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Incorporating technologies that have positioned Newfoundland and Labrador’s ocean technology sector on the international stage, Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Humber Arm will use a $250,000 contribution from the Provincial Government to advance the Smart Basin initiative.
Smart Basin builds on elements of SmartBay in Placentia Bay and other marine observation networks elsewhere in Canada and internationally. The goal of the Smart Basin initiative is to allow users of the Humber Arm and Bay of Islands to navigate the waterways which are used by an active fishery, cruise and shipping industries, as well as recreational boaters.
“Smart Basin is an exciting initiative that supports the development of economic, business, and educational opportunities for the region,” said the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development. “By being able to develop an ocean observation system that provides users of the Humber Basin with up-to-date information, stakeholders will be able to make better decisions regarding the use, management and conservation of the area’s land and marine environments. It is information that supports the social and economic development of the Humber Valley and Bay of Islands regions.”
This funding supports the development of an implementation strategy that will lead to a network of aquatic, coastal and land-based sensors designed to, among other things digitally map the seabed and shoreline; monitor localized weather; and improve forecasting capabilities.
“This project will benefit the entire Corner Brook, Bay of Islands and Humber Valley regions,” said the Honourable Tom Marshall, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board and MHA for Humber East. “In addition to creating safer waterways, Smart Basin will provide valuable information to effectively manage and develop the region’s resources and assets in an environmentally conscious manner. The coming together of so many stakeholders in the development of this project reflects the value and the importance of Smart Basin.”
In addition to the Provincial Government, partners in the project include Grenfell Campus, Memorial University; Marine Institute; Western School District; Geospatial Research Facility, College of the North Atlantic; Corner Brook Port Corporation; and the private sector.
“I am delighted to see this investment by the Provincial Government into the Smart Basin initiative,” said Vaughn Granter, MHA for Humber West. “This funding will assist the ACAP Humber Arm and its partners in utilizing the latest technology in developing and implementing strategies that support the planned growth and development of the Humber Arm for its many users.”
ACAP Humber Arm is a not-for-profit organization serving the Bay of Islands and Humber Valley marine and coastal regions. The association is governed by a volunteer board of directors representing a diverse range of stakeholders from the fields of academia, government, industry, and economic and community development.
“Through extensive consultations we have identified the information needs of local coastal users,” said Sheldon Peddle, Executive Director of ACAP Humber Arm. “Through the support of the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development and in collaboration with a wide range of partners we can now begin addressing those information needs. With more than 20 years of service to our local communities, the Smart Basin initiative is a natural next step for our organization to advance, through environmental programs, the social and economic growth of our region.”
Smart Basin will consolidate existing resources of environmental data into a single database that will allow information to be more readily visualized, interpreted, and shared.
Several technology demonstration projects aimed at encouraging youth participation will be implemented including the installation of weather stations in schools throughout the Western School District and an expansion of the successful Trading Books for Boats marine science program.
“This initiative aligns with goals outlined in the Provincial Government’s Oceans of Opportunity strategy,” said Minister Hutchings. “From the public, private and academic partnerships to the enhanced educational component for our youth, Smart Basin will further strengthen Newfoundland and Labrador’s ocean technology sector.”
This project is supported through Oceans of Opportunity: Newfoundland and Labrador’s Ocean Technology Strategy. Administered by the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, the five-year strategy designed to capitalize on opportunities and expand the local ocean technology sector.
– 30 –
Media contact: | http://oceansadvance.net/press_releases/provincial-government-invests-in-smart-basin-on-west-coast/ |
Who are we?
Essential Personnel is a non for profit organisation providing services and supports to individuals in Perth Metro and the Wheatbelt of Western Australia.
We pride ourselves on delivering exceptional service to each individual and this is reflected in our performance results.
Our Mission
Supporting people to achieve their goals by putting their abilities first.
Our Values
-
Choice
-
Equality
-
Inclusion
Our Goals:
We will consistently deliver the outcomes required of our clients and funders whilst managing sector changes in a timely manner.
We will ensure our financial viability through prudent fiscal management, funding body compliance and targeted growth in profitable services.
We must ensure that our brand is recognised as an industry leader and a provider of choice, through client-centred service
excellence.
We will have the right people, skills, and systems to deliver our strategies.
We will develop and maintain a culture of person-centred caring, accountability and innovation to support our shared vision
Essential Personnel is funded by the Federal Department of Social Services and the Western Australian Disability Services Commission. Essential Personnel prides itself on delivering exceptional service to each individual client and this is reflected in our performance results.
Essential Personnel was established in 1989 to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Our first office was established in the region of the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia, in response to an identified gap in services to clients with disabilities in remote and regional areas.
Since 1997, we have secured over 1300 jobs for people with intellectual, learning, physical, sensory, psychiatric and neurological disabilities. These clients are individuals who have a diverse range of skills and abilities and Essential Personnel has assisted them to gain and maintain employment and training of their choice. Today we are the longest serving employment agency in the Central Wheatbelt area of Western Australia. We have built strong, lasting relationships with employers, community organisations and disability agencies to assist people with disabilities to realise their potential and achieve their dreams and aspirations in employment and life.
At present, our services have expanded to the Perth Metropolitan and Midlands/Wheatbelt districts. Our head office is located in Northam and we have offices in Midland, Cannington, Merredin, Moora and Armadale, delivering services in both Disability Employment and Lifestyle Services to over 400 individuals with disability. | https://essentialpersonnel.org.au/about/ |
Milestone Scientific recognizes compensation expense on a straight line basis over the requisite service period and in the case of performance based options over the period of the expected performance.
For the
threemonths ended
March
31,
2017and
2016respectively, Milestone Scientific recognized
$133,810and
$134,405of total employee stock based compensation cost, respectively. As of
March
31,
2017and
2016,there was
$734,114and
$1,026,024of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested options, respectively, which Milestone Scientific expects to recognize these cost over a weighted average period of
2.7years and
2.99years as of
March
31,
2017and
2016,respectively.
InThis adoption of this pronouncement had no material effects on Milestone Scientific'
March
2016,the FASB issued ASU No.
2016-
09,Stock Compensation (Topic
718),which includes provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to how share-based payments are accounted for and presented in the financial statements. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after
December
15,
2016.During the
firstquarter
2017,the Company adopted this ASU. The key effects of the adoption on the Company's financial statements include that the Company will now recognize windfall tax benefits as deferred tax assets instead of tracking the windfall pool and recording such benefits in equity. Additionally, the Company has elected to recognize forfeitures by estimating them at the time of grant.
s financial statements.
A summary of option activit
y for employees under the plans and changes during the
threemonth ended
March
31,
2017,is presented below:
A summary of option activity for non-employees under the plans as of
March
31,
2017and
2016,and changes during the year ended is presented below:
The fair value of the non-employee options was estimated on the date of grant using the Black Scholes option-pricing model at the date of grant. In accordance with the provisions of FASB ASC
505,Milestone Scientific will re-measure the value of the grant at each presentation date unless there is a significant disincentive for non-performance or until performance has been. For the
threemonths ended
March
31,
2017,and
2016Milestone Scientific recognized income of
$17,092and expensed
$1,175,respectively related to non-employee options.
|X|
- Definition
+ References
The entire disclosure for compensation-related costs for equity-based compensation, which may include disclosure of policies, compensation plan details, allocation of equity compensation, incentive distributions, equity-based arrangements to obtain goods and services, deferred compensation arrangements, employee stock ownership plan details and employee stock purchase plan details.
+ Details
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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+ Details
No definition available. | https://ir.milestonescientific.com/quarterly-reports/xbrl_doc_only/907 |
Giant hogweed is an invasive non native species that has spread gradually yet relentlessly through the River Tees catchment area since its introduction in the 1800s.
Tees Operation Giant Hogweed will take a holistic, whole catchment approach to managing a catchment wide issue through a process of intelligence gathering, direct action, education and natural site restoration.
Working with local volunteers, community groups and vested interest groups, the project will:
- Map and remove Giant Hogweed
- Reverse the loss of biodiversity by re-introducing native flora
- Restore access and re-establish a safer amenity of great local importance
- Raise awareness and educate people about Giant Hogweed
To find out more about the project click HERE
To volunteer, click HERE
Plants and animals introduced into a place where they do not naturally belong are known as non-native species.
Invasive non-native species are those that may negatively impact:
- native ecology.
- the local environment.
- our economy.
- human health.
Giant Hogweed is defined as invasive as it:
- Is native to the Caucasus mountains in south west Russia and Georgia.
- Has no natural predators and is significantly reducing biodiversity.
- Is making it difficult and dangerous to access an amenity asset used and enjoyed by local communities, interest groups and visitor groups.
- Has phototoxic sap that is dangerous and harmful to humans.
Operation Giant Hogweed is fortunate to receive support and funding from the following organisations:
- National Lottery players and the National Lottery Heritage Fund
- Postcode Lottery players the Postcode Lottery
- Northumbrian Water
- Garfield Weston Foundation
Thank you for your support! | http://teesriverstrust.org/services/tophog/ |
After facing intense criticism following the U.S. presidential election, Facebook executives are stating their commitment to cracking down on so-called fake news. Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook’s vice president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is the latest exec to underscore that the company is taking a number of steps to tackle the issue.
The comments followed a post late last week from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who outlined a bevy of new initiatives to crack down on fake or misleading news. Facebook has faced criticism in the wake of the election, primarily from left-leaning critics arguing that huge volumes of false news spread on the site and influenced the electorate, perhaps contributing to Donald Trump’s victory.
Zuckerberg, despite previously rejecting such arguments, wrote in his statement that “we take misinformation seriously.” He said Facebook will develop “stronger detection” through technical systems—that is, artificial intelligence and machine learning programs that can rank sources by trustworthiness. That could look something like the approach of university-based Trust Project, which has developed a metric that rates outlets according to their consistency and reputation, reporters’ expertise, and diversity of perspectives. | http://fortune.com/2016/11/21/facebook-fake-news-nicola-mendelsohn/ |
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Column 1486the 24 employers' organisations who sent their responses to the Unit, those in favour of retaining the minimum wage system outnumbered those in favour of scrapping it by two-to-one. Those opposing Government plans included the CBI, the Institute of Personnel Management and the British Institute of Management Employers are concerned that people should not be subject to exploitation and that the social security system should not be used to subsidise low wages."
There is also a belief that wages councils improve industrial relations and a scepticism about the Government's claim that the abolition of the wages councils will lead to the creation of more jobs. It is worth quoting one or two of the various employers' organisations. The British Independent Grocers Federation disagreed fundamentally with the Government's assertion that wages councils were a barrier to employment growth, saying that
"there is no evidence in the Consultation-Document, or elsewhere for that matter, to support that contention."
The National Federation of Fish Friers made a statement worthy of any trade union :
"It is our view that if a business has to rely on cheap labour to be successful and profitable there is something wrong with the management."
I have already quoted the British Institute of Management, which also said that
"to suggest that the social security system should be the support structure for low-earners, at a time when the so-called poverty trap remains unresolved is unhelpful to managers seeking to encourage people into legitimate employment at realistic wages".
In a debate the other evening on social security regulations, the Minister refused to give an undertaking that those who are now forced under the new regulations to take work for which they believe that they are not suitable or trained, would not be forced to go to an employer who paid illegal wages. That is disgraceful.
The Government will get away with whatever they can. Their real purpose in abolishing the wages councils is to allow even lower wages than at present. I carried out a little research among employers. I had asked the Minister a question about employers, but it was like extracting teeth ; it proved very difficult to get straight answers from the Department.
Among the responses from 68 employers' organisations, almost half were opposed to abolition of the wages councils. Some of those who supported the abolition of the wages councils felt that the weakening of the wages councils in 1986, which they opposed, was the main reason for them to support abolition now. Clearly some employers favour abolition because that would allow them to exploit their workers even further.
I had some wonderful quotes from employers. To its shame, the National Federation of Self Employed and Small Businesses said : "The removal of Wages Councils would mean that the most deserving groups of employees would be able to start pricing themselves into jobs and that new and more flexible contractual arrangements could be introduced into the service industries."
The British Retailers Association referred to "inflationary minimum rates". As we are talking about £2 an hour, that is a clear sign that in an area with high unemployment some employers intend to get away with poverty wages and highly exploitive conditions of employment. Wages council rates leave a great deal to be desired. However, in the absence of any legislation giving people the right to a minimum income, they must be maintained to prevent wholesale exploitation. The vast majority of
Column 1487those responding to the Government's consultative document took that view. I hope that the Minister will convey to the Government the fact that there is real opposition to the plans to abolish the wages councils. I ask the Government to drop their proposals and instead to strengthen the wages councils so as to provide real protection for the lowest paid, who deserve nothing less.
2.23 pm
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Patrick Nicholls) : The hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) graced our deliberations today with a speech showing her usual and characteristic charm and generosity of spirit. In the very few moments that she has been kind enough to leave to me I shall do my best to answer at least some of the points that she has raised. I will deal with the wages councils, but, due to lack of time, I shall not be able to deal, as I had intended, with the general argument about low pay.
A point that is consistently ignored in these debates is that the economic and social situation today is vastly different from that in 1909 when the wages councils system was introduced. Average pay is far higher and hours worked per week some 10 to 15 fewer. The country also benefits from a comprehensive system of social security protection for those both in and out of work.
It is significant also that two thirds of wages councils workers are paid above the minimum and that the majority of wages councils workers work part -time, many of them contributing a second income to the family.
Councils now cover about 10 per cent. of the work force. The system is extensive only in retailing, hotel and catering and clothing manufacture and some other very small industries. It is not comprehensive in coverage. It is riddled throughout with anomalies--laundries are covered, but not laundrettes ; and the sale of cooked meats is covered, but raw meat is not.
As the House will recall, the wages council system was reformed and simplified by the Wages Act 1986. The Government were acting in accordance with the wishes of the majority of employer bodies. In addition to reducing councils' powers and removing under-21s from regulation, the legislation attempted to clarify the councils' role as setting minimum rates, not going rates, by requiring them to consider the employment effects of their decisions in areas where workers are generally paid below the national average for their trade or occupation.
In the first year of operation, the average increase imposed by the councils on the previous lowest rate was 8.6 per cent. In the second year, the outcome was an average increase of 6.3 per cent. and settlements in the third year have averaged 6.5 per cent. Earlier this month, at the start of the fourth year, the council for licensed hotels and restaurants has proposed increasing its minimum rate by almost 10 per cent.
Settlements of that order of magnitude hardly suggest that the councils have operated with regard to their clarified remit. Moreover, a substantial proportion of workers covered by councils--probably as many as a third-- continue to be paid on the minimum rate. Such clustering of pay levels around a particular figure is evidence that council minimums continue to be above the levels required to fill jobs.
Column 1488The hon. Lady asked for evidence to be produced that the effect of wages councils was adverse employment implications. She said that she was unaware of evidence to that effect. I am bound to say that the evidence that the hon. Lady sought was in my written reply to a parliamentary question from her earlier this week. That answer stated :
"A large body of evidence exists on the implications for pay and jobs of the abolition of wages councils. This includes studies undertaken or commissioned by the Department".
I went on to say that the studies had been listed in various parliamentary answers, and I even set them out to help the hon. Lady in her deliberations. I went on to say :
"Virtually all of the research work on this subject conducted in the 1980s and known to the Department supports the view that removing statutory minimum wage provisions can be expected to have beneficial effects on employment."--[ Official Report, 21 July 1989 ; Vol. 157, c. 390. ]
That is the evidence that the hon. Lady said did not exist. Much of what the hon. Lady said was consistent, but, as often happens with the hon. Lady's contributions in the House and in Committee, it was consistently wrong. I will try to deal with two of the grosser fallacies. She tried to make some spurious capital out of referring to the prosecutions that had been mounted by the wages inspectorate over the years, and she referred to questionnaires. On prosecutions, the hon. Lady's attitude is that all things under Conservative Governments are wicked and all things under Labour Governments are good. That is a view of history that probably would not disgrace Noddy in Toyland. If the hon. Lady wants to conduct the debate in that way, and experience shows that she does, there is a slightly better ratio of prosecutions to underpaying employers under this Government than under the Labour Government. The hon. Lady referred to questionnaires-- again, more evidence of her Ladybird economics--as a dreadful thing, apparently drawn up by the wicked Tory Government. I have to tell the hon. Lady--she can giggle her way through this if she will--that those questionnaires were introduced by a Labour Government.
Mrs. Mahon : Will the hon. Gentleman give way?
Mr. Nicholls : No, I will not give way. The hon. Lady has had more than her fair share of the time available.
She should look at the response to the questionnaires. Ninety-five per cent. of them were completed accurately, and if they were not, there was a follow-up and a full inspection.
Mrs. Mahon : What about inspector numbers?
Mr. Nicholls : The hon. Lady chirrups from a sedentary position, "What about inspector numbers?" From her extensive research into the matter, she must surely be aware that the operation of the wages councils was substantially clarified in 1986. It was made a great deal easier, and the regulations were made a great deal simpler. I do not expect the hon. Lady to approve that--that would be asking too much. It meant that the work of the wages inspectors could actually be concentrated on carrying out a much narrower remit. To suggest that there was any loss of enforcement, where it was still necessary under the law, was quite wrong. The hon. Lady cannot grasp, no matter how many times Ministers try to get it across to her, that she is concerned only about low pay. In the real world, the issue for many of our constituents is not low pay but no
Column 1489job. The hon. Lady cannot understand or countenance that for many people the first step back into the labour market is a low-paid job which leads on to something better. A low-paid job for a person who has been out of work means a better passport in the labour market. That is the reality, but the hon. Lady is a complete stranger to reality.
It being half past Two o'clock, the motion for the Adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put.
Column 1490
Motion made, and Question proposed, That this House do now adjourn.-- [Mr. Chapman.]
2.30 pm
Mr. Michael Stern (Bristol, North-West) : In relating the tragic events surrounding the last four months of the life of the Rev. Terry Barr, who was vicar of Avonmouth, I must stress that I am not seeking to use parliamentary time to attempt to prove the innocence of a close friend. Nor am I seeking to show that the actions locally of the police, social services or local hospitals are to be questioned. My purpose in raising the debate is that I believe that many of the events that led, almost inevitably, to his death carry implications for national policy. I hope that my hon. Friend the Minister will consider that national policy to prevent the recurrence of such events.
Terry Barr had been the vicar of two parishes successively in my constituency for as long as I have been its Member of Parliament. In addition to his family of five children, his concern and care for children had been a feature of his life. For up to 20 years he had successfully fostered children, who were placed largely by the county of Avon for short or long periods. At no time during those 20 years had there been anything but praise from the county council for the love and care that he gave to his extended family. I visited the family on numerous occasions and always left with an impression of happy chaos.
Just before Easter this year, a third foster child, aged 15, joined the family, which included two foster children aged nine and seven. Like so many foster children, the boy had had a chequered past. He had been suspected of involvement in the making of pornographic videos and of procuring young children for that purpose. The boy was placed by the county with the Barr family, in what may have been regarded as a last attempt to provide him with some form of stable family background.
Within a week, on the Thursday before Easter, he had run away and had made what appeared to all the authorities concerned to be perfectly believable accusations of sexual abuse by Terry Barr of the children in his care. What followed had all the inevitability of a Greek tragedy.
The remaining children were questioned extensively by the police and, in view of the urgency inevitably involved, under what in retrospect must be seen as inadequate conditions. Terry was charged and bailed on condition that he never slept at home. At least in the early stages of the case he was not permitted to remain in a room with his children without another adult being present. His children were made wards of court and the two foster children were removed. The case dragged on and was eventually sent to the Crown court, during which time Terry was being forced to live in a seamen's hostel opposite the vicarage where his family lived, without the moral support on which he was increasingly coming to rely from them. Early in July, he penned three copies of a note to his bishop, to his solicitor and to myself. He said :
"If I could have come home to the love and care of my family, I might have been able to continue. I cannot spend another night on my own."
After writing that note, he attempted suicide. He spent two or three nights in the district general hospital, was transferred to the specialist supervised unit for potential
Column 1491suicides run by the district health authority and succeeded in committing suicide within a couple of days of his arrival. The case was still months away from any resolution of his guilt or innocence. Inevitably, the fury of local reaction in the community he served has turned on the actions of the local organisations which played a direct part in the events I have described. The police were first on the scene and asked to interview the two younger foster children and one of the Barr's sons. In the confusion of being informed that her husband was suspected of being a child molester and never having been in a police station before, Mrs. Barr declined to sit in on the interview. As a result, the police, quite properly under existing practice, asked a member of the social services department to do so. In the absence of any friend of the family at the first interview it is perhaps inevitable that the boy who was interviewed and his two brothers, who were interviewed later in the presence of Mrs. Barr, all formed the impression that the interview had consisted of their being bullied and accused of lying. I repeat that because no outside friend of the family was present and there is no evidence of any impropriety on the part of the police or the social worker. The police have made it clear in a letter to me that
"one of their primary objectives is to safeguard and protect the interests of any children who may be involved".
I have no doubt that they did that. The question to which I shall return is the fact that the police apparently have no duty to give equal consideration to the interests of the family.
As social services departments are inevitably at the forefront of cases involving suspected child sexual abuse, the Government have rightly issued- -and I believe re-issued--guidelines to local authorities. The latest guidelines that were issued only last week have laid down detailed rules on the manner in which all agencies working within the area of child protection should undertake an investigation when an allegation of child sexual abuse has been made. I have no doubt that the regulations were followed in scrupulous detail by officers of the social services department. However, the fact that they were so followed meant, in the words of the director of social services, that
"they were left with no alternative but to ensure that the Reverend Barr was separated from children."
The duty of social services is seen as relating solely to the children and not to either parent. It could be argued that because no allegation of sexual impropriety towards his own children had been made, the existing regulations forced social services even to be selective as to the children they had to protect. The result was that Terry Barr spent the last few weeks of his life believing that if he had put a foot wrong with the social services department, not only the children he had been fostering but his own children could be taken from him. After all, seen from his point of view, there had already been an attempt by the police and social services in the interviews to which I have referred to persuade his children to provide evidence against him.
In general, handling of the case by the local media has been responsible and there have been few--I regret that there have been any--of the predictable lurid headlines. Nevertheless, some concern remains that no protection is given to the defendant on being named in such cases. I have already raised this matter with the appropriate Minister at the Department of Health who has correctly pointed out that it is in the public interest to know whether
Column 1492a person has been accused of a serious crime. My concern in this case is that, whereas the anonymity of the defendant would have been available to the court under section 39 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 in order to protect any child involved in the proceedings--that was not necessary here since the children involved had already been removed from the Barr home--no such anonymity is available to protect the Barr children. Fortunately, in both the schools the children attend they were offered the strongest possible support. However, that might not have been the case.
My final area of concern relates to the period that Terry spent in hospital after his first suicide attempt. It is accepted that no level of care, however constant or stringent, can prevent suicide on the part of any human being who is determined enough.
What I think should concern the House is that there appears to be no intervening legal step between the full rigours of sectioning under the Mental Health Act 1988--which would have made Terry Barr a compulsory in- patient, and which would almost certainly not have been granted by the courts in this case--and the status of voluntary patient, in which he was free to come and go and to evade supervision as much as he wished. It was through a gap in the law that he was able to commit suicide, and I ask my hon. Friend and his colleagues to consider whether that gap is too wide.
I believe that there are two strands to the story. The first concerns whether, in our efforts as a society to protect the innocent victim of child abuse, we have gone so far down the road of considering only the interests of the abused child that we have entirely forgotten the potential interests of others involved in the case--not just the victim's family but the family of the defendant, and even the defendant himself. There was no official help, advice or care for Terry ; help came only from his family, his bishop and his friends.
The second strand is this. It is a principle of our form of justice that any defendant is treated as innocent until proven guilty. While that principle applies in the case of an accusation of child sexual abuse, the way in which it is applied under current law and practice makes it indistinguishable from an assumption of guilt. If Terry Barr was innocent of the charges laid against him, the way in which we as a society handle such charges makes our legal system responsible for the destruction of his family, and for leading him to a point at which death seemed the best course.
If we as a society have given such untrammelled power to the child accuser, how do we now protect ourselves against the misuse of that power? Is not our purpose in Parliament to prevent rules from operating in such a way as to pick up a potentially innocent man and destroy him?
2.42 pm
The Minister of State, Home Office (Mr. Tim Renton) : We must all be grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Stern) for bringing to our attention these sad issues concerning the existing law and practice on child abuse. I need not rehearse the facts of this tragic case, as my hon. Friend has already given them eloquently and movingly ; let me simply say how sorry I was to hear of the sad events surrounding Mr. Barr's death, which was obviously the unhappiest possible outcome for all concerned.
Column 1493I should like to make some general observations, particularly from the point of view of the Home Office. An allegation of child abuse is a grave matter ; its consequences for the accused, even if he is acquitted, can be appalling. I am sure that my hon. Friend will agree, however, that in the interests of the children the authorities cannot baulk at investigating and bringing proceedings when evidence warrants it.
In this case the police investigated carefully, involving the social services department as they did so. They decided that charges should be brought, and the Crown prosecution service agreed that the evidence and the public interest justified prosecution. The magistrates court imposed and sustained bail conditions, removing Mr. Barr from the family home. Those decisions were made and scrutinised carefully by responsible bodies.
Government's role is clearly to ensure that the general arrangements for investigating child abuse are as adequate and as fair as we can possibly make them. The investigation of allegations of child abuse is inevitably a difficult and sensitive process : important decisions must be reached which will have a profound effect on all concerned, whether it is decided to prosecute the suspect, to remove the child from its home or to give the family special help and support. The whole process of investigation and decision-making can be traumatic for the child and for its family, as the events in Cleveland clearly show, and as many of us know from constituency experience.
In some areas the police, social and medical services and voluntary agencies such as the NSPCC, have worked hard together for some years to try to ensure that they respond quickly and sensitively to allegations of child abuse. We have built on their experience in drawing up a guidance circular for chief officers of police about the investigation of child sexual abuse and we issued that in July last year. The circular, which also takes account of the recommendations of the Cleveland inquiry report, was prepared in consultation with the Department of Health and members of the social services, medical and legal professions and the forensic science service.
The essence of the guidance--my hon. Friend touched on this in his speech-- is that police forces and social services should work together in investigating cases of suggested child sexual abuse and should use specially trained joint investigating teams. The aim of this approach is to combine investigation of the facts with therapy. We think that professionals can benefit from each other's expertise. It is most important that the child is given the opportunity to tell his or her story to sympathetic listeners who have gained the child's trust. In turn, the child is spared the ordeal of having to repeat that story again and again in front of others because we recommend that interviews should be recorded on video tape. There is no undue pressure to provide evidence that can be used in court. The interests of the child rather than the aims of a particular professional organisation come first.
My hon. Friend spoke about respecting the rights of parents. None the less it is right that we should always put the child's interests first. Working together in joint investigations is a new and difficult skill which requires special training. Many hon. Members will agree with that. We have agreed with the police and representatives of
Column 1494social services guidance on the organisation and content of general training, and hope to issue that guidance next month.
Obviously, close liaison with the local medical services is also essential. Our circular urges chief officers of police to work with them. It is important that there should be sufficient doctors who are skilled both in examining children for sexual abuse and in the presentation of forensic evidence. To that end we have asked the forensic science service to help the police organise joint training for police surgeons and other doctors and interested professionals. I am glad to tell my hon. Friend that the response to our circular has been positive and we believe there is now a genuine recognition of the need to work together.
What about cases which come to court, and the question of anonymity of defendants? The fundamental principle of our criminal justice system is that justice is done openly and in public. As my hon. Friend knows, only in exceptional circumstances will a trial take place in private or the court order that an accused or witness should not be identified in the press. Justice must not only be done, it must be seen to be done. That is a truism that remains true. Publicity helps to safeguard the integrity of the justice that is dispensed, and it is in the public interest to know whether a person has been accused of a serious crime, just as it is in the public interest to know whether there is subsequently an acquittal. I certainly understand the distress that can follow from being accused of a crime, even if the accused person is subsequently acquitted. This is particularly so for sexual offences. However, I do not think that it would be right in principle to provide anonymity for all persons accused of crime, nor do I think that it would be acceptable to Parliament or to the public. It is true that defendants in rape cases for a period enjoyed anonymity. The argument that because the woman should have anonymity--in order not to deter her from reporting a rape--so should the man, was always misconceived, and at our instigation Parliament removed the anonymity of defendants by last year's Criminal Justice Act. A rape defendant can be named, like any other defendant.
My hon. Friend suggested, and I fully understand his feelings in suggesting this, particularly in relation to this case, that the duty of social services is seen as relating solely to the children and not to either parent. Guidance issued to directors of social services in response to the Cleveland inquiry report stressed that although social services departments must give first and highest priority to protecting the child, they also have responsibilities in relation to the child's parents and other family members. They also have a particular responsibility to consider whether it is in the child's best interests to keep the family together. I understand that in this case the social services department tried to achieve that but that the Reverend Barr, on his solicitor's advice, declined to co-operate with the social services department, and when he was charged by the police the social services department decided that it must act to protect the child, and initiated wardship proceedings.
As to my hon. Friend's point about the need to protect the Barr children, I fully understand that there is no general provision to protect the anonymity of the defendant's children if they are not involved in the proceedings, which is at the heart of the point that he was making. The general rule is that defendants can be named,
Column 1495and this may inevitably lead to the identification of their children. Children of a person accused of rape, murder or armed robbery may suffer when the accused is publicly identified. However, there would not appear to be any justification for singling out for special attention the children of those accused of the sexual abuse of other children.
My hon. Friend said that the press coverage in this case had been moderate or reasonably well balanced and I am delighted to hear that. It is important that we should strike a balance between the freedom of the press to report matters of legitimate public interest and the need to protect justice from interference. I think that the law already strikes this balance through the Contempt of Court Act 1981. It provides that any publication that creates a substantial risk of seriously impeding or prejudicing the course of justice in active proceedings is in contempt of court, regardless of whether there was an intent to interfere with the course of justice. The 1981 Act serves to deter the media from irresponsible reporting of cases and, if such reporting occurs, provides suitable penalties.
Column 1496We would all agree that, far from being easy, these are difficult matters. We have to consider the interests of those accused but not convicted of crime, but we must also consider the need to protect children against those who abuse them. We must have regard to the traditional openness of British justice, which we all greatly and rightly value. I am sure that my ministerial colleagues in the Department of Health will take note of the points affecting them that my hon. Friend has raised, and in particular his point about the possible gap in the Mental Health Acts between the rigours of the compulsory inpatient and the voluntary outpatient.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for bringing these matters to the attention of the House and I am only sorry that it was against the background of such a tragic case.
Question put and agreed to.
Adjourned accordingly at seven minutes to Three o'clock, till Tuesday 17 October, pursuant to the Resolution of the House [27 July]. | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm198889/cmhansrd/1989-07-28/Debate-5.html |
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, hope
The PFP Individual Giving team based in Geneva is a lead participant in the Supporter Engagement Strategy, which aims to increase the global acquisition and engagement of UNICEF’s diverse supporter base, including donors, advocates, and volunteers. A key part of the strategy is to replace the incumbent CRM systems currently in place in 21 country offices with salesforce-based technology.
How can you make a difference?
The SES Marketing Business Analyst will identify and articulate specific marketing requirements at a country level, working in collaboration with UNICEF vendors as we progress with country implementations ensuring good coordination between PFP and countries, and sufficient collaboration with vendors.
MAIN TASKS
-
Analyze current marketing business processes in UNICEF country offices and document accordingly based on an agile development process (through user stories).
-
Collaborate to develop the business view on story prioritization, sprint planning, backlog grooming as part of the agile planning process.
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Guide country offices in the SES implementation schedule to ensure they are at the correct stage of readiness for implementation by helping with resource planning, technology, and project process awareness.
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Lead the negotiation around bridging key user stories into solutions, ensuring business interests are delivered within technical boundaries.
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Manage the ambiguity around story development for future state, ensuring user stories and solutions reflect the future business state UNICEF wishes to occupy, and that those needs are well described and drive to the desired outcomes.
-
Understand the technological solution (Marketing Cloud) in terms of providing optimised supporter journeys, implementing tests, segmentation, data flow and governance with a view to maximising supporter engagement.
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Lead offices through aspects of initial implementation / go live by providing oversight, support, and guidance on both business and technical aspects. (This may require travel to various office locations globally if the situation allows.)
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Provide feedback and insight to Marketing Manager on progress of sprints, managing PFP input and making recommendations to the Manager on proposed changes to any previously agreed deliverables.
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Support the making of business decisions from a Marketing viewpoint, taking cost and ROI into consideration to make recommendations to Business and Product owners where appropriate.
-
In collaboration with Business owners, provide readiness checklists and functionality prioritisation for go live for offices undergoing implementation.
-
Evaluate and propose requirements for new and existing reporting, analysis, and data models.
DELIVERABLES
-
Author a comprehensive set of business requirements for country offices in the form of user stories.
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Understand and categorise user requirements into localised or global core functionality.
-
Provide input into solution design taking localised and global requirements into account.
-
Research and recommend payment solutions in local market based on business and technical considerations and limitations.
-
Work with the Marketing Manager to ensure effective communication, negotiation and influencing within the SES Project Team.
-
Provide support to local office before, during and after go-live.
-
Contribute to successful implementation of local solution and to the wider Supporter Engagement Strategy approach.
-
Ensure local learnings on Marketing are brought into global practises.
ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL
11.5 months, full-time
REPORTING TO
Marketing Manager, Individual Giving Team, Geneva
WORKPLACE
Remote working (within 2 hours of Central Europe Standard Time). Travel to Geneva may be required and will be discussed and agreed with the supervisor in advance.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education:
A first level university degree in marketing, business administration, information technology management or other related fields is required.
Experience:
A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience is required.
Experience in fundraising, especially individual giving communication, retention and supporter journeys is required.
Experience in Salesforce Marketing Cloud essential.
Experience in Salesforce Sales Cloud desirable.
Demonstrated success in managing high volume integrated email marketing programs is highly desirable.
Language:
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language is an advantage.
Others:
Excellent communication skills (both written and oral) to translate complicated business requirements into technical based language, and vice versa.
Strong analytical skills and problem-solving mindset.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
Remarks: Please indicate your ability, availability, and gross daily/monthly rate (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference above (including travel and daily subsistence allowance, if applicable). Applications submitted without a daily/monthly rate will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Apply now
To help us track our recruitment effort, please specify on the application form/indicate in your cover letter where (unjobvacancies.com) you saw this job posting. | https://unjobvacancies.com/job/individual-contractor-11-5-months-full-time-supporter-engagement-strategy-ses-marketing-business-analyst-individual-giving-team-private-fundraising-and-partnerships-pfp/ |
Newsletters & Documents
Click on the buttons below to download the required documents to your computer.
LEADA has reached its target of over 500 Members. Thanks to the recruiting efforts of a number of LEADA members but in particular the dedication given to this task by Mike and Louise Anketell.
2021 MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS
2020 MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS
Meeting for Business/Events sub-committee
Calling all Business owners & Event organisers.
LEADA’s Business, Tourism and Events Committee met forthe first time on 24th February. The Committee’s office bearers are Matt O’Donnell Chair and Bianca Bassett secretary. The committee is working at developing their priorities for action in 2021 -22. Actions will include marketing campaigns, a calendar of events and business networking evenings. The first networking night will be Wednesday May 5 7PM at the Central Hotel. Click on the poster below for all information.
The group has worked with East Gippsland Marketing and East Gippsland Shire Council on nominating Lakes Entrance for Tourist Town of the year. A promotional video of Lakes Entrance has been produced by Metung Films for the nomination. To view a summary of the nomination click on the box below and to view the video click here. As many would know earlier this month Lakes Entrance was ranked 5th in Wot If’s top ten Australian tourist destinations.
Vic Roads Survey & Info
Vic Roads are upgrading several sections of the Princes Highway (the Esplanade) in Lakes Entrance to improve safety and accessibility for all road users, and to support local business.
Following input from the community and key stakeholders, the improvements will include:
- Works to revitalise the foreshore, including footpath and lighting upgrades
- New pedestrian crossing lights to improve accessibility
- Pavement and drainage improvements to reduce the chance of flooding
- Intersection upgrades, making them safer for all users
All works are expected to be completed by mid-2021.
Please have your say by visiting the Vic Roads website, view the proposed changes and complete the quick survey. | https://www.leada.com.au/news-updates/ |
I believe that the Big Questions of life are put here by God as a Writing on the Wall, similar to the divine writing in the Book of Daniel. I firmly believe that God put these questions on earth with the express intention of it leading people to finding the truth that is only found through the Incarnation and Atonement of Jesus Christ.
The following are significant topics and big questions on Quora.
In reading my answers you will find a wholistic approach to faith and apologetics that leans more on the mind, on “intelligent Christianity,” than it does on quick sound-bite answers that leave you unsatisfied. I hope they stimulate your mind and assist you in interpreting the Writing on YOUR wall.
From 2018
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How important, for Christian faith, is belief in the literal, historical resurrection of Christ vs. the symbolic truth of it?
-
Did Jesus ever say “I am fully human and fully god and also part of the Trinity”?
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Should we recite the Lord’s prayer everyday? Is it necessary, or it was only for the disciples?
-
Is there any significance to “a belief in the divinity of God” as opposed to simply a belief in God?
-
Why don’t people believe in God if they have discovered in Noah’s Ark?
-
In the context of the Biblical narratives of Creation, why are there different races of people today if we are descendants of Adam and Eve?
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Why would you continue to believe something that has been proven to be false over and over again?
-
Why does God have his son Jesus be crucified rather than just forgiving people? Why should Jesus’ blood be spilled in order for ‘forgiveness’ to be able to occur?
-
Why don’t I believe in god, what is wrong with me?
From 2017
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Afterlife: I don’t believe in God. Am I going to hell purely by virtue of disbelief?
-
Why is death the cut-off point for salvation?
-
A person kills 100 people and gets executed only once. That’s one soul against one. In your belief system, how would the other 99 souls get justice?
-
Atheism: Why do some atheists believe that they arrived at atheism through logic or reason?
-
Why can’t religious people comprehend that there is no God?
-
Why is God hiding?
-
How do I free myself from Christianity once and for all?
-
If Calvinist view on double predestination is true, is life some kind of a sick lottery?
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How would Christ’s punishment in our place satisfy God’s justice?
-
Why are Americans lifestyles so cool?
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Does God show favoritism?
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If God was real and only looked after those who followed him, wouldn’t I be dead by now?
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If the universe is pointless and there is no God, what is the point of knowing the truth anyway?
From 2016
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Theoretically, which housing policies exist in Christian Heaven?
-
When the teachings of Paul morph into a 27 year torture, why would Christians continue that path? | https://darlenenbocek.com/intro/big-questions-of-life |
From Sociology and Economics to World History
World History has only recently emerged as a distinctive and vibrant field of study. Its origins arose from a cross-fertilization of economics, history, and comparative sociology, and from particular conjunctions of people and places in the 1980s and 1990s. World historians now, thanks to unprecedented access to quantitative historical data and international networks of scholars, can develop increasingly precise, formal, and detailed accounts of changes and comparisons across historical periods. However, our goal is not to create new master narratives or theories that predict a grand historical trajectory for mankind; rather we seek to better understand the similarities and differences among societies, and the likely consequences of those similarities and differences.
Find the article at StudienVerlag. | https://www.mercatus.org/publications/economics-and-public-policy/sociology-and-economics-world-history |
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What i
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The world’s freshwater is under attack. Privatization, pollution, damming, and drought will change the way we view our freshwater in the coming years.
According to Charity Water, one in six people on the planet do not have access to safe, clean drinking water.
In response to the growing struggle for safe, clean, free water a petition (Article 31) to the United Nations has been started to make sure that water becomes a fundamental human right for all people.
…We believe the world will be a better place when the Right To Water is acknowledged by all nations as a fundamental human right, and that this addition to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights represents a major step toward the goal of water for all. [youtube=http://blip.tv/play/AeGYaZKWRQ]
Related Links
Blue Planet Run–The Race to Provide Safe Drinking Water to the World
“Flow” the film
Take action with Food and Water Watch
Image Credit: Stephen Codrington, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5
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Each service requires its recruits to meet rigorous moral character standards. In addition to the initial screening by the recruiter, an interview covering each applicant's background is conducted at the MEPS. For some individuals, a financial credit check and/or a computerized search for a criminal record is conducted. Some types of criminal activity are clearly disqualifying; other cases require a waiver, wherein the each service examines the circumstances surrounding the violation and makes a determination on qualification. Applicants with existing financial problems are not likely to overcome those difficulties on junior enlisted pay. Consequently, credit histories may be considered as part of the enlistment decision. Basically, the more severe the crime, the less likely a waiver will be granted. If you are looking for a job with a high-level security clearance, any convictions whatsoever could be bad news. Also try to stay out of credit trouble, this will give you more opportunities to possibly get the job you are looking for. Legal and financial events in your past can be waivered, but you need to mention them to your recruiter! Remember, there is no penalty for talking about your past with a recruiter. Read on to find out more about how run-ins with the law can affect your joining the military. Here is what the military officially has to say about moral standards of enlistment:
- Persons entering the Armed Forces should be of good moral character. The underlying purpose of moral character enlistment standards is to minimize entrance of persons who are likely to become disciplinary cases or security risks or who disrupt good order, morale, and discipline. Moral standards of acceptability for service are designed to disqualify the following kinds of persons:
- Individuals under any form of judicial restraint (bond, probation, imprisonment, or parole).
- Those with significant criminal records.
- Persons convicted of felonies may request a waiver to permit their enlistment. The waiver procedure is not automatic, and approval is based on each individual case. One of the considerations in determining whether a waiver will be granted is the individual's ability to adjust successfully to civilian life for a period of time following his or her release from judicial control.
- In processing waiver requests, the Military Services shall require information about the "who, what, when, where, and why" of the offense in question; and a number of letters of recommendation attesting to the applicant's character or suitability for enlistment. Such letters must be from responsible community leaders such as school officials, ministers, and law enforcement officials.
- Those who have been previously separated from the Military Services under conditions other than honorable or for the good of the Service.
- Those who have exhibited antisocial behavior or other traits of character that would render them unfit to associate with military personnel. | https://365.military.com/join-armed-forces/disqualifiers-law.html |
Earlier this month during the 2020 General Assembly and EN20X, I spoke about the challenges ENA and emergency nurses have faced this year.
While we have achieved much in spite of those challenges, it's no secret there remains a long road ahead and a tremendous amount of work to be done on so many fronts in this country - particularly when it comes to race.
Over the last few months, ENA has placed the issue of systemic racism at the top of its priorities. The association embarked on a long-overdue assessment of the issue’s prevalence and how it can better understand the problem in order to bring meaningful actions forward that have the ability to affect change in the emergency nursing community and society as a whole.
Emergency nurses have always been part of the safety nets in our communities. We care for those who have no place else to turn to because of health care inequity and socio-economic disparities. Those patients represent every race, religion, cultural background and many other unique populations – and we do not hesitate to give them our best when they step into our ED.
But, just because we serve diverse patients, does that mean we are embracing diversity or truly understanding what it means to be inclusive? Does that mean we have fully accounted for things such as implicit bias which can cloud our perspectives and result in disparate care?
There are no easy answers because addressing social and racial injustice requires emergency nurses to ask difficult questions, reflect individually and collectively, and dedicate ourselves to ensure that the care we provide is equitable. In June, I wrote about ENA’s commitment to take meaningful steps to advance the conversation on these topics – here’s a look at what we’re doing now:
- Earlier this week, ENA debuted its “Member Conversation Circles: Discussion of Diversity and Inclusivity” program. These hour-long virtual sessions are designed to bring nurses together with their peers to talk through their experiences with diversity and inclusion. The next session is scheduled for Oct. 5. Check out the ENA Huddle for registration information.
- On Oct. 8, ENA will host "EN20X Encore: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion" which features five hours of educational sessions focused on topics such as unconscious bias in triage, the effect of social determinants in ED care, caring for LGBTQI+ patients and how race and racism impact nursing knowledge. Watch for more information next week about this exciting day of learning.
- Speaking of education, ENA is offering two new courses dedicated to diversity, equality and inclusion topics: "Structural Racism in Health Care" and "Understanding the Impact of Bias and Stereotypes in Healthcare." Visit the Education page on our website to learn more and register for these courses which will be available beginning Oct. 8.
- The ENA Board of Directors, which has created its own diversity subcommittee, recently approved the formation of a standing Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity Committee. This follows the year-long efforts of the Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity Work Group to explore ways to expand the representation and voice of under-represented groups within the association’s membership. Applications for the Diversity, Equality and Inclusivity Committee will be accepted through Oct. 9, so apply today if you’d like to volunteer for this new opportunity.
Not everyone believes these steps, or any extra attention, are needed in these areas – but I do. My personal experiences and awareness of what is happening around our country make it painfully obvious how much work we have to do. I invite you all to join us on this journey to make a difference.
Months ago, I made it clear ENA wasn’t going to pay lip service to these important issues. We weren’t going to denounce racism and then fade away; we were going to be thoughtful and take the time needed to determine our actions and find the ways to do better and be better.
That progress can only be made when people come together for the purpose of understanding. Dialogue is needed no matter how uncomfortable it might make us feel. Although not everyone will see eye-to-eye on these topics, we should agree to be openminded and willing to consider different viewpoints respectfully.
There is nothing easy about addressing systemic racism and the overall inequities faced by many people. Quite honestly, we will not be successful unless we are willing to be vulnerable as we look within ourselves, within the association and from the health care system perspective to understand how we can make positive change.
ENA values learning. Our mission inspires us to show compassion. We can do that by confronting our misgivings, opening our minds and respectfully embracing others who have faced disadvantages and discrimination.
It will truly take all of us to continue to drive for the change our country needs to combat racism and hatred. I know we – ENA coming together as one – can make a difference that benefits our profession, our patients and our association today and for years to come. | https://www.ena.org/press-room/articles/detail/2020/09/25/how-ena-is-advancing-the-conversation |
The company was established in 1938. The main production capacities of the floor grain storages with capacity up to 30,000 tons built in 1960-1970 years. The new grain-storage section with capacity of 16,5 tones was built in 1989. In 2013 we implemented a large-scale investment project which included: modernization of the company's grain drying equipment, introducing modern energy saving equipment, manufactured in Europe and increase in storage capacities of grain by more than 10,000 tons by building silos of the world's leading manufacturer BROCK (USA). The company has modern laboratory, which allows high-level control of grain quality. The main activity is warehousing – the company has linear (with access from railway lines), certified grain warehouse of 16 500 tons of elevator storage, 30 000 tons of the floor storage units and 10 400 tons of new silo-type storage (total capacity: 56 900 tons), with full range of services and infrastructure. For over 70 years the company operates in commercial seed grain composition branch for the State Agricultural Fund, farms and businesses of Tetiiv, Volodarka, Stavysche, Zhashkiv, Pogrebysche areas of Kiev region; and collaborates with leading reprocessors and exporters in Ukraine. The annual turnover of grain storage in 2013 with existing company's capacity of 46 500 tons, amounted for more than 110 000 tons, before the introduction of the new warehouse equipment.
Address of production capacities: Kiev region, Tetiiv, Kyivska str., 27. | http://takagro.ua/en/our-activity/elevator |
Amazing Places, Astronomy, Bizarre Science, Futuristic, NASA, SETI, Space Exploration, Views from Space,
Category: Futuristic
More stories
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Elon Musk Warns That AI Could Be A Threat To Human Civilization
Another month, another person warning us about artificial intelligence (AI). This time it’s everyone’s favorite human and definitely not a robot, Elon Musk. He was speaking at the US National Governors Association summer meeting in Providence Rhode Island on Saturday. “I have exposure to the very cutting edge AI, and I think people should be […]
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BETZ MYSTERY SPHERE – AN ALIEN ARTIFACT FOUND BY A FAMILY? | http://alien-ufo-sightings.com/category/futuristic/ |
It's been more than a week since I'm back from Bangkok and my schedules are still super packed these days due to work, events, meet ups and of course, the most wonderful news of all - my sis Peiyue just gave birth to the cutest baby in the world!!! So proud of her!!!
Okay, let's not get too distracted by the happy news. So last week me and my friends had a meet up and decided to dine at Wanderlust located at Solaris Mont Kiara.
Interior of Wanderlust:
Makes me wanna go for another vacation again!!!
Wanderlust has a unique menu which combines cuisines from everywhere and trying to give your taste bud the impact of east meet west.
We ordered 2 main dishes for sharing among 3 pax and we were full! Despite that our tummy running out of spaces, skipping dessert is a big No-No! Hence desserts time:
I had one of the most satisfying dinner at Wanderlust that night and were introduced to all those fusion dishes that never crossed my mind. If you are looking for something exciting in your meal, Wanderlust is the place to go!
For more information: | http://www.reiko76.com/2015/06/ |
A Sunset Seminar with CoreLogic and the Urban Institute
In April, CoreLogic partnered with the Urban Institute to co-host an evening seminar focused on the future of home appraisals. The event was the 11th in the Sunset Seminar series, sponsored by CoreLogic and the Urban Institute and focused on public policy thought leadership relevant to the mortgage market. The series brings together policymakers, practitioners and analysts for lively, data-driven discussions on topics of current importance.
The panel was led by Laurie Goodman, co-director of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute, and included the following appraisal industry experts:
- Susan Allen – Senior Vice President of the Valuations Solutions Group, CoreLogic
- David Bunton – President, The Appraisal Foundation
- Pete Carroll – Executive Vice President, Quicken Loans
- Zach Dawson – Director of Collateral Policy and Strategy, Fannie Mae
Pete Carroll opened the discussion by providing a lender perspective on the appraisal process. He identified numerous problems currently facing the industry and offered both short-term and long-term solutions. In the immediate future, he suggests increasing the appraiser population by removing the college education requirement and shortening relevant experience requirements. Additionally, joint appraisal forms need to be simplified to focus on the relevant data, which could help decrease completion time. Long-term, Pete promoted the use of big data within the industry – advocating for a centralized database of market- and property-level appraisal data. He also suggested relaxing rules surrounding property evaluations so that non-appraisers, including home inspectors, could be used to perform such duties.
David Bunton focused on the current ‘appraiser shortage’ debate, noting that the past decade has seen relatively little change in the number of Certified General and Certified Residential appraisers, but there has been a steep decline in the number of State Licensed appraisers. (Figure 1) However, the perception of a broader, industry-wide shortage remains, which he addressed by noting three different factors. The first is economic – demands have gone up but compensation has not, so while the number of residential appraisers remains strong, there may be a shortage of appraisers willing to accept assignments below a certain fee threshold. Second, appraisers are not uniformly dispersed, which has a larger impact on those seeking appraisals in rural markets. Finally, many lenders do not want licensed residential or trainee appraisers involved in the performance of residential appraisals, despite this being perfectly legal – Mr. Bunton refers to this as a ‘user education’ issue. Moving forward, The Appraisal Foundation is looking at allowing individuals to gain experience through computer simulated properties or by taking an advanced test which contains practical applications. In his view, technology can perform quite well with homogeneous housing stock, yet there will continue to be a need for highly-qualified people to pair with these new technologies/analytics.
Susan Allen opened her presentation by demonstrating the tools available to appraisers participating in CoreLogic’s Valuation Consortium. After importing a sample appraisal from the consortium database, she walked the audience through an incredible amount of information on the selected property, displaying aerial images taken from a drone flyover and even presenting a virtual reality view of the interior. (Figure 2) Picking up where David Bunton left off, Susan then spoke to the need for “smart modernization” – developing technology that is use-case specific, implementable on a large scale, cost-effective, and contains minimal acceptable errors. This technology could even improve the scheduling of appraisers, which, according to Susan, is the biggest contributor to slow appraisal turn times. By implementing time-use studies and creating a more transparent view into the valuation process, we can enhance stakeholder communication and improve the overall appraisal experience for the consumer.
Zach Dawson struck a very optimistic tone, claiming that he has seen more activity in the appraisal industry over the past six months than at any other point in his career. He pushed back on the concerns that an appraiser shortage exists, claiming that this is just a supply-and-demand issue. While the supply of appraisers remains relatively steady, month-to-month demand for appraisals can fluctuate greatly, depending upon numerous conditions affecting both the local and national housing markets. A certain area, he claimed, could go from having a shortage of appraisers to having a surplus from one month to the next. In lieu of discussing ways to increase the number of appraisers, he finished by highlighting some alternatives to the traditional appraisal that could be considered, including automated valuation models (AVMs) and desktop appraisal software.
A summary of the event is available online, as well as a copy of the event agenda, speaker biographies, and speaker presentations. CoreLogic and the Urban Institute are currently in the early stages of planning the 12th installment of the Sunset Seminar series, and more information will be released in the months ahead.
© 2017 CoreLogic, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://realtypronetwork.com/housing-policy-whats-next-for-home-appraisals |
140 x 200 mm. Photographer’s copyright statement and catalogue number etched into foot of photograph: ‘WAIMANGU BASIN. ILES PHOTO. ROTORUA. PROTECTED. 4.09.03’.
Dates
- 1903
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact [email protected]. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
Language of Materials
English
Originator(s)
Iles, -, fl 1870-1929, photographer
Finding aid date
2015-08-12 11:36:45+00:00
Includes index.
Creator
Repository Details
Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository
Contact: | https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/2/archival_objects/220663 |
Jacqui leads a purposeful life uniquely collaborating with individuals, teams and organizations as she guides you through a transformational journey to conscious living. She leverages her naturally powerful Intuitive abilities with her extensive education, training and personal life experiences in order to teach, facilitate healing and empower.
Services are customized based on your objectives.
Jacqui services clients worldwide with several office locations and through the use of modern technology (Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp & FaceTime). She also participates in international retreats and travels for her work with leadership teams, organizations and public figures. | https://www.jacqui.company/workwithme/ |
CYPOP5-6.3 Outline regulatory requirements for safeguarding children that affect home based childcare The Department of Education published the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, in which Section 3 outlines the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements. You must have a safeguarding policy in place which must be regularly reviewed and the policy must be shared with parents. The legal framework for Child Protection is determined by the Children Act 1989. Local policy and guidance in Child Protection is the responsibility of the Local Safeguarding Children Boards, established by the Children Act 2004. All agencies and workers involved in providing services to children have an obligation under Section 11 Children Act 2004 to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
CYP Core 3.3 Understand how to safeguard the well-being of children and young people 1. Understand the main legislation, guidlines, policies and procedures for safeguarding children and young people. 1.1 Outline current legislation, guidlines, policies and procedures within own UK Home Nation affecting the safeguarding of children and young people. The Children Act 1989 gave every child the right to protection from all forms of physical violence, injury or mental abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation including sexual abuse. Local Authorities have ‘a duty to investigate when there is a reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm’.
Its purpose is to give boundaries, and help for local authorities. It is also, there for other entities that regulate laws/enact punishment. Other purposes behind the act are: changes around the laws that involve children. Makes modifications to laws when they deal with issues related to children ( foster homes, adoption agencies, babysitting services) Allows some ‘changes’ to the law when it relates to general authority figures handling child related crimes
Unit 140(508) Develop and implement policies and procedures to support the safeguarding of children and young people. 1.1 - . Outline the current legislation that underpins the safeguarding of children and young people within own UK Home Nation. The All Wales Child protection procedures was originally wriiten in 2002 and updated in 2008 All Wales child protection procedures provides a common set of child protection procedures for every safeguarding board in Wales. The Procedures are divided into 5 parts, covering: • the context for child protection work • what to do if it is suspected that a child is being abused or at risk of abuse • the procedures to follow once a report of suspected abuse or neglect has been made • the management of particular types of child abuse • protocols developed by the All Wales Child Protection Procedures Review Group since 2002.
Assignment 026. Understand how to safeguard the well being of children and young people. Task A. Safeguarding Children Presentation for new workers. This leaflet is designed to explain to new workers in a childcare settings the importance of safeguarding children and young people, how we can help children and young people grow and develop in a safe environment, protected from harm, abuse and maltreatment. This leaflet also focuses on current legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines applying to settings in England, as some legislations, policies, procedures and guidelines may vary in Scotland, Ireland, Wales.
• Social Services- a service that has the power to investigate cases of suspected abuse and can offer the correct support for children. • Ofsted- A service that inspects any settings that look after children. They can also look into settings if questions are raised about the practices being carried out. 3.1 Identify the characteristics of different types of child abuse There are 4 major types of child abuse- • Physical abuse- an injury caused by physical punishment used with the intent to cause
(Robert Gordon University 2006). Government reports and agencies in regards to Looked after Children GIRFEC (Getting it right for every child) 2007 is centred around child protection, and its guidance for care providers in relation to adoption, kinship care and fostering and how child protection issues are risk assessed, information is shared as well as focusing on providing the best outcomes for a child. Looking after the Family ' focused attention on the value of kinship care and was followed by The National Fostering and Kinship Care Strategy published in December 2006 which identified support as central to further development of kinship care. The Looked after Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 builds on a range of policy initiatives which include: * These Are Our Bairns and We Can and Must Do Better. * Moving Forward in Kinship and Foster Care and the National Residential Child Care
Some examples of Legislation in which we have to follow whilst working with children and young people are: * Health and safety at work act (1974) * Children act (1989&2004) * Safeguarding Vulnerable groups act (2006) * Data protection Act (1991) * UN convention on the rights of the child (1991) There are guidelines which detail acts of law these are shared with the public. And explain what parts of the legislation apply to you and explain to you what you must do to comply with the law. Some examples of guidelines are: * Every child matters (2004) * The framework for assessment of children and their families (2000) * Common assessment framework (2006) * Working together to safeguard children (2013) The guidelines are used to create policies and procedures which are in turn used to implement the laws. 1.3 Analyse how national and local guidelines, policies and procedures for safeguarding affect day to day work with children and young people. National Legislation and guidance influence the development of local policies and procedures which affect the day to day
SAFEGUARDING THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE. Task1 There are currently the following legislations in place to safeguard children and young people. The Children Act1989 which identifies the responsibilities of parents and professionals and states the Local Authorities duties. The Education Act 2002 sets out the responsibilities of Local Education Authorities, governing bodies, head teachers and all other people working in schools. The Children Act 2004 provides Legal Framework, including a database between services responsible for children and young people. | https://www.antiessays.com/free-essays/Understand-How-To-Safeguard-The-Wellbeing-506321.html |
The fiction of HP Lovecraft – known broadly as weird fiction and more specifically as cosmic horror – ushered in a genre that rejected the “clanking chains” inherent to the Gothic and supernatural fiction (Lovecraft, 2012, p. 28). The weird is defined by its “atmosphere of breathless and unexplainable dread of outer, unknown forces”, and in Lovecraft's fiction the antagonist is the revelation of a cold and indifferent universe weighing down on the characters’ sanity and safety (Lovecraft, 2012, p. 28). This sense of a world in which humanity’s distinctly anthropocentric perspective, which positions everything “entirely in relation to the human”, manifests in Lovecraft's oeuvre in the form of unspeakable alien entities beyond the ken of human understanding (Clark, 2011, p. 3). These alien bodies imperil human dominance and existence, and in unison with Lovecraft's cosmicism, form a framework around which the author’s fictional universe holds fast. Lovecraft's work has been a seminal influence on this author’s own fictional output in terms of genre and the nature of the weird’s monsters, whose forms are untethered by the weight of existing mythic or folkloric antecedents (Miéville, 2009, p. 512).
However, as predicated on a cohesive worldview as Lovecraft's fiction is, it also unfortunately bears the weight of the man’s other driving ideology: a lifelong and passionate belief in the “biological inferiority of blacks” (Joshi, 2013, p. 504). Lovecraft's racial attitudes saturate his work, his fears around “hybridity, impurity … degeneration” and miscegenation manifesting as metaphor in the form of backward townsfolk breeding with creatures from the sea (Sederholm & Weinstock, 2016, p. 27). In other stories Lovecraft simply portrays non-white people as vile practitioners of the occult, carrying out their “patterns of primitive half-ape savagery” as a form of iniquitous heredity; robbed of agency, they commit evil for evil’s sake, and because it is intrinsic to their nature (Lovecraft, 2011, p. 317). In Lovecraft's two dominant ideologies – cosmicism and racism – we can see a drastic disconnect, an illogic in which the two contradict each other. Bullington (2014) suggests that “writing is always a dialogue with one’s literary predecessors. Authors push and pull against everything and everyone that came before” (2014, p. 7). The weird is an ever-evolving genre, defined from the outset by its unique monsters and methods of storytelling. But in order to continue this originality, the problems plaguing the genre’s past – and its most renowned practitioner – must be challenged. As a person of mixed race, and in light of current events precipitating a swell in white supremacy – such as the 2016 US election – there is a significant personal impetus in challenging the troubling and penetrating views of an author who was also a seminal influence on this author’s work. This position is not unique in the field of the weird. Several contemporary writers recognise their fractious relationship with Lovecraft, drawing elements from his mythos while subverting the more distasteful aspects for a modern reader. Of particular focus is Lovecraft's racism and lack of distinctive female characters. These issues are tackled in works such as The Ballad of Black Tom (2016) by Victor LaValle, Lovecraft Country (2016) by Matt Ruff, and Kij Johnson’s The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe (2016), among others.
Unravel bears the marks of this evolution, too; its narrator is mixed-race, the product of a white father and a black mother of mixed African descent, the inclusion of which challenges the exclusively white perspective of Lovecraft's protagonists. Unravel attempts to replace the xenophobic foundations of Lovecraft's fiction with an ecocritical framework that, firstly, challenges ideas of anthropocentrism, and secondly, presents humanity’s relationship with both the natural world and the notion of the monstrous, or other. Accompanying this is the exploration of racism in Lovecraft's fiction, as well as an examination of contemporary writers whose fiction directly challenges that racism, such as The Ballad of Black Tom. It goes on to examine the portrayal of the natural world and its relationship to the human in the first book of Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy, Annihilation (2014a). In both cases, Unravel is examined in comparison to these two pieces, and as far as it both challenges and is indebted to Lovecraft's work. Unravel destabilises the conflicting anthropocentrism in Lovecraft's fiction as well as challenging his racist worldview with explorations of both through Unravel’s characters. The novel breaks new ground for the weird, situating itself among works like Black Tom and Annihilation in their examination of both the shortcomings of the genre’s past and new foundations being laid for its future. | https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2179/ |
Energy profile of Cs+ in gramicidin A in the presence of water. Problem of the ion selectivity of the channel.
The effect of water present at the mouth and inside the channel of Gramicidin A on the energy profile calculated for a caesium ion is determined. The total optimal interaction energy computed for the system GA-Cs+-(22 waters) leads to an energy profile characterized by a deep minimum at 11 A followed by an entrance energy barrier of 7 Kcal/mol expanding until 9 A from the center. After this point, a second minimum less deep than the previous one is observed, itself followed by a central barrier. The shape of the profile at the entrance is governed by the balance between the progressive desolvation process of the ion and the increase of favorable hydrogen bond interactions implying both the water molecules and GA. The comparison of this energy profile with that obtained in vacuo shows that the presence of water molecules does not modify the pathway of the ion which, owing to its size, is constrained essentially to remain on the channel axis. The comparison Na+ versus Cs+ indicates that although the phenomena involved are globally the same, differences between the two profiles appear due firstly to the difference in the affinity of the two ions for water and secondly to their respective size. This last difference implies that the number of water molecules present in the interior of the channel during the cation progression is reduced roughly by one in the case of caesium. The desolvation barrier computed for Cs+ is half the corresponding value for Na+, a result in agreement with the observed selectivity.
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As the world marks the 2021 World Heart Day, the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt GRA, Rivers State, has organised a one-day sensitisation programme on the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and the risk factors.
Speaking during the awareness programme in Port Harcourt, President of the Club, Dr. Ofon Harcourt-Whyte, listed the risk factors of the heart diseases to include age, family history, diabetes, obesity, stress, physical inactivity, high fat diet, high salt intake and alcohol, among others.
Harcourt-Whyte said: “Today is world heart day. It is a day celebrated all over the world to educate people on the importance of our heart and the knowledge that comes with cardiovascular diseases in the world, noting clearly that it is one of the biggest killers.
“Today we are partnering with the GoodHeart Consultant Hospital to carryout this wonderful project of sensitization.
“We started with a road walk to share flyers, we ended up with aerobics and had lectures about the heart and the importance of keeping it healthy. We have been in this partnership for the past seven years and we are getting stronger in it.
“The theme of the 2021 World Heart Day is Use Heart to Connect. Use heart to connect with yourself. Look after your heart by eating healthy foods, stay away from tobacco and dangerous stuff and engage in exercise.
“Use heart to connect everyone. Half of the world doesn’t have internet connectivity, so they can use digital tools to prevent, diagnose and treat cardiovascular diseases. So we are saying that everyone should be reached and the only way to do that is to go round and educate people. | |
Bristol Veterinary School are recruiting a General Duties Facility Technician to help provide basic, but crucial support for the teaching and research programmes at the Langford Campus.
What will you be doing?
The successful candidates will join an award-winning technical team and will form part of the wider technical team within the Veterinary School. Primary responsibilities to include general laboratory maintenance, autoclaving and waste management.
For more information please read the Job Description and Further Particulars.
You should apply if
You have proven experience of working in a similar environment, or equivalent practical skills learned in an alternative environment
You have excellent organisational skills, with the ability to deal with and prioritise a range of ongoing tasks at the same time
You have a relevant qualification at GCSE, or NVQ level 2/3, or equivalent level, or equivalent work experience
We welcome applicants who would like the challenge of a varied role which has plenty of opportunity for further training and development.
This advert will close at 23:59 GMT on 18/12/2022
For informal enquiries please contact Sharon Holt: [email protected] / 07980 746183 or Stuart Pope: [email protected] / 0117 928 9470
The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people – because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution. | https://www.banzaijapan.jp/category/uk/uk-jobs/agriculture-food-veterinary-uk-jobs/ |
The research into A.I. started roughly 50 years ago. Back then, the components used, the facilities provided along with the algorithms...
10 Tips for Successful Scrum Implementation – InfographicKhyati Sehgal
The beginnings of today’s project execution techniques lie in the waterfall-ish approach to software development assignments where one team’s output was another team’s input. This batch based assembly line approach gave way to modern project management, which looks at cutting down the idle time for each of the teams by making the entire process simultaneous.
As the market became more competitive, business owners began to look at optimizing their software development projects. This was the motivation behind the inception of the concept of agile development and is perhaps the reason why a lot of companies started to ‘go agile’. Agile methodology has also seen a lot of improvements in its cycle, leading to a leaner, more efficient methodology called Scrum. Even though Scrum is a lightweight process framework, it still needs the right kind of skill sets to handle it efficiently. Here we present ten tips to implement Scrum successfully within your project. How many of them were you already aware of? Let us know. | http://blog.venturepact.com/10-tips-for-successful-scrum-implementation/ |
Many problems which can affect your health when travelling are preventable with proper advice.
All advice given by Exeter Travel Clinic is tailored to your individual trip and based on knowledge and first hand experience. It is given after an individual risk assessment which takes into consideration any pre-existing medical conditions, current medications or ongoing treatments, along with your travel itinerary.
The Exeter Travel Clinic will provide guidance about staying healthy whilst abroad, along with specific travel health advice regarding the countries you are visiting.
From a simple holiday through to a year away visiting numerous destinations, Exeter Travel Clinic will make sure you are prepared before you leave. | http://travelhealthconsultancy.co.uk/travel-advice/ |
Q:
Bash for loop with spaces
I would like to do something like this:
COMMANDS='"ls /" "df ~" "du -hs ~/Devel/"'
for i in $COMMANDS; do
echo $i
done
Where the result would be:
ls /
df ~
du -hs ~/Devel/
But I can't find the right syntax for the spaces.
A:
This uses an array to store the commands. This feature is also available in ksh, zsh, but not in sh.
Arrays behave like the "$@" argument array. Applying a for loop on "${ARRAY_NAME[@]}" (the quotes are important) will give you each item in succession. If you omit the quotes, it'll all get smushed together and split on the separators present in your IFS environment variable ('\t', '\n' and ' ' by default).
A:
I'd recommend you not do that at all. First, it's much longer and more complicated than simply writing
ls /
df ~
du -hs ~/Devel/
Second, flat strings are not able to store nested, space-delimited strings. There is no way (and yes, I'm ignoring eval) to differentiate between spaces that separate commands and spaces that separate arguments within a command. You can use an array for simple commands, but you can't nest arrays, so as soon as the arguments for one of your commands contain spaces, you are back to the original problem.
commands=("ls /" "df ~" "du -hs ~/Devel") # OK, but...
commands=("ls \"foo bar\"" "echo 'hello world'") # No.
If you want your script to be able to run arbitrary commands specified by a user, have it source files from a known directory instead (that is, implement a plug-in system).
command_dir=~/myscript_plugins
for f in "$command_dir"; do
source "$f"
done
where $command_dir contains one file for each of the commands you want to run.
Or, define a series of functions, and store their names in an string (function names can't contain spaces, so there's no need for arrays):
lister () { ls /; }
dfer () { df ~; }
duer () { du -hs ~/Devel; }
commands="lister dfer duer"
for command in $commands; do
$command
done
or
Further reading: I'm trying to put a command in a variable, but the complex cases always fail!
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- Published:
High acceleration quiescent-interval single shot magnetic resonance angiography at 3T in patients with peripheral artery disease
Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance volume 15, Article number: O55 (2013)
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1543 Accesses
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Background
Quiescent-Interval Single Shot (QISS) non-contrast MR angiography (QISS-MRA) is an emerging technique with growing evidence for its use in the evaluation of peripheral artery disease (PAD) at 1.5T [1, 2]. The use of 3 Tesla MRI scans is becoming more common in clinical practice and offers the main advantage of roughly double the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than that of 1.5 Tesla MRI. Improvements in B1 field inhomogeneity along with fast (parallel) imaging make QISS-MRA a viable technique on state-of-the-art 3T scanners. A prior study from this group investigated the potential to accelerate imaging at 3T using higher parallel imaging acceleration (PAT) factors on healthy volunteers . With this technique optimized, we report preliminary results in clinical patients. The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic quality of QISS at 3T in patients with PAD using contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) as the reference standard.
Methods
With IRB approval, eight patients (5 males, age 58-78 yrs; 3 females age 37-82) with symptoms of chronic lower extremity PAD were recruited prospectively and underwent imaging on a 3T scanner (MAGNETOM Skyra; Siemens Healthcare, Germany) using an ECG-gated QISS-MRA sequence (PAT factor of 3); CE-MRA was acquired at 3T for each patient at the time of visit. The degree of stenosis was evaluated using a 5-point scale for 31 predefined arterial segments (from infra-renal aorta through to bilateral run-off vessels) on both QISS- and CE-MRA. The sensitivity and specificity of QISS-MRA at 3T for the determination of clinically significant (≥50%) versus non-significant (<50%) stenosis were calculated with CE-MRA as the reference standard; time-resolved acquisitions were included in the analysis.
Results
QISS-MRA acquisitions were diagnostic for all patients, across all arterial segments. Vascular segment-based analysis demonstrated a sensitivity of 95.7% (44 of 46 segments) and a specificity of 98% (195 of 199 segments) for QISS-MRA using CE-MRA as the reference standard. Venous signal did not limit segment-based analysis on any of the QISS-MRA scans but was a confounding factor in the calf regions of 2 CE-MRA scans.
Conclusions
Preliminary results from QISS-MRA at 3T demonstrate excellent performance with near complete agreement with CE-MRA in a small cohort of patients with chronic lower limb ischemia. Work is ongoing to validate these findings in a larger prospective cohort.
Funding
Dr. Edelman has active funding from an R01 Grant from the NIH.
Dr. Collins has funding from the SIR Foundation and RSNA Research & Education Foundation.
References
- 1.
Edelman RR, et al: . MRM. 2010, 63: 951-58.
- 2.
Hodnett PA, et al: . Radiology. 2011, 260: 282-93. 10.1148/radiol.11101336.
- 3.
Glielmi C, et al: . ISMRM. 2012, abstract #5701
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Amin, P., Carr, M., Wasielewski, M. et al. High acceleration quiescent-interval single shot magnetic resonance angiography at 3T in patients with peripheral artery disease. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 15, O55 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1186/1532-429X-15-S1-O55
Published: | https://jcmr-online.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1532-429X-15-S1-O55 |
Written in 1913 by one of the greatest of science fiction authors, this book gained H.G. Wells the title 'Father of Modern Wargaming' and will appeal to his fans, history buffs, students of politics and international affairs, wargamers, and RPGers. This revised and expanded edition of the book captures the look of the original and includes:
* A Foreword by D&D creator Gary Gygax.
* All the art that appeared in the original edition along with a number of new ones, including more than 200 B&W illustrations and 20 photographs.
* A complete miniatures wargame system that can be played as-is or used as the basis for other miniatures rules. | https://leisuregames.com/products/ancient-little-wars-anniversary-edition |
Art and/as Anarchy: Portraying the Artist in a Society at War
Two South African novels, Congo Song (1943) by Stuart Cloete and Moxyland (2008) by Lauren Beukes, portray the central part played by artists and their work in the midst of a society on the brink of war. Both narratives are set in Africa: the one portraying a close-knit community in the Congo in 1939, facing the collapse of their colonial way of life, the other depicting the apocalyptic nature of a dystopian Cape Town in 2019, reflecting the global reality of environmental catastrophe,fatal epidemics and corporate tyranny. In both texts an artist plays a pivotal role within a group of characters, and their views of their work, the multiple manifestations of creative art and the relationship between their specific societies and what is regarded as art, form an integral part of the narrative whole. This paper focuses on the theme of how the arts can be connected to everyday life, and how the narratives exploit various textual strategies to link the creative urge with resistance against as well as support for destructive violence. It also discusses how the dimensions of space, time and character are structured to reveal,on the one hand,the quest for romantic aestheticism and,on the other hand, forecast the threats of cyberspace and genetically modified art. | http://a09.cgpublisher.com/proposals/289/index_html |
Let’s take a moment and think about how long we spend planning out camera set-ups, lenses and lighting for our scenes. Every creative decision allows you to say something about the story or images you’re portraying on the screen. However, how many of us would be able to say the same level of creativity goes into our B-Roll? Yep, thought so. B-Roll is often an afterthought and can be easily missed out until you’re in post and find you need some specific transition or establishing shots. Kat and Dusan are back to give a shout out to B-Roll and discuss why you should pay more attention to what it can do for you.
First things first…
What is B-Roll?
No, sadly it’s not Brioche Rolls… The easiest way to define B-Roll is first to define your A-Roll. A-Roll is the main footage you are using for your film/series/documentary – for example, it could be a filmed interview. B-Roll is then usually incorporated to help illustrate the points made in your A-Roll. So essentially, B-Roll is supplementary footage to accompany the main body of your project.
Why is it important?!
Well, I’ll tell ya. There’s a lot of different ways you can use B-Roll across different formats and genres, so let’s discuss the ways in which it could benefit your project.
1) To Illustrate Points
Let’s say you’re watching the News, and there’s a segment on plastic affecting the oceans. How often have you been presented with shots of fish entangled in plastic, statistical graphics or a huge shot of a landfill site piled high with plastic? The likelihood is: a lot. This is just one common example of the B-Roll we encounter in our everyday lives, and it’s primary use is to help illustrate the main subject matter of the A-Roll (being the News). Using B-Roll is arguably essential if you’re making a documentary, so keep in mind that wherever you go for interviews or for B-Roll, shoot as much as you can of the surrounding areas and anything significant you encounter as it could be valuable in the edit.
2) To Educate
As mentioned above, when used in the context of a News broadcast or factual content, it can be extremely eye-opening and educational for your viewers. The more remote the location for example, the more important your B-Roll will be to help audiences visualise what you are talking about.
3) To Cover Mistakes
And let’s face it – we all make them. Whether it’s a shaky camera movement, a problem with focus or a disconnect between the sound and the image, when it comes to the edit, you’ll be thankful that you can use some of your B-Roll as a transition to hide the error. For this reason, we advise you capture as much B-Roll as you can if you’re shooting multi-camera, and also take close-ups around your set or of your actors for establishing shots that you might need in the edit.
4) To Make Your Film Visually Compelling
We’ve all sat through some pretty boring programmes I’m sure, so let’s think about why they were boring. In an age where attention spans are at an all-time low, we need to make sure that your film will be watched. Whether it’s by a festival programmer or by an audience on YouTube, you have to give audiences a reason to keep watching. If you’re interviewing someone, a great way to cover cuts in the interview is to hide them under the B-Roll footage. This will also help renew the attention of audiences rather than making them aware of how long they’ve been listening/watching this interview (for example). If you’re filming in one location, you can make it more interesting and help establish the location by inserting some B-Roll of the exterior of your location or of small details around your set.
5) To Incorporate Different Kinds of Footage
If you want to use drone shots or mobile phone footage, B-Roll allows you to incorporate different styles of filming into your piece without it becoming jarring. Your A-Roll will all look similar and match well, so your B-Roll gives you freedom to explore the medium and use other footage you may have taken or acquired from other sources.
6) To Capture Unscripted Moments
You could be capturing things in your B-Roll that you couldn’t script for and you might find something brilliant and spontaneous when re-watching the rushes. It also could be really useful for teaser footage, behind-the-scenes videos and blooper reels (and who doesn’t love bloopers?!) B-Roll is also a great way to update your social media when in production, to keep people interested in your film and to keep crowdfunding patrons up-to-date on the project without giving too much away.
Our Tip: Always Keep All Your Footage
Yep, all of it. Grab a good hard drive (or five) and make sure you’ve got everything backed up. Who knows when you might need it again, so make sure you have it to hand. | https://www.raindance.org/the-power-of-b-roll/ |
Located at the left side of the provincial capitol in Nueva Vizcaya Philippines, the place used to be one of the sites of the annual trade fair during the week-long celebration of the province’s founding anniversary in May.
But there’s more of its purpose rather than a mere trade fair site that generated a huge income during the festivities. In fact, it is more precious than the wealth it can provide to the provincial government as it now serves as the place of “Ammungan”, a Gaddang term that connotes gathering among various tribes in the province and a venue to promote and preserve the rich culture of Nueva Vizcaya’s inhabitants.
It all started with the concept of uniting all the tribes in the province and putting a distinctive identity of upland inhabitants and lowlands dwellers.
Proponents of the tribal village said the establishment of the park was inspired by the the “Ammungan” festivals in 1989 and 1996 which was organized by the Nueva Vizcaya Heritage Foundation, Inc. to showcase the culture of a limited number of identified indigenous people.
"Ammungan Park" showcases what has become of the conglomeration of the different indigenous peoples in Nueva Vizcaya where we call it Tribu Biscayano,”explains vice governor Jose Gambito, former overall events organizer of the 1st Grand Ammungan Festival in 2009.
Within Ammungan park in Nueva Vizcaya Philippines are distinctive native huts built by tribal folks representing the Isinai, Gaddang, Bugkalot, Kalanguya/Ikalahan, Iwak, Kankana-ey, Ibaloi, Ayangan, Tuwali and other related tribes.
Nueva Vizcaya Philippines
To inspire tribal folks in putting in place traditional styles and other cultural symbols in their respective abodes, a native hut competition was sponsored by the provincial government, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples and the Department of Tourism.
From then on, tribal folks troop to the park from May 19 to 24 each year to participate in the tribal gatherings which were highlighted by the conduct of “Wat-wat” or sharing of consecrated meat which is similar to the tradition of “Padigu” among Ilocanos.
Tribu Biscayano also identifies the migrant ethno-linguistic groups such as Ilocano, Pangasinense, Batangueno, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Bisayan, Mindanaoan, and other related groups and sub-groups including the children of inter-tribal marriages and of foreign blood origins.
“This is without prejudice to the adoption of new members by voluntary action or by recommendation based on meritorious contribution to the overall development of the province,” Gambito explained.
During the Wat-wat Festival at the tribal village, tribal folks garbed in their traditional costumes show their cultural dances and traditional sports as rice wine called “tapuy” is endlessly served to the public.
During the 1st Grand Ammungan Festival, exotic dishes and native menus such as adobong Ahas (snake) and bayawak (monitor lizard), fried tateg or abal-abal were just but a few line of foods offered to young and old villagers including local and foreign tourists.
Gambito said the Ammungan Park does not only showcase the rich culture of the Tribu Biscayano, but a place where the future generation develops understanding of their cultural origin and environment, foster unity and better cooperation among villagers with different ethnicities as well as mother dialects.
Organizers of this year’s founding anniversary celebration of the province are deliberating on the possibility of bringing back the complete activities of the first Grand Ammungan Festival due to the clamor of the public. | http://www.cebu-philippines.net/nueva-vizcaya-philippines.html |
Today we will show you a renovation with a Brooklyn Style by Elisabeth Roberts Design. Hope you enjoy 🙂
A black limestone floor with white marble accents extends from the kitchen through the dining room addition and out into the garden.
On the ground floor, the entire window slides open to create a double-wide opening to the garden.
Blue and white textiles in the master bedroom offer a clean and crisp aesthetic.
The light and greenery in the back garden are visible from the library at the front of the house.
The front of the house has a more traditional look. Shown here, a library with sliding pocket doors that enable the room to be closed off or opened up to the rest of the second floor.
The hall has a reclaimed herringbone-patterned wood floor in a custom finish from LV Wood, and the stairs are painted Off Black by Farrow & Ball.
The niche underneath the kitchen fireplace is for storing wood.
Concrete countertops, more commonly associated with modern minimalist kitchens, contrast well with the Shaker-style kitchen cabinets by Wood Mode.
The perimeter plantings in the dining room are fully plumbed for drainage and are on an automatic drip sprinkler system. Eventually, vines will be visible on the parlor level in as they climb the two-story interior walls, bringing greenery into the heights and depths of the house.
Explore our pinterest board for more inspirations. Get more ideas for your projects and find functional, stylish and sizable lighting choices. | https://www.vintageindustrialstyle.com/brooklyn-vintage-style-decoration/ |
My six photography collections are drawn from my experiences of the natural world in rural Albemarle County, where I grew up, and in the Shenandoah Valley, where my parents and I now reside. My mother, a landscape architect with a lifelong love of nature and garden design, has cultivated flower and perennial gardens, flowering shrubs and trees, and a small orchard of apple and pear trees. Her landscape and garden design talents have been brought to bear on this property just as they were at “Evergreen,” the property in Albemarle Country where I spent my childhood. Her love of gardens and strong aesthetic commitment to creating beautiful landscapes and gardens that blend seamlessly with the natural beauty of their surroundings inspires my work and is the focus of my photographic collections.
My photography features individual blossoms or bouquets freshly picked from the garden, loosely arranged (on the spot), then held up to the sky for a photo. Roses in particular are superbly photogenic because of the intricate folds and shadows of their overlapping petals at all stages of their opening. It may well be said, too, that of all flowers, roses have the richest symbolic history in our culture.
Most common in the wild, pink roses project affection, gratitude and sympathy and so are appropriate for warm expressions of appreciation or condolence. Yellow roses, symbolic of joy and happiness, are perfect for birthdays or get-well messages. The white rose represents purity in the form of spiritual or unconditional love, and honors new beginnings and farewells, such as christenings, marriages, and graduations—always with hope for the future. White roses are especially meaningful to me because they represent unconditional love and our innate capacity for inner peace.
Special thanks to Skyler Burden for collaborating with the artist to produce the product photos as seen in the Shop. | https://www.rebeccalilly.com/photography/ |
Preplanning a novel can involve as little as naming your main characters and writing a one-sentence overview of your plot or as detailed as full character biographies and a full outline that includes each chapter from the first chapter to the last chapter. While preplanning and outlining your novel can make the actual process of writing the novel faster, it doesn't help you if you get so caught up in the planning details that you never actually write your novel.
What You Must Have to Write Your Novel
- The names of your main characters
- The names of your primary secondary characters
- Any supporting characters that come to your mind
- A one-sentence overview of your plot
- A paragraph explaining the premise of your novel
- Any additional genre-specific notes, like cities, worlds, breeds or character races
When you're just writing down the bare planning bones of your novel, you don't need to go into a lot of detail. For the characters, all you really need to write down is their names and their job titles and/or a few words about them. For your one-sentence plot overview, it could be as simple as: X character seeks to overcome X obstacle. For the paragraph overview, you can go into a little more detail.
The reason you want to write your single sentence and paragraph overview is because you're not bogged down by the details of your novel and the subplots. That means these words are going to be the most succinct that you ever write about your novel. Alternations of your sentence and paragraph can also be used as your book blurb and for query letters, if you plan to submit to agents and publishers.
Why do authors get stuck in the pre-planning stages?
Authors get stuck in the preplanning stages for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, a lot of writing books recommend it, and a lot of dedicated writing programs offer spaces for character names, biographies and personality, physical and mental details as well as locations, beginning, middle and end summaries and plot overviews as well as additional notes.
It's important to understand that the recommendation to fill out all the details prior to starting your novel is rooted in legitimate reasons. Once you fill out all these details, it can make the actual writing of your novel much smoother, and you'll complete your work of fiction much faster. It can also result in less editing due to plot discrepancies and redundant content.
The downside is that you may spend so much time writing character biographies and story outline and notes that you never actually start writing your novel. Another downside is that your outline and plot notes may become irrelevant after the first chapter, and sometimes after the first page because your characters decided to do X instead of your preplanned Y. The last reason hinges on whether or not you ever look at your notes and outlines after writing them. If you write down all those notes and never look at them again, you would have been better off just starting your novel.
What are the signs that you're getting stuck in pre-planning?
The number one sign is that you've become obsessed with completely preplanning your novel. You feel like you must type every character detail and create a story outline that includes every detail of the book.
The second sign has to do with how long you've been preplanning your novel. If you spend a few days on it, that's great. If it's been weeks and months, and you're still pre-planning, ask yourself why. Is your plot exceptionally complex? Are you writing a fantasy or science fiction novel that requires a complete world or several worlds? Are you creating your own language in addition to your novel? If you're doing any of the mentioned things, it may take you months, but if you're writing a basic romance, erotica book or YA novel, it shouldn't take months or years to plan.
How can you avoid getting stuck in the pre-planning?
For the vast majority of fiction authors, all you need to do is write down a few details. As soon as you get enough information to begin your novel, I recommend starting the writing process. If you have character names, job titles and an outline, you can always add to those as you write. You may even find it more useful to write notes and outline your chapters after you finish your scenes and chapters because it will give you time to reflect and keep you up-to-date on what's happening in your novel and where it's going in future chapters.
What's included in preplanning, if you want to preplan?
- Character names and full biographies written in third person
- One sentence plot overview
- A one paragraph book premise
- Short 1-page plot overview
- Long plot overview (may be several pages)
- The locations and location descriptions of where your book takes place (even buildings and areas within a city or town)
- A timeline (like an itinerary)
- Any notable objects (murder mysteries, crime books and fantasy books may need these)
- A full book outline (chapter and scene summaries)
Read More on Drafting Your Novel
- The Minimalist’s Way to Start a First Draft ...
- Best Approaches to Start a Second Draft ...
- Writing the Third Draft of a Fiction Novel ...
- How to Write the Fourth Draft of a Fiction Novel ...
- How to Write the Fifth and Final Draft of a Novel ...
- How Many Drafts Should You Put on a Fiction Novel? ... | https://www.staceycarroll.org/index.php/author-writing-tips/209-to-preplan-your-novel-or-not-to-preplan-your-novel |
Effect of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on ibuprofen release from carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/O-hexanoyl chitosan hydrogel.
In order to explore the effect of nanofiller on the regulation of the drug release behavior from microsphere-embedded hydrogel prepared by carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan (HNOCC) and O-hexanoyl chitosan (OHC), the release kinetics was investigated in terms of various amounts of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) nanoparticles incorporated. HNOCC is a novel chitosan-based hydrophilic matrix with a burst release profile in a highly swollen state. The drug release kinetics of the HNOCC hydrogel can be regulated by incorporation of well-dispersed CDHA nanoparticles. It was found that the release duration of ibuprofen (IBU) from HNOCC was prolonged with increasing amounts of CDHA which acts as a crosslink agent and diffusion barrier. On the contrary, the release duration of the IBU from OHC (hydrophobic phase) was shortened through increasing the CDHA amount over 5%, which is due to the hydrophilic nature of the CDHA nanoparticles destroying the intermolecular hydrophobic interaction and accelerating OHC degradation. Thus, water accessibility and molecular relaxation were enhanced, resulting in a higher release rate. In addition, sustained and sequential release behavior was achieved by embedding the OHC microspheres (hydrophobic phase) into the HNOCC (hydrophilic phase) matrix, which could significantly prolong the release duration of the HNOCC drug-loaded implant.
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After years of heavy industrialization, China’s environmental challenges are nearing a tipping point.
The factories and power plants that have driven its economic growth have also polluted its air, water and soil, to the point where environmental hazards could lead to a significant risk to China’s society and economy, if not corrected in a timely manner. In a bid to tackle these challenges, China’s government has declared a “war on pollution” and introduced a number of green initiatives.
Here are the most important ones:
Less coal, cleaner air
China has taken steps to dismantle coal-fired power plants, reduce overall emission levels and cut particulate-matter emission rates. Huge progress has been made on air quality, and there are now fewer smog days in China’s largest cities.
Better regulation
The former Ministry for Environmental Protection has been transformed into the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), a new entity with broader, clearer responsibilities. The new ministry will oversee all water-related policies, for example, from ocean resources management to groundwater. Previously, these were scattered among different departments. The ministry is also in charge of policies on climate change.
Funding a greener future
China needs an estimated additional RMB 40.3 trillion ($6.4 trillion) to RMB 123.4 trillion ($19.4 trillion) to finance the transition to a greener economy. It has started collecting an environment tax to help fund its environmental policies, and is also trying to attract more green investment.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a massive global programme aimed at improving inter-connectivity between countries, inspired by the ancient Silk Road, seeks to boost trade and economic growth in Asia and beyond. As Vice Premier Liu He said at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos this year, reducing pollution is one of China’s main strategic goals as it pursues this initiative, along with preventing major financial risks and alleviating poverty.
The BRI will be backed by considerable resources. At maturity, investments in the initiative are expected to hit around $4 trillion, stemming from private sources, dedicated funds, and multilateral development banks. If aligned with sustainable development priorities, these resources have considerable potential to help advance the green agenda.
The next challenge is to improve green investment standards. Recently, China launched the Environmental Risk Management Initiative for China’s Overseas Investment. There is huge potential to “green” the Belt and Road Initiative, if Chinese financial institutions and enterprises improve the environmental risk management of their overseas investments and adopt responsible investment principles. Green bonds are a win-win for investors and developing countries, since they fund the green infrastructure projects that are so urgently needed by many of these countries.
Have you read?
- China’s clean, green buildings of the future
- How China is embracing green energy
- China’s green growth agenda
Sustainable development zones
Earlier this year, the Chinese government approved three sustainable development zones, which will implement the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals:
- Shenzhen
Shenzhen is China’s innovation engine. This zone will integrate technologies in sewage treatment, waste utilization, ecological restoration, and artificial intelligence to solve issues from resource management to pollution.
- Guilin
This zone will focus on innovations that tackle desertification, creating solutions that can be replicated by other regions facing the threat of encroaching deserts.
- Taiyuan
Targeting air and water pollution, this zone will foster innovative solutions that can be replicated by regions relying on resource extraction.
Tech companies as green innovators
China’s technology giants play a vital role in sustainable development. Tencent, Baidu and Alibaba are among the world’s top 10 internet companies. Online technology – particularly e-commerce, internet banking and social media – is accelerating the pace of change.
For example, Ant Financial, a banking subsidiary of Alibaba, is a founding partner of the Green Digital Finance Alliance. This alliance aims to use digital technology to advance green finance.
Over 200 million of Ant’s users signed up to Ant Forest, an app that gamifies carbon footprint tracking. The app prompts users to cut greenhouse gas emissions in real life, demonstrating the massive potential of Fintech for supporting sustainable development. By the end of January 2017, the approach had saved 150,000 tonnes of CO2.
Written by: Sha Song, Specialist, Knowledge Networks and Sustainable Development, World Economic Forum Beijing. | https://amuragroup.com/2019/02/08/heres-how-china-is-going-green/ |
Our clinical programs offer culturally and linguistically sensitive services driven by intervention plans developed in collaboration with our clients and their families. Over 95% of our clinical staff are bilingual (Spanish/English) and racially diverse. We have developed our capacity to implement several well researched mental health evidence based practices. For many of our clients and their families, this is the first time that they have received mental health services; therefore we work diligently to help ensure that we “demystify” mental health and work with them so that they feel included in the design and implementation of services.
Our Clinical Mental Health Programs also serve as a training site for the various graduate schools of Social Work from major universities in Southern California, with a more than 10-year history of training culturally competent social work practitioners. El Centro del Pueblo also was selected by USC School of Social Work to serve as one of the sites for its annual community immersion program for incoming graduate social work students.
Services Provided:
- Center based and community based outpatient mental health services
- Psychiatric evaluation and medication support
- Case management
Priority Populations:
- Children and youth (0 through age 20) recently released from a psychiatric hospital/facility
- Foster children at risk of disrupted placement
- Children who are victims of abuse and neglect and at risk of removal from their caregivers
Eligibility Criteria: | https://ecdpla.org/programs-services/mental-health/ |
How to play GTA 5 on Android smartphones using Xbox Game Pass
Even if GTA 5 is available on many platforms, mobile gaming platforms are not one of them. Sadly, in an attempt to mislead players, various websites prompt players to download GTA 5 APK files compatible with mobile devices. These are fake, and players must stay away from them.
Players can run GTA 5 on their mobile devices with the help of their PC or PS4. They can use Steam Link or PS Remote Play for this purpose. Players can take a look at the articles given below to learn more: | |
The Nursing Home Falls Self-Efficacy Scale: development and testing.
We examined a brief measure of falls self-efficacy in nursing home residents participating in a pilot randomized controlled trial to study the effects of hip protectors on the prevention of fractures (N = 116, mean age 82 ± 8, 72% female). Internal consistency reliability was acceptable with Cronbach's alpha of .79. Factor analysis supported two factors representing self-efficacy expectations and outcome expectancy. Contrasted groups comparisons and construct validity were examined. We found lower falls self-efficacy in participants who needed help with mobility, in people with lower executive function, and in participants who reported fear of falling. Scores were not associated with prospective falls or adherence with hip protector use. The findings of this study provide preliminary support for the reliability and validity of the scale for future research.
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Cedar Rapids residents unfamiliar with hospice care may be surprised to learn that people still need to keep an eye on their overall health.
The staff at Above and Beyond Home Health Care regularly works with patients to help them focus on staying as well as possible through their period of care. Though they do ultimately have a terminal diagnosis and will likely weaken over time, they still can be susceptible to other health problems due to a reduced immune system or other complications.
This could make it easier to catch contagious conditions like colds or flus, which could accelerate their primary health condition. Falls and injury are also possible, and suffering the symptoms and recovery from these conditions in a weakened state can also diminish a patient’s overall quality of life.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
One area of concern for people any age is something called Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, which happens when a blood begins to clot in a vein, often in the lower leg or thigh. If the clot grows large enough to cause the vein to swell, there’s the possibility of the clot breaking loose and moving into the rest of the body, especially the lungs. This can cause a dangerous pulmonary embolism which can reduce or stop the body’s blood flow and cause other internal problems.
Even if the clot remains in the leg, it can still cause severe pain, discoloration, cramping, or soreness.
The condition can sometimes be caused by the leg remaining in the same position for the same period of time, and is sometimes seen in office workers or frequent travelers, such as people who drive or take airplanes often.
It can be caused by other factors that cause pressure on the pelvis, legs or spine, or aggravated by medical conditions that impact circulation of the body, everything from cancer to trauma. Lifestyle factors like cigarette smoking or obesity could also increase your DVT risk.
DVT in hospice situations
Patients receiving hospice care are especially susceptible to Deep Vein Thrombosis, and therefore higher risk of pulmonary embolisms.
In some cases, it could be due to weak physical health or a weak immune system. Plus, patients may spend a good deal of time sitting or lying down which could aggravate any leg or thigh problems and possibly increase swelling.
Clients on hospice care due to terminal conditions like cancer or heart disease may also be more susceptible to thrombosis situations.
In fact, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, cancer patients are more likely to have bleeding problems and recurring thrombosis in comparison to non-cancer patients.
Although there hasn’t been substantial research into the role of patients in palliative care or hospice care situations, what has been seen is that the progression of cancerous tissue may cause a cycle of regular internal bleeding and coagulation, which increases the possibility of clotting.
Both types of thromboses, the pulmonary and the deep vein, are actually a major cause of death among elderly patients.
A Medline study of 1,932 patients with thrombosis who are age 70 or older was compared to 2,554 non-elderly patients with deep vein thrombosis. The elderly patients were more likely to have higher risk factors of all sorts of thrombosis, including recent hospitalization, pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure and similar factors.
What to look for
In some cases, Cedar Rapids area residents may not realize they have Deep Vein Thrombosis. But there are other possible indicators. While these sensations may signal other minor or serious conditions, collectively they could show DVT, or at least encourage a provider or nurse to take a look.
These can include:
- Warmth or tenderness in their legs or thighs.
- A change from light tenderness into pain
- Swelling but only on one leg
- Cramping
- Soreness, but without visible bruising or trauma
- Discolored, reddish skin
What may help
Though everyone has different reasons for having thromboses, there are some similar methods to reduce pain and swelling to lower the risk before greater harm takes place.
People with Deep Vein Thromboses are encouraged to get up and move around regularly. For instance, people in office settings are supposed to make sure they walk around at least hourly or perhaps more exercise and leg stretching on a break or after/before work.
Lifestyle changes can also reduce one’s risk, such as quitting smoking or losing weight. If weight loss occurs due to more regular exercise, that’s even more positive. Although hospice situations may not have the ability to make these changes over time, they or their caregivers can still encourage regular physical activity.
Health care providers can play a helpful role as well.
When a patient is diagnosed with health conditions known to aggravate thrombosis, a doctor or other provider should discuss the possibility of thrombosis, and encourage the patient to regularly keep moving.
Beyond this, he or she may consider prescribing anti-coagulant medication, which can help the blood from clotting.
The staff at Above and Beyond Home Health Care is eager to help educate patients and their families about the signs of and risks of DVT along with encouraging methods to reduce it. | https://abovebeyondhc.com/basic-information-hospice-care/recognize-signs-deep-vein-thrombosis/ |
Yuma News
Yuma, Arizona - The use of drones to smuggle drugs along the border is on the rise and the Yuma Sector Border Patrol is seeking the public’s help in spotting and reporting them.
Drones, more formally called unmanned aircraft system, have many positive and legitimate uses; however, drones are also frequently being used to smuggle illegal drugs across the international border from Mexico into the U.S. They are operated from a distance by remote control and are most often used under the cover of night.
Border Community Liaison Agent Benjamin Rodriguez said the drones that are flown across the border can typically carry two to five pounds and will attempt several trips in one smuggling event.
“Drones are more easily available and because of this, drug trafficking organizations are using them to transport drugs,” said Rodriguez, adding that drone activity is most prevalent in south Yuma County. “They can easily fly the drugs over and drop them off (on the U.S. side).”
Rodriguez said if you see or hear a drone flying near the international border, or if you see a drone carrying or dropping a package, you may be witnessing illegal activity.
If you suspect suspicious drone activity, the Yuma Sector Border Patrol is asking that you report it by calling 1-866-999-USBP (8727). Callers can remain anonymous and are advised to keep their distance and report as many details as possible, to include the location, any suspicious persons in the area and a description of the drone.
“We are reaching out to the public to help us out should they see anything suspicious that may be a drone being used illicitly,” Rodriguez said. “This is an ongoing effort by Yuma’s chief patrol agent to secure our borders.” | |
Litigation Lawyers in Dunn
In Dunn, North Carolina, a "tort" is any wrongful act, besides a breach of contract or a crime, that the legal system can remedy.
Basically, a tort in Dunn, North Carolina is any wrongful action committed by one person against another, which gives the victim of the wrongdoing the legal right to sue the wrongdoer. This is recognized as a "cause of action."
Statutes and appellate court rulings in Dunn, North Carolina recognize a very massive number of different torts. However, most of these torts are largely relics of history, and are no longer litigated very often, if at all. There are only a few that the average person has a decent chance of dealing with at least once in their lives. They include, but aren't limited to, negligence, fraud, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and battery.
Types of Torts in Dunn, North Carolina
Negligence: In Dunn, North Carolina, negligence is the most often-litigated tort. It is defined as a failure to act (in any situation) with a reasonable level of care, and causing harm as a result of that carelessness. For example, if a store that's open to the public fails to remove ice from its front entrance, or put up any kind of warning, even though it knows that the ice is there, it is not exercising reasonable care. If someone is injured as a result, the store owner will likely be required to compensate them for their injuries. This is, obviously, just an example.
Fraud: Fraud is another frequent tort litigated in Dunn, North Carolina courts. Fraud is defined as the deliberate misrepresentation of facts made for financial, or other personal gain, which causes harm to someone else. Normally, fraud is committed when a product or service is sold, and the seller lies about the nature or quality of the thing being sold. If, in deciding to buy what the fraudster is selling, the victim relies on the false statements, the seller has committed fraud. The buyer can then sue the seller, to seek compensation for their losses. At the very least, they will normally receive the difference between the fair market value of the thing they bought, and what they paid for it.
Battery: Battery is defined by the law of Dunn, North Carolina as any contact by one person, with the body of another, which is offensive or harmful. Any conduct that causes physical injury, pain, or emotional distress is battery. Also, you do not need to really touch a person with your own body to commit battery - simply directing harmful contact (say, by throwing a rock) toward another person is sufficient to create liability for battery. Battery can also arise from "offensive" contact, which is basically any physical contact that violates one's sense of personal dignity constitutes battery, and the victim could technically sue over it. However, in most cases like that, the plaintiff hasn't suffered any real harm, and will only be able to recover nominal damages, which would be far, far less than the cost of filing a lawsuit.
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: Intentional infliction of emotional distress, also known as IIED, was not recognized in Dunn, North Carolina as a valid tort until the early to mid 20th Century. However, since it became available as a cause of action, it has become one of the most common sources of civil litigation in the tort context. IIED is committed when a person engages in "outrageous" conduct towards another person, with actual intent of causing mental trauma or distress, and then really causes the intended result. Physical injuries are not necessary to prove IIED, but if the emotional trauma is so severe that it causes physical symptoms (such as a heart attack, in the most extreme cases), the defendant will be liable for them, as well.
How Can A Dunn, North Carolina Tort Lawyer Help?
If you have been the victim of a tort in , North Carolina, you have the authority to seek legal redress. And if you have been sued for a tort, you have a right to defend yourself.
Whatever your situation, a tort lawyer who has experience in representing people in Dunn, North Carolina tort cases can advise you on the best way to proceed, and give you the best chance of winning your case, whatever side you're on. | https://litigationattorneys.legalmatch.com/NC/Dunn/tort-lawyers.html |
1. In general, at the onset of an injury claim, we will investigate the facts of what happened, interview witnesses, and take pictures that are relevant and necessary to your claim. We obtain all relevant information including police, EMS and fire department reports, videos, and incident reports. If necessary we will hire an accident reconstructionist or other liability expert at this time to write a report documenting what happened and who was at fault. During this time, you will be treating with your doctors making sure to keep all of your office appointments. We will also need for you to keep us informed as to your injury and treatment status. This will be your responsibility. Email is best, and usually gets a very quick response if you have any questions. If you need a medical referral, we will direct you as to the best providers to give you the best care.
2. After you are done treating, we will obtain all of your medical records and bills from all of your medical providers. Your claim will not be able to be proceed forward until you are completely done treating and we have obtained all of this medical documentation. While we make every effort to expedite the process of obtaining these records, please be aware that some medical providers including the Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals, and doctors affiliated with both of these providers, can take up to 3 months to respond to our requests for records.
3. After we have obtained all of your medical records, we will compile and organize all relevant documentation and records in preparation for the drafting of the demand package. We will be in contact with you during this process to ensure we have obtained all of the information we need to present a clear and compelling picture as to how your injuries have adversely affected your life. If we need additional information or reports from your medical doctors to supplement your claim, we will obtain them at that time. We will make every possible effort to fully document your injuries so that we present a strong and persuasive demand for compensation to the insurance company.
4. We will then draft your demand for compensation to the insurance company with due consideration paid to the fact that they will attempt to negotiate us down from our initial position. We will be in contact with you directly at this time to discuss your case in detail and ask your input as to my evaluation of your case. The demand package is then finalized and submitted to the insurance company and negotiations commence once the insurance company contacts us, usually within 4 to 6 weeks. In the final analysis, if the insurance company is fair with us we will be fair with them, and your injury claim will be resolved as quickly as possible. You will always be apprised as to the progress of the negotiations and advised as to what you can expect in NET compensation after the legal, medical, and expenses are paid, BEFORE any settlement is accepted.
5. This is the claim process from start to finish. If at some point we need to consider litigating your case, we will sit down and discuss that together in great detail. We look forward to representing you. If you have any questions at any step along the way, please let us know how we can best help you. Again, thank you for choosing our firm to represent you with regard to your personal injury claim. | https://law-ohio.com/client-information/ |
Despite evidence that more COVID-19 testing would help reduce the spread of the disease, especially in a remote destination like Hawaii, heads of state have resisted the implementation of a two-test policy for travelers arriving.
Earlier this summer, the state removed all testing requirements for those vaccinated.
And even with just one pre-flight test for unvaccinated travelers, experts say infected passengers can easily fall through the cracks.
Due to the incubation and latency periods of COVID-19, using a single test to prevent the spread among tens of thousands of daily visitors is akin to using a chain link fence to keep mosquitoes out, said Dr Darragh O’Carroll, an emergency and disaster physician in Honolulu.
“There are a lot of holes,” O’Carroll said. “The science has been pretty conclusive since probably June 2020 that a single testing system was no more than 30-40% effective at catching a population of infected people.”
New Federal Rules Announced On Monday, all foreign travelers to the United States must show proof of vaccination before boarding, as well as proof of a negative COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated US citizens will need to be tested the day before they return to the United States, as well as after returning home.
O’Carroll and several of his colleagues urged heads of state to do the same, he said.
“No one seemed to really listen,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what we said or how conclusive the science looked.”
After months of mandatory quarantines, business closures, and virtually no tourists, Hawaii had one of the lowest infection rates in the country. Then, in October 2020, the state allowed travelers to skip quarantine with a single pre-flight test.
Infection rates have increased, but they have remained low compared to other states. Part of this has been attributed to a severely crippled tourism industry and a lack of participation in leisure travel. And some believe visitors don’t see the incentive to test after arriving when faced with a quarantine away from home.
But as the number of trips increased this summer, so did infection rates.
In July, Hawaii lifted its quarantine and testing requirements for vaccinated travelers. A month later, the state was plagued by a record spate of delta variant cases that were filling hospitals and killing more people than at any time during the pandemic.
Prior to July, Hawaii reported a seven-day average of 46 daily cases. In the first week of September, that number reached nearly 900. Case rates have slowly started to decline since then, but experts say it’s unclear whether that will hold up.
Much of it was community spread fueled by the delta variant, which was introduced by travel.
Scientists say implementing additional testing measures could help.
A to study published in March in the medical journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases showed that the risk to an overall population is reduced by only 36% with a single pre-flight test. But a two-test system coupled with a short quarantine period catches a much higher rate, exceeding 70% of infected travelers, according to the study.
Lee Altenberg, assistant full professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Hawaii, wrote that the article “is one of the very few studies available to inform policymakers in Hawaii.”
But, he said, the research was falsely presented as evidence that Hawaii’s unique testing system was very effective in preventing the spread. State officials said the study proved their unique testing system would detect 88% of all infected travelers.
“The public had a bad impression of the protection we got from the Safe Travels pretest program, and you can’t make good policies if you don’t have accurate information,” Altenberg said.
“We have to be absolutely serious about our travel protocols,” Altenberg added. “And if we have the mistaken impression that (Safe Travels) prevents 90% of infections, we are not going to take these protocols seriously.”
Altenberg submitted contributions in the Lancet study last week.
The study authors said the 88% figure represents the percentage of contagious people that would be detected on the day of travel, not the overall reduction in risk for a destination population.
The difference between “infected” and “infectious” is significant, said one of the study’s co-authors.
“There are obviously people who… will develop an infection but are not yet contagious,” said Dr. Nathan Lo, an infectious disease researcher at the University of California, San Francisco. “And these people will not necessarily be detected. “
Governor David Ige did not respond to a request for an interview, but the state announced Monday that a million free rapid tests are being provided for routine testing of Oahu residents.
Lt. Gov. Josh Green told The Associated Press that testing decisions ultimately rest with the governor, but noted that Hawaii’s single testing policy is superior to other states within the states. United have done, helping to keep the islands safe.
“If the mayors want to do additional testing, I absolutely support that,” Green said. “Offering voluntary take-on-arrival antigen testing for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers could offer additional protection given the highly infectious nature of the delta variant. “
Green said only Alaska has a similar system in place among U.S. states. Alaska is also facing a record spate of new infections and hospitalizations.
“We did more than everyone, we did a better job than everyone,” Green said.
Dr Mathew Kiang, epidemiologist and professor at Stanford University, was the lead author of the Lancet study. He is concerned about the lack of routine travel tests as well as the so-called breakthrough infections for those who are vaccinated. Experts say the injections help reduce the severity of the disease, but those infected could pass it on to others. | https://corfulinastravel.com/experts-consider-more-travel-tests-to-contain-covid-in-hawaii/ |
This research study is complete
A woman's genetic code can change the way she responds to treatments to prevent premature birth. We want to set up a 'biobank' - a collection of biological samples from mothers and children – so that we can study how genes influence the risk of preterm birth.
To do this, we needed to find the best way of involving pregnant women in the study, and of collecting and looking at the samples. We tested whether recruiting women by post would be possible: to do this, we sent invitations to 711 women who had taken part in the OPPTIMUM trial. 205 women responded positively, and were sent packets for collection of saliva samples from themselves and their baby. The women were also asked to fill in a short questionnaire.
In total, around 23% of mothers and 19% of mother and baby pairs who we invited to take part returned their samples. For most of the mother's saliva samples, we were able to get enough information about their DNA to carry out more work. However, we were not able to do this with most of the samples from babies.
The results from this study show that postal recruitment and collection works for adults, but does not give good results when used to get samples from infants. The samples we collected will now be used in a larger study to test if differences in a woman's genes change her response to a particular hormone, progesterone.
Timing
2013-2015
Thanks for your interest in our research
Tommy's funds research across the UK investigating the reasons for pregnancy complications and loss. Maternal and fetal research is underfunded and we need your support to continue. There are many small and large ways you can support us, find out more here.
Funding
This study is fully funded by Tommy's and takes place in a Tommy's centreHide details
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We are delighted to offer for sale, this four bedroom semi-detached villa in a conveniently located area, close to local amenities and public transport.
The property is ideal for families and first time buyers alike.
The ground floor comprises of hallway with under stair storage leading to a dining/living area, a modern fitted kitchen with a sun room which leads to the rear garden. The first floor has a fitted bathroom and three bedrooms, all with bespoke built in wardrobes and storage, Additionally there is a second floor which has been converted to a spacious master bedroom with built in storage space
This property also is complimented by a driveway with a paved area to the front and further enhanced by a generous enclosed, paved, rear garden.
GROUND FLOOR:
Hallway - 5`7` x 15`3`
Hall Storage - 2`7` x 5`7`
Living Room - 10`4` x 11`2`
Dining Room - 9`3` x 8`3`
Kitchen - 8`7` x 7`7` - Modern fitted kitchen with a range of high and low level storage units and matching work surface. Stainless steel sink unit with mixer tap and tiled splash back.
Sun Room - 16`3` x 11`6`
FIRST FLOOR
Bedroom 1 - 9` x 11`2` - Modern white built in wardrobes
Bedroom 2 - 13`1` x 8`3` - Modern white built in wardrobes
Bedroom 3 - 8`9` x 7`8` - Modern white built in wardrobes
Landing - 5`10` X 9`1`
Bathroom - 5`9` x 5`9` - Modern three piece suite including free-standing shower
SECOND FLOOR
Bedroom 4 - 10`4` x 13`4`
Notice
Please note we have not tested any apparatus, fixtures, fittings, or services. Interested parties must undertake their own investigation into the working order of these items. All measurements are approximate and photographs provided for guidance only.
* Stamp duty rates provided as a guide only. Additional charges may apply. Please refer to the tax service's website for more information. | https://www.propertynews.com/property-for-sale/25-hillview-avenue-newtownabbey-bt36-6ae/property/FRL59/ |
Pearl Harbor is a complex embayment on the island of O'ahu, Hawai'i, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a US Navy deep water naval base: headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet. It was the attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on 7 December 1941 that brought the United States into World War II.
|Contents|
Early History of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor was originally an extensive, shallow embayment called Wai Momi (meaning "Water of Pearl") or Pu‘uloa by the Hawaiians. Pu‘uloa was regarded as the home of the shark goddess Ka‘ahupahau and her brother, Kahi‘uka. The harbor was teeming with pearl-producing oysters until the late 1800's.
In the years following the arrival of Captain James Cook, Pearl Harbor was not considered a suitable port due to the shallowness of the water. The United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom signed the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 as Supplemented by Convention on December 6, 1884 and ratified in 1887. On January 20, 1887, the United States Senate allowed the Navy to lease Pearl Harbor as a naval base (the US took possession on November 9 that year). As a result, Hawai‘i obtained exclusive rights to allow Hawaiian sugar to enter the United States duty free. The Spanish-American War of 1898 and the desire for the United States to have a permanent presence in the Pacific both contributed to the decision to annex Hawai‘i.
After annexation, Pearl Harbor was refitted to allow for more navy ships. In 1908 the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard was established. In 1917, Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor was purchased for joint Army and Navy use in the development of military aviation in the Pacific.
As Japanese influence increased in the Pacific, the US increased the US Navy's presence as well. With tensions rising between the United States and Japan in 1940, the US began training operations at the base. The attack on Pearl Harbor by Japan on 7 December 1941 brought the United States into World War II.
Pearl Harbor after December 7, 1941
See the article Attack on Pearl Harbor.
On the morning of December 7, 1941, planes and midget submarines of the Imperial Japanese Navy issued a surprise attack on the US under the command of Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. This attack brought the United States into WWII. At 6:00 a.m. on December 7th the six Japanese carriers launched a first wave of 181 planes composed of torpedo bombers, dive-bombers, horizontal bombers and fighters. The Japanese hit American ships and military installations at 7:53 a.m.. They attacked military airfields at the same time they hit the fleet anchored in Pearl Harbor. Overall, twenty-one ships of the U.S. Pacific Fleet were sunk or damaged, aircraft losses were 188 destroyed and 159 damaged, American dead numbered 2,403. That figure included 68 civilians, and there were 1,178 military and civilian wounded.
Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard
Established as the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard in 1908, this former coaling station has grown to play a central role in maintaining the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet. It is the largest naval repair facility in the broad expanse of the Pacific between the west coast of the United States and the Far East. The Shipyard was heavily involved in repairing the Pacific Fleet following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Its drydocks and machine shops can and do service virtually all naval craft from submarines (including the 688-, or Los Angeles class submarine) up to aircraft carriers. The Shipyard is Hawaii's largest industrial employer today, with more than four thousand civilian workers and about eight hundred uniformed personnel.
Films and Books
Fiction
- The Final Countdown is a movie set around Pearl Harbor, in which the aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, from 1980 is time-warped back to 1941, one day before the December 7 attack on the base.
- From Here to Eternity by James Jones. The attack on Pearl Harbor plays a crucial role for Robert E. Lee Prewitt.
'Historical' Fiction
- Tora! Tora! Tora! is a movie about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Many consider this to be the best Pearl Harbor movie ever made as it deals with all aspects of the battle. The movie's re-enactment of the attack lasts almost as long as the original event.
- Pearl Harbor is the title of a 2001 film about the 1941 attack. | https://ns50.academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Pearl_Harbor |
The scene is all too common. You are having dinner out and spot another couple being escorted to the table next to you. They are attractive and seem so focused on each other that it must be a first date. Only a waiter breaks the easy flow of conversation, for their eyes are almost locked with intensity.
Suddenly, the male half of the couple gets a call. Meanwhile, their carafe of wine is delivered and poured. You feel sympathy as the woman’s eyes gradually glaze over as she scans the room for any distraction. Sensing her discomfort, you notice the call takes fifteen minutes. What would you do in her place? Did she bring her own car to be capable of leaving? Would she tough it out and hope for an apology? Is this a normal practice for her date?
Changing venues, at the local gym you wait for a machine then notice someone is merely occupying the seat while only perusing their cell phone. Sometimes if you make your presence known they actually thank you for getting them back to the present. In fact, the entire row of machines may have “exercisers” obsessed with their cell screens. Stopping at Walgreens on the way home, even the cashier is chatting on the phone while taking your money. Do you feel valued as a customer? Later, during a stroll through a shopping mall you observe friends walking together while each reading their own cell texts.
Obviously, we all have a different “cell phone etiquette”. What one person considers rude may be standard behavior for another.
Personally, I have a variety of “cell- free experiences” for which I place the here and now, safety, or courtesy before calls, messages, and e mails. For example, on a relaxing hour-long walk outdoors, I prefer the sights and sounds of nature to a phone ring. Likewise, the phone remains in a locker at my gym. A recent report found that gym-goers lose up to forty percent of their workout taking calls. Even if they finish during the allotted time, balance, coordination, and effort expended suffer. Moreover, for some reason those calls seem overly loud to others enjoying their work outs. Besides, only non- cell users can make new acquaintances in any venue, so virtual communications, be they through smart watch, Bluetooth, I- Pod, or cell phone, make social interactions that include eye contact and real speech, impossible.
Last week I invited someone over to watch our favorite team in a playoff game, When I realized a couple of my comments were unanswered, I was startled to see that he was receiving messages on his Apple watch and cell phone while also wearing a Bluetooth. I made a mental note to address the issue before we got together again. Watching the team alone may have been more fulfilling. My guest was so busy checking his messages that he forgot about the only live person there; ME!
As emphasized in a new book, “The Myth of Multitasking,” a relationship was being sacrificed due to a preoccupation with electronic messages and no “anchor task” or main priority. Partners, children, and friends may fall by the wayside. In fact, the practice of ignoring people for phones has become so widespread that there is a new word for “phone snubbing”, which has been shortened to “phubbing.” While the word “multitasking” is relatively new and sounds efficient, most of us can still only master on one task at a time.with any quality result. When we switch from one task to another, or do two simultaneously, studies show we actually lose time.
Isn’t it coincidental that since the proliferation of cell phones everyone has so many more “emergencies?” Any family member, even one that calls four times a day, is now crucial. People can even answer these calls during a movie, ignoring the annoyance to others concentrating on the big screen.
We have all been victims of “phubbing” to different degrees. Which of these situations bother you the most?
- The lawyer you pay well uses ten minutes of your scheduled private conference for another client who calls on his cell phone.
- A date spends almost half your first meeting on the cell phone. Every call is “an important family member in another state or “
- Someone picks up your call on their car phone without telling you there are three other people listening.
- In a doctor’s waiting room, a horribly loud and discordant ringer jolts
- Someone accepts your call but for the third time cuts you off for another
- One of your acquaintances only texts but will never
- Some people text you only emojis, never
- You text a thoughtful few sentences, but one person consistently responds with a single
- A friend calls you by video chat and includes others you do not know in the
- You are invited to a friend’s house. After you have only been there a few minutes, they take a call and never hang
- At a restaurant for a family member’s birthday, your partner takes at least five calls about “business.” Each time, your SO leaves the restaurant and goes outside for five minutes or
- You agree to an outing with your friend When their cell phone rings, they stay on that conversation until you reach the destination.
- You barely are able to stop for a red light. Meanwhile, a pedestrian crossing the street walks into your car while answering a text message. They threaten you with calling the police.
Finally, rate yourself as a polite cell phone user. When do you ignore live people around you for devices?
- You are completely in the moment with the real time company around you.
- Rarely, but you make sure to review each call or This constant checking can make those around you nervous.
- You have no misgivings about leaving a room of guests for an important
- When you are with a client, you never interrupt their time for unexpected
If you have a particular telephone etiquette that works, can you summarize it and email it to this address? | https://www.4boca.com/guilty-of-phubbing/ |
The quality of economic data across the Asian & Pacific region varies considerably across countries, mainly as a result of lack of statistical capacity, making comparisons of GDP of dubious value.
Many countries have seriously out of date base years and it is estimated that bringing these up to date could add 1.2% on average to existing levels of GDP, equivalent to nearly US$0.54 trillion.
Most Asian & Pacific countries use a national income accounting standard which does not record the informal economy which could account for an estimated additional average of 28.0% of GDP across the region.
China’s economic data faces a large problem of credibility because of the lack of independence of its statistical office and a number of anomalies between published data and externally estimated data.
In this paper the quality and the reliability of official national income accounting data is investigated for 45 countries in the Asia & Pacific region.
The quality of economic statistics in the Asian & Pacific region varies considerably across countries. There are several reasons for this, but one of the most important is the differences in the resources available to national statistical offices for the collection, processing and analysis of economic statistics on output and prices. There is a global standard set by the United Nations for measuring national income, but poorer countries generally report poorer quality statistics because of their lower capacity in terms of resources and trained staff in national statistical offices to implement best practice and the paucity of comprehensive household and business surveys available. Four of the countries analysed are higher income OECD members – Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Korea who are part of an organisation committed to best practice in the provision of economic statistics, but the others differ significantly in their level of economic development. Given the differences in per capita income across the region outside of this group ranging in purchasing power parity (PPP) from US$82.8 thousand in Singapore in 2014 to US$2.4 thousand in Nepal some differences in the quality of economic statistics would be expected. All the GDP PPP data are from the World Bank’s WDI database apart from the GDP PPP estimates for Myanmar/Burma, New Caledonia, and Taiwan, which are taken from the CIA World Factbook.
This problem of statistical capacity has a serious impact on the quality of economic statistics across a significant portion of the Asian & Pacific region where out of the 45 countries analysed, 25 of them had a GDP per capita below US$10,000 in 2014. This set of nations also includes some of the most populous countries in the region: India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, which collectively in 2014 accounted for 40.7% of the region’s total population and 20.1% of total GDP. China, with a GDP per capita of US$13,206 lies just outside of this arbitrary threshold, but also faces the problem of scarce resources devoted to statistical capacity relative to the size of the economy. Limited statistical resources present the most difficult measurement issues for geographically large, populous, developing nations with serious pockets of poverty and much informal unrecorded economic activity.
India, the second largest economy in Asia, for example, has a number of well-documented economic data deficiencies. Official GDP statistics are revised frequently, just as in developed economies, but often as result of faulty reporting rather than the accretion of more information. To give a recent example, in June 2013, the Central Statistics Office, revised Industrial Production data twice in a week. Apart from frequent clerical errors Indian statisticians are only able to sample a very small unrepresentative proportion of the firms and agricultural enterprises operating in the country and estimates are likely to be biased. There has also been problems for many years with the measurement of inflation. Since 1947 the Reserve Bank of India has relied on a Wholesale Price Index (WPI) to target inflation despite its defects including the omission of services prices, the collection of price data at different stages of the production process and the high volatility of the resultant index values. These issues have been reported by Sturgess (2011), but although India launched a new Consumer Price Index this has not replaced the WPI because of continuing reliability issues.
These problems can all be rectified by increasing the resources available for national income accounting exercises, but there is also a specific problem within the region: the extent to which China’s economic data is subject to political manipulation remains a live and continuing issue. These problems distort the measurement of the relative size of national economies and the validity of inter-country comparisons of living standards and growth rates across the Asian & Pacific region, are discussed in more detailed in section 5 below.
Real growth in the activity of an economy is estimated by comparing GDP at current and at constant prices. Constant price estimates use the price relatives of a particular year, known as a base year or benchmark year, to weight the volume components of production. But since the structure of production and relative prices over time are dynamic, the pattern of relative prices and the industries surveyed in the base year become less relevant over time. Even when the economic data produced by national statistical offices are published regularly serious distortions arise from the use of outdated base years. This biases estimates of the relative size of economies and the speed at which they are growing in real terms. This means that the estimates of GDP used in country rankings are likely to be seriously inaccurate with the degree of bias for each country being dependent on the length of time since the last base year was updated by the national statistics office.
Table 1 shows the results of a sample of recent rebasing exercises for 5 Asian & Pacific countries. A scatter graph of this data shows that there is a strong positive relationship between the numbers of years since the last rebasing exercise and the size of GDP uplift (See Figure 1).
Uplifts in the measurement of GDP have been found among some of those countries in the Asian & Pacific region that have recently updated their base years: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. GDP generally increases under a new base year by the addition of the measurement of new or under-recorded elements in the economy.
However, a positive uplift effect is not always guaranteed. In 2013, a rebasing exercise carried out by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) resulted in an additional 7.8% increase in estimated value added for the year 2012-13 equivalent to US$5.7 billion when the base year was updated from 2000 to 2006. But while agriculture and the service sectors’ shares of GDP both rose as a result of the exercise from 20.3% to 23.0% and 52.8% to 56.0% respectively, the estimate of industrial output actually shrank by US$3.13 billion in value. This was due to contractions in the scale of measured output of large and small scale manufacturing which caused the industrial sector to fall by 20.9% of GDP.Neither are the uplifts always large as a result of rebasing. In Sri Lanka, which updated its base year from 1998 to 2002, GDP was revised upwards by only 4.2%, while in India, GDP actually shrank by 2.0% after rebasing from 2004 to 2011 [See Table1].
The best current international practice is to update a country’s base year every five years to minimise sudden changes in a GDP series, but OECD countries now adopt the practice of chaining where price relatives are updated every year. This was one of the recommendations of SNA 1993. Chaining also allows continual updates to be made to the structure of production and consumption by adjusting for the actual goods produced, but it requires considerable expenditure on resources by statistical offices. Only six countries of the richer countries use chaining in the region: Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea, and New Zealand.
In this section we report on an exercise to estimate what the size of Asian & Pacific region’s GDP might be if most countries updated their base years to 2013. When this exercise was carried out for Africa and the Americas it was estimated that GDP might be about 21% and 5% higher respectively. Given the inadequate resources allocated to national income accounting in some of the poorer countries across the world, a rebasing exercise, often carried out with external technical and financial support, usually does far more than the updating relative price weights used to estimate real GDP. Some sectors of the economy are measured more accurately using better survey methods, while some economic activities are monitored that were not previously monitored such as mobile telephony and media services. This explains the 60% uplift experienced by Ghana.
The methodology we use to estimate what would happen if all Asian & Pacific countries rebased up to 2013 is crude, but simple and involves applying an estimated constant cumulative annual rate of growth to the years between the last reported base year and 2013.The longer the period between 2013 and the last base year and the higher the assumed cumulative growth rate, the higher the uplift that would be expected from rebasing. The resultant country uplift factors are then applied to the 2013 GDP PPP country data for the Asian & Pacific region (See Table 3). Analysing the existing economic data shows that aggregate GDP in this region may be underestimated and could be around 1.1% higher.
(1) First the choice of a base year data series to apply on a country by country basis, a task made problematic given the inconsistencies between the WDI, the IMF, and the UN.
(2) The second assumption is to estimate the cumulative annual rate which would act as a proxy by replicating over time the effect of the uplift created in one year by rebasing GDP (See Figure 1).
Inconsistent Base Year Data: Many countries in the Asian & Pacific region have not even been able to update base years to update base years every five years, but calculating how out-of-date national economic data for each country is, is hampered by the inconsistencies in the publicly available information on base years from three main international sources. These include, the World Bank, IMF, and UN. Alternative sources are the base year recorded by each country’s national statistical offices (NSOs). The reported base years from each of these sources are shown by country in Table 2. Given the differences in reported base years, the source(s) generally used to calculate how many years the latest base year was out-of-date was highlighted in bold.
The number of years each country’s base year is out of date is also shown in Table 2 for the 45 countries in the Asian & Pacific region. These are calculated as the difference between the last reported base year and 2014. The average time elapsed between the base year and 2014 was just above six years. However, fourteen countries had a base year that was 10 and more years out of date: Afghanistan (2002), Bhutan (2000), Cambodia (2000), Laos (2002), Maldives (2003), Marshall Island (2003), Micronesia (2004), Nepal (2000), New Caledonia (1990), Papua New Guinea (1998), Philippines (2000), Solomon Islands, and Sri Lanka (2002).
Cumulative annual rate: The assumed annual rate that would act as a proxy by replicating over time the effect of the uplift created in one year by rebasing GDP was 0.37% for the Asian & Pacific countries. This was based on an econometric model using data from the sample of 5 GDP national rebasing exercises, shown in Table 1 and Figure 1.
Results: Analysing the existing economic data shows that the aggregate Asian & Pacific region’s GDP is underestimated by the World Bank and it could be around US$0.54 trillion higher. In 2014, the sample of 45 Asian & Pacific countries had a combined GDP of US$43.6 trillion measured in PPP international dollars. Applying the uplift estimate discussed in assumption (2) above produces a revised figure for aggregate GDP of US$44.1 trillion, an average uplift of 1.2%. However, this is misleading since it includes Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand, Tajikistan, Thailand and Uzbekistan (0% uplift) as these countries have adopted chaining which is in effect rebasing every year. The uplift estimate also produce differences in the size rankings of Asian & Pacific countries and the results are shown in Table 3 which displays each country ranked by current GDP and rebased GDP.
The harmonized System of National Accounts (SNA) was created by the international community to facilitate the comparability of economic statistics and standards. Since 1953 there have been three revisions to recommended SNA standards, in 1968, 1993, and in 2008, all approved by the United Nations Statistical Commission. Most of the Asian & Pacific countries analysed have now adopted SNA 1993 while Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Timor-Leste have adopted the latest SNA or 2008 standard (See Table 4).
These standards are not mandatory and the adoption by a country of a standard such as SNA 1993 does not imply that all of the recommendations are implemented. The near general use of SNA 1993 means that, apart from the individual discrepancies across countries mentioned above, economic statistics across the Asian & Pacific region are broadly comparable in terms of the definitions used and accounting methodologies applied. However, the United Nations Statistical Commission formally adopted the SNA 2008 standard in 2009. Significant differences between SNA 1993 and SNA 2008 include the treatment of government accounts, capital expenditure, intellectual property and improved measurement of the informal sector and illegal activities, areas which are particularly important in emerging markets. The longer it takes the countries of the Asian & Pacific region to adopt this standard the less reliable will be the economic comparisons between themselves and the developed world.
All economies have many unrecorded economic transactions which bias downwards official estimates of GDP, employment and income per head. The SNA 1993 national income accounting standard recognised the importance of the informal economy particularly in developing economies defining it as belonging to the household sector, but there was no explicit methodological recommendation as to how to measure its size.
The SNA 2008 standard goes a lot further in defining the informal sector and in placing the onus of measurement on national statistical offices adopting the standard to include estimates within the framework of national income accounting. The SNA 2008 standard recommends a number of methods of estimating the informal economy, although at present without a set of full regular surveys researchers rely on the work of Freidrich Schneider a leading expert on the size and importance of shadow or grey economic activity across the world. In his latest estimates for 2007 which covers 31 of the countries investigated in this analysis, Table 5 shows the relative size shadow economies across the region ranged from 10.3% of GDP in Japan to 48.2% in Thailand with an average level of 28.0%.
China has attracted much controversy about the reliability of its economic data. From the 1990’s onwards, as China’s significance in the global economy grew, concern about the accuracy of official data produced a debate about the relative size of the Chinese economy and the velocity and accuracy of its reported real growth rate following the market-led reforms of the late 1980s. There have also been disagreements about the accuracy of the purchasing power parity (PPP) price indexes used as converters instead of market exchange rates to compare the relative size and growth rates of China in relation to the US and the rest of the world.
Holz (2013) blames the problem on the institutional arrangements of data compilation in China since the NBS has no degree of formal independence and there is no transparency in how the NBS compiles data. Furthermore, the limitations of publicly available data do not allow independent checks on the accuracy of the official data. He notes that the NBS has scope for intentional manipulations in order to achieve a politically desirable GDP nominal or real GDP growth rate. It can “falsify” nominal data by expanding its data compilation method and can falsify real growth rates through its choice of deflation methodology, as well as through its choice of retrospective revisions to nominal values and implicit deflators in benchmark revisions.
Nevertheless, there are a number of commentators who still question the accuracy of Chinese official statistics. Suspicion of the quality of Chinese economic statistics has attracted domestic criticism. In 2007 the current Prime Minister Li Keqiang is alleged to have said that he did not trust “man-made” figures when examining the Chinese economy. At that time he was head of the Communist Party in Liaoning Province and considered electricity consumption, rail freight and bank loans to be more accurate measures of economic activity than GDP. The Economist created a “Keqiang index “based on a weighted average of these three indicators which showed that economic activity appeared to be far more volatile than was evidenced in the official statistics produced by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
One officially recognised domestic problem is the existence of large gaps between central and provincial estimates of economic activity which has been called the “phantom province” problem. As Crabbe (2014) explains the “province” results from the continued divergence between the central government’s GDP estimate and the sum of the estimates of China’s 31 provincial and centrally run municipal governments. The sum of provincial GDP estimates regularly exceeds the national figures issued by the NBS. For example, in 2013 the NBS estimated national GDP at 56.9 trillion yuan (US$9.3 trillion), while the aggregate of all but three of the independently released provincial estimates of economic activity was nearly 2.06 trillion yuan higher. This discrepancy has been growing over time. According to data provided by Crabbe (2014) the divergence rose from 2.5% in 2004 to 10.0% by 2012. In that year the discrepancy reached Renmimbi (RMB) 5.76 trillion equivalent to the size of Guangdong province.
The deliberate falsification of local economic data reported centrally by overzealous or fearful officials has historical roots, but the current explanation is that the discrepancies are based less on dissimulation than on errors resulting from disjointed and un-coordinated accounting. According to Zhang Liqun at the Development Research Centre of the State Council the problem is largely due to the double counting of the turnover and activities of large corporations whose subsidiaries operate across Chinese provinces.
A more serious problem noted by Balding (2014) in World Economics is the manipulation of inflation statistics, particularly house prices and the cost of renting through reducing their weights in the calculation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and by under-recording price rises. The impact of this, it is alleged, systematically biases the estimated inflation rate downwards which has the effect of raising real GDP. Balding adjusts China’s official inflation data to take account of his methodological criticisms and finds that over the period 2000 to 2011 real GDP should be reduced by up to 8-12%.
Most of the Asian & Pacific region uses a consistent, but outdated national accounting methodology, which means that comparing their economies with OECD countries will cause problems as the latest SNA 2008 is progressively adopted across the developed world. The information already available on estimates of the size of the shadow economy economies (See Table 5) suggests that significant additional upward revisions might be expected when Asian & Pacific countries adopt the SNA 2008 themselves since the new standard requires greater efforts to be devoted to measuring informal and illicit activities.
Second, the long overdue rebasing of some Asian & Pacific countries means that GDP is being underestimated by around 1% across the region and that the rankings of some countries by GDP per capita within the region must be reassessed. However, although researchers face nothing like the scale of problems in interpreting African national accounting statistics much still needs to be done by some statistical offices that have not rebased for some time. Accurate and transparent statistics are essential indicators of economic potential and if the poorer economies wish to continue to attract rising investment interest, the issue of data quality needs to be urgently addressed.
The lack of reliable recent economic data is being addressed by World Economics which produces monthly surveys (Sales Managers Indexes) of business conditions across Asiaand for a number of individual countries: China, India, Mongolia and the Philippines. Indicators of the speed and direction of economic activity are available for these areas. In addition to a headline figure the Sales Managers Indexes (SMIs) also monitor Business Confidence, Market Growth, Sales Growth, Prices Charged and Staffing Levels in separate diffusion indexes. The SMI are published monthly providing data relating to the current month and are available on the World Economics (www.worldeconomics.com) website.
Benford, Frank. (1938) “The Law of Anomalous Numbers.” Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 78, no. 4 (31 March): 551-72.
Dikhanov, Y., and Swanson, E.V. (2010), “Maddison and Wu: Measuring China’s Economic Performance”, World Economics, Vol. 11 (1), January-March: 199-203.
Holz, C. (2004), “Deconstructing China's GDP Statistics”, China Economic Review, Vol. 15, pp. 164-202.
Holz, C. (2013), “The quality of China’s GDP statistics”, Conference Proceedings.
Maddison, A., and Wu, H.X. (2008), “Measuring China’s Economic Performance”, World Economics, Volume 9 (2), April-June: 13-43.
A number of countries were excluded as there was no base year information available: America Samoa, Korea, Dem. Republic, and Northern Mariana Islands. French Polynesia was also excluded as no GDP PPP data was available for 2013.
No Shadow Economy data was available for the following countries: Afghanistan, Guam, Kiribati, Marshall Island, Micronesia, New Caledonia, Palau, Samoa, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uzbekistan, and Vanuatu.
See Maddison and Wu (2008) and Dikhanov and Swanson (2010).
See Benford’s Law see Benford (1938). | https://www.worldeconomics.com/Papers/Measuring%20GDP%20in%20Asia_0e85aeec-3fef-4b19-ab2c-79e2f1b828c5.paper |
This page about wrist gout, page 2, was last reviewed, or updated, on 3 November 2015.
A gout wrist could be difficult to diagnose
It may take time before you confirm that this is gout, and not one of the many other afflictions that can affect the wrist. (See gout wrist page 1) The best test for a diagnosis of gout is whether the needle-shaped MSU gout crystals can be seen under the lens of a polarising (polarizing) microscope. The test – called joint aspiration or arthrocentesis – requires removing synovial fluid out of the affected joint.
However, in some joints it’s difficult for the doctor to get enough synovial fluid out of the gouty area, to examine for the presence of gout crystals. Unfortunately, the wrist is one such type of joints because of all those small bones. If another joint is also inflamed, that one can be searched in the same way for MSU crystals. The best wrist joint for getting fluid is said to be the forearm radius joint adjacent to some of the wrist’s carpal bones - the radiocarpal joint.
Your rheumatologist, or other doctor, might be able to do it, s/he might not. A rheumatologist who has the necessary polarising (polarizing) microscope on the premises, which s/he often uses, is best.
If this way of diagnosing gout isn’t
possible, a judgement has to be made of how many of all the other
distinguishing marks of gout your medical history and your wrist have.
Here are the major hallmarks of gout - compare them with your wrist’s condition and your medical history.
Wrist questions
• Most important – have you had a wrist gout attack, or gout attack elsewhere, before?
• Has the affected wrist been injured before? Sprains, broken wrists – gout often goes for places that have been injured.
• Is the wrist red, swollen, sore and very painful?
Other questions
• Although the pain and inflammation may continue for weeks, did the size of the inflammation peak after 12-24 hours?
• Was the attack accompanied by a fever? In gout (and pseudo gout) it may be.
• Is your uric acid level (UA) above normal? This is NOT conclusive of gout, merely indicative, because most people with an above normal UA level never have a gout attack, and people with normal UA may get one. The UA level should be taken after the gout attack because if it is taken during a gout attack it will probably be lower than usual.
• Are you are heavy drinker?
• Are your kidneys functioning normally? Mal-performing kidneys raise blood uric acid levels, a precursor of a gout flare.
• Has a family member, past and present, had gout?
• Do you have the classic conditions of the metabolic syndrome - obesity, high blood sugar, hyperlipidemia (hyperlipidaemia) - elevated blood fats such as triglycerides and cholesterol - and insulin resistance?
• What other meds are you taking? For example are you taking one of the thiazide diuretic class of drugs for high blood pressure? They raise uric acid levels, and can therefore trigger gout.
• Did the attack begin during the night? Gout attacks –anywhere - frequently do.
• Have you splurged on high purine dishes ?
What can you do about wrist gout pain?
Epsom salts Some report relief from Epsom salts and it's worth finding out if they give you some help, and when during a wrist gout attack. Leave your arm and and in a bowl of warm water with the salts , and read the newspaper or watch TV ! There's more information about using Epsom salts on our ankle gout page.
Cabbage leaves Wrapping your wrist(s) in chilled cabbage leaves may seem like a whacky, oddball method but there is a rational behind it. Read more on our gout foot pain page.
Ice Icing the wrist may also bring relief, but it might also encourage more crystal deposition since crystal deposition is very likely to be promoted by the cold. So if ice gives you some relief, stop it as soon as you think you’ve got the most relief you’re going to get.
A survey a few years ago showed that more gout sufferers thought they could get relief from ice, than those who thought they could get it from heat.
Medicines There are no specific conventional gout medicine treatments for gout of the wrist. For pain you will be given an NSAID, such as indomethacin or voltaren and perhaps colchicine to halt an attack. If they fail to work – corticosteroids.
As with gout in any part of the body , the long term aim of all types of treatment is to lower the serum (blood) uric acid level to below the level at which gout crystals dissolve and tophi shrinks, wherever they are located. This level is thought to be below 6.0 mg/dL (men) and around 5.5 mg/dL (women), but precisely it is a personal matter between you and your gout. You may need to go lower.
With medications, lowering uric acid to these levels and dissolving crystals can occur within six months to two years for most people, especially if you are healthy in other respects. But you will be on guard against gout for the rest of your life. With natural remedies you may be able to lower uric acid sufficiently too, and stave off impending gout attacks with them. You can find details of the drugs and the natural gout remedies on the rest of this website.
Related pages
Big toe gout is a big gout issue
Read why finger gout may be one of the worst kinds of gout you can get.
Elbow gout is different to gout in other body areas. Read why and how here.
Read about features of gout foot pain, including a home
remedy that might help.
Knee gout is about more than knobbly knees.
Read what it's like when gout attacks the ears.
Navigation Links
Visit our index page for all our pain and gout body area pages.
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CURING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
The report below is about curing high blood pressure. Gout sufferers are prone to this. If you click on the advertisement, you can read about it. Clicking the advertisement does not commit you to a purchase.
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Students involved with the Wells Project at Baylor raised awareness about the need for clean drinking water around the world through World Water Day on Tuesday.
World Water Day is a day of international observance designed to bring awareness to different countries around the world that still lack clean drinking water. In addition, the day is also designed to celebrate the progress that has been made in providing greater access to clean water.
“World Water Day is a day where we can take time to pause and reflect on the progress that’s been made toward clean water and encourage others to take the next steps to get involved,” said Denver senior Marie Smith.
Student volunteers set up a booth by the Rosenbalm Fountain packed with cookies decorated like the world to attract more attention for the cause. When students stopped by the booth, they were given fliers with information about World Water Day and how college students can make a difference.
“There have been a lot of people who care about the water crisis but just need to know how they can help,” Smith said. “The best thing is to be informed. We want people to know there is a problem in the world and want to do something about it, and if you’re informed, you’re likely to be inspired to make those actions in your community.”
Loomis, Calif., freshman Gracie Edwards said she wasn’t aware of World Water Day at first, but after speaking with members from the Wells Project, she felt more informed on the crisis.
“It’s cool they are doing this to raise awareness because people don’t really know how big of a problem it is that many people don’t have clean water,” Edwards said.
Smith said college students can get involved in many ways, whether that is just staying informed, keeping the Brazos River clean or even donating money to areas in need.
“We just want college students to know they can make a difference and that more people have clean water because of the actions students have made,” Smith said.
The Wells Project is a national organization made up of students advocating for clean water, and students involved in the Baylor chapter are doing just that.
Each year The Wells Project hosts a campaign called “10 Days,” where they encourage students to give up all drinks other than water for 10 days and donate the money they would have spent buying drinks to the Wells Project. The money raised goes toward funding clean water wells in Rwanda.
The Wells Project is currently looking for students interested in helping out with the upcoming “10 Days” campaign, being team leaders and spreading awareness.
Students interested in volunteering should email [email protected] for more imformation.
“We are just trying to get the word out about clean water and encourage others to be thankful for what we have and think about those who don’t have it,” Smith said.
Some organizations, such as Charity Water, are reallocating the resources they would have used to observe World Water Day to help those affected by the recent terror attacks in Brussels. | https://baylorlariat.com/2016/03/22/wells-project-informs-of-water-crisis/ |
Evaporation, or distillation, is a separation process that takes advantage of the changing physical states of water, or other solvents, from liquid to vapor. It is unique from other separation processes, in that the water is removed from the contaminants rather than the pollutants being filtered from the water. Before recent technological developments, the capital and energy requirements for evaporation processes had been too intensive for wastewater treatment or recycling applications. The economical use of evaporation was limited to product recovery applications or when all other treatment methods had failed. For over 35 years, however, EVALED® evaporators and crystallizers throughout the world have been implemented as wastewater treatment and recycling solutions– economically and reliably. EVALED® heat pump vacuum evaporators, hot/cold water evaporators, and mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) systems offer clean, simple, and compact separation technology options for a wide range of difficult-to-treat industrial applications.
For concentrated waste such as produced water, which can contain 150,000 ppm TDS (total dissolved solids) or more, evaporation is the only practical and proven economical method for water recovery and reuse. Although other desalination technologies exist, such as reverse osmosis, the typical concentrations of bicarbonates, chlorides, sulfates, and hardness render processes that are common for pure water applications unreliable and maintenance cost-prohibitive for produced water treatment. Additionally, no other technology can attain as high-water recovery and concentration rates, capable of achieving residual total solids concentrations of over 85%, drastically reducing disposal costs.
Evaporators are categorized by heating source, circulation method, and heat exchanger devices. The heating source for evaporation can be supplied by hot water, steam, thermal fluids, flue gases, and electrical energy– either directly through resistance, or indirectly with a heat pump or mechanical vapor recompression. Circulation methods include natural circulation, forced recirculation, scraped, and thin film. Direct heat exchange techniques include immersion heaters, submerged combustion, or submerged steam. Indirect heat exchange techniques include internal or external shell & tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, or heating jackets.
The most basic design of an evaporator is a kettle-type system. Direct heat is applied at atmospheric pressure to boil the water, typically using combustion or steam. This is the simplest, but most energy intensive evaporation method. Under normal atmospheric pressure conditions (101.3 kPa), increasing temperature of 1 kilogram of water from room temperature to boiling (100°C) and changing phase from liquid to vapor, the system requires the addition of approximately 2500 kilojoules (kJ) of energy, corresponding to ~0.7 kWh/L. This energy is lost to the atmosphere because latent heat from condensation is not recovered.
Multiple heating methods exist to recover the energy of condensation and water for reuse within the process cycle, reducing the total energy consumption for water evaporation by as much as 25 times, including heat pump vacuum evaporation, single or multiple effect distillation (MED), or mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) evaporator technologies.
The heat pump vacuum evaporator offers reduced electrical energy consumption, and superior reliability for low to medium flow produced water treatment applications (40-12,680 gal/day). Evaporation occurs under high vacuum conditions, of 4 kPa absolute pressure, lowering the boiling point of water to a temperature of approximately 30 degrees Celsius.
Energy consumption is reduced to approximately 0.15 kWh/L of distillate (a 5x reduction compared to atmospheric evaporation) as most of the energy in the form of latent heat is reused for new vapor production. Electrical energy consumption primarily depends on the work required to compress the intermediate fluid, and to a small extent, fans to aid the air-cooling process. In addition to the reduced energy consumption, the high vacuum, low temperature conditions significantly reduce the foaming, scaling, and corrosion phenomena typical when highly concentrating produced water.
MED exploits the same physical property of reduced temperature boiling under vacuum, while also utilizing the vapor produced within the first boiling stage (effect) to produce new vapor in a next stage at an even lower temperature and pressure. This vapor recycle can be cascaded several times in a (multiple effect) sequence. External heat energy is added only in the first chamber, typically provided by excess or waste hot water or steam. The vapor evaporated in the first stage continues to a condenser in the next effect where the latent heat is utilized to evaporate the liquid in the next stage. The latent heat of condensation remaining after the final stage is then absorbed by cooling tower water, an air-cooled exchanger, or a feed preheater, to condense the vapor for reuse.
The efficiency of the system is increased by each addition of an effect; however, this energy efficiency must be balanced with the increased capital cost of duplicating the core equipment. Energy consumption ranges from 0.018 kWh/L of distillate for a single-effect, to a low of 0.008 kWh/L for a typical four-effect evaporator. Capacities range from 790-15,800 gal/day of distillate production in package units, up to several MGD in large design-build systems.
The low electrical energy consumption of MVR evaporators allow treatment on medium to high flow wastewater treatment applications (2,600-53,000 gal/day) where excess or waste hot water/steam and cooling water is not available.
The image at left shows the main components of a typical MVR evaporator. As opposed to a heat pump system, there is no intermediate thermal fluid needed in the MVR system. An electric resistance heater supplies the heat needed for initial evaporation. The vapor generated within the boiling chamber is then exploited for steady-state operation. A positive displacement compressor adiabatically compresses the vapor, increasing the pressure and temperature of the product vapor. The heated vapor transfers its latent energy in a primary heat exchanger, simultaneously providing the heat of evaporation for the waste liquid and condensation of the vapor to product distillate for reuse. A secondary heat exchanger recovers additional sensible heat from the distillate to preheat the incoming feed water, allowing a significant low energy consumption (approximately 0.03 kWh/L water, 25x lower than atmospheric evaporation).
Although the boiling temperature is somewhat higher than in a heat pump system (90°C), the high velocity of liquid flow in the heat exchangers due to forced circulation reduces scaling, deposits, and fouling on the heat exchange surfaces.
A careful analysis of the chemical and physical properties of the waste fluid to be treated guides which type of evaporation should be applied. In addition to the utilities available and OPEX vs. CAPEX considerations for each evaporation technology, the equipment and devices specified for use in any evaporation system is application specific to the properties of the waste, fouling/scaling/corrosion potential, requirements for recycled water quality, and available destination options for the residual slurry.
To find out the best option for treating your industrial water or wastewater, contact us today. | https://www.prab.com/evaporation-technology-a-unique-separation-process-for-industrial-wastewater-treatment/ |
Executive Assistant Team Leader
Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:
To provide efficient and effective administration support to SVP/MD APAC.
Key Responsibilities:
Planning & Coordination
- Support in planning and management of workload for SVP APAC
- Planning of smaller projects and tracking progress
- Assist in coordinating certain activities from all departments as required.
- Collect regular reports from all departments
- Carry out special projects and assignments as requested; coordinate task forces in the company; compile, analyze, and prepare data for administrative reports and presentations
- Assist to organize board meetings and Sr. Management Meetings as well as other external meetings
Management
- Provide general administrative support to SVP APAC, including Calendar Management, task management and follow up, filing of expense claims, meeting coordination, reception of visitors, receive and screen phone calls, translation etc
- Create/Develop presentations for SVP APAC based off content and framework provided
- Keep track of travel and holiday plans of key members of the department via “Team Leave & Travel Calendar”
- Document meetings (take minutes) and track progress of follow ups/action points post meetings
- Filing and retrieval of key team documents online and offline via shared platforms
- Route and answer routine correspondence not requiring SVP/MD’s attention to ensure timely and accurate response
- Various ad hoc tasks and projects as and when required
- Leading and supporting Personal Assistant Team.
Systems & Processes
- Assist in development of systems and processes
- Design and operate simple Excel and Access tools/reports
- To be familiar with company policies and business operations
- Able to resolve problems requiring knowledge of department policies and procedures
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Excellent organizational skills
- Excellent file management skills
- Excellent interpersonal/communication skills
- Service oriented
- Team player
- Able to multi-task
Requisite Education & Experience / Minimum Qualifications:
- Minimum of 7 to 10 years’ experience in a multinational company
- University degree or above
- English fluency
- High level knowledge and skills in Microsoft products, especially Powerpoint
adidas celebrates diversity, supports inclusiveness and encourages individual expression in our workplace. We do not tolerate the harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. | https://jobs.adidas-group.com/adidas/job/Executive-Assistant/661818401/?feedId=301201&utm_source=j2w |
Efficacy of inertial training in elbow joint muscles: influence of different movement velocities.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of inertial training performed with different movement velocities on elbow flexor and extensor strength and power. Thirty-eight male physical education students were divided into training and control groups. The two training groups performed inertial training three times per week for five weeks using the Inertial Training Measurement System. Elbow joint flexors and extensors were trained using different maximal movement velocities: 7.50 rad·s(-1) in the faster (TF) group and 5.76 rad·s(-1) in the slower (TS) group. Before and after training, we evaluated maximum force and power of elbow flexors and extensors muscles under training conditions, maximum torque and power of elbow flexors and extensors muscles under isokinetic conditions and maximal power output achieved during upper body Ergometer Test. Training induced significant increases in elbow flexor force (28.4% in TF and 13.7% in TS) and power (37.7% in TF and 12.4% in TS) measured under training conditions. However, changes in the elbow flexors in the TF group were greater than in the TS group. Elbow extensor force and power measured under inertial conditions increased significantly only in the TF group; 12.5% and 21.1%, respectively. Moreover, the EMG amplitude of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii and upper limb muscle mass increased in both training groups. Measurements made under isokinetic conditions indicated that torque and power improved only in the elbow flexors, no changes in maximal power output were observed during the upper limb Ergometer Test. The short-term inertial training resulted in significant elbow muscles strength and power improvements. ITMS training induced also the increase of upper limbs muscle mass and the increase of EMG activity of muscles during flexion and extension of elbow. Moreover, greater movement velocities seem to be a benefit for strength and power enhancement. However, further studies are needed to confirm this suggestion.
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Abstract:Transparency of the system and its integration into the natural environment of the user are some of the important features of pervasive computing. But these characteristics that are considered as the strongest points of pervasive systems are also their weak points in terms of the user’s privacy. The privacy in pervasive systems involves more than the confidentiality of communications and concealing the identity of virtual users. The physical presence and behavior of the user in the pervasive space cannot be completely hidden and can reveal the secret of his/her identity and affect his/her privacy. This paper shows that the application of major techniques for protecting the user’s privacy still insufficient. A new solution named Shadow Protocol is proposed, which allows the users to authenticate and interact with the surrounding devices within an ubiquitous computing environment while preserving their privacy. | https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/3114/a-new-protocol-ensuring-users-privacy-in-pervasive-environment |
There is an extensive body of research devoted to how political satire affects political knowledge and political behavior. Extant studies are focused on political satire in democratic countries and do not pay enough attention to authoritarian regimes. This study extends this research to non-democratic regimes, while also adding to it by exploring the extent to which the use of political satire encourages exposure to political information. We conduct an online experiment on the sample of Russian students. We borrow satirical pictures from Lentach – popular Russian social media public page, whose motto is “a propaganda of common sense” as opposed to biased political messages proliferated by government-controlled media outlets. Using both frequentist and Bayesian approaches, we found that access to political information containing satirical illustrating content increases attention to the information, relative to political news reports accompanied by standard news illustrations. The findings contribute to the literature on the political entertainment and exposure to political information, as well as to research on media under authoritarianism. | https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3289145 |
Coronavirus Update:
The SVC team are mainly working from home, please email us to organise an appointment to visit the office.
We currently have a number of digital (online) opportunities available, and are cautiously returning to some in-person opportunities.
Please click here for the latest information and news from our team.
Who: Anyone aged 18+
Where: Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan
When: Flexible
Contacts: Frankie Hackett
***We are currently only recruiting for Lead Volunteers for this scheme, the applications are now open and will close on Monday 19th September at 9:00 am. The applications for General Volunteers will open on Monday 26th September***
The NHS Placement Scheme is a valuable opportunity for volunteers to befriend and facilitate activities for adults with mental health-related conditions in clinical and residential settings across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. SVC are offering placements across 11 local NHS mental health wards. Placements will include experience in acute mental health, dementia and older people and rehabilitation and recovery.
Lead Volunteer Role:
Involvement in a highly-rewarding scheme:
Facilitate fun, stimulating and rewarding activities for inpatients (beneficiaries) in communal rooms on NHS mental health wards:
Lead Volunteers play an essential part in running the scheme and ensuring sessions go smoothly.
As a lead volunteer, with support from SVC staff, you will also be expected to: support SVC Staff in recruiting and vetting volunteers; allocate volunteers to projects and wards; and monitor the project budget and the attendance of volunteers on the project.
When the project is running, the role of a Lead Volunteer is to take the lead in facilitating activities on the wards; attend weekly sessions; support other volunteers and beneficiaries; and liaise with the SVC staff and NHS CAVUHB.
Please be aware that this is a challenging environment, supporting adults with mental health conditions can be emotional and distressing at times; SVC are here to support you but please consider this aspect before applying for this project. Volunteers do not need to have previous experience of being on an Acute Mental Health ward, but suitable volunteers will need to be tough-skinned and have an awareness of risk and their own level of ability.
Time Commitment and Location:
Volunteers will receive training, support, travel expenses, and invaluable experience for their CV. | https://www.svcymru.org/project/nhs-placement-scheme-lead-volunteer |
Devising economic incentives to sustain multiple cropping in some countries and expand it in others could help buy time to stabilize world population size. For countries in East Asia, the challenge is to provide economic incentives to farmers so as to avoid, or at least slow, the decline in double cropping. In the United States, in contrast, where the overriding concern for half a century was to control production by restricting the area planted to grain, the potential for more multiple cropping may be surprisingly large. Here economic incentives for double cropping could boost output. One of the keys to exploiting this lies in reorienting agricultural research programs to develop facilitating technologies such as earlier maturing crops and farm practices that will accelerate the harvesting of the first crop and the planting of the second one.
Another way to expand food production is to raise water productivity. This helps both to preserve the existing irrigated area, where water supplies are tightening, and to expand the area irrigated in other places. The water available for irrigation can also be increased at the local level by building small water-harvesting ponds. These not only capture rainfall runoff, holding it for irrigation, they also help recharge underground aquifers.
Land productivity can be raised by using crop residues to produce food. For example, the tonnage of wheat straw, rice straw, and corn stalks produced worldwide easily matches the weight of the grain produced by these crops. As India has demonstrated with its world leadership in milk production, and as China is showing with its surging beef production, it is now possible to feed these vast quantities of crop residues to animals, converting them into milk and meat. In effect, this permits a “second harvest” from the same land. 48
In some parts of the world, such as Africa, investment in transportation and storage infrastructure can play a major role in boosting food production, enabling farmers to move beyond subsistence agriculture. This is particularly helpful in both getting inputs such as fertilizer to farmers and getting their harvest to markets. 49
Jules Pretty, director of the Centre for Environment and Society at the University of Essex, has pioneered a broad concept of sustainable agriculture, one that strives to develop natural, human, and social capital at the local level. It emphasizes the use of local resources. Sustainable farming, says Pretty, “seeks to make the best use of nature’s goods and services. It minimizes the use of non-renewable inputs (pesticides and fertilizers) that damage the environment.... It makes better use of the knowledge and skills of farmers.” 50
In reviewing the results of some 45 sustainable agriculture initiatives in 17 African countries, Pretty notes that both crop yields and nutritional levels improved more or less apace. Overall, he notes that crop yields are up 50–100 percent in these projects over 20 years. 51
Included in the sustainable agriculture toolbox is the better use of local natural resources and processes like nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, soil rebuilding, and the use of natural enemies to control pests. This approach does not rule out the use of fertilizer and pesticides but seeks to minimize the need for their use. The use of leguminous plants to supply nitrogen is seen as an intrinsic part of the process. Animal manures are collected to fertilize fields and build up soil organic matter. This, in turn, increases soil moisture retention.
The emphasis on human capital leads to greater self-reliance by farmers. Learning centers and extension offices play an important role in the communities with successful sustainable agriculture. With social capital, the key is getting people to work together, in groups, to better manage watersheds and local forests or to supply credit to small-scale farmers.
With this approach, communities with marginal land have succeeded not only in raising incomes and improving diets, but also in producing a marketable surplus of farm products. Highly successful though this approach is, it does require substantial support to energize local communities. Pretty notes that “without appropriate policy support, [these community projects] are likely to remain localized in extent, and at worst simply wither away.” 52
The challenge is to raise land productivity in one way or another and to design research programs to do this while protecting the land and water resource base and avoiding damage to natural systems, such as that caused by nutrient runoff.
NOTES
47. Brown, op. cit. note 24, p. 61.
48. Roughage conversion from A. Banerjee, “Dairying Systems in India,” World Animal Review, vol. 79, no. 2 (1994), and from S. C. Dhall and Meena Dhall, “Dairy Industry—India’s Strength in Its Livestock,” Business Line (Internet Edition of Financial Daily from The Hindu group of publications), 7 November 1997; China’s crop residue production and use from Gao Tengyun, “Treatment and Utilization of Crop Straw and Stover in China,” Livestock Research for Rural Development, February 2000.
49. Norman E. Borlaug, “The Next Green Revolution,” New York Times, 11 July 2003.
50. Jules Pretty and Rachel Hine, “Reducing Food Poverty with Sustainable Agriculture: A Summary of New Evidence,” final report from the “SAFE-World” (The Potential of Sustainable Agriculture to Feed the World) Research Project (Colchester, UK: University of Essex, February 2001), p. 11.
51. Ibid.; “Famine in Africa: Controlling Their Own Destiny,” (London) Guardian, 30 November 2002.
52. Pretty and Hine, op. cit. note 50, p. 21. | http://www.earth-policy.org/books/out/ote4_5 |
The Resource Center at Amakohia village in Ihitte Uboma local government is getting another addition to it. The center is used for maintenance program for individuals around the village who are coming to have their blood sugars checked and subsequently collect their medications, dressing supplies as needed. We saw the need for a restroom to be added. We have no toilet facility for people in attendance and staff. We applied for a grant to help construct the center, and was able to get help from Friends of Nigeria to build a restroom at the center. Our goal is to construct three restrooms for both staff and the villagers in attendance. For us to continue to teach about health and hygiene, we need water and toilet facility. We still need help to sink a borehole for water supply at the center.
The long awaited medical outreach for 2015 is going to take place by end of October . I have had financial challenges and personal problems that delayed the execution of this year's outreach the usual time which is usually during the summer. The three villages that will be covered this year are Avutu village in Obowo local government area where we will spend two days screening adults for diabetes and hypertension and treating other diseas conditions, and doing vision screening. We also provide readers for the individuals that are identified and refer those with major problems to the federal hospital at Owerri the state capital of Imo state. We will also screen children, educate them on oral hygiene and give them worm medications with parental consent. The other the villages are Amakohia in Ihitte Uboma local government area and Umugolo in Ehime Mbano local government area, both in IMO state Nigeria.
We have been getting calls from concerned villages to inquire on why we have been to the villages for the outreach and the impact the program is making on the life of the rural villagers who have no access to any health. These calls has really validated the effectiveness of the program and its importance to the community we serve. This is a program that needs to be supported and funded. We could cover more areas and serve more people with more support and funding.
Our next scheduled and needed work at the resource is to build a Restroom that will serve the staff and the attendees to our outreach program at this site. Due to the increase in the number of people that are receiving services at the center, there is a great need to have a toilet facility within the premises. We continue to need your support in making this center a permanent place that will service the need of these individuals in need of health from our organization. The resource center is currently housing most of our medical supplies , and this makes it easy for our beneficiaries to have easy access to medical supplies needed to manage their conditions. When completed, the Center is going to serve different purpose including health education classes to reinforce learning. Thanks for all your supports to this organization. We are going to Nigeria in October to conduct out annual outreach program.
ACHI'S annual maintenance program has help to reduce the number of death in the rural areas of Nigeria resulting from Diabetes and Hypertension. Individuals identified during annual outreaches with diabetes and hypertension are being followed year round making medications and monitoring available to them at no cost. People are living longer with these chronic diseases because of the cares they are receiving. We are currently collecting medications to be sent to Nigeria for the diabetics and the hypertensive before our next medical mission which will be in October. We measure the outcome of the program from the number of the individuals who are still living with chronic diseases, reduction in number of individual with complications and increase in the number of people being followed after each program which has doubled. The increase has also brought some financial difficulties to the organization, we need more help to be able to sustain these people.
The reource center is where the maintenance program takes place at Amakohia village and houses most of our testing supplies and dressing supplies. We still help to bring it to a standard for us to be able to run a clinic and reach more individuals daily.
Our goal of improving the health of rural dwellers in Nigeria continues to be our focus in initiating this program. Our discoveries of high need for chronic disease management and the fact that the populations we serve are not poor financially but also lack the knowledge and other resources to manage their conditions. To manage chronic diseases, there is a need and proven fact that using the right medications and right approach helps to reduce or delay complications resulting from these conditions if not managed. The news we get everyday from the local volunteers is the number people coming for medications are increasing each time they announce the date for the maintenance program. Our sponsors of some of these villages cannot meet up with the influx of more people in need of help. I was also told that some of the people that come to collect medications are not there because they are free, but because the medications are real and works. A couple said they have had diabetes and hypertension for two years and nothing seems to work for them. But coming to the program this year and using the medications they collected made a huge difference in their lives and both there blood pressures and blood sugars are well controlled. A sponsor of one of the villages is suggesting we inform the participants that the medications are meant for that village alone and no people from the neighboring villages. The truth of the matter is that the message about the upcoming follow up is being relayed to those other villages by the people in this village, who are related to those in those neighboring villages. We cannot stop people form coming knowing that they do not have an alternative and their best choice is to continue with the fake drugs that is out there, or the ones that cannot afford even the fake drugs to go home and die. The fact that the number seeking help after each annual outreach increases, is a good sign. It means people are getting the information about chronic diseases and its management. The Resource Center still need more work to put it into full use. Follow up care and storing of supplies is what it is being used for at present. Our goal is to have the resource center open 3-4 times in a week for maintenance program and reinforcing education on chronic disease management. Want to use this opportunity to thank our friends out there, our donors for believing in us and in helping us make a difference in the health of these rural dwellers. We are looking for help for procurement of oral agents and insulin for the diabetics. We are short of medications to continue with the maintenance program before our next outreach in October.
ACHI has completed this years medical outreach in three communities in IMO state. The outreach was successful. The medical doctors in all the state's and federal hospitals in all parts of Nigeria were on strick, and doors were closed to patients that needed medical services. As a result of this we had large turnout at all the communities, including people from the cities that needed medical care. The first community we went to was Avutu community in Obowo LGA, we were there for two days. The first day we attended to 414 adults out of the 1008 people that showed up that day.we noted a great increase in the number of adults living with hypertension and diabetes. This year we identified a eighteen year old girl with type 1 diabetes and has never been diagnosed and has had classical symptoms for almost two years. She had fasting blood sugar of 390 and was also spilling ketones in her urine. She has started having vision problem. She was educated on the disease process, prognosis , diet and blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy. The mom is a widow and she was supplied with both long acting and short acting insulin, testing equipment and the strips.
We also encountered a lot people with eye problems and close to being blind from cataract and glaucoma. This is an area that has urgent need. Some of these individuals can benefit from simple eye surgery or eye care.
Out of the 644 people screened at Avutu, 280 people were hypertensive, and 40 people were diabetic. Included in this number are old cases we have been following, who have done very well in managing their blood glucose and blood pressure, with the year round maintenance program available to them at no cost.
The second community screened was Umugolo in Ehime Mbano LGA. We were there for two days and screened 508 people. Number of adults with hypertension were 240 and 16 diabetics. Many people were treated for GI problems, malaria and eye problem.
The last community we screened was Amakohia in Ihitte/Uboma LGA. The turnout at this site was huge. The first day we screened 403 adults, and by the second day we screened total of 680 adults. Out of the adults screened, 307 were hypertensive and 75 diabetic. The eye doctors reported an overwhelming increase in number of adults with glaucoma and cataract and partial blindness. The screening at this site was made possible with donation from friends of Nigeria who donated money towards this outreach in continuation of their support of the resource center, that is still under construction. With this number of diabetics and hypertensives identified, we continue to see the urgent need for a center where all these individual can go for teaching and obtain necessary supplies needed to self-manage their conditions
Project Reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you will get an e-mail when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports via e-mail without donating.
We'll only email you new reports and updates about this project. | https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/resource-center-for-chronice-disease-management/reports/?pageNo=5 |
HOLISTIC NUTRITION AND FREQUENCY THERAPY
Optimize your health by giving your body the nutrients and the microcurrent frequencies that your cells need to thrive.
ABOUT LISA
Lisa Biederman, CNTP, is a holistic nutritionist who is committed to helping people optimize their health through a whole food based diet, positive lifestyle choices, and individualized microcurrent frequency therapy. She respects where each client is in their health journey and offers support and knowledge to enable the individual to shift in a positive direction. She is experienced in supporting clients with issues around thyroid, adrenals, food sensitivities, digestion, blood sugar regulation, detoxification, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Education at the University of Kansas and became certified as a Nutrition Therapy Practitioner at the Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, Colorado. She continually stays up to date in the field of nutrition through seminars and other education opportunities. | https://www.vitalitynut.com/ |
English Edition| 20 January, 2022, 01:50 AM IST | E-Paper
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NASA's Curiosity rover discovers carbon which may yield clues to ancient Mars: Study
On Earth, a strongly carbon 13 depleted signature from a paleo surface would indicate past microbes consumed microbially produced methane. Ancient Mars may have had large plumes of methane being released from the subsurface where methane production would have been energetically favorable. Then, the released methane would either be consumed by surface microbes or react with ultraviolet light and be deposited directly on the surface.
Apollo 15 anniversary: 50 years ago, NASA put a car on the Moon
Apollo 11 and Apollo 13 are the NASA lunar missions that tend to be remembered most vividly. But at the 50th anniversary of Apollo 15, which launched on July 26, 1971, some space enthusiasts, historians and authors are giving the lunar rover its due as one of the most enduring symbols of the American moon exploration program.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter survives first night alone on Mars
The ultra-light aircraft was dropped on the surface on Saturday after detaching from the belly of the Perseverance rover, which touched down on the Red Planet on February 18.
ISRO embarking on replicating NASA partnership model in India
The Bengaluru-headquarteted space agency is striking a partnership with the IIST -- something similar to the JPL- Caltech model in the United States.
ISRO develops radar for joint earth observation satellite mission with NASA
"NISAR will be the first satellite mission to use two different radar frequencies (L-band and S-band) to measure changes in our planet's surface less than a centimeter across", according to NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration).
Perseverance rover's exciting work to happen in coming weeks: NASA's Indian-American engineer
SuperCam is a remote-sensing instrument that will use laser spectroscopy to analyse the chemical composition of rocks on the Martian surface. It analyses terrain that the rover cannot reach. It is an instrument designed to scan rocks and minerals-from up to 20 feet away-to determine their chemical makeup.
From UP to Karnataka, 12 desis drive Nasa's Mars missionIt took nearly two decades for Bob Balaram's idea to take off. Sometime in the 1990s, Balaram, along with a Stanford professor, had proposed a 'helicopter for Mars'. Seeing it through, however, was not possible.
Nasa releases video of Perseverance rover landing on Mars: 'Stuff of our dreams'The Perseverance rover landed last Thursday near an ancient river delta in Jezero Crater to search for signs of ancient microscopic life. After spending the weekend binge-watching the descent and landing video, the team at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, shared the video at a news conference.
Meet Dr Swati Mohan, the Indian-American scientist who helped NASA land rover on MarsRaised in Northern Virginia and Washington DC metro area, she completed her bachelor's degree from Cornell University in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and her M.S. and Ph.D from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Aeronautics/Astronautics.
NASA's Ingenuity helicopter could pave way for future rover-drone tandem missions"Even though Ingenuity is a tech demo, meaning we are trying to demonstrate a new technology and not necessarily doing any science data gathering, the inspiration came from future science and operational consideration," Goutam Chattopadhyay, Senior Research Scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California, told.
NASA's Perseverance rover lands on Mars, will search for signs of lifeThe robotic vehicle sailed through space for nearly seven months, covering 293 million miles (472 million km) before piercing the Martian atmosphere at 12,000 miles per hour (19,000 km per hour) to begin its descent to the planet's surface.
NASA: Mystery object orbiting Earth is 54-year-old rocket, not asteroidBut NASA's top asteroid expert, Paul Chodas, quickly suspected it was the Centaur upper rocket stage from Surveyor 2, a failed 1966 moon-landing mission.
Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission healthy and on its way: NASANASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission, which is on its way to the Red Planet to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples to send back to Earth, is healthy and on its way after experiencing some technical difficulties, the US space agency said.
Earth is looking to invade Mars with a fleet of spacecraft from US, China and UAEThe 3 countries are sending spacecraft to the red planet beginning this week.
Look out, Mars: Here we come with a fleet of spacecraftThree countries — the United States, China and the United Arab Emirates — are sending unmanned spacecraft to the red planet in quick succession beginning this week, in the most sweeping effort yet to seek signs of ancient microscopic life while scouting out the place for future astronauts.
Airtel, Vodafone Idea mobile revenue, operating income likely to dipBut both of India’s older telcos are likely to gain on margins front, courtesy lower sales, marketing costs and commissions during the pandemic, which may help narrow losses sequentially.
Chandrayaan 2 a learning experience: NASA engineerAnne Devereaux, working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) of NASA, said "The Indian scientists did very well. Lot of information (was) gathered. The orbiter has been successful".
Send your name here to fly aboard NASA's next Mars rover in 2020The rover is scheduled to launch as early as July 2020, with the spacecraft expected to touch down on Mars in February 2021.
ISS hosts as much microbes as gyms, hospitals: NASAScientists created a comprehensive catalogue of the bacteria and fungi found on surfaces inside the ISS.
NCLT admits SFIO plea to wind up IBMAIBMA is a subsidiary of NSEL and a step-down subsidiary of 63 moons, NSEL’s parent.
SFIO moves NCLT for winding up of IBMA, JPLWhile IBMA is a subsidiary of NSEL and a step-down subsidiary of 63 moons, NSEL parent, JPL, is one of the defaulters of the beleaguered exchange.
Jagran Prakashan board approves raising up to Rs 300 crore via NCDsShares of the company were trading 1.17 per cent lower at Rs 114.35 apiece on BSE.
NASA's Kepler telescope retires after finding thousands of worldsBringing an end to a prolific nine-and-a-half year mission in which it discovered over 2,600 intriguing exoplanets, some of which may harbour life, the US space agency said.
Liquid water on Mars may hold enough oxygen to support life: StudyAccording to researchers, the findings could inform future missions to Mars by providing better targets to rovers searching for signs of past or present habitable environments.
NASA's InSight completes halfway to Mars.NASA's InSight spacecraft, en route to land on Mars this November, has passed the halfway mark, covering 277 million kilometres since its launch 107 days ago.
NASA Curiosity rover analysing Mars rocks againOn May 20, a technique called "feed extended drilling" allowed Curiosity to drill its first rock sample since October 2016.
Scientists discover most distant super massive black holeFor black holes to become so large in the early universe, astronomers speculate there must have been special conditions to allow rapid growth - but the underlying reason remains mysterious.
NASA drone race: Human pilot emerges faster than Artificial IntelligenceDrone racing is a high-speed sport demanding instinctive reflexes. Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the US put their work to the test recently. | https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Jet-Propulsion-Laboratory/news |
The Workforce Development Council of Seattle-King County (WDC) plays a critical role in convening industry, education and labor leaders around industry workforce issues and finding solutions that meet business needs and get people jobs.
FOCUS SECTORS
WATCH SECTORS
Transportation and Warehousing, including Logistics & Supply Chain Management
Trade, including Wholesale & Retail
HOW DO WE CHOOSE OUR FOCUS & WATCH SECTORS?
Every two years, the WDC reviews the industry sectors in King County to determine which we should choose for our workforce development efforts and what those strategies should be. Industry leaders may also request that the WDC convene a sector panel based on workforce needs that they have identified in their industry.
The key criteria are:
Economic size and scope
Job demand
Supply and demand alignment
Potential for impact
BUSINESS SERVICES
WorkSource Seattle-King County Business Services Team connects employers with hiring solutions and provides a wide range of information and resources.
Learn more about the WorkSource Seattle-King County Business Services Team.
SECTOR PANELS
The WDC has particular expertise in bringing together sector panels--industry-driven groups of leaders who come together to focus on workforce issues in one particular industry. Members represent major employers, industry groups, education, labor unions, economic development, service organizations, and others. Sector panels identify specific workforce issues and recommends short and long-term solutions that can be undertaken by the members.
Read more from our Seattle-King County Local & Regional Plan (2016-2020), here. | http://www.seakingwdc.org/sector-initiatives |
Diversity and inclusion are one of the City of Markham’s key strategic priorities, embedded in the city’s strategic plan, Building Markham’s Future Together.
The city strives to ensure that everyone feels welcome, has a sense of belonging, and has the opportunity to live their best life possible.
As a member of the Coalition of Inclusive Municipalities and through many related initiatives, Markham has a long standing and proud history of valuing diversity and inclusion.
The city has committed, through the city’s Inclusion Charter, to continue to uphold and protect the values of diversity, inclusion, respect for all and social cohesion.
The City of Markham launched its first Diversity Action Plan 2010 to 2019 – Everyone Welcome – in 2010 and is starting the process of updating the Diversity Action Plan.
The city encourages all Markham residents to participate in the upcoming community consultations to help identify actions we can take to ensure that the City of Markham is an inclusive and socially cohesive community for all.
The city takes its obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) seriously, and is committed to meeting or exceeding the requirements in a timely manner to ensure that city facilities, programs and services are accessible to all.
The City of Markham’s Advisory Committee on Accessibility is looking for volunteers. The Advisory Committee on Accessibility assists city council in improving opportunities for persons with disabilities by promoting the implementation of the AODA in Markham.
Persons with disabilities and persons with an interest in disability and accessibility issues are being encouraged to apply. The application deadline is June 30. | https://markhamreview.com/markhams-advisory-committee-on-accessibility-seeks-volunteers/ |
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Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) which carry the CD8 antigen recognize antigens that are presented on target cells by the class I major histocompatibility complex. CTLs are responsible for the killing of antigen-bearing target cells, such as virus-infected cells. Although CTL effectors can act alone when killing target cells, their differentiation from naive CD8-positive T cells is often dependent on 'help' from CD4-positive helper T (TH) cells. Furthermore, for effective CTL priming, this help must be provided in a cognate manner, such that both the TH cell and the CTL recognize antigen on the same antigen-presenting cell. One explanation for this requirement is that TH cells are needed to convert the antigen-presenting cell into a cell that is fully competent to prime CTL. Here we show that signalling through CD40 on the antigen-presenting cells can replace the requirement for TH cells, indicating that T-cell 'help', at least for generation of CTLs by cross-priming, is mediated by signalling through CD40 on the antigen-presenting cell.
National Center for
Biotechnology Information, | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9624004?dopt=Abstract |
In 2019, Manatee Unitarian Universalist Fellowship voted to support reducing the effects of climate change by endorsing the Manatee Clean Energy Alliance (MCEA) and we provided space where they can meet and plan their activities. (Zoom meetings are being used during the pandemic.) Ocean rise, a direct result of climate change, is also a particular risk and concern for Manatee County and of the congregation and other local environmental groups.
There are three public areas where emphasis can be activated to support reducing climate change: One is at the local level, the second at the state level and the third at the national (and international) level. Each represents a challenge to the congregation and other environmental groups.
At the local level, MCEA strives to inform, educate and influence local officials, mayors, the commissioners and the public to start and fund programs that will bring about the Sierra Club’s program “Ready for 100” to reach 100% clean energy by 2035. The challenge is to get action through plans and programs adopted and supported at the city and county levels to work
toward this goal. It means pulling together the many environmental groups to work together and coordinate their efforts. The Suncoast Climate Justice Coalition, the Manatee chapter of the Climate Reality Project, and The Citizen’s Climate Lobby, to mention just a few, are examples of the many local groups working in good faith to bring about reducing climate change at all levels as well as local. All public government levels respond to the influence of petitions, letters, visitations and phone calls. These are perhaps the only ways where Manatee UU Fellowship members can influence Tallahassee’s leaders and members of the government in Washington. National groups such as The Interfaith Power and Light and Rewiring America are also organizations that need our support.
The activities of these groups are monitored and reported on at our Social Justice Committee meetings. Any action that we can make as individuals or as a group are discussed, planned and implemented. | https://manateeuuf.org/call-to-action/climate-change/ |
Donation of walking stick to Senior Citizen
Divine Jain Group in association with the Pune Municipal Corporation, distributed 200 walking sticks to thesenior citizen on 9th April 2016 at Raskar Palace, Bibwewadi, Pune.
The inauguration was done with the hands of Mayor Shri. Prashantji Jagtap , Standing Committee Chairman Shri. Balasaheb Bodke (PMC). To make this activity successful Corporator Shri. Dinesh Dhawde (PMC) along with members of Divine Jain Group, seniors, dignitaries and other padhadikaris were present. | http://www.divinejaingroup.com/donations/donation-of-walking-stick-to-senior-citizen/ |
We overlook the power of the subconscious mind and memory in our day-to-day lives. Memories can be tools for unlocking the subconscious mind and developing our full potential.
How to Use A Repetitive Question for Subconscious Mind Exercises
The repetitive or repeating question technique is one of the most powerful subconscious mind exercises for self-discovery. Every serious explorer needs this for their spiritual toolbox. See how you can use it to enhance several spiritual exploration tools. | https://seekerproject4se.org/tag/subconscious-mind-exercises/ |
An action can be brought in a U.S. court by an assignee only if the assignor could have maintained the action in that same court.[i] Where both assignor and assignee are citizens of the same state, a change of district by assignment for the purpose of preventing removal is not allowed as the basis for a forced application of the doctrine allowing suit by an assignee only when the assignor might sue in the same jurisdiction.[ii]
The common law prohibits an assignee from suing in his/her name to enforce the assigned obligation. However, statutes in many jurisdictions allow an assignee of a non negotiable note or other assignable chose in action to bring suit in his/her name to enforce the assigned obligation. In the absence of a statute providing otherwise, an assignee is permitted and required in bringing suit using the name of the assignor, even without the assignor’s consent or knowledge.
Under the doctrine of assignment for collection, an assignor retains an equitable ownership and therefore, substantial rights in the action assigned. When a creditor/assignor assigns his/her claim against a debtor for purposes of collection, such an assignment transfers legal title to the claim. In such a circumstance, an assignee can sue in his/her name leaving equitable ownership with the creditor/assignor. The resultant split in ownership gives rise to a fiduciary relationship between the assignor and assignee and the relationship generally is one of principal-agent. In an assignment for collection, the assignor retains equitable ownership of those claims and may bring an action to collect the amount owed them.[iii]
The common law prohibition against an assignee to sue in his/her name to enforce an assigned obligation has been widely abolished by legislation. Statutes in many jurisdictions enable an assignee to sue in his/her name, provided the debtor does not have to face double liability. An executor/administrator or trustee of an express trust or a person expressly authorized by statute, may sue without joining with him the person or persons for whose benefit the action is prosecuted.
When a statute specifically designates the classes of choses in action upon which the assignee may bring suit in his/her name, the right of the assignee to sue in his own name is limited to suits upon choses of the kind designated. Moreover, in some jurisdictions, if there has been a full and complete assignment of rights under a contract, the assignee, rather than the assignor, is the proper party to maintain the cause of action. In other jurisdictions, a statute authorizing an assignee to sue in his/her name is merely permissive, leaving the assignee at liberty to sue in the name of the original party to the contract.
The general rule is that where part of a chose in action has been assigned, the assignor and the assignee may unite in a suit for the enforcement of the chose.[iv] In common law, to enforce a claim against a debtor, the assignee of a fund or debt must also make the assignor a party to the suit. Likewise, under modern practice, where there has been a partial assignment leaving the assignor owner of a part of the claim, or where different parts of the claim have been assigned to different persons, an assignee in bringing suit should join either as plaintiffs or defendants all the parties in interest, so that the entire matter may be settled at one time and a single decree may determine the duty of the debtor to each claimant and protect the rights and interests of each party.
An action must be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest.[v] If the statutes require all actions to be prosecuted in the name of the real party in interest, the assignee of a chose in action to enforce a claim can sue in his/her name since the assignee is the real party in interest. When the assignee is the only real party in interest within the meaning of the statute, the assignor is prohibited from suing on the assigned claim. However, in the case of a partial assignment, the assignee owns the part assigned to him/her and the assignor owns the balance. Consequently, each is the real party in interest as to his/her part of the claim and should sue separately, subject to the rule prohibiting the splitting of a cause of action.
An assignee of a claim when suing on the assigned chose in action or instrument must allege and prove the assignment of the claim sued upon.[vi] In order to recover on an assigned cause of action, the party must plead and prove that a cause of action capable of being assigned existed and was assigned to the party alleging the theory of assignment.[vii]
An objection that the plaintiff’s pleading fails to show a valid assignment and therefore does not state a cause of action is not waived by failure to demur. However such an objection may be made at any stage of the proceeding.[viii] The assignability of a cause of action and the right of an assignee to sue in his/her name must be raised by demurrer to the complaint or by a plea in abatement. | https://assignments.uslegal.com/actions/ |
AHR IS APPOINTED BY MANCHESTER AIRPORT GROUP (MAG) TO DELIVER ARCHITECTURAL AND BUILDING CONSULTANCY SERVICES, NOT ONLY COVERING MANCHESTER AIRPORT BUT ALSO EAST MIDLANDS, BOURNEMOUTH AND STANSTED AIRPORTS.
AHR HOLDS A 3 YEAR FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT SECURED AS A RENEWAL FROM MID APRIL 2015, WITH THE OPTION TO EXTEND FOR 1 YEAR PLUS A FURTHER 1 YEAR. AHR HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY SELECTED FOR THE MAG FRAMEWORK FOUR TIMES IN SUCCESSION SINCE 2002.
The appointment is for ‘Lot 5 Architectural Services’ which has an anticipated yearly spend of £1M and is to include, but is not limited to, the provision of Architecture and Building Surveying services.
AHR provides a broad range of services ranging from Architectural services including acting as Lead Consultant for multi-disciplinary design teams, dilapidations advice, condition surveys, and party wall advice, through to reactive and planned maintenance, health & safety / Principal Designer services, strategic accommodation advice, Employer’s Agent services and Geomatics surveys.
We have worked on projects including Terminal refurbishments, extensions and out-bound security control improvements, a new build Concorde Hangar & Visitor Centre, re-roofing projects, office refurbishments and reconfigurations, fit-out and refurbishment, repair and maintenance, office reconfigurations, reroofing and airport departmental relocations.
AHR’s safety-first approach within a ‘live’ 24 hour environment with limited available ‘down time’ has seen AHR develop an excellent working relationship with the MAG team. AHR has developed best practice knowledge in stakeholder engagement with numerous stakeholders including Security, Customs & Excise, Retail teams, Property teams, Airlines and Air-side support teams.
AHR is able to service MAG from strategically located offices including in Manchester, London, Birmingham and Bristol. These offices are used as bases for a national pool of resource and expertise which our regional service leaders can tap into to ensure successful delivery. | https://www.ahr.co.uk/Manchester-Airport-Framework |
Q. How often should I have my eyes tested?
A. Unfortunately your ocular health is not always accompanied by recognizable symptoms. It is important to have a regular visit as there is often an increased risk to you if timely treatment is not initiated.
After your initial examination with Parker Optometry, we will schedule regular return visits at a frequency that meets your eye care requirements. If your vision is healthy, general guidelines have been established for recommended checkup visits.
- 0 - 24 months: Infants and Toddlers - by age 6 months is recommended
- 2 - 5 years: Preschool - by age 3, and prior to entering elementary school is recommended
- 6 - 19 years: School Age - Annual visits are recommended
- 20 - 64 years: Adult - Every 1 to 2 years is recommended
- 65+: Older Adult - Every year is recommended
Q. Will my eyes get worse by wearing my glasses too much?
A. Your Optometrist will explain the purpose of your prescription and when they should be worn. In most cases, glasses will not cause any deterioration that would not otherwise occur. However, wearing glasses for activities different than recommended (i.e. distance glasses worn to read up close) may make the eyes work harder than they need to.
Q. How can I prevent my vision from getting worse?
A.Take frequent eye breaks, look up and away from extended near or computer work, spend time outdoors, don't hold reading material too close to your face, practice eye-focus skills as recommended by your doctor, and ensure you are wearing a current lens prescription.
Q. When should I book my child's first eye exam?
A.We recommend that you book your child's first eye exam as early as 6 months of age. It's a fairly simple procedure as vision tests for children at this age are appropriate.
Q. How can you test my child's eyes if he/she is not able to read letters or speak yet?
A. We use simple symbols instead of letters. Much of the testing that is done requires little input from your child. It is focused on assessment of the strength of the eye, eye muscle status, and eye health to ensure proper vision development. Critical information can be obtained about your child's eye without them needing to say a word!
Q. What are symptoms that may indicate my child is having vision problems?
A.There are many symptoms that require attention. They include rubbing eyes, squinting, turning or tilting head, losing their place or using a finger to follow along when reading, moving head or mouthing words while reading, headaches, red eyes, wandering eyes, complaints of blurred vision. Many disorders have no symptoms. ALL children need eye examinations at age 3.
Q. Should I bring my glasses to my appointment?
A. We do ask that you bring your eyeglasses with you to your eye examination appointment. This allows us to check and compare your current prescription if there are any changes. Even if there is no change, it is good for us to quickly assess for scratches or defects, and to ensure everything is fitting properly.
We also ask that you bring your glasses to your contact lens assessments as sometimes dyes have to be put into the eyes that can strain your contact lenses, so it may be necessary to wear your glasses home.
Q. Should I wear my contacts to my appointment?
A. Yes. If you are a contact lens wearer we do ask that you wear your contacts to your appointment as this allows us to assess the current fit and level of vision and make appropriate recommendations.
Q. How often should disposable contact lenses be replaced?
A. Replacement time varies depending on eye health and tear chemistry, lifestyle and environmental exposure, time worn per day and days worn per week. Disposable lens replacement options can vary from daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and even quarterly. Your doctor will assess your eye health and vision status with your contact lenses to ensure you are following an appropriate wearing schedule.
Q. How old do you have to be to wear contact lenses?
A. Although contact lenses can be fit to patients of any age, generally patients have to be mature enough to manage their contact lenses well to prevent severe eye infections and complications. When one is not capable of being responsible for this management then parents or guardians must be willing to take over the role of responsibility to ensure that the lenses are worn the proper number of hours, cleaned properly, replaced as directed, and inserted/removed properly.
Q. Why are eye drops used?
A. Eye drops that dilate the pupils, called mydriatics, are used in some examinations to enable the doctor to get a better view of the inside of the eye. The doctor will decide how often this type of examination is necessary for each individual depending upon his or her symptoms, age, health, and family history. The drops generally leave your vision a little blurry and sensitive to light, so you may not be able to drive immediately after this procedure. The effect of the drops will wear off in 2 to 6 hours.
Eye drops that relax the focus of the eyes, called cycloplegics are used to accurately measure the degree of far-sightedness of the eyes. These are generally used, when necessary, for children and young adults. These drops also leave the vision blurry and sensitive to light.
Eye drops to anesthetize (numb) the eye are used for procedures that require an instrument touching the eye. The anesthetic does not affect vision and lasts about 15 minutes. Some eye drops contain a dye that helps the doctor diagnose abnormalities of the surface of the eye.
Q. Can I drive after my eye exam?
A. Most patients find that after the eye exam they are okay to drive. During the eye examination eye-drops may be used that dilate the eyes to help the doctor see different parts of the back of the eye. These drops can cause light sensitivity for a few hours after the examination so we recommend that sunglasses be worn after the eye exam during daylight hours. For very light sensitive patients they may be more comfortable having someone drive them home after the eye examination although the sunglasses should suffice for most people. Other drops may be used which temporarily affect one's focusing system. These patients may have to wear prescription lenses home to see well (or have someone drive them home after the examination). All drops used for the purposes of the eye examination have short duration activity and generally within 3-7 hours the effects of these drops should be worn off.
Q. What is 20/20 vision?
A. This is a ratio used to indicate normal visual acuity. It means that people with 'normal vision' on the acuity chart are able to see a certain size of detail at 20 feet. That detail is calibrated to be the same size in all eye examinations so that visual acuity can be standardized when tested between different offices. The detail viewed could be letters, pictures or numbers.
Some people have better than normal vision and some have weaker than normal vision. The top number in the ratio indicates the test distance (20 feet) that the target is calibrated for. The bottom number of the ratio indicates the distance at which a person with normal (20/20 vision) would be able to see that size of target. For example if a person had poorer than normal visual acuity, say 20/400 it would mean that the size of the target that this person sees at 20 feet would actually be recognized by the person with 20/20 vision at 400 feet. Conversely, a person with better than 20/20 visual acuity, say 20/15, would be able to see the small detail at 20 feet that a person with 20/20 vision would have to bring closer to 15 feet to be able recognize it.
Q. What causes cataracts?
A. Cataracts are largely an age-related condition, but many factors can enhance earlier onset. Ultraviolet light exposure has a cumulative effect, as does smoking.
Q. How come my eyes get tired at the computer?
A. Being far or near-sighted, having astigmatism, or becoming presbyopic can all make computer use less comfortable. Your eyes may have to exert extra focusing effort or be forced to work harder to maintain a clear image on the screen. This results in eye strain and fatigue.
The following are some helpful tips to facilitate comfortable and efficient computer use:
Positioning:
Correct positioning of your computer, keyboard, and typing copy is essential. Your screen should be about an arm's length from your eyes and 15-20 degrees below eye level for optimum alignment and neck positioning.
Lighting:
Room lighting should be diffuse, not direct, to reduce glare and reflections from your screen. Use blinds or drapes on windows and/or use an anti-glare filter for your monitor.
Glasses:
Anti-reflective coatings on the lenses of your glasses can be applied to reduce discomfort and to ease reduced vision from bright and/or flickering light sources such as VDTs and fluorescent lights. Don't forget – your optometrist can talk to you about eyeglasses designed specifically for computer users.
Time-out:
To prevent eyestrain, try to rest your eyes when using the computer for long periods. Optometrists recommend the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20 second break, and focus your eyes on an object at least 20 feet away.
Blink:
Did you know that, on average, we blink 12 times per minute? But, when we are on the computer, we only blink 5 times per minute? Infrequent blinking causes tear film evaporation; in other words, dry eyes. Relieve the discomfort by using artificial tear drops and remember to blink!
Q. Does laser eye surgery correct all vision problems?
A. Laser eye surgery is used to correct many cases of myopia (blurred distance vision) and astigmatism safely and predictably. Laser correction of hyperopia (farsightedness) is in its advanced testing stages. Results are not as predictable, nor as successful. Presbyopia, which causes the need to wear reading glasses or bifocals, cannot be corrected by laser surgery. As a result, individuals over 45 years will require reading glasses in most cases following surgery. Amblyopia (lazy eye) or other existing conditions that have caused damage to the eye or loss of vision, cannot be repaired by laser surgery.
Q. Can laser eye surgery correct my need to wear reading glasses?
A. If you have good distance vision without glasses, but need reading correction only, laser refractive surgery is not an option for you. If you wear bifocals to correct both distance and near vision, you may be a candidate to have the distance vision corrected, but still have to wear reading glasses after. | http://parkeroptometry.ca/faqs/index.php |
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention relates to network management. More specifically, the invention relates to scheduling network traffic using hashing functions.
In certain situations, network communication is more efficient through use of broadcast or multicast technology. Broadcast data is data that is sent once and received by all members on a given network. For example, all nodes coupled to a network will receive the same broadcast transmission. Multicast data is data that is sent once on a network to a given multicast channel and received by all clients registered to receive data on the given channel. For example, all computer systems coupled to a network can receive the same multicast data if they are listening on the given multicast channel.
However, when broadcasts or multicasts require a response from the recipients, the network can become overwhelmed by the responses. For example, if a multicast to 100 recipients causes the recipients to download a file from a Web server, the Web server my crash as a result of too may requests. If routers or switches within the network are overwhelmed by the responses, the routers and/or switches may drop packets in which case the requested responses never reach the broadcasting/multicasting device.
US 5684800
US 5920701
One solution is to send an exclusion list along with the data that requests a response from the broadcast/multicast recipients. An exclusion list is a list of devices that should not reply to a broadcast or multicast message. However, as the exclusion list becomes large, multiple packets may be required to broadcast/multicast the exclusion list. If a target device does not receive one or more of the packets carrying the exclusion list, the device may respond even though it should have been excluded. Another shortcoming of broadcasting/multicasting the exclusion list in multiple packets is that coordination and management of the exclusion list is complex.
discloses a system for forwarding broadcast packets of a protocol not supported by a switching mechanism and discloses a system for controlling delivery of content, served by content servers, according to a schedule implemented by a scheduler.
Figure 1
is one embodiment of a network configuration with one electronic device broadcasting messages to multiple electronic devices also coupled to the network.
Figure 2
is one embodiment of an electronic system having a network portal interface.
Figure 3
is a flow diagram of a sending device communicating using hashing functions to manage network traffic.
Figure 4
is a flow diagram of a target device communicating using hashing functions to manage network traffic.
The invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.
Techniques for management of network traffic using hashing functions are described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the invention.
Reference in the specification to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
Network traffic that is used to communicate multicast and broadcast messages are separated into subgroups with respect to the multicast and broadcast messages. In one embodiment a hashing function is used to separate target devices into subgroups. For example, a device identifier can be used by a hash function to determine which subgroup the device belongs to. Messages can be sent to the different subgroups at different times to manage network traffic, or the devices can reply to messages based on their respective subgroupings to manage network traffic.
Figure 1
is one embodiment of a network configuration with one electronic device broadcasting messages to multiple electronic devices also coupled to the network. The network configuration of Figure 1 is described in terms of a server multicasting or broadcasting messages to multiple target devices. Any type of communications between one networked device and multiple target devices can be managed in a similar manner. The sending and/or target devices can be any type of networked electronic device. Also, devices that are target devices in some situations may be sending devices in other situations.
Server 100 sends messages to multiple target devices (e.g., 130, 132, 138) via network 120. The messages can be communicated, for example, using multicast or broadcast protocols. Any type of protocol that is capable of communicating messages to multiple target devices can be used. Network 120 can be any type of network, for example, a local area network or a wide area network such as the Internet.
Network protocols such as Internet Protocol (IP) make it possible to send broadcast or multicast traffic to numerous target devices. However, current network protocols do not provide a mechanism for controlling the number of target devices that respond to the message or the manner in which the target devices respond to the message. In large-scale networks, it is possible for thousands of computers to send response packets in response to a broadcast discovery request packet.
When too many response packets are generated in a short period of time the network can become overloaded and congested. When the network is congested, routers and switches within the network may drop packets resulting in lost data. If the lost data is critical data, devices may not function properly or multiple requests may be required to gather the desired data.
By using hashing functions, such as those described in greater detail below, to determine which target devices should respond or when the target devices should respond, congestion can be controlled and/or reduced. Because the responses from the target devices can be staggered, or otherwise controlled, network traffic can be controlled. By preventing or reducing network congestion, it is possible to prevent or reduce the dropping of packets by routers and/or switches. This provides a more robust protocol and more reliable receipt of response packets.
Current exclusion list technology often results in exclusion lists that cannot fit in the same packet as a request. One approach is to provide exclusion packets that are transmitted separately from the associated request packet. If a target device misses any one of the series of exclusion packets, that target device cannot determine whether it is included in the exclusion list and therefore must operate as if it were not included in the exclusion list. Another shortcoming of exclusion packets is that multiple request packets having associated exclusion lists may be concurrently pending, in which case the exclusion list may become confused. Use of hashing functions for network traffic management as described herein allows request packets-to-include exclusion lists thereby avoiding the shortcomings of separate exclusion packets. The exclusion list can always be made to fit in a single packet by increasing the number of sub groups used in the hashing function. This is because only machines in the sub group are included in the exclusion list in the packet intended for that group.
int ModuloHashFunction (int bins, int uniqueld)
{
return(uniqueId % bins);
}
The following is an example of a hashing function that can be used to control how many client devices respond to a message. A server device broadcasts or multicasts a request packet to 100 target devices via a network. The target devices have unique identifiers 0 through 99. Each target device can use the following modulo hashing function on its unique identifier.
The hashing function has two input values: the number of bins and some unique data associated with the target device. The number of bins is the number of subgroups to which a message is to be communicated. The output is the hash value in the range of the number of bins. For example, if the number of bins is 5, then the hashing function will return a hash value between 0 and 4 inclusive. The hashing function generally returns an evenly distributed number of hash values from the unique data passed in. Continuing the example, if 100 target devices use the same hashing function (using 5 for the number of bins) approximately 20 target devices map to each of the bins. While the hashing function is described as a modulo function; other types of hashing functions can also be used.
In one embodiment communications between the sending device and the target device includes the number of bins and the specific hash value (or bin index). The target devices having hash values that match the value in the request respond to the request. Other target devices do not respond to the request. This allows applications that send the same request to many target devices to benefit from broadcast and/or multicast technology while controlling the number of target devices that respond to a request. From the example above, the application will send five requests (one for each bin) using broadcast or multicast technology. Only the target devices in the specified subgroup respond to the request packets.
Server Requests
Responding Clients
Bins = 5, hash = 0
0, 5, 10, 15, ..., 95
Bins = 5, hash =1
1, 6, 11, 16, ..., 96
Bins = 5, hash = 2
2, 7, 12, 17, ..., 97
Bins = 5, hash = 3
3, 8, 13, 18, ..., 98
Bins = 5, hash = 4
4, 9,14,19,.... 99
The following table illustrates the packet exchange between the sending device and the target devices.
Without using the hashing function, the sending device could receive up to 100 responses simultaneously or within a short time period. Using the hashing function allows the sending device to receive 20 or fewer responses simultaneously or within a short time period. The number of bins used can be selected based on factors such as, for example, maximum packet size (so full exclusion list for subgroup can fit), network bandwidth considerations, sending device processing power, or other factors.
While managing of network traffic using hashing functions has been described in terms of dividing target devices into subgroups, these subgroups can be used in many different ways. Limiting the number of replies to a broadcast or multicast request has been described above. A broadcast message can cause different target device subgroups to use a certain multicast channel or broadcast port to receive additional packets. A broadcast message can cause target devices in different subgroups to download a particular file at different times to prevent the server providing the download from being bombarded with requests for data. Other uses can also be provided.
Figure 2
is one embodiment of an electronic system having a network portal interface. The electronic system illustrated in Figure 2 is intended to represent a range of electronic systems such as, for example, computer systems, set top boxes, or personal digital assistants (PDAs). Alternative electronic systems can include more, fewer and/or different components.
Electronic system 200 includes bus 201 or other communication device to communicate information, and processor 202 coupled to bus 201 to process information. While electronic system 200 is illustrated with a single processor, electronic system 200 can include multiple processors and/or co-processors. Electronic system 200 further includes random access memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device 204 (referred to as main memory), coupled to bus 201 to store information and instructions to be executed by processor 202. Main memory 204 also can be used to store temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by processor 202.
Electronic system 200 also includes read only memory (ROM) and/or other static storage device 206 coupled to bus 201 to store static information and instructions for processor 202. Data storage device 207 is coupled to bus 201 to store information and instructions. Data storage device 207 such as a magnetic disk or optical disc and corresponding drive can be coupled to electronic system 200.
Electronic system 200 can also be coupled via bus 201 to display device 221, such as a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD), to display information to a computer user. Alphanumeric input device 222, including alphanumeric and other keys, is typically coupled to bus 201 to communicate information and command selections to processor 202. Another type of user input device is cursor control 223, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys to communicate direction information and command selections to processor 202 and to control cursor movement on display 221.
Electronic system 200 further includes network interface 230 to provide access to a network, such as a local area network. Network access can be provided in any manner known in the art. In one embodiment, network portal interface is coupled to bus 201. In one embodiment, the first slot of the primary Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus is preferred. However, any slot of any bus can be used with the appropriate interfaces.
Instructions are provided to memory from a storage device, such as magnetic disk, a read-only memory (ROM) integrated circuit, CD-ROM, DVD, via a remote connection (e.g., over a network via network interface 230) that is either wired or wireless, etc. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry can be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software instructions.
A machine-accessible medium includes any mechanism that provides (i.e., stores and/or transmits) information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-accessible medium includes read only memory (ROM); random access memory (RAM); magnetic disk storage media; optical storage media; flash memory devices; electrical, optical, acoustical or other form of propagated signals (e.g., carrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals), etc.
Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a sending device communicating using hashing functions to manage network traffic. The example of Figure 3 is a discovery sequence; however, the techniques described with respect to Figure 3 can be used for other purposes. In the example of Figure 3, an initial discovery request packet is broadcast to all network devices requesting a response. In alternate embodiments, the initial discovery request packets are hashed and sent to subsets of all networked devices.
A discovery request packet is broadcast to all network devices at 310. In one embodiment, the discovery request packet requests information (e.g., hardware configurations, software configurations) from all network devices for remote management or other purposes.
All network devices that receive the initial discovery request respond, or attempt to respond, to the initial discovery request. Because of bandwidth considerations, processing limitations or other conditions, one or more of the responses may not be received by the device that sent the initial discovery request.
In one embodiment, the total number of network devices is estimated, at 320, from the number and/or type of responses to the initial discovery request. For example, the number of responses received can be considered a predetermined percentage of all network devices, or the range of addresses or identifiers can provide information as to the number of devices coupled to the network.
A number of bins is determined, at 330, based on the number of simultaneous, or nearly simultaneous, responses that are desired. For example, if the device that sent the initial discovery request can process 10 simultaneous messages, the estimated number of network devices can be divided by 10 to determine a number of bins to be used. An additional safety factor can also be included in the computation.
- The hashed request packets are sent at 340. As described above, one request message is sent for each bin at 350. There may be a delay between messages that are sent for each bin. The request messages include the hash value and the corresponding bin value. The bin value is the number of bins and the hash value is the bin to which the machine belongs. The network devices receive the requests and determine the appropriate request message for which a response should be generated by ignoring the messages that do not match their hash value.
Figure 4
is a flow diagram of a target device communicating using hashing functions to manage network traffic. As with Figure 3, the example of Figure 4 is a discovery sequence; however, the techniques described with respect to Figure 4 can be used for other purposes.
A target device receives a discovery request at 410. The target device determines whether the discovery request includes a bins value and a hash value at 420. If the discovery request does not include a bins value and a hash value, the target device generates a reply to the discovery request at 450.
If the target device determines that the discovery request includes a bins value and a hash value, the target device determines, using the hashing function, whether its hash value matches the hash value of the request that has been received at 430. If not, the target device does not reply to the discovery request. If the target device determines that its hash value matches the hash value of the discovery request at 430, the target device determines whether it is included in the exclusion list of the discovery request at 440.
If the target device is included in the exclusion list at 440, the target device does not reply to the discovery request. If the target device is not included in the exclusion list, a reply is generated at 450.
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from the broader scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. | |
Profil
Description of job and tasks involved
Administrative support to researchers, assistants and post-docs in search for suitable calls, application of project proposals and implementation of the project. Job includes pre- and post-award phase.
Experience in European research projects
FP7 and Horizon 2020.
University/Organisation
Institute for Anthropological Research is a public scientific organization conducting scientific studies in all major fields of Anthropology: socio-cultural, biomedical, linguistic, and archaeological field.
Curriculum Vitae
Professional Career
2013- present:
Professional Associate for International Projects, Institute for Anthropological Research
2011-2013:
Professional Associate in Director’s Office, Institute for Anthropological Research
Education
2014- present:
PhD candidate in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Zagreb
| |
Julio Jones vs. Richard Sherman: Who Won the Week 6 Matchup?
Week 6 in the NFL brought a few intriguing matchups, but arguably none were better than the Atlanta Falcons against the Seattle Seahawks.
The game featured the best offense in the league by our Net Expected Points (NEP) metric with Atlanta and a top-five defense in Seattle.
NEP, for those new to the metric, measures the value of each play on the field based on how an average team would be expected to perform, according to historical data.
Within that matchup existed the question of how the Falcons’ top-ranked passing offense by Adjusted Passing NEP per play would fare against Seattle’s seventh-ranked pass defense by Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP per play.
Even further within that matchup was the one-on-one battle between Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones and Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman.
It appeared the outcome of that battle would have a sizable impact on the outcome of the game.
Matching Up
Entering the week, it was announced Sherman would follow Jones in coverage everywhere except when the receiver was lined up in the slot.
The obvious counter would be to line Jones up in the slot more, and that’s what the Falcons did. In the first quarter, Jones lined up in the slot six times. None of them saw Sherman lined up across from Jones, but the Atlanta receiver also saw no targets on those plays, some of which were running plays. Jones actually saw no targets at all during the first quarter.
Jones again lined up in the slot for six plays in the second quarter, but Sherman was across from him in coverage on three of those plays.
Jones’ first target from the slot did not come until there were 25 seconds remaining in the first half, but that play was called back due to holding on the offensive line. Jones did get his first two targets and catches in the second quarter working against Sherman on the outside.
The catches came on back-to-back plays, which took advantage of Seattle’s zone principles. Jones first ran a comeback, which might be Sherman’s biggest weakness in coverage, and on the next play, Jones ran a quick slant that got the ball in the receiver’s hands before the corner could make a play.
However, holding Jones to 2 catches and 24 yards in the first half was a win for the Seahawks.
Making Adjustments
At halftime, the Falcons made some adjustments to get Jones more involved in the passing game. It paid off almost immediately, as Atlanta’s first drive of the second half ended with a 36-yard touchdown pass to Jones.
Jones lined up in the slot and got passed off in coverage to no one and was able to get in for the score. (Video courtesy NFL Game Pass).
However, Atlanta’s adjustments weren’t simply to line Jones up in the slot and take him away from Sherman. Instead, the Falcons focused on using Seattle’s scheme against them. Jones only lined up in the slot three times during the third quarter, and just one of those plays drew Sherman in coverage. Jones and the Falcons saw the most success trying to stretch out the Seahawks' defense.
On the next drive, the Falcons ran a play that had Jones lined up on the outside left of the formation across from Sherman. But before the snap, Jones motioned to the right side, and Sherman stayed in his zone on the left. Jones ran a deep post for a gain of 24 yards.
For the following play, Jones lined up from Sherman and ran a quick post for a gain of 16. Atlanta took advantage of quick breaking routes when Sherman was playing off the line as another way to use his style of play against him rather than try to avoid him.
There’s no question the third quarter sparked a turnaround in the Atlanta offense, and it was Jones’ most productive of the day. In just that quarter alone, Jones had 5 catches for 115 yards, and his Reception NEP would have been enough for the 10th-most on the day.
The best adjustment made for the Falcons was simply throwing Jones the ball more often.
|Quarter||Targets||Receptions||Yards||Reception NEP||Reception NEP/Tar|
|1||0||0||0||0||0|
|2||2||2||24||2.07||1.04|
|3||5||5||115||9.18||1.84|
|4||2||0||0||0||0|
But the Seattle defense tightened a bit in the fourth quarter, and Jones saw only two targets. The first led to an interception, which bounced off Jones’ hands on a pass that should have been caught. The interception dropped Atlanta's win expectancy by 17.46 percent per numberFire Live, and Seattle would score the go-ahead field goal on the following drive.
The second target came on Atlanta’s last offensive play of the game, which fell incomplete. There was some controversy on the play about whether or not pass interference occurred, but either way, what’s most interesting about the play is it was the only slot target Jones had with Sherman also in coverage, and it ended up deciding the game.
Jones still had the seventh-best receiving game of the week by Reception NEP. He also had a Success Rate -- the percentage of plays that positively impact NEP -- of 100 percent on his 7 catches. Jones still has a 100 percent Success Rate for the season and has the highest reception total among players who have been successful on all receptions.
Going Forward
Despite the loss, Atlanta is still set up in good position in the NFC South. The Falcons still have a game in the loss column over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints, who are both 2-3. While the Carolina Panthers may be a tough opponent, even late in the season, they’ve played themselves out of playoff contention and now sit at 1-5 and last place in the division. The Falcons get two straight home games coming up against the San Diego Chargers and Green Bay Packers.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks are in full control of the NFC West. At 4-1, they’re two games ahead of the 3-3 Los Angeles Rams and possibly the Arizona Cardinals pending Monday night’s game against the New York Jets. The Seahawks are clicking like many expected they would at the beginning of the season. Outside of the third quarter against Julio Jones, the Seahawks are playing like a top-tier defense, and the offense has been improving.
Entering the game, Seattle was just 22nd in Adjusted NEP per play, due to poor play at the start of the season. But Christine Michael is on a roll, Jimmy Graham is naturally a big piece of the offense -- unlike last season when he was unnaturally forced the ball -- and Russell Wilson is again making up from some pass protection problems with his legs.
Like Seahawks seasons of the past, this team should continue to get better later in the season and could get back to a top-level offense in the near future. Despite the early-season struggles, Seattle never dropped out of the top five of our nERD rankings and won’t after this week, either. | https://www.numberfire.com/nfl/news/10920/julio-jones-vs-richard-sherman-who-won-the-week-6-matchup |
project management – PM organizes, ideas, and executes duties to accomplish a particular objective. A prosperous venture director need to have strong organizational capabilities and the cabability to motivate and steer a staff. This blog submit will reveal ten techniques for performance and achievement in undertaking administration.
Strategies For Performance AND SUCCESS:
Establish the Range from the Task:
The initial step in every task is usually to establish its scale. Including discovering the objectives, deliverables, and timeline for the task. Without a crystal clear range, it will likely be challenging to established sensible requirements and keep on track.
Create a Detailed Plan:
Once you have defined the project’s scale, it’s time to generate a detailed prepare. This should involve each of the duties that must be done and who will be accountable for every one. A detailed prepare will help always keep everyone on the right track and make certain that nothing is neglected.
Set up a practical Timeline:
One of the more typical errors in task managing is setting an improbable timeline. This may lead to aggravation and burnout for you and your group. When creating your timeline, be realistic about what is possible and allow for some mobility.
Talk With Your Crew:
Crystal clear connection is essential for almost any venture supervisor. You ought to be capable to communicate your eyesight to the undertaking, and also offer upgrades on its advancement. Make sure you frequently sign in along with your group and deal with any concerns they could have.
Continue to be Structured:
Since the venture director, it’s your obligation to be organized. This simply means monitoring every one of the tasks that need to be completed and any deadlines getting close to. A task management device like Trello or Asana is a superb approach to keep arranged.
Verdict:
By following these tips, you may be well to being a profitable task manager. Moreover, make sure you remain arranged, communicate with your crew, and set sensible objectives. Using these 3 things in mind, you’ll be sure to succeed in any task you perform. | http://erodoga1012.com/2022/08/04/5-task-control-tips-to-help-you-succeed/ |
Impressionism & Post-Impressionism
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Transcript of Impressionism & Post-Impressionism
Post-Impressionism Impressionism Impressionism was an art movement which started in France in the 19th century.Impressionism used small and thin brushstrokes that are visible.Included ordinary subject matter.Impressionism had open composition and unusual visual angles.Light was depicted in a changing quality and included movement as a necessary element. It gave more emphasis on color rather than lines and depicted realistic scenes which where painted outdoors.It involved candid poses, movement, and the use of diverse colors. Impressionism Continued Back paint was avoided.Softer edges and an exciting mix of colors was achieved by mixing colors as little as possible and by placing paint over wet paint.The surface that was used in impressionism was opaque.An impressionist painting usually appeared like a snapshot as if it was captured by chance. Impressionism paved paved the way for Neo-impressionism, Fauvism, Cubism, and Post-impressionism.Impressionist painters included: Edgar Degas, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Sisley, Morisot, and Pissaro. Post-Impressionism Post-impressionism was the style that developed out or reacted against impressionism.It started in the late 1800's and early 1900's.Post-impressionist artists still used vivid colors, thick paint, distinct brushstrokes, and ordinary subject matter, but stressed the use of geometric forms and unnatural colorsPost-impressionist painters explored different directions and approaches to painting without concern about the appearance of their subjects. Post-Impressionism Continued Post-impressionism paved the way for the development of modern art, which was based largely on the emotions and concepts of the individual artist.While impressionism was done outdoors, post-impressionism was done inside a studio. It was a slower process than impressionism and involved methodical processes. Post-impressionist artists included: Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin, and Georges Seurat. Similarities Between the Two Post-impressionism seems to be a more extreme version of Impressionism.Similarities between impressionism and post-impressionism include:-Real-life subjects-Distinctive brushstrokes-Thick layers of paint-Vivid colors Impressionism Impressionism and Post-Impressionism By: Beth Morris Claude Monet.The Walk. Lady with a Parasol. 1875. Oil on canvas. National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, USA. Pierre-Auguste Renoir.La Grenouillère. 1869. Oil on canvas. National Museum, Stockholm, Sweden. Paul Gauguin.Still Life with Mangoes. 1896. Oil on canvas. Private collection. Vincent van Gogh.Old Man in Sorrow. May 1890. Oil on canvas. Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller, Otterlo, Netherlands.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of forming a reaction product such as calcium silicate, structure employed in the method for forming this reaction product, and the resulting reaction product.
2. Prior Art
Shaped calcium silicate insulation is widely used, particularly for applications involving temperatures above 800.degree. fahrenheit. A variety of processes for forming calcium silicate insulation products are known. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,988,419, 2,699,097, 2,904,444, and 3,001,882 disclose methods for forming calcium silicate insulation. As disclosed in the '882 patent, the calcium silicate insulation typically is composed of crystals of synthetic tobermorite and/or xonotlite prepared by the induration of aqueous lime-silica slurries in which the molar ratio of lime-silica falls in the range of about 0.65:1 to 1:1 and the water-to-solids ratio falls between about 0.75:1 to about 9.0:1. Typically, in the preparation of low density insulation (i.e., densities ranging from about 5 to 15 lbs. per cubic foot) asbestos fibers have been added as a reinforcing material to the slurry. A description of certain prior art techniques for producing molded materials of calcium silicate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,679,446 on an application of Kubo. Kubo states that it is difficult to obtain calcium silicate insulation products with uniform properties and satisfactory mechanical strength unless the induration reaction is conducted for a long period of time. Kubo further states that the calcium silicates typically produced cannot satisfactorily withstand high temperatures with the result that a calcium silicate product composed mainly of tobermorite crystals is liable to decrease in mechanical strength markedly at 650.degree. C. or thereabout and to disintegrate or break down at over 700.degree. C. and that a product composed mainly of xonotlite crystals tends to decrease in mechanical strength markedly at a temperature higher than about 1000.degree. C. Kubo discloses a method of forming calcium silicate crystals wherein at least a given percent by weight of the calcium silicate crystals has formed therein "numerous small agglomerates of a diameter of ten to 150 microns by being three dimensionally interlocked with one another," said agglomerates being dispersed in water "in substantially globular form." Kubo also discloses the use of reinforcing fibers formed predominantly of pulp fiber.
Hoopes and Weber disclose in U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,163 the formation of calcium silicate insulating material having densities on the order of 10 to 15 lbs. per cubic foot wherein asbestos reinforcing fibers are replaced by a reinforcing fiber comprising from about three percent to fifteen percent of the weight of the calcium silicate material and consisting of nodulated mineral wool and cellulosic fiber, at least about twenty-five percent of the fiber being nodulated mineral wool.
In the manufacture of calcium silicate products in accordance with the prior art, the reaction constituents (typically calcium oxide (CaO) or hydrated calcium oxide Ca(OH).sub.2) are mixed with a siliceous material, such as sand, in water to form a slurry. This mixture is heated in an autoclave to form a variety of crystalline forms of calcium silicate depending upon the temperature, pressure, length of reaction time and water concentration used. Fibrous materials such as asbestos, which are not adversely affected by the reaction conditions, may be incorporated into the mixture prior to processing. The reaction product of this processing is generally an aqueous slurry of hydrated calcium silicate crystals intermixed with desired fibrous components. This slurry is then cast into molds and dried, usually by heating, to form the desired finished shaped objects.
As discussed in the Zettel U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,149, this processing to form the crystalline materials in the slurry is time consuming and requires large and expensive pieces of processing equipment. Thus the prior art has attempted to improve the process conditions under which crystallization takes place and to shorten the time required to produce a finished hydrate. Decreasing the time to process the slurry through crystallization and the return to ambient conditions results in more efficient and economical utilization of the equipment and an increased output of finished product.
In the prior art typically the slurry was cooled in the autoclave upon completion of the crystallization. The pressure was then reduced within the autoclave while the slurry was cooled to ambient. The prior art recognized that allowing the steam pressure in the autoclave to be reduced by cooling was both slow (because of the long time required to transfer heat from the slurry through the autoclave walls to the ambient) and inefficient (because of the waste of the heat so transferred). To speed up the process, the high pressure steam in the autoclave was vented to the atmosphere. Because at atmospheric pressure the crystalline reaction of the components in the slurry proceeds at a temperature well above the boiling point of water, the venting of steam to the atmosphere caused the hot aqueous slurry to boil violently. This fractured many of the newly formed crystals thus defeating the purpose of the careful prior crystallization. Moreover, the venting of steam wasted energy. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,816,149, Zettel attempted to overcome these problems by hydrothermally reacting a highly concentrated aqueous slurry of a source of calcium oxide and a siliceous material in the presence of saturated steam under elevated pressure in a pressure vessel to form crystalline calcium silicate. Following the formation of the crystalline calcium silicate hydrate, the steam input was halted and low temperature water was gradually added to the reaction mixture within the pressure vessel until sufficient water was added to dilute the crystalline slurry to the desired concentration for subsequent molding operations. Incoming water condensed the steam in the pressure vessel simultaneously reducing its pressure and cooling the crystal-containing slurry. The gradual cooling nd depressurization was described by Zettel as effectively eliminating the disruption of the crystal structure. Zettel also reduced substantially the time required to raise the reaction mixture from ambient to the condition for the crystallization reaction to take place by reducing the amount of water present which must be heated compared to the then prior art processes.
Calcium silicate insulation produced by the prior art still leaves much to be desired in the way of strength, high temperature insulation capability, predictability of characteristics, machineability, and dimensional consistency. In addition, the manufacturing process for this material still wastes considerable energy by heating and cooling the reaction slurry in the autoclave. This process also increases the cost of forming insulation by tying up the equipment for a long period of time per batch of calcium silicate formed. Finally, during the transfer of the calcium silicate reaction product from the autoclave to a holding tank for the next stage in the operation, the crystalline structure of the reaction product fractures or is otherwise changed.
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How to Find the Right Management Style
The ability to make good decisions is an art all leaders must learn, but it is especially vital for the entrepreneur. In many cases, when you started your business, there was no one else. You were technician, manager, and leader -- responsible for making every decision both tactical and strategic.
As your business has grown, you’ve included more people in the operations of your business. But have you included others into your decision-making process? Should you?
There is no clear-cut answer to this question, which is why skillful decision-making is more art than science. Different situations call for different approaches ranging from autocratic to consensual. It can be as detrimental to be autocratic all the time as it is to be too inclusive.
As a result, the best decision-makers are flexible. They know when to be autocratic, when to be seek consensus, and when to do something in-between. But how do you know which approach is right for any given situation? You can start by examining your personal decision-making style.
Understanding your style
To improve your decision-making, you must first understand your decision-making preferences. To do this, ask yourself: when faced with a decision, do I tend to go it alone, or do I usually seek consensus? Or do I always do something in between -- seeking the input of others but making the final decision myself.
One way to determine your decision-making style is with an assessment instrument. One such tool, the Decision Style Profile*, evaluates the appropriateness with which respondents include others in the decision-making process. After reading 10 cases and deciding how autocratic or inclusive they would be in each instance, users can determine which of five basic decision-making styles most closely describes their personal tendencies.
The five decision-making styles presented in the Decision Style Profile are:
- Director -- The most autocratic style, the Director assumes he or she knows everything they need to know to make a decision and makes it alone.
- Fact Finder -- Also an autocratic style, the Fact Finder doesn’t share the problem or seek advice from others; instead he or she collects the information they think they need to make a decision and make it alone.
- Investigator -- A more inclusive style, the Investigator will choose select stakeholders and ask their advice, taking their opinion into account when making a decision, but still making it alone.
- Collaborator -- Still more inclusive, the Collaborator shares the problem with all stakeholders, seeking their input but reserving the right to make the final decision.
- Teamer -- The most inclusive style, the Teamer seeks complete consensus when making a decision.
Clarity, Comprehension, and Commitment
Only once you understand your decision-making style can you consider whether each situation requires flexibility from your normal tendencies. You can do this by determining your clarity of the problem, comprehension of the information needed to make any decision, and the commitment necessary to implement the decision. In each situation, ask yourself:
- Am I completely clear about the problem? (Clarity)
- Do I have all the information I need to make the decision or do I know where to find it? (Comprehension)
- How much help from others will be necessary to implement the decision? (Commitment)
The more clarity and comprehension you have, the more autocratic you can be in making the decision. The less clarity and comprehension you have, the more inclusive you must be. Conversely, the more commitment you need to implement the decision, the more inclusive you need to be. When you need less commitment, you can afford to be more autocratic.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you are better equipped to determine when it’s best to go it alone, get input from others, or seek full consensus in making your decision.
The critical factor: Time
Sometimes, time doesn’t allow this ideal approach. Time is always the most critical factor in any decision-making process.
Taking any extra time on the front end of what seems like an emergency can be painful. But talk to anyone who’s wasted valuable time, money, and brainpower working on the wrong problem, and they will attest to the value of a more thoughtful approach. It is surprising how often there is not time up front to get appropriate input but there is always time to go back and readdress the decision when it becomes clear it cannot be implemented.
It is in those situations when you have no time to seek input from others that you’ll see the benefit of having a decision-making process in place that is transparent to everyone involved in making decisions at your company.
Transparency = Trust
Realizing how visible your decisions can be, it comes as no surprise that successful leaders are transparent in their decision-making logic and rationale.
The trust you build by allowing your organization to see how decisions are made will earn you the confidence, understanding, and buy-in you need when a lack of time forces you to make decisions with little or no involvement from others. Transparency helps to foster understanding even when there isn’t agreement, which is invaluable when it comes to actually implementing the decision successfully.
While making good decisions is definitely an art, having proven guidelines to follow can improve the quality of every decision you make. Understanding your own decision-making tendencies and taking the time you have to be clear about each situation will help you determine when to go it alone and when to include others. And keeping the entire process visible will earn you confidence and trust in your capabilities while modeling good decision-making skills to all.
* The Decision Style Profile is a product of Discovery Learning Inc. It is an enlightening management-assessment tool that leads to the development of improved decision-making skills. It evaluates the appropriateness with which respondents include others in the decision-making process and the extent to which respondents consider five critical Decision Factors in their decision processes. It takes 10-15 minutes to complete. For more information, visit www.discoverylearning.com. | https://www.inc.com/resources/leadership/articles/20060201/musselwhite.html |
A Drift to Nuclear War or the $700 Quintillion Alternative?
Since the dawn of humanity, the human race has squabbled, disputed, and killed over resources to fund their own particular way of life. We have no record of the first conflict between humans that led to the first death in combat between groups of humans in the ancient past. Whether it was for rights over a water hole, or a fight over food, women, or gold, we will never know. The only thing we can be sure of is that there was human conflict long before there was a means of writing and preserving the events of a particular time or epoch.
War as a means of public policy probably did not evolve until the beginnings of the Neolithic Age. The Neolithic Age began at the end of the hunter-gather society and the beginnings of humans cultivating land and acquiring surplus food. When the ancient human race began to acquire surplus food, it could allow for the growth of other professions that were not dependent on farming. For example, someone who did not have a good harvest, for whatever reason, found that by offering their labor, or specialized skills, could obtain food to survive without farming. This eventually led to the creation of a professional labor class which depended on the ability of others to grow more food than they consumed. The surplus of food then led to the creation of means of exchange instead of barter, or for lack of a better word, money. The accumulation of wealth brought about conflict when other bands of ancient humans decided to obtain that surplus of wealth through organized violence or war.
The use of war in politics can be found in Mesopotamia as early as 10,000 BC through evidence of cemeteries from northern Mesopotamia to Egypt. Fortified cities have been excavated in Uruk and in Jericho from 7,000 BC.
The first time we can view a recorded history of war between nations comes from the area of Mesopotamia. In 2,700 BC, there is a recorded history of a war between Sumer and Elam. The Sumerians, under the leadership of the King of Kish, defeated the Elamites and carried away their weapons as a triumph. At the same time, the King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, attacked his neighbors in order to procure a supply of cedar that was to be used to build a temple. As the human race multiplied and became organized and centralized in nations and empires, the tendency of the human race to engage in warfare has only grown. From the use of clubs and stones to the modern nuclear age, humans have murdered each other aided by the creation of new weapons in ever-increasing quantities.
The Nuclear Age and the Possible End of Humanity
The detonation of the 1st atomic bomb used in warfare on the Japanese city of Hiroshima heralded, for the first time, the ability of the human race to destroy itself. The man credited with the development of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, uttered the words “Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds” from the Hindu sacred text the Bhagavad-Gita.
From that day on 16 July 1945, when the world’s first nuclear weapon was detonated, the number of countries that have developed nuclear weapons has grown from one to nine. Of these nine, the United States and China are at loggerheads, with Russia involved on the periphery, but still involved. India and Pakistan have fought several wars since partition in 1947 and are currently involved in an undeclared conflict over the province of Kashmir. India and China have recently come to blows with soldiers using clubs wrapped in barbed wire which has led to the death of several dozen soldiers in the mountains separating China and India. While the world has managed to avoid a nuclear conflict, the dangers of the world being devastated by a nuclear war has grown since the end of the Cold War.
While the stockpile of nuclear weapons has been reduced as a result of the end of the Cold War, 70,000 nukes at the height of the Cold War, and currently measure some 14,000 nukes, that number has begun to climb due to China and North Korea adding to their stockpiles. The remaining weapons are being upgraded and their destructive power enhanced. More nuclear weapons in the world means a higher chance of them being used in a conflict. Once a nuclear war begins, it is uncertain if it could be contained, or lead to all-out nuclear war and the destruction of world civilization. There has been speculation of the possibility of what has been termed the Thucydides Trap that would tilt the odds in favor of war between the U.S. and China.
The effects of a nuclear war on the Earth, and its population, would be devastating. The first consequences would of course be the destruction of major cities and economic zones as the result of the first blasts of nuclear weapons. Immediately after would come the effects of radiation poisoning, and the deaths of hundreds of millions of people from that aspect of nuclear war. With such widespread destruction, the availability of trained medical professionals would soon be overwhelmed by the immense numbers of injured and dying populations. A nuclear winter would soon follow, with crops failing and widespread famine as a result. Needless to say, there would be an immediate breakdown of law and order, and the subsequent decline into barbarity unchecked. Indeed, the living would envy the dead.
The $700 Quintillion Alternative
Alongside the development of weapons of war through science, technology that was developed for war can also be used for peace. With the natural resources of the Earth being overwhelmed by the growth of the human population, which will eventually lead to global conflict, the technology exists today to enable the human race to venture into the solar system. This would allow the human race to populate other planets and seek resources not only from the Moon but from the $700 quintillion prize, the asteroid belt that orbits between Mars and Jupiter.
One of the pre-requisites for the development of the asteroid belt would be the establishment of a mining support facility on the planet Mars. Such an endeavor would require funding in the trillions of dollars. New space vehicles, inter-planetary vessels (IPVs) would need to be designed and constructed out of the Earth’s atmosphere to be of sufficient size to transport the supplies and building materials that would be required in order to build a mining support facility. The construction of smaller vessels needed to do the actual mining of the asteroid belt would also have to be manufactured.
Construction of an International Space Dock
Scientists at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics have long advocated the construction of a space dock in a low Earth orbit (LEO) for the construction of deep space IPVs to facilitate the growth of space exploration and colonization. The funding of the construction of the space dock should be international in nature so that every country would have a financial interest in the space dock.
The construction of the space dock could be done in conjunction with the current NASA project Gateway.
With fusion power becoming more and more likely with the technological breakthrough by MIT, and the establishment of Commonwealth Fusion Systems by the scientists who made the breakthrough in fusion power, the mining of helium-3 has become a matter of great financial interest. Helium-3 is used to ignite the fusion process in the CFS tokamak under construction by CFS and is critical to the growth of fusion power on Earth. According to NASA, there are 1 million tons of helium-3 on the Moon. With one pound of helium-3 worth $705,000, 1 million tons of helium-3 would be worth $1.4 quadrillion. Such wealth is worth mining but should be done by all the nations of the Earth to prevent warfare from spreading out into space.
Stepping Back from the Nuclear Abyss
Today, with world political tensions rising worldwide, the human race is on a path to destroying itself. From the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is making aggressive moves to capture the natural gas fields shared by Israel and Egypt, to the Himalayas where India and China are rubbing up against each other, and to the South China Sea where the United States and China conduct missile drills with their navies, the world is drifting into armed conflict. And all of these military confrontations are over who will gain from the natural resources in those areas of the world.
With the asteroid belt worth more than $700 quintillion, there is more than enough wealth for every nation on Earth with trillions left over. And if the nations of the world worked together, instead of insisting of fighting over the meager wealth of the world, there would be no reason for war, or the suffering war brings.
Let us step back from the nuclear abyss. Let us turn the world’s attention to the promises of wealth that wait for us in the solar system. Let the technological revolution be used for peace instead of war, and let humanity spread its seed among the stars. | https://intpolicydigest.org/a-drift-to-nuclear-war-or-the-700-quintillion-alternative/ |
…Elimination of zero-tolerance policies. I am often asked how I have developed a heightened sense of equity and social justice. It’s a simple answer, my students taught me. I do my best to seek to understand rather than judge. Zero-tolerance policies are judgements with no room for understanding individual situations. These exclusionary policies often exacerbate […]
…Elimination of zero-tolerance policies. I am often asked how I have developed a heightened sense of equity and social justice. It’s a simple answer, my students taught me. I do my best to seek to understand rather than judge. Zero-tolerance policies are judgements with no room for understanding individual situations. These exclusionary policies often exacerbate challenges some students face and leave no space to understand the root cause of a student’s behavior. However, restorative practices underscore the importance of understanding root causes and providing support and making adjustments to environments for different student outcomes and success.
Kristyn Klei Borrero, Ed.D., is an accomplished educational leader and coach who has an unparalleled ability to make a profound difference in the professional lives of educators. For the last twenty years, Kristyn has committed herself to improving the education of students in traditionally disenfranchised schools as a classroom teacher, principal, area superintendent, and co-founder of CT3, one of the nation’s leading organizations focused on developing teachers and school leaders. Kristyn led the research and development of No-Nonsense Nurturer® and Real Time Teacher Coaching®, widely recognized as two of the most innovative, transformative professional development models in education today. Kristyn attended both Miami University of Ohio and Xavier University, and holds a Doctorate in Education Leadership from the University of California, Berkeley.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share the “backstory” behind what brought you to this particular career path?
Iam a public school kid-turned-teacher, who taught in the same Cincinnati schools I attended as a child. I went to public schools with a diverse population of students, which gave me an early look at the difference between equity and equality. As a young person, I didn’t think in those specific terms, but I did see how students of color were not afforded the same educational opportunities I was, even though we attended the same school. This is where I began finding my voice, though it would be years before I fully realized how my voice could empower youth who deserve every educational opportunity, including the right to learn from the very best teachers. It was as a teacher that I began to understand how severe the implications could be when teachers failed to confront their unintended biases, or fell short of striving to meet the diverse cultural and learning needs of the students they served.
As a principal, I advocated for a strong school culture and set high expectations for our staff. And yet, when it came to classroom management and culture, I struggled to support educators in achieving the kind of consistency and care that I knew our students deserved. I sought to understand and codify the practices of highly effective teachers to address this issue, so alongside my research team, I studied extraordinary educators who were getting amazing results with students. We determined that they were skilled at building life-altering relationships with their students AND supporting their students in meeting rigorous academic expectations. The teachers we studied would work to confront their own biases to ensure there was nothing preventing them from holding all their students accountable through models of high rigor and high care. The kids often called these teachers “No-Nonsense Nurturers” and the name resonated. I have since dedicated my professional life to supporting America’s teachers with the techniques we learned from these amazing educators.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Failure always presents opportunities. One of the more interesting things that I have grappled with is the result of one of my many setbacks. After researching the work of high-performing teachers for No-Nonsense Nurturer, we trained 20+ educational coaches to support teachers with the model through cognitive coaching practices. The teachers were eager for the work and ready to improve, but they weren’t catching on. I knew from first-hand experience, and from the research, that this model had potential to be highly effective, but I was failing to get traction. In a moment of frustration, one of our coaches said, “If I could only be an angel on their shoulder, I could prevent the train wreck from happening!” That’s when this failure revealed an inspiration… we needed to coach teachers in real time, at the moment of instruction, to change how they thought about their own abilities and their practice. The more I investigated, the more I saw the impact of real-time feedback; news anchors, football coaches, doctors, and other highly-skilled professions relied on real-time coaching and communication to support and improve practice. I knew educators deserved no less.
We worked diligently for more than 18 months to develop what is now Real Time Teacher Coaching, which enabled us to support teachers in experiencing successes in their classroom while engaging in culturally relevant classroom management and pedagogical practices. With this revelation, we could work on protocols to coach teachers on these once unnoticed mindsets and beliefs and improve their practice for their entire career. Our original setback turned into what I think is one of the most effective and efficient ways to coach and support educators!
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
The impact of Real Time Teacher Coaching was seen and felt by school leaders around the country, many of whom cited the need for the same level of coaching at the school and district level for leadership. This led us to develop Real Time Leadership Coaching, designed specifically for school leaders who understand the importance of culturally relevant leadership practices.
This is a big step forward for the schools we work with, as it represents a deep and lasting commitment to systemic improvement at every level. Too often, school leaders fail to recognize their contributions to school and system cultures. When a leader raises their hand and asks for coaching, we are setting up the entire organization to build a “culture of coaching,” where feedback is felt at every level — leaders, teachers, support staff, students, and even family members. In this way, we can also build more culturally competent structures because all stakeholders can receive and give feedback without judgement. This is courageous work and not for the faint of heart. When the work is executed with fidelity, however, systems that once struggled begin to thrive.
Can you briefly share with our readers why you are authority in the education field?
From 1996 to 2007, I led turnaround work for underperforming schools in Oakland and East Palo Alto, California (once considered the murder capital of the U.S.). Despite the many barriers to success, from racial inequities to socio-economic oppression, our schools exceeded all state academic benchmarks, organizational fundraising and financial goals, teacher retention rates, and family and student satisfaction ratings. To be clear, this was not my success alone. Instead, it was through a concerted effort to improve and empower all of our stakeholders that we achieved incredible gains. That included fellow leaders, teachers, support services and, most importantly, students, families, and members of the community.
In leading the research and development of No-Nonsense Nurturer and Real Time Teacher Coaching, I’ve been witness to remarkable transformations at the classroom, school, and district level in some of the most historically marginalized communities in the U.S. I am not sure if this makes me an “authority,” but it puts me in a position of privilege because of the knowledge I have been blessed to accumulate. I am not sure anyone is a true authority in anything, to be honest. However if you spend the majority of your professional career focused, and questioning and seeking to understand a particular topic, you’re likely to have learning worth sharing.
In order to expand the work and scale up our impact on the teaching profession, I recently wrote a book for educators called Every Student, Every Day: A No-Nonsense Nurturer® Approach to Reaching All Learners. Published by Solution Tree, one of the most respected publishers in education, I’m pleased to share that it was honored with a 2019 Independent Publisher Book Award.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. From your point of view, how would you rate the results of the U.S. education system?
There’s enough published data for all to see that we are underperforming relative to our international peers, despite the many advantages we have in the U.S. What makes that so distressing is that our education system is dedicated to serving ALL students. This is a goal I wholeheartedly support, but one that we remain all too far from achieving.
The most important thing our educational system can do is provide a level playing field for students (notice I didn’t say equal), particularly those who have insights and needs that tend to be ignored as a result of unexamined biases of individuals, communities, and systems. Because our educational system is so segregated, it often fails to serve historically marginalized youth in some of the most forgotten communities in America. Education is the civil rights issue of my generation, and we need to walk toward issues of (in)equity with an open mind and sustained commitment to changing not only the environment in which young people learn, but the unexamined privilege that has led to the oppression of others.
One of the barriers to leveling the playing field for our students is the systematic lack of support for our teachers, who I believe have the most important job in the world. We fail to prepare our educators adequately to teach in work environments that many of them find challenging. As a system, we starve them of the coaching and professional learning they need to provide an equitable education for every student. As I noted earlier, there are precious few sectors that bear such an enormous burden and yet are forced to endure in stark isolation.
There’s some good news here, though… which is that educators are universally committed to doing right by their students, and no school or district is beyond hope of transformation. It takes strategic work and resources, but any teacher or leader with a growth mindset and access to highly effective coaching can improve and even transform their practice. A key to remodeling our educational system is to ensure every teacher is equipped with a pathway to become a culturally relevant, high-performing educator that supports every student to access every opportunity.
Can you identify 5 areas of the U.S. education system that are going really great?
I appreciate this question because I encourage our team at CT3 to focus on the assets of the organizations we engage with, and then from there we can build on the opportunities for improvement. I also think this is a great question because so much of the educational narrative is on what’s not working, but I’m encouraged by trends in education, including:
Growing calls for inclusivity and equity, which means people are recognizing the need to notice our differences, celebrate them, and make sure we’re all empowered to succeed.
Increasing focus on serving the whole child through multi-tiered systems of support. Academics are important but we have to be sure we are helping to raise a generation of well-rounded, emotionally fit young people.
Research-based learning and evidence-based practices that recognize and honor the importance of our work as educators.
Can you identify the 5 key areas of the US education system that should be prioritized for improvement? Can you explain why those are so critical?
Policy: The U.S. education system was built on white, middle-class cultural values and ideals, which do not reflect the reality of most of our country’s public school students. Admittedly, I am not a “policy person” but I am clear that we have policies from Capitol Hill to the schoolhouse that are exclusionary. Many policies unfairly impact students of color who often receive more and/or harsher disciplinary actions than their peers. The punitive nature of many exclusionary policies feeds the school-to-prison pipeline because the policies focus on punishment rather than understanding the root cause of student actions/behaviors. We need to consistently review the policies in every part of the education system to ensure they are supportive of educators and all of the students we are charged to serve.
Diversity among teachers: More than half of our students are students of color while our teaching force has less than 20 percent of teachers that look and sound like their students. As a student, seeing yourself in your teachers is incredibly empowering and having a diverse group of teachers better prepares our youth for the global community they will work in as adults.
Culturally relevant training for all educators: It is not enough to simply recruit and hire more teachers of color. Teachers often begin their careers unprepared to recognize or confront the biases they may have about students who don’t look like them. Exacerbated by a lack of training, these biases manifest into unfair treatment of students (note my policy point earlier), which, in turn, can reinforce the false narratives about “those students.” Ongoing professional learning to build culturally relevant practices in how we build relationships, select curriculum, engage in pedagogical practices, and operate our schools to better serve all stakeholders in our educational system are necessary and need to be the focus of every educational professionals’ learning. We need to better serve all stakeholders in our educational system when we select curriculum, engage in pedagogical practices, and operate our schools. Ongoing professional learning in culturally relevant practices to improve relationship building needs to be the focus of every educational professionals’ learning.
Teacher preparation and retention: Nearly 50 percent of teachers leave the profession within their first five years. Our teachers are extraordinarily stressed with the demands of their job and we expect that they not only teach content, but act as guidance counselors and social workers. Teaching is the most important job in the world — without great teachers, there would exist no pathways to every other profession. In this country, we have to do a better job of preparing and supporting educators in their pre-service years so they will feel successful on minute one, day one of their teaching careers. If we better prepare educators to work in all communities, they will be better equipped to support their students. Early success as a teacher is instrumental in keeping folks in the profession.
Standardized assessments: I am a firm believer in accountability and assessment, but we have gotten to the point in this country where standardized assessments have determined what we teach in school. This is fundamentally problematic. For example, we have all but eliminated the arts in public schools because they are not part of our standardized testing in this country. This is a prime example of the “tail wagging the dog,” and I am clear that a single test taken in March of a school year does not account for the many hours of learning that happens in our schools every day.
If you had the power to influence or change the entire U.S. educational infrastructure what five things would you implement to improve and reform our education system? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Great question, and one that I would encourage every stakeholder in education to consider. It’s a way to check our assumptions and I suspect we’d all land on similar viewpoints.
With that said, I want to offer five changes that I think underscore what would be the most important change we could make in education, and that is for us to “re-brand” the profession of teaching. The work of educators is the lifeblood of our communities, our economies, and our culture. And yet the discussions centered on transforming education get hijacked by arguments that have little to do with the art and science of teaching and learning.
It’s well past time we rethink how we view the teaching profession, such that it reflects how much we care about the fate of our children. Check that, it should reflect how much we care about ALL children, not just the ones in our neighborhood. Few would argue that children deserve the best, but, sadly, fewer still seem willing to step up and have the arguments that matter most. So let me share a five-point argument for how we could consider to shift the narrative to one of respect and unrelenting excellence for all students.
Classroom management training. I believe classroom management training isn’t only for pre-service teachers, but for all school staff. It is in our management practices that many of our cultural biases come to fruition and with the proper training, we have the ability to support all educators and the students in their charge. A few years ago, we were asked to train bus drivers for a school district in North Carolina on how to both manage behavior and create a safe and nurturing environment for students in transit. This speaks to the need for all of us to prioritize how we develop relationships with students. With that said, current teacher preparation programs are failing to train teachers how to balance the need for high academic expectations with the importance of authentic relationships. That’s why our organization is in such high demand across the country. We have a lot of work to do in this area.
Coaching for everyone. I get to spend about 100 days a year in schools. I am humbled when educators approach me and thank me for the real-time feedback their colleagues have been trained in and the coaching they receive. It’s difficult to express how rewarding it is to hear a teacher say, “This has changed my life.” Every school leader should be so lucky.
The most successful school leaders today are the ones who ensure their teachers see coaching not as a ‘gotcha,’ but as a two-way process that helps everyone improve their craft in service of students. If athletes and doctors can get coaching in real time, shouldn’t teachers?
Implement training on culturally relevant practices and understanding mindsets. Research consistently reinforces the correlation between student success and culturally relevant teaching that affirms students and confronts inequity. Confronting cultural biases and disempowered mindsets we may have about our students empowers educators to have classrooms that celebrate and relate to students’ backgrounds, in turn, positively impacting student achievement and outcomes.
Elimination of zero-tolerance policies. I am often asked how I have developed a heightened sense of equity and social justice. It’s a simple answer, my students taught me. I do my best to seek to understand rather than judge. Zero-tolerance policies are judgements with no room for understanding individual situations. These exclusionary policies often exacerbate challenges some students face and leave no space to understand the root cause of a student’s behavior. However, restorative practices underscore the importance of understanding root causes and providing support and making adjustments to environments for different student outcomes and success.
Teacher Pay. Effective teachers are some of the most important and influential people in a child’s life, yet many educators struggle financially, many times not able to live in the communities where they teach. The notion of short workdays and easy-going summers is a myth that, by now, should be a distant memory. And yet, the perception of teaching has not shifted fast enough to recognize that educators are the ones with whom students spend a majority of their waking hours. That we short-change our teachers is not only disrespectful to the profession, it’s irresponsible. Teacher salaries should reflect the vital work that they do every day in shaping our next generation.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of my favorite quotes is from Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, which says, “I have come to a frightening conclusion. I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.” I like to reflect on his words, as well as encourage the educators I meet to think about how their approach creates the climate in their classroom (or their building) and supports students in achieving greatness.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
This is an interesting question, because it’s important that the biggest names in business, venture capital, sports, and entertainment do more than vocalize their support of education. Some of these folks are, in fact, doing more through their foundation work. I salute them in these efforts.
That being said, I think I’d like to sit down with Charles Koch, which may come as a surprise to your readers. It will certainly surprise the people I work with every day, who would perceive this as “meeting with the opposition.” While it may be true that the Koch name is generally aligned with highly conservative policies, Mr. Koch has a history of getting behind restorative practices in the criminal justice system and I think he’d be receptive to seeing how we need to implement real and lasting change in education. Given his influence with many who are inherently opposed to programs that support equity, I’d welcome the opportunity to align with a shared cause for improving education outcomes for all students. I’m concerned about the lack of cultural competence at the highest levels of government and see this playing out in education. Kids are suffering the consequences of what I perceive to be uninformed policy decisions that lack empathy and compassion. I’d like the opportunity to engage in a healthy, constructive conversation with the hope that I can shift mindsets even just a little bit. I’m surrounded by colleagues who work tirelessly to improve education and are true champions of transformative practices… and any new recruit to that cause is well worth the effort, much less a recruit with the influence of Mr. Koch.
How can our readers follow you on social media?
I’m on Twitter at @KKB_CT3. I look forward to continuing the discussion.
Penny is an environmental scientist-turned-entrepreneur. She’s worked as a climate scientist, an environmental planner, and a wilderness park ranger. Motivated by a passion to raise a generation of environmental leaders, in 2010 Penny founded Green Kid Crafts, a children’s media company that provides kids around the world with convenient and eco-friendly STEAM activities. Today, it’s become a leader in the subscription industry, with over 1 million packages shipped worldwide that have exposed a generation to think about and take a leadership role in sustainability. Penny, her husband Jeff, and her children Rowan and Declan live together in San Diego, California. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Management and an M.S. in Environmental Science. Penny has over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, management, strategy and finance. She’s a seasoned leader, an inspiring speaker, an encouraging business mentor, and a creative writer. You can learn more about Green Kid Crafts at https://www.greenkidcrafts.com/ and follow Penny’s stories and updates at https://www.instagram.com/greenkidcrafts/ and https://twitter.com/bauderpenny.
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How I went from Potential Mass Shooter to Peace Educator
“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills . . . There is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. . . . So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.” | |
Brussels, October 26, 2020
The International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations (IVAA) celebrates today 100 years of Anthroposophic Medicine with a live-streamed symposium “Teaming up Against Cancer” on integrative oncology as a holistic, patient-centered and evidence-informed integration of practices from different traditions alongside conventional cancer treatments. The event is held in cooperation with the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg to the European Union.
“Anthroposophic Medicine has a long tradition in providing integrative cancer care that combines state-of-the-art conventional oncology with an individualized approach addressing the patient’s physical, mental and spiritual needs”, says Dr Thomas Breitkreuz, the IVAA president, “a host of clinical studies have already shown the positive contribution of specific anthroposophic therapies.”
A particular focus of the symposium is on the Competence Network on Integrative Medicine that is promoted by the German State of Baden-Württemberg, a leading region in the field of integrative medicine. In her key-note address, Bärbl Mielich, State Secretary of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Integration in Baden-Württemberg will highlight the positive learnings of this regional network of hospitals, outpatient networks and research institutes on high-quality integrative oncology.
“Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan should include integrative oncology” says Dr Breitkreuz, “and the Baden-Württemberg’s Competence Network on Integrative Medicine provides a blue-print for what could be done at the European level.”
Additional speakers of the event include Dr Marion Debus, Head of Oncology at Klinik Arlsheim, Switzerland, Prof Klaus Kramer, Head of the Integrative Medicine Department at University Hospital of Ulm, Germany and Michèle Rivasi MEP, Co-Chair of the Interest group on Integrative Medicine and Health in the European Parliament.
Through this event, the IVAA wishes to contribute to the current debate on how to tackle cancer and support patients with cancer across all member states of the European Union.
About IVAA
The IVAA, or International Federation of Anthroposophic Medical Associations, promotes the recognition of Anthroposophic Medicine and its implementation in health care systems. Our vision is a world where the benefits of Anthroposophic Medicine are widely recognised, and where patients and doctors have ready access to complementary Anthroposophic Medicines and treatments that improve healthcare outcomes. | https://www.ivaa.info/ivaa-symposium-teaming-up-against-cancer-calls-for-integrative-oncology-to-be-part-of-europes-beating-cancer-plan/ |
DNA Offers Clues to Mysterious Crypt in Ancient Pueblo
It's a question that eluded answers for more than a century: Who were the 14 people buried in the tiny tomb known as Room 33?
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Pueblo Bonito in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon had nearly 650 rooms, including a six-by-six chamber containing the graves of 14 people.
Photograph by Stephen Plog
Using DNA from skeletons excavated in New Mexico more than a century ago, researchers have shown that more than a dozen people buried in a small, hidden chamber were likely members of a powerful Native American dynasty related through their mothers.
New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon was once the center of the most influential culture in the American Southwest. Between approximately 800 A.D. and 1100 A.D., the ancient Chacoans built settlements called pueblos with huge, five-story buildings and grand ceremonial plazas. Elaborate road networks connected the pueblos, and at its peak the culture covered most of modern New Mexico, along with parts of Utah, Colorado, and Arizona.
At the center of Chacoan society was Pueblo Bonito, Spanish for “beautiful town.” Covering more than four acres, the elaborate pueblo was a honeycomb of nearly 650 rooms. Close to the pueblo’s center was a hidden chamber measuring just six feet long by six feet wide and accessible only through a small hatch in the roof.
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Archaeologists who excavated Room 33 in 1896 were stunned by the richness of the burial goods, including thousands of turquoise beads, as well as jewelry and instruments made from shells imported from the Pacific.
Archaeologists working for New York’s American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) excavated Pueblo Bonito in 1896. Inside the tiny innermost chamber they discovered the remains of 14 people buried under the room’s sandy floor, with grave stacked on grave in the tight space. The excavators labeled the mysterious chamber Room 33.
The two men buried at the bottom of the room were surrounded by stunning wealth. The first man buried in the chamber, known as Burial 14, was found with more than 12,000 turquoise beads and dozens of turquoise sculptures—more of the precious stone than in all the other Chacoan sites combined. A conch shell trumpet, likely from the Pacific, and other musical instruments rounded out the chamber's grave goods. Scarlet macaws imported from more than 1,000 miles away in Central America were found in a nearby room.
Female Power Line
The artifacts and human remains from Room 33 have been stored at the American Museum of Natural History since they were excavated in the 19th century. Since then the skeletons have remained a mystery: Who were these people, and why were they buried in a walled-off room in the middle of the mighty pueblo?
Recently, new radiocarbon dates and ancient DNA analysis of the millennia-old bones revealed that the burials may represent an early Native American dynasty. In a paper published today in the journal Nature Communications, researchers show that the men and women buried in the chamber are all related through their mothers, a connection known as a matriline. Many Native American groups still pass membership on through the mother’s side, as do most of the world’s Jewish communities.
“One pair may be a grandmother and her grandson, another two mother and daughter. They may not all have been rulers, but they were related,” says University of Virginia archaeologist and study co-author Stephen Plog. “The evidence suggests it’s a long matriline, in control for a long, long time.”
Most researchers once thought Chacoan cultures were egalitarian, with no real hierarchy. Many modern Native American groups in the region are governed communally today.
But the grave goods show that Burial 14—a man who died around 880 A.D., likely killed by a blow to the head—was a big deal in life. And DNA evidence showing three centuries of relatives buried in the same room suggests that spending eternity with him was a high honor, one restricted to his matrilineal descendants.
Put together, the clues seem to indicate that Burial 14 was the founder of a political dynasty that lasted 300 or more years.
“It’s likely Burial 14 is really the first individual to differentiate himself politically from other people in the canyon,” Plog says. “I’m confident his matriline was the most powerful in Pueblo Bonito, and probably in Chaco Canyon. It was an elite group, able to control resources and have influence over broad areas of the Southwest.”
Source of Status
The results are some of the first to use DNA to tackle a fundamental question in the study of human history: Where does status come from?
Hereditary leadership—power and status based on birth—is a hallmark of complex societies. In societies that use writing, evidence for hereditary leadership is easy to come by: In Europe, written histories hold the answers. In the Americas, Aztec and Maya ruling families have been indentified from carved inscriptions.
But without such records it's difficult to prove that leadership and power in ancient societies without writing was hereditary. "If these results hold up, I think it's a game changer," says American Museum of Natural History archaeologist David Thomas, who was not involved in the research.
Testing Ancestral Remains
For many groups who consider the people of Chaco Canyon their ancestors, the research may be controversial. Tribes including the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, and Acoma all consider themselves descendants of the Chaco Canyon people, and some have religious objections to invasive, destructive testing on human remains.
Though the bones were excavated more than a century ago, curators at the American Museum of Natural History still weighed such concerns before authorizing the testing. “We can be sensitive and deal with communities in a respectful way and still do the best science we can do,” says Thomas. “I think there’s a middle ground.” | |
How does the tallest mountain on Earth get ... taller? Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, is about 8,848.86 meters (29,031.7 feet) high, China and Nepal have decided after years of re-measuring. That's taller than the mountain's previous recognized height, though not that much taller. The change from Everest's previous accepted height is less than a meter, so less than 3.28 feet. But when you're talking about Earth's highest mountain, every little bit counts.
"We can be confident that this is the most accurate height of Everest that we have ever had," said Nepal's chief survey officer, Susheel Dangol, Nepal's chief survey officer, according to the Washington Post. "It was a huge responsibility on our part."
More on Mount Everest
The two countries, which border each other at the mountain's summit, shared the news in a joint virtual briefing Tuesday that was streamed live online. Nepal began remeasuring the mountain in 2017, and China began its own work after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Nepal in 2019.
As part of the complicated measurement, researchers placed signal receivers on the mountain and measured the amount of time it took signals to travel between the receiver and satellites to figure out the new height.
Global positioning devices and ground-penetrating radar were also used. Nepal's lead surveyor Khimlal Gautam ended up with damaged toes due to frostbite he suffered while installing the measuring equipment.
"I could not wear shoes for around six months," he said in an online interview with a Nepalese news site. "I am not much sad though because my mission was already successful."
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A 2015 earthquake in Nepal helped inspire the re-measurement of Everest. The BBC notes that some geologists thought that quake could've shrunk the mountain's snow cap, while others note that Himalayan peaks can actually grow taller over time as shifting tectonic plates push them upward. | |
We have seen that half notes, quarter notes and all shorter rhythmic values have a stem. This vertical line starts from the right side of the note head and moves upwards, at least in the examples seen so far. Its length does not influence the note and is purely a question of convention, readability and esthetics of the graphical layout.
For reasons of clarity and readability of the score, this rule is sometimes broken. We will see examples of it further.
In this way, you directly distinguish the 4 parts of the measure. The ends of the note stems are connected together with one or more lines that replace the hooks. It is necessary to have the same number of lines as there are hooks. These stem connection lines are called beams. Generally, the notes will be connected together inside each beat.
All notes are connected by a line (called a beam) and additional lines are added for the notes having more than one hook. For each note, the number of lines attached to the stem must be the same as the number of hooks when the note is not attached to other notes. The angle of the beams does not really matter. It often follows the angle suggested by the note positions. Sometimes they are fixed horizontal. It is a question of graphical design.
For various reasons, the two staves are sometimes put together. It is often the case for the orchestral instruments, when the two parts are not too condensed.
By adding the note values, you find for each measure a total duration of 8 beats. Nevertheless, the way in which beats are laid out shows rather clearly that they are organized as two 4 beats melodies which must be played together. This is even more obvious if you compare it with the two separate staves.
Notice that to better differentiate the notes of the two rhythmic voices, the stems of the higher voice are oriented upwards and those of the lower voice downwards.
These two examples are located in the Ex013 and Ex014 files. Successively open them with Pizzicato and listen to the sound result. The notes starting at the same time stay aligned, even when they are on the same staff.
One voice plays 2 half notes, the second voice plays 4 quarter notes while the third voice plays 8 eighth notes.
You always find a multiple of the measure total duration. Two rhythmic voices in 4/4 give a total of 8 quarter notes. Three rhythmic voices will have the equivalent of 12 quarter notes, etc. What is important to understand is that these multiple rhythmic voices are played at the same time, they thus do not lengthen the measure, which keeps a total duration of 4 quarter notes. The layout of the rhythmic voices often clearly shows it, because beats are aligned together, as if they were placed in different staves. | http://www.arpegemusic.it/manual36/IT190.htm |
This article is the fourth of an ongoing series from EUROCLIO and Europeana providing teachers with ideas and practical resources for teaching a range of topics in their classrooms. You can find a wealth of additional resources including units, source collections and eLearning activities on the Historiana website and you can read the other articles in the series on labs.historiana.eu .
In an era dominated by plane travel, it can be difficult for students to fully appreciate the significant role railways have played in bringing people, goods, economies, and societies together. EUROCLIO has recently produced a source collection to help students explore the development of railways over time, consider the different ways in which they were used, and evaluate their impact. A ready-made (adaptable) eLearning Activity to support students with this process is also available on Historiana. This activity provides just one possible way to aid students in their discovery of how railways helped to shape the modern world by increasing connectivity. Read on for further ideas on teaching Railways and Connectivity in your classroom.
Why teach about Railways and Connectivity?
Railways and connectivity offer a rich opportunity for students to examine the impact of technological change on societies throughout history. For teachers seeking to develop students’ historical thinking in the area of continuity and change, this topic offers ample opportunity with a source collection straddling the 17th to 20th centuries. The topic can be easily incorporated into studies of the Industrial Revolution(s), globalisation, or discovery and innovation.
The subject also provides an excellent opportunity to incorporate student learning in the area of STEM, an increasingly emphasised topic in many curricula. The source collection includes examples of the first passenger rail service (pictured below), and continues on to the development of steam-powered railways and even bullet trains. Railways also provide a useful springboard for an analysis and evaluation of the use and misuse of technologies and their diverse impacts on societies. The sources, for example, highlight various positive and questionable uses of railways from economical exploitation, to war, to tourism, to the delivery of aid.
How to teach about Railways and Connectivity?
There are, of course, countless ways to approach the teaching of this topic and it is essential to choose strategies that suit your classroom context. Some possible teaching approaches for this topic include:
- Using the eLearning Activity, students examine the entire source collection and develop a virtual concept map. They reposition and resize images to show similarities and differences in the impacts of different railways, as well as their relative importance. Students then summarise what they consider to be the most important impacts of railways since the Industrial Revolution. It may be useful to have students compare their response with a partner to see if they arrived at different conclusions.
- Print the source collection with one sheet containing the image and another containing the relevant information and distribute these amongst members of the class. Students first have to match the correct caption and image before correctly placing the sources on a timeline to aid in their examination of continuity and change.
- Assign each student, or pair of students, a different source to research. Students must explain how the railway depicted in the source functioned, how it was used, the impact that it had for different people, and what the railway is used for today.
Acknowledgements
Historiana would not be possible without the efforts and generous contributions of historians and educators from Europe and beyond, and the support of the Connecting Europe Facility of the European Union. | https://blog.historiana.eu/2019/10/bringing-us-together-railways-and-connectivity-in-the-classroom/ |
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In mathematics, a differential operator is an operator defined as a function of the differentiation operator.
Orbifold
In the mathematical disciplines of topology, geometry, and geometric group theory, an orbifold (for "orbit-manifold") is a generalization of a manifold.
Parallel curve
A parallel of a curve is the envelope of a family of congruent circles centered on the curve.
Affine connection
In the branch of mathematics called differential geometry, an affine connection is a geometric object on a smooth manifold which connects nearby tangent spaces, and so permits tangent vector fields to be differentiated as if they were functions on the manifold with values in a fixed vector space.
Atlas (topology)
In mathematics, particularly topology, one describes a manifold using an atlas.
Complex manifold
In differential geometry, a complex manifold is a manifold with an atlas of charts to the open unit disk in Cn, such that the transition maps are holomorphic.
Maurer–Cartan form
In mathematics, the Maurer–Cartan form for a Lie group G is a distinguished differential one-form on G that carries the basic infinitesimal information about the structure of G.
Sphere
A sphere (from Greek σφαῖρα — sphaira, "globe, ball") is a perfectly round geometrical object in three-dimensional space that is the surface of a completely round ball, (viz., analogous to a circular object in two dimensions).
Symmetry (physics)
In physics, a symmetry of a physical system is a physical or mathematical feature of the system (observed or intrinsic) that is preserved or remains unchanged under some transformation.
Tangent
In geometry, the tangent line (or simply tangent) to a plane curve at a given point is the straight line that "just touches" the curve at that point.
Tensor field
In mathematics, physics, and engineering, a tensor field assigns a tensor to each point of a mathematical space (typically a Euclidean space or manifold).
Differential geometry of curves
Differential geometry of curves is the branch of geometry that deals with smooth curves in the plane and in the Euclidean space by methods of differential and integral calculus.
Directional derivative
In mathematics, the directional derivative of a multivariate differentiable function along a given vector v at a given point x intuitively represents the instantaneous rate of change of the function, moving through x with a velocity specified by v.
Arthur Besse
Arthur Besse is a pseudonym chosen by a group of French differential geometers, led by Marcel Berger, following the model of Nicolas Bourbaki.
Shape of the universe
The shape of the universe is the and of the Universe, in terms of both curvature and topology (though, strictly speaking, the concept goes beyond both).
Whitney embedding theorem
In mathematics, particularly in differential topology, there are two Whitney embedding theorems, named after Hassler Whitney: * The strong Whitney embedding theorem states that any smooth real m-dimensional manifold (required also to be Hausdorff and second-countable) can be smoothly embedded in the real 2m-space (R2m), if m > 0.
Multivector
A multivector is the result of a product defined for elements in a vector space V.
Covariant transformation
In physics, a covariant transformation is a rule that specifies how certain entities, such as vectors or tensors, change under a change of basis.
Connection form
In mathematics, and specifically differential geometry, a connection form is a manner of organizing the data of a connection using the language of moving frames and differential forms.
Teichmüller space
In mathematics, the Teichmüller space T(S) of a (real) topological (or differential) surface S, is a space that parameterizes complex structures on S up to the action of homeomorphisms that are isotopic to the identity homeomorphism.
Conformal geometry
In mathematics, conformal geometry is the study of the set of angle-preserving (conformal) transformations on a space.
Projective connection
In differential geometry, a projective connection is a type of Cartan connection on a differentiable manifold.
Riemannian connection on a surface
In mathematics, the Riemannian connection on a surface or Riemannian 2-manifold refers to several intrinsic geometric structures discovered by Tullio Levi-Civita, Élie Cartan and Hermann Weyl in the early part of the twentieth century: parallel transport, covariant derivative and connection form .
Principal bundle
In mathematics, a principal bundle is a mathematical object which formalizes some of the essential features of the Cartesian product X × G of a space X with a group G.
Hermitian symmetric space
In mathematics, a Hermitian symmetric space is a Hermitian manifold which at every point has as an inversion symmetry preserving the Hermitian structure.
Cayley's ruled cubic surface
In differential geometry, Cayley's ruled cubic surface is the surface
Torsion tensor
In differential geometry, the notion of torsion is a manner of characterizing a twist or screw of a moving frame around a curve.
Generalized flag variety
In mathematics, a generalized flag variety (or simply flag variety) is a homogeneous space whose points are flags in a finite-dimensional vector space V over a field F.
Ricci calculus
In mathematics, Ricci calculus constitutes the rules of index notation and manipulation for tensors and tensor fields.
Isotropic manifold
In mathematics, an isotropic manifold is a manifold in which the geometry does not depend on directions.
Weitzenböck identity
In mathematics, in particular in differential geometry, mathematical physics, and representation theory a Weitzenböck identity, named after Roland Weitzenböck, expresses a relationship between two second-order elliptic operators on a manifold with the same leading symbol.
Clairaut's relation
Clairaut's relation, named after Alexis Claude de Clairaut, is a formula in classical differential geometry. | http://betboss26.com/flashcards/play/differential-geometry_2587 |
A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the beneficial effect of foliar application of glycine betaine (10mM), grain presoaking in salicylic acid (0.05 M) and their interaction on drought tolerance of two wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars (sensitive, Sakha 94 and resistant, Sakha 93). Osmotic pressure, some osmolytes concentration and grain yield were determined. Water stress caused an increase in osmotic pressure, proline, total soluble nitrogen, total soluble sugars, organic acids, ions (Na +, K +, Ca +2, Mg +2 and Cl -) content as well as Na +/K + ratio in cell sap flag leaves of both wheat cultivars. The resistant variety had higher values of osmotic pressure, proline, organic acids and ions content than the sensitive one. On the other hand, water stress induced marked decrease (P<0.05) in grain yield. The applied chemicals mitigated the effect of water stress on the used wheat cultivars. The effect was more pronounced with glycine betaine + salicylic acid treatment. The applied chemicals increased the osmotic pressure, the osmolytes concentrations as well as the grain yield. Furthermore, the osmotic pressure of flag leaf sap appeared to depend on proline, TSN, TSS, organic acids and the ions content. The economic yield (grain yield) was positively correlated with proline, keto-acids and osmotic pressure but negatively correlated with TSN, TSS and citric acid.
Журнал стресс-физиологии и биохимии / Journal of Stress Physiology & Biochemistry
2013. — Выпуск 3
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Effect of different concentrations of heavy metals such as Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury and Lead was studied by cultivating rooted propagules of Boerhavia diffusa for a period of twenty days in Hoagland nutrient medium artificially contaminated with known concentration of those heavy metal ions. Concentrations of the metals selected to impart visible symptoms of growth retardation and to permit survival for prolonged period are 30 µM cadmium chloride (CdCl 2), 400 µM potassium dichromate (K 2Cr 2O 7), 10 µM mercuric chloride (HgCl 2), and 600 µM lead acetate (CH 3-COO) 2 Pb. More or less uniform growth performance was shown by the plants irrespective of the differences of concentration of the heavy metals. However, parameters such as root - and stem length, stomatal - and tolerance index varied among the treatments. Significant differences were observed in the heavy metal accumulation potential among metals and between plant parts such as root, stem and leaf and the pattern was dependent on growth period.
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Corypha umbraculifera L. is a monocarpic palm, which usually flowers after 30-60 years of growth. In C. umbraculifera seeds are the only propagating unit, but the germination rate is very low and seeds are highly recalcitrant. In this context, it was imperative to investigate the desiccation sensitivity, physiological and biochemical changes accompanying the desiccation and germination in C. umbraculifera seeds. Therefore, to make a detailed study, freshly collected C. umbraculifera seeds were desiccated at room temperature for a period of 35 d and physiological and biochemical changes during desiccation and germination were monitored at an interval of 7 d. It was observed that there was a sharp decline in the moisture content of the seed as desiccation proceeded. As the desiccation period progressed, the germination percentage decreased which was below 50% after 35 d. The dry weight percentage of the embryo and endosperm increased with the desiccation period and the increase in dry weight of embryo was significant in comparison with the endosperm. Total protein content of embryo was more compared to that of the endosperm. Peroxidase activity in the embryo was increased up to 28 d of desiccation and decreased further. The endosperm registered a gradual reduction of peroxidase activity during desiccation. In contrast, SOD activity in the embryo was comparatively higher in the fresh seeds and further declined during desiccation, while that of the endosperm remained almost unaltered. The results give a strong indication that desiccation in C. umbraculifera is accompanied by abundant activity of peroxidase in embryo, thereby viability is retained up to 35 days. Whereas, feeble activity of SOD is not seen to be linked with seed viability of C. umbraculifera.
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This investigation aimed to evaluate five upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) (Aleppo118, Aleppo33/1, Aleppo90, Raqqa5, and Deir-Ezzor22) varieties based on physiological indices and genetic variation using AFLP marker. These varieties were evaluated under control and saline conditions (50, 100 & 200 mM NaCl) for 56 days. Various physiological indices were detected in this investigation. In this respect, Deir-Ezzor22 variety differed by showing high salt tolerance relative to the other tested varieties. Otherwise, PCR amplification with 7 AFLP PCs primer combinations revealed that Deir-Ezzor22 variety characterized by 15 unique positive markers compared to the other tested varieties. Based on physiological study and AFLP technique, it can be concluded that genetic variation detected by AFLP marker supported the physiological indices among the tested cotton varieties. These varieties present considerable interest for genetic studies and plant improvement.
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In this study physiological, certain blood hormones and immune status of male and female Broad Breasted White turkeys were recorded under cold stress. Birds were acclimated two weeks prior to the start of experiment and later divided into two groups. Control group (n=12 with equal number from each sex) was maintained at an environmental temperature of 27-30 °C and Test group (n=12 with equal number from each sex) was housed in a designed chamber were the temperature (10±1°C) remained stable at least for 5-6 hours in a day. After 3 consecutive days (72 hours) of temperature treatment Phytohaemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) at the dose rate of 0.5 mg in 0.1 ml PBS were injected to the patagium of both control and test group of birds to study the cell mediated immune response by measuring the dermal swelling in response to inflammatory reaction after 24 hours of injection of Phytohaemagglutinin-P (PHA-P). After 96 hours of cold treatment the blood samples were collected from the wing vein to analyze the blood hormonal levels using standard protocols. The physiological parameters like respiration rate, rectal temperature and surface temperature were recorded at the morning hours of the day during experimental period. Significant difference (p≤0.01) between treatments were observed in body temperatures, respiration rate, Heterophil%, H/L ratio, Wing web thickness, T4 and cortisol levels.
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Seed priming techniques have been used to increase germination, improve germination uniformity and seedling establishment under stressed conditions. Seed priming was used in Rye Mountain ( Secale montanum ) to increase seed germination and tolerance on stress exposure. Rye seeds were treated with various priming agents for different time and temperatures. The effect of priming was assessed on germination characteristics on subsequent exposure to drought (PEG -14 bar) stress for 7 days. Seed priming treatments significantly (p≤ 0.01) affected, Germination percentage (GP), normality seedling percentage (NSP), germination Index (GI), germination uniformity (GU), means time to germination (MTG), coefficient of velocity of germination (CVG), seedling vigour index (SVI) and coefficient of allometry(AC). Seed priming with gibberelic acid (GA) and salicylic acid (SA) (p≤ 0.01) increased germination characteristics as the compared to the unprimed. Seed priming with concentrations 25, 50 ppm of GA for 15 h at 10 ◦C and 25 ppm of SA for 12 h at 10 ◦C, may be considered as optimal treatment for priming of Secale montanum seeds in drought stress conditions. Also priming increased catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) as compared to the unprimed.
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Drought is one of the complex environmental factors affecting growth and yield of sorghum in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. Sixteen elite sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L) Moench) genotypes were evaluated for their genetic potential to drought tolerance at callus induction and plant regeneration stage for drought tolerance. The non-ionic water soluble polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) of molecular weight 6000 was used as osmoticum to simulate water stress. The factorial experiment was laid down in a completely randomized design which comprised of a combination of two factors (genotypes and five PEG stress level; 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0% (w/v) treatments). Data were recorded for callus induction efficiency, callus fresh weight, embryogenic callus percentage and plant regeneration percentage. Significant differences were observed among the genotypes, treatments and their interactions for the evaluated plant traits suggesting a great amount of variability for drought tolerance in sorghum. The correlation analysis also revealed strong and significant association between embryogenic callus percent and plant regeneration percent as well as between embryogenic callus percent and plant regeneration percent. By taking into consideration all the measured traits, Mann Whitney rank sum test revealed that 76T1#23 and Teshale followed by Meko, Gambella-1107 and Melkam showed better drought stress tolerance. Therefore they are recommended to be used as parents for genetic analysis, gene mapping and improvement of drought tolerance while Chelenko, Hormat and Raya appear to be drought sensitive.
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Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) is a biochemical marker of the environmental stress and plays a pivotal role in phenolic synthesis. The lower ROS level and oxidative damage was observed in grafted plants and the rootstocks have a profound influence on the biochemical composition, especially phenolic compounds. Regarding the importance of the effect rootstocks have on scion in pistachio trees, this study was carried out to assess and compare three pistachio cultivars ("Ahmadaghaii", "Ohadi" and "Kallehghuchi") on three rootstocks (Mutica, Ahli, Sarakhs). PAL activity, phenolic compounds, flavonoid and anthocyanin contents in leaves, flowers and fruits were measured toward the selection of the most suitable and compatible rootstock/scion resistant to environmental stresses. The results showed that PAL activity was different among the cultivars and organs. A positive correlation was observed between PAL activity and phenolic compounds in the leaves and flowers of Mutica- Ahmadaghaii, suggesting that it is more resistant than the others to environmental stresses. PAL activity and total phenolics in fruits of pistachio suffered a decrease when the maturation processes began. The hulls of the pistachio fruits contained high levels of phenolic compounds especially in Mutica-Ahmadaghaii) suggesting its function as a protective layer and a defense chemical against ultraviolet radiation and pathogen. Our results indicated the presence of a number of bioactive compounds in kernels with the highest amount belonging to Mutica- Ahmadaghaii, and therefore it is concluded that pistachio rootstocks may affect the antioxidant compounds in kernels.
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Agrobacterium tumefaciens infection and antibiotic wash are the critical steps of Agrobacterium mediated plant transformation procedure, most time responsible for lower transformation efficiency due to necrosis and phytotoxicity caused by biotic stress of Agrobacterium and abiotic stress by antibiotics respectively. Ammi majus Egyptian origin medicinal plant and Pearl millet cereal grain crop were studied for their stress responses to Agrobacterium mediated transformation (AMT). Agrobacterium strains LBA4404 (O.D.=0.6-0.8) and EHA105 (O.D.=0.2-0.4) were used for transformation experiments to infect calli of Ammi majus and embryogenic calli of Pearl millet respectively. Incase of antibiotic wash, Cefotaxime 500 mg L -1 was used for LBA4404 infected Ammi majus calli and Timentin 300 mg L -1 was used for EHA105 infected embryogenic calli of Pearl millet. Effects of Agrobacterium infection, antibiotic and NaOCl washes on Agrobacterium removal and both explants physiological changes during transformation experimental procedures were studied. At the end of the experiments explants survival efficiency of Ammi majus and pearl millet were 8% and 5% respectively. Biotic and abiotic stress factors responsible for lower efficiency were investigated with various other factors and strategies were discussed which are need to be considered for higher transformation events and target tissue survival.
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Saline soils are defined as those that contain sufficient soluble salts in the root zone to impair plant growth. Wheat is one of the three major cereals dominating world agriculture to date. Durum wheat is the hardest wheat and the concept of durum wheat quality is complex and confusing. Quality factors such as protein content, gluten strength and color have different priorities in various durum wheat markets. Changes in the grain quality of ten durum wheat cultivars under salt stress studied at the greenhouse condition. A factorial experiment was carried out based on completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments were salinity including 0, 60 and 120 mM and ten durum wheat cultivars (Boomer, PGS, 71135, 61130,605, C1351, KND, KDM, Haurani and G1252). Biochemical grain reserves such total protein and carbohydrate content, gluten, phosphorous and beta carotene were measured. Results showed that interaction of salt and cultivars was significant for all studied traits except of beta-carotene. At this experiment, gluten content changed very little with salinity levels. Cultivar 71135 at all salinity levels had the highest gluten content. With increasing of salt severity, the content of protein and carbohydrate decreased and content of phosphorous increased compared with control. In 60 mM salinity, cultivars 61130 and 71135, in 120 mM, 71135 and KDM and in control, 61130 and PGS respectively, had the highest and lowest content of protein. Cultivars 71135 and 61130 had the highest and PGS had the lowest phosphorous content in control. At 60 mM, cultivars 71135 and PGS respectively, had the highest and lowest phosphorous content. At 120mM, 71135 and Haurani respectively, had the highest and lowest phosphorous content. In three salt levels, cultivar 71135 was determined as the most tolerant cultivar according to content of grain reserve composition results.
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Exposure to environmental stress due to salinity has been reported to result in adverse effects on the growth of plants. Studies have shown that the use of plant growth regulators (PGRs) has an ameliorative effect on plants grown under saline conditions. In the present investigation, effect of gibberellic acid (GA 3), 6-furfuryladenine (Kinetin) and benzyl adenine (BA) on Spinacia oleracea L. var. All Green, cultivated under saline conditions has been studied. After a pre-soaking treatment of six hours in 20 mg L -1 solutions of GA 3, Kinetin and BA, the seeds were allowed to germinate and grow for forty-five days under saline conditions. On the analysis of mature leaves, it was observed that both chlorophyll a and b, and total chlorophyll showed an increase in PGR-treated plants compared to the untreated set. With the pretreatment, the reducing and non-reducing sugar content, as well as protein content of the leaves showed an increase in accumulation compared to the untreated plants. The accumulation of the stress metabolite proline, which increases under saline conditions, showed a significant decrease in the plants pretreated with PGRs.
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С использованием базы данных AtGenExpress проводили биоинформационный и корреляционный анализы экспрессии генов белков теплового шока (БТШ) и PR-белков в корнях, стеблях и культуре клеток арабидопсиса. Биоинформационный анализ показал эффект подавления БТШ при синтезе PR-белков в корнях, стеблях и культуре клеток арабидопсиса. С помощью корреляционного анализа выявлена обратная корреляционная зависимость между экспрессией генов БТШ и PR-белков только в культуре клеток, на корнях и стеблях арабидопсиса зависимости не наблюдалось.
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The present study was conducted with the aim to identify the response of antioxidant enzyme activities in seedlings of different sorghum cultivars under mannitol stress. Seven-day old seedlings were subjected to 100-500 mM mannitol stress which resulted in the decreases in shoot/root length and relative water content thus indicating the primary response to these tissues at phenotypic level. The level of lipid peroxidation as well as the specific activity of antioxidant enzymes such as peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase increased at higher conc. except at 200 mM conditions. The level of catalase and peroxidase decreased at 500 mM conc. In the two different cultivars whereas the activity of superoxide dismutase consistently increased in response to the mannitol stress. Our data demonstrate that drought responsiveness tolerance in sorghum cultivars during germination is associated with enhanced activity of antioxidant enzymes.
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Heavy metals are important environmental pollutants and their toxicity is a problem of increasing significance for ecological, evolutionary and environmental reasons. The interference of germination related proteins by heavy metals has not been well documented at the proteomic and genomic level. In the current study, molecular responses of germinating groundnut seeds were investigated under Zinc stress. The SDS-PAGE showed the preliminary changes in the polypeptides patterns under Zinc stress. Restriction digestion banding pattern of EcoRI and Hind III enzymes showed distinct banding pattern in the treated plants.
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Изучали влияние температуры, глубины посева и гранулометрического состава почвы на скорость прорастания, лабораторную и полевую всхожесть семян редьки масличной. Было установлено, что период посев-всходы определяется, как температурой, так и гранулометрическим составом почвы. Наибольшую полевую всхожесть отмечали семян редьки масличной на супеси при глубине посева семян - 3 см и температуре 20° С.
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To evaluate the freezing resistance and genetic diversity in barley physiological traits, molecular markers and their relationship in 20 barley genotypes were assessed in field and greenhouse condition. The analysis of variance showed a significant difference among studied genotypes. The effect of acclimation temperature on prolin content, quantum efficiency of photosystem II, chlorophyll and soluble sugars content were studied as physiological traits. Freezing treatments were -4, -7, -10, -13 and -16 °C temperatures that applied in a 3 replicated randomized complete block design. Then their lethal temperature at which 50% of plant were died (LT 50) was determined. To estimate FSI (Field Survival Index) index, the 20 genotypes were cultured in a separate experiment on field with 3 replications. The results showed negative significant correlation (-0.601) between field survival index and LT 50. Cluster analysis using physiological traits, genotypes of F-A1-1, F-A1-2, F-A2-11, F-GRB-85-5, Sahra, Sahand, Dasht and Makouei were categorized in a distinct group and had a high FSI and low LT 50. Makouei cultivar having LT 50=-17.66 °C and the highest percentage of winter survival in the field, was the most resistant genotype. 10 ISSR markers from 35 primers sequences were selected and used. These 9 ISSR primers produced 50 polymorphic bands. PIC and MI average index for all primers were 0.37 and 1.72 respectively. Cluster analysis of molecular data using Jaccard similarity coefficient categorized the genotypes to four distinct groups. Associations between molecular markers and traits were assessed by multiple regression analysis. Some informative markers related to FSI and also LT 50 was determined. So it may be possible to use these markers for selection of resistant lines or genotypes in breeding programs.
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A key issue in salt adaptation is the osmotic adjustment, therefore, during ear emergence the effect of exogenous application of kinetin and spermine on osmotic pressure (OP) and solutes allocation (total soluble sugars, total soluble nitrogen, proline, organic acids and inorganic ions (Na +, K +, Ca 2+, Mg 2+ and Cl -) were quantified in flag leaf of wheat plants irrigated by seawater at 25%. Seawater salinity induced significant increase in osmotic pressure. Furthermore, seawater stress induced marked increase in total soluble sugars, total soluble nitrogen, proline, organic acids, as well as Na +, K +, Ca ++, Mg ++, Cl - and P +++ in wheat flag leaf. On the other hand, seawater decreased SPR, SAR and PAR in flag leaves of wheat plants. Grain priming with kinetin, spermine or their interaction appeared to mitigate the ill effect of seawater on wheat plants by increasing its own capability to be more tolerant against seawater salinity by inducing additional increase in osmotic pressure and the osmolytes concentrations in flag leaf during ear emergence. Moreover, the effect was more pronounced with the interaction of kinetin and spermine treatment.
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One of the most important limiting factors in spread of apricot in Iran is late spring frost, which damages flower bud and decrease total yield of crop. It has been found that ascorbic acid (AA) plays a beneficial role during plant response to chilling and freezing stresses. To evaluate the effects of AA on alleviating of cold stress, the flower buds of Prunus armeniaca L. cv. Shahroudi were sprayed at pink cluster stage with AS at 4 levels (0, 100, 200 and 300 mg. L -1) and were then exposed to artificial cold stress (4 h at – 4 °C) or without cold stress (+ 25°C). Experimental attributes including electrolyte leakage (EL) of flower buds and percentage of damage of pistil, anthers and petals to temperature treatments were determined. The results showed that at - 4°C the lowest and highest percentage of damage and EL of flower buds were observed in application of 200 and 0 mg.L -1 AA, respectively. The highest and lowest percentage of damage of flower organs and EL were obtained in application of 300 and 200 mg. L -1 AA, respectively at + 25 °C. Based on the results of this experiment, AA alleviates the negative effect of cold stress on EL and flower organ damages in apricot cv. Shahroudi, depending on the concentrations of AA used.
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An assessment was undertaken to study the efficacy of bacterial consortia isolated from different sources viz. rhizosphere of rice plant, oil spill sites of a petrol pump and from the sludge of a pharmaceutical waste water drain against the impact of fluoride. The experiments were conducted with two crops. In this mung bean experiment Vigna radiata was selected as a test crop. The seeds were sown in the field with bacterial consortia, compost and reduced dose (25% less nitrogen than recommended dose) of chemical fertilizer. After 30days of seed sowing (DAS), plants were collected from the field and dipped into the sodium fluoride solution with different concentrations for 48 hours. Thereafter, the impact of fluoride on chlorophyll, sugar, proline and relative water content (%) were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the stem section was performed. SEM studies revealed that anatomical structure deformed with 1.5 mg/l sodium fluoride solution. It was observed that such treatment combination during the sowing of crops leads to combat the impact of lower doses of sodium fluoride (0.2 mg/l). Another experiment was also conducted within plastic pots with and without bacterial consortia isolated from rhizosphere of rice plant and oil spilled soil of petrol pump with the same field soil. Each pot was filled with 5 kg of soil + 2lt of water (on the basis of soil saturation). Oryza sativa seedlings were transplanted with different strength of sodium fluoride solution (25 mgNaF/kg, 50 mgNaF/kg, 100 mgNaF/kg and 500mgNaF/kg) within the above pots. In second experiment, rice plants dried in all pots after 500 mgNaF/kg concentration of sodium fluoride. In this pot experiment bacterial strain are capable of reducing fluoride content in soil as noted by measuring fluoride in the pot soil after the experiment.
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Plants respond to the environmental cues in various ways, recent knowledge of RNA interference in conferring stress tolerance had become a new hope of developing tolerant varieties. Here we attempt to unfold the molecular mechanism of stress tolerance through miRNA profiling and expression analysis in Finger millet (Eleusine coracona) under salt and drought stress conditions. The expression analysis of 12 stress specific conserved miRNAs was studied using semi-quantitative real time PCR and Northern blot assay. Our studies revealed that, although most of the miRNAs responded to the stresses, the expression of particular miRNA differed with the nature of stress and the tissue. The expression analysis was correlated with the existing data of their target genes. Abiotic stress up-regulated miRNAs are expected to target negative regulators of stress responses or positive regulators of processes that are inhibited by stresses. On the other hand, stress down-regulated miRNAs may repress the expression of positive regulators and/or stress up-regulated genes. Thus the current study of miRNAs and their targets under abiotic stress conditions displays miRNAs may be good candidates to attribute the stress tolerance in plants by transgenic technology.
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The study was focused on the varieties of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees, which are promising for growing in Southern Predbaikal’ye. Most of varieties studied were shown to be characterized by low winter-resistance in the case of low trunk grafting. Tree skeleton grafting demonstrated an increase of winter-resistance of macrocarpous semi-culture apple-trees.
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This investigation was conducted to study the tolerance strategy of maize, broad bean and pea plants to salinity stress with exogenous applications of proline or phenylalanine on seed germination and seedlings growth. From the results obtained, it can be observed that osmotic stress affected adversely the rate of germination in maize, broad bean and pea plants. The excessive inhibition was more prominent at higher concentration of NaCl. The seeds and grains tested were exhibited some differential responses to salinity, in a manner that the inhibitory effect of salinity on seed germination ran in the order, maize higher than broad bean and the later was higher than pea plant. Treatment with proline or phenylalanine (100 ppm) significantly increased these seed germination and seedlings growth characteristics even at lowest salinity level tested.
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Influence of short-term hardening osmotic exposure (immersion in 1 M sucrose solution with subsequent transferring to distilled water for 20 min) on the hydrogen peroxide generation and superoxide dismutase activity in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L., cv. Elegiya) seedlings and their tolerance to osmotic shock were investigated. During the initial 30 min after osmotic exposure, the increasing of hydrogen peroxide amount in roots and shoots (to a lesser extent) was observed, but the resistance of the seedlings and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity decreased. Sometime later the decrease in hydrogen peroxide amount and the increase of seedlings tolerance to osmotic shock took place. SOD activity increased in 10 min after hardening osmotic exposure. Transient accumulation of hydrogen peroxide induced in this way was suppressed by the treatment of seedlings with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC), SOD inhibitor. DDC and hydrogen peroxide scavenger dimethylthiourea decreased positive hardening effect of osmotic exposure on the development of seedlings tolerance. It was concluded that SOD providing the generation of signal hydrogen peroxide pool took part in the induction of seedlings tolerance to osmotic shock development caused by preliminary hardening effect.
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Drought stress is one of the major abiotic constraint limiting plant growth and productivity world wide. The current study was undertaken with the aim to investigate the effect of water deficit imposed by PEG-6000, on chlorophyll metabolism in maize leaves to work out the mechanistic details. Leaf segments prepared from primary leaves of etiolated maize seedlings were treated with varying concentrations of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000; w/v- 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%) in continuous light of intensity 40 Wm -2 at 26±2 °C for 24 h in light chamber. The results demonstrate a concentration dependent decline in chlorophyll content with increasing concentration of polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000). Reduction in chlorophyll ‘a’ level was to a greater extent than the chlorophyll ‘b’. The RNA content decreased in a concentration dependent manner with PEG, however, proline content increased significantly. Relative water content decreased significantly with the supply of 30% PEG only. A substantial decrease in chlorophyll synthesis due to significant reduction in ALA content and ALAD activity, with no change in chlorophyllase activity with the supply of PEG suggests that water deficit affects chlorophyll formation rather than its degradation.
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Environmental cues, such as temperature, play important roles in the regulation of physiology and behavior in small mammals. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that ambient temperature was a cue to induce adjustments in body mass and thermogenic capacity in Apodemus chevrieri . It showed that A. chevrieri increased resting metabolic rate (RMR), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) and energy intake and decreased body mass and body temperature when exposed to the cold while showed a significant increase in body mass and body temperature after rewarming. The decrease of body temperature can reduce the difference in temperature in environment, save energy consumption. The increase in body mass after rewarming was associated with the higher energy intake. Together, these data supported our hypothesis that ambient temperature was a cue to induce changes in body mass and metabolism in A. chevrieri.
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A pot experiment was carried out in the botanical garden of Faculty of Education, Ain Shams University, with the aim of studying the effect of salinity levels (4, 8 and 16% of diluted seawater) and foliar application of aspartic acid and/or glutathione on the growth and chemical constituents of tomatoes (lycopersicon esculentum Mill) plants. The most important results can be summarized as: 1). Treatments of high salinity levels reduced all growth parameters and chemical constituents of plants. 2) Both aspartic acid and glutathione significantly increased plant growth, the contents of anthocyanin, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and enzymatic activities. In addition, the content of endogenous amino acids was increased which in turn led to positive changes in the picture of protein electrophoresis, theses changes were accompanied by appearance and disappearance of some protein bands and caused obvious changes in the anatomical features of the stems. 3) The effect of aspartic acid was superior to that of glutathione on increasing plant growth and chemical constituents. 4) Under low saline conditions, the maximum plant growth for all the recorded growth parameters was obtained from plants treated with aspartic acid and grown under 8% of seawater, followed by 4%. However, glutathione had inhibitor effect on plant growth and chemical constituents of plants grown at 16% seawater. The data revealed that the different antioxidants could partially alleviate the harmful effects of salinity stress that reflected on growth and some physiological changes of tomato plant.
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Plant scientists are investigating the potential of previously unexploited legume species where environmental and biological stresses constrain the use of more conventional forage crops or where these species are better suited to the needs of sustainable agriculture. Trifolium isthmocarpum Brot., Moroccan clover, occurs as a weed in different habitats in Morocco. It grows in moderately saline areas, where traditional forage legumes cannot be cultivated; however, it has not been widely studied despite its good palatability. The salt tolerance was studied between natural field conditions and glasshouse. The extensive field studies have recorded the species in many different habitats ranging from healthy agricultural lands to abandoned saline areas. The plants maintained high nodulation capacity (ranging between 60% and 97%) and nitrogenase activities (average 2.04 µmol C 2H 4 plant -1 h -1) in different habitats. Shoot systems of plants collected from salt-affected soils exhibited higher concentrations of Na + and Cl - than those collected from healthy soils. Greenhouse experiments showed that germination percentage and vigor value of the studied species was not significantly (P > 0.05) affected at 160 mM NaCl, and that 25% of the germination ability was maintained when growing on substrats containing 240 mM NaCl. The growth rate of seedlings was not signicantly affected by 160 mM NaCl but was reduced by 38% under 240 mM NaCl. Leaf succulence and indices of leaf water status did not differ among the salt treatments, whereas relative water content was reduced by only 8% and water content at saturation increased by about 12% at high salt concentrations in the growing medium. This study suggest recommending the cultivation of T. isthmocarpum in salt-affected soils, which are widespread and pose a problem for the farmers of Morocco and other countries in the world’s arid belt.
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Leaf photosynthesis, a major determinant for yield sustainability in rice, is greatly conditioned by high temperature stress during growth. The effect of short-term high temperatures on leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, Fv/Fm, SPAD readings and yield characteristics was studied in two Colombian rice cultivars. Two genotypes, cv. Fedearroz 50 (F50) and cv. Fedearroz 733 (F733) were used in pot experiments with heat stress treatment (Plants were exposed to 40°C for two and half hours for five consecutive days) and natural temperature (control) treatment. Heat treatments were carried out at the initiation of panicle primordial (IP) or grain-filling (GF) phases. The results showed that short-term high temperature stress produced a reduction on the photosynthesis rate in both cultivars either IP or GF phases. Similar trends were found on stomatal conductance in all cases due to high temperatures. Although Fv/Fm and SPAD readings were not affected by high temperatures, these variables diminished significantly among phenological phases. 'F733' rice plants showed higher number spikelet sterility due to heat stress treatments. These results seem to indicate that heat-tolerant cultivars of rice is associated with high levels of photosynthesis rate in leaves.
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Впервые была изучена активность гваякол-зависимых пероксидаз при разных значениях рН в листовых пластинках Plantago major L.
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The Institute of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Coimbatore, India has a long term systematic tree improvement programme for Eucalyptus species aimed at enhancing productivity and breeding for trait specific clones. In the process, thirty high yielding clones of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh . were identified. Carbondioxide enrichment studies in special chambers help in understanding the changes at individual level, and also at physiological, biochemical and genetic level. It also provides valuable information for establishing plantations at different geographic locations. Considerable variations were observed when the selected 30 clones of E. camaldulensis were subjected to physiological studies under elevated CO 2 conditions (600 mol mol -1). Ten clones exhibited superior growth coupled with favourable physiological characteristics including high photosynthetic rate, carboxylation and water use efficiency under elevated carbon di oxide levels. Clones with minimal variation in physiological characteristics under elevated levels of CO 2 suggest their ability to overcome physiological stresses and adapt to varying climatic conditions.
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Enzyme activity is influenced by a large number of factors. Environmental conditions such as pH, temperature, salt concentration, substrate concentration, activators, and inhibitors may change the three dimensional shape of an enzyme, altering its rate of activity and/or its ability to bind substrate. The effects of such environmental factors were evaluated. The optimum pH and temperature of the purified urease were 7.2 and 48 0C, respectively, using urea as substrate. The optimum substrate (urea) concentration for urease was 25 mM. The enzyme showed the highest activity when incubated for 30 min at 48 0C. EDTA, a metal chelator, decreased the enzyme activity significantly. This may be due to the removal of metal ions located on or near the active site. Divalent cations like Ba 2+ and Mg 2+ slightly stimulated the enzyme at a concentration of 1-3 mM whereas Na + and K + produced little or no effect on the activity. Ca 2+ enhanced urease activity by 120.47%, while Pb 2+, Cu 2+, Zn 2+ and Hg 2+ almost completely inhibited the urease activity.
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An experiment was carried out using saline water (6.57 dS.m -1) and subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) on two tomato cultivars ( Solanum lycopersicum , cv. Rio Grande and Heinz-2274) in a silty clay soil. The former is a salinity tolerant and the latter a sensitive cultivar. Exogenous application of proline was done by foliar spray at two concentrations: 10 and 20 mg.L -1, with a control (saline water without proline), during the flowering stage. As a result of the proline applied, significant effects were observed on both cultivars of tomato, particularly with low concentration of proline (10 mg.L -1). It led to increase of leaf area, growth length and fruit yield. Regarding mineral nutrition, Ca 2+ was higher in different organs while low accumulation of Na + occurred. However, Cl - was very low significantly in all tissues of plants of Rio Grande at the higher concentration of proline applied.
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Salt (NaCl) induced changes of morphological and biochemical parameters were investigated in Aegiceras corniculatum L. Blanco supplemented with an increasing concentration of NaCl (0 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, 200 mM, 250 mM and 300 mM). The plant height, stem diameter, dry weight, number of leaves and number of branches per plant were studied and found to be maximum in plants grown in 250 mM concentration of NaCl comparable to others. Biochemical test like total protein, total sugar, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents from leaf samples were performed. No significant changes were observed in total chlorophyll content among 0 and 30 days of NaCl treatment, however an increment was noticed in all the salt treated samples than that of control. The total soluble protein and sugar content were decreased under salinity condition even in both the 30 and 60 days of supplementation. From this experiment it may be concluded that the mangrove plant Aegiceras corniculatum can be sustained and propagated in optimum (250 mM) salinity under green house condition.
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Abiotic stresses, such as temperature, drought and salinity are serious threats to agriculture. Temperature stress is the primary cause of crop loss worldwide, reducing average yields for most major crop plants. In present study role of 24-epibrassinolide in three Brassica species ( B. carinata, B. juncea and B. napus ) on lipid peroxidation and proline under temperature stress was investigated. Seeds were given temperature treatments (4, 14, 24, 34 and 44°C) for 5 hours alone or in combination with EBR (10 -11, 10 -9 and 10 -7 M). Temperature stress whether low and high causes stress in terms of lipid peroxidation. High temperature causes more stress as compared with low temperature stress, as level of temperature stress rises increase in the membrane damage was observed. However the seeds treated with the EBR shows positive effect as there is decrease in the lipid peroxidation in terms of MDA content. Accumulation of proline was also observed in all temperature stress in all three Brassica species. Application of EBR at all concentrations causes significant increase in the proline content as compared with control and untreated.
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A pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of silicon (Si) and/or potassium (K) on plant growth, nitrogen uptake and N 2-fixation in water stressed (FC1) and well watered (FC2) chickpea plants using 15N and 13C isotopes. Three fertilizer rates of Si (Si 50, Si 100 and Si 200) and one fertilizer rate of K were used. For most of the growth parameters, it was found that Si either alone or in combination with K was more effective to alleviate water stress than K alone. Increasing soil water level from FC1 to FC2 often had a positive impact on values of almost all studied parameters. The Si 100K + (FC1) and Si 50K + (FC2) treatments gave high enough amounts of N 2-fixation, higher dry matter production and greater nitrogen yield. The percent increments of total N 2-fixed in the above mentioned treatments were 51 and 47% over their controls, respectively. On the other hand, increasing leave’s dry matter in response to the solely added Si (Si 50K - and Si 100K -) is associated with lower Δ 13C under both watering regimes. This may indicate that Si fertilization had a beneficial effect on water use efficiency (WUE). Hence, Δ 13C could be an adequate indicator of WUE in response to the exogenous supply of silicon to chickpea plants. Our results highlight that Si is not only involved in amelioration of growth and in maintaining of water status but it can be also considered an important element for the symbiotic performance of chickpea plants. It can be concluded that the synergistic effect of silicon and potassium fertilization with adequate irrigation improves growth and nitrogen fixation in chickpea plants. | https://globalf5.com/Zhurnaly/Himiya/Journal-of-Stress-Physiology-Biochemistry/vypusk-2013-3 |
DBT-CDFD study discovers the cause for a new type of intellectual disability
Identification of disease-causing genetic mutations has a crucial value in prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling. As soon as the culprit mutation is identified, families can look for the presence of it in their offspring through genetic testing even prior to the birth of the child and necessary. Additionally, this has enormous importance in the fundamental research study in the direction of understanding gene functions and also mechanisms of disease that may assist in the development of new therapeutic options.
Advancements in the human genetic study and simultaneous development of new high throughput diagnostic tools like next-generation sequencing now make it feasible to promptly and cost-effectively identify genetic mutations in charge of a particular disease utilizing just a couple of afflicted individuals.
Recently, in a discovery, researchers at the Department of Biotechnology’s Centre for DNA
Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (DBT-CDFD) have determined the genetic mutation linked
with a novel syndrome. Two siblings – a brother as well as a sister, born of consanguineous parents from southern India, were assessed for intellectual disability with other developmental abnormalities. A mutation in a gene called HERC1 was determined as the likely reason for
Interestingly, the parents were also found to be carriers for the same mutation. But, they both were unaffected. Additional functional evaluation with the RNA from the affected individuals showed a possible deleterious effect of the mutation on the protein by changing the structure as well as the function of HERC1 mRNA that might lead to lowered production along with the loss of important functional domains of the protein.
To determine the pathophysiological (disordered physiological processes) role of HERC1 in brain development and illness further study is certainly needed. This discovery of a new
intellectual disability syndrome will be useful in future genetic testing of people with
a similar abnormality. Additionally, it has brought about the advancement of scientific knowledge concerning brain development. | https://www.biotecnika.org/2020/07/a-new-type-of-intellectual-disability-discovered-by-dbt-cdfd-study/ |
In this week’s blog, we would like to showcase the upcoming Symposium, an annual event, of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE), which will be held at the Millennial Hotel on April 5-6, 2017 in Minneapolis, MN. As Charter and Endorsed Member of the AICE, the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI) is proud to be part of the AICE 2017 Minneapolis Symposium.
The Symposium will feature several distinguished panels of international education specialists whose perspectives will encourage each of us to reflect on the Symposium theme, Setting the Standard for Graduate Admissions: Three-year Degrees and Other Challenges. This year’s Symposium continues with the spirit of past Symposia highlighting our Association’s steadfast commitment to activate and reinforce dialogue on international credential evaluation standards, methodologies and practices. AICE is proud to have contributed to promoting best practices and collaboration for academic excellence and to strengthen communication among international educators from academia and professional organizations, laying a strong foundation for the development of long-term sustainable partnerships and networks.
For a description of the Symposium’s program, please click here and open the PDF.
Registration for the AICE 2017 Minneapolis Symposium is still open. A few seats are still available. If you are interested in attending, please click here.
Back in October 2014, ACEI posted a blog on India’s attempt to extend its three-year bachelor’s degree by one additional year. The attempt was short-lived, for reasons you’ll find in the blog. Since India is included in one of the modules programmed for the Symposium, we thought it appropriate to repost it in this week’s blog. Click here.
Advocacy for our profession of applied comparative education is needed more than ever in 2017. In light of forming new partnerships and celebrating our differences, diversity and inclusion will be the top initiative for 2017.
Diversity is any aspect that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another, but it also means appreciation of and respect for differences in ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, education, and religion. But let’s look deeper into this thought. We all bring with us diverse views, work experiences, life styles, perspectives, and cultures. How does your institution or organization foster diversity and inclusion? How do you individually?
Some may define inclusion is a state of being valued, respected, endorsed, and supported. It’s also about focusing on the needs of everyone and ensuring the right conditions are in place for each person to achieve their greatest potential. Inclusion should always be reflected in an organization’s culture, practices and relationships that are in place to support a diverse workforce.
To look at this big picture, diversity is the mix; inclusion is getting the mix to work well together.
For institutions to succeed in the global marketplace, there must be a variety of perspectives. If organizations want to attract and retain the right skills, the best minds, all the aspects needed for success – and that means diversity.
With our new administration, changes in the global landscape, more advances in technology and communications, diversity and inclusion are quickly becoming critical initiatives around the world. | https://acei-global.blog/2017/03/ |
This new group meet every week during the term from 2pm - 4pm.
Join this friendly social group to share a cuppa & a yarn.
First Time Parents Group- Tuesday
Get together with a bunch of first time parents and make new friends. Tina a Registered Nurse, provides sensible answers to your questions & provides you will all sorts of practical tips.
Contact the Mornington Peninsula 5950 1099.
Supported Playgroup
Giving you the chance to build on your paretning confidence and support your child's wellbeing and development while having fun.
For eligible families with children up to school age. For more information contact 5950 1099.
Rotary - Somerville Tyabb (Wednesday)
Meets at the Community House the first 3 Wednesdays of the month.
New Members Welcome!
For further details -
Contact Chris: 9787 2462 or 0407 329 170
Peninsula North Men's Shed
Meets at Baxter. The Men's Shed provides a range of activities to learn and practice using all types of tools in a safe, social setting with a bunch of blokes.
For further details -
Contact John: 0412 648 005
Community Garden (Monday, Wednesday & Fridays )
The Garden is thriving and new members are always welcome.
Come along, get your hands dirty, make new friends and share in the bounty.
This groups meets Monday,Wednesday & Friday in the warmer months.
Please contact the community house for details.
Somerville Family Day - Committee Meetings
Meets at the Fruit Growers Reserve, Somerville for Committee Meetings. | https://www.somervillecommunityhouse.com.au/communitygroups |
COMMENT:
Being in alert level 3 has allowed a small number of staff to head back into MTG Hawke's Bay and start making changes in preparation for reopening at level 2.
This includes putting additional protection measures in place and removing some interactives from galleries to ensure we are doing what we can to make the place as safe as possible for our visitors.
The team is looking forward to the day we're open again, and can welcome you back to your museum.
Through this time, I've realised the value of things many may have taken for granted. I'm reasonably sure everyone will have recognised the value of medical personnel and food suppliers (from growers through to retail outlets) at this time but there have been other vital industries that we may not have thought about.
READ MORE:
• Premium - From the MTG: Exciting year ahead
• Premium - From the MTG: Take a tour and check put our public art
• Premium - From the MTG: Shooting trophy gifted to museum
• Premium - From the MTG: The Treaty of Waitangi is for both Pākehā and Māori
Napier Port has kept products and supplies coming into the region, IT infrastructure and service providers have enabled many to work productively from home and councils have been proactive in the welfare space – checking on the elderly and vulnerable to ensure people have the essential services and supplies they need.
Now, as we work our way back through the levels, our recovery needs to attend to the entirety of our region's health and wellbeing – this includes economic, social, emotional, cultural and mental wellbeing.
Coming out of this experience, like many, I am hoping to keep some lifestyle choices I've made in place.
To remember and treasure the time with family, to appreciate the support I both gave and received from friends, family and colleagues. I want to maintain this stronger sense of connection and caring on the other side of this Covid-19 experience - to not lose those learnings.
I hope we will all want to keep and deepen our sense of empathy and understanding for those around us.
I hope also we do what we can to help individuals, businesses and the economy recover.
Many people will have struggled financially, emotionally and mentally during lockdown and many will struggle out of lockdown.
So how can we help? We can support Hawke's Bay businesses to help them get up and running – we can buy and promote local products and services through social media, recommend local businesses to friends and support the many initiatives people are coming up with. The sooner businesses heal the sooner the economy grows - which ultimately helps us all.
Local businesses employ local people and when they get back on their feet the community gets back on its feet.
As consumers, we all have choices to make about where we spend our money and I'm going to do what I can to support local businesses.
I'll be paying a lot more attention to where my dollar goes and if there is a local option I'll be choosing that and specifically support the particular businesses I love (and there are a lot of them!) We have some really great businesses in Hawke's Bay and I hope the community will pull together to support them.
Recovery is important and part of that is the social, cultural, spiritual, mental and emotional wellbeing of the community.
• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
Arts and culture can help people feel reconnected. It provides a way to reflect on and make sense of what has happened, creating community belonging in the process.
Napier City Council is keen that the city return to an environment where its economy and people thrive and MTG Hawke's Bay is playing its part in that.
We're looking towards making events and activities to support this aim. New programmes that put life and vitality into the city and provide opportunities to reconnect and share.
These are things that will help the community heal and rebuild. I'm sure councils throughout the region are all working on ideas and projects that will help and support their communities.
Hawke's Bay is in this together and I know that with kindness, empathy, consideration and deliberate action we can, together, make the region strong and vibrant.
So as we prepare to move to into level 2 and reflect on the way the lockdown has impacted on our values and priorities, let's throw our support behind that which we cherish.
In supporting each other, by valuing this place, its past and its uniqueness, we'll build an even stronger future together.
• Laura Vodanovich is MTG director. | https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/from-the-mtg-covid-19-coronavirus-level-2-support-the-local-options/M3KRFQGHJ6BBDDPXIOMPELCF4M/?ref=readmore |
A Reason to Stay
A few years back, I was touring the downtown of a community in northeast, Ohio, and had a bit of an epiphany regarding the true importance of downtown. City leaders had invited me to their community to discuss strategies to revitalize. Like thousands of cities across the country, their best days appeared to be behind them and they were struggling to understand why they continued to lose their best and brightest and why every year their town looked a little worse. It’s a sad story of course, for every person that resides in these places knows they live somewhere that is worse today, than yesterday.
As we toured, we covered the typical ground. We discussed what could be done about vacant and abandoned buildings. We talked about strategies to improve storefronts, attract businesses and make downtown more inviting. We talked about all of the things that the city needed to tackle if they had any hope of altering their trajectory and stemming their decline.
Throughout our conversations, my tour guides mentioned multiple times that only “vagrants” used their downtown. This struck me as odd, if not a bit funny. Community leaders felt like local people didn't frequent the downtown, but only undesirables. This seemed a little far fetched to me to begin with, but the more I considered it, the more it made sense. Due to a number of factors, including changes in local legislation and the city’s investment priorities, downtown had slowly ceased to be the heart of the community and instead, had become the dregs.
This town’s fate should not have been a surprise to anyone. The downtown had been neglected, mistreated, and ignored for decades. City leaders had placed priorities elsewhere, and over the years, had taken what once was the center of town and effectively killed it. They didn’t try to relocate it or try to change it, they offed it. In the end, I realized the comments made were right. They had turned the heart of the community into a place that everyone in the community avoided. And why would anyone visit downtown? It no longer offered anything that most people in the community wanted or needed. As it was abandoned; people no longer wanted or needed to go there for anything. And as is the nature of things, as some move out, others move in. The element that began filling the downtown is not what city leaders wanted, but that is exactly what they had unknowingly asked for. As building emptied out, stores left, offices closed, codes stopped being enforced, legislation changed, the heart of the community slowly ceased beating, while everyone simply watched. And in a good gesture gone wrong, this community turned the public square into a war memorial, thus finalizing the demise.
I have worked in revitalization going back quite awhile. I always understood that it was important to have a vibrant downtown because it meant jobs, local investment, increased tourism and that more money was retained in the economy. It was on this day that I realized a healthy downtown is so much more than dollars. Since the advent of the agora in ancient Greece thousands of years ago, people have understood that for a city to function, it must offer a public place for people to gather. This is the reason that every single city built prior to the second half of the 20th century, was constructed around a public gathering place. Downtowns were not built on accident and they did not occur by happenstance; they are the fundamental heart of a city and we have known this for thousands of years. When we let the downtown die, we are in essence, putting a community on life support. The body cannot function without the heart and a city cannot function without a downtown.
I asked my tour guides, what public place had replaced the downtown. They had no answer. I asked them where people gathered. They had no answer. I then took it a step further and asked them what is it that makes people feel attached to their community and keeps them from leaving. Still, no answer.
This is what I realized that day. That for all the economic benefits of a vibrant and healthy downtown, its importance is so much greater than that. Downtown is the center of the community and it is where people have always gone to gather together. Take away all the reasons people use the downtown and there is nothing left. People don’t visit empty buildings and they sure as hell don’t visit parking. Downtown has its functions: dining, shopping, housing, entertainment- but it also has its purpose, and that purpose is to bring the community together. If downtown no longer provides any functions, it can no longer serve its purpose. The gathering space that downtown offers is absolutely critical to the health of a community and people will not use the downtown to gather if it doesn’t also provide those basic functions. People can also have all of these needs met by getting in their car and driving to strip malls. All of the various roles of downtown have been effectively replicated by suburbia, all but one, the most important one. Sprawl development offers all the shopping, dining, employment, and entertainment, but its purpose is to extract money from your community, not bring people together. Downtown is a public place and its purpose is to serve as the heart of the community. No privately owned place can ever replicate this function, nor should it. When we shift all of our commerce, jobs, housing and entertainment to the edge of a city, we also take away the one place that connects everyone to their city. We take away the place where they feel a sense of attachment and the place that fosters friendships. There are a million places that can meet a person’s dining and shopping needs, but where do we go to meet our need to feel a part of a community or to make new friends? These needs are very much a part of the human experience and something that a city must offer if it hopes to be relevant.
It’s understandable to think the secret to running a city lies solely in the numbers. That any action that creates more investment or more jobs is a step towards success. But this approach loses site of the fact that a city is full of people and people are more than just statistics. We are emotional creatures and we will seek out things that satisfy all our needs and desires. If multiple places can provide housing and employment, people will seek out a place that can also provide a high quality of life and a sense of community. People can go anywhere to shop, but they will prioritize a place that is also fun and attractive. Expecting a city to function without a downtown is like building a home with only bedrooms; yes, you can reside there, but you cannot LIVE there.
Downtown gives a city its sense of identity. It defines a place for people. Cities don't often use the mall on their logo. When people first visit a city, they go downtown to form their perception of that place because this is the center of town and the best reflection of what a city is and means. The downtown embodies a place as a whole and we form our opinions of an entire community based on this. The downtown is a hub of local business. Local entrepreneurs typically don’t have enough capital to afford newly built suburban space, so they open downtown. Downtown is a hub of local ownership as well. Suburbia is generally developed by large national firms, to where the buildings downtown are owned locally and keep money in the community. Downtown is also our strongest connection to our city. It is where we experience a sense of community and connects us to our place. If we no longer have a public place to gather, people will no longer gather and a city will stop being a community. The problem with this is that a certain percentage of people are going to leave to seek out a home that is also a community. Each and every one of those departures is a significant loss to a city and likely cannot be replaced.
What I realized that day as we walked around that empty and sad downtown, was that not only was there a significant financial impact that stemmed from the decisions made around the downtown, but there was an even greater cost. The center of the community is the place that fosters a sense of belonging and identity. It is the place where people establish and build relationships. It is the place where people experience an emotional connection. It is the place where a sense of community exists. Of all the things a vibrant downtown provides a city, the most important roll is in providing a place where people develop a sense of connection to their community. Because if people don’t feel connected to your city, what keeps them from leaving?
*Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog, if you found the information useful, I do hope you will consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues. | https://www.revitalizeordie.com/blog-posts/2019/4/16/a-reason-to-stay |
Combining traditional glassblowing techniques and sculpting methods, Debora Moore forms lustrous glass sculptures that resemble mossy branches, fleshy petals, and entire trees. The St. Louis-born artist began by creating orchids with bulbous centers before expanding her practice to larger, organic forms. In her recent collection, Arboria, Moore sculpted delicate magnolias, plump plums, and the lavender tendrils of the wisteria.
The fragile artworks create a tension between the delicate material, the fleeting lives of flowers, and the strength and durability of nature. Moore likens her process to that of painting, where glass is used similarly to produce depth. “The material’s inherent ability to transmit and reflect light, as well as its variations from transparency to opacity, lends itself perfectly to achieve desired textures and surfaces,” she says in a statement.
To dive further into Moore’s process and see her studio, check out this interview and her site.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! | https://www.uptv.es/2022/01/11/lush-florals-and-ripe-fruit-sprout-from-lustrous-glass-trees-by-artist-debora-moore/ |
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Trait and Daily Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder
Dan V. Blalock
1
•Todd B. Kashdan
1
•Antonina S. Farmer
2
Published online: 8 December 2015
ÓSpringer Science+Business Media New York 2015
Abstract Emotion regulation strategies vary widely in
use and effectiveness across psychological diagnostic cat-
egories. However, little data exists on (1) the use of these
strategies in social anxiety disorder (SAD), and (2) how
trait measures compare with actual daily use of emotion
regulation strategies. We collected trait and daily assess-
ments of emotion suppression, cognitive reappraisal, and
positive and negative emotions from 40 adults with SAD
and 39 matched healthy controls. Participants with SAD
reported greater trait suppression and less cognitive reap-
praisal than healthy controls, and exhibited this same pat-
tern of emotion regulation in daily life. Participants overall
reported worse emotional experiences when suppressing
positive (vs. negative) emotions, and better emotional
experiences when reappraising to feel more positive (vs.
less negative) emotions. However, SAD participants
exhibited greater benefits (specifically increased positive
emotions) from reappraising to feel less negative than
healthy controls. These findings highlight the importance
of positive emotion regulation strategies, particularly for
individuals with SAD.
Keywords Social anxiety disorder Emotion regulation
Negative emotions Positive emotions Experience
sampling methodology
Introduction
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is the fourth most common
psychiatric disorder, with a lifetime prevalence rate of
12.1 % (Kessler et al. 2005). This disorder is associated
with significant impairment in social, occupational, and
daily functioning (Schneier et al. 1994). People with social
anxiety disorder (SAD) experience an intense, persistent
fear of having perceived flaws exposed in social situations,
leading to negative evaluations and ultimately, rejection
(Morrison and Heimberg 2013; Moscovitch 2009). This
intense and persistent fear fosters emotion hyper-reactivity
and dysregulation (Hermann et al. 2004; Hofmann, 2004).
Despite recent research on the differential perceptions of
emotion regulation strategy use across disorders (Aldao
et al. 2010; Hofmann et al. 2012), and in SAD specifically
(e.g., Kashdan et al. 2011), little has been done to examine
how these perceptions operate (or fail to operate) in daily
life. The current paper explores how ‘‘trait’’ perceptions of
emotion regulation differ in individuals with SAD versus
healthy controls, how these perceptions compare to emo-
tion regulation strategy use in daily life (‘‘states’’), and how
both are related to daily positive and negative emotions.
Cognitive Appraisals and Positive and Negative
Emotions in SAD
Emotion regulation generally refers to the ways by which
people influence which emotions are experienced, when
they are experienced, and how they are experienced and
expressed (Gross 1998). A host of research has examined
how tendencies to suppress or avoid emotions often out-
weigh tendencies to reappraise the causes for these emo-
tions when a triggering stressful event occurs and how
these tendencies (or diatheses) are shared among disorders
&Dan V. Blalock
[email protected]
&Todd B. Kashdan
[email protected]
1
Department of Psychology, MS 3F5, George Mason
University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
2
Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, VA, USA
123
Cogn Ther Res (2016) 40:416–425
DOI 10.1007/s10608-015-9739-8 | https://www.researchgate.net/publication/286522824_Trait_and_Daily_Emotion_Regulation_in_Social_Anxiety_Disorder |
This chapter introduces the foundation for surveillance and security robots for multiple military and civilian applications. The key environmental domains are mobile robots for ground, aerial, surface water, and underwater applications. Surveillance literallymeans to watch fromabove,while surveillance robots are used to monitor the behavior, activities, and other changing information that are gathered for the general purpose of managing, directing, or protecting one’s assets or position. In a practical sense, the term surveillance is taken to mean the act of observation from a distance, and security robots are commonly used to protect and safeguard a location, some valuable assets, or personal against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Surveillance is a proactive operation,while security robots are a defensive operation. The construction of each type of robot is similar in nature with amobility component, sensor payload, communication system, and an operator control station.
After introducing the major robot components, this chapter focuses on the various applications. More specifically, Sect. 61.3 discusses the enabling technologies of mobile robot navigation, various payload sensors used for surveillance or security applications, target detection and tracking algorithms, and the operator’s robot control console for human–machine interface (HMI). Section 61.4 presents selected research activities relevant to surveillance and security, including automatic data processing of the payload sensors, automaticmonitoring of human activities, facial recognition, and collaborative automatic target recognition (ATR). Finally, Sect. 61.5 discusses future directions in robot surveillance and security, giving some conclusions and followed by references. | http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/videodetails/61?start=10 |
Watermark Insights, an Ed Tech SaaS company, purchased a product called "Via" (pronounced VEE-ah), which was not compliant with current accessibility standards. Not meeting these standards was affecting sales of the product, so this update was a high priority. The existing color palette clashed with Watermark's corporate branding, as well.
I was tasked with updating the visual design and user interface with the Watermark color palette using the Watermark Design System components. Watermark’s branding had already established a WCAG 2.1 accessible color palette for most components; however, there were some features unique to Via which needed additional colors and UI elements.
The overall project was to update the entire product with mockups for nearly every screen, but my focus here is just one of the portions that I worked on which required additional design outside of the Watermark Design System.
My role: UI Designer
Goal: Update user interface of acquired product to match Watermark branding and meet WCAG 2.1 guidelines.
Users: Higher education students, faculty, and administrators for the purposes of creating a portfolio of work
Tools: Sketch, Abstract, WebAIM contrast checker, and Slack
Challenges:
- Current design pattern did not meet Accessibility requirements
- Watermark Design System did not yet include components for this content area
The “Add Content” page of the Showcase portion of the app, had multiple issues affecting accessibility - such as icons, colors, dashed lines, and interactive elements - that weren’t part of the existing Watermark Design System.
I broke the updates into groups to make things easier on both myself and the development team:
- Navigation
- Buttons and icons
- Title and content block, including column borders
- Columns Selector bar
- “Delete” workflow
Global changes that were made included the following:
- Updated the font from Lato to Inter
- Changed shades of orange and blue to shades of purple
- Darkened the gray that was used for text and borders to increase the contrast with the background
- Buttons were converted to the standard Watermark buttons
- Changed icon color to purple, and added two new ones.
See below for examples of the updates for each of the sections that make up the Showcase page, as preseented to the development team:
(Click to enlarge)
I performed multiple tests for both contrast ratios and color-blindness issues using the WebAIM online tool and the Stark plugin for Sketch. A constant challenge was that color combinations might have a proper contrast ratio but not pass a color-blindness test. Or, the colorblind rendering might no longer be contrast-compliant. In areas where the colors were too similar, we were able to use patterns and/or line weight to distinguish between them.
(Click to enlarge)
Details and consistency matter when it comes to accessibility. In order to make sure the entire flow worked, checking the colors, contrast levels, and line thicknesses needed to be done several times for each element. I also learned that validation needs to be done within the context of the whole design system, not just in the immediate surroundings of an element.
See below for a before and after view of the Showcase - Add Content screen updates: | http://jeduralldesign.com/WM-Showcase.html |
Art therapy is the newest form of alternative therapy, which has become quite popular in recent years.
If you would like to apply for an Art Therapist job, you will need to make sure that you create an excellent Art Therapist cover letter.
How to Write a Cover Letter for Art Therapist?
When writing a cover letter for an art therapist position, make sure that you highlight what makes you stand out amongst others who have the same degree, and the same amount of experience to their names.
Concentrate on your skills. Write about your knowledge of creating and implementing art therapy programs. Also, mention your ability to regularly assess the efficacy of plans, and modify them according to the dynamic needs of each patient under your care.
As an art therapist, your skills and competencies will need to be highlighted in the cover letter. Here is how you can do this:
Sample Cover Letter for Art Therapist Resume
July 4, 2020
Mr. James Xavier
Human Resources Manager
Alternative Cure
6412 7th Avenue
Fort Yates, ND 73648
Dear Mr. Xavier:
As someone who is a staunch believer of alternative therapy, is was no wonder that I took up art therapy as a major in college. Since then, I have been working as an art therapist, with exceptional results emitting from the therapies that I have designed. Now, I would like to offer my skills in this regard to Alternative Cure. I am sure that the enclosed resume will be of great interest to you.
Owing to an exceptional ability to create and implement core art therapy programs to meet the individual needs of each assigned client, I have often been commended on my work. Specifically, I am well-versed in selecting appropriate mediums of visual expressions, and implementing core strategies that are consistent with established objectives.
Additionally, I am competent in regularly evaluating the effectiveness of each implemented program so as to ensure that it is consistently effective. Where changes and modifications are required, I am exceptionally talented in ensuring that adjustments are made on a priority basis. Also, you will find me to be excellent in client liaison due to my ability to effectively reach out to people.
I will be in the vicinity of your office next Monday and will drop in to see if you have a spare slot to meet with me. If you need to reach me in the interim, please call at (000) 385-2049.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely, | https://coverlettersandresume.com/therapist/art-therapist-cover-letter/ |
Minister seeks more research, transparency on biotechnology
The Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, has called for more research, transparency and openness, as Nigeria ventures into commercial biotechnology.
Amina, who answered journalists’ questions on concerns raised by anti-GMOs on Nigeria’s venture into biotechnology, yesterday noted that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) had government backing to police the technology in Nigeria.
At a meeting with officials of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) and the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) in Abuja, Amina called for greater public engagement on the technology. “We need more research and we need to listen to people where they have concerns. We have to answer those frequently asked questions because without responding to people’s concerns, we are leaving perception of not caring or not doing our homework. We have to be more open to people and transparent to everyone, also hear every one’s concern and address them. With the Biosafety Agency now in place, we can begin to do that a lot more.” READ MORE
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