’ needs require specific attention. This is the first panAfrica Because I am a Girl report, presenting the difficulties faced by girls, their families, communities and teachers across Africa, and how their experience of education is impacted and influenced by policies, cultural practices and traditional values. World Atlas of Gender Equality in Education UNESCO, 2012 This atlas includes over 120 maps, charts and tables featuring a wide range of sex-disaggregated indicators. The vivid presentation of information and analysis calls attention to persistent gender disparities and the need for greater focus on girls’ education as a human right. It illustrates the educational pathways of girls and boys and the changes in gender disparities over time. It hones in on the gender impact of critical factors such as national wealth, geographic location, investment in education, and fields of study. Gender Equity Movement in Schools (GEMS) - Campaign Guide & Training Manual for Facilitators ICRW, CORO, TISS, 2011 The Gender Equity Movement in Schools (GEMS) program aims to promote gender equality among adolescents in school settings by encouraging equal relationships between girls and boys, examining the social norms that define men’s and women’s roles, and questioning the use of violence. The main components of GEMS are group education activities (GEA) and a campaign. The campaign is a week-long series of events, including games, competitions, debates and short plays, aimed at reaching out to students. This campaign guide walks facilitators through steps and ideas to organize similar campaigns on gender and violence in schools. Read more: GEMS Campaign Guide and GEMS Training Manual for Facilitators New Lessons: The Power of Educating Adolescent Girls The Coalition for Adolescent Girls, 2009 For 15 years, the development community has known about the radically high return of investing in girls’ education, yet little light has been shown on the intersection of education and adolescent girls. This report fills that gap. The authors find that staying in school through adolescence brings immediate benefits to girls during a high-risk phase of life, and long-term benefits to families and communities. This report highlights the unique educational needs of adolescent girls, provides a first-ever compendium of more than 300 past and current programs and spells out concrete actions for change. Because I am a girl: Girls in the global economy 2009 Plan, 2009 This is the third in a series of annual reports published by Plan examining the rights of girls throughout their childhood, adolescence and as young women. Focusing on girls in the global economy, the report warns that failing to send girls to school is costing the world’s poorest countries billions of pounds each year. No education means girls are confined to dangerous, unskilled work – neglecting their earning potential. Education from a gender equality perspective USAID, May 2008 Over the years, education has focused on access and parity - that is, closing the enrolment gap between girls and boys - while insufficient attention has been paid to retention and achievement or the quality and relevance of education. The primary focus on girls' access to education may overlook boys' educational needs. This approach also fails to confront the norms and behaviours that perpetuate inequality. This paper presents the Gender Equality Framework, which has been designed to address this inequality. A tool for education programmers, the framework helps ensure that education projects meet the needs of all learners. Stolen Childhood, Lost Learning : Safe Schools, Every Girl's Right Amnesty International, November 2007 Schools are places for children to learn and grow. But many girls all over the world go to school fearing for their safety, dreading humiliating and violent treatment, simply hoping to get through another day. In this information sheet Amnesty International calls on government officials and schools, supported by parents, community leaders and non-governmental organizations, to take six steps. These include the prohibition of forms of violence against girls and the provision of support services for girls who have suffered violence. Ideas for Working With Girls IWTC, 2007 This resource collection on CD-Rom consists of free games, training manuals, workshop guides etc. for teachers, trainers and development workers who are working for and with girls. It includes interactive and participatory training guides and resources on rights, empowerment, violence against women and girls, HIV/AIDS, sexuality and reproductive health and leadership development. An Annotated Bibliography on Gender in Secondary Education Commonwealth Secretariat , April 2007 This annotated bibliography brings together the currently available documentation on gender and education in five countries namely -- Ghana, Kenya, India, Nigeria and Pakistan -- with special emphasis on secondary education. The publication should be useful to researchers, policy-makers, planners, teacher educators, government and non-government education managers, as well as activists in this field. Working with the Media on Gender and Education: A Guide for Training and Planning Oxfam, January 2006 This guide is designed to help education and gender campaigners, and organisations and coalitions, work more effectively with the media to promote gender-equitable education. It explores issues relating to gender equality in education and contains practical advice on working with the media. Throughout the guide suggestions of activities (accompanied by a set of worksheets) to help groups generate discussion and explore the issues addressed in more depth are given. Education for Rural People (ERP) FAO/UNESCO Education is an essential prerequisite for reducing poverty, improving agriculture and the living conditions of rural people and building a food-secure world. Education is a basic right in itself. In spite of this, children's access to education in rural areas is still much lower than in urban areas, adult illiteracy is much higher and the quality of education is poorer. The fight against poverty and hunger is a fight for justice. Expanding access to quality education for rural people is thus of crucial importance in the realisation of human rights for all and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is why FAO and UNESCO are inviting member countries, international agencies and civil society to join the partnership on Education for Rural People (ERP) which is part of the International Alliance Against Hunger and of the Education for All (EFA) initiative. Beyond Access: Transforming Policy and Practice for Gender Equality in Education Oxfam, September 2005 In a world in which poverty, social prejudice, and poor-quality provision cause an estimated 100 million girls to drop out of school before completing their primary education, it is not enough for governments to pledge themselves to increase girls’ access to school. This book presents a vision of a transformational education which would promote social change, enable girls to achieve their full potential, and contribute to the creation of a just and democratic society. Promoting gender-sensitive entrepreneurship via microfinance institutions Paper presented at FAO Headquarters on 8 March 2005, on the occasion of International Women’s Day Knowledge about gender issues amongst those involved in providing microfinance services will vary depending on the type of microfinance institution. While the staff of many NGOs involved in microfinance may have a comparative advantage regarding knowledge of gender issues, the lack of business skills among staff within the NGO sector may also limit their ability to sustainably deliver microfinance services to poorer clients. Girls’ education towards a better future for all DFID, January 2005 There are still 58 million girls worldwide who are not in school, the majority live in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia. A girl growing up in a poor family in sub-Saharan Africa has less than a one-in-four chance of getting a secondary education. The Millennium Development Goal to get as many girls as boys into primary and secondary school by 2005 is likely to be missed in more than 75 countries. This strategy document sets sets out the action DFID will take and the leadership it will provide, with others in the international community, to ensure equality of education between men and women, boys and girls.	http://www.fao.org/dimitra/resources-by-theme/education-training/en/
UPCYCLED CATALAN TIMBER Within Studio Seminar groups were tasked to explore the impact that robotics and automation may have on the reintegration of the original properties of wood into the architectural, engineering and construction industries. By utilising computational and parametric design it is possible to create customizable non-standard geometries that can have a real impact on modern construction with one of the oldest building materials. Upcycled Catalan Timber strived to conceptualise, develop and envision a state-of-the-art process utilising both emergent software and hardware technology to answer the question: within the current lifecycle of Catalan timber, is there a potential to add quality and function to offcuts through the application of computational design, robotics and automation? Existing Process Initial research was done into the existing lifecycle of Catalan timber from forest, sourcing, transport, milling and eventual product. Most of the timber sourced was used for the creation of standard disposable timber pallets, although through site visits to one of the major sawmills in Catalan it was discovered that almost 50% of the supplied logs were unsuitable for the pallets. This non-suitable timber was used for either pellets or sawdust, sold between €50 – €200 per tonne. It was at this point in the process we identified our point of disruption of the establishment product cycle. New Process With the intersection point identified, the next task was to define the ultimate product. Due to the irregular and unpredictable nature of the material a computationally designed panel system manufactured from aggregate assembled offcut Catalan timber was decided. To realise this, next task was to define what parameters would be required. Pseudocode To generate the desired outputs, a new paneling system with minimal waste, we had to define realistic & achievable inputs. These were timber, species, function, final design and the total count of panels required. They would pass through our parametric program to automatically generate cut planes per piece that were suitable to the in-production panels taking into consideration the design & functional requirements as input. As we were focused on softwood unsuitable for exterior use, a test function of internal acoustic paneling was used during the seminar. As with all aspects of our programme, this was able to be further developed and evolve for different functions and design inputs that could be integrated with varying timber species and offcut variations. With a solid envisioned process in mind, physical prototyping was the next logical step. A matter of configuring an ABB IRB-140 to prove the concept at each all stages as previously outlined in our pseudocode. Immediate technical limitations became apparent as challenges to tackle. The ABB robot arm features a smaller reach that when paired with a stationary saw blade limited the range of degrees for the generation of cut planes as well as the maximum size of raw material for processing. Limitations The envisioned process featured an industrial grade vacuum gripper which for the prototyping was simply not feasible. A physical gripper was required to be developed. A traditional actuated gripper that clamps onto the material from its external faces proved inefficient, as we were to cut a minimum of 2 – 4 sides per piece of material, it would require an additional place and pick step. Additionally, the nature of the material meant there was no guarantee that we would be able to physically pick the pieces for assembly if the sides were at irregular angles. For this reason, we developed an internal pneumatic linear actuated gripper that required holes in a single face of each member. This allowed up to 5 faces to be trimmed in the process, as well as increasing the number of producible variables for design input. Gripper Development With all the physical and technical limitations detected, it was possible to test the entire process from start to finish using the ABB IRB-140 and the new gripper. The analysis derived from the physical prototyping proved that the newly developed process had a great opportunity to grow in scale given the right equipment, time and resources. Along with the acoustic paneling, several design intentions could be included within the assembly to have different communicative properties and the inclusion of different base material opened up even more functional applications. Overall, the envisioned and prototyped process meets and surpasses the intended goal of adding value and function to a material the currently has next to zero.	http://www.iaacblog.com/programs/upcycled-catalan-timber/
This response sets out the Electoral Commission’s views on the Welsh Government’s White Paper about the future of Local Government in Wales, which includes proposals that the Welsh Government are likely to consider to reform electoral registration and voting arrangements. We have responded to what we have considered to be those issues within the White Paper which are directly relevant to the Commission’s work and which are set out in Chapter 7. We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on electoral reform in Wales. We understand that the intention is to consult again in summer 2017. We are happy to work with Welsh Government in developing these proposals and to provide more detail on our response, as necessary. We continue to recommend that all legislation should be clear (either by Royal Assent to primary legislation, or by laying secondary legislation for approval by Parliament) at least six months before it is required to be implemented or complied with by campaigners, Returning Officers or Electoral Registration Officers. We would also urge that should any changes be made, these will need to be adequately resourced to ensure that they can be implemented in as effective a fashion as possible, which is in the best interests of voters in Wales. We have, as part of our recent strategic review identified an opportunity for the Commission to undertake further work to look at how voters’ needs and expectations can be better met, including looking at different ways of registering and voting. We are publishing our revised corporate plan in June and will be happy to discuss our plans further with Welsh Government at this point. Postal voting procedures In the White Paper the Welsh Government said that it will consider a review of postal voting procedures and the use of all-postal elections. The following information is included to provide background and context to help assist Welsh Government in developing its proposals. Since 2001, in response to concerns about falling participation rates, anyone on the electoral register in Great Britain has been able to apply to vote by post instead of in person at a polling station, without providing a reason or attestation. Postal voting is an increasingly popular method of participation for electors across Great Britain. For example, at the May 2016 National Assembly for Wales elections, postal votes were issued to approximately 396,000 electors, representing 17.6% of the total electorate. Turnout among postal voters is consistently higher than people who vote at polling stations: 74% of postal votes in the constituency and regional elections were returned compared to a turnout of 40% among those voting in person at a polling station. Overall, postal votes accounted for 28% of all votes cast at the May 21016 elections in Wales. At the most recent UK Parliamentary general election in May 2015, postal ballot packs were sent to approximately 7.6 million electors across Great Britain, representing 16% of all registered electors. 85.6% of postal voters returned their postal votes, compared with a turnout of 63% amongst those voting in person at a polling station. Since 2007 electors who apply to vote by post in Great Britain have been required to provide their date of birth and a sample signature on their application. These personal identifiers must also be provided on the postal voting statement returned with the completed postal ballot paper, and these are then compared with the identifiers held on record, providing a check that the ballot paper has been completed by the elector themselves. These checks mean that, ultimately, Returning Officers (ROs) will not count postal votes where they are not satisfied that the postal voting statement has been completed by the elector it was issued to. We have suggested opportunities to strengthen postal voting further in our response to Sir Eric Pickles and as part of our response to the Law Commissions’ review of electoral law. We suggested that the following activities (regardless of who carries them out) should be more clearly defined as offences under electoral law: - It should be an offence to compel someone to apply to vote by post or appoint a proxy (or to prevent them from doing so) against their will. - It should be an offence for anyone to alter an elector’s completed absent vote application form. - It should be an offence for anyone to take an elector’s uncompleted postal ballot pack from them. - It should be an offence for anyone to open (except for a lawful purpose e.g. for the Royal Mail to direct the envelope to the correct Returning Officer) or alter the contents of a completed postal ballot pack, including either the ballot paper or the postal voting statement, before it has been received by the Returning Officer. These offences would apply equally to campaigners and others (including family members, for example) and it would be for the courts to determine the appropriate type and level of punishment, taking into account the specific circumstances of each individual case. We expect that this would mean, for example, that campaigners, agents or candidates would receive more significant penalties including, if appropriate, being barred from standing for election for a period, reflecting the position of responsibility that campaigners hold. We also support, and will work with the Law Commissions to clarify the definition of the law on undue influence, and to ensure the definition of offences protecting the secrecy of the ballot extend to postal ballot papers. All-postal voting Following all-postal voting pilot schemes across four English electoral regions at the 2004 local government and European Parliamentary elections, we noted that turnout had been just over five percentage points higher in those regions with allpostal voting than in regions where postal voting was available on demand in addition to polling stations. Nevertheless, our research with voters and non-voters in areas where the 2004 pilot schemes were held found strong public support for retaining the ability for people to choose to vote in person at a polling station. We therefore recommended in 2004 that all-postal voting should not be pursued for use at future UK statutory elections, and this remains our position. Piloting new electoral procedures In the White Paper the Welsh Government said that they will consider whether local Returning Officers/Electoral Registration Officers would be allowed to trial the reforms set out in the paper in different ways to better meet the needs of different communities and locations. Between 2000 and 2007 the UK Government encouraged local authorities in England to undertake pilot schemes to test new methods of voting and voting arrangements at local government elections with a view to adopting them more widely if successful. In Wales, the fact that the local elections in 2004 were held at the same time as the European Parliamentary elections meant that pilots could not take place, although there was an all-postal pilot scheme undertaken in Monmouthshire in 2002. The Electoral Commission had a statutory role in evaluating every electoral pilot scheme and published evaluation reports on individual pilots. More recently we have evaluated electoral registration pilot schemes and are currently working with the UK Government on its proposals to pilot voter ID in polling stations at the May 2018 local government elections in England. The Welsh Government should ensure that any pilot schemes are rigorously designed to ensure they are capable of providing robust evidence to support future policy decisions, and we would be happy to work with the Welsh Government on this. Undertaking electoral pilots is not the only mechanism for developing new policy for elections, and the Welsh Government may wish to consider alternative options. Electronic voting and counting The Commission evaluated all of the pilot schemes on electronic voting and counting since 2002, as required under the Representation of the People Act 2000. Our general conclusions were that e-counting has the potential to increase both the efficiency and accuracy of the counting process and that e-voting increased convenience for voters. However, we made a number of recommendations, including that: - Any future e-voting or e-counting projects needed to be based on more substantial testing of the security, reliability and transparency of proposed solutions, either through an accreditation and certification process, or a more detailed and thorough procurement process. - Sufficient time must be allowed for the planning of e-voting and e-counting projects. Currently the London Mayoral, London Assembly and Scottish Council elections are counted electronically. We have made assessments of the use of ecounting at these elections in our most recent election reports: Scotland Elections Report May 2012; The May 2016 Mayor of London and London Assembly elections. We recommend that in considering the use of e-counting, an assessment should be made of the effectiveness, value for money and risks associated with this approach. Holding elections on different days Holding elections on different days was piloted in the form of advance voting at the May 2007 local elections in England. Our evaluation of these pilots highlighted feedback from elections staff and other local stakeholders, together with evidence from local survey research, which suggested that the majority (74%) of users of advance voting would have voted even without the facility. Turnout across the areas with advance voting pilot schemes was broadly consistent with the last comparable elections in those areas. In addition, repeat piloting of advance voting did not necessarily lead to higher levels of usage, which remained low. We concluded that it was unlikely that the advance voting pilot schemes had anything more than a very limited effect on turnout, although it was likely that it did provide greater convenience for some voters. The UK Government undertook a consultation on weekend voting in 2008. We are not in principle opposed to weekend voting, although any change should only be made if there is clear evidence that it would be of significant benefit to electors. At present, the evidence on this issue provides an insufficient basis on which to reach a definitive conclusion and we therefore believe that further work is necessary, e.g. to establish the practical implications of any change including the degree to which it could impact differently on people, turnout and resources. Until all these issues have been properly examined and assessed, we recommend that polling day should continue to fall on a weekday. We recommend that polling day should continue to be held on a weekday until there is evidence that weekend voting would be of significant benefit to electors. Voting at places other than polling stations In 2003 Windsor & Maidenhead piloted a scheme to enable voters to vote at a number of different locations including railway stations and supermarkets. We concluded that it was difficult to assess the extent to which those who used the facilities were existing voters or people who would otherwise not have voted. No similar pilots have been conducted in the UK since then and therefore the current evidence base is limited. Modernising electoral registration Automatic voter registration In our March 2017 report on the December 2016 electoral registers we restated our position that it is now time to move away from a system which relies on electors taking steps to register themselves, and instead develop automatic or direct enrolment processes which have the potential to deliver more accurate and complete electoral registers more efficiently than current resource intensive canvass processes. In our July 2016 report, which contains a number of recommendations to modernise the electoral registration process, we set out our vision of a modern electoral register as one which: - Uses trusted available public data to keep itself accurate and complete throughout the year without relying solely on action by individuals; and - Makes it as easy as possible for electors to ensure their own registration record is accurate and complete, particularly ahead of elections and referendums. The Modernising Electoral Registration Programme within Cabinet Office is taking forward several projects which could contribute towards realising this goal of a modern, efficient registration system. The Commission is committed to supporting them and working with them as appropriate in delivering these projects. We have also recommended that electors should be able check their registration status at the beginning of the online registration application process which would reduce the action required by voters to keep their register entry up to date, and would also reduce the impact on EROs of processing duplicate applications. The Modern Electoral Registration programme is currently looking at what might be put in place to address this and we will continue to work with them on this issue. We would support and encourage the Welsh Government to explore automatic registration. Consideration will need to be given to the challenges and issues involved in making these changes for the local government register without equivalent changes to the parliamentary register. Data sharing In our guidance we advise that the following records may help EROs identify new electors: - Council tax - Council tax reduction (formerly council tax benefit) - Housing benefit - Register of households in multiple occupation (HMOs) - Records held by the registrars of births, deaths and marriages - Lists of residential and care homes / shelters / hostels - Lists of disabled people receiving council assistance - Land Registry/Registers of Scotland - Planning and building control - List of new British citizens held by the registrar In order to facilitate the registration of certain groups of electors, such as students, we are aware that some EROs in Wales have developed data sharing agreements with universities, for example. The current Digital Economy Bill, includes provisions which are intended to make it easier for public bodies to share data they hold in order to improve the delivery of public services to citizens. When the Bill receives Royal Assent we will explore further with the Cabinet Office Modernising Electoral Registration Programme what opportunities there are for using these provisions to improve the compilation and maintenance of electoral registers, in particular using appropriately reliable data so that EROs can better identify people who are not accurately registered. We would support and encourage the Welsh Government to explore options for improved data sharing with EROs, particularly by other government agencies or service providers from whom EROs are not currently entitled to receive data. We would also remind Welsh Government of theresponsibility EROs in Wales have to maintain the parliamentary register. Single electronic register for Wales In 2005, the UK Government Department for Constitutional Affairs considered the implementation of a single electronic register via the Co-ordinated Online Record of Electors (CORE). In 2006, legislation was made in the Electoral Administration Act (2006) for one or more Co-ordinated On-line Record of Electors schemes. However, no CORE scheme was, or has since been, established. We are not aware that a single electronic register is currently being considered by the Cabinet Office as part of their Modern Electoral Registration Programme. We would be prepared to work with Welsh Government on this should it decide to take this forward. Reducing voting age to 16 for local government elections In particular, the Commission’s view is that any changes to the franchise should be clear in sufficient time to enable all those who are newly eligible to vote to take the steps they need to successfully register and participate in the elections. The Commission would work with the Welsh Government to ensure a smooth transition if the voting age is lowered. We recommend that any work should start a minimum of 6 months before the canvass starts prior to the election it affects. This is vital if there is the intention to ask local authorities to supply data on school children which was the approach adopted in Scotland ahead of the Scottish Independence Referendum. This work would include testing forms for EROs to use, updating our advice and guidance to administrators and producing a public awareness campaign that would be informative to young voters. In Scotland the voting franchise was extended to 16 and 17 year olds for the local government elections in 2015. In order to encourage registration among this group we worked closely with Scotland’s Councils, Education Scotland and other interested groups. We would be happy to discuss this partnership work with Welsh Government further it this would be helpful. Removing entitlement to personal fees for Returning Officers In November 2016, we provided verbal evidence to the Scottish Parliament Local Government and Communities Committee’s inquiry into the purpose and appropriateness of providing payments or fees to Returning Officers in Scotland in relation to local government, Scottish Parliament, UK Parliament and European Parliament elections, and Counting Officers (COs) in relation to referendums. We recognised the central role the ROs play in the democratic process and that they are critical to delivering well-run elections and referendums which produce results in which voters can have confidence. ROs are not employed by councils when they deliver official election or referendum duties. They are independent statutory office-holders and they are accountable to the courts for the delivery of their official duties. As set out in our evidence to the Scottish Parliament committee, we continue to support the important principle that ROs should be independent from both local and national governments when delivering their statutory electoral administration duties. We believe it is important that electoral administration should be solely in the hands of the RO and their staff, rather than local authorities. This is necessary to ensure that elections are effectively administered and in voters’ best interests, to secure the impartial administration of elections and avoid any perception of bias and to promote public confidence and trust in the process. We recommend that any changes to the current management framework for the delivery of elections and referendums in Wales, including any changes to the funding of ROs, would need to be considered carefully to ensure that the independence and accountability of those responsible for delivering polls is maintained and not weakened. Greater transparency – requiring candidates to make clear any current or previous party membership We note that the White Paper refers to the Welsh Government “considering a proposal to require candidates to make clear whether they were or are members of a registered political party, whether they were formally selected to stand for that party or not”. The paper does not describe where or how candidates would be required to make this clear, but we note that the same section of the White Paper also outlines that “All candidates would also be required to publish election statements to a central website to allow voters easily to access information on the manifestos of all candidates”. We would be interested to understand more about the context for considering the first proposal noted above, and how it is it envisaged that it could be implemented. In general, we support measures that increase transparency for voters and reduce any potential for confusion about whether a candidate is associated with a political party or not. In our report on the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election we restated our view that where a candidate stands for election for a political party, it should be clear to voters, from the ballot paper, which party the candidate represents. The legal provisions for registration of party descriptions present risks of confusion for voters and restrict the participation of political parties. Local government election ballot papers allow a candidate to use either a registered party name or a registered party description on the ballot paper (subject to authorisation from the party). Under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, we are required to manage one register of party names, descriptions and emblems which parties and candidates can use for any type of elections or ballot paper. However, it is possible for a party to register a description which does not make reference to the party’s name, and to use that on a local government ballot paper. We have therefore explored solutions to this problem and previously recommended that where a candidate represents a political party on an election ballot paper it should be clear to voters which party the candidate represents. In our report on the elections we also recommended that the Welsh Government and other Governments in the UK should work with the Electoral Commission to reform the provisions on party descriptions. We would also welcome the opportunity to discuss our longstanding recommendation that where a candidate stands for election for a political party, it should be clear to voters, from the ballot paper, which party the candidate represents. Publishing election statements to a central website In January 2015 we published the final report of our review on standing for election. This made a number of recommendations to update the rules around standing for election and make them clearer and fairer. As part of our consultation, in thinking about more modern communication techniques we asked for views about making greater use of online candidate addresses rather than each elector being sent separate communications from a large number of candidates. While there was some support for online candidate addresses, concerns were raised that not everyone had access to the internet and there may be reluctance, on the part of some electors, to source candidate information online. We concluded that we would not be recommending changing the right to a postal mailing to a right to display information online, and that any move to online candidate communications as well as postal mailing should take account of internet use and the likelihood of candidate information being accessed online. Prohibiting AMs from serving as councillors Whilst the Commission does not have a specific view on this question we would urge Welsh Government to consider that any decision relating to this question should place the interest of the voter at the heart of the decision. For example, what is the voters expectation in terms of their elected representatives and can this be achieved by representing voters at a variety of different levels, or does this additional work place the voter at a disadvantage. Allowing local authorities flexibility to put in place local electoral arrangements Decisions about which voting system should be used for different elections are significant constitutional issues, and are matters for Governments and Parliaments. Our role is to ensure that appropriate administrative planning is undertaken by the relevant Returning Officer and that voters understand the systems used at the range of elections which take place in the UK, and that they can cast their vote in the way they intended. However, we would note that allowing councils to decide which electoral system to use in their own area could create significant risks and challenges, particularly in relation to voter understanding of how to cast their vote. As Welsh Government is aware, the Commission is committed to implementing a new consistent approach to the arrangements and management of elections in Wales through the establishment of a Wales Electoral Coordination Board. This proposal, if implemented, as well as having no precedent in any other part of the UK, will mean that national planning would be challenging. In addition to this, the Commission would need to consider how it supports the election and the resource required for this. For example - The provision of advice and guidance to Returning Officers and their staff - The provision of advice to political parties, candidates and agents - How any national public awareness campaign would be organised ahead of any election. The question of public awareness around two different electoral systems for one set of elections is likely to be a major challenge and one where there is a very real risk of confusion to electors if this type of change is implemented Given the various concerns that we have relating to this proposal, we would ask that Welsh Government carefully consider the real risks attached to this proposal before introducing a system that could see two different electoral systems in place for local elections in Wales and the potential impact that could have on voters. Achieving consistency across Wales in electoral matters Given the complex nature of the combined polls in 2016 the Electoral Commission introduced an All Wales Delivery Group to ensure effective planning and consistency on key issues. Other issues also discussed by the Delivery Group included legislation, preparations for the poll, guidance and training and public awareness. In our report on the National Assembly for Wales elections in May 2016 we recommended that a permanent Wales Delivery Group should continue to meet in order to further improve and streamline planning for future electoral events, and to provide opportunities for discussing key areas of common concern. This group, now named the Wales Electoral Coordination Board has now been established and has already began its work in ensuring coordinated and consistent planning of the upcoming local government elections to be held across Wales on 4 May 2017. The Law Commissions’ plans for Electoral Reform The Law Commissions of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have reviewed electoral law and reported on recommended reforms. The aims of the project are to consolidate the many existing sources of electoral law, and modernise and simplify the law, making it fit for elections in the 21st century. It is now for Governments in the UK to consider and implement the recommended changes to electoral law through primary and secondary legislation. Making changes to electoral law in Wales could present an opportunity for applicable England and Wales Law Commission electoral law reform recommendations, to be incorporated with a view to local government elections in Wales.	https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/our-responses-consultations/response-welsh-government-white-paper-reforming-local-government-resilient-and-renewed
At DueDil, it's thanks to feedback from our customers that we are able to ensure that our product is continuously being improved to better meet business needs. Join us for this 45-minute on-demand webinar with our Chief Product Officer, Naaman Tammuz. On this webinar, we will cover:	http://go.duedil.com/productyearinreviewwebinar
Mac OS X v10.6.2 Update This update is recommended for Mac OS X v10.6 through v10.6.1 Snow Leopard users and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit this website. Updating your system You should back up your system before installation; you can use Time Machine. Do not interrupt the installation process once you have started to update your system. You may experience unexpected results if you have third-party system software modiﬁcations installed, or if you've modiﬁed the operating system through other means. Choose Software Update from the Apple () menu to check for the latest Apple software via the Internet, including this update. If your computer is not up-to-date, other software updates available for your computer may appear, which you should install. When Software Updates states "Your software is up to date," you can be sure that all available updates have been installed. Note that an update size may vary from computer-to-computer when installed using Software Update. Also, some updates must be installed prior to others, so you should run Software Update more than once to make sure you have all available updates. You can manually download the update installer. This is a useful option when you need to update multiple computers but only want to download the update once. These versions of the standalone installers are available from Apple Support Downloads. What's included? General operating system fixes provided for: - an issue that caused data to be deleted when using a guest account - an issue that might cause your system to logout unexpectedly - the reliability of menu extras - an issue in Dictionary when using Hebrew as the primary language - shutter-click sound effect when taking a screenshot - an issue with the four-finger swipe gesture - an issue adding images to contacts in Address Book - an issue in Front Row that could cause sluggish or slow frame rates while watching videos - creation of mobile accounts for Active Directory users - reliability and duration of VPN connections - general reliability improvements for iWork, iLife, Aperture, Final Cut Studio, MobileMe, and iDisk - overall improvements to VoiceOver performance - this update addresses video playback and performance issues for iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers that may occur in some situations while AirPort is turned on Fonts fixes provided for: - an issue with font spacing - an issue in which some Fonts are missing - font duplication issues - an issue with some PostScript Type 1 fonts not working properly Graphics fixes provided for: - an issue when connecting monitors to DVI and Mini DisplayPort adapters - an issue in which the brightness setting may not be remembered on restart - addresses functionality with specific display models - general reliability and performance improvements when using some applications Mail fixes provided for: - a situation in which Mail's unread count may not update properly as messages are read on another computer - an issue in which deleted RSS feeds may return - an issue in which Mail cannot preview or Quick Look attachments when composing a new message - an issue that can cause Address Book and/or Mail to stop responding when opened - improved line wrapping compatibility when sending to certain mail clients and Microsoft Exchange Server - an issue in which Mail reports "Account exceeded bandwidth limits" for some Gmail accounts MobileMe fixes provided for: - performance when accessing files from iDisk via the Finder and syncing iDisk files - an issue in which syncing iDisk files does not proceed beyond "checking items" - reliability and performance when syncing contacts, calendars, and bookmarks with MobileMe (syncing with iTunes and iSync are also improved) - an issue that prevents some users from logging into MobileMe via the MobileMe System Preference pane Network file systems fixes provided for: - compatibility with third-party AFP servers - file synchronization for portable home directories Printing and faxing fixes provided for: - automatic printer updates improvements - Print dialog allowing you to enter and send to more than one fax recipient Safari fixes provided for: - a graphics distortion issue in Top Sites - Safari plug-in reliability The Mac OS X v10.6.2 combo update also includes improvements provided in the Mac OS X v10.6.1 Update.	https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT3874
As of Thursday, listing the PAN and Aadhaar number is a must if the cash deposits and withdrawals in a fiscal year exceed Rs 20 lakh. Individuals are also required to provide PAN or Aadhaar card number when opening a checking account or cash credit account with a bank or post office or cooperative bank. The Central Council for Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced this new rule through a notice released earlier this month. “Previously there was no total limit for depositing cash into accounts on an annual basis, now it has been kept at Rs 20 lakh on an annual basis. By linking PAN, such transactions will leave a trail for the tax authorities. A further limit has been introduced for cash withdrawals, which was not the case before. The intent is to reduce and track cash transactions,” said Archit Gupta, Founder and CEO Clear. Everything you need to know about the new income tax rule 1) It is mandatory to quote the Permanent Account Number (PAN) of Aadhaar for depositing Rs 20 lakh or more in a financial year. The new rule will not only apply to bank accounts, but also to post offices and the cooperative. 2) For cash withdrawals of Rs 20 lakh or more from one or more bank accounts at banks, post offices, the taxpayers are required to provide their PAN and Aadhaar details. “This move will put a check on unaccounted financial transactions through the cash route,” said Abhishek Soni, co-founder of Tax2Win. 3) Previously, it was required to state PAN for cash deposits in the bank accounts exceeding Rs 50,000 in one day. However, there was no annual limit set by the Income Tax Departments. The Treasury Department has changed the rule to include cash deposits and withdrawals for accounts in post offices or cooperative banks, along with accounts with private and public sector banks. 4) Those entering into such transactions must apply for a PAN at least seven days before they intend to carry out the said transactions. 5) The officials of the banks and post offices must properly authenticate the PAN or Aadhaar number of the taxpayers providing the documents during the transactions or opening a new account. The demographic information or biometric information is submitted to the tax authorities as specified in the notification. “The permanent account number or Aadhaar number along with demographic information or biometric information of any person shall be submitted to the Chief Executive Officer of Income Tax (Systems) or Director General of Income Tax (Systems) or the person authorized by the Chief Executive Officer of Income Tax (Systems) or Director-General of Income Tax (Systems) with the approval of the Board, for the purposes of authentication referred to in Section 139A”, the said notification. 6) “This new rule has made the law stronger and harder to ignore. The mandatory requirement for obtaining PAN or Aadhaar for deposits and withdrawals would help the government track the movement of cash in the financial system. Together with the pre-existing provision of TDS deduction under Section 194N of the Income-tax Act, 1961, these rules are expected to further tighten the loopholes,” said CA Ruchika Bhagat, general manager of Neeraj Bhagat & Co. Read all the latest news, breaking news and IPL 2022 Live Updates here.	https://www.dailyexpertnews.com/economy/tax-news/pan-aadhaar-rule-changes-for-cash-withdrawals-deposits-starting-today-new-income-tax-rule/
Thanks to Emmy Vanais, Holistic Occupational Therapist, for this guest blog post Being a caregiver can be full of love and rewards. However, there are times it can be sad, frustrating, or stressful. If you are a caregiver it is important for you to refill your well. You need care yourself. There are many ways to take care of yourself, and to stay well mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are simple holistic ways to care for yourself, and there may be times you need care from others. Holistic health care is becoming more popular as research continues to demonstrate many of its benefits for natural health, prevention, and wellness. Holistic health care blends what is commonly referred to as Complementary/Alternative Medicine, Prevention and Wellness into mainstream health care. 3 Holistic Tips for Alzheimer's Caregivers to Cope and Stay Well Tip 1 - Rest, Relaxation & Stress Management Experiencing stress is a normal part of life. It can become challenging when a demand of a situation seems too much or more than we can handle and if we experience it frequently. Caring for a loved one who has a chronic condition that will likely progress can keep you juggling many activities, and may bring up many feelings and emotions, as well as grief and loss. Fortunately, there are ways to relax and feel more calm and peaceful by inducing the Relaxation Response, a term coined by Herbert Benson, MD, which is the antidote of the Stress Response. It can calm the mind and body and lower physical, emotional pain, anxiety, depression, effects of trauma, and insomnia. It can slow the breath rate, lower physical tension, relax muscles, and reduce blood pressure. It can calm brain activity, increase attention and decision-making functions of the brain, and can positively affect gene activity that are the opposite of those associated with stress, and can prevent disease or illness. A simple way to induce the relaxation response is to take a slow deep breath in, hold for a moment, then slowly exhale. When breathing in allow your abdomen to expand outward, or away from your body, and when you breathe out, allow your abdomen to come back toward your body. This is known as diaphragm breathing, abdominal breathing, or belly breathing. Developing a regular daily meditation or relaxation practice can help you feel more peaceful, better able to cope, and has many health benefits. To get started here are three easy steps to help you relax. While meditation, relaxation, and guided imagery can induce the relaxation response, activities such as going for a walk, gardening, cooking, or engaging in creativity can connect you with this calm and peaceful state. Any activity can do this as long as it is pleasurable and brings you into the present moment, not thinking about the past of future. Read more about the power of the mind in healing and how relaxation can positively affect our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health all the way to the genetic level. Read Tip 2: Aromatherapy for both caregiver and person with dementia Read Tip 3: The Benefits of Music This information is a resource for educational and informational purposes. It provides general health information related to Holistic Health Care. It is not a substitute for professional health care advice or for specific conditions. If you have, or suspect you may have a health condition you should consult a health care provider or consider consulting with a Holistic OT.Emmy Vadnais, OTR/L is a Holistic Occupational Therapist, Intuitive Healer, teacher, writer, and consultant. For close to 20 year she has been studying and practicing Holistic Health & Wellness care, and has received certifications in many holistic healing modalities. She co-writes for the “Light on Holistic OT Column” in ADVANCE Magazine highlighting new research and demonstrating the power of Mind, Body, Spirit Medicine, Prevention, and Wellness. She teaches Holistic Healing classes to Health Care Professionals and coaches them on how to incorporate these approaches into their practice. She is in private practice in St. Paul, MN helping her clients and students learn strategies that assist them to transform pain and anxiety to peace and joy. Please visit her websites at www.emmyvadnais.com and HolisticOT.org.	https://www.mind-start.com/Taking-Care-of-the-Dementia-Caregiver-with-Easy-Holistic-Health-Approaches_b_153.html
Accessing your Cybersecurity Maturity Level While Security ratings are a great way to demonstrate that you are paying attention to the cyber health of your organization, but you also need to show that you are adhering to industry and regulatory best practices for cybersecurity and making informed decisions for the long-term. A cybersecurity framework can help. A cybersecurity framework provides a common language and set of standards for security leaders across industries, sectors, and countries to understand their security postures and those of their vendors. With a framework in place, it becomes much easier to define the processes and procedures that your organization must take to assess, monitor, and mitigate cybersecurity risk. In today’s environment of all-time high cyber incidents, and while the United States government and other countries have taken a wide variety of approaches to their cybersecurity defense, there are a series of cybersecurity regulations that all businesses worldwide have to comply with. Watch this webinar recording to learn how the following six frameworks/standards can help your organizations define, enforce, and monitor controls across multiple compliance regimen:	https://my.omnex.com/webinars/Accessing-your-Cybersecurity-Maturity-Level
How do you multiply 5 by 6/8? Here we will show you step-by-step how to solve 5 times 6/8, which can be written as follows: \|x\| 8 Step 1: Setup First of all, note that 5 is the same as 5/1 since 5 divided by 1 is 5. Therefore, start by setting up the problem like this: 1 \|x\| 8 Step 2: Multiply Multiply the numerators together (5 x 6 = 30) and multiply the denominators together (1 x 8 = 8) and make it into one fraction like so: 8 Step 3: Minimize The greatest common factor of 30 and 8 is 2. Minimize the fraction by dividing the numerator and the denominator by its greatest common factor to get: 4 Step 4: Convert Convert the improper fraction above to a mixed number to get the answer: 4 That's it! Now you know how to calculate 5 times 6/8. Whole Number Times Fraction Calculator Enter another whole number and fraction for us to multiply together: What is 5 times 6/9 Did you like our explanation and solution to 5 times 6/8? If so, try the next problem on our list here.	https://multiply.info/WholeNumberTimesFraction/What-is-5-times-6/8.html
We now know that a single gene mutation may present with multiple phenotypes, and vice versa, that a range of genetic abnormalities may cause a single phenotype. These observations lead to the conclusion that a deeper understanding is needed of the way changes at one spatial or temporal level of organisation (e.g., genetic, proteomic or metabolic) integrate and translate into others, eventually resulting in behaviour and cognition. The traditional approach to determining disease nosology- eliciting symptoms and signs, creating clusters of like individuals and defining diseases primarily on those criteria has not generated fundamental breakthroughs in understanding sequences of pathophysiology mechanisms that lead to the repertoire of psychiatric and neurological diseases. It is time to radically overhaul our epistemological approach to such problems. We now know a great deal about brain structure and function. From genes, through functional protein expression, to cerebral networks and functionally specialised areas defined via physiological cell recording, microanatomy and imaging we have accumulated a mass of knowledge about the brain that so far defies easy interpretation. Advances in information technologies, from supercomputers to distributed and interactive databases, now provide a way to federate very large and diverse datasets and to integrate them via predictive data-led analyses. Human functional and structural brain imaging with MRI continues to revolutionise tissue characterisation from development, through ageing and as a function of disease. Multi-modal and multi-sequence imaging approaches that measure different aspects of tissue integrity are leading to a rich mesoscopic-level characterisation of brain tissue properties. Novel image classification techniques that capitalise on advanced machine learning techniques and powerful computers are opening the road to individual brain analysis. Data-mining methods, often developed in other data-rich domains of science, especially particle and nuclear physics, are making it possible to identify causes of disease or its expression from patterns derived by exhaustive analysis of combinations of genetic, molecular, clinical, behavioural and other biological data. Imaging is generating data that links molecular and cellular levels of organisation to the systems that subtend, action, sensation, cognition and emotion. These ideas will be illustrated with reference to the human dementias. Host: Martin Ingvar Contact: Tatiana Goriatcheva, Nobelkansliet, Nobel Forum,	https://www.nobelprizemedicine.org/karolinska-research-lectures-at-nobel-forum/
What is Social Engineering? Social engineering is a broad term for several malicious activities conducted through human interaction to access sensitive information. In simpler terms, it’s the process of manipulating individuals into disclosing little pieces of sensitive information over time until an attacker has enough to cause major damage to the individual, or their organization. In a social engineering attack, an attacker uses human interaction (social skills) to obtain or compromise information about an organization or its computer systems. An attacker may seem unassuming and respectable, possibly claiming to be a new employee, repair person, or researcher and even offering credentials to support that identity. However, by asking questions, they may be able to piece together enough information to infiltrate an organization’s network. Suppose an attacker is not able to gather enough information from one source. In that case, they may contact another source within the same organization and rely on the data from the first source to add to their credibility. How does Social Engineering Work? A cybercriminal will follow a few simple steps to establish a foothold inside an organization and begin extracting small pieces of information. These pieces are then stitched together to give the attacker everything they need to cause real damage to an organization (or even a single individual). The dangerous thing about social engineering is that the individual pieces of information seem harmless, but when they are put together, it paints a very detailed and compromising picture of an individual or organization. Steps to a Successful Social Engineering Attack - Research: Identify the victim, gather high-level background information and find the best entry point. - Gain a Foothold: Engage the victim(s), pitch your story, and take control of the interaction. - Gather Data: This is the longest stage of the process. Continue to leech data from individuals, and expand your foothold to gain new information channels. - Escape: Remove any evidence, and bring conversations to a seemingly natural end. - Attack: Leverage the information you’ve gained, activate your tools (ransomware, malware, etc.), and reap the benefits. Why is this process so effective? Social engineering relies heavily on The Six Principles of Influence, established by Robert Cialdini. When it comes to preventing social engineering, these six principles can serve as helpful litmus tests to highlight excessive/strong use of these principles. 6 Principles of Influence: - Authority - Intimidation - Consensus/Social Proof - Scarcity - Urgency - Familiarity/Liking Types of Social Engineering Attacks Baiting Baiting is a social engineering type specializing in piquing a victim’s curiosity. This can be done with physical media (a flash drive left somewhere in public) or virtual media (a free app, exciting ads/offers, or intriguing downloads). Scareware Scareware is a type of social engineering where the victim is bombarded with notifications that their device may be infected. The false alarm then prompts the user to download infected software to “fix” the issue or directs them to a malicious site that infects the device. Scareware is also referred to as deception software, rogue scanner software, and fraudware. This type of attack can also be distributed via email, loaded with false warnings or offers on discounted (and infected) tools/services. Pretexting Pretexting is, in simple terms, a well-crafted lie. An attacker will first build rapport with the victim and establish some kind of authority. Unfortunately, most of us are programmed to give sensitive information to those who have “right-to-know authority” without asking many questions. An attacker will establish their “authority” and then start to ask questions to gather sensitive information. These questions typically come with the pretext of “I need this information to perform ‘X’ task.” Phishing One of the most common types of social engineering is that phishing uses emails and texts to create a sense of urgency, curiosity, or fear in the victim. This altered state of mind can result in the victim entering vital information (such as login details) without verifying the source. Some common phishing prompts are: - Your flight has been delayed, click to view details. - Your card was successfully charged for $$$, click to view your receipt. - Click here to verify your account. - Win big $$$ with by filling out this short survey! Spear Phishing Spear phishing is a more personalized approach to a phishing attack. It requires much more research and planning from the attacker, but can result in a much higher success rate. In a spear phishing scam, an attacker may assume the name of a manager or someone in the C-Suite and reach out to you directly. They could also pose as an employee and email a malicious link to their team. Some common spear phishing prompts are: - Hey, [victim], it’s [CEO]. I’m in a closed-door meeting right now, so I can’t talk on the phone. I need you to run to the store and buy a handful of Amazon gift cards. - Hey, Team, it’s [team member], I found this hilarious kitten video and figured I’d send it to everyone! Pro Tip: When using text messaging, attackers may break up these messages and start with something smaller like “Hey, it’s [CEO],” They are waiting for your response to keep the scam going. The principle they are using here is “Small Commitments,” a common idea used in sales, where making your target make small commitments can lead to a much smoother transition into a big commitment. (or, in the case of a scam like this, a big mistake) Water Holing Water holing is a targeted social engineering strategy that leverages users’ trust in websites they use often. A victim may avoid clicking links in an unsolicited email but wouldn’t hesitate to click a link on a website they visit often. In this scenario, an attacker would research to find some frequently used websites by their target, test those sites for vulnerabilities, and then inject code that can infect a visitor’s system. Quid Pro Quo Quid pro quo: something for something Example: An attacker will call individuals inside an organization claiming to be responding in support of a tech issue. Eventually, the attacker will land on a victim inside the organization that is actually having tech issues. They will then have the victim do harmful acts like providing sensitive information, downloading malicious software/apps, or visiting harmful sites to “fix” the problem. Tailgating Tailgating is very different from the other forms of social engineering because it takes place in person. Tailgating is when an attacker seeking entry into a restricted area (typically secured with RFID locks) simply walks in behind a person with legitimate access. The attacker may even go so far as to ask them to hold the door for them to sell further their right to access the area. How to Prevent Social Engineering Primary Tip: Keep calm, slow down, and stay suspicious. Regardless of the “crisis,” no extra harm will come from taking seconds to inspect the message, its source, and its intention. - If you Don’t Know, Don’t Open it. If you get an email from an unknown/suspicious source, do not open the attachments or click on links inside the email. For an in-depth guide on how to read URLs and prevent phishing scams, check out our article here! - Too Good to be True. These may seem obvious, but the goal of these offers is to find the right person, at the right time, with the right message. What seems evident to you may not be so obvious to others; the opposite is true. - Keep Software Updated. Keep your application software versions, antivirus software, and other tools up to date. Often, a “Version Update 1.2.03” responds to a recently found vulnerability by the provider. If you’re ever unsure, reach out to your IT department. - Multifactor Authentication (MFA). Enabling MFA is one of the most effective, important, and simple ways to help secure your accounts. This is an absolute necessity in today’s digital world. - Train Your Staff. Every organization should have robust, frequent training and testing of their entire staff on cybersecurity, best practices for prevention, and communication guidelines in case of a breach. Conclusion It’s vital to remember that social engineering’s success hinges on human emotion. Making you feel trapped, rushed, or scared can get you to take action quickly and without thinking. It’s crucial to pay attention to the context of any situation where something is being asked of you by someone you don’t know. Even if they appear to hold some level of authority, there’s nothing wrong with taking a moment to verify or get a second opinion before proceeding. Stay cool, calm, collected… and suspicious! To learn more about protecting you and your business from cybersecurity threats, check out our Ultimate Guide To Cybersecurity!	https://www.executech.com/insights/what-is-social-engineering-attack-types-prevention-tips/
Normal somatic cells of higher eukaryotic organisms do not proliferate indefinitely due to a process termed cellular or replicative senescence, or cellular aging. Several lines of evidence suggest that cellular senescence is a tumor suppressive mechanism that has the unselected, deleterious effect of contributing to organismic aging. Upon reaching the end of their replicative life span, cells undergo three phenotypic changes: 1) they irreversibly arrest proliferation (used here interchangeably with growth) with a G1 DNA content; 2) they become resistant to apoptotic death; 3) they show sometimes striking, cell type specific changes in differentiated functions. The growth arrest of senescent cells has been attributed to one or more critically short telomere, acquired as an inevitable consequence of multiple rounds of DNA replication by cells that lack telomerase. How a critically short telomere leads to the complex, senescent phenotype is unknown. One possibility is that a short telomere triggers a DNA damage response, in and of itself or in conjunction with intragenomic damage acquired during multiple rounds of DNA replication and cell division. The idea that DNA damage, and subsequent mutations, cause or contribute to replicative senescence and organismic aging has been long debated. This proposal aims to test this idea in ways that have not previously been possible. First, in collaboration with the Vijg Project, we will establish a new method to test mutation frequency and spectra in normal human cell cultures. We will combine viral transfer technology with plasmid-based receptor systems to deliver and evaluate mutation-reported vectors in normal and transformed human cells, cells derived from human donors with defined defects in DNA repair or age-related phenotypes, and human cells with perturbations in the establishment or maintenance of the senescent phenotype. Second, in collaboration with the Hoeijmakers Project, we will ask whether and to what extent embryo fibroblasts cultured from mice deficient or transgenic for genes known to be critical for DNA repair capacity exhibit signs of premature replicative senescence. We will establish a panel of senescent cell markers or endpoints that will enable us to compare the phenotype of mouse and human cells in culture, and relate this comparison to the phenotypes of human and mouse organisms. Third, in collaboration with both the Hoeijmakers and Vijg Projects, we will provide transgenic mice bearing a senescence-responsive element (SnRE)-reporter vector for interbreeding with DNA repair-deficient mice and mutation-reporter mice, and evaluate the senescence response of embryo fibroblasts. Together, these experiments will provide for the first time a comparison of human and mouse cells, and to a limited extent human and mouse organisms, with respect to mutation frequency and spectra, DNA repair capacity and replicative senescence. They will help critically test the relationship between DNA repair capacity, somatic mutations, replicative senescence and organismic aging.
Need your ASSIGNMENT done? Use our paper writing service to score better and meet your deadlines. Order a Similar Paper Order a Different Paper Four P’s of Creativity Worksheet · Resources: Santanen, Briggs, and De Vreede (2004) article · Prepare a 2-page worksheet in which you consider the following: o Half of this assignment is to use your own creativity in preparing the worksheet. o No specific parameters around the design and implementation of your worksheet exist, other than it must be 2 pages, which summarizes, explains, and illustrates the four P’s of creativity—person, place, product, and process—from the Santanen, Briggs, and De Vreede (2004) article. Article: Causal Relationships in Creative Problem Solving: Comparing Facilitation Interventions for Ideation. Authors:SANTANEN, ERIC L.1BRIGGS, ROBERT O.2,3DE VREEDE, GERT-JAN4Source:Journal of Management Information Systems. Spring2004, Vol. 20 Issue 4, p167-197. 31p. 1 Diagram, 8 Graphs.Document Type:ArticleSubject Terms:BRAINSTORMINGGROUP problem solvingTESTINGGROUPWARE (Computer software)INNOVATION managementCREATIVE ability in businessCREATIVE thinkingCOGNITIVE analysisCAUSAL modelsCONTEXTUAL analysisFRAMES (Social sciences)HUMAN information processingREMOTE associates testAuthor-Supplied Keywords:brainstormingcognitive modelscreativityfacilitationgroup problem solvinggroup support systemsidea generationideationthinkLetsAbstract:Organizations must be creative continuously to survive and thrive in today’s highly competitive, rapidly changing environment. A century of creativity research has produced several descriptive models of creativity, and hundreds of prescriptions for interventions that demonstrably improve creativity. This paper presents the cognitive network model (CNM) as a causal model of the cognitive mechanisms that give rise to creative solutions in the human mind. The model may explain why creativity prescriptions work as they do. The model may also provide a basis for deriving new techniques to further enhance creativity. The paper tests the model in an experiment where 61 four-person groups used either free-brainstorming or one of three variations on directed-brainstorming to generate solutions for one of two unstructured tasks. In both tasks, people using directed-brainstorming produced more solutions with high creativity ratings, produced solutions with higher average creativity ratings, and produced higher concentrations of creative solutions than did people using free-brainstorming. Significant differences in creativity were also found among the three variations on directed-brainstorming. The findings were consistent with the CNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]Copyright of Journal of Management Information Systems is the property of M.E. Sharpe Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)Author Affiliations:1Assistant Professor of Management, Bucknell University2Research Coordinator, Center Management of Information, University of Arizona3Associate Professor, Collaboration Engineering, Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands4Professor, Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis, University of Nebraska, OmahaISSN:0742-1222 "Is this question part of your assignment? We can help"ORDER NOW Do you need help with this or a different assignment? We offer CONFIDENTIAL, ORIGINAL (Turnitin/LopesWrite/SafeAssign checks), and PRIVATE services using latest (within 5 years) peer-reviewed articles. Kindly click on ORDER NOW to receive an A++ paper from our masters- and PhD writers.	https://supremepapers.net/urgent-homework-help-43371/
- There are 2 prevalent types of these rugs from the Karabagh region which became well-known in the 19th century: - Armenian rugs were extremely diverse in their style and color. They contained geometric fields, medallions, and motifs. But there were also crosses, human figures, and geometric bird and animal figures that are not usually found in non-Armenian rugs. These may have had religious significance since they are consistent with motifs found in Armenian churches and monasteries.Some of the motifs used in Armenian rugs may have been the result of contact with India and China as early as the 4th century AD. Some of these motifs include figs, Asoka trees, pine cones, turtles, serpents, and birds. Armenian inscriptions are an important part of the whole design and give information about both the weaver and the date of the completion of the piece. Red cochineal dye was first produced by the Armenians. The Karabaghs are the only Caucasian rugs in which cochineal is commonly found. PILELESS FLATWEAVE KARABAGH RUGS Along with the piled Karabagh rugs, these pileless flatweave weavings were also well-known in the region. Palas, Farmash,Kilims, etc. were made into mats, saddlebags, and salt bags. For example, the Palas was a thin, pileless mat that could be made quickly and cheaply for everyday heavy use. Kilims had traditional patterns and motifs such as the apple, brick, hand, devil chain, tray, bird, fish, and horseshoe. Caucasian Flatweave 25Save The Verni was the most widespread type of the pileless flatweave kilim rugs. It's key features were the S-element and vivid bird images as well as the way in which it was woven allowed the pattern to appear on both sides. This rug was thought to protect the family in a home from foul weather. -DESIGN Caucasian rugs are not classified based on patterns as are Persian and Turkish rugs. This is because the rugs were commonly traded and rug patterns were widely dispersed and copied. More than thirty distinctly unique Karabagh rug designs and compositions have been identified, many completely original. The designs and color schemes (typically magenta, turquoise, and pale green) tended to be more like those of Persian rugs because of the close proximity to Iran. It is sometimes difficult to distinguish Karabagh runners from those of Karaja in Iran. Eagle or Sunburst and Cloudband Kazak patterns are actually woven in the Karabagh region. The antique rugs were rose patterned, with geometric pink and red flowers in bouquets arranged in garlands with swags on fields of dark blue or black. The name 'Karabagh' can be loosely translated as 'black garden,' and many of the antique rugs had black fields or borders filled with ornamental flowers. The borders of the Karabaghs showed as great a diversity as the main fields but a primary strip may be a Persian design with a running latchhook or crab design on each side. An adjacent strip may be simply a running vine. Other decorative ideas and motifs were appropriated from many different societies including Persia, Russia, Mongolia, Turkey, and Arabia. Included in the designs were the heavy curving bands of dragon rugs with a central medallion. Pole medallion arrangements were based on Persian rugs. Mirror Karabaghs have oval medallions enclosing bouquets. Turtle medallions can also be found which are derived from the oval arabesque medallions in Persian and Turkish rugs. SYMBOLOGY IN KARABAGH RUGS Although there are so many different styles of Karabagh rugs, there are many symbolic motifs that can be commonly found in all Caucasian rugs. Wheel of Life-Caucasian 25Save Wheel of Life. This mandala appears in many cultures and it shows the cyclical nature of life. It is a reminder to embrace life's ever changing events in order to grow. The latchhooks around the wheel are associated with the dragon symbol (masculine heavenly figure). Occasionally, small stars could be found within the wheel as well. Boteh-Caucasian 25Save The Boteh has many interpretations and is the precursor of the Indian paisley. It is sometimes interpreted as a flame as well. The tribal weavers considered it to be a sprouting seed. To the Caucasian tribes, it symbolized the potential growth and abundance that could be possible even under adverse living conditions. If a boteh encloses a mature plant inside, it symbolizes the whole always exists within the part. Gazelle-Caucasian 25Save The Gazelle was admired by the tribes for its virtues of grace, fleetness, and dignity, attributes they continuously worked to cultivate within themselves. Ram's Horn-Caucasian 25Save The Ram's Horn symbolized warmth and comfort as the wool of the sheep was central to the livelihood of the tribe. The ram's horn has also been used to summon groups together throughout history. It symbolizes strength, power, fertility, and the suggestion that life is not temporary, but eternal. Rosette-Caucasian 25Save The Rosette symbolizes cultivated flowers. With this cultivation, man has refined and purified nature and is in harmony with the laws that govern Heaven and Earth. S Symbol-Caucasian 25Save The 'S' Symbol can represent the dragon, the masculine heavenly principle of life. But it is also possible that it comes from the Zoroastrian symbol for the sun. The sun is always shining and always nourishing all things. The 'S' motifs can often be found scattered throughout the field of some antique tribal rugs. Star of Wisdom-Caucasian 25Save The Star of Wisdom is one of the oldest symbols. The 8-pointed star symbolizes man's potential for inner wisdom and the true wealth which could be obtained through the striving that must be made to face the many challenges of daily activities, especially for the weavers. Dragon-Caucasian 25Save The Dragon symbolizes the heavenly influence that is on Earth. It animates life and can be seen in all things. It is often paired with the Phoenix, which is the feminine or earth element. The union of the dragon and phoenix can also be interpreted to depict the union between the mind and heart of man. Running Water-Caucasian 25Save The Running Water symbol reminds us of the life-giving quality of water for people and their animals. Anything that nurtured life was considered to be sacred. Bird-Caucasian 25Save The Bird symbolizes the potential that humans have for freedom from human boundaries, the freedom of consciousness, and the boundless joy of the heart. Fence of Security-Caucasian 25Save The Fence of Security signifies that what is most valuable is also most vulnerable and must be protected and respected. A double-edged fence may also suggest that man's essential life is untouched by the outer events of life. Peacock-Caucasian 25Save The peacock is associated with nobility and abundance. A level of heavenly beauty and splendor that can also be found on earth. The tribes people believed this beauty to also exist in the depths of the human heart. https://www.armgeo.am/en/armenian-carpet/ An excerpt from the above website. There is some good information on symbols on Armenian rugs. Click on the above link for images and full article. Armenian Carpet Armenian Highland is one of the ancient carpet weaving centers. The Armenian carpet has had different names throughout its history. The word “carpet” can be found in Armenian literature as far back as the 5th century AD, in the translation of the Holy Bible. The word “carpet” has always been synonymous with the word “rug”. Another notable name is “khali” or “ghali”, which comes from the Arabic name Karin (Kalikala), the city that was famous for its carpet weaving art. The Characteristics of Armenian Rugs Armenian rugs had harmonic colors of red, white, blue, green, yellow and their variants. The yellow color came from the yellow flower, the red color from Armenian cochineal (vordan karmir) and from the roots of dyer’s madder (rubia tinctorm), green and some shades of brown from nut peels. For black, they used pomegranate peels. For blue, they used the method of mixing different colors, but more often than blue they used indigo from a famous colorant that was imported from India. In the Middle Ages, Armenian carpets were very famous for their shades made of vordan karmir, for which reason they were also called “red rugs” during the Arabic period. One of the characteristics of Armenian rugs is the «Balbas» sheep wool that was used as a raw material. Anchorian goat wool was also widely used. In the regions where the cotton and silk cultivation was developed they used also silk and cotton. The most characteristic features of Armenian rugs are their ornaments. Armenian rugs had a lot of ritual, image and ideal ornaments. The ornaments used in Armenian carpets were also widely used in sculpture, miniature painting, architecture and silverware. Vishapagorg (Dragon Rug) Perhaps the most widespread type of Armenian carpet is the “Vishapagorg”. Dragons were the most common symbols in Armenian Highlands. They did not always signify the bad or evil, but an element which can be both good and bad. This is why the whole subtype of Armenian rugs got their name. Dragons were depicted in images as purely good forces and had a significance of protection and support. The tradition of weaving vishapagorgs in Armenian carpet art and the cultural system dates back to the 2nd-3rd millennium BC. Vishapagorgs usually had ornaments of dragons, the tree of life, phoenixes, and symbols of eternity. These rugs have a special meaning for Armenians. It is the symbol of victory. The god of war and power was called Vishapaqagh, which mean “the conqueror of dragons and evil”. Armenians believed that is they had a vishapagorg in their house, they would be safe from evil, as they have already conquered the dragon. Carpet Weaving: an Art and a Craft Due to the carpets’ being formed in a certain ethnic environment and for serving special needs, they have gone through a lot of changes and have gained new uses. The rugs have never simply served as a household object but have always had a great ritual meaning. This is why carpets are so important in Armenian culture. Throughout the ages, the carpets have been national symbols and have had unique historical and cultural value. There are carpets whose ornaments hide a whole life story. The ornaments have memory and sometimes they carry the voices of the people of the past. Carpets were also thought to have curing features, not only because they were made of natural wool and the threads were colored by natural paints, but there were also thought to be certain meaning in their ornaments. The old and sick member of the family always lied in the place where they had a carpet. There was difference between the rugs that were put on the floor and the rugs that were hung on the walls. Carpets with special ornament were hung on the walls and a lot of valuable things, musical instruments, pictures of dead relatives were put on them. The carpets that were put on the floor also had interesting ornaments, but they didn’t have special ritual meanings or the symbols of their ancestors. Creative Matters 2/6/2022 I was hopping around the web and found this beautiful company and wanted to share it. Take a look inside the creative process at Creative Matters, a boutique design firm based in Ontario, Canada. I just love the care, the love for process and the return to hand creation. Armenian Rugs 2/3/2022 A compilation of links I am interested in reading. Should be some interesting reads on the history and iconography of Armenian rugs. I'll add to this list as I find more. Enjoy! https://historymuseum.am/en/exhibitions_type/armenian-carpet-art-14th-20th-cc/ https://artsakhcarpet.com/about-us/ https://sfi.usc.edu/content/textiles-armenia https://armeniadiscovery.com/en/articles/armenian-carpets https://www.rugfirm.com/blog/?p=531 (short read, but good info. Take away: Some weavers recreated older pieces from memory! Or, they have the original beside them. Eastern vs. western Armenian weavers: looms are either vertical (Western Armenia) or horizontal (some provinces in Eastern Armenia). Most Armenian weavers use the Turkish (Symmetric) knots vs. Eastern Armenian rug weavers use Persian (Asymmetric) knots https://www.armenianrugssociety.org/lauren-arnold.html https://www.armenianrugssociety.org/blog/introduction-to-armenian-rugs https://www.armgeo.am/en/armenian-carpet/ https://hyperallergic.com/625180/a-war-over-patterns-symbols-and-the-cultural-heritage-of-karabakhs-carpets/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/age-old-tradition-armenian-carpet-making-refuses-be-swept-under-rug-180969557/ https://zangezur.tripod.com/rugs/armrug.html https://www.arttowalkon.com/armenian-carpets https://westernarmeniatv.com/en/11018/english-symbolism-and-iconography-in-armenian-woven-art https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lMG6ezAEOE https://www.peopleofar.com/2013/02/14/iconography-in-armenian-woven-art-symposium/ https://www.hisour.com/development-of-armenian-carpets-36681/ https://www.hisour.com/classification-of-armenian-carpets-36676/ http://ayaangallery.com/2020/02/06/the-berlin-dragon-phoenix-carpet-and-its-probable-armenian-origin/ https://www.panarmenian.net/eng/details/206097/ Female Scribes. Fantastic!! 8/9/2020 Why a Medieval Woman Had Lapis Lazuli Hidden in Her Teeth An amazing read. My hypothesis... she was reshaping her brush. What are your thoughts? READ ARTICLE HERE!!! https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-a-medieval-woman-had-lapis-lazuli-hidden-in-her-teeth?utm_source=pocket-newtab Tip: Photoshop: The Compass Tool 7/30/2020 The exasperating, annoying, undesirable, unwelcome, ridiculous confounding COMPASS!!! It's been aggravating me for years. It rears it's ugly head two or three times a year, and every time I google how to undo it. Now, I decided to write it down. For some reason, it's now a tool, the Rotate View Tool (R), on the Toolbar palette. It shares the same keyboard shortcut as the Rotate tool in Illustrator. Now all you have to do is hold down the shift key and rotate back. Seems easier than back in the day, but now I will remember how to remedy it the next time it happens. (Time to edit the toolbar and either remove it or change the keyboard shortcut). I had made many layers with the same Layer Mask and realized, after adjusting it, I have to copy this newer version to the layers previously created. Easy keyboard shortcut: Command-Option keys and click and drag the layer mask to each layer. But do this after you deleted the old mask by left clicking (or control for non-mouse users) and clicking on Delete Layer Mask. I've been working on some amazing new ideas. Still hush hush. I did want to share with you something that I learned. When creating a mockup in Photoshop you will inevitably have to adjust and fine tune your mask layer. I clicked here and there and finally found it. Click on the layer mask thumbnail twice, and then SELECT AND MASK. This opens another window where you can begin adjust. For me, using the Brush Tool from the left hand palette was enough. Now you can begin adding to the selection. However, if you want to remove from the selection, click on the option key as you adjust. A tiny, I mean miniscule, minus symbol pops up. Unlike when working in Quick Mask Mode where you toggle back and forth with the foreground and background (X key). Also, adjust the transparency as you see fit. If you'd like to see more of the piece and less of the mask, lessen the transparency. Once your done, click OK and you are set. Enjoy! I'm expanding my knowledge of Adobe Illustrator. I was making swatches and wanted to know what "ASE" meant. --It means ADOBE SWATCH EXCHANGE. If you save your swatches this way the color palette files can be shared between all Adobe programs. I've been working on some pieces lately that are very detailed. Illustrator has even crashed a few times, well more than a few times. It's because my files have been too large. That's not something I really ever thought about in Illustrator, Photoshop yes, but not Illustrator. Well, yes everyone, file size is a big deal. If I had looked at my layers palette I would have realized that I was duplicating layers without even knowing it. So, if you are having issues, slow down, and take a look at your layers palette. The issue might be from there. Also, take a look at your piece as an outline (command Y ...View tab). Take a look at my image below. I didn't know I had so many things layered! Hence - check your layers and check out Outline mode.	http://www.elizalahverdian.com/blog
Delve deeper into QAGOMA exhibitions and displays at this virtual event for Members! In September, join Sophie Rose (Assistant Curator, International Art) for an in-depth discussion of printmaking in the Northern Renaissance and the continued importance of Albrecht Durer’s 1498 ‘Apocalypse’ series, on display from September as part of 'Revelations' in the Queensland Art Gallery. Durer’s time was one of chaos, with the recent fall of Constantinople to Ottoman rule in 1453 and, closer to home, simmering religious discontent that would soon erupt with the Protestant Reformation. Our current moment is equally fraught, as we face the effects a warming planet, riots and pandemic outbreaks. Today, these iconic depictions catastrophic reckoning may feel more pertinent than ever. Free for Members / $10 Members' guests / Book online or call 07 3840 7278 / The link to join the event will be sent to the email address you booked with one hour prior to the start of the session. The QAGOMA Members Virtual Lectures are hosted online via Zoom. Members can join the event by downloading the free Zoom App on their smart phone or tablet, downloading the Zoom program on their computer, joining via their internet browser on their computer, or over the phone.	https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/brisbane-qagoma-events-calendar/events/virtual-lecture-revelations
Mobility Investment Priorities Project: Assessing Economic Benefits of Walkability in Austin, Texas - Executive Summary Author(s): W. Li, T.J. Lomax, H. Park Publication Date: September 2013 Abstract: This report studied the impact of walkability on residential property values by analyzing single-family building, condominium, and multifamily building sale transactions in Austin, TX from 2010 to 2012. The research has important policy implications, and sought to help TxDOT and local governments make informed decisions that maximize the benefit of investments in promoting walkable communities and active transportation. Given the fiscal constraints that TxDOT and municipal governments both in Texas and nationwide, promoting walkability solely on environmental and health benefits may not appeal to policymakers as much as the potential for economic returns. Report Number: TTI-2013-21 Electronic Link(s): Document/Product http://tti.tamu.edu/documents/TTI-2013-21.pdf Publication/Product Request TTI reports and products are available for download at no charge. If an electronic version is not available and no instructions on how to obtain it are given, contact the TTI Library.	https://tti.tamu.edu/publications/catalog/record/?id=42902
BEIJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Dagong Global Credit Rating Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese rating agency, on Wednesday decided to maintain the local and foreign currency sovereign credit ratings of Sweden as "AAA" and "AA+" respectively with a stable outlook. Given that both the economic and fiscal strengths of Sweden are strong, the exacerbating and persistent European debt crisis will not fundamentally weaken the government's solvency, the rating agency said. But due to its sizeable external debts and relatively weak strength of net external assets, the foreign currency sovereign credit rating is slightly lower than the local currency sovereign credit rating, said the ratings agency. Dagong said the over-dependence of the Swedish economy on the EU and the poor economic outlook of its main trading partners will exert a substantial negative effect on Swedish exports and investment in the country. It estimated that the economic growth rates in 2012 and 2013 in the country will decline to 1.1 percent and 2.4 percent respectively. Spurred by consumption and investment, the Swedish economy expanded 5.6 percent in 2010. The economy is likely to grow 4.5 percent this year, according to Dagong. The ratings agency also predicted the debt burden ratios of the government at all levels will witness a steady decline, which will gradually decrease to 36 percent, 32.6 percent and 29.2 percent in 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively.	http://en.people.cn/90778/7704101.html
To evaluate the occurrence of dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) during high-speed treadmill (HSTM) exercise in racehorses, and determine treatment efficacy relative to the endoscopic findings observed during resting and HSTM endoscopic examination. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study. Animals-Ninety-two racehorses (74 Thoroughbreds, 18 Standardbreds). METHODS The signalment, history (clinical and race), treatments, and video recordings made during resting and HSTM endoscopy were reviewed in 92 racehorses that developed DDSP during HSTM exercise. Only horses that completed 3 starts before and after HSTM examination were included in performance-outcome analysis. Statistical associations were made between the independent variables (the historical findings and the resting and HSTM endoscopic findings) and performance outcome. RESULTS Forty-five horses (49%) displaced their palate in an uncomplicated manner, whereas the other horses either had another upper-respiratory abnormality in association with DDSP (35) or displaced after swallowing (12). Although respiratory noise was not recorded during HSTM exercise, only 57 horses (62%) that developed DDSP during HSTM examination had a history of abnormal upper-respiratory noise. For the 45 horses that met the criteria for performance outcome analysis, there were no independent variables recorded during resting or HSTM endoscopy that had a significant association with performance outcome. Treatment for DDSP varied by clinician. Overall, 29 horses (64%) had improved average earnings per start after diagnosis and treatment. CONCLUSIONS Thirty-five horses (38%) that had DDSP during HSTM endoscopy had no previous history of abnormal upper-respiratory noise, and 74 (80%) had no structural abnormalities noted on resting endoscopic examination. CLINICAL RELEVANCE HSTM examination is an excellent tool for diagnosis of DDSP and the manner in which it occurs. DDSP did not occur similarly in all horses, and was often associated with another upper-respiratory abnormality. Thus, it is unlikely that a single treatment can be applied effectively for all horses that experience DDSP. Both surgical and medical treatments can be beneficial in improving a horse's performance after a diagnosis of DDSP is made. Neither resting nor HSTM endoscopic findings were clearly prognostic.	https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/12415518/Dorsal_displacement_of_the_soft_palate_in_92_horses_during_high_speed_treadmill_examination__1993_1998__
Is a football field 50 yards wide? A football field is 100 yards long and 50 yards wide. Is a pro football field bigger than college? Yes, in a literal sense, pro and college fields are the same width (53 1/3 yards). But in a strategic sense, they’re wildly different. Hashmarks dictate where the ball is spotted. In the NFL, they’re 18 feet, 6 inches apart. Are all football fields same size? Standard pitch measurements. Not all pitches are the same size, though the preferred size for many professional teams’ stadiums is 105 by 68 metres (115 yd × 74 yd) with an area of 7,140 square metres (76,900 sq ft; 1.76 acres; 0.714 ha). Are NFL field goals smaller than college? Speaking of kickers and goalposts, the college game uses wider goalposts than the NFL. NCAA goalposts are 23′ 4″ apart compared to 18′ 4″ in the NFL. The wider goalposts in college help offset the greater angles caused by the wider hash-marks.	https://sidelinesportsreport.com/footballers/how-big-is-a-professional-football-field.html
Gulf of Mexico ‘dead zone’ is the size of Connecticut (CNN) — The Gulf of Mexico has a “dead zone” the size of the state of Connecticut. Scientists from the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found an area of 5,052 square miles of “low oxygen water” or hypoxia in their annual survey. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is caused by nutrients that wash into the Gulf’s waters, which in turn boost the growht of algae blooms that suck up the oxygen. These nutrients come from “human activities, such as agriculture and wastewater” according to NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey. The nutrients end up in the Mississippi River which deposits them into the Gulf. Scientists first discovered a dead zone in these waters in 1972. The patch varies in size from year to year. This year’s dead zone was right in line with predictions and is smaller than the five-year average of 5,550 square miles. The survey was taken from July 27 to August 2. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is the world’s second largest, according to Nancy Rabalais with the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. “The number of Dead Zones throughout the world has been increasing in the last several decades and currently totals over 550,” Rabalais said of the growing problem. Within the dead zone marine life struggles to find enough oxygen to survive. Fish can migrate to other areas with more oxygen rich water, but it’s a different story for some of the other sea life. Crabs, mussels and other crustaceans on the ocean floor can’t get out of the danger zone. The lack of oxygen causes them to die. That amounts to an expensive hit for America’s fishing industry. NOAA estimates the annual cost of algae blooms to U.S. seafood and tourism industries at $82 million or more. The-CNN-Wire ™ & © 2014 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.	https://kplr11.com/2014/08/05/gulf-of-mexico-dead-zone-is-the-size-of-connecticut/
Best Green Non-Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturer This award recognises the non-alcoholic beverage manufacturer on the island of Ireland (with 10+ full time employees) who distributes their products and who can demonstrate commitment, innovation, and action in evolving Irish food production toward sustainability over the past 12 months. In your submission, please explain your company's overall sustainability/environmental strategy, what measurable targets you have set and what you have achieved to date. The judges will be expecting freshness of content backed up by hard statistics demonstrating year-on-year comparisons. Entry is by a 5 A4 page submission; the judges will be looking for clear information and evidence of delivery on core objectives, paying attention to the criteria listed below. Background: Provide a background of your corporate sustainability/environmental strategy, outlining how it was developed and its objectives. Commitments: Describe the sustainability commitments made in relation to sourcing, management of resources, greening of the supply chain and contributions to the local community. Outline the results achieved to date including any innovations introduced. Targets: Describe the measurable sustainability targets set relating to energy and waste management and reducing environmental impact. Outline the results achieved to date including any innovations introduced. Culture: outline how sustainability has been embedded into your organisation, the level of senior management buy-in and the commitments made to staff training and communication of your sustainability initiatives. Commercial Benefits: outline how your green initiatives are resulting in a positive impact on your business, e.g. increase in productivity, cost reduction, compliance with regulations, attracting employees and investors, etc. Provide metrics where relevant. - Visit our 'HOW TO ENTER' page for our Items Checklist & Step-by-Step Guide. - Once you have created your PDF submission and you have all items in the Items Checklist, submit your entry via the Online Entry Form below. HOW DO I ENTER?	https://www.gfba.ie/award-categories-1/best-green-non-alcoholic-beverage-manufacturer
We hear the words values and beliefs all the time, but have we really ever taken time to dissect what our own are? Millennials are known to be driven by their values and beliefs. They want to work for companies whose social responsibility and mission match their own. I should know, as I am one of them. My values and beliefs drove my career choices, and led me to the job I have today. Family is the most important thing in my life. I’m sure many of you are nodding your head at this statement. I knew that I would not fare well in a job that consumed my soul and had me on call 24/7. Instead I needed a more relaxed environment where it was understood that familial issues always came first. As an added bonus, I even found myself within an organization that helps strengthen ties between parents and children. My love for my family and wanting to put them first always is part of what drove me into my current career. I wanted to help people. This is the factor that drove me into wanting to work in the nonprofit world in general. I wanted a job where everything I did resulted in helping other people. I did not want a job where I was only working there for the salary; I wanted to make an impact in the world. By working in the nonprofit sector for an amazing cause, I am able to fulfill this belief of mine. These are two of the biggest values and beliefs that I have. Both drove me into the career path I’m in now. This personal experience of mine may help you figure out your own values and beliefs, or help you at least realize how important it is to know your own. They really can shape your life. What are your personal values and beliefs? Well, what makes you happy? What do you strongly believe in? What comes before everything else? To me, that’s my family. For you it may be the same, or it may be something different. There is no right or wrong answer. Take some time and figure out what yours are. Millennials want to work for employers who have similar beliefs and values to their own, and of course are committed to them. Sixty-two percent of millennials polled in the UK want to work for a company that has a positive impact in the world, 50% would choose purposeful work over having a higher salary, and 53% said that they would work harder if they were making a difference in the lives of others. These stats are insanely strong – and show why it’s important to know your values and beliefs. Are you still not convinced? Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited’s fifth annual Millennial Survey showed that millennials’ values do not change as they themselves professionally change. According to the survey, “millennials appear to be steered by strong values at all stages of their careers; it’s apparent in the employers they choose, the assignments they’re willing to accept, and the decisions they make as they take on more senior-level roles.” It’s okay to not know what your own personal values and beliefs are right now. However, it can greatly help you when it comes to the job hunt. If you are still not entirely sure what your values and beliefs are, spend some time this week figuring it out. It’s okay to take a break for a bit and focus on yourself. In the long run, it’ll help steer you in the right direction.	http://www.ploymint.com/personal-values-and-beliefs/
Employment support must be tailored to the needs of older workers who have been twice as likely to lose their jobs during the pandemic as those aged 25-49, a think tank has said. The Resolution Foundation said that the quality of job support for workers aged 50 and over should be as high as the support it is providing to people aged 18-24 who have fallen out of work because of Covid-19 restrictions. This could include the provision of a tax credit-style supplement to overcome the wage penalty older workers often face when returning to work after a period of unemployment, it has suggested. Although the largest fall in employment has been seen among 18 to 24-year-olds over the past year (3.9 percentage points), the Covid-19 crisis has led to the “biggest annual employment fall for workers over 50 since the 1980s”, the think-tank claims (1.4 percentage points). By comparison, the employment rate for people aged 25-49 fell by 0.7 percentage points. If over 50s do re-enter the workplace after losing their job, their typical hourly earnings fall by 9.5% compared with their pre-unemployment earnings, the A U-shaped crisis report claims, while those aged 25-49 see their pay drop by 4% and those aged 18-24 see their pay fall by 5.1%. “The cost of unemployment for older workers is particularly high. They take the longest to return to work – with fewer than two-in-three returning within six months – and experience the biggest earnings fall when they finally to return to work,” said Nye Cominetti, senior economist at the Resolution Foundation. “In the face of the current crisis, unemployed older workers may have to either work for longer to make up for these negative employment effects, or retire earlier than they planned to. “The government must ensure that older workers are not forgotten in the design and implementation of schemes created in the wake of the crisis to help people back into work.” Alex Beer, welfare programme head at the Nuffield Foundation, which supported the research, said: “The economic downturn following the Covid-19 pandemic is likely to widen existing inequalities and will hit some groups harder than others. “As this research shows, along with young adults, workers over 50 have been particularly likely to lose their jobs during the crisis. We urge the government to offer tailored support to older workers, including opportunities to retrain, adequate support to find new jobs and, for all workers, greater rights to flexible working.” In the years preceding the pandemic, the number of over 50s in work grew substantially – particularly women. On the eve of the pandemic some 68% of women aged 50-64 were in work, compared with 46% in 1990. The 50-64-year-old employment rate in 2019 was 73%, higher than at any point since the Office for National Statistics’ Labour Force Survey data begins in 1975. Original article ‘Bolster pandemic job support for over 50’s, urges think tank’ Written by Ashleigh Webber Published by Personnel Today Looking to recruit via an agency? Read our report “The Ultimate Guide to Finding a Recruitment Partner” Not yet benefiting from flexible workers? Read our guide “Why Using Temporary Workers Will Grow Your Organisation” How can you be sure you’re doing all you can to attract the right talent for your organisation?	https://therecruitingoffice.co.uk/2021/04/26/bolster-pandemic-job-support-for-over-50s-urges-think-tank/
Technical Field Background Art Citation List Patent Literatures Summary of Invention Brief Description of Drawings Description of Embodiments (First Embodiment) [Hard coating-covered member] [Hard coating] [Method for forming a hard coating] (Second Embodiment) (Modifications) [Modification of first embodiment] [Modification of second embodiment] Examples [First example] <Cutting condition> [Second example] <Cutting condition> The present invention relates to a hard coating and a hard coating-covered member including the same. Conventionally, there has been known a technique in which, in jigs and tools such as a cutting tool, a metal mold and the like, a hard coating is formed as a wear resistant coating for life improvement. Techniques regarding the formation of this hard coating are disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2. Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique in which a hard coating made of nitride containing zirconium or hafnium is formed on a cermet parent material by a chemical vapor deposition method. Patent Literature 2 discloses a technique in which a zirconium-containing film having a twin crystal structure is formed as a hard coating on a tool surface. The hard coatings disclosed in Patent Literatures 1 and 2 contribute to an improvement of durability and wear resistance of a cutting tool. However, these hard coatings cannot sufficiently improve the wear resistance when they are formed on a surface of a cutting tool for cutting a titanium-based metal such as pure titanium, a titanium alloy and the like, so that these hard coatings cannot sufficiently function as wear resistant coatings. JP H5-222551 A Patent Literature 1: JP 2003-39207 A Patent Literature 2: An object of the present invention is to provide a hard coating suitable for wear resistant coating in jigs and tools for processing a titanium-based metal, and a hard coating-covered member including the same. 1-a-b a b x y 1-x-y 1-a-b a b x y 1-x-y A hard coating according to one aspect of the present invention is a hard coating to be formed on a base material, and includes a first layer. A composition formula of the first layer is ZrHfMg(BCN). In the composition formula of ZrHfMg(BCN), a, b, x, y are respective atomic ratios of Hf, Mg, B, C, and relational expressions of 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30 and 0 < 1-x-y are satisfied. 1-a-b-c a b c x y 1-x-y 1-a-b-c a b c x y 1-x-y A hard coating according to an another aspect of the present invention is a hard coating to be formed on a base material, and includes a first layer containing at least one of Zr and Hf. A composition formula of the first layer is ZrHfMgM(BCN). In the composition formula of ZrHfMgM(BCN), M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, a, b, c, x, y are respective atomic ratios of Hf, Mg, M, B, C, and relational expressions of 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30, 0 < c, 0 < 1-x-y are satisfied. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hard coating-covered member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a hard coating according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing cutting and processing using the hard coating-covered member. FIG. 4 is a device view showing a configuration of a coating formation device used for formation of the hard coating. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a hard coating according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a hard coating according to a modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing wear of the hard coating. FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing a hard coating according to a modification of the second embodiment. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, an outline of a hard coating and a hard coating-covered member according to the embodiments of the present invention will be described. 1-a-b a b x y 1-x-y 1-a-b a b x y 1-x-y A hard coating according to one embodiment of the present invention is a hard coating to be formed on a base material, and includes a first layer. A composition formula of the first layer is ZrHfMg(BCN). In the composition formula of ZrHfMg(BCN), a, b, x, y are respective atomic ratios of Hf, Mg, B, C. In the first layer, relational expressions of 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30 and 0 < 1-x-y are satisfied. The present inventors have keenly examined a composition of a hard coating to be formed on a tool surface in order to provide an excellent wear resistant coating layer used for jogs and tools for processing a titanium-based metal. As a result, the present inventors have found that introducing a proper amount of magnesium (Mg), which does not dissolve in titanium (Ti), into the hard coating suppresses an adhesion between the hard coating and a workpiece, so that wear resistance of the hard coating is remarkably improved. Mg is introduced into the hard coating so that the atomic ratio b is 0.05 or more. This can prevent Mg in the hard coating and Ti in the workpiece from dissolving, and can suppress the adhesion between the hard coating and the workpiece. As a result, the wear of the hard coating due to the adhesion can be suppressed. The atomic ratio b is preferably 0.08 or more, and more preferably, 0.10 or more. Mg is introduced into the hard coating so that the atomic ratio b is 0.30 or less. This can restrain the coating from being softened due to excessively contained Mg, and a decreasing of the wear resistance is suppressed. The atomic ration b is preferably 0.25 or less, and more preferably, 0.20 or less. The hard coating contains at least one of Zr and Hf. While Zr and Hf are transition metal elements in group 4 of the periodic table like Ti, they generate more thermodynamically stable nitrides (ZrN, HfN) or oxides as compared with Ti. In a hard coating containing TiN, TiN reacts in an active newly-formed surface formed on a surface of the workpiece during processing. In contrast, since ZrN and HfN are stable compounds in the hard coating, the reaction in the newly-formed surface is suppressed, so that a decrease in wear resistance can be suppressed. Introduction amounts of Zr and Hf are decided based on the above-described introduction amount of Mg, and 0.70 ≤ (Zr + Hf) ≤ 0.95 is satisfied. While any one of Zr and Hf may be 0, (Zr + Hf) > 0 is satisfied. 1-a-b-c a b c x y 1-x-y 1-a-b-c a b c x y 1-x-y A hard coating according to an another embodiment of the present invention is a hard coating to be formed on a base material, and includes a first layer containing at least one of Zr and Hf. A composition formula of the first layer is ZrHfMgM(BCN). In the composition formula of ZrHfMgM(BCN), M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, and a, b, c, x, y are respective atomic ratios of Hf, Mg, M, B, C. In the first layer, relational expressions of 0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30, 0 < c, 0 < 1-x-y are satisfied. The present inventors have keenly examined the composition of the hard coating in more detail in order to further improve the wear resistance of the hard coating to be formed as the wear resistant coating on the surface of the tool for processing the titanium-based metal. As a result, the present inventors have found that an element M (tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V)) that generates an oxide having lubricity can be further introduced into the hard coating. The element M that is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V are introduced into the hard coating. These elements generate the oxide having lubricity on a wear surface during processing, which can improve an adhesion resistance of the hard coating to the workpiece. As a result, the wear of the hard coating due to the adhesion can be suppressed. The element M may be one element selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, or may be two or more elements selected from the group. In the hard coating, preferably, a relational expression of 0 < c ≤ 0.50 is satisfied in the first layer. As described above, introducing the element M (the atomic ratio c is set to 0 < c) allows the oxide having lubricity to be generated, which improves the adhesion resistance of the hard coating. In order to sufficiently exert this effect, 0.10 ≤ c is preferable, 0.15 ≤ c is more preferable, and 0.20 ≤ c is still more preferable. On the other hand, when the atomic ratio c of the element M exceeds 0.50, amounts of ZrN and HfN, which are stable compounds, relatively decrease, so that a wear speed of the coating becomes fast. Therefore, the atomic ratio c is c ≤ 0.50, preferably c ≤ 0.40, and still more preferably c ≤ 0.30. x y 1-x-y x y 1-x-y Preferably, the hard coating further includes a second layer. A composition formula of the second layer is M(BCN). In the composition formula of M(BCN), M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, and x, y are respective atomic ratios of B, C, and a relational expression of 0 < 1-x-y is satisfied. W, Mo, Nb and V are elements that generate oxides having lubricity. Therefore, the second layer containing the element M which is one or more of these elements is provided separately from the first layer, which can further improve the lubricity of the hard coating. As a result, the adhesion resistance of the hard coating can be further improved. Moreover, multilayering by the first and second layers can further improve hardness of the coating. The element M may be one element selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, or may be two or more elements selected from the group. The atomic ratio x of B is 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20, 0.05 ≤ x is preferable, and x ≤ 0.15 is preferable. The atomic ratio y of C is 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.30, 0.03 ≤ y is preferable, and y ≤ 0.20 is preferable, more preferably, y ≤ 0.15. In the hard coating, a thickness of the second layer is preferably equal to or less than a thickness of the first layer. Since the second layer contains the element M that generates the oxide having lubricity and does not contain Zr and Hf, it is a layer having a smaller strength than that of the first layer, so that a crack or the like easily occurs. Therefore, forming the second layer inferior in strength to be thinner than the first layer can suppress a decrease in strength of the whole hard coating while exerting the lubricity by the second layer. In the hard coating, preferably, a thickness of the first layer is 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less, and a thickness of the second layer is 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less. If the thickness of each of the first and second layers is less than 1nm, sufficient increase in hardness by the multilayering cannot be obtained. Moreover, since the functions of the respective layers cannot be sufficiently exerted, the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the thickness of each of the layers is 1 nm or more, preferably 2 nm or more, and more preferably 5 nm or more. On the other hand, if the thickness of each of the layers exceeds 150 nm, the hardness of the coating also decreases, so that the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the thickness of each of the layers is 150 nm or less, preferably 50 nm or less, and more preferably 30 nm or less. The thickness of each of the first and second layers takes an arbitrary value in the above-described ranges, and the values may be different from each other or the same. However, as described above, setting the thickness of the second layer equal to or less than that of the first layer can suppress the decrease in strength of the hard coating. In the hard coating, preferably, a relational expression of 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20 is satisfied in the first layer. By setting the atomic ratio x of B to 0 or more, B and N bond in the coating to form boron nitrite (BN) which is a solid lubricant. As a result, the adhesion resistance of the coating can be further improved. In order to sufficiently exert this effect, preferably, the atomic ratio x is 0.05 ≤ x. On the other hand, if the atomic ratio x of B exceeds 0.20, the coating is amorphized, and the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the atomic ratio x is x ≤ 0.20, and preferably, x ≤ 0.15. In the hard coating, preferably, a relational expression of 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.30 is satisfied in the first layer. Since setting the atomic ratio y of C to 0 or more allows a metal carbide to be formed in the coating, the metal carbide having a friction coefficient reduced more than that of a metal nitride, the wear resistance of the coating can be further improved. Preferably, the atomic ratio y is 0.03 ≤ y. On the other hand, if the atomic ratio y exceeds 0.30, free carbon in the coating increases, and the hardness of the coating decreases, so that the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the atomic ratio y is y ≤ 0.30, preferably y ≤ 0.20, and more preferably y ≤ 0.15. The hard coating-covered member according to the embodiment comprises a base material which is a blade edge portion of a cutting tool or a metal mold and the hard coating which is formed on the base material. In the hard coating-covered member, the hard coating having the excellent adhesion resistance to the workpiece of the titanium-based metal is formed on the based material. Therefore, the adhesion between the hard coating and the workpiece can be suppressed in the processing of the titanium-based metal, and the wear resistance can be improved. FIGS. 1 2 FIG. 1 FIG. 2 Next, mainly referring to and , a hard coating-covered member 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. is a perspective view showing a whole structure of the hard coating-covered member 10. is a partial cross-sectional view of the hard coating-covered member 10. The hard coating-covered member 10 is a blade edge portion (an insert) of a cutting tool for cutting and processing a material to be cut made of a titanium-based metal such as pure titanium, a titanium alloy and the like. The hard coating-covered member 10 is attached to a tip portion of a handle (a shank) (not shown) of the cutting tool to be used. The hard coating-covered member 10 comprises a base material 3 having a quadrilateral planar shape and a hard coating 1 which is coated on a surface of the base material 3. The base material 3 is made of a material such as a superhard metal alloy, an iron-based alloy having a metal carbide, a cermet, a high-speed tool steel, and the like. The base material 3 has a rake face 31 and a flank face 32. The rake face 31 is a portion that bites into the material to be cut and rakes the same. The flank face 32 is a portion that is flanked in order to avoid contact with the material to be cut. A portion where the rake face 31 connects to the flank face 32 is a cutting edge 33. FIG. 3 FIG. 3 shows the cutting and processing of a material to be cut 100 when the hard coating-covered member 10 is used as an insert. As shown in , by moving the insert so that the cutting edge 33 bites into a surface of the material to be cut 100, the surface of the material to be cut 100 is cut. A chip 101 generated by this process passes on the rake face 31. The cutting edge 33 of the insert is a portion receiving a load by contact with the material to be cut 100, so that a temperature rise at the cutting edge 33 becomes large. This facilitates progress of the wear of the hard coating 1 formed as a coating layer on the base material 3 in the cutting edge 33. FIG. 2 Next, referring to , the hard coating 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. The hard coating 1 is formed on a surface of the base material 3 as a wear resistant coating. The hard coating 1 is formed on the surface of the base material 3 by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method such as arc ion plating (AIP), spattering and the like. The hard coating 1 is configured by a first layer 11 which is formed on the base material 3. The first layer 11 has a thickness T1 of 0.5 µm or more in order to effectively function as the wear resistant coating. Moreover, in order to restrain a defect or peeling-off of the coating film during cutting because of too large thickness, the thickness T1 of the first layer 11 is preferably 10 µm or less, more preferably 5 µm or less, and still more preferably 3 µm or less. However, the thickness T1 of the first layer 11 is not limited to the above-described range. Since the hard coating 1 is a single-layer coating film which is configured by only the first layer 11, the thickness T1 of the first layer 11 is the same as the thickness of the whole hard coating 1. 1-a-b a b x y 1-x-y A composition formula of the first layer 11 is ZrHfMg(BCN). In this composition formula, a is an atomic ratio of Hf, b is an atomic ratio of Mg, x is an atomic ratio of boron (B), and y is an atomic ratio of carbon (C). A sum of the atomic ratios of Zr, Hf and Mg, and a sum of the atomic ratios of B, C and nitrogen (N) are each 1. Therefore, the atomic ratio of Zr is 1-a-b, and the atomic ratio of N is 1-x-y(> 0). Hereinafter, a range of an introduction amount of respective elements and effects by introduction of each of the elements will be described. FIG. 3 Mg is introduced so that the atomic ratio b is 0.05 or more (0.05 ≤ b). Mg is a metal that does not dissolve in Ti. Therefore, as shown in , in the case when the material to be cut 100 made of a titanium-based metal is cut and processed by the hard coating-covered member 10, the adhesion between the hard coating 1 and the material to be cut 100 can be suppressed. As a result, the wear of the hard coating 1 due to the adhesion can be suppressed. In this manner, in view of improvement of the adhesion resistance of the hard coating 1 to the material to be cut 100, more preferably, the atomic ratio b of Mg is 0.08 or more (0.08 ≤ b), and still more preferably, 0.10 or more (0.10 ≤ b). Mg is introduced so that the atomic ratio b is 0.30 or less (b ≤ 0.30). This can restrain the coating from being softened due to excessively contained Mg, and a decreasing of the wear resistance is suppressed. In this manner, in view of effective suppression of softening of the coating, more preferably, the atomic ratio b of Mg is 0.25 or less (b ≤ 0.25), still more preferably, 0.20 or less (b ≤ 0.20). 2 2 FIG. 3 The hard coating 1 contains at least one of Zr and Hf, and contains N. Zr and Hf are transition metal elements in group 4 of the periodic table like Ti, and generate more thermodynamically stable nitrides (ZrN, HfN) and oxides (ZrO, HfO) as compared with Ti. Specifically, ZrN and HfN are compounds having standard free energy of formation which is smaller than that of TiN, and having lower reactivities compared with TiN. Therefore, as shown in , in the case when the material to be cut 100 made of a titanium-based metal is cut and processed by the hard coating-covered member 10, ZrN and HfN in the hard coating 1 are restrained from reacting in an active newly-formed surface exposed to a surface of the material to be cut 100. This can suppress the wear of the hard coating 1. The atomic ratio a of Hf is 0 or more and 0.95 or less (0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95). A total atomic ratio of Zr and Hf ((1-a-b) + a)) is 0.70 or more and 0.95 or less in view of a total atomic ratio (1) of Zr, Hf and Mg and the atomic ratio of Mg (0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30). The atomic ratio of any one of Zr and Hf may be 0, and neither of the atomic ratios may be 0. That is, only Zr may be contained in the hard coating 1, only Hf may be contained in the hard coating 1, or both Zr and Hf may be contained in the hard coating 1. B is introduced so that the atomic ratio x is 0 or more, preferably, 0.05 or more. This allows B and N to bond in the coating and form boron nitrite (BN) which is a solid lubricant. As a result, the adhesion resistance of the hard coating 1 to the material to be cut 100 is further improved, so that the wear resistance is further improved. On the other hand, in order not to excessively introduce B, the atomic ratio x is set to 0.20 or less (x ≤ 0.20). This can restrain the coating from being amorphized due to excessively contained B, and a decreasing of the wear resistance is suppressed. In this manner, in view of effective suppression of amorphization of the coating, more preferably, the atomic ratio x of B is 0.15 or less (x ≤ 0.15). Moreover, B is not an essential element in the hard coating 1, and may not be necessarily introduced (x = 0). C is introduced so that the atomic ratio y is 0 or more, preferably, 0.03 or more. Since this allows a metal carbide having a smaller friction coefficient than a metal nitride to be formed in the coating, the wear resistance of the coating can be further improved. On the other hand, in order not to excessively introduce C, the atomic ratio y is set to 0.30 or less (y ≤ 0.30). This can suppress a decrease in hardness due to an increase of free carbon in the coating, and a decrease in wear resistance is suppressed. In this manner, in view of effective suppression of the decrease in hardness due to the increase of free carbon, more preferably, the atomic ratio y of C is 0.20 or less (y ≤ 0.20), and still more preferably, 0.15 or less (y ≤ 0.15). Similarly to B, C is not an essential element in the hard coating 1, and may not be necessarily introduced (y = 0). FIG. 4 FIG. 4 FIG. 4 Next, referring to , a procedure for forming the hard coating 1 on the base material 3 will be described. shows a device configuration of a coating formation device 4 used for forming the hard coating 1. First, referring to , the configuration of the coating formation device 4 will be described. The coating formation device 4 comprises a chamber 11, a plurality of (two) arc power supplies 12 and spatter power supplies 13, a base material stage 14, a bias power supply 15, heaters 16, a DC power supply for discharge 17 and an AC power supply for heating a filament 18. In the chamber 11, there are provided a gas exhaust port 11A to evacuate an inside of the chamber 11 and a gas supply port 11B to supply a coating forming gas and a rare gas into the chamber 11. An arc evaporation source 12A where a target is disposed is connected to the arc power supplies 12. A spatter evaporation source 13A where a target is disposed is connected to the spatter power supplies 13. The base material stage 14 is rotatable, and has a support surface to support the base material 3 which is a coating formation object. The bias power supply 15 applies a negative bias to the base material 3 through the base material stage 14. The plurality of (four) heaters 16 are disposed inside the chamber 11 to be used for heating the base material 3. FIG. 4 Next, a coating formation procedure of the hard coating 1 on the base material 3 will be described. First, the base material 3 is prepared. Next, the base material 3 is cleaned in a cleaning liquid such as ethanol and the like. Thereafter, as shown in , the base material 3 after cleaning is set on the base material stage 14 inside the chamber 11. On the other hand, the target for coating formation obtained by mixing Zr, Hf and Mg at a predetermined ratio is set in the arc evaporation sources 12A. Next, an exhaust from the gas exhaust port 11A reduces a pressure inside the chamber 11 to a predetermined pressure to put it into a vacuum state. Then, Ar gas is introduced into the chamber 11 from the gas supply port 11B, and the base material 3 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heaters 16. The surface of the base material 3 is subjected to etching by Ar ions for a predetermined time. This removes an oxide coating or the like formed on the surface of the base material 3, which improves an adhesion of the hard coating 1 to the base material 3. Next, nitrogen gas, mixed gas of nitrogen gas and methane gas, mixed gas of nitrogen gas and boron fluoride gas or mixed gas of nitrogen gas, methane gas and boron fluoride gas are introduced into the chamber 11 from the gas supply port 11B. By causing a predetermined arc current to flow, the target set in the arc evaporation source 12A is evaporated, and the base material stage 14 is rotated at a predetermined rotational speed. This allows the evaporated target to adhere to the surface of the base material 3 to thereby form the hard coating 1. During the coating formation, a predetermined negative bias is applied to the base material 3 by the bias power supply 15. A coating formation speed of the hard coating 1 is adjusted by a condition of the arc current and a condition of the rotational speed of the base material stage 14, and a coating formation time is adjusted so that a coating thickness of the hard coating 1 reaches a desired value. In the case where the hard coating 1 containing B is formed, boron fluoride may be used as a boron source as described above. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a target for coating formation containing B may be used. After the coating thickness of the hard coating 1 has reached the desired value, the supply of the arc current and the rotation of the base material stage 14 are stopped. Thereafter, the chamber 11 is opened to the atmosphere, and the base material 3 after coating formation is taken out of the chamber 11. By the above-described procedure, the formation of the hard coating 1 on the base material 3 is performed. FIG. 5 FIG. 4 Next, referring to , a hard coating-covered member 20 and a hard coating 2 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The hard coating-covered member 20 according to the second embodiment is a blade edge portion of a cutting tool as with the first embodiment. The above-described hard coating-covered member 20 comprises the base material 3 made of a superhard metal alloy or the like and the hard coating 2 which is formed on the base material 3. Moreover, as with the first embodiment, the hard coating 2 is formed by depositing a target on the base material 3, the target being evaporated using the coating formation device 4 (). However, in the hard coating 2 according to the second embodiment, as described below, a composition thereof is different from that of the hard coating 1 of the first embodiment in that, in addition to Zr, Hf and Mg, the hard coating 2 further contains a metal element (M) that generates an oxide having lubricity such as tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), niobium (Nb), vanadium (V) and the like. 1-a-b-c a b c x y 1-x-y The hard coating 2 is configured by a first layer 21 which is formed on the base material 3. The first layer 21 has the same thickness T1 as that of the first layer 11 in the first embodiment. A composition formula of the first layer 21 is ZrHfMgM(BCN). In this composition formula, "M" is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V. "a" is an atomic ratio of Hf. "b" is an atomic ratio of Mg. "c" is an atomic ratio of M. "x" is an atomic ratio of B. "y" is an atomic ratio of C. A sum of the atomic ratios of Zr, Hf, Mg and M, and a sum of the atomic ratios of B, C and N are each 1. Therefore, an atomic ratio of Zr is 1-a-b-c, and an atomic ratio of N is 1-x-y (>0). The element M is uniformly dissolved in the hard coating 2. The respective atomic ratios a, b, x, y of Hf, Mg, B, C are adjusted in the same ranges as the ranges in the first embodiment (0 ≤ a ≤ 0.95, 0.05 ≤ b ≤ 0.30, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.30). Moreover, effects by introduction of these elements are also as described in the first embodiment. Moreover, as with the first embodiment, the first layer 21 contains at least one of Zr and Hf, and contains N. Hereinafter, a range of an introduction amount of the element "M" and effects by an introduction of the element "M" will be described. M (W, Mo, Nb, V) is introduced so that the atomic ratio c exceeds 0 (0 < c). W, Mo, Nb, V are each an element that generates an oxide having lubricity. Therefore, when the material to be cut 100 is cut and processed using the hard coating-covered member 20, the oxide having lubricity is generated in a wear surface of the hard coating 2. This suppresses an adhesion between the hard coating 2 and the material to be cut 100, and wear of the hard coating 2 is further suppressed. In this manner, in order to increase the lubricity of the hard coating 2 and improve the adhesion resistance, the atomic ratio c is preferably 0.10 or more (0.10 ≤ c), more preferably 0.15 or more (0.15≤ c), and still more preferably 0.20 or more (0.20 ≤ c). M is introduced so that the atomic ratio c is 0.50 or less (c ≤ 0.5). Excessively containing M relatively reduces the amounts of ZrN and HfN which are stable compounds, so that the wear speed of the coating becomes fast. In contrast, setting the atomic ratio c to 0.50 or less can suppress the wear of the coating. In this manner, in view of assuring the amount of the stable nitride (ZrN, HfN) to suppress the excessive wear speed, the atomic ratio c is preferably 0.40 or less (c ≤ 0.40), and more preferably 0.30 or less (c ≤ 0.30). M may be one element of W, Mo, Nb and V, or may be two or more elements thereof. Moreover, W, Mo, Nb and V are different in melting points of the respective oxides. Therefore, the type of M is preferably selected in view of a load received by the cutting tool during cutting and a temperature rise. Specifically, the oxide of V has a lower melting point than those of the oxides of W, Mo and Nb. Therefore, in the case where the load received by the cutting tool during cutting is low, and the rise in blade edge temperature is small, the hard coating 2 containing V may be used. On the other hand, in the case where the load received by the cutting tool during cutting is high, and the rise in blade edge temperature are large, the hard coating 2 containing W, Mo, Nb, the oxide of which have high melting points, may be used. Particularly, in the cutting and processing of the material to be cut 100 made of a titanium-based metal, the rise in blade edge temperature is large, and thus the hard coating 2 containing W, Mo, Nb is preferably used. FIG. 6 FIG. 6 Next, referring to , a hard coating-covered member 10A and a hard coating 1A according to a modification of the first embodiment will be described. The hard coating-covered member 10A has a structure in which the hard coating 1A is formed on the base material 3 as with the first embodiment. The hard coating 1A according to this modification further has a second layer 12 in addition to the first layer 11, and is a lamination type hard coating where the first and second layers 11 and 12 are alternately laminated as shown in . The above-described alternately laminated structure can further improve the hardness of the coating. x y 1-x-y A composition formula of the second layer 12 is M(BCN). In this composition formula, x is an atomic ratio of B, and y is an atomic ratio of C. Moreover, since a sum of the atomic ratios of B, C and N is 1, an atomic ratio of N is 1-x-y (> 0). In the second layer 12, the respective atomic ratios x and y of B and C are adjusted to the same ranges as those in the first layer 11 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.30), and N is contained. "M" is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V. That is, M may be one element of W, Mo, Nb and V, or may be two or more elements thereof. In this manner, further having the second layer 12 containing M that generates an oxide having lubricity improves the adhesion resistance of the coating. Moreover, multilayering by the first and second layers 11 and 12 can improve hardness of the coating more than that in the case of the single coating. The thickness T2 of the second layer 12 is different from the thickness T1 of the first layer 11, and specifically, is equal to or less than the thickness T1 of the first layer 11. Since the second layer 12 contains the element M that generates the oxide having lubricity and does not contain Zr and Hf, it is a layer having a smaller strength than that of the first layer 11, so that a crack or the like easily occurs. Therefore, forming the second layer 12 inferior in strength to be thinner than the first layer 11 can suppress a decrease in strength of the whole hard coating 1A while exerting the lubricity by the second layer 12. FIG. 7 FIG. 3 FIG. 7 shows the wear of the hard coating 1A in the cutting edge 33 () during cutting and processing. As shown in , since the hard coating 1A is worn in an oblique direction during cutting and processing, a laminated cross-section 13 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 is exposed. This facilitates progress of the oxidization of W, Mo, Nb, V in the second layer 12. Therefore, when the thickness T2 of the second layer 12 is too large, a crack occurs in the second layer 12 which becomes fragile due to the oxidization, and a strength of the whole hard coating 1A decreases. In order to prevent this, the thickness T2 of the second layer 12 is equal to or less than the thickness T1 of the first layer 11. The thicknesses T1 and T2 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 are each 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less. If the thicknesses T1 and T2 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 are each less than 1 nm, sufficient increase in hardness by the multilayering cannot be obtained. Moreover, since the functions of the respective layers cannot be sufficiently exerted, the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the thicknesses T1 and T2 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 are each 1 nm or more, more preferably 2 nm or more, and still more preferably 5 nm or more. Moreover, if the thicknesses T1 and T2 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 each exceed 150 nm, the hardness of the coating also decreases, so that similarly, the wear resistance decreases. Therefore, the thicknesses T1 and T2 of the first and second layers 11 and 12 are each 150 nm or less, more preferably 50 nm or less, still more preferably 30 nm or less. FIG. 6 FIG. 6 As shown in , the first layer 11 may be formed in contact with the base material 3, or the second layer 12 may be formed in contact with the base material 3. On an outermost surface (a surface on the opposite side of the base material 3) of the hard coating 1A, the same layer as the layer in contact with the base material 3 (the first layer 11 in ) may be formed, or the different layer from the layer in contact with the base material 3 may be formed. Moreover, the hard coating 1A is not limited to the above-described aspect, but various laminated structures can be employed in accordance with purposes. For example, the hard coating 1A is not limited to the multilayer structure which is configured by the first and second layers 11 and 12, but may further include a third layer having a composition different from those of the first and second layers 11 and 12, and have a multilayer structure which is configured by the first to third layers. A thickness T of the whole hard coating 1A is adjusted to 0.5 µm or more and 10 µm or less, similarly to the thickness T1 of the first layer 11 in the first embodiment. The number of times of lamination of the first and second layers 11 and 12 in the hard coating 1A is designed so that the thickness T of the whole hard coating 1A is in the above-described range in view of the thicknesses of the respective layers. Here, the "number of times of lamination" is counted as one when one first layer 11 and one second layer 12 are laminated. In order to exert the respective functions of the first and second layers 11 and 12 in the laminated state maximally, the number of times of lamination is preferably two or more. That is, preferably, the respective thicknesses of the first and second layers 11 and 12 are made thin to increase the number of times of lamination. FIG. 4 Next, referring to , a procedure for forming the hard coating 1A on the base material 3 will be described. While the hard coating 1A is basically formed by a procedure similar to that of the first embodiment, it is different in that the first and second layers 11 and 12 are alternately laminated. First, the base material 3 is cleaned, and the base material 3 after cleaning is set on the base material stage 14. Moreover, a target for ground layer such as Zr and the like is set in the arc evaporation source 12A. A first target obtained by mixing Zr, Hf, Mg at a predetermined ratio is set in one of the arc evaporation source 12A and the spatter evaporation source 13A, while a second target of a simple substance of Nb, V, Mo, W or obtained by mixing these elements at a predetermined ratio is set in the other. Next, the inside of the chamber 11 is decompressed to a predetermined pressure, and then, Ar gas is supplied into the chamber 11. Moreover, the base material 3 is heated to a predetermined temperature by the heaters 16. The surface of the base material 3 is subjected to etching processing by Ar ions for a predetermined time. Next, coating forming gas such as nitrogen gas, methane gas, boron fluoride and the like is introduced into the chamber 11 so that the pressure therein becomes a predetermined pressure. Under the predetermined condition of the arc current, the target for ground layer is evaporated, and the base material stage 14 is rotated. This allows a ground layer (ZrN) of a predetermined thickness to be formed on the base material 3. This ground layer is formed to improve the adhesion between the base material 3 and the laminated film of the first and second layers 11 and 12. Next, in a state where the temperature of the base material 3 and the gas pressure are kept, the arc evaporation sources 12A and the spatter evaporation sources 13A simultaneously discharge electricity to evaporate the first and second targets, and the base material stage 14 is rotated. This allows the base material 3 to alternately pass the arc evaporation sources 12A and the spatter evaporation sources 13A with the first and second targets set, and the first and second layers 11 and 12 to be alternately laminated on the base material 3. By the above-described procedure, the hard coating 1A is formed on the base material 3. FIG. 8 FIG. 8 FIG. 6 Next, referring to , a hard coating-covered member 20A and a hard coating 2A according to a modification of the second embodiment will be described. The hard coating-covered member 20A has a structure in which the hard coating 2A is formed on the base material 3 as with the second embodiment. The hard coating 2A according to this modification further has a second layer 22 in addition to the first layer 21, and is a lamination type hard coating where the first and second layers 21 and 22 are alternately laminated as shown in . That is, the hard coating 2A is an alternately laminated film of the first layer 21 and the second layer 22 as with the modification of the first embodiment. The hard coating 2A basically has a configuration similar to that of the modification of the first embodiment () except for the composition of the first layer 21, and is similarly formed. x y 1-x-y A composition formula of the second layer 22 is M(BCN) as with the modification of the first embodiment. In this composition formula, x is an atomic ratio of B, and y is an atomic ratio of C. Moreover, since a sum of the atomic ratios of B, C and N is 1, an atomic ratio of N is 1-x-y (> 0). In the second layer 22, the respective atomic ratios x and y of B and C are adjusted to the same ranges as those in the first layer 21 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.20, 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.30), and N is contained. M is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Nb and V, and may be one element selected from the group, or may be two or more elements. In this manner, by further having the second layer 22 containing M that generates the oxide having lubricity and not containing Zr and Hf, the adhesion resistance of the coating is further improved. Moreover, multilayering by the first and second layers 21 and 22 can improve hardness of the coating more than that in the case of the single coating. The thickness of the second layer 22 is equal to or less than the thickness of the first layer 21 as with the modification of the first embodiment. Moreover, the thickness of each of the first and second layers 21 and 22 is in a range of 1 nm or more and 150 nm or less as with the modification of the first embodiment. In the first and second embodiments and the modifications thereof, the cases where the base material of the hard coating-covered member is the blade edge portion (the insert) of the cutting tool are described, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The base material may be applied to other jigs and tools such as a metal mold for press, a metal mold for forging, a metal mold for molding, and the like. In order to confirm the effects of the present invention with respect to the wear resistance of the hard coating, the following experiments were performed. First, a hard coating having a composition of No. 1 shown in the following table 1 was prepared in the following procedure. A cutting tool and a superhard test piece having a mirror surface for cross-section evaluation (a 13 mm square, a thickness 5 mm) were subjected to an ultrasonic cleaning in an ethanol, and were set inside the coating formation device 4. Moreover, a target for coating formation adjusted to the composition of No. 1 was set in the arc evaporation source 12A. -3 Next, the inside of the chamber 11 was evacuated to 5 × 10 Pa. Next, Ar gas was introduced into the chamber 11, the base material 3 was heated to 500°C by the heaters 16, and then, the surface of the base material 3 was etched by Ar ions for two minutes. Thereafter, nitrogen gas was introduced until the pressure inside the chamber 11 became 4 Pa. Operation was performed at an arc current of 150A, and the base material 3 was rotated at a rotational speed of 5rpm, by which the hard coating was formed on the base material 3. During the coating formation, a bias of -30 V was applied to the base material 3 by the bias power supply 15. Moreover, a coating formation time was adjusted so that the thickness of the whole hard coating became 3 µm. Moreover, similarly to No. 1, hard coatings having compositions of Nos. 2 to 36 were also prepared by a similar procedure. As the target for coating formation, targets containing Zr, Hf and Mg which are elements other than C, N, and in some examples, further containing M and B were used. Moreover, as a comparative example, a target of TiAIN was also prepared. As the coating forming gas, nitrogen gas or mixed gas of nitrogen gas and methane gas was used. The atomic ratio of M in each of Nos. 31 to 34 of table 1 was a total value of atomic ratios of a plurality of elements. As the cutting tool, an insert was used. As the material to be cut, Ti-6Al-4V was used. A cutting test was conducted under the following condition using an insert in which the hard coating was formed to evaluate the wear amount. For evaluation of the wear amount, measurement of the wear width was carried out at 1000 m. The measurement of the wear width was performed by installing the insert so that a flank face and an objective lens were parallel, photographing the same with an optical microscope (magnification: 300), and performing the measurement at five positions in one visual field to calculate an average value (µm). Material to be cut: Ti-6Al-4V Tool: CNMG432, Quality of material K313 Cutting speed: 45 m/minute Feed: 0.15 mm/REV Cutting depth: 2.0 mm Lubrication: wet (emulsion) [Table 1] No ATOMIC RATIO TYPE OF M ATOMIC RATIO HARDNESS (HV) WEAR WIDTH (µm) Zr Hf Mg M B C N 1 0.9 0.1 0 - - 0 0 1 2200 180 2 0.90 0.00 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2350 85 3 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2400 70 4 0.30 0.60 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2600 65 5 0.45 0.45 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2700 55 6 0.60 0.30 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2650 60 7 0.00 0.90 0.10 - - 0 0 1 2600 70 8 0.60 0.34 0.06 - - 0 0 1 2650 70 9 0.55 0.30 0.15 - - 0 0 1 2450 75 10 0.60 0.20 0.20 - - 0 0 1 2300 75 11 0.45 0.25 0.30 - - 0 0 1 2300 80 12 0.40 0.20 0.40 - - 0 0 1 2000 230 13 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.05 0 0.95 2400 65 14 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.1 0 0.9 2400 60 15 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.2 0 0.8 2250 70 16 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.3 0 0.7 2000 140 17 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0 0.1 0.9 2350 65 18 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0 0.25 0.75 2400 75 19 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0 0.4 0.6 1800 160 20 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.03 0.12 0.85 2450 70 21 0.80 0.10 0.10 - - 0.05 0.05 0.9 2500 55 22 0.55 0.20 0.20 Nb 0.05 0.00 0.00 1.00 2800 65 23 0.50 0.20 0.20 Nb 0.10 0.00 0.00 1.00 2800 55 24 0.40 0.20 0.20 Nb 0.20 0.00 0.00 1.00 3000 50 25 0.35 0.20 0.20 Nb 0.25 0.00 0.00 1.00 3000 40 26 0.10 0.20 0.20 Nb 0.50 0.00 0.00 1.00 3200 60 27 0.25 0.05 0.10 Nb 0.60 0.00 0.00 1.00 1700 150 28 0.65 0.10 0.10 V 0.15 0.00 0.00 1.00 2800 60 29 0.65 0.10 0.10 Mo 0.15 0.00 0.00 1.00 3100 50 30 0.65 0.10 0.10 W 0.15 0.00 0.00 1.00 3100 45 31 0.60 0.10 0.10 W, Nb 0.20 0.00 0.00 1.00 3000 40 32 0.60 0.10 0.10 Mo, V 0.20 0.00 0.00 1.00 2900 55 33 0.60 0.10 0.10 W. V 0.20 0.00 0.00 1.00 3000 55 34 0.60 0.10 0.10 W, Nb 0.20 0.05 0.05 0.90 3100 40 35 0.60 0.10 0.10 Nb 0.20 0.10 0.00 0.90 2900 45 36 TiAlN 2500 200 Hereinafter, referring to table 1, the above-described experiment results will be described. First, experiment results of Nos. 1 to 12 and No. 36 will be described. In No. 1, since Mg was not contained, the adhesion between the hard coating and the material to be cut was large, and the wear width was large (180 µm). On the other hand, in No. 12, since Mg was excessively contained, the coating was softened, and the wear width was large (230 µm). Moreover, in No. 36, the hard coating made of TiAlN was used, and the wear width was large due to the adhesion between the hard coating and the material to be cut (200 µm). In contrast, in Nos. 2 to 11, the atomic ratios of Mg were adjusted to a range of 0.05 to 0.30, and the wear resistance was largely improved as compared with the results of Nos. 1, 12, and 36. Next, experiment results of Nos. 13 to 21 will be described. In Nos. 13 to 21, the atomic ratios of Zr, Hf, Mg were fixed, and the atomic ratios of C, B, N were varied. In Nos. 13 to 15 (the atomic ratio of B: 0 to 0.2), the wear width was smaller than that of No. 16 (the atomic ratio of B: 0.3). This was because in No. 16, B was excessively contained, so that the hardness of the coating decreased, and the wear resistance decreased. On the other hand, in Nos. 17, 18 (the atomic ratio of C: 0 to 0.3), the wear width was smaller than that of No. 19 (the atomic ratio of C: 0.4). This was because in No. 19, C was excessively contained, so that the coating was softened, and the wear resistance decreased. Next, experiment results of Nos. 22 to 35 will be described. In Nos. 22 to 27, Nb was used as the element M, and the atomic ratio of Nb was varied. In Nos. 28 to 30, the elements other than Nb were used as the element M. In Nos. 31 to 34, two or more elements were combined as the element M. In No. 35, B was contained. In No. 27, since Nb was excessively contained (the atomic ratio of M: 0.6), the amounts of ZrN and HfN decreased, so that thermal stability of the coating was lost, and the wear width increased as compared with those in Nos. 22 to 26 (the atomic ratio of M: 0 to 0.50). Moreover, it is clear from the comparison between No. 10 and Nos. 22 to 26, further introduction of the element M into the hard coating improved the wear resistance. First, a hard coating having a composition of No. 1 shown in the following table 2 was prepared in the following procedure. A cutting tool and a superhard test piece having a mirror surface for cross section evaluation (a 13 mm square, a thickness 5 mm) were subjected to an ultrasonic cleaning in an ethanol, and were set inside the coating formation device 4. Moreover, Zr was set in the arc evaporation source 12A as a target for ground layer. Moreover, a first target having the composition of the first layer of No.1 was set in one of the arc evaporation sources 12A and the spatter evaporation sources 13A, and a second target having the composition of the second layer of No. 1 was set in the other. -3 Next, the inside of the chamber 11 was evacuated to 5 × 10 Pa. Next, Ar gas was introduced into the chamber 11, the base material 3 is heated to 500°C by the heaters 16, and then, the surface of the base material 3 was etched by Ar ions for two minutes. Thereafter, nitrogen gas was introduced until the pressure inside the chamber 11 became 4 Pa. Operation was performed by AIP at the arc current of 150A, and the base material stage 14 was rotated, by which a ZrN layer (100 nm) was formed as the ground layer on the base material 3. Next, in a state where the temperature of the base material 3 and the gas pressure were kept, the arc evaporation sources 12A and the spatter evaporation sources 13A simultaneously discharged electricity to evaporate the first and second targets, and the base material stage 14 was rotated. This allowed the hard coating with the first and second layers alternately laminated to be formed on the base material 3 (thickness 3 µm). As the coating forming gas, nitrogen gas or mixed gas of nitrogen gas and methane gas was used, the rotation speed of the base material 3 was 5 rpm, and the bias applied to the base material 3 during coating formation was -30 V. Moreover, similarly to No. 1, hard coatings having compositions of Nos. 2 to 26 were also prepared by a similar procedure. As the first target, targets containing Zr, Hf and Mg which are elements other than C, N, and in some examples, further containing B were used. As the second target, targets containing M, and in some examples, further containing B were used. As the cutting tool, an insert was used. As the material to be cut, Ti-6Al-4V was used. A cutting test was conducted in the following condition using an insert in which the hard coating had been formed to evaluate the wear amount. For the evaluation of the wear amount, measurement of the wear width was carried out at 1000 m. The measurement of the wear width was performed by installing the insert so that a flank face and an objective lens were parallel, photographing the same with an optical microscope (magnification: 300), and performing the measurement at five positions in one visual field to calculate an average value (µm). Material to be cut: Ti-6Al-4V Tool: CNMG432, Quality of material K313 Cutting speed: 45 m/minute Feed: 0.15 mm/REV Cutting depth: 2.0 mm Lubrication: wet (emulsion) [Table 2] No FIRST LAYER SECOND LAYER HARDNESS (HV) WEAR WIDTH (µm) ATOMIC RATIO COATING THICKNESS ATOMIC RATIO COATING THICKNESS (nm) Zr Hf Mg B C N M B C N 1 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 1.5 Nb 0 0 1 1 2400 100 2 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 2 Nb 0 0 1 2 2700 60 3 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 3 Nb 0 0 1 3 2900 50 4 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 5 Nb 0 0 1 5 3100 55 5 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 10 Nb 0 0 1 10 2950 50 6 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Nb 0 0 1 25 2700 65 7 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 50 Nb 0 0 1 50 2550 70 8 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 75 Nb 0 0 1 75 2100 90 9 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 100 Nb 0 0 1 100 2000 130 10 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 150 Nb 0 0 1 120 1800 120 11 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 10 Nb 0.1 0 0.9 10 2800 50 12 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 10 Nb 0 0.1 0.9 10 3000 55 13 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Nb 0 0 1 2 3000 65 14 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Nb 0 0 1 5 3000 50 15 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Nb 0 0 1 10 3100 55 16 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Nb 0 0 1 15 2950 55 17 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 V 0 0 1 5 2850 65 18 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 25 Mo 0 0 1 5 3000 55 19 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 15 W 0 0 1 5 3100 55 20 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 15 Nb0.50, W0.50 0 0 1 5 3100 45 21 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 15 Mo0.50, W0.50 0 0 1 5 3200 45 22 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 15 Nb0.50. V0.10. W0.40 0 0 1 5 2900 50 23 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0 1 15 Mo0.40, V0.20, W0.40 0 0 1 5 2950 50 24 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.8 20 Nb 0 0 1 10 3000 45 25 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.15 0 0.85 20 Nb 0 0 1 10 2950 50 26 0.8 0.1 0.1 0 0.25 0.75 20 Nb 0 0 1 10 2500 60 Hereinafter, referring to table 2, the above-described experiment results will be described. In Nos. 1 to 10, Zr0.80Hf0.10Mg0.10N was the first layer, and NbN was the second layer, which were alternately laminated, and the coating thickness of each of the layers was varied. In Nos. 11, 12, the atomic ratios of B, C in the second layer were varied. In Nos. 13 to 16, the first layer and the second layer had different coating thicknesses from each other. In Nos. 17 to 23, in the second layer, the elements other than Nb were contained as the element M, and two or more elements were contained. In Nos. 24 to 26, the atomic ratios of B, C and N were varied in the first layer. In Nos. 2 to 7 (the coating thickness: 2 to 50 nm), since the performances of the respective layers in the laminated coating were sufficiently exerted, and decrease in hardness was small, the wear amounts were improved as compared with No. 1 and Nos. 8 to 10. From the comparison between No. 6 and Nos. 14 to 16, setting the thickness of the second layer equal to or less than the thickness of the first layer further improved the wear amount.
5 Simple Social-Emotional Learning Activities for Kids When children develop social-emotional skills, they gain the ability to process their emotions, maintain positive relationships, achieve goals, and show empathy towards others. Here are a few social-emotional learning activities for kids at home to help children develop these core skills. Scribble Away Having overwhelming emotions can make it difficult to focus on a specific task. Have your child scribble away their emotions on paper and they’re sure to feel calmer. Vision Board In order to set and achieve goals, one must have a clear vision. No matter how small these goals may seem (it could be as simple as reading one page of a book every day), it’s a great idea to jot these down on a board. Empathy in Action The next time you watch a movie, pause it and discuss how the actors are feeling. You could even ask your kids “How would you feel if this happened to you?” Once you’ve started this discussion, you could talk about empathy and social cues in detail. This activity is a great way to develop social emotional skills. Are You Listening? Developing strong listening skills helps kids make better connections with others. For this activity, simply pair kids together and have them take turns talking about themselves for a minute. Later, test each of them and find out how well they truly listened to each other. Role Play Role playing is one among the best social-emotional learning activities. As kids interact with others to act out real-life situations, they hone their verbal and non-verbal communication skills while gaining a better understanding of the world. Explore kids learning activities and games for kids at Osmo.	https://blog.playosmo.com/5-simple-social-emotional-learning-activities-for-kids/
The first statewide Native Species Day is coming up on June 17th. In ecosystems made up of native species, each plant, animal, and insect has a specialized role to keep the habitat in balance. These healthy ecosystems in turn provide us with valuable services and resources, like spaces for outdoor recreation and agriculture. Now is the perfect time to learn about how to support our native ecosystems and how to protect them from threats like invasive species and climate change. Native plants and animals to celebrate in June: Mountain laurel, Pennsylvania’s state flower, blooms from mid-May to late June. Depending on where you live, you may have already seen some of its distinctive white and pink blossoms this year. Mountain laurel is a shrub that grows anywhere from four to ten feet and has lance-shaped, evergreen leaves. It’s related to rhododendron and is distributed throughout much of Pennsylvania, although you’re most likely to see large swaths of it in the more mountainous regions like its namesake, the Laurel Highlands. Mountain laurel exemplifies charismatic flora, which tend to have cultural significance, appeal to people, and inspire environmental conservation. Brook trout are Pennsylvania’s state fish and hold strong ecological and recreational significance. They can only thrive in cool, clean, freshwater streams, and are often used as an indicator species for high water quality. They require heavily shaded riparian buffers along streams to keep the water cool and are a great example of how when one native species thrives, others do as well. Eastern hemlock trees and mountain laurel are often found lining healthy trout streams. While historically Pennsylvania has supported an extensive network of brook trout streams, the destruction of forested riparian zones by the timber industry and the acid mine drainage from coal production have had significant impact on statewide trout populations. In recent years trout have made a comeback, though conservation measures are still necessary in many areas. Eastern Hemlocks, Pennsylvania’s state tree, are a critical part of Pennsylvania’s forest ecosystems. With their enormous trunks and evergreen needles, they provide habitat for birds and important shade for trout streams. Hemlock groves around the state were significantly deforested during the 19th and 20th centuries. While the hemlock has bounced back from the threat of logging, a new invasive pest is threatening its existence in Pennsylvania. Hemlock wooly adelgid arrived in the U.S. by accident over 50 years ago and has since spread to almost every county in Pennsylvania. This tiny insect sucks nutrients out of hemlock needles, resulting in widespread defoliation and tree death. This threatens not only our beloved hemlock forests, but the native trout streams that rely on the shade from hemlocks to keep water temperatures cool. PA DCNR has a conservation plan in place for hemlock forests. Early summer is an active time for Pennsylvania’s reptiles and amphibians. Many turtle species are laying eggs, and juvenile toads, frogs, and salamanders are emerging after adults traveled earlier in the spring to breed in wetlands and ponds. If you’re out walking, hiking, or cycling in the coming weeks, take extra care to watch the trail and road for young reptiles and amphibians trying to cross. Common snapping turtles are just one species to look out for this June. While mature adults can have a threatening appearance, they are often misunderstood and play an important role in keeping aquatic ecosystems clean due to their varied diet of aquatic plants, organic debris, dead fish, insects, and small animals. Snapping turtles can and will bite if bothered, but if left alone, are an asset to ponds and lakes. Learn to identify these common invasive species: A notorious recent addition to the PA invasive species list, spotted lanternflies feed on the sap from a variety of plants, with a preference for many of the plants important to Pennsylvania’s agriculture and lumber industries including grapevines, maples, black walnut, birch and willow. If uncontrolled, one study found that the spotted lanternfly could cause hundreds of millions of dollars in damage a year and cost Pennsylvania over 2,000 jobs. If you see a spotted lanternfly, kill it then report it to Penn State Extension. Japanese knotweed was introduced to the U.S. in the 1800’s as an ornamental plant. Since then, it has spread widely across Pennsylvania. Knotweed plants can reach ten feet in height, usually have an extensive root system, and can emerge earlier in the spring than many native plants. Knotweed grows aggressively and threatens native plants by crowding them out. Garlic mustard was first documented in the U.S. in the mid-1800’s and has spread across most of the country. It can thrive in many habitat types, reproduces easily, and naturally forms monocultures which crowd out native plants. It can, however, be successfully managed through pulling in spring and early summer. Tips to support native plants and animals year-round: - Plant for pollinators: - Choose native plants for your garden. - Plant a variety of plants that will bloom throughout the season. - Include trees and shrubs in your garden. - Mow your lawn less frequently or stop mowing a portion of your yard entirely to help support bee and other pollinator populations. - Learn how to properly clean your fishing and boating gear to reduce the spread of aquatic invasive species. - Report invasive species sightings to the PA Department of Agriculture. Many more resources are available on PA Department of Agriculture’s Native Species Day website.	https://pecpa.org/news/celebrate-native-species-on-june-17th/
A historic Colorado legislative session for youth mental health Written by Alli Daley, PCMH Policy Director. On May 11, Colorado’s 73rd General Assembly concluded their second regular session and adjourned sine die. The stakes felt particularly high, as recent reports show that nearly half of high school students are feeling persistently sad or helpless and youth mental health concerns continue to skyrocket. Thankfully, as a result of incredible advocacy efforts across the state, this session resulted in many legislative victories for youth mental health. Throughout the 120-day session, Colorado legislators introduced and passed an unprecedented number of bills addressing youth mental health and invested almost half a billion dollars in one-time funding to address the state’s mental health crisis. Funding to address Colorado’s mental health crisis Some of the most impactful legislation stemmed from the commitment by Governor Polis and the General Assembly to spend $450 million in one-time, federal COVID-relief funding to address Colorado’s mental health crisis. We successfully advocated for one-third of this funding to go directly to support the unique needs of Colorado’s children and youth because children and youth, aged 24 and under make up one-third of Colorado’s population. The over $150 million in investments for children and youth will expand services and supports across the care continuum. Key legislation to allocate this funding includes: - HB1283 supports children, youth, and families by providing $6 million for respite services; $8 million to expand the capacity of residential treatment facilities and therapeutic and treatment foster care providers that support kids with higher acuity needs; $5 million for substance use residential treatment beds for children and youth; $2.5 million to supply in-home crisis services and supports for families; and $35 million to build a state-run facility to serve kids with neuro-psychiatric needs - SB147 supports integrated mental health treatment for kids by providing $4.6 million to the CoPPCAP program, which provides consultation services to pediatric providers by licensed children and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, and specialized community resource navigators. The bill also includes $5 million to expand access to behavioral health professionals in schools and $1.5 million to support school-based health centers - HB1281 provides $90 million in community grants, including $40 million specifically for children, youth, and families, to close gaps along the care continuum - HB1369 provides $2 million for prevention and early intervention programs for families with children from prenatal to six years of age - SB177 includes $12.2 million to create a statewide care coordination structure within the state’s new Behavioral Health Administration - SB181 includes a historic investment of $72 million for Colorado’s behavioral health workforce These one-time investments will build a strong foundation for ongoing reforms to Colorado’s mental health system. Strengthening Colorado’s mental health system We also advocated to strengthen the accountability, transparency, and coordination of Colorado’s mental health system. HB1287 establishes the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA). The BHA will serve as the single state agency to lead, promote, and administer Colorado’s state-funded mental health programs. We secured dozens of amendments to ensure the BHA will include strong coordination of services for children and youth, including services provided through Medicaid. The work to build the BHA is just beginning and the BHA will not be fully operational for years, so we also worked to strengthen Colorado’s existing system of care. Through HB1214, we fought to strengthen Colorado’s crisis system by ensuring that all crisis facilities provide services to all Coloradans, regardless of age or the presence of a disability. We also supported SB102 which strengthens transparency and accountability for services provided to children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities at the Laradon program and SB106 which addresses conflicts of interest in Colorado’s mental health and substance use system. Looking ahead The work continues as we shift to focus on successful implementation of these new bills. Lawmakers built a strong foundation for future mental health reforms, and we will continue to fight for sustainable funding to support children, youth, and families. If you’d like to get involved in PCMH’s policy and advocacy efforts, or have related questions, you can reach Alli at [email protected].	https://pcmh.org/blog/thats-a-wrap-a-historic-colorado-legislative-session/
Was that wild weather caused by climate change? Scientists can now say ‘yes’ with confidence By John Keefe and Curt Merrill, CNNAug. 9, 2021 David J. Phillip/AP The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has a clear message: The human-caused climate crisis is worsening extreme weather around the globe. The world is now 1.1 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels and is on a collision course with the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees, the report concludes, which countries in the Paris Accord agreed was the ideal limit to stave off the worse impacts. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are slashed — and fast — the report’s authors say it’s going to get worse. With significant advances in computing power, scientists are more confident than ever in attributing extreme weather to climate change. A hotter world In June, an unprecedented heat wave in the Pacific Northwest killed hundreds of people and shattered records in Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Canada logged a new national record high when a town in British Columbia soared to 121.3 degrees Fahrenheit. Historic heat waves are so clearly caused by human-driven emissions that researchers can now easily link them to climate change. Scientists at World Weather Attribution concluded this summer’s Northwest heat wave would have been “virtually impossible” without it. Around the globe, human greenhouse gas emissions have already triggered more intense and more frequent hot-weather extremes, according to the report. Some extreme weather will happen more often even at 1.5 degrees, which the world can avoid only with very low future greenhouse gas emissions. If warming exceeds that benchmark, extreme heat events will become more intense and more frequent. A warmer planet means more extreme-heat events As the global temperature rises, the chance of experiencing a 50-year-event increases from 2 percent per year to nearly 80 percent per year. A 50-year-event is when the temperature exceeds a level seen only once during the 50-year baseline period from 1850-1900. Source: IPCC AR6 Working Group I report Just a degree or two of atmospheric warming will translate into hotter weather for nearly the entire planet. Increased drought and fire danger The climate crisis has already led to more extreme drought. More than 95 percent of the Western US is in some level of drought this summer, which has has triggered water shortages there. A major California hydroelectric power plant was forced to shut down last week when the water level in Lake Oroville dropped to a level not seen since the reservoir was filled in the 1960s. At 1.5 degrees, droughts will become more intense and more frequent in parts of the world. Amid unrelenting drought and record heat, wildfire seasons are now longer and result in more destructive fires. The report notes that weather conducive to wildfires can be traced to human influence. Reports from the ground near the Dixie Fire, California’s second-largest fire in state history, suggest we are already experiencing increasingly dangerous conditions. “We’re seeing truly frightening fire behavior, I don’t know how to overstate that,” said Chris Carlton, Plumas National Forest Supervisor. “We have a lot of veteran firefighters who have served for 20, 30 years and have never seen behavior like this, especially day after day, and the conditions we’re in. So we really are in uncharted territory around some of these extreme, large fires and the behavior we’re seeing.” More frequent flooding Rainfall over land has become more intense since the 1980s, and the report’s authors say human influence is the main driver. Hurricane Harvey eventually dumped more than 60 inches of rain on some parts of Texas in August 2017, prompting the National Weather Service to add two colors to the scale on its precipitation maps — purple for 20-30 inches, and pink for more then 30 inches. Source: National Weather Service This happens because warmer air can hold more water. Storms like Hurricane Harvey, which hit Texas in 2017, and Hurricane Lane which drenched Hawaii in 2018, not only slam coasts with storm surge and damaging winds, but also cause more intense inland deluges because of global warming. Heavy precipitation will become more frequent and more intense with every degree of warming, the report concludes. ‘Once-a-decade’ storms become more common As the global temperature rises, extreme precipitation events will drop more water. That means that the biggest, one-day precipitation dumps that happened once a decade (between 1850 and 1900) will become more common. Source: IPCC AR6 Working Group I report Monsoon rains are expected to be devastating in coming years, especially in South and Southeast Asia, East Asia and West Africa. They will also become more variable: extremely wet years with frequent floods may be interspersed with very dry years featuring drought and extreme heat. The “weather whiplash” which will become increasingly common as climate change intensifies the global water cycle. Worsening hurricanes The report’s authors said the increase in tropical storm intensity the last 40 years can’t be explained by natural causes alone — and that humans are a contributing factor through global warming. Scientists predict these storms will get worse as the world warms. Hurricanes typhoons and cyclones will become more intense, top wind speeds will increase and — because of rising sea level — coastal flooding will be more extensive, the report warns. The IPCC report is specifically focused on the past and future effects of global warming, with a large portion devoted to extreme weather — something relatable to people around the globe. The scope of the report did not include solutions, beyond noting that the best-case scenarios for reducing greenhouse gases would hold these weather changes to more manageable levels.
Tom Slee recently began posting about MIT sociologist Sherry Turkle’s recent book Alone Together. Turkle, in some ways, is the chief theorist of digital dualism; her books The Second Self (1984) and Life on the Screen (1995) helped set the terms for talking about virtual selves in cyberspace as projections of some real self that exists outside it and is deleteriously affected by these interactions. Those books are more than a little dated, but in a way that makes their arguments more striking. Just substitute Facebook for MUD in Life on the Screen; after all, what is Facebook if not a MUD in which you create and play the character of yourself. Turkle’s basic point was that computers change the people who use them (they are not neutral tools). Users begin to transfer programming metaphors to their interactions with people and psychological metaphors to the behavior of machines, and so on. This leakage between our conceptions of humans and nonhuman objects for Turkle threatens the integrity of the category of the human; reading her books sometimes feels like reading the anti-Donna Haraway. (I won’t even try to relate Turkle to OOO.) Here’s a typical declaration, from the introduction to the 20th anniversary edition off The Second Self: we stand on the boundary between the physical and virtual. And increasingly, we stand on the boundary between worlds we understand through transparent algorithm and worlds we understand by manipulating opaque simulation. That boundary seems very important to Turkle; her main concern often seems to be holding on to a firm definition of the “real” and bemoaning the encroachment of simulations on the preserves of genuine human experience. This deeply conservative standpoint stems from her theoretical grounding in Freud. In Alone Together she declares (in a quote Slee also highlights), “I am a psychoanalytically trained psychologist. Both by temperament and profession, I place high value on relationships of intimacy and authenticity.” But what can be the basis for determining what is authentic? It can often seem arbitrary, even in Turkle’s own anecdotes. (Her psychoanalytical background is surely what makes Turkle so interested in stories, the aspect of Alone Together that Slee focuses on in his post. The tendency of her examples to undermine themselves or dissolve into ambiguity is part of what he finds compelling about them.) It often appears that Turkle is working with a preconceived, somewhat ahistorical notion of what identity and subjectivity must consist of, which leads her to take a condemnatory tone toward what her research unearths about human-machine hybridity. This tone tends to curtail the analysis — serve as its own conclusion. She can come across as a “What about the children?!” concern troll, deploying all sorts of rhetorical questions to try to persuade us of the psychological harm of technology’s current drift. (“In all of this, there is a nagging question: Does virtual intimacy degrade our experience of the other kind and, indeed, of all encounters, of any kind?” “Are we comfortable with virtual environments that propose themselves not as places for recreation but as new worlds to live in?” “Why am I talking to a robot? and Why do I want this robot to like me?”) Turkle sometimes seems to worry that “real” identity is being thwarted by online sociality, which fosters some sort of inauthentic identity. But I think the concern with authenticity is an expression of nostalgia for a period where it was easier to believe that one had total control over the development of one’s personality and that identity came from within. Networked sociality has made that much harder to sustain, and the ideological anchors for identity have also begun to change with the times (hence the legitimization of the data self). Authenticity is a pressing personal issue now for many not because it has been suddenly lost (it’s always already irrevocable), but because it has become one of the terms in the accounting system for a different form of mediated selfhood. “Authenticity” is another metric in the attention economy, measuring how believable one is to oneself in the process of broadcasting oneself. I’d expect that soon “authenticity” will be a literal metric, measuring the data trail one produces at one point of time with some earlier point to detect the degree of drift. (I know I should probably spin that out into an analysis of Lana Del Rey, but I’m thinking I’ll just let that ship sail without me.) In Alone Together, Turkle fuses a section about sociable robots with a section about social media usage to basically argue this: social media accustom us to instrumentalized friendship, and once we are used to that, we are open to crypto-relationships with robots (the “new intimacies”), since they offer nothing more than instrumental value. Since we don’t want the “drama” of reciprocal real-time sociality anyway, there is basically no difference from our point of view between relating to another person and a robot. They are both merely mirrors for ourselves anyway. To a narcissist, every other person is always already a robot. My favorite of Turkle’s anecdotal subjects is “Brad,” who talks about quitting Facebook and is highly articulate about the suffocating, stultifying reflexivity that social media induce. “Online life is about premeditation,” he tells Turkle. This is also true about any concern for authenticity — it involves a sort of deciding in advance what sort of spontaneous behavior to indulge in. We try to judge ourselves in terms of some ideal that is not supposed to be an ideal at all but one’s natural, revealed self. But there is nothing natural about checking in with yourself on how natural you are being. Direct experience of one’s authentic self is impossible, once it’s conceived as something that can be known in the abstract — as something fungible, malleable, deployable — rather than as a process, a mode of action. Assessing one’s authenticity, therefore is impossible too. It either makes no sense to ask (everything I do, I’m doing, and is thus authentic to me by definition) or involves paradoxes of reflexivity and observer bias (every time I try to see myself doing authentic things, my self-consciousness changes my behavior). Nevertheless, social media set themselves up (or, to be fair, are taken as) forums for authentic-self-assessment — one’ can’t judge the authenticity of the unmediated self in real time, but one can certainly evaluate the authenticity of one’s online profile or the impression others seem to have of you. That is the narcissistic trap social media sets out for us. But it is a trap also to imagine one can have some sort of direct experience of others, as if you could see the “real” person outside social media. We can’t access the other’s consciousness; it is always an objective performance from the outside. Nobody can ever show you their “real” self. Slee brings up one of Turkle’s anecdotes that gets at a different way of viewing things outside of authenticity: Visiting Japan in the early 1990s, Turkle heard tales of adult children who, too distant and too busy to visit their aging and infirm parents, hired actors to visit in their stead, playing the part of the adult child. What’s more, the parents appreciated and enjoyed the gesture. It’s slightly shocking to western sensibilities, but once we hear a little more context it becomes more understandable. First, the actors are not (in all cases, at least) a deception: the parents recognize them for what they are. Yet the parents “enjoyed the company and played the game”. In Japan, being elderly is a role, being a child is a role, and parental visits have a strong dose of ritual to them: the recital of scripts by each party. While the child may not be able to act out their role, at least this way the parent gets to enact theirs, and so to reinforce their identity as an elderly, respected person. Traditional rituals of social interaction allow people a certain measure of ontological security with regard of their place in society and within familial networks. That relatively secure identity still had to be performed to be felt, but the performance is explicitly understood as a performance. The reality of the identity is guaranteed by the rootedness of traditions. Such role-playing doesn’t fit with the ideology of individual existential freedom and the glories of unrestricted personal consumer choice and living like a stranger among strangers in urban settings and so forth. And while I certainly wouldn’t want to be saddled with that sort of ritualized social life and have an identity assigned to me even more on the basis of the circumstances of my birth, I do wonder what it would be like to feel intrinsically the basis of my identity was secure and my “authenticity” could never be sullied by missteps of taste. In social media there is a material basis for an alternative to ingrained tradition in anchoring identity; a networked self could have some solidity that renders the performative nature of identity operate beyond questions of genuineness or authenticity. From a resister’s perspective, this all looks as odd and mechanical as the idea of sending actors to love your parents for you. But adopters can take solace in sending out their “Profile” (to use Nathan Jurgenson’s term for aggrgate online presence) to perform our cemented identity within various social networks. Once you accept that Facebook’s data collection roots you, you are “free” to be absent from social rituals but be present nonetheless. Welcome to the new intimacy. What’s dangerous about this is not that it has ruined some previous form of intimacy that was especially precious. The problem is that we believe that we construct this social-media identity autonomously and that it is therefore our responsibility, our fault if it’s limited. The social-media companies have largely succeeded in persuading users of their platforms’ neutrality. What we fail to see is that these new identities are no less contingent and dictated to us then the ones circumscribed by tradition; only now the constraints are imposed by for-profit companies in explicit service of gain.	https://www.popmatters.com/153970-2495890726.html
It is clear, with the number of spectrum awards expected over the coming years that the importance of spectrum between 1 GHz and 6 GHz is going to continue to grow, both for LTE and, increasingly, for 5G services. This report provides a snapshot of the global status of national usage of spectrum from 1 GHz up to 6 GHz for LTE and 5G services. It is part of a series of reports which separately also cover spectrum bands below 1 GHz and spectrum above 6 GHz. This report refl ects a market that is in constant fl ux and feedback is greatly appreciated to keep it current. Please send comments and information to [email protected]. 790 operators are operating LTE networks, in 229 countries* worldwide. Of those, 679 operators in 197 countries hold licences enabling operation of LTE networks using spectrum from 1 GHz to 6 GHz 14,778 LTE devices support one or more bands between 1 GHz and 6 GHz (out of 15,524 LTE devices in GSA’s GAMBoD database) 88 operators have been identifi ed as holding licences enabling launch of 5G networks using spectrum between 1 GHz and 6 GHz 38 countries have announced formal (date-specifi ed) plans for allocating frequencies between 1 GHz and 6 GHz between now and end-2021. 42 announced devices explicitly support one or more of the 5G spectrum bands between 1 GHz and 6 GHz (though note that details of spectrum support is patchy for pre-commercial devices). Twenty-three of those devices are known to be commercially available. Several key spectrum bands between 1 GHz and 6 GHz are used for LTE. Figure 1 shows how many companies have been licensed worldwide in each of the key bands. ©2019 GSA No papers found.	https://gsacom.com/paper/importance-of-mobile-spectrum-1-6-ghz-report/
When reading self-help books, or even devotionals, the topic of keeping a daily journal is often discussed and suggested. However, putting this practice into a daily routine is another step entirely. While I suggest adding journaling to both of your morning and evening routine, I do not want to merely leave you with prompts, or a suggestion of starting yet another habit, but also a quick recap on how you personally could benefit from such a practice. 7 Reasons Why You Should Start A Daily Journaling Practice 1. It releases anxiety, by fostering mindfulness 2. It assists you in achieving your goals 3. It boosts memory and allows you to reflect upon your day 4. It increases self-discipline 5. It can be used as a part of your healing process 6. It increases your creativity 7. It makes you a better writer There are many different techniques of journaling, so I suggest that you experiment with as many of them as possible in order for you to find your best fit. Here are some ideas on what type of journaling you may enjoy Types of Journaling 1. Reflective journaling and memory keeping 2. Gratitude journaling 3. Devotional journaling, or journaling as a part of your spiritual practice 4. One line per day journaling 5. Guided journaling (like using pre-written prompts, such as the ones I am providing for you today) 6. Art journaling – drawing, or using a guided, yet creative journal outlet such as “Wreck This Journal” Journal Prompts To Get You Started: - What is one word you would use to describe yourself with? Why? - What is the one word that you would use to describe your childhood as? Why? - What words would you love to describe yourself with? Choose empowering words, and explain why for each of them? - Do you follow a gratitude practice? Why or why not? - Do you practice meditation? Why or why not? - What irritates you most about other people? Why? - Read yesterday’s entrance. Write about a time where you did the same exact behavior that you found annoying in others? - List three behaviors in yourself, that you think others might find annoying? Do you find them annoying? If yes, think about changing them in yourself, if not, think about opportunities you can find to embrace that behavior with love in others. - Sit up straight, look straight ahead and smile into the space in front of you. Do this for five seconds. How did that make you feel? - Make a list of times or places where you could smile more today. Throughout the day, do so at those times and places. - Make a list of people who would benefit from a loving smile – you don’t have to know their name, you can write things like, the postman, or the girl at the check out counter. Make a point to smile at these people when you see them. - Wouldn’t it be nice if everything that happens to you today, would have some kind of benefit for you? Journal about the way this question makes you feel - What are three things that happened during your lifetime, that you need to forgive yourself for? Why haven’t you? - What do you think about when you hear the word forgiveness – does it make you uncomfortable? Why or why not? - What are some habits that you could or should let go off? - What action steps can you take today to get rid of a bad habit? Take that action step! - Evaluate yourself. Make a list of the various areas of your life, such as home, work, family, church, friends, clubs, hobbies, and so forth. - Identify the people in each category who are the most important in your life right now. You don’t have to feel close to these people (such as a landlord), but list those who figure prominently. You can also name people you don’t know personally if they have a big influence on you. These people, for one reason or another, are people you have chosen to bring into your life. - For each person, identify what you think are beliefs characteristics of that person that are beliefs you also hold. How do the two of you support each other in these beliefs? For each person, also identify what you think are beliefs characteristics of that person that are in conflict with one or more of your beliefs. How do these disagreements affect your relationship, what you discuss, the things you do, and how you support or not support each other? - Now ask what would happen if you changed any of the beliefs you share with them. Would your relationship be affected, or would you lose their support? Are there beliefs you would change if you didn’t fear to lose their support? How would a change in your beliefs affect those relationships where you and the person have conflicting beliefs? - If you could change any of your current beliefs, what would it be? To hold that belief, what would you have to do that is different from what you are doing now? Did you identify any people above who hold the belief you are working toward or wishing to change? In what ways are they supporting you in this change? Have things occurred recently where you have drawn people to you who are supportive of your desire to change, grow, and learn? - How do you choose to define yourself? - What are your weaknesses, and what can you do to change them? - What are your strengths, and how can you build on them? - Are you afraid to step into your power? What is holding you back? - Are your boundaries respected? If not, why? If so, how do you enforce them? - Can you assert yourself when you need to? - Do you expect that every day something good can and will happen to you, or for you? If not, why not? - Where do you spend your most time – the future, the present or the past? If you are not sure, ask yourself that question throughout the day, and write the answer down in the evening. - What practices can you adopt, that will focus you more onto the present moment? - Do you eat mindfully? Meaning – do you pay attention to the food that you are eating, as you are eating it, without distractions? - When was the last time you sat in silence – even for a small period of time – and just listened? - Write about a time where you were really proud of yourself? What happened? My Favorite Journal: My current favorite journal (and that does change from time to time, as I discover more and more awesome Authors in this genre) is called Gratitude: A Day and Night Reflection Journal. I love the fact that it has two pages for reach day, and while it has prompts, it does have room to write your own short thoughts about the day as well. The soft colored pages, are well designed, and the paper is of high quality, so there is no need to switch from your favorite pen when writing in it. It is a 90-Day undated journal – and I have to say, that is one of the main qualifications a great journal has to have for me, as I do not like to be forced to wait until the beginning of a new season or new year to start a new journal. Related Articles:	https://dailypositivemotivationalquotes.com/33-inspirational-journal-prompts
Neural changes associated with the generation of specific past and future events in depression Hach, Sylvia ; Tippett, Lynette ; Addis, Donna Rose Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/2292/24044 Issue Date: 2014-10-25 Reference: Neuropsychologia, 2014, 65 pp. 41 - 55 Rights (URI): https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm Abstract: It is well established that individuals affected by depression experience difficulty in remembering the past and imagining the future. This impairment is evident in increased rumination on non-specific, generic events and in the generation of fewer specific events during tasks tapping past and future thinking. The present fMRI study investigated whether neural changes during the construction of autobiographical events was evident in depression, even when key aspects of performance (event specificity, vividness) were matched. We employed a multivariate technique (Spatiotemporal Partial Least Squares) to examine whether task-related whole brain patterns of activation and functional connectivity of the hippocampus differed between depressed participants and non-depressed controls. Results indicate that although the depression group retained the ability to recruit the default network during the autobiographical tasks, there was reduced activity in regions associated with episodic richness and imagery (e.g., hippocampus, precuneus, cuneus). Moreover, patterns of hippocampal connectivity in the depression group were comparable to those of the control group, but the strength of this connectivity was reduced in depression. These depression-related reductions were accompanied by increased recruitment of lateral and medial frontal regions in the depression group, as well as distinct patterns of right hippocampal connectivity with regions in the default and dorsal attention networks. The recruitment of these additional neural resources may reflect compensatory increases in post-retrieval processing, greater effort and/or greater self-related referential processing in depression that support the generation of specific autobiographical events. Show full item record Files in this item Name: Hach_et_al_Depres ... Size: 980.7Kb Format: PDF DOI:	https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/24044
View from the Virtual Pocket is a proof of concept study in which a theoretical proposition about situation awareness in time constrained decision making is wedded to the affordances of a computer based simulation to ascertain if the real world decision making in the pocket of an NCAA quarterback can be modeled successfully for simulation based learning. The researcher used the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) for the purposes of (a) analyzing the situation awareness requirements for expert decision making and (b) to empirically assess the viability of using a computer based football simulator as a SAGAT simulation tool. The highlight of this study is a Goal Directed Task Analysis (GDTA) developed in conjunction with some of the most recognized names in professional and collegiate football. The results of the (GDTA), a form of cognitive task analysis, defined the information requirements for expert quarterbacking and shed light on the enormous cognitive demands placed on the quarterback. The researcher was able to create, categorize and program SAGAT queries from the Goal Directed Task Analysis into an innovative virtual reality simulator called the PlayAction Simulator PC. Once the queries were programmed and the plays were published, the Researcher evaluated the simulator's ability to (a) stop a simulated repetition at random points to ask probing questions aimed at evaluating a quarterback's SA and (b) create the ecological validity required to extapolate the informating needed to measure situation awareness in the domain of the quarterback. The results of this inquiry (a) identified the goals of the quarterback, the decisions the quarterback has to make to achieve those goals and the information the quarterback needs to know in order to make accurate decisions, (b) validated the ability of the interactive virtual simulator to be used as a SAGAT Simulation tool in the assessment of the quarterback's situation awareness. Additionally, the Goal Directed Task Analysis led to the creation of the Decision Making Model 4 QB's. The model, a hybrid of the Endsley (2000a; 2000b) SA Model and the Klein (1998) RPD Model, represents a viable and testable description of the situation assessment process that quarterbacks use to formulate an aerial hypothesis. Inherent in this new model is a proposition about the role of unconscious competence in the optimization of serially generated options. Library of Congress Subject Headings Dissertations (EdD) -- Learning technologies; Situational awareness; Video games; Decision making Date of Award 2011 School Affiliation Graduate School of Education and Psychology Department/Program Education Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctorate Faculty Advisor Polin, Linda; Recommended Citation Bristow, Burnie, "View from the virtual pocket: using virtual simulation and video game technology to assess the situation awareness and decision making of NCAA quarterbacks" (2011). Theses and Dissertations. 138.	https://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/etd/138/
Yesterday, we released binsnitch.py – a tool you can use to detect unwanted changes to the file sytem. The tool and documentation is available here: https://github.com/NVISO-BE/binsnitch. Binsnitch can be used to detect silent (unwanted) changes to files on your system. It will scan a given directory recursively for files and keep track of any changes it detects, based on the SHA256 hash of the file. You have the option to either track executable files (based on a static list available in the source code), or all files. Binsnitch.py can be used for a variety of use cases, including: - Use binsnitch.py to create a baseline of trusted files for a workstation (golden image) and use it again later on to automatically generate a list of all modifications made to that system (for example caused by rogue executables installed by users, or dropped malware files). The baseline could also be used for other detection purposes later on (e.g., in a whitelist); - Use binsnitch.py to automatically generate hashes of executables (or all files if you are feeling adventurous) in a certain directory (and its subdirectories); - Use binsnitch.py during live malware analysis to carefully track which files are touched by malware (this is the topic of this blog post). In this blog post, we will use binsnitch.py during the analysis of a malware sample (VirusTotal link: https://virustotal.com/en/file/adb63fa734946d7a7bb7d61c88c133b58a6390a1e1cb045358bfea04f1639d3a/analysis/) A summary of options available at the time of writing in binsnitchy.py: usage: binsnitch.py [-h] [-v] [-s] [-a] [-n] [-b] [-w] dir positional arguments: dir the directory to monitor optional arguments: -h, --help show this help message and exit -v, --verbose increase output verbosity -s, --singlepass do a single pass over all files -a, --all keep track of all files, not only executables -n, --new alert on new files too, not only on modified files -b, --baseline do not generate alerts (useful to create baseline) -w, --wipe start with a clean db.json and alerts.log file We are going to use binsnitch.py to detect which files are created or modified by the sample. We start our analysis by creating a “baseline” of all the executable files in the system. We will then execute the malware and run binsnitch.py again to detect changes to disk. Creating the baseline We only need a single pass of the file system to generate the clean baseline of our system (using the “-s” option). In addition, we are not interested in generating any alerts yet (again: we are merely generating a baseline here!), hence the “-b” option (baseline). Finally, we run with the “-w” argument to start with a clean database file. After launching the command, binsnitch.py will start hashing all the executable files it discovers, and write the results to a folder called binsnitch_data. This can take a while, especially if you scan an entire drive (“C:/” in this case). After the command has completed, we check the alerts file in “binsnitch_data/alerts.log”. As we ran with the “-b” command to generate a baseline, we don’t expect to see alerts: Looks good! The baseline was created in 7 minutes. We are now ready to launch our malware and let it do its thing (of-course, we do this step in a fully isolated sandbox environment). Running the malware sample and analyzing changes Next, we run the malware sample. After that, we canrun binsnitch.py again to check which executable files have been created (or modified): We again use the “-s” flag to do a single pass of all executable files on the “C:/” drive. In addition, we also provide the “-n” flag: this ensures we are not only alerted on modified executable files, but also on new files that might have been created since the creation of the baseline. Don’t run using the “-w” flag this time, as this would wipe the baseline results. Optionally, you could also add the “-a” flag, which would track ALL files (not only executable files). If you do so, make sure your baseline is also created using the “-a” flag (otherwise, you will be facing a ton of alerts in the next step!). Running the command above will again take a few minutes (in our example, it took 2 minutes to rescan the entire “C:/” drive for changes). The resulting alerts file (“binsnitch_data/alerts.log”) looks as following: A few observations based on the above: - The malware file itself was detected in “C:/malware”. This is normal of-course, since the malware file itself was not present in our baseline! However, we had to copy it in order to run it; - A bunch of new files are detected in the “C:/Program Files(x86)/” folder; - More suspicious though are the new executable files created in “C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp” and the startup folder. The SHA256 hash of the newly created startup item is readily available in the alerts.log file: 8b030f151c855e24748a08c234cfd518d2bae6ac6075b544d775f93c4c0af2f3 Doing a quick VirusTotal search for this hash results in a clear “hit” confirming our suspicion that this sample is malicious (see below). The filename on VirusTotal also matches the filename of the executable created in the C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp folder (“A Bastard’s Tale.exe”). You can also dive deeper into the details of the scan by opening “binsnitch_data/data.json” (warning, this file can grow huge over time, especially when using the “-a” option!): From here on, you would continue your investigation into the behaviour of the sample (network, services, memory, etc.) but this is outside the scope of this blog post. We hope you find binsnitch.py useful during your own investigations and let us know on github if you have any suggestions for improvements, or if you want to contribute yourself!	https://blog.nviso.eu/2017/05/17/using-binsnitch-py-to-detect-files-touched-by-malware/
FBI submits Clintons email investigation report to Congress Washington:The FBI has submitted to Congress documents related to its investigation into email scandal of Hillary Clinton when she was the Secretary of State and defended its decision not to criminally charge her. The report to the Congress, among others, includes notes from the interviews of Clinton, 68, and other witnesses in the investigation. “Ultimately, the FBI did not recommend prosecution based on an assessment of the facts and a review of how these statutes have been charged in the past,” said Jason V Herring from the FBI in his letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee. At the same time, the FBI said this is not to say that someone else who engaged in this type of conduct would face no consequences for handling classified information in a similar manner if they were still a government employee. “For example, there are potentially severe administrative consequences within the FBI for security violations involving the mishandling of classified information, up to and including security clearance revocation and dismissal,” he said. “The FBI is in the process of providing relevant information to other US Government agencies to conduct further security and administrative reviews they deem appropriate for their respective employees,” he wrote. The FBI also sent a letter to lawmakers to present its rationale for refusing charge Clinton in the case. The FBI letter argues that the fact that Secretary Clinton received emails containing “(C)” portion markings is not clear evidence of knowledge or intent. “As the (FBI) Director has testified, the FBI’s investigation uncovered three instances of emails portioned marked with ‘(C)’, a marking ostensibly indicating the presence of information classified at the Confidential level,” he wrote. “In each of these instances, the Secretary did not originate the information; instead, the emails were forwarded to her by staff members, with the portion-marked information located within the email chains and without header and footer markings indicating the presence of classified information,” Herring said. “Moreover, only one of those emails was determined by the State Department to contain classified information. There has been no determination by the State Department as to whether these three emails were classified at the time they were sent,” he wrote.
Victoria lynnNeathery Rainforest Characteristics The temperature hardly changes. Rainforests are the wettest areas of land. All plants in the rainforest take carbon dioxide. Many medicines are from the rainforest. Bananas and guavas are some fruits in the rainforest. Some furniture is made from rainforest plants. Location Rainforests are found in areas of South America , North America , Africa , Asia , and Australia. Plant life • Plant adaptations enable tropical plants to live in the hot , humid ,and wet conditions of the tropical rainforest . • Here are some of the plants that live there, Double coconut s, Banyan tree , Coccaloba , Talipot palm , Freycineta , Phillipine fig , Peacock plant , Panama –hat plant , Gnetum , Buahinia , Fishbone cactus , Sacred fig ,American mangrove , Lang-Ilang , Screw pine and the giant bamboo. Animal life • There are many kinds of animals in the rainforest. • Some of them are the anteater , Cock of the rock , the Dragonfly , the Emerald tree boa , the Gorilla , the Hummingbird, the Iguana , and the Jaguar (They weigh over 200 pounds) . • Leaf cutter ants are also found here and they cut up the leaves with their teeth.	https://www.slideserve.com/vlora/rainforest
Founded in 1992, As You Sow is a nonprofit that promotes environmental and social responsibility through the use of shareholder advocacy. So what actually is shareholder advocacy? In a nutshell, anyone who owns shares of a company or a mutual fund in their portfolio or 401(k) has the right to influence the policies of that company. Once a year, at the annual meeting, every shareholder is asked to vote on a range of issues including electing the board, approving CEO pay, governance and policy questions, and an array of environmental and social issues that shareholders have raised. It starts with owning what you own and voting, and can grow from there. We had a chance to discuss this innovative lever for change with As You Sow’s CEO Andrew Behar. Give us a high-level overview of what the process of bringing a resolution before a company looks like. Andrew Behar: Filing a resolution is an escalation of engagement with the company – it is not an act unto itself. It’s all about getting access to information or changing a specific policy at a company. If you are a shareholder that wants some material information that has not been disclosed, or have an issue you feel the company should consider, it is best to write a letter or call the company and set up a meeting to discuss it. If the conversation does not lead to results and you own $2,000 worth of shares and have held them for one year prior to the filing date, you can submit a 500 word resolution to the company. This usually leads to a meeting with representatives of the company in which they ask you to withdraw the resolution. If that does not lead to action, and the company does not ask the SEC to exclude the resolution on technical grounds, then it is printed in the proxy and goes to a vote at the annual meeting. What is something that you wish everyone knew about shareholder advocacy? AB: It is everyone’s right to ask the companies they own for material information and to work with companies to express their values and make sure that they act responsibly. In essence, it is a shareholder’s right and responsibility to help the companies that they own improve their business plans and increase their shareholder value. What is the biggest lesson that you have learned from the times when you didn’t succeed? AB: How do you define success? These votes are non-binding, so even a majority vote does not mean that the company has to do what has been asked. However, imagine an individual shareholder with five percent or ten percent ownership of a company. That person would be able to call the CEO and talk things through. That person would probably have a board seat. So, when a group of shareholders that represent a five percent, ten percent, or sometimes 40 percent or even a majority vote want to have the same discussion, companies generally respond positively. For example, a 2011 As You Sow resolution at McDonald’s asking the company to shift from Styrofoam coffee cups to recycled cardboard got 29.3 percent of the vote. However, in the year after the meeting, the company did not make any changes. The next year we refiled and, before it went to a vote, the company agreed to a 2,000 store pilot, so we withdrew the resolution. The pilot was successful and led to a 14,000 store implementation and positive brand recognition for McDonald’s. You may have called our actions in 2011 unsuccessful, but tenacity and public association of the brand with specific action, or lack thereof, can lead to change. Over the years, there are literally hundreds of examples. Ultimately, we see this change as a shift in corporate consciousness, where shareholders, employees, customers, and management are all working together. Can you tell us more about the business case that you make to these companies to make them want to change their behaviors? AB: Home Depot used to sell old growth forests in its lumber supply and there was a lot of pressure from groups that were doing things like climbing on its stores’ roofs and unfurling banners and doing protests in its parking lots. It was getting intense outside pressure. We were on the inside as shareholders and we came to the company with a business plan. We said, “Look, two percent of your sales are from lumber. If you switched from old growth lumber to farmed lumber, nobody would notice and nobody would care, but it would improve the brand. Therefore, you would be increasing revenue with no risk.” The management looked at that and thought, “Yes, this makes economic sense and can help us get the people off of the roofs!” There are certain ways that you can talk to a company that make business sense and it makes it easier for it to agree with your proposals, as opposed to the mentality of, “I am not going to cave to this aggressive shaming of my brand.” It’s really important that these two types of actions, both external and internal, work in concert. Would Home Depot have accepted our proposal without the outside pressure? Maybe not, but the point is that it responded better when we put it in a business context. At the end of the day, it’s really about, how can you raise the consciousness of a company so it will act in the best interest of its brand and of society and reduce and reduce risk for shareholders? The motivation isn’t just to be a good corporate citizen. It has to be economically feasible and it has to improve the company’s brand. From a stockholder perspective, management that has good environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices tend to be better management teams. They’re thinking about the entire system. They’re being more efficient. An example of this is at UPS. UPS burns a lot of gasoline because it has a lot of trucks. The company did a study and now – I call this the “Zoolander move” – its drivers aren’t “ambi-turners.” They do not make left-hand turns. UPS found that sitting and idling to wait to make a left-hand turn burned more gas than just going around the block. The company saved tens of millions of dollars in gasoline because of this, and those cost savings go straight to the bottom line. Does it do good things for the climate? Yes. Does it save UPS millions of dollars? Yes. Somebody thought of that because they were thinking through the entire system from an ESG perspective. This is a company that is thinking. This is a company that has a higher level of consciousness. What is giving you hope for the future? AB: The fact that the shift is actively happening and every day we accelerate it. I see the walls of protective, reflexive responses being seen for what they are and a new openness beginning to flow. We are all living together on a small, precious planet. The people working at large corporations don’t want to destroy it. They may have some misguided assumptions, but we are in the business of pressing transformation through steady, tenacious insistence on transparency and truth. I have a deep hopefulness for the future. AS YOU SOW SUCCESS STORIES ENERGY We had a 51 percent vote at IDACORP that led to the closure of a coal fired boiler and the kilowatts being replaced by wind. Our coal ash resolutions at Duke Energy, Montana-Dakota Utilities Company, and Consumers Energy laid the groundwork for litigation on coal impoundments. Our fracking resolutions over five years led to increased disclosures by the major oil and gas companies that, in turn, have helped citizens and legislators see what was really going on and have influenced major decisions like the recent ban on fracking in New York State. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH Our recent resolution at Dunkin’ Donuts on nanomaterials in its donuts led, interestingly, to its competitor Krispy Kreme adopting a “no nano” policy and is critical to our engagement with 15 other food manufacturers. Our work on GMOs with a coalition of partners in the faith-based and grassroots community since 1999 has made the world aware of GMOs in infant formula and led to last year’s reformulation of Cheerios and Whole Foods Market’s labeling commitment. WASTE A few months ago, Procter & Gamble (P&G), the world’s largest consumer packaged goods company, agreed to redesign 90 percent of its packaging to reduce waste. Last year, Colgate agreed not to use non-recyclable packing in three out of its four divisions. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and Nestlé Waters agreed to recycle 20 billion plastic bottles. HP, Dell, and Apple agreed to recycle 500,000 tons of electronic waste after years of shareholder advocacy on these issues. Starbucks agreed to recycle 3.4 billion cups every year. All of this is reducing landfills and ocean toxins. HUMAN RIGHTS 140 apparel companies have signed our “no child slave labor in the cotton fields” pledge. We have also organized the electronics industry around conflict minerals. Andrew Behar is the CEO of As You Sow, a nonprofit founded in 1992 dedicated to increasing corporate responsibility and establishing a safe, just, and sustainable world in which environmental health and human rights are central to corporate decision making. Programs create industry-wide change through dialogue, shareholder advocacy, and innovative legal strategies.	https://socapglobal.com/2015/04/shareholder-advocacy-101/
We are a family of learners dedicated to preparing pupils to be independent global citizens. We aim to develop a strong sense of self and build pupils' confidence, allowing them to develop life skills and achieve their fullest potential. We aim to provide a safe and caring environment where children have the opportunity to build positive relationships, make reputable choices and be inspired to become life-long learners. We value our differences and our connections. We believe in and have hope for the future. That every child fulfil his or her academic potential. That teachers and children pursue excellence in teaching and learning. That our children develop a love of learning, both individually and with others, and acquire a wide range of learning skills. That we create an environment in which children are confident in their ability and increasingly ready to take responsibility for their own learning. That every child receive excellent pastoral care within an ethos of tolerance and mutual respect. That children develop relationships with peers and adults in a way that prepares them for life beyond school. That children acquire a sense of responsibility and self-discipline. That children benefit from a wide range of opportunities for leadership and the management of others. That our children participate in a variety of physical activities and experience a sense of well-being and self-confidence that arises from good health and fitness. That our children benefit from a comprehensive personal and social education that helps them to lead happy and fulfilling lives. That we provide a varied range of activities beyond the curriculum. That children discover and develop their own skills and interests at school in preparation for adult life. That all children be adventurous and participate in a range of activities, appreciating the rewards of teamwork. That all be given the opportunity for personal achievement and fulfillment in a way befitting their own aspirations. That our children develop a moral and spiritual awareness that makes them receptive to the world around them, bringing with it a sense of wonder and openness to the most important ideas in our own and other cultures. That the school recognize the crucial importance of its staff in pursuing the aims above and, as a good employer, undertakes to provide them with appropriate support such as continuing professional training, review and development. Communicate and work with families to enhance children's learning. Discuss the compact at the parent-teacher conferences. Respect the cultural differences of children and their families. Continue efforts to develop professionally. Provide a broad curriculum that promotes literacy. Explain assignments clearly and provide homework that supports the curriculum. Encourage children and parents by providing information about student progress. includes learning experiences to match the different learning styles of our children, and strategically uses field experiences to complement and enhance our in-school learning. Maintain high expectations for ourselves, children, and other staff. Assist children in the development of a sense of personal and civic responsibility. Help children learn to resolve conflicts in an appropriate, positive, and non-violent manner. a tolerance and respect for others, and respect for their environment.	http://selwynprimarywaltham.co.uk/mission-statement.html
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present application relates generally to magnetic tape file systems and method and more specifically to selectively mounting files and/or directories for linear tape file systems. Linear Tape File System (LTFS) refers to both the format of data recorded on magnetic tape media and the implementation of specific software that uses this data format to provide a file system interface to data stored on magnetic tape. The LTFS format is a self-describing magnetic tape format, by Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) LTFS Technical Work Group, to meet magnetic tape archiving requirements. The LTFS Format specification defines the organization of data and metadata on magnetic tape, where the files are stored in a hierarchical directory structure. Data tapes written in the LTFS Format can be used independent of any external database or storage system to allow direct access to file content data and file metadata. The LTFS format makes it possible to implement software that presents a standardized file system view of the data stored in the magnetic tape media. The LTFS file system view can make accessing files stored on the LTFS formatted media similar to accessing files stored on other forms of storage media such as disk or removable drives. When the tape medium is initialized/formatted in LTFS, the tape medium is divided into two partitions for use. One of the two partitions is referred to as the Index Partition (IP) and the other is referred to as the Data Partition (DP). When a user uses an LTFS system for writing onto the tape medium, in addition to the content of the file itself being written to the DP, portions of metadata, (e.g., the LTFS Index), is written to the IP. The LTFS Index metadata can comprise information such as, but not limited to, Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) used for identifying the file, the name of the file and the date of the creation of the file. Further, the metadata can be organized in formats such as, but not limited to, Extensible Markup Language (XML). LTFS writes an LTFS Index that comprises all the file and directory meta-data for the LTFS Volume to the IP where the index is a snapshot representation of the entire content of the LTFS Volume at a given point in time. Any alteration of an LTFS Volume shall record a complete snapshot of the entire content of the LTFS Volume. When a file is written (or overwritten), LTFS writes the file content to the tape medium by appending new data to the end of existing data in the DP (e.g., unused space toward the end of the tape media). After the write operation completes, the LTFS Index metadata is not automatically written to the tape medium until a synchronization or “sync” operation is performed. A “sync” can be executed with a range of timings such as, but not limited to, at LTFS system startup, periodic durations, closing a file and during unmounting (e.g., dismounting) tape media. As disclosed herein, a method for optimized selective file and directory tape mounting based on a Linear Tape File System (LTFS), the method comprising: receiving, by a selective LTFS mount, LTFS Index metadata and one or more search inputs for searching for one or more files and directories; parsing, by the selective LTFS mount, the LTFS Index metadata into one or more metadata elements to identify one or more file metadata and associated one or more directory metadata, one or more date metadata and one or more file structure metadata; identifying, by the selective LTFS mount, one or more selective files by searching at least one of the one or more file metadata, the one or more directory metadata and the one or more date metadata based on matching the one or more search inputs; responsive to identifying the one or more selective files, creating, by the selective LTFS mount, one or more selective file structure results based on combining the one or more selective files, the one or more directory metadata, the one or more date metadata and the one or more file structure metadata, respectively; storing, by the selective LTFS mount, the one or more selective file structure results in mount memory and mounting, by the selective LTFS mount, the one or more selective file structure results, for access. A computer system and a computer program product corresponding to the above method are also disclosed herein. Embodiments of the present invention can reduce LTFS mount time by selectively mounting tape media file/directory data. Mounting tape medium/media refers to making the tape media accessible and providing a group of files in a file system structure of the tape media accessible to a user or user group. At mount-time, the LTFS software reads the current LTFS Index metadata from the Index Partition (IP) and builds an in-memory/system memory structure representing all of the directories and files stored on the media. Embodiments of the present invention can parse the LTFS Index metadata contents based on received search input (e.g., files/directories) and/or parameters (e.g., data range, wild cards) to limit mounting of LTFS media to one or more files/directories during the mounting process. As part of LTFS tape mounting action, a selective file/directory structure is copied toward system memory to display hierarchical directory information comprising data in LTFS Index metadata such as, but not limited to, file name, file timestamps, file permissions and file size. Further, the LTFS Index metadata structure comprises the location on the Data Partition (DP) for each data extent (e.g., physical tape media location range) that stores portions of select file content. When a file is read by a requesting application, LTFS software causes the tape drive to seek to the start of the relevant data extents and reads the data from the tape media. It should be noted that embodiments of the present invention can operate in a read only mode which does not activate a sync operation during an unmount action and/or other event and the selectively mounted files/directories do not overwrite the existing LTFS Index metadata on the LTFS media IP. Read only usage can be a preferred operation mode in many scenarios. For example, a range of security camera data can be selectively mounted for viewing where the security camera data would be anticipated as a read-only usage. In other embodiments of the present invention, a modified sync action can be performed where changed file information from selective file/mounted information can replace portions of the received LTFS Index metadata to create an updated and complete LTFS Index metadata (e.g., a second LTFS Index metadata) for overwriting the existing LTFS Index metadata on the LTFS media IP and/or LTFS media DP. Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the figures. It should be noted that references in the specification to “an exemplary embodiment,” “other embodiments,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. FIG. 1 FIG. 4 100 100 110 120 130 140 110 120 110 120 130 140 110 120 130 illustrates a functional block diagram of a computing environment , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Computing environment comprises COMMUNICATION DEVICE , COMPUTER SYSTEM and TAPE DRIVE , interconnected via NETWORK . COMMUNICATION DEVICE and COMPUTER SYSTEM can be desktop computers, laptop computers, specialized computer servers, or the like. In certain embodiments, COMMUNICATION DEVICE , COMPUTER SYSTEM and TAPE DRIVE represent computer systems utilizing clustered computers and components acting as a single pool of seamless resources via NETWORK . For example, such embodiments can be used in data center, cloud computing, storage area network (SAN), and network attached storage (NAS) applications. In general, COMMUNICATION DEVICE , COMPUTER SYSTEM and TAPE DRIVE are representative of any electronic devices, or combination of electronic devices, capable of executing computer readable program instructions, as described in detail with regard to . 110 112 112 112 110 112 100 112 In one embodiment of the present invention, COMMUNICATION DEVICE comprises USER APPLICATION(S) . USER APPLICATION(S) can be a plurality of USER APPLICATION(S) within COMMUNICATION DEVICE . USER APPLICATION(S) can be an application used to perform operations such as, but not limited to, operation of selective LTFS mounting, viewing and exploring mounted file/directory structures from LTFS tape media within computing environment . In embodiments of the present invention, USER APPLICATION(S) can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with operating selective LTFS tape mounting. 140 140 110 120 130 NETWORK can be, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet, or a combination of the two, and include wired, wireless, or fiber optic connections. In general, NETWORK can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between COMMUNICATION DEVICE , COMPUTER SYSTEM and TAPE DRIVE , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 130 132 130 130 130 In one embodiment of the present invention, TAPE DRIVE comprises TAPE MEDIA . TAPE DRIVE can be a plurality of TAPE DRIVES that can operate LTFS formatted tape media. In embodiments of the present invention, TAPE DRIVE can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with operating LTFS tape media. 132 132 130 132 132 In one embodiment of the present invention, TAPE MEDIA can be a plurality of TAPE MEDIAS within TAPE DRIVE . TAPE MEDIA can be physical LTFS formatted tapes in forms such as, but not limited to, cartridges and tape reels. TAPE MEDIA can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices adhering to LTFS or equivalent tape media standards. 120 122 124 In one embodiment of the present invention, COMPUTER SYSTEM comprises MOUNT MEMORY and SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT . 122 122 120 122 132 124 In one embodiment of the present invention, MOUNT MEMORY can be a plurality of MOUNT MEMORIES within COMPUTER SYSTEM . MOUNT MEMORY can be system memory comprising information such as, but not limited to, file/directory structure and file data copied from TAPE MEDIA during SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT operation. 124 124 120 In one embodiment of the present invention, SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT can be a plurality of SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNTS within COMPUTER SYSTEM . 124 132 122 124 SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT can receive search input and/or parameters (e.g., a file/directory selection) to be mounted from TAPE MEDIA and performs selective file/directory mounting toward MOUNT MEMORY . In embodiments of the present invention, SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with operating selective file/directory mounting. 124 126 128 126 130 122 128 126 126 124 126 128 132 In one embodiment of the present invention, SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT comprises LTFS MOUNT and INDEX SEARCH . LTFS MOUNT can be operate mounting related data flow between TAPE DRIVE and MOUNT MEMORY whereas INDEX SEARCH can operate LTFS MOUNT to limit LTFS MOUNT operation to mounting one or more selective files/directories. In another embodiment of the present invention, SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT can integrate LTFS MOUNT and INDEX SEARCH to operate selective file/directory mounting of TAPE MEDIA . 126 126 124 126 122 126 122 128 126 132 In one embodiment of the present invention, LTFS MOUNT can be a plurality of LTFS MOUNTS within SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT . LTFS MOUNT can read LTFS Index metadata and send file/directory structure toward MOUNT MEMORY . LTFS MOUNT can create and send selective file structures toward MOUNT MEMORY based on INDEX SEARCH results. In embodiments of the present invention, LTFS MOUNT can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with mounting LTFS media (TAPE MEDIA ). 128 128 124 128 128 128 126 128 128 In one embodiment of the present invention, INDEX SEARCH can be a plurality of INDEX SEARCHES within SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT . INDEX SEARCH can parse and search LTFS Index metadata used to select one or more files/directories for mounting based on received search input. Parsing of LTFS Index metadata can identify groupings of metadata elements, tagged with identifiers such as, but not limited to, file ID, directory ID, filename, directory name, filename to directory relationship identifier, UUID, partition ID and extent information. Search input can comprise information such as, but not limited to, one or more directories, one or more files and one or more dates/times. Further, search parameters can be received as search input modifiers and can be based on attributes such as, but not limited to, “wild cards” and date/time ranges. Embodiments can represent “wild cards” by attributes such as, but not limited to, special characters to substitute characters, numbers, date/time values and ranges. As INDEX SEARCH finds one or more file/directory meeting received search input and/or search parameters, INDEX SEARCH receives related file structure information and sends file structure data toward LTFS MOUNT . In embodiments of the present invention, INDEX SEARCH can comprise any combination of commercial or custom devices and/or software products associated with operating INDEX SEARCH . FIG. 2 200 202 204 206 208 210 212 illustrates a flowchart of LTFS selective file and directory tape mounting, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. LTFS selective file and directory tape mounting , comprises operations RECEIVE DIRECTORY , READ INDEX METADATA , PARSE INDEX METADATA , DIRECTORY MATCH , MOUNT DIRECTORY and PARSE COMPLETE . 202 124 132 Operation RECEIVE DIRECTORY , can receive one or more file/directory input and/or search attributes by SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT to mount from TAPE MEDIA . 204 126 In operation READ INDEX METADATA , LTFS MOUNT can read an LTFS Index file from an LTFS Index partition (IP) comprising a current LTFS tape media file/directory contents. 206 128 In operation PARSE INDEX METADATA , INDEX SEARCH can parse and search the received LTFS Index metadata for the received one or more file/directory based search attributes. 208 206 128 210 212 In decision operation, DIRECTORY MATCH , if one or more file/directory being searched for are found from operation PARSE INDEX METADATA , INDEX SEARCH receives related file structure information and passes control toward operation MOUNT DIRECTORY , otherwise control is passed toward operation PARSE COMPLETE . 210 206 126 128 122 122 Operation MOUNT DIRECTORY , can execute mounting of found, one or more file/directory structures in operation PARSE INDEX METADATA . LTFS MOUNT receives a selective file/directory and related file structure information from INDEX SEARCH to create each portion of a selective file structure information found. The selective file structure is generated in MOUNT MEMORY where the mounting operation can comprise actions such as, but not limited to, copying file/directory structure information from the LTFS Index metadata toward MOUNT MEMORY and enabling a file system interface. 212 128 206 Operation, PARSE COMPLETE , is a decision operation that can determine when the LTFS Index metadata file parse process is complete by INDEX SEARCH . If all file/directory contents have been parsed, then processing ends, otherwise control passes toward operation PARSE INDEX METADATA . It should be noted that an operation to unmount a directory (not depicted) can comprise actions to re-write the LTFS Index metadata at the beginning of the IP. In this case the original LTFS Index metadata can operate a modified sync action and/or unmount operation as described earlier in this specification. FIG. 3A 300 132 304 306 308 122 illustrates physical tape media organization with selective file index mounting, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The LTFS tape illustration represents LTFS physical tape structure and tape mounting and comprises items TAPE MEDIA , IP , DP , IDX META_3 and MOUNT MEMORY . 132 132 304 306 306 308 304 308 306 132 FIG. 1 Item TAPE MEDIA can represent a portion of a physical LTFS tape media as described in . TAPE MEDIA comprises item IP , Index Partition and item DP , Data Partition. When an LTFS tape is written to, files are stored toward the end of the tape media. When an LTFS tape is synchronized, the sync action creates an LTFS Index metadata file comprising all active directories and/or file information and writes the LTFS Index metadata file to the end of the DP (e.g., item IDX META_3 ). Further, when the LTFS tape media is unmounted, the current LTFS Index metafile is written to IP toward the beginning of the physical tape media (e.g., item IDX META_3 ). It should be noted that item DP depicts ‘IDX META_1’ and ‘IDX META_2’, which indicate prior sync actions of former data states of TAPE MEDIA content. 122 122 312 124 308 312 312 112 312 112 306 FIG. 1 Item MOUNT MEMORY can represent MOUNT MEMORY as described in and comprises item INDEX DATA . As SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT operates on item IDX META_3 , found files/directories are loaded to INDEX DATA . It should be noted that INDEX DATA files/directories can be viewed by USER APPLICATION(S) . When a file is selected (e.g., to be opened) from INDEX DATA and is read by USER APPLICATION(S) , the mounted physical LTFS tape is advanced/rewound to an identified tape location (e.g., data extent) and the file is read from DP . FIG. 3B 350 306 312 illustrates a comparison of LTFS tape media file structure and LTFS selective file/directory tape mounted structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The file structures , represent LTFS tape media and mounted files comprising item DP and item INDEX DATA . 306 132 306 312 124 FIG. 3A Item DP is a sample illustration of a file structure that can be stored on , item TAPE MEDIA and comprised in item DP . From the illustration, a sample range of directories and files are shown. Item INDEX DATA can illustrate a resulting directory and file structure from operation of embodiments of the present invention (e.g., SELECTIVE LTFS MOUNT ). It should be noted that operation of embodiments of the present invention can reduce LTFS mount time by approximately fifty percent. For example, an embodiment of the present invention used to selectively mount one thousand files from LTFS tapes comprising file counts ranging one million and ten million files resulted in consistent mount time reduction performance. FIG. 4 FIG. 4 110 120 130 illustrates a block diagram of components of COMMUNICATION DEVICE , COMPUTER SYSTEM and TAPE DRIVE in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made. 400 402 404 406 408 410 412 402 402 Computer system includes communications fabric , which provides communications between computer processor(s) , memory , persistent storage , communications unit , and input/output (I/O) interface(s) . Communications fabric can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric can be implemented with one or more buses. 400 404 416 406 408 410 412 402 402 416 406 408 410 412 402 402 Computer system includes processors , cache , memory , persistent storage , communications unit , input/output (I/O) interface(s) and communications fabric . Communications fabric provides communications between cache , memory , persistent storage , communications unit , and input/output (I/O) interface(s) . Communications fabric can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric can be implemented with one or more buses or a crossbar switch. 406 408 406 406 416 404 406 Memory and persistent storage are computer readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory includes random access memory (RAM). In general, memory can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer readable storage media. Cache is a fast memory that enhances the performance of processors by holding recently accessed data, and data near recently accessed data, from memory . 408 406 404 416 408 408 Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be stored in persistent storage and in memory for execution by one or more of the respective processors via cache . In an embodiment, persistent storage includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage can include a solid state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other computer readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information. 408 408 408 The media used by persistent storage may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage . Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage . 410 410 410 408 410 Communications unit , in these examples, provides for communications with other data processing systems or devices. In these examples, communications unit includes one or more network interface cards. Communications unit may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention may be downloaded to persistent storage through communications unit . 412 412 418 418 408 412 412 420 I/O interface(s) allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to each computer system. For example, I/O interface may provide a connection to external devices such as a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or some other suitable input device. External devices can also include portable computer readable storage media such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention can be stored on such portable computer readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage via I/O interface(s) . I/O interface(s) also connect to display . 420 Display provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor. The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature. The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer program product. The computer program product may include a computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention. The computer readable storage medium can be a tangible device that can retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmitted through a wire. Computer readable program instructions described herein can be downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing/processing device receives computer readable program instructions from the network and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium within the respective computing/processing device. Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations of the present invention may be assembler instructions, instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to perform aspects of the present invention. Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable program instructions. These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The flowchart and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions. The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles of the embodiment, the practical application or technical improvement over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a functional block diagram of a computing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of LTFS selective file and directory tape mounting, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3A illustrates physical tape media organization with selective file index mounting, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3B illustrates a comparison of LTFS tape media file structure and LTFS selective file/directory tape mounted structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of components of the server and/or the computing device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Today's XKCD What If? explores many of the benefits that would accrue to the human race if the Sun were suddenly extinguished. Reduced risk of solar flares: In 1859, a massive solar flare and geomagnetic storm hit the Earth. Magnetic storms induce electric currents in wires. Unfortunately for us, by 1859 we had wrapped the Earth in telegraph wires. The storm caused powerful currents in those wires, knocking out communications and in some cases causing telegraph equipment to catch fire. Since 1859, we've wrapped the Earth in a lot more wires. If the 1859 storm hit us today, the Department of Homeland Security estimates the economic damage to the US alone would be several trillion dollars—more than every hurricane which has ever hit the US combined. If the Sun went out, this threat would be eliminated. Improved satellite service: When a communications satellite passes in front of the Sun, the Sun can drown out the satellite's radio signal, causing an interruption in service. Deactivating the Sun would solve this problem. Better astronomy: Without the Sun, ground-based observatories would be able to operate around the clock. The cooler air would create less atmospheric noise, which would reduce the load on adaptive optics systems and allow for sharper images. Stable dust: Without sunlight, there would be no Poynting–Robertson drag, which means we would finally be able to place dust into a stable orbit around the Sun without the orbits decaying. I'm not sure whether anyone wants to do that, but you never know. Reduced infrastructure costs: The Department of Transportation estimates that it would cost $20 billion per year over the next 20 years to repair and maintain all US bridges. Most US bridges are over water; without the Sun, we could save money by simply driving on a strip of asphalt laid across the ice.	https://boingboing.net/2013/06/11/it-would-be-mostly-awesome-if.html
Gravity produces forces on the body. Methods of counteracting these forces have been devised for therapeutic as well as physical training uses. One way to counteract the effects of gravity on a body is to attach elastic cords at the waist and/or shoulder to produce either a positive or negative vertical force on the individual. The application of forces by the elastic cords on the body is uncomfortable and cumbersome to setup. Furthermore, other systems using differential air pressure to simulate that effect are complicated and do not provide any intelligent feedback. Therefore, a need exists for a comfortable integrated system for applying air pressure to a part of the body of an individual standing upright for control of bodyweight. The system should enable the individual to either feel heavier or lighter based on the exerted force from the system. A primary purpose of the present invention is to solve these needs and provide further, related advantages.

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