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Description:
This Bavarian wheat beer combines the flavors of banana, clove, bubblegum and citrus in a wonderfully refreshing summertime ale. No spices or fruits are actually used to create this beer, only barley malt, wheat malt Hallertau hops and a funky wheat beer yeast from the world's oldest brewery.
Brewer: Bullfrog Brewery
Style: German Hefeweizen
Alcohol Content: 5.6%
Seasonal: Summer
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This article is part of SCM Knowledge educational resource.
What is procurement
The Chartered of Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) defines procurement as the business management function that ensures identification, sourcing, access and management of the external resources that an organization needs or may need to fulfill its strategic objectives.
In simple terms, procurement deals with the sourcing of goods and services at a strategic level supporting the organization’s objectives.
The procurement process starts with a need or demand by which the company responds to it by supplying the product or service. Fulfilling the demand effectively requires sourcing of materials or services at the minimum cost without sacrificing value to internal and external stakeholders. Keeping the balance between cost and value takes a strategic approach throughout procurement activities. That is where the total cost of ownership (TCO) comes into play.
Before the company sells a product to customers, raw materials need to be purchased from the supplier to make a final product. There are two types of purchases;
Direct purchases – things you buy that go directly to the creation of the final product. If you manufacture computer, chips and electronics are examples of direct purchases.
Indirect purchases – things you buy that do not become part of the final product. Janitorial materials to keep the factory clean are examples of indirect purchases.
The procurement is a major influencer in determining how your supply chain will perform. Buying in bulk will save you money but increases inventory costs. Entering into long-term contracts will get you a discounted price but reduces the flexibility of your supply chain. There is a need to look beyond the price. A traditional purchasing approach – just focusing on material cost reduction – is no longer a sustainable procurement strategy because it causes inefficiencies to other aspects of the supply chain.
Total cost of ownership
Successful companies operate by reducing the total cost of ownership. The TCO encompasses cost metrics that help companies measure the total cost of ownership. Cost metrics include costs associated with purchasing, logistics, manufacturing, quality, risks, and other aspect impacting the supply chain performance. Simply put, TCO is the cost to buy, operate, maintain, and recycle.
We see in the above table that Material A has the lowest TCO than Material B even though the purchase price is 100% higher than Material B. We can also infer that a supplier’s price is just a fraction of the TCO. Material A is cost-effective in the long run over Material B. Under the traditional approach where the buyer’s decision is driven by the price, Material B would have been the first choice.
In analyzing the TCO, a strategic sourcing approach must be used. In strategic sourcing, buyers will determine the impact of the purchase price to the TCO by quantifying its cost contribution across supply chain metrics. The trade-off analysis is extremely useful to determine a favorable TCO. The goal of strategic sourcing is to reduce the entire supply chain costs as the company’s resources are primarily tied up on inventory. How inventory is managed across the pipeline determines the financial and operational performance of the organization.
Strategic sourcing decisions include:
- Reduce total cost of ownership
- Optimize inventory
- Supplier quality and relationship
- Information sharing
Procurement Process
Buying materials takes critical steps to successfully operate the procurement function. Gone are the days where the buyer simply goes to the supplier to purchase and wait for delivery after payment. Given the complexity of customer requirements and globalization, the purchasing activities today need to be strategic and data-driven.
A better understanding of the total cost of ownership not only saves costs but also improve sourcing visibility and support product sustainability. | https://explorescm.com/total-cost-of-ownership-approach-an-enabler-for-better-procurement-performance/ |
On October 30, the Legion of Good Will (LGW) turns 32 in the U.S. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to providing social and educational programs to underprivileged communities, and maintains general consultative status with the United Nations’ Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) since 1999. The LGW celebrates its anniversary by achieving an important milestone of its largest project in North America, building its new center located in Newark, which will serve more than 1,300 low-income families through an early learning, an after-school and a community center for social assistance.
Throughout its 32 year history, the LGW serves an important role in the support of thousands of vulnerable families in the New York and New Jersey areas. Its well-known social and educational programs replicate a successful model developed in more than 100 cities across six other countries: Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Portugal and Brazil, where the organization was originally founded in 1950. The motto "Here one studies. Brain and heart are formed” highlights the innovative educational line created by the LGW president José de Paiva Netto. In New York, the entity maintains a liaison office with the United Nations, where it also coordinates various humanitarian and educational programs.
In an effort to expand its action in the United States, the LGW is building the Paiva Netto Educational and Social Assistance Center in Newark, New Jersey, where 30 percent of the population lives below the poverty line. The new building will further expand the LGW's operations in the area by assisting more than 100 children daily, through an Early Learning Center for children between the ages of 0 and 5 and an after-school program for children from 5 to 13. Along with humanitarian, health and vocational training, the LGW's new center will benefit more than 1,300 families in the Ironbound community.
The Legion of Good Will has much to celebrate as the process of building the community center has reached many milestones, including rehab and addition permits issued by city and state. The institution has finished the first phase of the building expansion plan, which consists of completing the excavations and foundations. The next phase involves framing the new annex, for which labor will be voluntarily offered by RJ Framing LLC. Now, the LGW is seeking help from the community to get donations on materials such as wood, nails, roof, windows and doors. The goal is to conclude this phase before Christmas due to the upcoming harsh winter.
The opening of the Paiva Netto Educational and Social Assistance Center has been set for 2019 and the LGW excitedly announces that pre-registrations for educators, volunteers and parents of students interested in participating are available for registration. To learn more about the project, how to contribute, or sign up for the waiting list, contact lgw.org/childcenter or call (646) 398-7128. | https://www.lgw.org/lgw-celebrates-32-years |
Notes: It can take anywhere from 6 hours to 3 days to get to the International Space Station, depending on the spacecraft and mission profile. It took the Apollo astronauts about three days to get to the Moon.
How far in space have we reached?
The record for the farthest distance that humans have traveled goes to the all-American crew of famous Apollo 13 who were 400,171 kilometers (248,655 miles) away from Earth on April 14, 1970. This record has stood untouched for over 50 years!
How far is deep space?
The International Telecommunication Union defines “deep space” to start at a distance of 2 million km (approximately 0.01 AU) from the Earth’s surface. NASA’s Deep Space Network has variously used criteria of 16,000 to 32,000 km from Earth.
How long is a day in space?
…
The Earth is the only planet with an approximately 24-hour day.
|Planet||Length of Day|
|Earth||23 hours, 56 minutes|
|Mars||24 hours, 37 minutes|
|Jupiter||9 hours, 55 minutes|
|Saturn||10 hours, 33 minutes|
How long does it take to leave Earth?
Space is at the end of Earth’s atmosphere, about 62 miles upwards. This is called the Karman Line and means you’ve gone past the Thermosphere and are now into the Exosphere. NASA launch director Mike Leinbach said: “It takes the shuttle approximately
8-1/2 minutes
to get to orbit.
Do you age in space?
In space, people usually experience environmental stressors like microgravity, cosmic radiation, and social isolation, which
can all impact aging
. Studies on long-term space travel often measure aging biomarkers such as telomere length and heartbeat rates, not epigenetic aging.
How Far Away Is It – 16 – The Cosmos (4K)
Where Does Space Actually Start?
26.0 similar questions has been found
Has anyone been lost in space?
A total of 18 people have lost their lives either while in space or in preparation for a space mission, in four separate incidents. Given the risks involved in space flight, this number is surprisingly low. The two worst disasters both involved NASA’s space shuttle.
What does space smell like?
Astronaut Thomas Jones said it “carries a distinct odor of ozone, a faint acrid smell…a little like gunpowder, sulfurous.” Tony Antonelli, another space-walker, said space “definitely has a smell that’s different than anything else.” A gentleman named Don Pettit was a bit more verbose on the topic: “Each time, when I …
Does space ever end?
Scientists now consider it unlikely the universe has an end – a region where the galaxies stop or where there would be a barrier of some kind marking the end of space.
How cold is space?
According to data from the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, the temperature of space is 2.725K (2.725 degrees above absolute zero).
Why is space dark?
Because space is a near-perfect vacuum — meaning it has exceedingly few particles — there’s virtually nothing in the space between stars and planets to scatter light to our eyes. And with no light reaching the eyes, they see black.
Do you age slower in space?
So depending on our position and speed, time can appear to move faster or slower to us relative to others in a different part of space-time. And for astronauts on the International Space Station, that means
they get to age just a tiny bit slower than people on Earth
. That’s because of time-dilation effects.
How is 1 hour in space 7 years on Earth?
The first planet they land on is close to a supermassive black hole, dubbed Gargantuan, whose gravitational pull causes massive waves on the planet that toss their spacecraft about. Its proximity to the black hole also causes an extreme time dilation, where one hour on the distant planet equals 7 years on Earth.
How much do astronauts make?
The pay grades for civilian astronaut candidates are set by federal government pay scales and vary based on academic achievements and experience. According to NASA , civilian astronaut salaries range from $104,898 to $161,141 per year.
Who owns the Moon?
The short answer is that no one owns the Moon. That’s because of a piece of international law. The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, put forward by the United Nations, says that space belongs to no one country.
How long is trip to Mars?
The spacecraft departs Earth at a speed of about 24,600 mph (about 39,600 kph). The trip to Mars will take
about seven months
and about 300 million miles (480 million kilometers).
How long does it take to go to moon?
It takes about 3 days for a spacecraft to reach the Moon. During that time a spacecraft travels at least 240,000 miles (386,400 kilometers) which is the distance between Earth and the Moon. The specific distance depends on the specific path chosen.
How long is 1 year on the Moon?
27 days
Moon
/
Orbital period
How long is 1 second in space on Earth?
The light-second is a unit of length useful in astronomy, telecommunications and relativistic physics. It is defined as the distance that light travels in free space in one second, and is equal to exactly 299,792,458 metres (983,571,056 ft).
Is there sound in space?
No, there isn’t sound in space.
This is because sound travels through the vibration of particles, and space is a vacuum. On Earth, sound mainly travels to your ears by way of vibrating air molecules, but in near-empty regions of space there are no (or very, very few) particles to vibrate – so no sound.
Can I jump off the Moon?
Although
you can jump very high on the moon
, you’ll be happy to know that there’s no need to worry about jumping all the way off into space. In fact, you’d need to be going very fast – more than 2 kilometres per second – to escape from the moon’s surface.
What happens if you jump in space?
You would still die of course, but it would be by asphyxiation. Your blood holds enough oxygen for about 15 seconds of brain activity. After that you’d black out, with complete brain death following within three minutes.
Are there bodies in space?
Human remains are generally not scattered in space so as not to contribute to space debris. Remains are sealed until the spacecraft burns up upon re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere or they reach their extraterrestrial destinations.
Can you fart in space?
Surprisingly, that isn’t the biggest problem associated with farting in space. Though
you’re definitely more likely to worsen a small fire when you fart, it won’t always injure or kill you
. The worst part about farting in space is the lack of airflow. Let’s take a step back and remember how farting on Earth works.
Can someone hear you scream in space?
That infamous tag line from 1979’s Alien, “In space no one can hear you scream.” No one can hear you because the audible sound waves from that scream can’t pass through space.
How cold is space near Earth?
The average temperature of outer space near Earth is 283.32 kelvins (10.17 degrees Celsius or 50.3 degrees Fahrenheit). In empty, interstellar space, the temperature is just 3 kelvins, not much above absolute zero, which is the coldest anything can ever get.
Is there color in space?
Color does not change in space, because the wavelengths remain the same
. Although you can see all the colors of the rainbow, plus every color mixture from those colors, you only have three color detectors in your eyes. These color detectors, called cones, have a preference for a particular type of light.
Is time Travelling possible?
Yes, time travel is indeed a real thing. But it’s not quite what you’ve probably seen in the movies. Under certain conditions, it is possible to experience time passing at a different rate than 1 second per second. And there are important reasons why we need to understand this real-world form of time travel.
How many universes are there?
In a new study, Stanford physicists Andrei Linde and Vitaly Vanchurin have calculated the number of all possible universes, coming up with an answer of 10^10^16.
Why can’t you see the sun in space?
In space or on the Moon there is no atmosphere to scatter light. The light from the sun travels a straight line without scattering and all the colors stay together.
How hot is the Moon?
The moon’s temperature can reach a boiling
250° Fahrenheit (120° Celsius or 400 Kelvin)
during lunar daytime at the moon’s equator, according to NASA (opens in new tab).
How long can you survive in space?
—Why does outer space look black? “No human can survive this — death is likely in less than two minutes,” Lehnhardt said. According to NASA’s bioastronautics data book (opens in new tab), the vacuum of space would also pull air out of your lungs, causing you to suffocate within minutes. | https://dailyjustnow.com/en/how-long-does-it-take-to-get-to-space-126695/ |
Reading is a fundamental and essential part of a person's lifelong learning process. Books which can be read to children (or students) for entertainment and educational purposes are well known. In the prior art, books are typically comprised of a plurality of bound pages which contain printed matter and illustrations in a single volume. in teaching reading skills, when a person reads to another person, such as a child, or vice versa, a book is usually held by one person or the other, or shared by both. In this manner, both persons have convenient visual access to text and illustrations.
When an unsighted person reads a Braille book to a child or student, the reader must hold the book in order to touch the Braille print and the child/student does not share equal viewing access to the text. A visually impaired person must also hold a book being read to use a magnifier or document scanner to read the book. In either instance, the child/student is deprived of the opportunity to hold the book and view the printed matter and illustrations. Thus, the educational impact of the reading experience is adversely affected and the relational aspect of a parent/teacher and child/student shared experience is disrupted.
The use of manipulatives, such as a hands-on bood held by the child/student in the teaching of reading skills, increases the child's/student's attention span and the interest in the material being read. Further, a beginning reader must be able to view the printed matter in order to read and learn from the experience. Neither of these objectives can be readily achieved in a sighted/unsighted pairing because there are no books available in the prior art adopted to sighted/unsighted sharing.
In the prior art, C.R. Hoyme'patented book (U.S. Pat. No. 1,405,134) has removable illustrations for the purpose of entertaining the child looking at the book. A.T. Von Trott's U.S. Pat. No. 2,360,916 relates to greeting cards with openings on the front for view of the messages inserted within the pocket contained in the front cover of the card. S.V. Worth's U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,137 demostrates a book with adhesive-backed, cut-out pictures, which the child matches to the text and then adheres to the spaces in the book provided beside the text in the book. C.J. Taylor's U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,700 demostrates an activity book with removable manipulatives which are stored in pockets on each page of the book. The manipulatives, such as small paper apples, have magnetic backings which adhere to a magnetic space on the illustration of the page, such as an apple tree.
Hoyme's invention is for the purpose of entertaining the child, while the Worth and Taylor inventions are directed toward educational purposes. Von Trott's greeting card presents a means of changing the message in the card. While the above inventions of the prior art involve the use of removable items from pockets or insert sleeves, none are related to the purpose of the present invention, which is to aid in the reading of a book to a child (or student) by an unsighted or visually-impaired person for both education and entertainment, while allowing the person to whom the book is being read to have full control of, and access to the book, thus increasing the enjoyment and educational benefits of the reading experience.
Other prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,596,407; 4,524,993 and 4,419,837 which relate to variations of book assemblies that have removable or dividable pages or pocketed carriers for other materials.
None of the cited prior art is directed to paired sighted/unsighted reading of a book by partners in a parent/child or teacher/student relationship.
| |
PSNews - 350 artisans from famous craft villages nationwide and 68 international artisans from 11 countries across the world will gather at Hue Traditional Craft Festival, contributing to enhancing an unique Vietnamese crafts festival.
The 8th Hue Traditional Craft Festival will take place from April 26 to May 2, with the theme “The Quintessence of Vietnamese Crafts”, aiming to honour the value of heritage and raise the production quality of traditional trade villages.
According to the organizing board, the festival will draw the participation of 350 artisans from famous craft villages nationwide and 17 international delegations from 11 countries such as the Republic of Korea, China, Japan, Brazil and Turkey.
The event will forge connections between trade villages and investors, and promote traditional handicrafts alongside tourism products.
In addition, visitors to the festival can join tours to craft villages, crafts spaces and historical places such as the Royal Citadel, Thanh Tien Village (paper flower), Sình Village (folk paintings) and Phuoc Tich Village (pottery).
Nguyen Van Thanh, head of the organising board said: “This fabulous cultural-economic event will extol the values of heritage, and boost the production and efficiency of traditional crafts. It is also expected to promote partnerships and attract investments in an attempt to improve socio-economic growth via links between handicraft production and tourism”. | http://en.cand.com.vn/Culture-travel/Hundreds-of-domestic-and-international-artisans-to-gather-at-Hue-Traditional-Craft-Festival-541249/ |
The project aims at achieving learning outcomes including entrepreneurship development, digital literacy, communication skills at workplace, and development of sales, and marketing skills.
The Central government is set to upskill over 4,000 craftsmen, cane, and bamboo artisans from Nagaland under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana. The objective is to upskill the local weavers and artisans to enhance their productivity through RPL assessment and certification in traditional handicrafts.
The artisans and weavers will be trained in innovative and upgraded techniques of making handmade products. Post-training all the artisans and weavers will work in micro-units that are set up in their respective clusters. During this time the beneficiaries will be encouraged to participate actively in external deliberation so that at the final stage, they are able to manage market linkages on their own.
The artisans and weavers will be selected from the traditional crafts clusters of Nagaland, the ministry said, and will be made on the basis of the existing experience of these candidates. The trainers will be selected either from the existing database or a training programme will be conducted for the existing artisans and weavers from the proposed clusters.
National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the nodal implementation agency for the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship will monitor the day-to-day progress of the project.
The project aims at achieving learning outcomes including entrepreneurship development, digital literacy, communication skills at workplace, and development of sales, and marketing skills. The project will also be backed by industry participation which is vital for the successful implementation of this project and the ongoing support. The industry will be supporting in areas like training of 150 trainers, infrastructure, providing raw material, and promotion of crafts in domestic and international markets, read the official notice.
During the online launch of the initiative, the Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajeev Chandrasekhar said it is the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create the right synergies and build infrastructure for the country’s youth all across the country.
“Skilling the youth is an important mission for us and that is why we have gathered here to launch this event that trains and motivates artisans. He shared that during his visit to Nagaland, he realized the potential that the region has and its role in economic progression. This prompted the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to come up with this program in a bid to meet the economic aspirations of the local youth and take them on the path of development," he added. | |
iOS was in the news lately for a series of security mishaps, but this time android back in scene. A security flaw discovered by Terence Eden on the Galaxy Note II with Android 4.1.2 that allows hackers to briefly bypass the phone's lock screen without needing a password.
By hitting "emergency call" then "emergency contacts" then holding the home button, the main home screen becomes visible for around a second just enough time to load an app, before reverting back to the lock screen.
Not all apps will open in this manner, a demo video shows that Google Play does not respond. Reportedly, Eden contacted Samsung roughly five days ago but has yet to hear back. He said that he has not tested any other Samsung devices to see if they are also affected.
The flaw appears to be similar to a screen lock vulnerability in newer Apple devices, including the iPhone 5.
Lock the device with a "secure" pattern, PIN, or password.
Press the "ICE" button on the bottom left.
The phone's home screen will be displayed - briefly.
If the widget is "direct dial" the phone will start ringing.
Using this method it could also be possible to load up email or SMS apps for long enough to get an overview of sensitive messages. | https://thehackernews.com/2013/03/samsung-galaxy-note-ii-lock-screen.html |
DENVER, Colo. — The 11th annual Beltania Retreat, set to be hosted May 17-20, 2018, will differ from the previous ten Beltania gatherings. In the past, Beltania had a dual identity, as a music festival and a Pagan gathering. It will now have one identity – a retreat for deep spiritual work.Over the years, Beltania has grown from a one-day event to a four-day event. It draws a relatively even number of males and females, shared Beltania’s executive director Joy Burton. People of Color make up about 10 percent of attendees, and another 20 to 25 percent of attendees identify as LGBTA+. About 2 to 3 percent of attendees do not identify as male or female, she noted. Children and youth make up between 10 to 15 percent of attendees.
Several key factors have driven the organizers to move the event toward a retreat, Burton told The Wild Hunt in an interview. These factors can be roughly grouped into four categories. First, the all-volunteer staff was finding it increasingly difficult to manage the gathering. It was becoming unsustainable. Secondly, Colorado weather in May is very unpredictable, making outdoor events challenging. Thirdly, a non-spiritual party atmosphere was developing, which threatened safety. Fourthly, staff and participants wanted to engage in that deeper religious work.
Sustainability
According to Burton past attendance has ranged from 400 to 500. The staff has now capped attendance at 250.
Burton said attendees had complained that too many things were happening at once. They felt rushed. Trying to accommodate everyone was beginning to overwhelm the all-volunteer staff.
Organizers have now limited the number of events that can occur at the same time to no more than three.
Burton estimated that, in the past, she had spent 500 hour per year working without pay on Beltania, roughly 24 percent of a full time job. She is also raising three children and working.
“My spiritual journey has led me to seek greater balance, to value my time and gifts, to have healthy boundaries, and not to give more than I can afford.”
Burton continued, “It’s been quite a challenge for me personally to come to the place where I can be OK with not making everyone happy.”
Colorado weather
The event site is hilly, but not mountainous. It lies 7,000 feet above sea level. This makes for wild weather, even in May. Burton said, “One day it could be 10 degrees and the next 90 degrees. It could snow, hail, or have 50-mile per hour winds.”
While organizers and attendees value the outdoor experience, the staff has to manage this unpredictability. They cannot move some of the outdoor activities, such as sweat lodges, indoors if bad weather should hit.
In some cases, there were attendees, who failed to bring clothes for cold weather. When eight inches of snow fell one year, the staff had to call an ambulance to take care of someone with hypothermia.
Under the new rules, every outdoor location will have an indoor backup location. Tents do not fare well in severe weather. Staff has now reduced the number of spaces available for tent camping. While some tent space will still be available, most lodging will be in cabins or yurts.
A growing party atmosphere
Burton described a growing problem: “The party atmosphere was starting to grow. We had areas that were off-limits to kids.”
While Beltania has had an expectation of sobriety at all events, that was starting to change. Burton described this change: “Over time, some people were not maintaining sobriety at rituals, workshops, and, especially, at late night drum circles. It also became evident that use of illegal drugs was escalating.”
She noted that some attendees “were just hanging out getting drunk and high.” The new rules require a clean and sober environment throughout Beltania. This retreat does allow medical marijuana.
The excessive use of drugs and alcohol raises serious safety issues. In general, Burton questioned these safety issues at all Pagan gatherings.
She related a personal experience that happened years ago at an unnamed U.S. Pagan gathering. “I went arm-in-arm with my husband to a drum circle. Somebody who was drunk came up to me and grabbed my breast, without asking. I felt assaulted.”
Burton said that she believes that this happens over and over again at Pagan festivals throughout the US. She stressed the importance of developing consent culture.
According to Burton, no sexual assaults have occurred at Beltania. One year, staff did have to remove two people from festival, and the two were barred them from returning. This issue involved in that case, she said, was “sexually inappropriate behavior towards underage” attendees.
Deeper spiritual work
As she noted, the staff and attendees wanted to experience a deeper level of spiritual and religious work. One way that they will do that is through the incorporation of structured drum circles.
Generally, drum circles can be rather free form. To work on a deeper spiritual level, Beltania will now host these structured drum circles, called Alchemical Drum Circles, which have a set time and space in order to deepen the experience.
The defined beginning and ending ceremonies structure the time. Flags or other markers structure the space into a series of concentric circles. Each circle contains specific activities. The innermost circle contains dancing and more intense activity. As the circles move outward, the intensity of the activity decreases.
Not everything is changing at the popular Colorado event. The 11th Beltania will still have the Maypole dance and a labyrinth walk. Selena Fox will be leading workshops and rituals. Jhenah Telyndru and Michael Heartsong will also be there leading their workshops.
Burton described the upcoming changes as being pro-active before significant problems occurred. She has three criteria for judging the success of these changes. First, the event would have to align with Beltania’s mission. Second, Beltania would have to be safe. Third, the most vulnerable community members would have to feel welcomed. | https://wildhunt.org/2018/01/change-comes-to-colorado-festival-beltania.html |
Doctor insights on:
Bladder Cancer Metastasis Sites
1
Can bladder cancer metastasize?
Yes: Untreated bladder cancer can metastasize to other organs and structures when left untreated. The more aggressive the bladder cancer, the higher the likelihood of metastasis. It is not unusual for bladder cancer to metastasize. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Cancer (Definition)
Cancer is a group of diseases that is characterized by uncontrolled cell growth leading to invasion of surrounding tissues that spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can begin anywhere in the body and is usually related to one or more genetic mutations that allow normal cells to become malignant by interfering with internal cellular control mechanisms, such as programmed cell death or by preventing ...Read more
2
Symptoms of prostate cancer metastasis?
Prostate cancer: The most common metastatic site would be bones-although it also can go to other sites- lymph glands, lung, liver etc.. Symptoms will depend on the location of metastases. Bone pain, fractures would be the symptoms of bony mets. If spread to the adjacent area such as bladder area- blood in urine, lower abdomen pain, prob wi/ urination, obstruction can happen. Weight loss, weakness are common too. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
3
I'm concerned about prostate cancer metastasis. Where can prostate cancer spread?
In theory, prostate cancer cells can spread anywhere in the body: In practice, though, most cases of prostate cancer metastasis occur in the lymph nodes and the bones. Prostate cancer metastasis occurs when cells break away from the tumor in the prostate. The cancer cells can travel through the lymphatic system or the bloodstream to other areas of the body. More commonly prostate cancer metastasis can occur in the: Bones, Lymph nodes, Lungs, Liver, Brain. Rare locations of prostate cancer metastasis include: Adrenal glands, Breasts, Eyes, Kidneys, Muscles, Pancreas, Salivary glands, Spleen. If you've been diagnosed with prostate cancer and you're concerned about prostate cancer metastasis, talk with your doctor about your risk of prostate cancer metastasis and your treatment options. ...Read more
4
Abdominal carcinamatosis from breast cancer metastasis?
Could Be: You have a known breast ca? Any other mets? Typically, one would expect mets to bone before abdomen. If pathology on both sites is the same then probably mets. If not, possible second primary (like ovary). Good luck. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
5
Advanced prostate cancer with bone metastasis prognosis?
Bone mets: If hormone refractory then months if still hormone sensitive maybe years. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
6
Where does gallbladder cancer metastasize?
Liver first: The most common sites are liver, lung, and brain. Other sites reported include the eye, heart, port sites, and bones. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
7
Is metastacized bladder cancer contagious?
No: In humans there are almost no contagious cancers and bladder is not one of them. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
8
Colon surgery:tumor size=2cm.Pathologic staging(pt3, n1b, mx).2/17 lymph nodes show metastatic.Margins of resection free of carcinoma.Need chemotherapy?
Yes: Chemotherapy regimens based on the drug Fluorouracil (5-fu) have been part of the treatment for high-risk stage ii or stage iii colon cancer. Many clinical trials have shown that these regimens improve overall survival primarily by reducing the high risk of recurrence within the first two years after surgery. ...Read more
9
Treatments for prostate cancer with bone metastasis?
Many: The first line of treatment for this is androgen deprivation. In addition, there are medicines which reduce the risk of fractures with Denosumab showing the most efficacy compared to zoledronic acid, however with some risk of significant side effects. For more extensive disease, a newer IV radium therapy has shown improved survival. Localized radiation can be effective for painful foci. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
10
Metastatic breast cancer usually spread to liver?
It may: Breast cancer can metastascise to many organs. Regionally to the lymph nodes and distantly to other organs. More commonly to the bones, lung, liver, brain and other visceral structures in the abdomen or pelvis. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
11
Is metastatic anal cancer terminal?
Unfortunately: Metastatic disease (also known as stage 4) is usually not curable by todays treatments. Although use of chemotherapy may improve survival and may rarely put someone into a temporary remission the disease usually returns or more often does not go away and eventually progresses and the patient will eventually succumb to it. ...Read more
12
Is metastatic colon cancer curable?
Possible: But less than 20% survive 5 years. Depends on where the metastases are and how numerous and size. Solitary liver mets without evidence elsewhere in the body can be cured with a liver resection. Diffuse mets to numerous body parts rarelyare curable. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
13
Is metastic colon cancer spread to liver treatable?
Yes: NOT "curable" but definitely treatable...Direct perfusion anti-neoplastic drugs for one approach and possible immune therapy on the "horizon" ...A positive attitude is necessary and helpful.. METASTATIC .CANCER IS A CHRONIC DISEASE! ...Read more
14
Are carcinoid tumors carcinoma? Is malignant metastatic stomach carcinoma that's hereditary a carcinoid cancer? carcinoid Neuroendocrine tumors?
Complicated question: Carcinoids are carcinomas, usually more slow growing than adenocarcinomas. For information in this topic you may consult this link: http://www.webmd.com/cancer/carcinoid-tumors#1 ...Read more
15
Chances of metastasis to lung of stage II colon cancer?
Low but not zero: Stage ii colon cancer means no lymph node involvement by definition, but inadequate lymph node sampling (surgical resection) may "understage" the cancer, so make sure enough ln were taken -minimum of 12! even with appropriate surgery, mets may still occur, although very unusual, so discuss with your treating docs. A pet/ct may give some reassurance so ask if this can be done. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
16
What's spinal metastatic cancer?
Ca not from bone: Cancer from another source that settles or is metastatic to the spine . Prostate cancer breast cancer and lung cancer are a few examples of cancers that can metastasize to the spine. Most metastatic disease to distant sites occurs via the blood stream. ...Read more
17
Hepatocellular carcinoma.All spleen and partial liver resection.Later,secondary systemic cancer metastasis.any targeted therapy or immunotherapy?
Yes, for both: Hepatocellular Carcinoma is commonly treated with Sorafenib which is a type of targeted therapy. This is a good choice of treatment in case you have not yet received this drug. Immunotherapy using PD-1 inhibitors has also shown some modest evidence of benefit although it is not yet FDA approved for this indication. Ask your oncologist to guide your treatment further. ...Read more
18
Can metastatic prostate cancer go into remission?
ProstateCAremission : The term remission has been historically used for leukemia patients. Prostate cancer can be stable with the use of "hormones". This would mean the psa is stable...And the disease is not actively growing. Patients can live a very long time with prostate ca in the bones or with an elevated psa. Check with your doctor on what your psas have been doing over time. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
19
Can metastatic prostate cancer go into remission?
No, but yes under...: Once prostate cancer spreads to far sites, it will progress, though at various pace among affected men. Clinically, its remission may take place upon receiving hormonal manipulation to a degree to a duration, not forever. However, the course of treating metastatic prostatic cancer is usually very favorable. More details? To articles listed in http://www.formefirst.com/onPSA-P-Ca.html. ...Read more
20
Ovarian cancer, omental caking, spread though peritoneum --what is prognosis? | https://www.healthtap.com/topics/bladder-cancer-metastasis-sites |
Lockjaw is a condition that restricts movement of the mouth. The jaw is essentially stuck in a closed position, where there isn’t a large range of motion. It may seem scary, but most cases of lockjaw are temporary, and a trip to the doctor's office may help you recover quickly... Read on to learn more about lockjaw and its effects, as well as treatment options.
What is lockjaw?
Formally called tetanus, lockjaw is a bacterial infection that impacts the nervous system. The disease causes various muscles to contract. There are different types of tetanus, but in its common form the infection starts in the jaw, which gives it the name lockjaw.
Tetanus spasms can progress across the body. Each spasm usually lasts for a few minutes and often happens for three to four weeks. They can be minor or cause serious damage.
Lockjaw has been around for a long time, but it was not until a century ago that experts developed treatment. While tetanus-related lockjaw occurs all around the globe, you are more likely to encounter it in hot and wet climates, as the bacteria tends to live in soil that has high organic content. Lockjaw is rare in the United States, with only around 30 cases reported annually, but nevertheless the condition can become life threatening if left without treatment.
In terms of management, tetanus lockjaw requires immediate medical attention, but it is preventable with a vaccine. It is essential that you take a booster shot for tetanus every 10 years.
What are the causes of lockjaw?
Lockjaw can be caused by a range of conditions, such as certain cancer treatments, TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction) or more commonly, tetanus.
The bacterium that causes lockjaw is known as Clostridium tetani. The tiny organism has spores, which are in dust, animal droppings and dirt. The bacteria are very resistant to harsh conditions, so high temperatures can be ineffective in getting rid of the spores.
A person can contract lockjaw when this bacteria enters the bloodstream. The main way this occurs is through an open wound. Once the infection gets inside, the changes in oxygen allow it to thrive and spread.
The bacteria that lead to lockjaw contain toxins. These toxins cause muscle spasms by blocking signals in the nervous system. In order to prevent lockjaw, it’s important to know the common ways in which bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Incidents that increase the risk of lockjaw include:
- Crush injuries
- Cuts that come into contact with dirt, feces or spit
- Burns
- Wounds that contain dead tissue
- Punctures from piercings, tattoos and wounds
Lockjaw has been less commonly associated with:
- Animal bites
- Insect bites
- Dental infections
- Chronic sores
Whilst lockjaw is most often found in densely populated areas, it is not contagious.
Symptoms of lockjaw
The amount of time between the moment of exposure and when lockjaw occurs is anywhere from three to 21 days. In rare cases, the incubation period can take up to several months. The farther away the wound is from the central nervous system, the longer it takes for lockjaw to develop.
If you get a cut, puncture wound or an animal bite, treat the injury and consider consulting your doctor, even if you don’t immediately experience lockjaw. Over the next few weeks, play close attention to your jaw, as facial spasms are the first sign of the infection. During the onset of lockjaw, your muscles will involuntarily and repeatedly tighten for a couple of minutes, and then your jaw begins to cramp.
Other lockjaw symptoms include:
- Painful muscle stiffness
- Trouble swallowing
- Jerking or seizures
- Headaches
- Fever
- Sweating
- Changes in heart rate
- Irritability or a sense of restlessness
Lockjaw can also lead to other serious health conditions. Here are some complications that occur within lockjaw patients:
- Fractures: When the muscles begin to spasm, the contraction can be strong enough to cause fractures.
- Trouble speaking: Lockjaw can lead to the vocal cord tightening uncontrollably.
- Difficulty breathing: The injection can make it difficult for a person to open their mouth. Since lockjaw also affects the neck, muscle spasms can impact the ability to breathe easily.
Doctors will diagnose lockjaw examining whether a person has the aforementioned symptoms. Currently, there are no blood tests available to determine if someone has the infection.
How to treat lockjaw
When left untreated, lockjaw is a nuisance at best and life threatening at worst. The good news is that this condition is usually treatable with a preventative tetanus vaccine. It is necessary to visit your doctor for a shot once every decade.
If you get diagnosed with lockjaw, there are a few ways your doctor might try to kill the bacteria. Most often, antibiotics are prescribed to fight the bacterial infection, which should alleviate the discomfort of lockjaw. Another way to treat lockjaw is with a medication called Tetanus Immune Globulin (TIG).
TIG contains antibodies that have the sole purpose of fighting the toxins released by the bacteria. Those who have a high risk of getting lockjaw and are not fully vaccinated tend to use this medication. In extreme cases, a person may have to get a surgical procedure to remove the infected tissue. Overall, recovering from lockjaw can take up to a few months.
Another option is to relax the muscles to control spasms. A common way is through muscle relaxers, such as Acetaminophen. In combination with the medicine, you can adopt a jaw joint exercise routine to ease tight jaw muscles. Here are a few jaw stretches you could try:
- The Resistance Mouth Opening stretch:Hold the tip of your chin in your right hand. Then, push against your jaw gently while opening your mouth slowly.
- The Goldfish:Press your tongue to the roof of the mouth. Next, place your fingers on the chin and lower the jaw as far as you can.
Lockjaw may not occur very often, but when it does, it could lead to further complication. It is essential to seek medical attention if you develop the condition. Focusing on relaxing the jaw can help relieve uncomfortable symptoms. Jawzrsize can also help you ease jaw tension, so see how it works today. | https://jawzrsize.com/blogs/blog/causes-lockjaw |
COVID-19 Updated patient appointment instructions, per Governor Whitmer's Executive order.
Hypertension
Hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure, a condition in which the force of the blood against the artery walls is too high.
Usually hypertension is defined as blood pressure above 140/90, and is considered severe if the pressure is above 180/120.
High blood pressure often has no symptoms. Over time, if untreated, it may cause health conditions, such as stroke or heart disease.
Eating a healthier diet with less salt, exercising regularly, and taking medications can help lower blood pressure.
Symptoms
Usually, most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms, even when blood pressure reaches dangerously high levels.
In some cases, few people with high blood pressure may feel headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleeds, but these signs and symptoms aren't quite specific and usually wouldn't occur until blood pressure has reached a severe high level, and it is at that point at at life-threatening stage.
When to see a doctor
It is highly recommended to check your blood pressure routinely.
You would also need to ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading at least every two years starting at age 18.
If you're age 40 or older, or you're 18 to 39 with possibility of a high risk of high blood pressure, ask your doctor for a blood pressure reading every year.
Blood pressure generally should be checked in both arms for accuracy and to determine if there's any difference in reading results.
Your doctor will likely recommend more frequent readings if you've been diagnosed with high blood pressure or have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
Checking your blood pressure at your doctor clinic is more accurate than using public blood pressure machines, such as those found in supermarket pharmacies, the accuracy of these machines depends on several factors, such as a correct cuff size and proper use of the machines.
Causes
Primary Hypertension
For most adults, there's no certain cause of this type of high blood pressure, it is called primary hypertension and tends to develop gradually over years.
Secondary Hypertension
This type of high blood pressure, called secondary hypertension, tends to appear suddenly by an underlying condition, and cause higher blood pressure than does primary hypertension.
Studies indicate that various conditions and medications may cause secondary hypertension, including:
-
Obstructive sleep apnea
-
Kidney problems
-
Adrenal gland tumors
-
Thyroid problems
-
Certain defects you're born with (congenital) in blood vessels
-
Certain medications, such as birth control pills, cold remedies, decongestants, over-the-counter pain relievers and some prescription drugs
-
Illegal drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamines
Risk Factors
There are many many risk factors of hypertension, including:
-
Age, the risk of hypertension increases as you age. While it is common do develop in men until about age 64, it is likely to develop in women after age 65.
-
Race, hypertension is more common among people of African heritage, and it often develops at an earlier age than it does in other ethnicities. Serious complications, such as stroke, heart attack and kidney failure, also are more common in people of African heritage.
-
Family history, hypertension tends to run in families.
-
Overweight or obese, The more you weigh the more blood you need to supply oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. As the volume of blood circulated through your blood vessels increases, so does the pressure on your artery walls.
-
Physical activity, people who are inactive tend to have higher heart rates. The higher your heart rate, the harder your heart must work with each contraction and so that cause stronger pressure on your arteries. Lack of physical activity also increases the risk of being overweight.
-
Tobacco or smoking, not only does smoking or chewing tobacco immediately raise your blood pressure temporarily, but the chemicals in tobacco may cause damage to your artery walls lining. This can cause your arteries to narrow and increase your risk of heart disease. Secondhand smoke also may increase your heart disease risk.
-
Overdose of salt, too much sodium in your diet can cause your body to retain fluid, which increases blood pressure.
-
Too little potassium in diet, potassium helps balance the amount of sodium in your cells, insufficient amount of potassium may result in allowing too much sodium to accumulate in your blood.
-
Too much alcohol, Over time, heavy drinking may damage your heart and affect your blood pressure.
-
Stress, significant levels of stress may lead to a temporary increase in blood pressure.
-
Chronic conditions, certain chronic conditions also can increase your risk of hypertension, such as kidney disease, diabetes and sleep apnea.
-
Pregnancy, in some cases, pregnancy contributes to high blood pressure, as well.
Although hypertension is mostly common in adults, children also may be at risk. Besides poor lifestyle habits, unhealthy diet, obesity and lack of exercise, for some children or kids, hypertension is caused by problems with their kidneys or heart.
Complications
Hypertension may cause damage to artery walls, blood vessels and organs in your body.
The longer that condition is ignored and left without proper treatment the greater the damage it can cause to your body.
Uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) can lead to many complications including:
-
Heart attack or stroke, hypertension may cause hardening and thickening of the arteries, which can possibly lead to a heart attack, stroke or other serious complications.
-
Aneurysm, increased blood pressure can cause your blood vessels to weaken and bulge, forming an aneurysm which is life-threatening.
-
Heart failure, to pump blood against the higher pressure in your vessels, the heart will need to work harder. This causes the walls of the heart's pumping chamber to thicken (left ventricular hypertrophy). Eventually, the thickened muscle may have a hard time pumping enough blood to meet your body's needs, which may eventually lead to heart failure.
-
Weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys, this can prevent these organs from functioning normally.
-
Thickened, narrowed or torn blood vessels in the eyes, this can result in vision loss.
-
Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of disorders of your body's metabolism, including increased waist circumference; high triglycerides; low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol; high blood pressure and high insulin levels. These conditions make you more likely to develop diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
-
Trouble with memory or understanding, uncontrolled high blood pressure may also affect your ability to think, remember and learn. Trouble with memory or understanding concepts is more common in people with high blood pressure.
-
Dementia, narrowed or blocked arteries can limit blood flow to the brain, leading to a certain type of dementia (vascular dementia). A stroke that interrupts blood flow to the brain also can cause vascular dementia. | https://www.hvchealth.com/hypertension |
In recent decades, the world is experiencing an unprecedented process of urbanization. The ecosystem productivity, biodiversity, hydrological processes in watersheds and biogeochemical cycles have been directly or indirectly changed by human activities, and thereby affecting the composition, structure, process and function of the ecosystem. As an important part of urban ecosystem, soil is the key "source" and "sink" of the elemental geochemical cycle. Soil is strongly disturbed by human activities in the process of urbanization. The soil carbon and nitrogen cycling as well as the accumulation of heavy metal elements have also been severely affected by human activities. However, due to the complexity of soil composition and soil ecological processes, the impacts of rapid urbanization on the ecological functions and ecological processes of soils have not been thoroughly studied. Beijing has now experienced the phase of rapid urbanization since 2000, and land-use types have also undergone rapid changes. In this study, we focus on the green space soils in the built-up areas of Beijing. The distribution characteristics of carbon, nitrogen and heavy metal elements in urban soils as well as their influencing factors were studied thorough the analysis of sampling sites collected in the built-up area of Beijing. Our research can reveal the mechanism of the impact of urbanization process on soil ecological functions, explain the relationships between economy, society and nature in urban ecology, and provide theoretical basis for urban planning and urban ecological environment management.
(1) The soil in Beijing built-up area showed significant compaction. The soil bulk density of more than 63% exceeded 1.4 g cm-3. The areas with higher bulk density and exceeding the limit of root growth of silty loamy soil were mainly located in the western and northern locations. With a higher proportion of sand, nearly half of the samples showed a soil moisture content of 11.44%, which is less than the lowest water content favoring the tree growth. The soil pH value ranged from 7.44 to 8.90, which was alkaline soil. In addition, the highest pH value was found in the commercial soil, while the lowest pH value was in the agricultural land.
(2) Soil organic carbon (SOC) density in the built-up areas in Beijing varied from 1.08 to 5.62 kg m-2. Soil organic carbon storage did not vary with the source of SOC like the litters. The spatial distribution of SOC shows significant relations with the soil compaction and organic matter sources. The concentrations of SOC in industrial lands are also significantly higher than those of the other types of land. There were high percent of organic carbon mineralized. The ratio of mineralized organic carbon to total organic carbon varies from 0.67 to 21.78%, which indicates that the carbon accumulation ability of the study area is limited. Based on the ecosystem-service performance index, the capacity of soil carbon sequestration (CSC) index was calculated. Nearly 70% of the sampling sites showed the CSC indexes equal to or lower than the medium level, which revealed that CSC in most areas of the study area is relatively poor. The further correlation analysis showed that the main factors affecting soil carbon cycling include the population densities and growth rates, landscape metrics, residentials, green spaces as well as agricultural land areas. The fitting results of kinetic model show that, the SOC indicators, except for microbial biomass and mineralized carbon, can establish a quantitative relationship with urbanization factors, which further confirms the impact of urbanization factors on soil carbon cycling.
(3) The range of soil total nitrogen (TN) concentration in the built-up areas of Beijing was 243?1731 mg kg-1, and the range of soil inorganic nitrogen mineralization (MNR) ranged from -10.58 to 21.81 mg kg-1 d-1. Nearly 10% of sampling sites showed negative nitrogen mineralization rate. Based on the level decomposition method, effects of the soil properties, landscape metrics and land use types on TN, NO3-N, NH4-N and MNR were 88%, 44%, 20% and 22%, respectively, the effects were dominated by soil physical and chemical properties.
(4) The analysis results of Igeo show that the pollution level of heavy metals in urban soils of the study area was relatively low. Specifically, Zn showed the most widely polluted range, and more than one quarter of the built-up areas reach the first level of mild pollution. Cu showed the highest degree of pollution, and the sampling sites reaching the second and the above level are the highest. The analyse of Classification and Regression Trees (CART) showed that the main influencing factors of soil heavy metal accumulation included organic carbon, population growth rate, cation exchange capacity. In addition, landscape metrics and wind speed also had a significant effect on the accumulation of heavy metals in soils. Soil heavy metal accumulation showed positive relations with the physical and chemical properties of soils, organic carbon and cation exchange capacity, which also showed negative relations with the average annual growth rate of population, but positive relations with population density. The accumulated risks of heavy metals in built-up areas in Beijing were also analyzed. It showed that the high-risk areas are mainly distributed in the center, east and west of the study area, while the low-value areas are mainly located in the south. In addition to the degree of urbanization, the risks of multiple heavy metal accumulation were also related to the intensity of the transportation network.
|Pages||122|
|Language||中文|
|Document Type||学位论文|
|Identifier||http://ir.rcees.ac.cn/handle/311016/41491|
|Collection||城市与区域生态国家重点实验室|
|Recommended Citation|
GB/T 7714
|刘睿. 北京市建成区土壤生态特征与影响因素研究[D]. 北京. 中国科学院生态环境研究中心,2017.|
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|刘睿-北京市建成区土壤生态特征与影响因素（5787KB）||学位论文||开放获取||CC BY-NC-SA||Application Full Text|
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Items in the repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. | http://ir.rcees.ac.cn/handle/311016/41491?mode=full&submit_simple=Show+full+item+record |
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Here we will upload minutes and all follow up information.
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On the following sites, more detailed information on the projects and sessions can be accessed. Also the presentations can be found there.
Session 1 - Topic 1 - Carbon Benefits Project, LandPKS and WOCAT
Session 1 - Topic 2 - Monitoring using the SALM approach and integration in national monitoring programs
Session 2 - Topic 1 & 2 - CarbASIA-Project - Carbon Storage Assessment and Interaction with National Institutions in Kyrgyzstan
Session 3 - Topic 1 - Landscape Scale Assessments of Soil Organic Carbon and other Key Indicators of Land and Soil Health (Land Degradation Surveillance Framework)
Documentation
Day 1, 27 Apr 2021
Introduction by Juliane Wiesenhütter, GIZ, and Paul Luu, 4p1000
Carbon Benefits Project, LandPKS and WOCAT (Eleanor Milne, Colorado State University, Tatenda Lemann, WOCAT Executive Team and Jeff Herrick, Global Lead LandPKS)
Monitoring using the SALM approach and integration in national monitoring programs (Mamadou Batiene, REDD+ Focal Point Burkina Faso and Georges Kuate, REDD+ Consultant)
Day 2, 28 Apr 2021
Introduction to the CarbASIA Project by Steffi Mallinger (GIZ program on Capacity Development for Climate Policy in the countries of South East, Eastern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, Phase III, IKI, BMU)
An adapted method to assess soil organic carbon stocks in a high mountain region: A LDN case study from Kyrgyzstan (results of the project Carb-Asia), Margarete Korintenberg, HU-Berlin
Interaction with and support to national institutions in the field of LDN reporting (results of the CARB-ASIA project), Klaus Eisenack, Anastasiya Gotgelf, Ulan Kasymov, HU-Berlin
Day 3, 29 Apr 2021
Landscape Scale Assessments of SOC and other Indicators of Land and Soil Health -Land Degradation Surveillance Framework, Leigh Ann Winowiecki, World Agroforestry ICRAF
Wrap up and continuation of the Community of Practice
Number of participants (including the organizers)
Day 1 – max. 95 people, 60 people during the second input and discussion
Day 2 – between 70 and 80 people
Day 3 – between 60 and 70 people
Day 1
Carbon Benefits Project, LandPKS and WOCAT
These three projects are individual projects, which recently developed close interactions under the Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Mitigation Co-benefits (SLM-CCMC) Project (cf. https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/35890/CCMC.pdf). The World Overview of Conservation Approaches and Technologies (WOCAT) is a global network on Sustainable Land Management (SLM) that promotes the documentation, sharing and use of knowledge to support adaptation, innovation and decision-making in SLM. The Global SLM Database contains over 1500 SLM practices (Technologies and Approaches) from all over the world and is the primary recommended database by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) for the reporting of SLM best practices (https://qcat.wocat.net/en/wocat/). It contains information ranging from technical specification over natural and human environment to on- and offsite impacts of the SLM technologies and approaches . The Carbon Benefit Project (CBP) developed a tool, which allows the calculation of changes of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon stocks in soils and biomass as a result of shifts in land management practices (http://www.carbonbenefitsproject.org/). Finally, LandPKS (https://landpotential.org/), offers a suite of tools to assess soils and vegetation in the field through mobile phone based applications.
The main motivation of land users to adopt a new (e.g. SLM) land use practice often is to increase productivity and eventually farm income, while co-benefits for the public, such as CO2 removal from the atmosphere or providing more regular water flows of good quality, are often not accounted for and reimbursed to land users. The Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change Mitigation Co-benefits (SLM-CCMC) Project acknowledges that the primary motivation to adopt SLM is indeed to increase productivity, but wants to make the co-benefits for the climate visible and quantify them as a first step to being able to give land users recognition.
WOCAT’s SLM technology entries serve as a repository to inform land users on potential SLM technologies, which may improve their livelihoods. These entries can be exported into the CBP tool where, with some additional information, the benefits for the climate are calculated when a given SLM technology is being adopted. Thus, CBP informs WOCAT entries about their co-benefits for the climate, as it calculates changes in SOC stocks and changes in other GHG emissions associated with land use. Finally, LandPKS is a tool which improves the information on soils, which improves the input data into CBP for the calculation of climate co-benefits.
LandPKS allows the assessment of soil color and texture in the field. Soil color through cell phone camera with a color reference. Soil texture with guidance. Land PKS is linked with spatial data, which allow to identify soil types after FAO. That soil type then tells the user about potential C storage and helps to support land use planning.
CBP, as well as WOCAT, is mainly used by project managers and/or extension officers. Or, project managers collect data and information from extension officers and develop knowledge products for extension officers, who carry this on to single land users.
The questions from the audience targeted mainly technical aspects of the three tools presented and were largely answered, as listed in the annex below.
Monitoring using the SALM approach and integration in national monitoring programs
Burkina Faso had developed a data management system to monitor REDD+ projects. One component of this is SOC monitoring, which has been expanded to land use beyond forests. This whole system is still in its initial phase and is not yet filled with much data.
The integration of SALM into the national program is essentially done at two levels, (i) the configuration of the SALM extension system that capitalizes on the REDD+ implementation bodies created by decree and having representations at the regional and communal levels and (ii) data processing that will not only use the tools developed under the national program but also capitalize on the information produced to strengthen the parameterization of the RothC model and vice versa.
Capacity building focuses on data collection and management and on training in good practices for sustainable agricultural land management.
VCS group project. The whole thing is registered as a group project for the almost the whole country (12 regions over 13). Afterwards, single activities can be registered more easily. It’s like a national platform.
Day 2
CarbASIA Project
The Carb Asia project had the objective to develop a system for the country Kyrgyzstan to provide data on the country’s carbon stock to support national climate reporting, SDG and LDN reporting. The project developed an approach where representative areas (units) concerning variability in soil organic carbon (SOC) were identified for sampling. Representative units were defined through elevation, precipitation, and land cover, all available through open access spatial data sets. Thereby, it turned out that elevation and precipitation played a more important role than land use, as large areas of the country are grasslands and no significant differences in SOC between grassland and cropland were observed. In total 21 units were selected that cover more than 80 % of the carbon-accumulating surfaces in Kirgizstan. Each representative unit was sampled at least 3-fold to calculate means and standard deviations. In order to derive reliable SOC stocks, organic carbon, bulk density, root content and amount of coarse soil were determined in the field and in national labs. Resulting SOC stocks for representative units were extrapolated for Kirgizstan. In a final step a regression tree was calculated to identify the most important factors that determine the variability in SOC. It turned out that in a high mountain region such as Kirgizstan elevation, followed by clay, precipitation, aspect and slope were the main controlling factors. This regression tree is further used to model (random forest approach) and predict a national baseline for entire Kirgizstan. Determination of SOC stocks were analyzed according to international standards (SOC stock of the fine soil was calculated by using the bulk density of the fine soil and correction for the content of roots and coarse soil). Only the content of soil organic carbon (in %) was analyzed according to national standards and analysis protocols, which were not the most advanced methods technically spoken, but were nationally recognized. The main idea was that using national capacities would increase the acceptance and the chance that the proposed approach would be applied in practice. However, in a pilot project national soil analysis methods were compared with international standardized methods where it turned out that local SOC analysis methods lead to quite similar results. Currently, the whole system is checked by the government for official approval.
Carb Asia also analyzed the national institutions with regard to climate, SDG, and LDN monitoring and found that there was fragmentation and limited capacity. Furthermore, data for reporting cannot be used for planning, local decision making, or farm management advice. Therefore, the motivation to collect such data is limited.
In response to the first presentation, questions from the audience concentrated on technical aspects as well as the prevalence of soil erosion, overgrazing, and land use practices to possibly counteract land degradation. After the second presentation, questions centered around barriers, acceptance, and opportunities (e.g. institutionalization, practical implementation) of such methods and how the acceptance of such methods could be increased among national experts and governments. The questions and specific answers are listed in the annex, while the main findings are given above.
Day 3
Landscape Scale Assessments of SOC and other Indicators of Land and Soil Health -Land Degradation Surveillance Framework
Monitoring is critical not only to assess changes in SOC, but to assess interventions in the field of land use with regard to their impact on soils, land, and land degradation. At World Agroforestry (ICRAF) infrared based approaches were developed to be applied in soil analytics. This includes lab based infrared scanning, which reduces costs and time compared with wet chemistry analysis, and remote sensing based mapping approaches, which allow mapping of large and heterogenous areas. Now, the soil mapping is part of a more comprehensive suite, the Land Degradation Surveillance Framework (LDSF), which adds modules on e.g. vegetation and hydrology to provide comprehensive basis to assess land health and a basis for land management decisions (http://landscapeportal.org/).
The remote sensing as well as the lab infrared scanning need calibration with wet chemistry analysis. Over the past 20 years, ICRAF has been building up a spectral library of soil samples, which makes the calibration for new mapping projects much easier and faster. Furthermore, this library allows to calibrate and improve hand held infrared sensors, which would enable much more people to collect soil data for their specific needs. The field sampling for those calibrations are done by local partners, who are trained beforehand to do the sampling, but also to better understand soils. The models that calculate the soil mapping results from remote sensing data are written in R so that they are open access. Along with the development of the LDSF, training course for sampling and data analysis have been developed.
The questions afterwards related mainly to technical aspects, as listed in the annex.
For further reading, these publications are recommended:
Vågen, T.-G.; Winowiecki, L.A. Predicting the Spatial Distribution and Severity of Soil Erosion in the Global Tropics using Satellite Remote Sensing. Remote Sens. 2019, 11, 1800. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/11/15/1800.
Vågen, T., L. A. Winowiecki, W. Twine, and K. Vaughan. 2018. Spatial Gradients of Ecosystem Health Indicators across a Human-Impacted Semiarid Savanna. J. Environ. Qual. 0. https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2017.07.0300. https://acsess.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.2134/jeq2017.07.0300.
Vågen, Tor-G., Winowiecki, L., Tondoh, J.E., Desta, L.T. and Gumbricht, T. 2016. Mapping of soil properties and land degradation risk in Africa using MODIS reflectance. Geoderma. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2015.06.023.
Winowiecki, L., Vågen, T-G. and Huising, J. 2016. Effects of land cover on ecosystem services in Tanzania: A spatial assessment of soil organic carbon. Geoderma. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016706115000816.
Annex
Q&A during the sessions:
Day 1
Carbon Benefits Project, LandPKS and WOCAT
Most of the questions below were answered during the session. We have repeated some of the answers here and responded to those we missed. For additional information, please visit our websites, where you can also find contact information.
- Is anyone familiar with Restor and how it fits or will fit in with the tools being discussed?
- We haven’t interacted with them but looks like we should!
- Is there a mobile version too?
Answer: LandPKS is a mobile app; access to over 100 WOCAT technologies
- Is there any moment to input or inform soil type?
Answer: Soil type can be determined with LandPKS
A WOCAT offline App is currently being linked with the WOCAT database to document a technology or approach via app.
- Are the emission factors for each management regime publicly available?
- Yes, in the CBP Detailed Assessment when you click on Emission Factors for each land use, it will bring up a list of every EF used in the calculations, a link to the relevant source table in the IPCC document and a link to a measurement protocol you can use if you want to replace the factor.
- Does this tool cover the particularities of any geography or is it focused on specific areas?
- The CBP tool is globally applicable. Very occasionally we encounter places where data, we usually work with projects to fill these gaps if they arise.
- WOCAT is not focusing on specific areas. The technology questionnaire contains a chapter on natural and human environment including information on climate, topography, soils, water availability, biodiversity, land ownership, etc.
- Does the program have a function to insert SOC values zone mapping?
- No but you can change the SOC reference factor.
- Is there also a French version of the CBP Tool?
- Yes, the CBP is available in French, English, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese.
- Which sites in Kenya did you carry out the study?
- For the CBP example we showed, Western Kenya around Lake Victoria
- Do the emission factors in the tool are default one? Is there a possibility to enter specific emission factors?
- Yes the Detailed Assessment allows you to change the emission factors yourself so you can use a combination of default factors and site specific ones where you have them.
- Do you account for global warming and related loss of soil carbon to be expected? How long is the projection time of the model into the future?
- No the CBP does have provision at the moment to put in different climate scenarios. The projection period is up to the user with a minimum of 1 year.
- How is the data integrated with the monitoring and data collection processes of projects using X and Y carbon accounting methodologies? Are there examples of such integration?
- If you collect data for a specific certification scheme you will have to ensure data is collected in a way that meets their criteria and that an IPCC based model is acceptable to them.
- How far is this tool capable to calculate Biochar implementation, especially in terms of different feedstock categories?
- Biochar is not specifically considered as yet. You can change some emission factors associated with livestock which can change enteric and manure based emissions however CBP doesn’t do secoandary categorisation of livestock so you cant change feedstocks etc.
- Can we calculate the carbon benefit only through a periodic assessment? Since in the periodic assessment a lot of things change especially for C calculation, if so then the other parameters like floods and rains have also been considered in the calculation.
- You can reset and rerun the CBP as often as you like. Usually users will do an exante assessment at the start of the project and then either make changes or set up a new project when they have some measured data/information as and when.
- How realistic is the adaptation of the tool by farmers on the global scale?
- The tool is typically used by project managers who rely on extension workers and farmer interviews to supply the activity data needed. We have a set of forms on the website to collect information and users can also collect compatible info using LandPKS. Typically the kind of data required is the sort of management information farmers would have anyway. The CBP tools have been used in 150 countries to date.
- Climate change effects are not included in CBP, right?
- Right climate effects are not included.
- Is there a paper on the level of agreement between the “LandPKS” method of soil colour assessment and standard methods? Do you relate soil colour directly to C content within the app?
- How are you planning to bridge the gap with remote farmers who have a very "limited" educational background or do not know how to read? The LandPKS app and WOCAT use a lot of graphics; however all of the tools do require some literacy.
- Does the accuracy of the smartphone's camera have no effect on the results of the app? Soil color is automatically corrected for camera and lighting based on a reference card (e.g. yellow post-it note) that is included in each photo.
- Is it possible (or will it be possible) to add some data using non-smartphones, e.g. via SMS to a database?
- Is there any help from App to know soil classification based on World resource Base system?
Monitoring using the SALM approach and integration in national monitoring programs
- I have a question regarding the monitoring of social and economic benefits for local populations: are the approaches and indicators developed in the REDD+ program integrated into the SALM program?
Answer: The SALM program is part of the REDD+ process and will help fight against the development of bad agricultural practices as drivers of deforestation. Thus, the national REDD+ strategy has identified socio-economic benefits, among other benefits, to be monitored, through defined indicators, for the implementation of REDD+ strategic options. As a REDD+ project, the implementation of SALM integrates the monitoring of these indicators thanks to the monitoring system put in place.
- Is there also an integration of social and environmental safeguards mechanisms?
- Answer: In the same dynamic, the SALM program follows the guidelines for environmental and social safeguards prescribed in the REDD+ national strategy.
- What kind of data base are you using to manage all this data and how do you manage access and modification permissions for different stakeholders?
Answer: We are using the RothC model for data management. Only the coordination unit has permissions to manage the data inside the model.
- Do you collaborate with the BUFACAP project?
Answer: The SALM program is the BUFACAP (Burkina Faso Carbon Agricultural Project).
- Do you have any data on the costs of monitoring?
Answer: SALM monitoring will cost 15 million USD for 150 000 ha of land and in 10 years.
- Do you have any information on the barriers/impediments to farmers' adoption of the practices?
Answer: Abandonment of the land followed by natural regeneration is hampered by the increasing human population pressure on land use and the deep-rooted culture of open livestock grazing including on crop fields. These prevailing social conditions do not permit abandoning land and natural regeneration (without active protection of the concerned sites).
Also, adoption of SALM practices faces two main barriers: investment and technological barriers - with the technological barrier particularly important.
Technological: The project requires a written commitment from farmer groups to participate in the project, and a robust farm monitoring system engaging the farmer to monitor their performances.
Investment: there is growing pressure on the land due to growing population resulting in intensive farming, short or no fallows and growing trends of land degradation.
- Does the SALM model capture well what is happening on the ground? What exactly did the process of "integration into national monitoring programmes" look like, what kind of capacity building was necessary and what is the level of acceptance?
Answer: SALM is built on country and regional specificities both in terms of the choice of practices and the monitoring system. Practices will vary from one region to another and the choice of actors in the monitoring system is based on the local dynamics of actors and relationships between producers and support structures.
The integration of SALM into the national program is essentially done at two levels, (i) the configuration of the SALM extension system that capitalizes on the REDD+ implementation bodies created by decree and having representations at the regional and communal levels and (ii) data processing that will not only use the tools developed under the national program but also capitalize on the information produced to strengthen the parameterization of the RothC model and vice versa.
Capacity building focuses on data collection and management and on training on good practices for sustainable agricultural land management.
- Is the SALM model a standard that can be used for carbon credits to be sold on the voluntary market?
Answer: Yes, SALM is a VERRA methodology (VCS VM0017 "Adoption of Sustainable Agricultural Land Management", Version 1.0) that is a voluntary carbon market standard.
- Is there a possibility to access electronic modules for this topic to be used for in house practice?
Answer: There is extensive documentation and online courses on SALM. Also, the RothC model that measures the amount of carbon sequestered through SALM practices is available online. However, SALM practices are highly dependent on national and local specificities. Therefore, they are not developed on all lands. A feasibility study and a RothC model parameter are usually required before the implementation of a SALM carbon initiative.
- Madagascar is a sovereign country, but it is rich in natural resources and rich in carbon. So, the Madagascar forest is managed by national and international NGOs. Therefore, the minorities that earn the benefits (carbon credits) that they promised us at that time (when he signed the contract) to the World Bank.
My question is, how do you take in charge the amendment of this law so that all the Malagasy populations can gain from this advantage?
For a long time, it is the forest which had the source of carbon, then this time, thanks to the collaboration with 4p1000, it had the carbon of the ground, how to exploit it, basic formula to measure its volumes.
For us, Valazomby we are rich in primary forest not to say that we are the guardian of this forest whose surface is about 650 km2. But until our days we did not gain the impact of our heritage. Can we know, how to calculate our carbon volume and our lost benefit per year? Please ask for an exact answer.
Through collaboration, what solution you have proposed to solve this problem? (so that the population of the commune of Antsahamena, our commune can gain from this advancement)
Answers: This issue is about carbon benefit sharing, especially in the context of the Madagascar’s government program. This is not directly linked to the subject of my communication. Reflections on this can be made in the context of another dedicated event.
The basic formula for calculating sequestered carbon volumes is to multiply activity data by emission factors. Within the SALM framework, there is a model (RothC) that already contains formulas (with the possibility of improvement depending on the availability and robustness of the data) and in which just the activity data are entered to generate the carbon volumes.
See previous answer.
This concerns an internal stakeholder consultation process within the program of the government in Madagascar.
Day 2
CarbASIA Project
- Which kind of farming was performed in the cropland fields that were sampled?
- During filed surveys we observed: Irrigated and non irrigated fields and as crops mainly legumes, such as potatoes, leguminous crops (mainly as fodder crops), wheat and maize
- Is it fresh or dry root biomass factor used in SOC stock calculation?
- Dry root biomass, fresh biomass is not part of the soil (from a soil scientist perspective)
- I think land cover is not important in your regression because the area is mainly dominated by grasslands. This would be different if there is variability in land cover?
- Yes, of course grassland was dominant land cover, thus we sampled with N=49, cropland N=15 and forest N=7, but SOC stocks between grassland and cropland were not significantly different. I think this and the dominance of elevation and clay are the main reasons why land cover was not important in the regression. But yes, if we had a higher number of observation for forest (which is clearly different to grassland and cropland) land cover would presumably be more important
- Grassland indicated already a high variability in SOC stocks due to its strong correlation with elevation; grassland in higher regions revealed much higher stocks than grasslands at lower elevations, moreover, SOC stocks of cropland is mainly determined by anthropogenic factors and only to a minor extent by natural site characteristics – this may explain why we did not observe a difference between these two land covers
- Could you say something about the costs of this method compared to others?
- I cannot express it monetary, however, the approach we proposed is a tradeoff between on the one hand more time-consuming but more precise field and laboratory work and on the other hand more cost-effectiveness by choosing representative sampling areas which can be used to predict SOC stocks at unsampled locations
- The idea was also to provide data for a valid baseline, thus, reliable SOC stocks (corrected for coarse fragments and fresh root contents) were determined, but we are aware that this approach is more time-consuming
- However, using this precise approach leads to significant lower stocks when compared to stocks without considering these factors
- Could you repeat what your approach underestimates and overestimates (it was part of your conclusion)?
- We compared different approaches of SOC stock calculation: in our project we used the most precise approach, which is also internationally recognized, where the SOC stocks of the fine soil is determined corrected mainly for coarse fragments (which do not store SOC). Using this approach, the bulk density of the fine soil has to be calculated. We firstly compared our approach with SOC stocks were only the bulk density of the total soil is considered and no correction for coarse fragments is applied. These data lead to strong overestimation of SOC stocks, in particular at stony high mountain regions. We secondly compared our approach with modelled SOC stock data provided by the UNCCD via the soilgrid project (https://soilgrids.org/). These modelled data are on average similar to our data, however in a spatial pointwise comparison it turned out that the modelled data overestimate the real measured SOC stocks at low values and strongly underestimate the real stocks at high SOC stocks. Thus, extreme values cannot be modelled correctly, though in particular high stocks which are mainly the forest areas are extremely important to indicate as these are hot spots which should not be converted
- A bit scientific: Why are you including all three clay, silt, and sand? Are they not high negatively correlated? Why remove one of the three?
- Yes, thanks a lot for this note, you are completely right, maybe it would be more straightforward to use the sum of clay and silt (as Leigh Winowiecki did in her correlations) and exclude sand from the regression
- It reminds me of SOTER the soil and terrain database managed by ISRIC. Are you collaborating with them?
- No, and we even did not know this project, I just checked it, very interesting for us, thanks a lot for this comment
- Why did you exclude coarse soil and roots? They are also representing C stored in the soil. And they are partly also pretty stable.
- We excluded the coarse fragments because they do not store noteworthy amounts of soil organic carbon as far as we know, they can store of course significant amount of anorganic carbon, but in this project and in the context of LDN the target parameter was SOC.
- Only the fresh roots were excluded as they are not defined to belong to the soil, dead root biomass were of course considered as SOC.
- How accurate is the extrapolation from the representative units to the whole area?
- The main idea was to capture a high proportion of variability in SOC using the approach of representative units, in fact, we did not expect that each unit is significantly different to each other, because we know that not all factors which potentially influence soil organic carbon could be considered. For example clay content could not be involved due to lack of spatial data. In addition, some influences may be covered by another, for instance: grassland at high elevations may show similar organic carbon stocks when compared to forest at lower regions
- Thus, as not all representative units are signiifcantly different to each other, extrapolating is limited, however, our data covered a large proportion of the land
- In addition, the main idea was to demonstrate the approach, but we recommend to use finer classifiactions of input data, or if available to use addiotional input data, such as soil information, to enhance the prediction at unsampled locations
- Prediction of unsampled location is presumably more precise when data of representative units were used in a model, such as random forest, which we are currently preparing
- Do you use cover crops like legumes to improve soil carbon and organic material level?
- Improving soil organic carbon or provide recommendation for improving SOC stocks was not part of our project, the main focus was on the development of a methods to provide reliable data on SOC stocks, but as far as we know are cover crops (legumes or leguminous crops) widely used at the cropland sites
- How much did you differentiate between different levels of degradation at the same elevation?
- we observed degradation mainly at the grassland sites which is a result of severe overgrazing and degradation was clearly different between south and north exposed slopes, we therefore sampled both positions
- Question: Perhaps this will be mentioned in the next presentation, but I would like to know whether this assessment was intended as a once-off assessment, or are there plans to repeat the sampling and analysis over time to track possible changes in SOC over time as a function of management? This would also related to an earlier question on the costs of this analysis?
- This is a quite important question how to proceed with these data? first of all in Kirgistan a national baseline for SOC was lacking, thus a main aim was to develop a method which precisely measure the SOC stocks and which deliver data for a reliable baseline. This is already at the level of tier 3, the most detailed measurements at the field scale
- But of course we are aware that reporting on changes are not suitable at this tier 3 level, approaches where satelite data were used to report on changes are presumably more practical
- in this context it was a promising result that degradation that we observed in the field were confirmed by amounts of belowground SOC stocks, and degradation can be mapped using remote sensing apporaches
- If the monitoring should be done in the future at the tier 3 level, setup of permanent soil observation fields would be more adequat, where however consideration of small-scale variability in SOC is absolutely necessary
- What will be annual total rain and distribution in a year in Kyrgyzstan?
- The average precipitation in kyrgyzstan is 300 to 600 mm per year (State Agency for Environment Protection and Forestry 2012). The maximum rainfall is 1,000 m per yaer and occurs in the Fergana Mountains in the west of the country and on the southern border with Tadjukistan. Significantly lower amounts of precipiation with 100 to 400 mm anually fall mainly occurs in the Tienschan Mountains
- Which model do you use? RothC or others?
- To calculate the SOC stocks, the percentage SOC content was converted into mass content (g/kg) and then multiplied by the fine soil content (Wolff and Riek 2006; Jacobs et al. 2018)
- To calculate the fine soil stock according to Jacobs et al. 2018 modified according to GAFA A2.8 2009 the bulk density of the fine soil (BD finesoil), coarse soil content root mass were used. The BD finesoil was multiplied with the depth and the coarse soil content and root mass were subtracted from the whole soil
- Which method did you use to determine bulk density?
- The bulk density, a parameter for soil density, is the mass of an undisturbed soil sample, dried at 105 °C, in relation to its volume. Its determination can be incorrect in soils with high coarse content or strong root penetration. In order to minimize these errors, the BD of only the fine soil (BD fine soil) should be determined by subtracting the coarse soil content and root mass from the BD of the whole soil.
- For the analysis of BD fine soil, we took samples with cores with a defined volume. In the laboratory all living root mass was sorted out of the sample. Then the samples were dried at 105 °C until the weight remained constant. All core samples were further weighed and sieved with a 2 mm mesh. Soil adhering to stones was brushed off and the weight of the fine soil mass was determined. Having the relationship between the mass of the fine soil and the volume of the cores we then could calculate the BD finesoil.
- I think the direct planting will be best to Kyrgyzstan farmlands?
- Yes, thanks for this suggestions, we are not the experts in management practices, but we forwarded it to our local partner and colleague Ermek Baibagyshov
- How mechanization affect soil carbon? And which is the best method to store more carbon in soil?
- Again, we must admit that we are not experts in this field, so unfortunately we cannot answer this question
- What are the common crops on croplands?
- According to our local partner and colleague Ermek Baibagyshov: mainly legumes, such as potatoes, leguminous crops (mainly as fodder crops), wheat and maize
- Do you have an observation on the variation you observed within the three land use types you sampled? And how would you use this information to guide further sampling? and did I miss the sampling of grasslands?
- Yes of course there is variation within single the land cover classes, for instance grassland can consist of pure grassland or shrubland, shrubland itself could be evergreen or deciduous etc., also tree-covered areas can vary in degree of coverage and may consist of deciduous or evergreen trees or both
- We tried to meet this challenge in representative sampling by using the drone to identify the dominant type of vegetation cover within a single unit
- And yes, we sampled grassland sites most frequently, because it is the main land cover in Kirgistan (>50%), here we additionally sampled north and south facing slopes because degradation was obviously quite different between these two aspects
- Are there no tillage practices in farmer conditions in Kyrgyzstan and which percentage in total arable land?
- Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question because we are not the experts in management practices, but as I remember correctly our local partner and colleague Ermek Baibagyshov answered on this question that no tillage practice is used in Kirgizstan
- Is the concept "mob-grazing" familiar there?
- No, we are not familiar with this term, would be nice to learn more about it
- Which percentage of your county have no tillage on arable land?
- Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question because we are not the experts in management practices
- Do you have wind and rain erosion problems in cropland and pastures in Kyrgyzstan?
- There is in fact wind erosion and regions with high rates of precipitation also water erosion mainly at the degraded grassland sites
- that means mainly at lower elevations and most frequently at the south facing slopes which are often bare and as a result very stony because the finer material, namely also SOC is blown off.
- Do you have any soil conservation tillage methods on farmlands?
- Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question because we are not the experts in management practices
- I mean do you have minimum tillage, direct planting, cover crops and suitable crops rotations etc? And do you care soil fertility and biodiversity in farmlands?
- Unfortunately, we cannot answer this question because we are not the experts in management practices
- What about a global data sharing platform- including perhaps with a citable doi and authorship? A second question- I think this idea of demand side of data is really interesting- can you elaborate on what types of outputs, products, dissemination campaigns could stimulate this demand?
- A global data platform would be a great idea, we would fully support such an approach, in particular as we already used a variety of free globally available data sources
- We will publish our data in an open access journal and plan to provide our data as well, presumably in an online tool where all data can be displayed also spatially (maybe via the R package R Shiny)
- Second part of the question: In our analysis of informational governance in Kyrgyzstan we observed a strong focus on the information supply side when a certain information/data need to be produced, with little attention paid to the future use of data. In this sense, it is recommended to develop the capacity to deliver demand-driven data with particular attention to data users and future usability of data. In the case of LDN assessment, generation of data should not only be guided by the objective of complying with international reporting obligations (e.g. LDN or climate reporting), but also represent a visualization of the situation that should be available to national and regional authorities: the data obtained from the LDN assessment and its future monitoring provides evidence for land degradation policy development. UNCCD recommends viewing LDN assessment and future monitoring as a vehicle for learning as it provides the basis to evaluate the decisions and interventions implemented and to plan future land management and the knowledge to inform adaptive management. For this to happen, mechanisms for data exchange between the different actors involved in reporting and in land governance issues need to be ensured (e.g. by strengthening participation processes and stakeholder involvement), which has not always been the case in Kyrgyzstan.
- What are the results and suggestions to stake holders for improving the soil carbon and biodiversity in Kyrgyzstan's agricultural lands at the end of this interesting research?
- Our main focus was on the development of the method to measure SOC stocks and to outline ways to set up a national baseline to enable national reporting on changes in SOC in the context of LDN. Ggiving suggestions and recommendations would be the next step
- However, a main suggestion would be to reduce the grazing pressure at lower elevations close to the villages where degradation due to overgrazing is extremely high, thus using more summer pastures at higher altitudes would reduce this problem
- In addition, conversion of forest should be an absolutely no-go, as these ecosystems store more than double of cropland and grasslandsHow is willingness and engagement of actors in private sector on financially support SOC projects there?
- Financial support for SOC analysis by the private sector may be motivated by the benefits these data could provide. For instance, SOC data can be used for economic valuation of land in the private sector, for example by demonstrating that sites with high SOC values are more productive. Small and large farmers have also begun to take an interest in soil quality and soil analyses in recent years. The demand for such analyses has increased every year. However, there is a lack of funds to finance such analyses, especially in subsistence farming
- How to convince private sector to fund the project about land restoration?
- We assumed in our project that the improvement of LDN data quality and access to it will not only improve reporting to UNCCD, but also support the informed decision-making by land managers in the public and private sectors. For instance, information about links between land degradation and land use would motivate managers to adapt their practices and implement projects to prevent degradation or restore the degraded land.
Day 3
Landscape Scale Assessments of SOC and other Indicators of Land and Soil Health -Land Degradation Surveillance Framework
- Question about accuracy slide: are those graph the result of the validation after the calibration (total sample size 160 samples)?
- Which soil sampling design did you use? And how did you come up with that design?
- If you had to form a group of people that shall map soils according to the LDSF approach, how much time / resources would you need to build the capacity needed to run the lab analysis, R analysis, etc.?
- Many thanks for the interesting presentation. Exciting work! I was wondering how you bring socio-economic restoration potential/suitability and biophysical potential together.
- Has this methodology been used in Europe? Is your spectral library calibrated for European soils for example? To implement your methodology in countries like France with very variable landscapes, would you increase the number of locations for soil sampling?
- Is the classification of severely eroded sites through visual observations or measured in some way?
- Using remote sensing data measures only the upper surface layer, I guess, so if you set up your calibration models to predict SOC from spectra for which soil depth are these models valid?
- Yesterday we learned that the data and maps provided by Carb Asia were readily accepted by national institutions, as the soil analyses were made after the national standards, right? Consequently, were the data already used for a reporting? Moving on to today’s presentation, how did you solve the issue of recognition of your remote sensing based results by national governments?
- First part of question: Determination of SOC stocks were analyzed according to international standards (SOC stock of the fine soil was calculated by using the bulk density of the fine soil and correction for the content of roots and coarse soil). Only the content of soil organic carbon (in %) was analysed according to national standards and analysis protocols. The main idea was that using national capacities would increase the acceptance and the chance that the proposed approach would be applied in practice. In a pilot project national soil analysis methods were compared with international standardized methods where it turned out that local SOC analysis methods lead to quite similar results. Data were not used for reporting yet, because they were mainly provided to set up a reliable baseline which was not existent until now. However, the approach of using freely digital data to identify representative units and further to use these data and the analysed SOC stocks for upscaling and modelling will also be an issue of recognition as it is new.
- To lead over to the nice and interesting presentation of Leigh Winowiecki, I really could imagine to combine both approaches for high mountain regions by using representative units for field sampling and determination of reliable stock values which can be further used for ground thruthing of SOC inferred from spectral data, I think that mainly for reporting on changes, techniques of remote sensing or modelling strategies are mandatory in particular for remote regions such as high mountain areas in Kyrgyzstan.
- Do you have a reference paper for this? Would very appreciate it.
- I was wondering how you bring socio-economic restoration potential/suitability and biophysical potential together. | https://wiki.afris.org/display/4COP2/Follow+up |
Oven baked bacon is easier to make, healthier, and produces better results than fried bacon (unless we’re talking about Air Fryer Bacon, of course). An oven-safe rack allows the heat to circulate evenly around the bacon, a key component of bacon excellence.
Does baking bacon reduce calories?
Baking bacon can turn a fat-laden calorie bomb into a practical side dish or recipe ingredient; pan-frying a slice can cost you about 77 calories, while cooking it in the oven as described below is only about 44 calories per slice. This reduces the amount of grease on your cooked bacon, as well as the calories.
Is it better to bake or pan fry bacon?
Baking your bacon on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet allows the rendered fat to drip away from the bacon, helping it cook up even crunchier than pan-frying. (While bacon should be started in a cold pan if you’re cooking it on the stovetop, you can crank up the heat if your baking your bacon in the oven.
Is cooking in the oven healthy?
Roasting and baking are similar forms of cooking using dry heat. Generally speaking, roasting and baking are healthy forms of cooking that result in minimal losses of vitamin C. However, during long cooking times at high temperatures, up to 40% of B vitamins may be lost in the juices that drip from the meat (6).
Can you cook bacon at 450?
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on 2 aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheets, or, for extracrispy bacon, arrange on 2 wire racks set over 2 foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until the bacon is browned and starts to ripple, or to desired doneness, 10 to 20 minutes.
How long should I cook bacon in the oven at 400 degrees?
Once you place the bacon in the oven, heat it to 400 degrees F and bake the bacon to your desired crispness. It should be done in 25 to 35 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use tongs to carefully transfer the bacon to paper towels.
Is bacon healthier crispy?
As the bacon is cooked, the fat in the bacon melts down making it crispy. In this way, the crispy bacon has less fat content. Because of this, it is more healthy than other types of bacon. Also, it is cooked for a longer time due to which it has a darker color.
Is having bacon everyday bad for you?
“That means that, for a healthy person, eating bacon every day will raise their overall risk of colon cancer from something like 5% to 6%.” “Certainly bacon is not a health food, and I don’t advise consuming it on a daily basis,” she says.
Can you eat bacon while on a diet?
Bacon is an approved food for diets like Atkins, Paleo, and Keto, because it is a zero carb food. Research has found that eating fewer carbohydrates increases the number of calories you burn. This means that a bacon breakfast can be an important part of your weight loss or maintenance plan.
Does bacon taste better in the oven?
Cooking bacon in the oven yields the same crispy bacon with no monitoring or flipping of the strips, grease splatters, or first-degree burns. Oh, and oven baking makes for a way easier clean-up.
Can I cook bacon in oven without foil?
The foil is not required, but it does make cleanup very simple! Spread the bacon strips out across the sheet and place in a cold oven. I usually slice our bacon in half and a full pound fits on a baking sheet. (In this photo, I was only cooking half a pound.)Jul 28, 2012.
Is it healthier to bake chicken or pan fry?
Baking and grilling are both dry cooking methods that you can use to cook healthy food. On the other hand, deep-frying and pan-frying add extra fat and are linked to chronic disease in both men and women.
Which is healthier baking or frying?
The addition of oil in frying adds to the calorie count of the food. However, baking does not add any additional calories and fats to the foods you cook and is thus, always preferred over frying.
Is baking chicken better than frying?
The advantage of roasted over fried chicken is less fat, particularly at places that use rotisserie cooking, a method that drains off fat. “In fried foods, the flesh of the meat absorbs the oil and makes it a lot higher in calories and fat,” Ward said. Take, for example, a 3.5-ounce serving of fried white-meat chicken.
How long does it take to cook bacon at 425?
Also, the thickness and fat content of your bacon will also affect cooking times. Following this guide on how long to bake bacon in the oven will help you achieve perfect bacon: For oven temperature of 425 degrees: Bake your bacon for 10-15 minutes checking every 2 minutes after the 10 minute mark.
Does bacon splatter in the oven?
No Splatter: Oven cooked bacon doesn’t splatter like it does on the stove top. Oven bacon sizzles on the sheet pan until is perfectly cooked. Oven bacon is cleaner and if you line the baking sheet with foil that extends to the sides, clean up is a breeze. If you have heavy duty aluminum foil even better!May 28, 2021.
Do you flip bacon in the oven?
Place the bacon in a cold oven, and set the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake the bacon in the oven for 15-20 minutes total. If you are doing more than one pan of bacon, rotate sheet pans from top to bottom halfway through. If you are not using a baking rack, flip the bacon strips halfway through cooking. | https://www.montalvospirits.com/is-it-healthier-to-cook-bacon-in-the-oven/ |
The Multinomial distribution is a multivariate distribution used to describe how many independent trials will fall into each of several categories where the probability of falling into any one category is constant for all trials.
As such, it is an extension of the Binomial distribution where there are only two possible outcomes ('successes' and, by implication, 'failures').
If 1000 people enter a shop, how many will match each of the above actions?
which is an array function that generates five separate values. The sum of those five values must, of course, always add up to the number of trials (1000 in this example). | https://www.vosesoftware.com/riskwiki/Multinomialdistribution.php |
Many of us have struggled with self-esteem to varying degrees, and for some, this is a constant battle. By “self-esteem,” I am referring to how we view ourselves; this is often closely connected to self-image, self-worth, self-confidence, or self-assurance. Christians are not immune to this, so how should we address low self-esteem or coming alongside friends who fight this ongoing battle?
There are many reasons why we might have low self-esteem. Quite often, our mental health can skew our perspectives, and medical input may be needed to help. Other times, life experiences like bullying, comments from family or friends, messages we hear about what society values, and social media can bring inevitable comparison, making us feel like we don’t measure up; all these things can affect how we view ourselves. While I don’t think it is wrong to affirm what is true in response to the lies we might believe, that is not enough because it does not deal with the root of the problem. It is like putting a Band-Aid on a gushing wound. So, what is the alternative?
The Self-Defeating Goal of Self-Esteem
The first thing to consider is the aim or the goal. Where do we want to end up from a place of low self-esteem? For the world, it is simple: self-confidence, a self-esteem boost.
But as Christians, we need another goal, a bigger and a better goal.
Have you ever noticed that insecurity and low self-esteem comes about because a “standard” has not been met? This can be a body image standard, beauty, accomplishments, status, or skills. The source of insecurity is that you have not measured up to whatever you perceive to be the goal in that particular area.
The Inconsistency of Invisible Standards
The sad thing is that someone else often sets the standard based on its values, whether that’s society, your friends, or your parents. You may have a low view of yourself because you feel that you are not beautiful; in that situation, the measure of worth is beauty, and a standard of beauty has not been met, leading to low self-esteem. Or you might say, “I am worthless because I am not good at anything.”In that situation, the measures of worth are skills and accomplishments, and you have not accomplished what you think needs to be accomplished in order to be of value. This leads to bondage.
Whatever standard you have not measured up to, whether created by society, peers, family, or yourself, you are in bondage to that. Your worth and value are measured by other people in what is, in effect, people-pleasing. You keep trying to measure up to all these standards in order to get your worth and feel good about yourself. The Bible calls this the fear of man, and it often leads to despair. Why? Because the standards are always shifting, and it is never enough.
When we try to measure up to society and others, and the burden grows heavy, some people decide to create their own measure or standard of worth. They’ll say something like, “I don’t care what other people think. I am just going to do me.” So they reject one set of values, other people’s, for another one, the self. This is often reflected in current popular culture with the message of self-empowerment.
As alluring as this message is, she is still creating a measure of worth; it’s just that she's no longer pleasing other people, but instead herself, and this can also lead to despair. The Bible warns about self-obsession and liberates us from all of this. We are encouraged to not put our confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:) or in any of these values that are meant to determine worthiness but always fall short. This is because, for the Christian, there is only one verdict that matters: not society’s; not other people’s, not even your own, but God’s verdict.
The Freedom of the Gospel
The Gospel liberates us from this; you don’t have to keep performing either to the standards you set or the standards that others set before you in order to get value and acceptance. The moment you believe the Good News of what God has done for you in Christ, his perfect performance is given to you as if it belonged to you, and you are given a new status, adopted into his family. Knowing you are loved and accepted in Jesus, you don’t have to perform in order to measure up. The only person whose opinion counts looks at you and says: chosen, holy, precious, treasured possession because of Christ (1 Pet. 2:9). You don’t have to worry about what you look like, what status you have, or what accomplishments you achieve.
This is radically different from how the world deals with this. It makes sense for the world, because in a universe without God, the solution for low self-esteem is self-confidence based on the values it creates to give worth and meaning.
Quick affirmations sound empowering, but they lead to a cycle of dissatisfaction and an endless preoccupation with self. They are solutions separated from our Creator God.
But for the Christian, the Gospel gives what Tim Keller calls the freedom of self-forgetfulness, which is freedom from self-occupation for rest found in Christ.
Here is the difference for the Christian: self-confidence is not the goal, God-confidence is. We can say with the Apostle Paul that we count earthly confidence as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ (Phil. 3:7). The shaky confidence the world holds so dear is nothing compared to the unshakable confidence that we have in Christ. Run to him and rest in him. | https://www.deeplyrootedmag.com/blogs/blog/god-confidence-in-a-self-confidence-driven-world |
Trend Micro Discovers New Malware that Uses Obfuscation Techniques
Security researchers at Trend Micro (an online security provider) have reported of recently uncovering a fresh malicious program on the Web identified as JS_VIRTOOL that employs an obfuscation technique with which a unique encryption key gets generated for each infected page, as reported by SoftPedia on June 29, 2009.
Trend Micro says that in the present time it knows of several versions of this malicious program all of which employ the same code obfuscation method but contain varied encrypted contents.
According to the security company, the variants possibly contain decrypted data that is same for all but the difference is that the URL location for decoding each version varies.
While the JS_VIRTOOL operates, it wouldn't at all be possible to decrypt without the knowledge of the URL which contains a particular extractable variant. Moreover, the malicious program recovers the URL link from its location to subsequently include it within its own operation. Following this, the malware computes this whole string's CRC with which it encrypts its operation.
Jonathan San Jose, Threat Analyst at Trend Micro, explains that in this particular instance, the malware's encrypted code would not run in case the operation is disturbed or the URL is incorrect, as reported by SOFTPEDIA on June 29, 2009.
Thus, the security researchers state that in the above circumstances, it could take time to detect the malicious scripts and release their suitable solutions for users. In other words, anti-malware solutions like AV software could take long to emerge so that people could use them to safeguard their systems. Till then, users' online security would remain at risk.
In the meantime, malware on the web has been especially prevalent during recent periods. During 2009, a number of bulk injection attacks damaged massive number of websites has been identified. These attacks successively included Gumblar, Beladen and Nine-Ball website compromises that used hijacked FTP (File Transfer Protocol) accounts in place of Web-flaws such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting.
In fact, UK-based AV vendor 'Prevx' has recently found a dump website that has stolen FTP identification details for over 68,000 websites, with some of them being extremely high-profile.
Related article: Trend Micro Detects Spam Mail Declaring World War III
» SPAMfighter News - 7/13/2009
Dear Reader
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We do believe, that the foundation for a good work environment starts with fast, secure and high performing computers. If you agree, then you should take a look at our Business Solutions to Spam Filter & Antivirus for even the latest version of Exchange Servers - your colleagues will appreciate it! | http://www.spamfighter.com/News-12720-Trend-Micro-Discovers-New-Malware-that-Uses-Obfuscation-Techniques.htm |
This Department specializes in the care of pregnant women (from pre-natal to post-natal) and women’s reproductive health.
Paediatrics
This Department is focused on individuals from birth to the end of adolescence.
Orthopaedic & Traumatology
Focused on the treatment of patients with injuries and non-traumatic diseases of bones, joints and other supportive tissues
Radiology
With our state of the art CT-Scan, X-Ray and Ultrasound machines, coupled with our professional radiologists with extensive experience in radiology, Mercy Group Clinics offer the best in medical imaging to diagnose and treat injuries and diseases.
Physiotherapy & Gymnasium
Educate patients and provide rehabilitation to end stage for patients with musculoskeletal problems.
Optical
Applying the principles of Optics to assist sight or correct defects in vision.
Laboratory
Our well equipped laboratory assist our Physicians in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases by performing tests on tissue, blood and other body fluids.
Pharmacy
Our well stocked Pharmacy offer a large range of medication and medical devices, and with the aid of our professional pharmacists help to advice our patients on their safe, effective and efficient use.
Internal Medicine
Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment of Internal Diseases….
NHIS
Mercy Group Clinics is an accredited centre for the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)…..
Emergency Medicine
Emergency, Trauma and Resuscitation Room……
Nursing Care
Making use of procedures and/or medications in providing comfort, safety and prevention of complications for patients. | https://mercygroupclinics.ng/departments/ |
Teamwork between field and office in construction begins with excellent communication. The two parties must share confidential information in a timely fashion to get the best results. The flow of data between the office and job site is critical to a project, and any drawback in communication creates avoidable and unwanted stressors in managing construction.
When two teams are working under one project, errors are unavoidable to happen, and when they do, the blame is often passed around to different departments developing internal conflict. This unnecessary breakdown in communication can dramatically delay a project and hinders your business as a whole.
In our blog, we will discuss the detriments of disconnection between the office and the field. We will also provide actionable and practical tips to enhance communication between the office and the field, bridging coordination on the whole.
Why Is Smooth Communication Important in Construction?
Office and field communication is critical to a well-run project. However, countless times it feels like office and field teams operate their world. The office people may never foot on a construction job site because they are not required to do so. At the same time, workers in the field may never decipher the back-end intricacies of collaborating with different designers, architects, engineers, suppliers, and owners- all at the same time.
While office personnel is integral to coordinating nearly all aspects of the project behind the scenes, at the same time, without the skillset and dedication of the boots on the ground, nothing will ever get finished or done right. Each discipline contributes its talents to the construction project, and it’s vital to strengthen the respect and trust between the different players.
Miscommunication and conflict on the job site are nothing to be surprised about. But although it’s nothing new, it doesn’t mean it’s one you just have to accept it. No one needs the stress that these two problems bring into a construction project. Additionally, they also happen to be very expensive. One research reported that the average cost of a conflict on a job site was $10,948.00! And that was just the average. A conflict might even cost you hundreds and thousands of dollars if not handled promptly and correctly.
The High Cost of Disconnection in Construction
One of the common contention points experienced between the jobsite and the office is the barrier in communication regarding what’s going on in the field at any given point in time.
When office and field communication breaks down, you’ll experience:
- Loss of Data: If the worker on-site fails to report instances, the information will never make it to the main office or the master file. This slight overlook hinders the whole construction team’s ability to work effectively or analyze what changes could be implemented for better productivity.
- Schedule Delays: More than costing good work relationship, disconnection can also cost time. Moreover, scheduling conflicts can also push the completion schedule back substantially.
- Loss of Profit: A lack of up-to-date construction information can result in errors and more rework to get done. This can also be translated into additional materials, more staff hours, unnecessary costs, and less profit.
Now that we’ve addressed the downside of disconnected construction teams, what steps are needed to be taken to bridge the gap between the field and office to enhance data flow, improve timelines and prevent budget loss? The answer lies in incorporating digital strategy in your business. Here’s how:
Ways to Bridge the Communication Gap
Get Rid of Excel
In an advanced industry such as construction, it is essential to focus on real-time solutions for your workplace communication issues. Ancient technology solutions, such as Excel, might not cut either, especially when you’re not working with a system or software that allows all personnel to access the same applications and files.
Technology alone is not the answer to this dilemma— it’s the right technology that lets all the staff members centralize data and communication, such as project management software designed for the construction business. When everyone has access to all essential information in real-time, coordination and collaboration are accelerated between teams.
How does using Excel doing more harm than good in your construction company? Read our blog, “8 Reasons to Get Rid of Excel and Switch to Construction Management Software,” to learn more.
Switch to Mobile-First Approach
Seamless mobile access to all documents, plans, and systems are vital for connecting the office with the field. This enables employees to access information in real-time, whether in the office, on the job site, or at home. Jobsites typically run outside the standard working hours. If you have a significant change that occurs after office hours, your office staff may also need to be notified to make alternate arrangements for the workday to come.
Even if your current technology promises a mobile-friendly feature, look into what that means. By choosing the software that aligns with your construction crew management, the better chances both the office and field can connect when you needed it the most.
Get on The Cloud
Mobile apps that provide real-time communication often work through cloud technology. Meaning, it’s not only about installing applications on personal smartphones or devices; it’s about allowing for a program that each personnel connects to where the central information they need lives.
Even though there are various web-based construction management tools you can find in the market that is suited for construction professionals, it is better to opt for the ones that feature cloud technology. With the world transitioning to the digital era in all industries, the cloud is the place to be.
Standardize Your Technology
Field-specific technology isn’t always compatible with project management specific technology. Consequently, information tends to get lost or difficult to access when team members need it the most. Incorporating a solution that centralizes and collaborates field and project management workflows can put everyone in complete accord.
Moreover, standardized technology and processes are critical for your business. If you have no established technology, programs, and workflows and just let your employees run with their preferences, you won’t have real-time information to anyone. No matter how insignificant it may seem, standards can do wonders in keeping consistent information, enhancing communication effort on the whole.
Consider User-Friendly Application
There will always be traditional workers who will be apprehensive about adopting new technology and prefer to stick to the conventional methodology. The best way to encourage everyone in the company to embrace new platforms and technology upgrades is by ensuring that the programs you want to adopt are user-friendly and easy to understand and use.
However, there may still be some workers who dislike making changes, so you must make it mandatory to the whole company— but not without ample support. Proper training and providing enough transition period will help the entire workforce team up for success.
Create Shared Tasks and Goals
Creating shared tasks and goals that each member is informed with and encouraged to follow translates to a more cohesive project flow for any given project. While the project’s completion is the apparent end goal, keeping it at the forefront and establishing definite tasks will help propel each team member to have a common overall goal in mind as they work through the project.
Oftentimes, different workers have their own set of goals— finishing a portion of a project or just keeping up with their respective schedules. Usually, for the worse, these personal goals have a way to conflict with one another. Utilizing construction scheduling software task features can help teams create shared goals and track tasks each step of the way.
Centralize Data Storage
Rework is costly— in terms of money and in time. According to a recent study, 48% of all rework is caused by miscommunication. A data-driven culture aims to decrease the chances of losing information in the shuffle. Making the change in the work culture that enables all points to connect means you’ll decrease instances of conflict, improve the team’s overall productivity, and reduce costly errors in rework.
One of the typical reasons there are communication problems between the office and the field is that neither side understands what the other party does. Including visual aids, like photos and videos in your reports and attached to a presentation can help this problem immensely. Also, getting all the contractors and subcontractors aware of the schedule of everyone working on-site can help the office personnel have a clear picture of the workings on site. The right subcontractor scheduling software can help to streamline this intensive task.
Key Takeaway
While field and office communication is not the only pressing conflict that might arise in construction, it is the root cause of most misunderstandings on a project. Bridging the communication gap between the job site and the office helps alleviate many issues that can come up during the entire project duration. If you’re working with a more collaborative team, errors are minimized, and the morale is higher.
Interested in learning more about how you can improve construction project management in your business? Learn more about Pro Crew Schedule here. | https://www.procrewschedule.com/how-to-bridge-the-gap-between-field-and-office-in-construction/ |
Addressing COVID-19 Safely Onboard
Two months ago, vessels started receiving warnings from vessel managers, P&I clubs, port health officials and others regarding the novel coronavirus outbreak and subsequent infections with COVID-19 in areas of China. The original warnings and cautions addressed vessels and crews that had called Chinese ports and rapidly started spreading to neighboring countries/transshipment ports such as Singapore and Japan.
How sixty days have changed the world! Today, it will be difficult for merchant ships to call in many ports without extensive pre-arrival checks and assurances that there are no COVID-19 cases onboard. This is to eliminate individual ships as pandemic infection vectors.
Mariners were last negatively impacted by disease outbreaks with the Ebola outbreak in West Africa between 2013 and 2016. Vessels were required to submit Ebola declarations in many ports to ensure port officials that they weren’t carrying the virus to their shores.
To say there is a plethora of guidance out there now regarding COVID-19 is an understatement, but the threat is real for vessels calling at multiple ports and interacting with port workers and officials. For our crews’ safety and continued operation of our vessels, please consider the following advice:
From American Waterways Operators (AWO) comes the following advice :
BEFORE BOARDING THE VESSEL:
1. Encourage crewmembers to monitor their health and report fit for duty.
-
- 1.1 Develop and deploy a questionnaire for crewmembers prior to embarkation.
- Questions may include:
- Do you have a fever (100.4˚ F/37.8˚ C or above), feel feverish, or have any other signs or symptoms of acute respiratory illness (cough, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath)?
- Have you traveled to an area experiencing ongoing community spread of COVID-19?
- Have you had close contact with (provided direct care to, worked in close proximity to, shared a room with, traveled with, lived in the same household as) a person confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19?
- Questions may include:
- 1.2 Crewmembers who answer questions affirmatively or show signs or symptoms of acute respiratory illness should be told to remain at home or be sent home.
- 1.1 Develop and deploy a questionnaire for crewmembers prior to embarkation.
2. Take steps to minimize crewmembers’ exposure when traveling to and from crew changes.
-
- 2.1 If possible, facilitate crewmember travel by car as opposed to plane or train.
- 2.2 If travel by plane or train is necessary, encourage crewmembers to practice frequent hand hygiene, and if possible, maintain a distance of 3 feet from other travelers and 6 feet from people showing signs of sickness.
- 2.3 Consider providing ditty bags with hand sanitizer, disposable wipes and other products useful when traveling.
These and further recommendations for onboard precautions and actions to take for an infected crewmember can be found HERE.
The following safety precaution posters for COVID-19 are provided by BIMCO. They can be downloaded and printed onboard for use.
The links below will take you to additional information and links including guidance from the U.S. Coast Guard and Indian Directorate General of Shipping. The Indian DGS orders include some very specific guidance on personal protective measures and disinfecting of potentially contaminated areas. In this dynamic health threat environment, updates from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) should be checked frequently. They are the best resources for accurate information and to dispel any misinformation or myths found on social media.
Let’s be safe out there! | https://maritimesafetyinnovationlab.org/2020/03/23/addressing-covid-19-safely-onboard/ |
The Dhyana Centre exists as a community service in the heart of London for the sole purpose of teaching meditation and encouraging its practice as a spiritual discipline. The Centre, an independent branch of the Theosophical Society in England, adopts an eclectic approach that combines both Eastern and Western contemplative techniques, under the umbrella title of ‘Dhyana Yoga: the Path of Meditation’. The emphasis is on introductory courses open to all without restriction or financial charge but the Centre aims to cater for all levels of meditative experience by offering a progression of classes and groups.
The Centre’s motto is “Live to Learn to Love”, which clearly expresses life’s greatest lesson and the route that we must all take to reach our Divine goal. Whatever spiritual path or means we may choose to employ, it is only by and in love that human potential can manifest its highest expression. At its deepest level, meditation is the ultimate act of love – a total surrender of the individual self.
Centre activities
The Centre’s teaching activities are grouped into three distinct levels (see here for fuller details):
|Introductory||Dhyana Yoga courses||Sundays|
|Intermediate||Ramakrishna group||Tuesdays, Fridays & Sundays|
|Advanced||Lahiri group||[Not currently operating]|
Meditation for beginners: the main emphasis of the Centre is on teaching and encouraging meditation for beginners. Introductory courses dovetailing with weekly practice groups are run throughout the year for that purpose; see the Calendar page for course details and dates and/or to book places.
In addition to the weekly classes there are meditation retreats and OM Healing circles, all of which take place at the Theosophical Society’s headquarters in the West End of London unless otherwise stated (see Contact Us page for address, map etc. plus email details). [NOT CURRENTLY OPERATING]
On the Activities page are listed explanations of all the differing courses and groups that the Centre offers. Please refer to the Calendar page for specific dates and bookings.
ACCESS: introductory courses for newcomers resumed in February 2022. The intermediate and advanced meditation groups are specifically for existing members of the Centre and those who have graduated from the foundation training. Newcomers interested in meditation are invited to book a place on an introductory course in the first instance (via the Calendar page). This includes those with prior yogic experience for whom it will be an induction and attunement; it is not possible to join the intermediate or advanced groups direct. Please email the Centre if in doubt.
Emailing list for enquirers
The Centre sends out a monthly programme by email to all its registered members. To be added temporarily to this mailing list, please email the Centre to that effect; you will then receive the programmes for at least three months after which you will automatically be removed from the list unless you have requested otherwise.
Free of charge: the Dhyana Centre is run as a community service and all its activities are free of charge. It is funded entirely by voluntary donations from its members and students, and attendees are invited to contribute according to their means. | https://www.dhyanacentre.org/ |
Finding Marcos: Producer Sets Out To Find The Voice On His Second-Hand Toy Cassette Recorder
In 2001, producer Warren Langford found a toy cassette recorder at a yard sale in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This was not any old recorder. This was a Talkboy, the must-have Christmas toy from Warren’s childhood that he never received. And the 50-cent asking price was too good to pass up.
But after purchasing it, Warren discovered there was still a cassette inside. On the tape was a young boy who identified himself as Marcos, introducing almost 40 songs, each one about 30 seconds long. Warren became obsessed with the tape, playing it at parties, making up lyrics to the songs and giving copies of the songs to friends as gifts.
But there was one question Warren couldn’t stop thinking about: who is Marcos? Warren decided he had to find Marcos and reunite him with his childhood radio program.
He enlisted Santa Fe journalist Alex De Vore to write an article about his quest and together they began searching for Marcos — the mysterious Talkboy D.J. | https://www.knkx.org/other-news/2016-10-29/finding-marcos-producer-sets-out-to-find-the-voice-on-his-second-hand-toy-cassette-recorder |
The 2022 Joint Conference on Brain Injury organized by the International Paediatric Brain Injury Society and the North American Brain Injury Society took place in New York City at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel on September 21 - 24, 2022.
It was a multidisciplinary event that offered a broad and varied program spanning cutting-edge research to practical and applied techniques for improving outcomes for persons with brain injury.
Abstracts accepted for the Joint Conference on Brain Injury will be published and indexed in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation later in 2022.
Rehabilitation physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, neurosurgeons, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, social workers, educators, nurses, case managers, advocates, legal professionals and all others committed to improving the outcome of adults and children with traumatic and non-traumatic brain injury are encouraged to participate.
Educational Content
The Conference educational content spanned an intensive three-day period and will
feature internationally-renowned plenary speakers, platform lectures,
workshops and panels. In addition, brain injury professionals from
around the world will have the opportunity to share their research and
clinical findings through the peer-reviewed abstract submission process. | https://www.internationalbrain.org/meetings-and-events/past-meetings/2022-ipbis-and-nabis-joint-conference-on-brain-injury |
In a recent post on his Forbes blog, Edison 2.0, reporter Osha Gray Davidson connects readers to a live webcam installed by TEPCO at the Fukushima Dai Ichi nuclear plant. Two cameras have since replaced that webcam, one looking at the site from the Unit 1 side and the other from the Unit 4 side [Ed. Note: added the links 16-Jul-17]. The ongoing crisis at the plant has made a fascinating, slow-motion horror story for the world to watch. The addition of the live webcam, along with news reports dealing with the continuing attempts to bring the four stricken reactors under control, make a great study in emergency planning and crisis control.
New information being released by TEPCO shows that the reactor cores melted down earlier than originally believed. In at least one case, the concern is now focused on the penetration of the external shield building by the molten core. If the core has actually “left the building,” as some experts believe, the potential for environmental contamination on an enormous scale exists.
In the meantime, TEPCO workers and contractors continue to try to clean up the site, removing piles of debris left from the explosions back in March. IEEE Spectrum reports that a teleoperated (remote-controlled) excavator accidentally blew up an oxygen cylinder hidden in a pile of debris. TEPCO claims that no damage was done and that the machine is still operating.
The result of this nuclear accident is a global turn-around in what was a resurgence in interest in nuclear power. Reports indicate that Germany will take all their nuclear power plants offline and decommission them by 2023. An unconfirmed report says that Japan plans to decommission all 54 nuclear plants on the islands soon. A report on the Ahram Online blog indicates that the Swiss are also responding to public pressure to decommission that country’s reactors, with the first going offline in 2019 and the last by 2054. As usual, the pragmatic Swiss approach is to allow the reactors to live out their design lifetimes and decommission rather than refurbish them at that time.
The Japanese nuclear industry, once considered a safety model by the international nuclear community, has had its dirty laundry exposed. In March, just six days after the earthquakes and tsunamis, Yuri Kageyama wrote an exposé of the industry’s scandals on MSNBC’s World Business blog. His article cited a culture of secrecy in the industry that prevents improvements and encourages cover-ups and corner-cutting.
The opportunities that Fukushima is giving us are manifold. First, the nuclear industry gets an opportunity to learn from the catastrophe at the plant and to see some of the ways that the original boiling water reactors can fail. This may result in design improvements to similar plants that remain operational in other countries, helping to reduce the likelihood of this kind of disaster re-occurring in the future. Second, it allows emergency response specialists to learn from the successes and failures that occurred at the plant, improving the emergency response plans at other nuclear and non-nuclear facilities where a disaster could have broad environmental and economic impacts. Third, it has given governments, regulators and International bodies a wake-up call about the nuclear industry. This technology can be safe and efficient if managed properly, but when corners are cut, and problems are covered up, the caged nuclear dragons can escape and wreak havoc.
Our world is entering an amazing, scary, exhilarating time of change. Once seen as the Golden Fleece that would light the world for hundreds of years, nuclear power has shown its dark side again. Alternate forms of energy generation are starting to come online, with wind and solar farms springing up worldwide. Even these more benign generation forms have downsides, and there isn’t enough installed base to support our energy needs yet.
So, while we watch the grainy video streaming from Fukushima, we need to consider our way forward and learn the lessons paid for by the people of Japan.
© 2011 – 2022, Compliance inSight Consulting Inc.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. | https://machinerysafety101.com/2011/06/10/fukushima-dai-ichi-live/ |
Scientific Detector Workshop 2022 in Potsdam
From 4 to 9 September, the international meeting Scientific Detector Workshop 2022 (SDW2022) will take place in Potsdam to discuss the latest developments in the field of imaging sensors. After a break forced by the pandemic, scientists and engineers are looking forward to the meeting in the historic surroundings of the former Astrophysical Observatory Potsdam on the Telegrafenberg. The focus of the conference, now in its seventh year, is on astronomy and earth sciences.
Wonderful and increasingly detailed astronomical images of stars and galaxies would not be possible without technologically sophisticated detectors with which modern space telescopes and large observatories are equipped. Most recently, the release of the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on 12 July, 2022, caused a sensation. It is these electronic “eyes” that enable instruments such as imaging cameras, spectrographs, etc. to perform at high levels, sometimes in spectral ranges not accessible to the human eye, such as UV, X-ray, and infrared. Image sensors for scientific sensors are specially optimized photonic components that require years of development work by experts and, as custom-made products, involve development costs in the millions of euros. As “waste products”, the industry profits from these complex developments, e.g. in the form of CMOS image sensors, which can be found today as a mass product in every mobile phone. | https://www.aip.de/en/news/sdw-2022/ |
In a galaxy far far away, wise mentor Obi-Wan sets Luke Skywalker on the path to becoming a Jedi after, periodically aiding the Rebel throughout the original trilogy. In the three prequels, we further explore Obi-Wan's rise from Padawan to Jedi Master and experiences in the Clone Wars. Though Anakin Skywalker receives the focus of these movies, Obi-Wan demonstrates an ever-increasing level of skill to rival the strongest of Jedi.
Don't believe Obi-Wan can hold his own on the battlefont? Let's review Obi-Wan's encounters through each film to discover why he's the most underrated character in Star Wars!
Versus Darth Maul
Darth Maul is best remembered as one of the redeeming factors of the often-ridiculed Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. Stoic yet furious, Maul viciously duels against Jedi Master Qui-Gon and Padawan Obi-Wan at the same time—and won. Maul separates the two Jedi, impales Qui-Gon, then battles and disarms Kenobi, who escapes only through Maul's arrogance exposing an opening.
Obi-Wan was outdueled, true. But he held his own against the much more experienced Darth Maul—heck, he did better than Qui-Gon (who was widely regarded as one of the strongest Jedi Masters). Obi-Wan at least managed to slice off half of Maul's saber and land a kick before being disarmed.
The bottom line is that despite being a mere Padawan of 25, Obi-Wan performed better than a veteran Jedi against a skilled Sith, even defeating his foe with a stroke of ingenuity.
Versus Count Dooku
Count Dooku was regarded as one of the best Jedi Masters (and was once Yoda's Padawan and Qui-Gon's Master) before leaving the Order and secretly becoming a Sith Lord. Obi-Wan ends up battling his Master's Master twice. These are Kenobi's worst performances, as he loses both contests, but even so he still impresses with his swordsmanship:
In Episode 2:
In second movie Attack of the Clones, Obi-Wan has the sense to realize he'll need help against a seasoned blademaster like Dooku, and attempts to flank Dooku with apprentice Anakin. Ignoring Obi-Wan's strategy, Anakin foolishly rushes Dooku, who incapacitates him, leaving Obi-Wan to duel alone. Dooku overcomes Obi-Wan without much trouble, but consider several redeeming factors for the Jedi Knight:
- Obi-Wan's blade style Soresu (Form 3) matches very poorly against Dooku's Makashi (Form 2), giving him a substantial disadvantage.
- Obi-Wan held Dooku off long enough for Anakin to recover, saving them both.
- Even when wounded, Obi-Wan aids Anakin by tossing him his blade, allowing the younger Jedi to temporarily put Dooku on the defensive.
In Episode 3:
I won't lie, this is Obi-Wan's worst showing. In Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan (now a Jedi Master) and Anakin again challenge Dooku, this time wisely attacking together. Dooku narrowly manages to incapacitate Obi-Wan before being slain by Anakin. Not Kenobi's best battle, but here are more atoning factors to consider:
- Again, Obi-Wan's Soresu is a bad matchup against Dooku's Makashi; Anakin's Djem So (Form 5) works much better against it.
- Obi-Wan eliminates the two Super Battle Droids Dooku used as backup.
- Arguably, plot convenience is what really topples Obi-Wan. The battle becomes more tense when he falls, and paves the path for Palpatine to convince Anakin to execute Dooku.
- Speaking of Palpatine (secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious), you could argue he subtly influenced the battle to hinder Kenobi and remove him from the fight.
While a good swordsman can potentially overcome a style disadvantage, some forms simply trump others. Nevertheless, Obi-Wan still manages to test the experienced Dooku and provide support through saber-giving or droid destruction.
Versus General Grievous
Later in Episode 3, Obi-Wan faces the Separatist warrior General Grievous, renowned for killing Jedi and taking their swords as trophies. Despite his foe's mechanically-enhanced prowess, Obi-Wan quickly outduels Grievous, then ends up incinerating him with a blaster. Here are further reasons Obi-Wan impresses during this scenario:
- The Jedi Council specifically chose Obi-Wan to battle Grievous, selecting him over other fierce Jedi like Mace Windu. They also trusted Kenobi to succeed without needing Anakin as backup.
- Obi-Wan ends the contest surprisingly quickly, rapidly severing many of his foe's limbs.
- After realizing he's losing, Grievous flees the battle, only for Obi-Wan to pursue him. During the chase, Obi-Wan loses his lightsaber, but still manages to overcome Grievous when he catches him.
Versus Darth Vader
Obi-Wan faces his fallen apprentice Darth Vader twice, first in Revenge of the Sith and 19 years later in A New Hope.
In Episode 3:
Here Anakin Skywalker is only 22, but his incredible Force abilities provide the strength of a Jedi Master, proven when he overcomes Count Dooku. In a titanic clash over the fiery planet of Mustafar, Obi-Wan barely defeats the Chosen One, badly maiming Skywalker and leaving him for dead.
Not much else to say about this impressive win. Neither Soresu nor Djem So holds an advantage against the other, leaving this contest to be decided purely on skill. Obi-Wan successfully wears down his aggressive opponent, exploiting a weakness Skywalker exposes during a risky attack.
In Episode 4:
Now an elderly man, Obi-Wan battles Darth Vader aboard the Empire's Death Star. Despite facing a skilled Sith aboard an enemy stronghold, Obi-Wan demonstrates an impressive level of tranquility and confidence. Eventually, he lets Vader cut him in half, believing himself to be of more use to Luke from beyond the grave.
Considering Obi-Wan allows Vader to finish him, it's difficult to say who would have won had the match continued. Vader likely has more physical strength, but his connection to the Force is reduced thanks to being nearly half-machine. Obi-Wan is aging, but fights craftily. I'd love to hear your thoughts on who would have emerged victorious!
Who would have won had the match in Episode 4 continued?
Obi-Wan's Intuition
Even as a young Jedi, Obi-Wan displayed incredible intuitive abilities:
- Early in Episode 1, he senses an "elusive" presence, likely referring to the hitherto unrevealed Sith Lords looming in the shadows. He also (correctly) cites the danger in Anakin's training.
- In Episode 2, he and Anakin have a brief discussion on Chancelleor Palpatine (secretly Darth Sidious), where Obi-Wan notes Palpatine's manipulative abilities.
- In Episode 3, Obi-Wan opposes his fellow Jedi Council members' suggestion of using Anakin to spy on Palpatine, knowing the deed will make Anakin lose trust in the Jedi. Unfortunately, the Council didn't listen.
- In Episode 4, Obi-Wan selects Han Solo and Chewbacca as their pilots, both of whom would prove crucial to the Alliance's cause. He also helps Luke free his mind from distractions by blindfolding him against the training probe.
Obi-Wan's Triumphs
In an era where darkness is spreading and Jedi are hunted, Obi-Wan duels every single Sith except Sidious, as well as General Grievous, and manages to perish in a manner of his choosing. He never faltered in his stalwart pursuit of justice, earned a spot on the Jedi Council at a remarkably young age, and can be shown to dwell in the league of elite warriors like Yoda:
- Count Dooku is said to be on par with Yoda and Mace Windu
- Anakin defeats Dooku
- Obi-Wan defeats Anakin
- Therefore, Obi-Wan is also on par with Yoda and Windu
Admittedly, we're simplifying matters, and there are more factors to consider, like his match against Jango Fett (who was aided by Boba) or his impressive duel against Maul in the show Star Wars Rebels. But for brevity's sake, I'll end things here, hopefully convincing you that the Force is indeed with Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Questions & Answers
Could Obi-Wan beat Yoda or Mace Windu?
Many fans would outright say "no", but as the articles discusses, Obi-Wan's an underestimated character in several areas. Given a few more years of training (Mace and especially Yoda both have the advantage of time), it's definitely possible Obi-Wan could have taken them.Helpful 9
© 2017 Jeremy Gill
Comments
If you have watched any of the cannon outside of the movies, it reinforces this as well. Star Wars: Clone Wars is full of many examples of his skill and ingenuity. Most recently, in Star Wars: Rebels, older Obi very quickly and efficiently dispatches a revenge seeking Darth Maul with impressive skill. Showing he hasnt been slacking while watching over Luke on Tatooine
I agree
This is why I think Rey is the daughter of Obi-Wan. Well, it is one theory I have. These are great examples of his power and skills. This was definitely a fun and entertaining hub. I really enjoyed it. I love the Star Wars saga and I cannot wait until the next film comes out. | https://reelrundown.com/movies/Why-Obi-Wan-Was-Much-Stronger-Than-We-Thought |
position is to assist and support the Country Director in the management and coordination of projects,
strengthening the fundraising strategy of the office especially towards institutional donors (EU, Italian
Cooperation+).
Overall Objectives (scope)
To support the CD, where delegated
To contribute to country strategy & annual planning with the CD and teams
To assist the CD when needed
To develop an follow up with a strong fundraising strategy involving institutional donors
To act as CD in the CD’s absence
Responsibilities
Operational Management
To work as part of the SMT for SCiA to ensure that the programs are being developed and delivered
to clear strategic priorities
Maintain a strong working relationship with the Country Director, and Managers in order to ensure the
delivery of quality outputs in both project implementation, preparation, review and reporting.
Contribute to ensuring monitoring systems are in place and that project reviews/audits/evaluations are
carried out periodically in conjunction with the team, CD and CHC, local stakeholders and project
partners
Contribute to ensuring adherence to timelines for all relevant proposals and reports, ensuring their
quality as well as timely production and submission to the CD in accordance with Merlin and donor
contractual agreements
Regular travel to all project sites
Assist the CD in organizing and facilitating monthly Senior Management Team (SMT) meetings and
follow-up and report on the implementation and achievements of agreed action points.
Participate as a member of the Country Management Team
Program Development
Proactively contribute to program development and strategy with the CD and management, as well as
annual plans and their implementation
Representation
When delegated carry out representation with other NGOs, UN agencies, local and national
government bodies, donors and other relevant parties when relevant and in coordination with the CD
and HD, ensuring that all parties are kept informed of activities as appropriate
Other
To undertake any other tasks and duties assigned by the CD.
Person Specification
Extensive experience of overall project management in developing countries, preferably in South East
Europe;
Project needs assessment
Project proposal development, logical framework, and report and proposal writing
Experience in budget management
Experience of donor reporting requirements.
Team builder with an ability to coach staff
Diplomatic and an effective communicator at all levels
Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and
cultures
Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritizing a high workload and multiple tasks in a
fast paced environment with tight deadlines
Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
An understanding of and commitment to Save the Children’s mission and values
Minimum Qualifications: | https://www.tanzania-jobs.com/jobs/administration/assistant-country-director-tanzania-42564/ |
Research in Neuroscience and the application of Compassion Focused Therapies have provided us with the information that the practice of Mindful Self-Compassion and Compassion for others has far-reaching effects on one’s physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual health. In her book, “Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself,” Kristen Neff details how self -kindness, mindfulness and a sense of common humanity, can replace the negative and diminishing self-criticism and self-judgment that so many engage in. Compassion therapies help to minimize destructive patterns of fear, anxiety, self-criticism and isolation, which if left untreated, can often lead to such at-risk behaviors as the experimentation, use and abuse of alcohol/drugs, eating disorders, suicidal ideation etc. Mindful Self-Compassion practice has been shown to aid in managing stress and trauma as well as the grieving processes which so many experience in their lives. In addition to exploring the principles of Self-Compassion, this course will focus on how and why developing Self- Compassion can assist many populations, including and not limited to Adolescents, Substance Abuse/Mental Health/Behavioral Disorders, Service Providers in the Caring Professions. Mindful Self-Compassion training can positively enhance and work hand in hand with whatever clinical modalities and approaches we currently employ in our care and treatment of our clients. In addition to helping our clients, we also promote our own physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being. Personally and professionally, we bring benefit to our own lives, as we mindfully enhance our own intentions, motivations, willingness and desire to enhance the lives of those we serve. | https://alcoholstudies.rutgers.edu/event/connection-through-self-compassion-and-compassion-for-others-reaching-and-teaching-the-minds-and-hearts-of-those-we-serve/ |
As the UN climate change talks or “COP27” get underway in Egypt, Guy Edwards, PhD student in the School of Global Studies, sat down with his supervisor, Peter Newell, Professor of International Relations, to discuss global and national climate politics. Here’s three key takeaways from their conversation.
Without a power shift away from fossil fuel actors, global polluting elites and state actors working to maintain the status quo, ambitious climate action will remain elusive.
- Newell’s last book, Power Shift, makes the case that in addition to major changes in technologies, markets, institutions and behaviours, a shift in power relations between and within countries and across political actors and societies are required to confront the climate and ecological crises.
- While the scale of the challenge to secure a just transition to sustainable economies is staggering, encouragingly, there are cracks in the armour of incumbent powers and corporations, which can be exploited. There are many ways to deepen those cracks such as pressure from employees and shareholder activism, tighter regulations, legal challenges, and direct action by activists.
- Another way is to weaken the fossil fuel industries’ social licence to operate. For example, activists are calling for British Cycling to cancel its new partnership with Shell, which is seen as a way for the oil major to maintain its legitimacy.
- We also need to challenge fossil fuel actors’ arguments they are ideally placed to deliver national priorities such as energy security or job creation. For instance, the International Energy Agency reported recently that clean energy jobs now outnumber those in fossil fuels and show the greatest potential for future growth.
- Fossil fuels companies appear rattled. Following years of climate denial and sowing doubt, they are now putting together net zero plans, which are full of loopholes and rely heavily on carbon offsets. But the fact they are acting suggests that ground is being gained and they have realized that doing nothing is no longer an option.
The proximity of fossil fuel interests to political power is a major issue as demonstrated by the recent comments by UK Climate Minister, Graham Stuart who said that fracking and oil drilling is “good for the environment” and economy.
- In response, Newell and UCL Professor Paul Ekins debunked these claims in a letter to The Guardian raising various points such as the International Energy Agency stating that there can be no new oil, gas and coal projects if we are to achieve the 1.5C goal and that new fossil fuel projects will lock in dependency on infrastructure that will become increasingly obsolete as the UK decarbonizes.
- One of the subtexts to these comments by Stuart is the narrative by fossil fuel actors and their supporters to use the energy crisis, driven largely by the war in Ukraine, as an opportunity to produce more fossil fuels under the pretext of energy security.
- This assertion is weak since in the UK most new oil wells need a decade to begin producing. A far better route would be to scale up investment in renewables combined with reductions in energy demand through home insulation, heat pumps and support for public transport. This approach would allow the UK to reduce its dependency on foreign regimes, which are often not outlined with our values.
The Support for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty continues to build including from Vanuatu, the European Parliament, and the World Health Organisation.
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says that coal, oil, and gas are responsible for 86% of all carbon dioxide emissions in the past decade. The Paris Agreement does not reference fossil fuels and at present there is no global binding mechanism to limit fossil fuel production. While the commitments made by states to reduce fossil fuel consumption are encouraging, they are unlikely to deliver major reductions. For instance, the G20 and Multilateral Development Banks, are still spending at least US$55 billion per year on supporting fossil fuels abroad compared with US$29 billion for renewable energy projects.
- A Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty would aim to phase out fossil fuels, support dependent economies, workers and communities to diversify away from fossil fuels, ensure access to renewable energy globally and promote a just transition. Such a treaty would be complementary to the Paris Agreement, which has enough work to do on advancing mitigation, loss and damage, finance, and adaptation.
- Countries in the Global South with newly discovered fossil fuel reserves should not feel threatened by such a treaty. These countries would not be expected to relinquish their resources for some time with the focus on OECD and other countries that would have to act first. As part of the treaty, a global transition fund would be created to support countries in the Global South to achieve a just transition.
- A dedicated space to look specifically at fossil fuel production phase out and a just transition is gaining traction in part due to some countries’ frustration that the Paris process does not address this issue directly. Given the energy transition is unfolding in different parts of the world at various speeds, but also in quite a disorderly, unjust, disruptive fashion due to market volatility and war, the treaty would offer an institutional forum to tackle some of those issues in an equitable way.
- Within countries, it is important to address some of the assumptions around developing fossil fuels and their supposed benefits for poverty reduction. The literature on the resource curse shows that poor people within those countries often do not really benefit. In fact, quite the reverse because when people are paying taxes, they feel like they have a say over public spending. However, in some states there is less concern about being accountable to taxpayers as fossil fuel rents are so high, which can breed corruption and a lack of transparency.
- Some fossil fuel producers are beginning to consider the dangers of a disorderly transition, the threat of stranded assets and potential risks for public finance in a decarbonized world. The case for a more orderly exit, where there is scope for compensation, financing, and technological support, which would be included under a treaty, is getting stronger. Lastly, a look at the terms of trade or debt relief is necessary as one of the key drivers for countries to exploit fossil fuel reserves is to pay off debts.
Follow Peter Newell and Guy Edwards on Twitter who will be following developments at COP27 over the next couple of weeks. | https://blogs.sussex.ac.uk/global/ |
In today’s blog I am going to share with you 8 powerful ways to create your life using your future self.
Why engaging your future self is powerful NOW!
I don’t know about you but I know that for me my past can really get in the way of me fulfilling my dreams.
Although I’m not a big one for dwelling too much in the past I have had a habit of using the past to create new crappy stories in my head. You know, take some gnarly unresolved ‘feeling’ and situation and spin it into a newer more uncomfortable scenario! When I catch myself doing this, the scenario I’m creating (one that hasn’t happened yet) is usually a scenario for one reason and one reason only – it’s a place for me to express/release my angst. And I only do that because I hold it back so much in my life.
But hey, I’m learning, lots!
One thing I’m learning from witnessing this default setting in my psyche is that when I allow my mind to do what it’s been trained and conditioned to do, then I pretty much feel like shit all of the time.
That sloppy, lazy tendency of my mind to dredge through and drag up nasty feeling stuff is exhausting and not enjoyable, so I’ve been hard at work to clear it all out, which makes for a healthier state of alignment and a better direction in front of me.
There are copious amounts of energy healing techniques that I practice; EFT, TAT, Donna Eden’s Energy Routine, Temporal Tapping, NLP, Meditation etc. But there’s one thing that I love more than anything and that is TO PLAY.
Playfulness is KEY!
I have always had quite an ‘out there’ imagination. As a kid I would quite often be the one dreaming up crazy adventures and games to play, engaging every aspect of imagination that I could. I would be the one to manifest alternate realities! And nowadays I like to stay deeply connected with my inner child self, as I believe kids are geniuses, basically.
My inner child is happiest when emerged in the midst of imagination and when you combine these two aspects – inner child + imagination it makes for an explosive concoction of creativity.
I am learning that by anchoring these energies I am able to ‘manifest‘ with more joy, more laughter, more certainty, more ease.
And this is because the very core of it, the very reason for doing it, is for the fun it brings into life right now and a result of that is that it will also allow your future to manifest in the direction of your desires.
I can write things down, I can draw pictures, I can meditate, I can visualise and all of these practices are good and super useful, but hands down, what I enjoy the most is connecting with another willing participant and bringing in the unlimited future into the now through various methods ‘sharing’.
This is very empowering
The only problem for me (presently, but not for my future self) is that I don’t have that many willing participants to play along with me!
Most people find it ridiculous or even threatening to ‘play’ in ones future. And I understand that. But once you allow yourself to just let go . . . it feels amazing.
If you are lucky enough to have someone in your life who is willing to play then you are really truly blessed. You can share these activities with just yourself but these games are so much more powerful when being played with someone else.
So, on that note I am going to share with you 10 ways that you can create and manifest your life by using your future self. Don’t worry if I’m not making sense yet, in the steps I will explain.
8 Powerful Ways to Use Your Future to Create Your Life
- Make Future Phone Calls
This is super powerful. I first had this idea about 7 years ago when running a business with my dear friend Olga. At the time we were quite stressed with the tasks that we were needing to fulfil to get our business up and running, and often it was not feeling playful!. It was feeling intense and serious. So, I suggested to Olga that we step out of time and call each other from the future so that we could manifest more playfully.
We were both appreciating the teachings of Jack Canfield at the time, so I suggested using the name ‘Jack Canfield‘ as a password, meaning, each time we called each other up from the future, if either one of us said ‘Jack Canfield‘ it meant that we were to export ourselves to 1 year ahead.
So, for example, instead of it being March 19th 2007 it would become March 19th 2008 instantly. At which point we would talk like we hadn’t spoken to each other for a whole year and we had so much to share! A whole years worth of achievements, experience, growth and transformation!
The Rule – One rule we had was to ‘Be Unlimited’! To use this experience not to act slightly transformed, but instead, to act MEGA transformed. To talk and share and imagine from as joyful a point as you could imagine, in such a way that the sharing would fire us up with excitement, joy, laughter and feel good feelings.
We had so much fun playing this game for the time that we did. It really helped us to track our paths.
Not only is it fun and frequency shifting but the ideas that come pouring out of you come from an truly inspired place! New ideas of brilliance come out once you open up the floodgates to joy and playfulness.
Do you believe me? Try it!
- Write Emails From The Future
I practiced this one for a while with my friend Nina. She was so desperate to have a baby in her life that I suggested “Hey, why don’t you start emailing me as if you have? I would love to hear what your life sounds like when that is fulfilled.”
And so we started emailing each other with the word ‘ON’ placed in the subject bar, the word ‘ON‘ being the sign that we are sharing from the future.
However, this experience for me was more about reading about Nina’s future self at the time. I didn’t get as engaged as I could as I was deeply submerged in health problems at the time and suffering so much resistance. (I’m out of that now!) But Nina played and often sent me ‘ON’ emails and a couple of years later that little healthy baby became manifest!
TIP: So if you like this idea just find a friend, anywhere in the world who is willing to play, willing to be your play-along ‘Future Accountability Partner!’ and agree with each other to write/report to each other once a week from your expanded futures. Also, make sure to respond to each other from that space, this is what helps it to grow and become realised.
- Make Recordings From the Future
This is a great way to create your life – Do you have an iPod or smart phone or something that you can record your voice onto?? I have an iPod and I have a really good app on it called ‘Voice Record‘ that enables me to save recordings as mp3s that I can email and use in other applications.
I like to make recordings of myself talking to myself from the future. Basically I’m tapping into my Higher Self and asking her what would she say to me now to keep me on track, keep me heading in the most harmonious direction for me. I ask and imagine the responses and write them down. Then I record them into my iPod with some nice music in the back ground and plug in and listen to it as I go about my daily chores.
Basically what I am sharing with myself from my future self is reassurance and encouragement
- “You are heading in the right direction”
- “Keep doing what you’re doing every day, I am living example that your efforts pay off”
- “Your life is so amazing”
- “Thank you for every effort you make! Look where I am now!”
- “ You are doing a wonderful job. Keep being you”
To hear my own voice reassuring myself over and over again just derails that inner critic default thinker and instead I start listening and believing.
Try it!
- Send Messages From your Future Self.
There’s actually an app called ‘HiFutureSelf’ that I have on my iPad. You program into it messages that it then sends to you at programmed times each day. I save affirmations into mine and then when I’m creating or researching on my iPad these lush messages pop up like
- “I work in creative collaboration with smart inspiring people on projects that contribute to the well being of humanity”
- “I am in perfect healthy”
- “Every day in every way I am getting better and better and better”
I like receiving these little, but powerful reminders.
- Send Letters to Yourself From Your Future
I’ve only ever done this and posted them a couple of times, The first time was when I was doing an internship for Oxfam Scotland, I was the Regional Support executive for Oxjam Scotland that year. In a execs meeting in Oxfam house we had to all write ourselves congratulatory letters, celebrating and thanking ourselves for having raised the target amount we were aiming for. So we had to place ourselves in the future and write from there. We then handed the letter over to our managers so that they could post them out to us in 6 months time.
We worked hard and exceeded our targets and then I received this very beautiful celebratory letter from myself! It was so lovely reading that letter. In fact it made me cry to realise that my future self, my higher self, could see more clearly than I could. I gave myself a big hug and sat down and wrote some more letters to myself, from my future, letters I would stash around the place. I still find these letter every now and then.
TIP: If you have a very organised friend ask them if you can give them a bunch of pre written stamped and addressed letters to yourself and ask them to send them out to you on pre planned or random dates
It feels so good to get a hand written letter. It’s amazing getting one from yourself form your future! They are spot on!
- Create Future Time Portals
Find a friend who is playful, imaginative and willing to step out of the apparent reality that is about us right now. The ‘apparent reality’ is after all just an accumulation and appearance of everything that has gone on in the past.
Therefore, it makes sense to me that in order to beckon forth your future in a powerful, deliberate, directional way, then go there and start attracting it forth through the pulling, creative power of your imagination.
When you’ve got that friend and you’re about to hook up, ask them that when you meet to have a hug and through that hug to be transported 1 year in to the future. Go nuts and get all excited about having not seen each other for a whole year and then spend your time together unleashing your imagination and sharing all the brilliant experiences you’ve been having, all the challenges you’ve over come, all the satisfactions you’ve had in your past imaginary year. This is an excellent opportunity to deliberately and massively create your life. Go for it. It’s FUN!
I promise you, that will have been extra good, quality time spent together.
My Story: I have a friend I can do this with, my dear friend Oaken. He buggered off to India for a few weeks so I haven’t played for a while, but as soon as I see him we will transport!
I was playing this with Oaken every time we hooked up prior to me discovering The SFM. It is such a powerful game. Both Oaken and myself found that we were exploding with creative ideas and solutions. We walked into town, remaining in our future selves, and connected up with others who asked us what we were up to, and of course we were sharing from our future selves all these projects we had up and running. Before we knew it we had other’s interested in our excellent plans.
Getting out on the leading edge of the future is like being out on the edge of a whirlpool. You ARE going to get sucked in. And what you get sucked in to is what Abraham Hicks calls ‘The Vortex’.
- The Secret Mirror
This has only been introduced to me in the last two days. Joe Vitales Secret Mirror work.
Basically he tells you to imagine that there is another earth, with another you on it, but it’s 6 months in the future and the ‘YOU’ that lives on this earth has overcome all of your present challenges and knows exactly the steps they’ve take to overcome them.
How To Do It: Get yourself prepared and allow yourself to ‘imagine’ that when you are looking into a mirror you are looking into the wisdom of your other future self.
Look into their eyes and ask them questions like
- “How did you overcome that problem?”
- “What advice can you give me to help me out of this rut?”
Look into their eyes and be open, receptive to what comes up for you. Allow yourselves to transport. Allow yourself the Divine necessity of heeding your higher self’s advice.
Do this regularly. Every time you find a block in your life look into the Secret Mirror.
This exercise is about noticing the blocks you have and connecting with your wiser, higher, future self to find the ways through, the solutions to get you moving in their direction, to their point which has already been fulfilled.
- Hold Future Dinner Parties.
Now, this one is my favourite but I haven’t actually done it yet, It’s my idea and it will happen. My future self has already shared it with me!
What To Do: Figure out exactly who and how you want to be experiencing life in 5 years time. Ask yourself these questions
- “What am I doing in my life?”
- “How am I spending my time?”
- “What’s making me really happy?”
- “In which ways am I being creative?”
- “What are my relationships like?”
- “What is my home like?”
- “How are my finances?”
And let yourself respond to these questions in an expansive flowering way. Don’t hold back.
To create the space for our dreams to appear we have to stretch that space first with our imagination. So THINK BIG.
Now, imagine that a group of friends are doing the same thing – embodying their fulfilled future selves, getting to know what life is like out there on the future edge.
Now, imagine that you are going to throw a dinner party for all participants and there’s one rule
The One Rule – when they cross the threshold into the dinner party venue Future Self comes full on into play.
- Everyone is in their future self.
- Everyone is sharing from their future self.
- Everyone is celebrating each other in their future selves.
- Everyone is respecting and encouraging everything that is coming forth form each other.
Remember the power of imagination and playfulness. The idea here is NOT to pooh pooh each others reachings, but instead to encourage them.
Remember, when you out on this future edge, the more enthusiasm you can pour into the mix the faster the vortex spins, and when you are in the vortex, well, that’s where magic and manifestation happens.
Remain entirely in your expanded future/higher selves through out the whole party and do NOT leave that space until you cross the threshold and head home, by which time you’ll probably be so juiced up you’ll remain in that expanded space anyway!
This is POWERFUL.
Like I said I’m yet to do it. This is because I nee a powerful tribe of deliberate creators to play this game. It won’t work otherwise.
But luckily for me The SFM is jammed packed with like minded powerful deliberate creators, so that dinner party is there waiting to happen . . .. .
I hope you have enjoyed these suggestions.
Please report back to me when you experiment I am eager to know what your experiences are x
And please, if you feel like playing any of these games with me, just ask!! | https://www.alexaallen.com/use-your-future-to-create-your-life/ |
Outpacing a 0.3% gain in income, U.S. consumer spending rose 0.5% in November, the Commerce Department reported Dec. 22. The increases were below Wall Street forecasts for a 0.6 % increase in spending and 0.4% for personal income.
Still, the November rise in spending was the biggest since July, and suggested consumers continue to open their wallets despite a slumping real estate market.
Adjusted for inflation, real spending rose 0.5% in November for the second consecutive month. Real disposable incomes, which are inflation-adjusted and measure income after taxes, went up 0.3% in November after rising 0.4% in October.
The spending pace meant the savings rate was a negative 1% in November, with Americans buying on credit or dipping into savings.
The personal consumption expenditures price index -- the Federal Reserve's favored inflation gauge -- was flat in November after a 0.2% drop in October. In the past year, the PCE price index has risen 1.9%.
Core inflation, which excludes food and energy, was also unchanged in the month and is the slowest pace since October 2002. | https://www.industryweek.com/global-economy/us-spending-increase-05 |
Nina is a special dog. She was never put up for adoption because she has so many things wrong with her that we knew she would not be adoptable until those things were taken care of. Notably she needs to lose 20 pounds. Do you know how hard it is to get any weight off of a Pug? One of her knees bothers her so she cannot walk well.
Nina is a loving dog and comes out of a serious situation which required a Judge to intervene to allow care staff to move Nina’s owner into a proper treatment facility. He would not move and would not leave his dog. It’s very hard on our hearts to see people and their pets in this situation. We have the easy part. The health care professionals have the tough job.
Back to Nina: The only place we knew that Nina was going to get the proper care was at “Bernedine’s Fat Farm”. Bernedine does not foster dogs for us but has adopted unhealthy and overweight dogs from us and got them ALL to fighting weight as they say. We asked if she would consider taking in Nina so that we could work on her weight while all of the other palliative issues she needs care for and then we would adopt Nina to a family. Hmmm “well you caught us at just the right time and we can help BUT I don’t think we could ever give a dog up.” Bernedine’s other half Phil loves Pugs and has never owned one so he was tickled pink to meet Nina.
So, either way it’s a Happy Beginning for Nina. She is in a loving home and she is going to get healthy and then we can take a look at that knee and see what we can do there. We know from X rays that she has arthritis.
Nina is a senior about 10 years of age. She is still quite young. We may be looking for a new home down the road here. If so, we will report back on her progress!
If you want to learn more about any of the pets from Rebecca's Rainbow or want to meet one of them, please
contact us
.
If you see an animal that interests you, you can use our
online application forms
to apply for an adoption. | http://rebeccasrainbow.org/galleries/index.php/Happy-Beginnings/rrdogninapugaug2017 |
The economics of cooperative and social enterprises, as developed in the past and especially as referring to worker co-operatives, needs deep revision and refinement following the evolution of economic theory over the last decades. Traditional approaches are often based on hypothesis derived from mainstream theory and results are incoherent or inadequate to interpret the real behavior of these organizations. The main flaw is that economic theory has so far not assessed co-operation as co-ordination mechanism of the economic activity, especially in the organizational realm. Complementary, contemporary economic approaches did not deliver satisfactory interpretations of new and emerging phenomena, such as the spread of social co-operatives, social enterprises and other hybrid organization forms that do not pursue profit as their dominant objective (the exclusive interests of members). The stronger attention paid to this emerging literature in line with institutionalism, that are closer to new approaches and methodologies (especially behavioral and experimental economics) spread over the last decades. We aim at creating a new framework of analysis, and overcoming unsolved problems and unanswered questions, offering new guidance to empirical and experimental research. | https://www.side-isle.it/conference/2021/paper/co-operation-as-coordination-mechanism-a-new-approach-to-the-economics-of-co-operative-enterprises-110 |
What are the water regulations?
The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999 prevent the waste, undue consumption, misuse, contamination and erroneous measurement of the water supply. The regulations also specify the appropriate quality and standard that materials must comply with.
The Water Regulations are owned by the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Water Suppliers are responsible for enforcing them on behalf of DEFRA. Failure to comply with these regulations could contaminate both your water supply and the public water supply network, which may result in legal action being taken against you.
Prior to connecting any property to the mains supply, we must check that your new plumbing system complies with the Water Regulations. This is done either by
Thames Water carrying out an external and internal inspection of the site, or by us receiving appropriate certification from an approved plumber/contractor.
The internal inspection will now in most cases be carried out after the water connection has been made.
The Water Regulations cover all premises supplied by the Water Supplier and it is the responsibility of the owner of the premises to ensure compliance.
Please note, failure to comply with the regulations will delay the final connection date.
Prior to Thames Water connecting your supply pipe, you must ensure that a number of steps are successfully completed. Please refer to the process flow chart on the opposite page.
We are qualified to issue TAPS3, TAPS4, TAPS5, TAPS6 certificates for you in all of London and neighbouring areas
There are currently four types of certificates:
TAPS 3
For internal work in new properties and can be only issued by an approved plumber.
For internal work in existing properties that require no new connections or upgrades of supply size from Thames Water. This can only be issued by an approved plumber.
For underground supply pipes from an outside stop valve or boundary to an inside stop valve. Either an approved plumber or underground worker can issue this.
For notification work. This is issued by an approved plumber and is followed up by a TAPS 4 certificate once the work is complete. | http://emergencyboilerrepairelectricalplumber.co.uk/thames-water-taps3-taps4-taps5-taps6-certificate/riseley-silchester-mortimer-swallowfield-theale-woolhampton-west-berkshire |
Quiz: The World's Most Stunning Sites
Whether it's a natural wonder or the site of a historic event, millions of people each year travel from all over to visit these interesting places. Test your knowledge on the landmarks that draw the world's biggest crowds.
Start Quiz »
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0 out of 20
Question 1 of 20
How long is the Great Wall of China?
50 miles (80 km)
more than 4,000 miles (6,437 km)
It wouldn't be so great if it were only 50 miles (80 km) long, now would it? Try more than 4,000 miles (6,437 km) long -- now that's pretty great.
more than 3,000 miles (4,828 km)
Question 2 of 20
How many miles does Australia's Great Barrier Reef span?
more than 1,600 miles (2,574 km)
One of the seven natural world wonders, the reef that stretches along Australia's northeast coast is more than 1,600 miles (2,574 km) long.
more than 1,800 miles (2,896 km)
more than 2,000 miles (3,218 km)
Question 3 of 20
What year was New York's Empire State Building completed?
1940
1937
1931
A speedy project, the Empire State Building broke ground in January 1930 and was completed in under 16 months, in May 1931.
Question 4 of 20
What famous wealthy family built the historic Biltmore House near Asheville, N.C.?
Vanderbilt
Nope, it wasn't the Gettys or the Biltmores (a red herring). The Biltmore House was the brainchild of George Washington Vanderbilt.
Getty
Biltmore
Question 5 of 20
What American president made a historic speech in Gettysburg, Penn.?
Barack Obama
John Adams
Abraham Lincoln
One of the most quoted speeches in American history, the Gettysburg Address was not seen as a success at the time. But Abraham Lincoln's words on that November day in 1863 ring true years later.
Question 6 of 20
What famous landmark is located in Milan, Ohio?
birthplace of inventor Thomas Edison
Though he may be more well known as the "Wizard of Menlo Park," Thomas Edison wasn't born in New Jersey. He was actually born in Milan, Ohio in 1847.
site of the first racially integrated elementary school
birthplace of football coach Vince Lombardi
Question 7 of 20
Where is the oldest London Bridge located?
London, England
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
In 1968, the oldest surviving London Bridge was sold for $2.4 million and moved to Lake Havasu City in Arizona.
Birmingham, England
Question 8 of 20
The Leaning Tower of Piza in Italy finally stopped sinking in ______.
2008
After 18 years of work to stabilize the tower, it was finally declared "finished" in May 2008.
1927
It's still sinking.
Question 9 of 20
For how many years did the Great Pyramid of Giza stand as the world's tallest man-made structure?
5,200 years
3,800 years
Originally the Great Pyramid was 280 cubits tall -- that's about 479 feet (144.78 meters). Because of erosion, these days it stands at about 452 feet (137.76 meters). It was the world's tallest man-made structure for an impressive 3,800 years.
1,200 years
Question 10 of 20
The world-famous Statue of Liberty was built in what city?
Paris, France
While the base was built on Ellis Island in New York, the statue itself was built in Paris as a gift to the United States and assembled once it reached its final destination.
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For other uses, see History of Philosophy (disambiguation).
This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling.You can assist by editing it. (April 2013)
Philosophy
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Metaphysicians
Social and political philosophers
Traditions
Analytic
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Platonic
Scholastic
Periods
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
Contemporary
Literature
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Branches
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Logic
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There is considerable discussion about why Athenian culture encouraged philosophy, but a popular theory[which?] says that it occurred because Athens had a direct democracy. It is known from Plato's writings that many sophists maintained schools of debate, were respected members of society, and were well paid by their students. Orators influenced Athenian history, possibly even causing its failure (See Battle of Lade). Another theory explains the birth of philosophical debate in Athens with the presence of a slave labor workforce which performed the necessary functions that would otherwise have consumed the time of the free male citizenry. Freed from working in the fields or other manual economic activities, they were able to participate in the assemblies of Athens and spend long periods in discussions on popular philosophical questions. Students of Sophists needed to acquire the skills of oration in order to influence the Athenian Assembly and thereby increase respect and wealth. In response, the subjects and methods of debate became highly developed by the Sophists. | https://www.cram.com/essay/History-Of-Philosophy/FKJHQV735C |
CPS Energy, the nation's largest municipally-owned electric utility, has a goal of reducing 9 megawatts of electrical demand from the San Antonio manufacturing sector by 2020. To help achieve this goal, CPS Energy partnered with the Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) and the Southwest Research Institute to provide lean, clean and energy efficiency training, as well as resources and tools, to help manufacturers located within San Antonio implement opportunities that increase efficiencies in energy and materials use. The training and on reviews were conducted by Texas Manufacturing Assistance Center (TMAC) manufacturing specialist Carson Miller.
The nine facilities that participated in the program in 2009 are expected to save more than 2 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually—that's enough electricity to supply 2,500 homes in San Antonio for about a month. This also translates into about 1,400 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions reduced, or about the amount emitted from nearly 300 cars on the road for a year. TMAC estimated that the facilities will save $300,000 annually and could recover the capital costs associated with implementing the improvements in an average of under two years.
"We're proud to implement an energy-efficiency program that gives manufacturers a competitive edge by reducing energy costs. Initiatives like lean, clean, and energy efficiency can help attract more businesses to Greater San Antonio and build a sustainable future for our community." | https://www.epa.gov/e3/e3-success-story-reducing-electrical-demand-san-antonio-tx |
The researchers reported that most of these changes, though not all, reverted to normal upon the astronaut's return to Earth.
Common non-coding variants, along with rarer coding alterations, appear to contribute to a developmental disease with bowel and other gastrointestinal symptoms.
At the AGBT meeting last night, Johns Hopkins researcher Joshua Cohen said that the partners are looking to recruit 50,000 healthy individuals for the study.
The JHU technology leverages an epigenetic biomarker panel and a sponge-on-a-string collection device, as well as a PCR-based method, to detect Barrett's esophagus.
The device can process high-volume sputum samples for PCR-based Mycobacterium tuberculosis detection at smear-negative, culture-positive levels.
The New York Times warns in an editorial that 23andMe health risk tests may not provide useful information.
At the PAG conference, researchers said they are sequencing 100 tomato genomes in 100 days using Oxford Nanopore's PromethIon and a pipeline for maximizing SV diversity.
In PLOS this week: links between placental transcriptome and weight; colorectal cancer-related microRNAs; and more.
In Science this week: metagenomic nanopore sequencing of Lassa fever outbreak, and more.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists have treated infants with X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency using gene therapy in an early phase study.
Bloomberg reports that the DNA-for-cash deal reported in Kentucky might be a more widespread scam.
St. Louis Public Radio reports that some African Americans are turning to DNA ancestry testing to help guide genealogical searches.
In Nature this week: a genomic analysis of the snailfish Pseudoliparis swirei, ancient DNA analysis gives insight into the introduction of farming to England, and more. | https://www.genomeweb.com/organization/johns-hopkins |
Economics creates solutions for how individuals, institutions and societies can share resources among various needs. In this scope, economics examines the behaviors of individuals within the framework of benefit and cost. The main research areas of this science are designing economic policies and results, inflation, international economic relations, crises, regulations on competition, market mechanisms, economic growth, and efficient production methods.
At the Department of Economics, students can interpret Turkey and the World economy, they provided a substructure where they can conduct quantitative research. The department’s training program is structured around basic economic theory, economies, and sub-branches of economics, financial markets, public finance, environmental economics, game theory, competitive economics, industrial and international economics.
The students gain a strong economic foundation in the courses of the first two years. They improve their knowledge level by analyzing economic data with scientific projects and applications. The undergraduate program takes a new direction from the third year with the aim of specialization of the students.
Macroeconomics, microeconomics, managerial economics are the three fields which studied together as academic economics focusing on general economics and which are student’s postgraduate specialization alternatives.
Other focusing areas of the undergraduate program of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration covers topics such as Turkish politics, comparative politics, political theory, sociocultural studies and public administration. International relations are a branch of science that explores the political, economic and social developments at the global and regional level, the relations of states, organizations and other forces with each other, international conflicts and cooperation. | http://cwu.edu.tr/academic/faculties__trashed/faculty-of-economics-administrative-and-social-sciences/ |
Distinct fluorescent pattern of KAT1::GFP in the plasma membrane of Vicia faba guard cells.
The organisation of membrane proteins into certain domains of the plasma membrane (PM) has been proposed to be important for signalling in yeast and animal cells. Here we describe the formation of a very distinct pattern of the K(+) channel KAT1 fused to the green fluorescent protein (KAT1::GFP) when transiently expressed in guard cells of Vicia faba. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy we observed a radially striped pattern of KAT1::GFP fluorescence in the PM in about 70% of all transfected guard cells. This characteristic pattern was found to be cell type and protein specific and independent of the stomatal aperture and the cytoskeleton. Staining of the cell wall of guard cells with Calcofluor White revealed a great similarity between the arrangement of cellulose microfibrils and the KAT1::GFP pattern. Furthermore, the radial pattern of KAT1::GFP immediately disappeared when turgor pressure was strongly decreased by changing from hypotonic to hypertonic conditions. The pattern reappeared within 15 min upon reestablishment of high turgor pressure in hypotonic solution. Evaluation of the staining pattern by a mathematical algorithm further confirmed this reversible abolishment of the radial pattern during hypertonic treatment. We therefore conclude that the radial organisation of KAT1::GFP depends on the close contact between the PM and cell wall in turgid guard cells. These results offer the first indication for a role of the cell wall in the localisation of ion channels. We propose a model in which KAT1 is located in the cellulose fibrils intermediate areas of the PM and discuss the physiological role of this phenomenon.
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Associate/Customer Service Representative
OVERVIEW:
The Morrisville Food Co-op is a member-owned community food cooperative that emphasizes healthy, organic, fresh and locally produced products. We are supporting our local growers, farms and producers by providing quality products to our members and customers, while also strengthening our local economy. We strive to promote products that are naturally produced, organic and environmentally and socially responsible.
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Our Associate/Customer Service Representatives provide fast, friendly, helpful and efficient service to all Co-op customers. You will be responsible for stocking grocery products, pricing the product and ensuring that the aisles and shelves are neat, clean and leveled. You’ll provide excellent customer courtesy and service at all times. You will be required to operate a register, and fulfill any other front end duties as business needs necessitate.
RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:
- Responsible for assisting the Manager in ensuring proper receiving, unloading, storage, and rotation of merchandise and building of displays
- Properly rotate all product, pulling outdated items from shelves immediately
- May be required to perform other duties as assigned to meet business objectives
- Comply with established procedures, practices, sales, safety and security according to Morrisville Food Co-op’s policies
- Other duties as assigned.
SKILLS:
- Customer Service skills
- Grocery background preferred
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of customers, employees and management.
- Ability to prioritize work tasks, multi-task and maintain focus
- Must have flexible schedule availability
WORKING CONDITIONS:
Works in normal store environment where there is limited physical discomfort, although goes into refrigerated sections for inventory stocking and retrieval. Interacts with customers and associates daily.
The majority of our jobs require some weekend and/or evening hours. Additional shifts may be necessary to meet the needs of the Co-op. Evening and weekend flexibility required.
Work in a safe environment at all times. Follow all appropriate standards with regards to sanitation, safe food handling practices, handling and labeling of organic ingredients, allergen labeling, and special diets.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position requires frequent standing as well as walking, kneeling, squatting, bending, reaching, stooping, pulling, fine motor manipulation, climbing (ladders), lifting of up to 50lbs, and the ability to move around our store and storage rooms with or without reasonable accommodation.
HOW TO APPLY:
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. Review of applications will start immediately and continue until position is filled. | https://morrisvillecoop.com/careers/associate-customer-service-representative/ |
This application claims the benefit and priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201310012914.5, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on Jan. 14, 2013 and entitled “DISPLAY METHOD FOR BACKGROUND OF APPLICATION PROGRAM AND MOBILE TERMINAL”, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The present invention relates to the field of electronics technologies, and in particular, to a display method for background of application program, and a mobile terminal.
This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
With the development of science and technology, functions of mobile terminals such as cell phones and tablet computers, become increasingly powerful. This kind of mobile terminal has already become an indispensable part of people' daily life. It is a common scene that pedestrians use mobile terminals while walking. However, in the process of using a mobile terminal, the eyes of a user have to watch surroundings from time to time, affecting user experience, and a major or minor safety problem may also occur because a user is too obsessed with the mobile terminal.
This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.
Embodiments of the present invention provide a display method for background of application program, and a mobile terminal, where environment information may be used as a background of an application program.
An embodiment of the present invention provides a display method for background of application program, including:
capturing image information, where the image information includes current environment information;
separating a background displaying layer of a currently running application program;
adding the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program; and
displaying the image information as a background of the currently running application program.
Accordingly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a mobile terminal, including:
a capturing module, configured to capture image information, where the image information includes current environment information;
a separating module, configured to separate a background displaying layer of a currently running application program to at least two layers;
an adding module, configured to add the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program; and
a displaying module, configured to display the image information as a background of the currently running application program.
In the embodiments of the present invention, image information which includes current environment information is used as a background of an application program for displaying, which enables a user to see clearly surroundings through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time, so that the user can use the application program more conveniently and safely.
The following clearly and completely describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Apparently, the described embodiments are a part rather than all of the embodiments of the present invention. All other embodiments obtained by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
FIG. 1
Referring to , is an exemplary flowchart of a display method for background of application program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in , the method according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:
101
S. Capture image information, where the image information includes current environment information.
Specifically, at the same time when a user enables an application program, a camera is also automatically turned-on and image information starts to be captured by using the camera, where a captured image is an image taken by the camera, the image information includes current environment information, that is, the captured image includes environment information about current surroundings, for example, road condition, a pedestrian, or a utility pole which is shot by the camera, and the application program may include an SMS (Short Message Service) message, a microblog or twitter, a WeChat, an e-book, etc.
102
S. Separate a background displaying layer of a currently running application program.
The background displaying layer of the currently running application program is set to two layers, where the two layers are a background first-layer and a background second-layer, and the background first-layer covers the background second-layer. A background is separated to two layers, so as to add the image information to the background displaying layer.
103
S. Add the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program.
Specifically, the background displaying layer of the application program may be set to two layers, where one layer is set to a built-in background of the application program, and the other layer is set to the image information, that is, the image information is added to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program, and the built-in background of the application program covers the image information.
104
S. Display the image information as a background of the currently running application program.
Specifically, the background displaying layer of the application program includes the built-in background of the application program and the image information that is captured by using the camera. The built-in background is made transparent until the image information, which is located at the layer under the built-in background, can be displayed clearly. In this case, the displayed background of the application program is the image information at the background displaying layer. Both the image information and the application program are displayed to the user, so that the user can see clearly the current environment information through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time.
In the embodiment of the present invention, image information which includes current environment information is used as a background of an application program for displaying, which enables a user to see clearly surroundings through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time, so that the user can use the application program more conveniently and safely when walking, on vehicle, etc.
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
FIG. 2
Referring to , is an exemplary flowchart of another display method for background of application program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in , the method according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the following steps:
201
S. Capture image information by using a camera.
At the same time when a user enables an application program, a camera is also automatically turned-on and image information starts to be captured by using the camera, where a captured image is an image taken by the camera, the image information includes current environment information, that is, the captured image includes environment information about current surroundings, for example, road condition, a pedestrian, or a utility pole which is shot by the camera, and the application program may include an SMS (Short Message Service) message, a microblog or twitter, a WeChat, an e-book, etc.
202
S. Set a background displaying layer of a currently running application program to two layers, where the two layers are a background first-layer and a background second-layer, and the background first-layer covers the background second-layer.
203
S. Set a built-in background of the currently running application program at the background first-layer.
The background displaying layer of the application program may be set to two layers, where the background first-layer is set to the built-in background of the application program.
204
S. Add the image information to the background second-layer.
The background second-layer is set to the image information, that is, the image information is added to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program, and the built-in background of the application program covers the image information.
205
S. Set transparency of the built-in background of the currently running application program and display the built-in background transparently.
Specifically, the background displaying layer of the application program includes the built-in background of the application program and the image information that is captured by using the camera. The built-in background is made transparent until the image information, which is located at the layer under the built-in background, can be displayed clearly. In this case, the displayed background of the application program is the image information at the background displaying layer. Both the image information and the application program are displayed to the user, so that the user can see clearly the current environment information through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time.
204
Before step S is executed, the method further includes:
The captured image information is mapped to a segment of memory by using DMA (Direct Memory Access, direct memory access). To transmit data with higher efficiency, a data frame of the image information may be drawn out of the memory, added to a queue, and transmitted to another queue, so that the data frame of the image information is sequentially drawn out of the queue, so as to implement the step in which the image information is added to the background second-layer.
When it is detected that the application program exits, the camera is turned off.
The image information stored in the memory is released at the same time when the camera is turned off; and therefore the image information does not occupy a memory space resource of the mobile terminal anymore and power of the mobile terminal is saved by turning off the camera.
In the embodiment of the present invention, image information which includes current environment information is used as a background of an application program for displaying, which enables a user to see clearly surroundings through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time, so that the user can use the application program more conveniently and safely when walking, on vehicle, etc.
FIG. 3
FIG. 3
10
20
30
40
Referring to , is a modularization schematic diagram of a mobile terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, where the mobile terminal includes: a capturing module , a separating module , an adding module , and a displaying module .
10
The capturing module is configured to capture image information, where the image information includes current environment information.
10
Specifically, at the same time when a user enables an application program, the capturing module notifies a camera of being automatically turned-on and starting to capture image information, where a captured image is an image taken by the camera, the image information includes current environment information, that is, the captured image includes environment information about current surroundings, for example, road condition, a pedestrian, or a utility pole which is shot by the camera, and the application program may include an SMS (Short Message Service) message, a microblog or twitter, a WeChat, an e-book, etc.
20
The separating module is configured to separate a background displaying layer of a currently running application program to at least two layers.
20
The separating module may set a background displaying layer of the currently running application program to two layers, where the two layers are a background first-layer and a background second-layer, and the background first-layer covers the background second-layer. A background is separated to two layers, so as to add the image information to the background displaying layer.
30
The adding module is configured to add the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program.
30
The background displaying layer of the application program may be set to two layers. The adding module may set one layer to a built-in background of the application program, and the other layer to the image information, that is, the image information is added to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program, and the built-in background of the application program covers the image information.
40
The displaying module is configured to display the image information as a background of the currently running application program.
40
The background displaying layer of the application program includes the built-in background of the application program and the image information that is captured by using the camera. The built-in background is made transparent by the displaying module until the image information, which is located at the layer under the built-in background, can be displayed clearly. In this case, the displayed background of the application program is the image information at the background displaying layer. Both the image information and the application program are displayed to the user, so that the user can see clearly the current environment information through the background of the application program when using the program. The mobile terminal may be a cell phone, a tablet computer, etc, and the camera may be a built-in camera or an external camera of this type of mobile terminal.
FIG. 4
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
30
30
301
302
Referring to , is a modularization schematic diagram of the adding module , in accordance with , where the adding module includes: a first-layer setting unit and a second-layer adding unit .
301
The first-layer setting unit is configured to set the built-in background of the currently running application program at the background first-layer.
301
The background displaying layer of the application program may be set to two layers, where the first-layer setting unit sets the background first-layer as the built-in background of the application program.
302
The second-layer adding unit is configured to add the image information to the background second-layer.
302
The second adding unit sets the background second-layer as the image information, that is, the image information is added to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program, and the built-in background of the application program covers the image information.
In the embodiment of the present invention, image information is captured by invoking a camera of a mobile terminal, and the image information which includes current environment information is used as a background of an application program for displaying, which enables a user to see clearly surroundings through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time, so that the user can use the application program more conveniently and safely when walking, on vehicle, or the like.
FIG. 5
FIG. 5
10
20
30
40
Referring to , is a modularization schematic diagram of another mobile terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, where the mobile terminal includes: a capturing module , a separating module , an adding module , and a displaying module .
10
The capturing module is configured to capture image information, where the image information includes current environment information.
10
101
The capturing module may include: a camera capturing unit , configured to capture the image information by using a camera.
101
10
Specifically, at the same time when a user enables an application program, the camera capturing unit in the capturing module notifies a camera of being automatically turned-on and starting to capture image information, where a captured image is an image taken by the camera, the image information includes current environment information, that is, the captured image includes environment information about current surroundings, for example, road condition, a pedestrian, or a utility pole which is shot by the camera, and the application program may include an SMS (Short Message Service) message, a microblog or twitter, a WeChat, an e-book, etc.
20
The separating module is configured to separate a background displaying layer of a currently running application program to at least two layers.
20
201
The separating module may include a separation setting unit , configured to set the background displaying layer of the currently running application program to two layers, where the two layers are a background first-layer and a background second-layer, and the background first-layer covers at the background second-layer.
30
The adding module is configured to add the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program.
30
301
302
The adding module may include a first-layer setting unit and a second-layer adding unit .
301
The first-layer setting unit is configured to set a built-in background of the currently running application program at the background first-layer.
301
The background displaying layer of the application program may be set to two layers, where the first-layer setting unit sets the background first-layer as the built-in background of the application program.
302
The second-layer adding unit is configured to add the image information to the second background layer.
302
The second adding unit sets the background second-layer as the image information, that is, the image information is added to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program, and the built-in background of the application program covers the image information.
40
The displaying module is configured to display the image information as a background of the currently running application program.
40
401
The displaying module may include: a transparency setting unit , configured to set transparency of the built-in background of the currently running application program and display the built-in background transparently.
40
The background displaying layer of the application program includes the built-in background of the application program and the image information that is captured by using the camera. The built-in background may be made transparent by the displaying module until the image information, which is located at the layer under the built-in background, can be displayed clearly. In this case, the displayed background of the application program is the image information at the background displaying layer. Both the image information and the application program are displayed to the user, so that the user can see clearly the current environment information through the background of the application program when using the program. The mobile terminal may be a cell phone, a tablet computer, and the like, and the camera may be a built-in camera or an external camera of this type of mobile terminal
30
The mobile terminal may further include: a storing module, configured to store the image information captured by using the camera in a memory, draw a data frame of the image information out of the memory, and store the data frame of the image information in a queue mechanism manner, so that the data frame of the image information is sequentially drawn out of the queue, and the adding module is notified of executing an operation of adding the image information to the background displaying layer of the currently running application program.
The mobile terminal may further include: a turning-off module, configured to turn off the camera when it is detected that the application program exits.
When the camera is turned off by the turning-off module, the image information stored in the memory is released; and therefore the image information does not occupy a memory space resource of the mobile terminal anymore and power of the mobile terminal is saved by turning off the camera.
In the embodiment of the present invention, image information is captured by invoking a camera of a mobile terminal, and the image information which includes current environment information is used as a background of an application program for displaying, which enables a user to see clearly surroundings through the background of the application program when using the application program at the same time, so that the user can use the application program more conveniently and safely when walking, on vehicle, or the like.
The modules or units provided in the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by using an integrated circuit, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit, central processing unit), or by using an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit, application specific integrated circuit).
According to an actual requirement, the steps in the methods of the embodiments of the present invention may be combined and pruned, and their sequence may be adjusted.
The modules or units in the apparatus of the embodiments of the present invention may be combined, divided, and pruned according to an actual requirement.
A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or a part of the processes of the method embodiments may be implemented by a computer program instructing relevant hardware. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. When the program runs, the processes of the foregoing method embodiments may be included. The storage medium may be a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a read-only memory (Read-Only Memory, ROM), a random access memory (Random Access Memory, RAM), or the like.
The foregoing embodiments are merely exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention. Therefore, any equivalent variance made according to the claims of the present invention shall fall within the scope of the present invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
To describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention more clearly, the following briefly introduces accompanying drawings required for describing the embodiments. Apparently, the accompanying drawings in the following description show some embodiments of the present invention, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may still derive other drawings according to these accompanying drawings without creative efforts.
FIG. 1
is an exemplary flowchart of a display method for background of application program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an exemplary flowchart of another display method for background of application program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a modularization schematic diagram of a mobile terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4
FIG. 3
is a modularization schematic diagram of an adding module, in accordance with ; and
FIG. 5
is a modularization schematic diagram of another mobile terminal, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. | |
From basic research to industrial applications, project development is one of the missions of the Foundation. Today, TLS has taken on an increasingly important role in experimental design and in conducting applied research activities thanks to proprietary technological platforms and ever more specialized scientific skills. Research projects are, indeed, one of the main instruments that make TLS a natural aggregator of competencies, capable of developing synergies and relationships. For years, the Foundation has been pursuing a continuous strengthening of its in-house research, possible thanks to the significant expansion of its technological platforms, the increase in the quality and quantity of research services provided for important industrial partners, and the growth in the number of scientific publications and research projects hosted, supported by European or national funding.
TLS Research
RESEARCH PROJECTS
TLS is involved in an increasing number of research projects aimed at responding to major health challenges such as bacterial resistance to antibiotics or orphan diseases, as well as at investigating the mechanisms of progression and regression of leukemia and blood cancers or the effectiveness of the application of vaccines to immuno-oncology.
SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
In recent years, the increasing commitment of TLS to in-house research has produced a significant growth of the scientific contribution of the foundation’s researchers, with publications in major international scientific journals such as The Lancet, Current Opinion in Immunology, Frontiers in Oncology, Free Radical Biology & Medicine, Genome Medicine, Clinical Cancer Research, Computers in Biology and Medicine, etc. | https://www.toscanalifesciences.org/en/tls-research/ |
One of the world’s leading researchers into the illegal ivory and rhino horn trade was found dead at his Nairobi home on Sunday, multiple news outlets reported.
Esmond Bradley-Martin, a 75-year-old American citizen, had worked for decades researching the markets for wildlife products across Africa and Asia, most recently in Myanmar. He had once served as the UN Special Envoy on rhino conservation.
"Esmond was known for absolute rigour and painstaking precision in his methodology and reporting," said Lisa Rolls, who leads UN Environment's Wild for Life campaign. "He was always willing to lend his decades of expertise to explore approaches to tackling the illegal wildlife trade with complete objectivity. Esmond's commitment to securing a future for wild rhinos and elephants was steadfast. To lose such a gentle and wise conservationist in this way is a shocking tragedy."
Bradley-Martin's meticulous work on the dynamics of illegal wildlife markets provided countries - including China - with the hard data they needed to shut those markets down. His research also informed many of the decisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, a global agreement that regulates trade in wildlife products.
His research, most of which was published by conservation group Save the Elephants, included a 2017 report that found that the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was home to the world's fastest-growing retail market for ivory, as well as a 2016 study that detailed how demand for ivory in Viet Nam was threatening elephants in Africa.
"Esmond has been at the forefront of rhino horn and ivory trade research issues, gleaning much valuable information on both legal and illegal trade," said UN Environment's Maxwell Gomera. "Very few knew much about these issues better than Esmond. Even fewer have pursued these issues with such dedication and commitment. The fight to save wildlife has lost one of its most committed soldiers." | https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/memoriam-esmond-bradley-martin-ivory-trade-researcher |
Qatar Chamber yesterday held a meeting with a visiting Italian agricultural sector trade delegation, headed by Roberto Moncalvo President of Coldiretti Association, a leading farmers union in Italy.
The meeting discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the Qatari and Italian private sector in the fields of agriculture and livestock production, feed production, and food processing, in addition to introducing Qatari businessmen to the most important Italian agricultural products and reviewing the possibility of exporting them to the Qatari market, QNA reported.
Qatar Chamber Board Member, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Obaidly, stressed the importance of exchanging visits between businessmen and investors from both countries to discuss opportunities for joint cooperation and establish trade alliances and to benefit from the attractive investment climate in both countries, expressing Qatar Chamber’s willingness to encourage the establishment of successful partnerships between private sector companies in both countries.
He pointed out that the Qatari economy is attractive to investments in terms of opportunities, privileges and legislation, especially in light of the State’s focus on the launch of a large number of projects to develop infrastructure and logistics, calling on the Italian investors benefit from the incentives provided by the Qatari government, and to establish beneficial bilateral partnerships with their counterparts in Qatar.
In turn, the head of the Italian delegation presented an overview of Coldiretti Association, which focusses on organising the work of agricultural companies and providing farmers with machines, fertilisers and materials for agriculture, while working on harvesting and processing of crops, calling on the parties to make joint efforts to establish bilateral investments between the Qatari investors working in this area and their counterparts in Italy. | https://www.ifpinfo.com/qatar-chamber-hosts-visiting-italian-delegation/ |
Modulation of cholinergic functions by serotonin and possible implications in memory: general data and focus on 5-HT(1A) receptors of the medial septum.
Cholinergic systems were linked to cognitive processes like attention and memory. Other neurotransmitter systems having minor influence on cognitive functions - as shown by the weakness of the effects of their selective lesions - modulate cholinergic functions. The serotonergic system is such a system. Conjoined functional changes in cholinergic and serotonergic systems may have marked cognitive consequences [Cassel JC, Jeltsch H. Serotoninergic modulation of cholinergic function in the central nervous system: cognitive implications. Neuroscience 1995;69(1):1-41; Steckler T, Sahgal A. The role of serotoninergic-cholinergic interactions in the mediation of cognitive behaviour. Behav Brain Res 1995;67:165-99]. A crucial issue in that concern is the identification of the neuroanatomical and neuropharmacological substrates where functional effects of serotonergic/cholinergic interactions originate. Approaches relying on lesions and intracerebral cell grafting, on systemic drug-cocktail injections, or even on intracerebral drug infusions represent the main avenues on which our knowledge about the role of serotonergic/cholinergic interactions has progressed. The present review will visit some of these avenues and discuss their contribution to what is currently known on the potential or established implication(s) into memory functions of serotonergic/cholinergic interactions. It will then focus on a brain region and a neuropharmacological substrate that have been poorly studied as regards serotonergic modulation of memory functions, namely the medial septum and its 5-HT(1A) receptors. Based on recent findings of our laboratory, we suggest that these receptors, located on both cholinergic and GABAergic septal neurons, take part in a mechanism that controls encoding, to some extent consolidation, but not retrieval, of hippocampal-dependent memories. This control, however, does not occur by the way of an exclusive action of serotonin on cholinergic neurons.
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Social anthropologists carry out their professional research in many places around the world; some where they are 'at home' and others where they are in some way 'foreign'. Anthropological scholarship occurs within a variety of economic, cultural, legal and political settings. As professionals and as citizens, they need to consider the effects of their involvement with, and consequences of their work for; the individuals and groups among whom they do their fieldwork (their research participants or 'subjects'); their colleagues and the discipline, and collaborating researchers; sponsors, funders, employers and gatekeepers; their own and host governments; and other interest groups and the wider society in the countries in which they work.
Anthropologists, like other social researchers, are faced increasingly with competing duties, obligations and conflicts of interest, with the need to make implicit or explicit choices between values and between the interests of different individuals and groups. Ethical and legal dilemmas occur at all stages of research - in the selection of topic, area or population, choice of sponsor and source of funding, in negotiating access, making 'research bargains' and during the research itself conducting fieldwork, in the interpretation and analysis of results and in the publication of findings and the disposal of data. Anthropologists have a responsibility to anticipate problems and insofar as is possible to resolve them without harming the research participants or the scholarly community. They should do their utmost to ensure that they leave a research field in a state which permits future access by other researchers. As members of a discipline committed to the pursuit of knowledge and the public disclosure of findings, they should strive to maintain integrity in the conduct of anthropological research.
To these ends the Association has adopted the following set of ethical guidelines to which individual ASA Members should subscribe. They follow the educational model for professional codes, aiming to alert researchers to issues that raise ethical concerns or to potential problems and conflicts of interests that might arise in the research process. They are intended to provide a practical framework for Members to make informed decisions about their own behaviour and involvement, and to help them communicate their professional positions more clearly to the other parties involved in or affected by their research activities.
The close and often lengthy association of anthropologists with the people among whom they carry out research entails personal and moral relationships, trust and reciprocity between the researcher and research participants; it also entails a recognition of power differentials between them.
(b) Under some research conditions, particularly those involving contract research, it may not be possible to fully guarantee research participants' interests. In such cases anthropologists would be well-advised to consider in advance whether they should pursue that particular piece of research.
(b) Anthropologists may sometimes be better placed than (at the least, some of) their informants to anticipate the possible repercussions of their research both for the immediate participants and for other members of the research population or the wider society. In certain political contexts, some groups, for example, religious or ethnic minorities, may be particularly vulnerable and it may be necessary to withhold data from publication or even to refrain from studying them at all.
(b) They should be aware that for research participants becoming the subject of anthropological description and interpretations can be a welcome experience, but it can also be a disturbing one. In many of the social scientific enquiries that have caused controversy this has not arisen because participants have suffered directly or indirectly any actual harm. Rather, the concern has resulted from participants' feelings of having suffered an intrusion into private and personal domains, or of having been wronged, (for example, by having been caused to acquire self-knowledge which they did not seek or want).
(4) Negotiating informed consent: Following the precedent set by the Nuremberg Trials and the constitutional laws of many countries, inquiries involving human subjects should be based on the freely given informed consent of subjects. The principle of informed consent expresses the belief in the need for truthful and respectful exchanges between social researchers and the people whom they study.
(a) Negotiating consent entails communicating information likely to be material to a person's willingness to participate, such as: - the purpose(s) of the study, and the anticipated consequences of the research; the identity of funders and sponsors; the anticipated uses of the data; possible benefits of the study and possible harm or discomfort that might affect participants; issues relating to data storage and security; and the degree of anonymity and confidentiality which may be afforded to informants and subjects.
(b) Conditions which constitute an absence of consent: consent made after the research is completed is not meaningful consent at all. Further, the persons studied must have the legal capacity to give consent. Where subjects are legally compelled (e.g., by their employer or government) to participate in a piece of research, consent cannot be said to have been meaningfully given by subjects, and anthropologists are advised not to pursue that piece of work.
(c) Consent in research is a process, not a one-off event, and may require renegotiation over time; it is an issue to which the anthropologist should return periodically.
(d) When technical data-gathering devices such as audio/visual-recorders and photographic records are being used those studied should be made aware of the capacities of such devices and be free to reject their use.
(f) The long period over which anthropologists make use of their data and the possibility that unforeseen uses or theoretical interests may arise in the future may need to be conveyed to participants, as should any likelihood that the data may be shared (in some form) with other colleagues or be made available to sponsors, funders or other interested parties, or deposited in archives.
(e) Anthropologists should similarly respect the measures taken by other researchers to maintain the anonymity of their research field and participants.
(6) Fair return for assistance: There should be no economic exploitation of individual informants, translators and research participants; fair return should be made for their help and services.
(7) Participants' intellectual property rights: It should be recognised that research participants have contractual and/or legal, interests and rights in data, recordings and publications, although rights will vary according to agreements and legal jurisdiction.
(a) It is the obligation of the interviewer to inform the interviewee of their rights under any copyright or data protection laws of the country where research takes place, and the interviewer must indicate beforehand any uses to which the interview is likely to be put (e.g., research, educational use, publication, broadcasting etc).
(b) Under the UK Copyright Act (1988), researchers making audio or video recordings must obtain 'copyright clearance' from interviewees if recordings are to be publicly broadcast or deposited in public archives. Any restrictions on use (e.g., time period) or other conditions (e.g., preservation of anonymity) which the interviewee requires should be recorded in writing. This is best done at the time of the interview, using a standard form. Retrospective clearance is often time-consuming or impossible where the interviewee is deceased or has moved away.
(c) Interviewers should clarify before interviewing the extent to which subjects are allowed to see transcripts of interviews and fieldnotes and to alter the content, withdraw statements, to provide additional information or to add glosses on interpretations.
(d) Clarification must also be given to subjects regarding the degree to which they will be consulted prior to publication.
(8) Participants' involvement in research: As far as is possible anthropologists should try and involve the people being studied in the planning and execution of research projects, and they should recognise that their obligations to the participants or the host community may not end (indeed should not end, many would argue) with the completion of their fieldwork or research project.
Anthropologists should attempt to ensure that sponsors, funders and employers appreciate the obligations that they have not only to them, but also to research participants, and to professional colleagues.
(c) Where some or all of the research participants are also acting as sponsors and/or funders of the research the potential for conflict between their different roles and interests should be made clear to them.
(b) They should not conceal personal or other factors which might affect the satisfactory conduct or completion of the proposed research project or contract.
(c) They should pay particular attention to matters such as: - their ability to protect the rights and interests of research participants; their ability to make all ethical decisions in their research; and their (and other parties') rights in data collected, in publications, copyright and royalties.
(4) Relations with gatekeepers: Where access to subjects is controlled by a national or local 'gatekeeper', researchers should not devolve their responsibilities onto the gatekeeper. Whilst respecting gatekeepers' legitimate interests, researchers should adhere to the principle of obtaining informed consent directly from subjects once access has been gained. They should be wary of inadvertently disturbing the relationship between subjects and gatekeepers since that will continue long after the researcher has left the field.
Anthropologists derive their status and certain privileges of access to research participants and to data not only by virtue of their personal standing but also by virtue of their professional citizenship. In acknowledging membership of a wider anthropological community anthropologists owe various obligations to that community and can expect consideration from it.
(1) Individual responsibility: Anthropologists bear responsibility or the good reputation of the discipline and its practitioners. In considering their methods, procedures, content and reporting of their enquiries, behaviour in the field and relations with research participants and field assistants they should therefore try to ensure that their activities will not jeopardize future research.
(b) In cross-national research, consideration should be given to the interests of local scholars and researchers, to the problems that may result from matters such as the disparities in resources available to visiting researcher, and to problems of equity in collaboration. As far as is possible and practicable, visiting anthropologists should try and involve local anthropologists and scholars in their research activities but should be alert to the potential for harm that such collaboration might entail in some contexts.
(b) Where the sharing with colleagues of raw, or even processed, data or their (voluntary or obligatory) deposition in data archives or libraries is envisaged, care should be taken not to breach privacy and guarantees of confidentiality and anonymity, and appropriate safeguards should be devised.
(4) Collaborative and team research: In some cases anthropologists will need to collaborate with researchers in other disciplines, as well as with research and field assistants, clerical staff, students etcetera. In such cases they should make clear their own ethical and professional obligations and similarly take account of the ethical principles of their collaborators. Care should be taken to clarify roles, rights and obligations of team members in relation to matters such as the division of labour, responsibilities, access to and rights in data and fieldnotes, publication, co-authorship, professional liability, etcetera.
(5) Responsibilities towards research students and field assistants: Academic supervisors and project directors should ensure that students and assistants are aware of the ethical guidelines and should discuss with them potential (as well as actual) problems which may arise during fieldwork or writing-up.
Anthropologists should be honest and candid in their relations with their own and host governments.
(1) Conditions of access: Researchers should seek assurance that they will not be required to compromise their professional and scholarly responsibilities as a condition of being granted research access.
(b) They should be aware that irresponsible actions by a researcher or research team may jeopardise access to a research setting or even to a whole country for other researchers, both anthropologists and non-anthropologists.
(3) Open research: Anthropologists owe a responsibility to their colleagues around the world and to the discipline as a whole not to use their anthropological role as a cover for clandestine research or activities.
(4) Legal and administrative constraints: Anthropologists should note that there may be a number of national laws or administrative regulations which may affect the conduct of their research, matters pertaining to data dissemination and storage, publication, rights of research subjects, of sponsors and employers, etcetera. They should also remember that, save in a very few exceptional circumstances, social research data are not privileged under law and may be subject to legal subpoena. Such laws vary by jurisdiction. Some which may have consequences for research and publication in the U.K. are, for example, the Data Protection Act, law of confidence, Race Relations Act, defamation laws, copyright law, law of contract, and the Official Secrets Act; in the U.S.A. particularly important are the federal regulations governing human subjects' research, the Privacy Act, the Freedom of Information Act and the Copyright Act.
Anthropologists also have responsibilities towards other members of the public and wider society. They depend upon the confidence of the public and they should in their work attempt to promote and preserve such confidence without exaggerating the accuracy or explanatory power of their findings.
(1) Widening the scope of social research: Anthropologists should use the possibilities open to them to extend the scope of social inquiry, and to communicate their findings, for the benefit of the widest possible community. Anthropologists are most likely to avoid restrictions being placed on their work when they are able to stipulate in advance the issues over which they should maintain control; the greatest problems seem to emerge when such issues remain unresolved until the data are collected or the findings emerge.
(b) That information can be misconstrued or misused is not in itself a convincing argument against its collection and dissemination. All information is subject to misuse; and no information is devoid of possible harm to one interest or another. Individuals may be harmed by their participation in social inquiries, or group interests may be harmed by certain findings. Researchers are usually not in a position to prevent action based on their findings; but they should, however, attempt to pre-empt likely misinterpretations and to counteract them when they occur.
(b) When it is likely that research findings will bear upon public policy and opinion anthropologists should be careful to state the significant limitations on their findings and interpretations.
The reputation of anthropological research will inevitably depend less on what professional bodies assert about their ethical norms than on the conduct of individual researchers. These guidelines are aimed at helping anthropologists to reach an equitable and satisfactory resolution of their dilemmas. This statement of ideals does not impose a rigid set of rules backed by institutional sanctions, given the variations in both individuals' moral precepts and the conditions under which they work. Guidelines cannot resolve difficulties in a vacuum nor allocate greater priority to one of the principles than another. Instead, they are aimed at educating anthropologists, sensitizing them to the potential sources of ethical conflict and dilemmas that may arise in research, scholarship and professional practice, at being informative and descriptive rather than authoritarian or prescriptive. They aim to ensure that where a departure from the principles is contemplated or where the privileging of one group or interested party or parties is deemed situationally or legally necessary, the researcher's decisions should be based on foresight and informed deliberation.
The Ethical Guidelines for Good Research Practice were adopted by the Association at its Annual Business Meeting in March 1999.
As the copyright holder, the ASA allows these guidelines to be photocopied and distributed in unaltered form for educational purposes. | https://www.theasa.org/ethics/guidelines.shtml |
Supposedly, at the premiere of this work in London's Hanover Square Rooms in 1791, a chandelier crashed into the hall but didn't injure anyone because the audience had pressed forward to hear Haydn's new symphony. That's how the "Miracle" nickname arose, but it's attached to the wrong symphony; the "miracle" actually occurred during a performance of Symphony No. 102.
Symphony No. 96 opened the first "Haydn season" in London in March 1791, and the composer took pains to present himself as both a learned musician and a composer who could appeal to a wide, bourgeois audience (back in central Europe, he'd been playing to the courtly crowd). So this symphony begins with a brief Adagio, very serious yet neither heavy nor dramatic. This leads to the main Allegro matter with its mildly contrapuntal initial bars that burst into a resounding tutti. This music is busy, vibrant, and celebratory, full of sudden dynamic contrasts geared to keep the unpredictable English audience attentive. Of the 12 "Salomon" Symphonies, this has one of the more interesting development sections, working through the melodic fragments with greater thoroughness and variety than usual. Then after an unusual full stop comes the recapitulation, with a striking trumpet fanfare launching the coda.
The Andante varies a hesitant theme that consists of a brief ascending phrase, an equally brief descending answer, and a fairly long rumination on the terse exchange. Variety comes through orchestration rather than manipulation of the notes themselves, although the melody does sometimes benefit from a contrapuntal treatment. Otherwise, the guises range from the intimate to the pompous, with the former quality prevailing.
The Minuet alternates a brawny statement for full orchestra with a more delicate response for strings and woodwinds. As in the Andante, this answering phrase consists of short, hesitant utterances followed by a smoother, undulating passage. The trio features an oboe solo in a Ländler tune -- a light one, not given the buffoonish treatment that Haydn often prefers.
The finale, Vivace assai, offers one of Haydn's lighthearted, scampering tunes for strings with occasional woodwind doubling. Things remain at a low dynamic level until the first contrasting episode, which is derived from the main theme -- as will be each episode in this movement, which is a cross between rondo and sonata form. The music becomes boisterous only intermittently, including a brief minor-mode incident and the rousing if short conclusion. ---James Reel, Rovi
The first of Haydn's two excursions to London began in December of 1790 and was, by all accounts, a great success. He remained in London for two concert seasons, returning to Vienna in July 1792. The composer wrote six new symphonies for the concert series; these are now numbered 93-98, the first six of the so-called "London" symphonies.
Despite its numbering, Haydn's Symphony No. 97 in C major (H. I:97) was the last of the six initial "London" symphonies he composed. It was first performed on May 3, 1792, in London.
It is the last in a long line of brilliant, festive "trumpet and drum" symphonies in C major. March-like rhythms and fanfare-like motives imbue the first movement with a martial atmosphere. Haydn creates a link between the first movement's slow introduction and the ensuing sonata-form structure by using the cadence from the beginning and end of the introduction to close the exposition, unifying what in other ways are decidedly disparate sections of the piece.
The slow movement, marked Adagio ma non troppo, is a set of variations in which subtle orchestral effects contribute as much to the variants of the theme as do changes in melodic shape and harmonic background.
Subtle alterations in orchestration are also a feature of the Minuet and Trio, in which none of the repeats is literal, allowing for changes in instrumentation and texture while following the traditional pattern of repetition characteristic of the minuet. Haydn's Allegretto tempo keeps the movement in the realm of the minuet as opposed to the quicker scherzo. At the close of the trio is a violin solo with the direction, "Salomon solo ma piano," most likely a gesture of thanks to the impresario who was responsible for the most fulfilling musical and professional experience of the composer's life. The isolation of this single line from the rest of the orchestra, supported by an "oom-pah-pah" accompaniment in the timpani and horns (an unusual use of tone color for the time), as well as the leaping grace notes in the horns and violins on downbeats, are evidence of Haydn's mastery of orchestration.
An amalgam of sonata and rondo forms, the Finale was originally marked Spirituoso, but after his arrival in Vienna in 1792, Haydn changed the direction to Presto assai. Section A is repeated and moves to the dominant, G major. Section B takes up the new key with horns pounding away on G naturals. After a few measures this stark accompaniment shifts to the trumpets and timpani -- another case of unusual scoring. A reference to the "A" theme rounds off section B, which ends on the tonic and is repeated. The central section contains not only new material, but developmental passages based on themes from the first two sections, after which both A and B return in their original forms without repeats. Because section B in its original form ends on C major, there is no reason for any modification at its reprise, but the ensuing coda's further confirmation of the tonic is necessary as the movement closes with snippets of the A theme. ---John Palmer, Rovi
download (mp3 @320 kbs): | http://theblues-thatjazz.com/en/classical/657-franzjosefhaydn/19864-haydn-the-12-london-symphonies-bernstein-cd2-2003.html |
In this article, let’s explore how to make interesting conversations, and what makes a conversation boring and how to avoid it.
Small talk is unavoidable. It is the gateway to more detailed and meaningful conversation. However, if you are not aware of the situation and the people within it, you can easily get stuck at this stage.
There is the potential for you boring yourself and others, never getting to the point where you enjoy the exchange. There are some essential steps you can take to move beyond the boring conversation and start to enjoy yourself.
Boring Conversations – What They Are And How To Avoid Them
1. Has no consequence in your lives
Any chat about something that is completely useless, and doesn’t apply to real life, is going to end up boring you. Granted some conversation topics have no use in real life, but they’re fun and interesting to those listening. But some topics are just useless and inconsequential.
Think about talking about football to someone who’s not into it. Sure it can be fun and interesting to one person – but the other can have no interest at all, and absolutely no use for it. They just want the other person to stop talking or change the subject. They might even be polite enough to show interest in it for a few minutes, but after that, it’s just time to move on.
2. One person is making all the conversation heavy lifting
If you are asking questions and get short and conclusive answers; coming up with topics to talk about and the other person barely engages back with those topics; you are making all the effort and showing that your listening while the other person barely reacts to anything they hear; you give the conversation your full attention, while the other person is laid back or distracted by what’s going on around them.
All these scenarios will end in an uninspiring conversation.
You might think you have to be talking to a rude person for that to happen, right? Well, many people are just not aware of themselves socially. They don’t necessarily have bad intentions, they just don’t know how to hold interesting conversations. All you can do is practice so you are not one of these people.
3. Ignore the lack of closeness
We’re not getting any friendlier but we’re still talking for some reason – why? If you’ve been talking for half an hour and you still feel like strangers instead of potential friends, then that’s a problem – any conversation topic could be determined as boring.
4. They are centered around only one or two topics
If they only have one or two ideas for conversations, and drag those topics up until there is nothing left to say about them, it might signal that you don’t have much in common. You may need to stick to that one thing you can actually talk about… or you’re going to have to accept that you are talking to someone with inferior conversation skills.
For example, you can meet someone at a business networking event, as a group you all go to dinner, an hour of group conversation later, they’re still only talking about work, while everyone else is transitioning to personal topics to get to know others on a more personal level.
You can either leave the conversation or take responsibility for leading it in a new direction.
5. They’re emotionless and impersonal
If you never share any opinions, don’t talk about your feelings ever, don’t mention anything from your life that is out of the ordinary, boom! You have a boring conversation. To get interesting – do the opposite.
6. I’m perfect
Are you perfect? Yes? Good! Now let’s have a boring conversation. Yes, if you display and/or they display no vulnerability at all and just sit there and pretend that you have perfect lives and that you have everything under control, then yes, you’ll have a very stale and dull conversation.
Both of you secretly know that it’s not true, so you’re not really connecting – you think, well this is a fake social interaction, which is very hard to enjoy at all.
7. One person is holding the floor for too long
In groups the chance for a boring conversation should decrease, right? Or maybe not.
What if one person holds the floor for too long or every time a new subject is brought up, that person is the loudest, has the strongest opinions, the most amount of stories, and they WANT YOU TO KNOW NOW, CAN YOU HEAR THEM? OR SHOULD THEY SPEAK EVEN LOUDER?
Well, yeah, when one person dominates the conversation, even as new topics come up, then you just want them to shut up or leave so you can finally have a friendly convo.
8. Ignore a person or a couple of people in the group conversation (they stay silent)
Worse still is that group conversation where some people are always ignored or never encouraged to get involved. This becomes a boring interaction even if those who are talking are enjoying it. There is a creepy feeling about the whole thing.
Those who talk start to feel the guilt of leaving the others behind. Those who aren’t speaking develop this sense of being left out of the group.
9. Having a narcissist in the group
You know those people who will take any conversation topic and turn it into something about them, something that is related to their life, or reminds them about something amazing they did or some amazing quality they have and can’t wait to tell you about?
You know, those people who think that a group conversation is a performance, they’re the star, and everyone else is just there to witness their greatness? Yeah, those people.
They make the conversation boring. Don’t be like them. Ever. Please and thank you.
How To Have Interesting Conversations
1. Choose topics that apply to others
When just getting to know people, there are some topics that apply to anyone’s life, and you can safely talk about them with pretty much any adult: career and business, health and fitness, relationships, real estate and housing, vacations and travel, holidays, etc.
Because these topics apply to everyone, it’s easy for them to be engaged, interested, and participate in it.
2. Do your part of the work in conversation
Listen, show you’re listening, open conversation topics, engage with topics others bring up, and give the interaction your full attention. If you’re engaged with the conversation, it’s like you’re putting faith into the convo.
You’re saying “I believe this is an interesting conversation.” and by giving that impression, it’s easy for others to follow along and be engaged in it too. Enthusiasm is contagious; boredom is also contagious… so choose well which kind of emotions you want to have when talking to you. Choose which emotions you want them to associate with you.
3. Be aware of the connection you’re having with the other person
There are precise processes to getting to know people and making friends. If you’re in a conversation and ignore those processes, then the conversation won’t be interesting.
Here is the thing, you start with talking about what’s surrounding you, you then exchange basic information and facts about your lives and then transition to opinions, stories, and how you feel about things.
That’s how a typical interesting conversation that leads to friendship develops.
As you are aware of how close you’re getting with the other person or group of people, your conversations take that into account, and will definitely be more interesting.
The main reason for this is that: people want conversations where they’ll connect with others on a somewhat personal level; they want conversations that create connection and friendship. People find that very valuable and will always be interested in conversations that could lead to new friendships.
4. Expand the range of topics – do it early in the conversation
If you expand the range of topics in a conversation, you instantly make it more interesting and engaging.
You get extra points if you do it early on. This makes everyone unconsciously realize that “We can talk about anything here, ok, that’s cool!”
When talking to successful, and socially active people, you realize that there is more to who they are than their job and the basic facts of their life. They will want to draw in ideas from all areas of their life and encourage you to do the same.
They are interesting because they understand what is engaging about the life they lead and share this.
5. Get personal when appropriate
Moving the conversation along to more personal topics requires some skill. You don’t want to become personal too soon, nor do you want to keep your distance for too long. Gradually introduce stories from your experience and listen carefully to how responsive the other person is to sharing too.
If you are able to offer personal details and opinions with another person, you are likely going to become friends along the way.
6. Show vulnerability – gradually
We all want validation that what we’re doing makes sense. If our decisions are right. If what we feel and think actually makes sense to others – at least at a minimum. And the more we respect someone, the more we want their validation. It’s natural and human.
So, people will never open up to you and show interest in the conversation if you don’t remember to show that you’re only human, just like everybody else.
Show some of your vulnerabilities. Show the ones that almost embarrass you. Don’t share things that are too weird, too soon. Just sharing any small quirk you have or embarrassing little mistake you made recently.
Once you do that, you make the conversation very “real” and interesting.
7. Find balance in holding the conversation floor
Make sure you talk the right amount. It’s not a precise science, but there should be a balance between how long each person speaks in a conversation.
This is more important when talking to new people. Once you get to know people, the balance between how long each person speaks becomes less important, and people start to default to their natural speaking rhythm and preference.
For example, in one-on-one conversations, it should be close to 50-50 (50% you, 50% the other person). As you get to know them and become more comfortable it can go all the way to 80-20. With the “good listener” can speak just 20% and the “talker” 80%. This is normally appropriate.
But at first, it should be more balanced so both of you can figure out what kind of person they’re talking to.
A strong conversationalist will have got that way by chatting lots. They will have gone through those conversations where it never moves beyond small talk. They will also have been in an exchange where they missed the moments to become more personal and more vulnerable to the other.
What distinguishes those with the ability to engage in conversations from those who try is the resilience to keep going back and trying again. | https://ftp.getthefriendsyouwant.com/make-interesting-conversations-avoid-boring-ones/ |
What does Sartre say about abandonment?
“Abandonment” is Sartre’s term describing the fact that people are “condemned to be free.” Without objective moral laws from God or another authoritative source, people cannot avoid moral responsibility for all their choices, including the choice to do nothing.
What does Sartre say in existentialism is a humanism?
Ultimately, Sartre proves that existentialism is a humanism because it is a philosophy that reminds man that (a) in his abandoned state, man must make his own choices, (b) that man’s choices must be good for all (not just himself), and that (c) man will only realize himself as truly human when he commits himself to a …
What does Sartre say about existentialism?
Sartre’s theory of existentialism states that “existence precedes essence”, that is only by existing and acting a certain way do we give meaning to our lives. According to him, there is no fixed design for how a human being should be and no God to give us a purpose.
Why does Sartre think that existentialism is a humanism?
Sartre answers the title question of his lecture: existentialism is a humanism grounded in the shared human condition—humanist not because it worships humans, but because it is designed for humans and recognizes that everyone is constantly trying to become the people they imagine they should be.
Why does man feel a sense of abandonment?
Abandonment fear often stems from childhood loss. This loss could be related to a traumatic event, such as the loss of a parent through death or divorce. It can also come from not getting enough physical or emotional care. These early childhood experiences can lead to a fear of being abandoned by others later in life.
Why does man feel a sense of abandonment according to Sartre?
Abandonment. For Sartre ‘abandonment’ means specifically abandonment by God. In order to meet the criticism that without God there can be no morality, Sartre develops his theory about the implications of freedom and the associated state of anguish.
Why does the existentialist find it embarrassing that God does not exist?
The existentialist, on the contrary, thinks it very distressing that God does not exist, because all possibility of finding values in a heaven of ideas disappears along with Him; there can no longer be an a priori Good, since there is no infinite and perfect consciousness to think it.
What is Sartre’s existentialist ethics?
Sartre, generally acknowledged as the central figure of the existentialist tradition, made his best-known attempt to outline an existentialist ethics in Existentialism and Humanism, first published in 1946. In that work, Sartre argues that one is morally obliged to recognise the value of both one’s own freedom and the freedom of others.
Was Sartre an atheist?
In this regard, Sartre was a different kind of atheist and, so too, a different kind of moralist in French society. The death of God, for Sartre, relativized morality in that human behavior was no longer surveilled by the moral authority upstairs.
Was the existentialism espoused by Sartre atheistic?
The beginning of modern atheistic existentialism is mainly represented by Jean-Paul Sartre through his philosophy, novels, and plays. The later portion of the modern period has seen the rise of a type of atheistic existentialism proposed by André Comte-Sponville .
What did Sartre mean by ‘man is an useless passion’?
However, this human tendency to want to be his own base, to deny the facticity and the fear of freedom is impossible to satisfy: consciousness will always be a void, ever be full. This is why Jean Paul Sartre launches somewhat provocative: “Man is a useless passion.”. Ontologically justified, especially since it is the conclusion of Being and Nothingness, Sartre means the ire of critics who criticize him despair of men to defend an existentialist anti-humanist. | https://pvillage.org/archives/390530 |
The main challenge faced by satellite communication is latency — delays caused due to switching and distance. This does not matter with broadcasts or web browsing, but it is important where quick communication is needed between consumers who are just few miles say 3, miles away as an aircraft flies but more than 70, miles apart if the signal bounces through a satellite.
Trends and Future of Satellite Communications | SpringerLink
It is a matter of great concern for surgeons who are controlling robotic operating equipment during a surgery in another country and it gets quite annoying in video conferences. Also for ADAS domain the satellite communication is not suitable as it needs very low latency.
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- Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition–1988.
- Trends in Communications Satellites.
- What is the Major purpose of Communication Satellite??
Forecasting the future is uncertain in Science. In future, satellite communication is most likely to find applications in satellite-oriented air traffic management, customized land mobile radio broadcasting, and aeronautical satellite communication. It is justified to expect incessant gains with respect to intelligent space communications systems. Noteworthy new technologies are yet to be developed in the satellite communication space. As the world economies turn out to be increasingly global and as all global parts, the atmosphere, and the oceans are exploited by mankind, the need for efficient wireless interlinks through satellite and terrestrial wireless communication will expand.
Furthermore, the increase usage of space systems planetary, manned, and unmanned bodies will give rise to the need for enhanced space communication systems. The future of the satellite communication space depends upon how successful the present satellite networks are. LOG IN. Log into your account. Recover your password.
A Year of Evolution: Top 5 Satellite Trends in 2018
ELE Times. Indian Army rolls out robust artificial intelligence mechanism. New smart artificial hand for amputees merges user and robotic control. ELE Times - July 3, ELE Times - June 19, After all, LEO satellites require expensive terminals.
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On the other hand, there have been major advances in signal capacity among GEOs, which can now receive and transmit at hundreds of gigabits per second. Modern GEO satellites also run for longer and at greater strength than ever before. They will likely play a major role in providing broadband internet to developing economies whose residents have lower median incomes. Their low cost of operation and flexibility makes them highly viable for scientific explorations , according to a study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Perhaps one of the biggest potential problems that the spread of this technology could bring is space debris.
Currently there are only about CubeSat devices in orbit.
But as they grow in popularity and use, especially if they make it to the average consumer, this number will no doubt grow. NAS study authors acknowledged this, as well as concerns regarding security and the possibility of espionage. Regardless, thanks to devices like CubeSats, satellite technology will be, at some point, for better or worse, more widely available and accessible. This required advances in antenna design, new placement strategies and a drastic increase in bits-per-second capabilities, but engineers believe that consumer-tier satellite phone calls, improved emergency response efforts in crisis situations and other radical functions are all possible through further Ka-band development.
Phased array antennas enter the broadband communications space While phased array transmissions have existed in various forms since the s , they weren't anywhere near the consumer market until fairly recently. Satellite Today noted that there has been a major push among some in the industry to deploy satellite antennas using this technology in recent years, to bring broadband capabilities to vehicles on both land and sea, and also improve global internet access. However, others in the sector believed that the cost of large-scale phased array development will outweigh its potential benefits.
Manufacturers were and are confident that the products' quality will mitigate such concerns, but it's still too early to tell which side wins that particular argument. Boeing upped the ante on payload technology in when it developed testing systems built directly into the bodies of satellites. This advancement would eliminate the need for prelaunch testing and thus save considerable time and money. The vessels containing this feature, 03b mPOWER satellites, were announced in September , with seven planned to be constructed at first for use with SES's communications platform.
The STRS program Though in its early stages of development as of mid, NASA's Space Telecommunications Radio System project promises to revolutionize communications between ground and space, for agency missions as well as interstellar dispatches. No matter the specific needs of a particular satellite, AMETEK provides uniquely fabricated solder preforms , bonding wire and optoelectronic modulator components to help guarantee peak performance at the most pivotal moments. Our products ensure the seamless transmission of data for numerous commercial, industrial and government applications.
April 1. March 2.
Emerging trends in satellite communications: High throughput satellites in LEO, MEO, and GEO
February 2. January 2. Looking Toward the Future of Deep Learning. December 2.
The Energy Industry at the Crossroads. November 2. | https://cognapopizma.ga/trends-in-communications-satellites.php |
High heels were designed by the Persian cavalries
The origin of high heels dates back to the 10th century, when Persians wore high-heeled shoes when riding horses. The heels would help maintain balance while riding the horse and shooting arrows, as they could easily be trapped in the stirrups. The design of high-heeled shoes that we know today was introduced in Europe in the 17th century by the Persian Embassy of Shah Abbas I. Donning has become a symbol of class and status and royalty just like the King Louis IV theirs.
According to Klaus Carl, the authorities also attributed a specific heel length according to social rank. It was an inch and a half for the people, 1 inch for the burghers, 1½ inches for the knights, 2 inches for the nobles and 2 ½ inches for the princes. Women were not far behind and quickly became fashionable, but the design of heels for women’s shoes was thinner and sharper than men’s. It was only after the French Revolution in the 1780s that heels became more popular in women’s fashion. Subsequently, with the invention of the sewing machine and other technologies, production has increased. Advertisements such as pin-up posters during the World Wars have also helped shape the image of heels in what it is today. | https://all-funny.info/high-heels-were-designed-by-the-persian-cavalries |
When temporary structures are provided to support platform for workmen, structural material and appliances required during construction at raised height (normally more than 1.5 m) it is called scaffolding.
Scaffolding is necessary in following situations.
To support the working platforms where masons can stand and carry on their duties such as plastering, brick laying or painting etc.
Scaffolding is also provided where demolition or maintenance work of the building has to be carried out.
Construction and design of scaffold comes under safety regulation of building site. For example when a person is liable to fall from more than 2m, the platforms of the scaffolds are to be provided with a guard rail to a height of 1m and also a tie board at least 200 mm above the platform.
About 35 to 40 percent of all the accidents that takes place in building construction sites is due to faulty scaffolding. Therefore strict supervision should be followed according to standard practice during scaffolding erection.
All scaffolding should be properly fixed so that they do not fall away from wall laterally. Similarly it should be stable longitudinally also.
The platform should be wide enough to accommodate a person working on it. It should not be less than 425 mm in width when the height is more than 1.8 m.
When materials are to be stored on the platform then the width of the platform should not be less than 850 mm.
Workmen should not work under the scaffolding.
The following different types of scaffolding are in common use.
Construction of temporary structures to support an unsafe structure is called shoring.
At the time of dismantling or reconstructing a defective building wall, shoring is provided to support the floors or roofs connected to that wall.
Shoring is also provided to support super structure when large openings are required to be made in the walls.
Temporary support by means of shores to unsafe structures may be given externally or internally or may be from both sides.
To maintain equilibrium, it is essential that the lines of actions of overturning forces in floors and roofs, the forces in walls and the reaction of the shores must meet at a single point.
Shoring can be made of timber or steel considering the load it has to withstand.
Depending on the supporting characteristic or their positions in the space, shorings are classified into following 3 types.
Structures provided underneath of an existing foundation to maintain its stability is termed as underpinning. Underpinning is used to repair, strengthen or renewal of the foundation of an existing building.
During underpinning, the existing structure is required to be temporary supported by means of raking shores.
The following situations demand underpinning.
When defective foundation of wall is to be replaced with new foundation or when existing foundation of a wall is required to be strengthened to enable it to carry more loads.
To strengthen shallow footings of the existing building when a building with deep foundation is to be constructed adjoining to it.
To safe guard against the danger of excessive or differential settlement of foundations of existing structure.
To increase depth of foundation to increase its bearing capacity so as to sustain heavier loads.
During construction of basement of an existing building structure.
Building should be first examined for presence of any weakness such as poor brickwork or masonry and for effects of settlement which may arise during the underpinning operation.
Temporary support should be provided by adequate shoring and by strutting up of openings and inside of floors.
In case of underpinning below high rise buildings, check must be made to measure any movement of the building by means of plumb bob or total station.
There are several methods of underpinning of foundation of which the three popular methods are as follow.
Pit method – it involves strengthening by excavation and building below the existing foundation.
Pile method – it involves supporting the building on newly built piles of various types without excavation.
Pier method – this is a combination of pit and a pile method where first excavation is done below the foundation and a pir is built up for the new foundation.
You describe very clear about scaffolding, shoring underpinning.
Thanks to useful information about DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCAFFOLDING, SHORING & UNDERPINNING.
get addicted to ur site. want more info specially modern days work techniques and specifications.
I was unaware of the term underpinning. But here I got info. Thanks for enhancing knowledge.
Very good post that differentiate between scaffolding, shoring and underpinning. Through this post I understand the real definition of scaffolding material and types that are used in a construction sites. Thank for providing this information in the post. | https://civilblog.org/2015/09/24/difference-between-scaffolding-shoring-underpinning/ |
10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports Like a BossPosted By: Sufia Banu | August 18, 2017
This article explores some of the most talented individuals who dominated the sports they played or are still playing.
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Table of Contents
10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports Like a Boss
10. KELLY SLATER
In our little lives, only few of us are lucky enough to surpass our childhood heroes. Robert Kelly Slater (a Floridian professional surfer) is one of those lucky dudes. In 2007 when he became the all-time leader in career event wins by winning the Boost Mobile Pro event, Slater transcended the three-time world champion and his hero Tom Curren. Known for his competitive prowess and style. Kelly Slater is 11-times ASP World Tour Champion, 5 of which he’d won in a row between 1994–98.
9. ALEKSANDR KARELIN
Nicknamed the ‘Russian Bear’ Karelin, now retired was a Greco-Roman wrestler for the Soviet Union and Russia. He’s been crowned with a bunch of other names too -“Alexander the Great”, “Russian King Kong” and “The Experiment” which he absolutely deserves thanks to a record 887 win with only two losses in his entire career. [watch some of highlights]
Karelin was born extraordinarily big, weighing 6.8 kg (15 lb). He began training as a wrestler in 1981 and went undefeated from 1982 to 1987 then after suffering a pair of losses resumed his winning streak for the second time from 1987 to 2000. Karelin is known for his inhumanly strength, lightening quickness combined with his dominance of the sport. This Hulk of a man knew well how to utilise his power to his advantage. Karelin was known for something called the ‘Karelin lift’ where he would hoist his opponents up into the air and slam him down violently. That throw alone would get him 5 points. He’d won gold medals thrice at the 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games and a silver medal in the 2000.
8. MARGARET COURT
The International Tennis Hall of Fame states, “For sheer strength of performance and accomplishment there has never been a tennis player to match (her)”. Margaret Smith Court is now a retired world No. 1 professional tennis player who amassed more major titles than any other player in history of professional tennis.
Court entered the tennis world with a bang winning seven consecutive singles titles at the Australian Championships starting at the age of 17 in 1960. During the open era in the 1970s Court became the first woman and the second woman in history to win the singles Grand Slam all in the same year. Court won a record 24 of those titles, and also 19 women’s doubles and 21 mixed doubles titles making a record 64 major titles overall. Believe it or not she is the only player in tennis history to complete a multiple slam in all three disciplines: singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.
7. MICHAEL SCHUMACHER
Widely regarded as the greatest formula one racing driver (the game that considerd to be one of Highest Paying and Popular sport in the world, Schumacher has won the Formula One World Champion seven-breathtaking-time.
When he was young his parents took him to the karting track where he joined and became the youngest member of the karting club. And when he found out that in Germany one had to be 14 years old to obtain a kart license he flew straight to Luxembourg and obtained the license at the age of 12.
Schumacher holds a number of records including most championships, most races won in a single season, race victories, pole positions and fastest laps. Besides his kicking career, Michael Schumacher had also invested his efforts as an ambassador for UNESCO and a spokesman for driver safety. An unfortunates skiing accident in December 2013 has currently left him paralyzed and wheelchair-bound.
6. SÉBASTIEN LOEB
Sébastien Loeb, now retired, was once hailed as the ‘Champion of Champions’ in professional rally and racing driving. This French asskicking athlete has won the world championship a record nine times in a row. Added to this he holds several other WRC records, including most wins, most points and most podium finishes.
He had started his career as a gymnast becoming a four-time Alsatian champion. But in 1995 later having found out that he was fascinated by speed he turned his attention to racing. And thank God he did because by 2001 he’d impressively won the Junior World Rally Championship. Loeb is a three-time Race of Champions winner. He was named the French Sportsman of the Year twice (in 2007 and 2009) and was also entitled as the Knight of the Legion of Honour (Légion d’honneur) in 2009. He retired from World Rallying in 2012. Definitely one of the 10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports.
5. HAILE GEBRSELASSIE
Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running sensation. When he was a little boy Gebrselassie had to run 10 kilometers to school which not only resulted in honing of his talent but he developed a peculiar running posture where his left arm became a bit crooked as if holding invincible school books. Definitely one of the 10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports.
Having broken 61 Ethiopian national records, Gebrselassie is widely considered as the greatest distance runners in history of the game. He gained prominence at the 1992 Junior World Championships in Seoul after winning both the 5000-metre and 10,000-metre races. His record at Berlin Marathon of having completed run in 2:03:59 still stands. Gebrselassie has won Olympic gold medals twice, Berlin Marathon four consecutive times and also three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon. Need we say anymore?
4. LIN DAN
This badass badminton player belongs to China. Nicknamed ‘Super Dan’ started playing badminton at the age of 5 against his parents’ wishes who wanted him to learn piano. Surely they don’t mind their son’s defiantness now. Anyway back to Dan’s amazing achievements – he is a five-time world champion, five-time world champion and two-time Olympic champion.
Dan has won all nine major titles in the badminton world – Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, Thomas Cup, Sudirman Cup, Super Series Masters Finals, Asian Games, All England Open, and Asian Championships – therefore completing the “Super Grand Slam.” No wonder today there are plenty of people who regard him as the greatest singles player of all time.
Interesting fact: Lin Dan had received a master’s degree from Huaqiao University becoming the first active Chinese badminton player to have been honored thus.
3. JAHANGIR KHAN
I’ve already mentioned this God of squash before but non-the-less this list would be incomplete without mentioning Jahangir Khan. Born in Pakistan, ever since the day Khan had started playing squash in 1979 at the age of 15, he has excelled. He went on to become the youngest winner of the World Armature Individual Championship and later becoming the youngest World Open Champion. Believe it or not but between 1981 and 1986 he won 555 consecutive matches which was hailed as the ‘longest winning streak’ in the history of professional sports. It earned him a place in the Guinness World Record. Definitely one of the 10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports.
2. DHYAN CHAND
The great Indian Field Hockey player, Dhyan Chand is often recognized as Definitely one of the 10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports. to have ever lived. He played in India hockey history’s brightest era and had reputedly scored more than 400 goals in his glorious international career. Cricket world’s legend Don Bradman after watching Chand in action had remarked “He scores goals like runs in cricket”. He had earned three Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932, and 1936 and once had served as the captain of the national team. Chand passes away in 1979.
Interesting facts: This master player’s magical control over the ball wasn’t just extraordinary goal-scoring feats but also earned him the nickname – ‘The Wizard’. And ridiculously enough in Netherlands, the authorities broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside.
1. ESTHER VERGEER
Vergeer (now retired) is a Dutch wheelchair tennis player who dominated Wheelchair Tennis for 14 damn years – starting from 1999 right to her retirement in 2013. She had one heck of a childhood when she often suffered from strokes, migraines, basically a lot of pains. Shuttling between home and hospital, they soon discovered that Vergeer had a vascular myelopathy around her spinal cord which led to a 9 hours operation. By the end of the operation Vergeer had lost her ability to walk. Following this sad incident Vergeer while rehabilitating began playing basketball, volleyball and tennis in her wheelchair. Definitely one of the 10 Athletes Who Dominated Their Sports.
For 668 weeks Esther Vergeer had held the world’s number one position. In single matches she’s got a jaw dropping straight 470 win. In her moderately long career she has lost only 25 matches and won 700 more. Now finally speaking of titles, combining both singles and doubles, Vergeer has managed to win 7 Paralympics, 22 year-end championships and 42 Gram Slams. I know Roger Federer is probably jealous too. | https://sporteology.net/10-athletes-who-dominated-their-sports-like-a-boss/ |
The enjoyment, skills and team-spirit gained by pupils is wonderful to see. Woodford Valley enters many tournaments and festivals throughout the year; showing respect and dignity for themselves as well as those they compete against.
PE intends to develop the children’s personal, physical knowledge, skills and understanding, so that they can perform with increasing competence and confidence in a range of physical activities. These include dance, games, gymnastics, swimming and water safety, athletics and outdoor adventure activities. PE involves thinking, selecting and applying skills and promotes positive attitudes towards a healthy lifestyle. The impact of this is to enable pupils to make informed choices about physical activity throughout their lives.
As a school we are very proud to be able to participate in sporting events and team game competitions, both within school and further afield. We have great hope for all our pupils in sporting activities and encourage them all to have a go.
Our beautiful countryside setting provides ample opportunities for PE challenges and fun in the great outdoors! | http://www.woodfordvalley.wilts.sch.uk/pe/ |
More than 250 activists, academics, policy-makers, and organizational and religious leaders from over 20 countries gathered at Women’s Learning Partnership’s human security conference, “Clash or Consensus: Gender and Human Security in a Globalized World” in Washington, DC, USA, on October 8-9, 2003. Organized in collaboration with the Global Fund for Women, the conference provided a forum for women leaders and human security experts from the Global South–particularly from Muslim societies–to explore ways to discuss and define human security goals and challenges from a perspective that is people-centered.
While the concept of security has been traditionally concerned with the security of states and the shoring up of borders, the notion of human security encompasses the social, political, economic, and cultural needs and rights of individuals and communities in our increasingly interconnected societies and provides a viable framework for achieving sustainable societal change. In the panel discussions conference participants discussed: challenges to achieving security for all; the conditions needed for citizens to live in safety, peace and dignity; strategies for exercising fundamental rights to health, education and well-being; ways of exerting freedom to choose and participating fully in governance. The conference highlighted the ways global gender inequalities in public and private spheres continue to undermine the security of women around the world.
WLP President Mahnaz Afkhami delivered the opening statement, stressing the importance of addressing the “universality, indivisibility, and the global character of human security.” Ms. Afkhami discussed the need to build cultures of peace in a world where human relations are increasingly defined by violence. “In an atmosphere of escalating ethnic tensions and extremisms,” Ms. Afkhami stated, “international relations are increasingly defined in terms of clashes between cultures, religions, and civilizations. If we define disagreements in terms of our fundamental values, then clearly we nourish the roots of extremism. We need to begin to encourage a culture of reason, practicality, and consensus.”
Mary Robinson delivered the keynote address that served as a call to action for individuals and organizations world wide who are working to implement human security. Ms. Robinson spoke about conflict and post-conflict situations such as those in Afghanistan, Iraq, Liberia, and Palestine and the particularly dire conditions they represent in terms of basic human security, particularly for women. She identified HIV/AIDS as a primary threat to human security, noting that women are the primary victims yet they receive the least support at the communal, national, and international levels. As points of action to mitigate the gendered effects of the HIV/AIDS crisis, Ms. Robinson highlighted eliminating gender-based violence, fostering women’s economic independence, acknowledging women’s burden of care, and finally ensuring equal access to prevention and medical treatment. Ms. Robinson suggested that conference participants form a task force in order to generate innovative policy and programmatic recommendations for building human security around the world. She also spoke of the importance of holding governments accountable for re-defining human security and changing how they implement human security strategies.
The first session of the conference, entitled “Rethinking Security: Human Security and Human Rights,” focused on re-defining how individuals and organizations address human security and human rights in a globalized world. Kavita Ramdas, Chair of the session, spoke about women’s strength in building peace through compassionate activism rather than conflict. Noeleen Heyzer presented the opening statement in which she emphasized the need to examine human security from a gender perspective, particularly in relation to development and to conflict situations. She stated, “There is no security unless security stands on human rights and human development.” Jacqueline Pitanguy built on Ms. Heyzer’s points, focusing on the interconnection between gender, sustainable development, and human security. Madhavi Sunder addressed the relationship between religion and law within Muslim societies, highlighting the importance of empowering women to claim their legal rights within Islam. Charlotte Bunch identified the pervasiveness of violence against women as a major threat to human security. She spoke about the need to break down the culture of violence against women that exists around the world and emphasized the importance of building a culture of peace and respect in its place.
The second session, “Minimizing Threats to Human Security: Gender, Rights, and Religious Fundamentalisms” focused on revealing the commonalities between religious fundamentalisms. Session Chair Azar Nafisi opened the discussion by stressing that all religious fundamentalisms “delete, exclude, and cancel out,” confiscating women’s rights, human rights, and individual rights in the name of morality. Kathleen Peratis highlighted the main mechanism through which religious fundamentalisms gain power to cause widespread damage in a community, namely, secular state support, citing Israel–where Judaism is the majority religion and religious, state-supported courts have a monopoly on issues of personal status such as custody, marriage, and divorce–as an example. Azza Karam underlined the importance of including women of faith (who work actively for women’s issues within the context of their religion) in the global women’s movement, distinguishing them from extremists who use religion as a political tool to gain state power. Frances Kissling explained how the diversity of modern family structures, which no longer neatly reflect the paternal, hierarchical blueprint dominant in many religions, have provoked a backlash whereby religious power structures are working to reassert their influence in state affairs. In conclusion, religious fundamentalisms–particularly when backed by secular authority–pose a serious threat to human security, undermining individual rights, most especially those related to the status of women.
In the third session, “Caring for the Future: Development for Human Security,” panelists shared strategies on ways to ensure economic security and how improved access to health, labor, and education can enable women to freely participate in the development of their communities and nations. Afaf Mafouz, who chaired the session, emphasized the importance of eliminating both economic and emotional poverty. “We cannot think of the future of human security,” she said, “without emphasizing human dignity for each boy, girl, woman, and man.” Zenebeworke Tadesse and Nadereh Chamlou focused on how social and cultural values have led to women’s oppression in the labor force. In her opening statement, Ms. Tadesse talked about the urgent need to re-conceptualize care work as valuable to all of society. In this informal economic sector, the bulk of care work conducted by women, primarily in the home, often goes unrecognized and unpaid. Nadereh Chamlou discussed how women in the Middle East/North Africa continue to face limitations to their participation in the public sphere, hindering the overall economic growth and development in the region. Limited funding for health and education programs was also identified as a major limiting factor for achieving sustainable development. Attiya Inayatullah described how women’s reactions to the conditions of their health and reproductive rights continue to be a “silent scream” in regions where social conservatism and fundamentalisms prevail. Marian Wright Edelman advocated for increasing resources and state support for social and educational programs for children in order to end child poverty.
The fourth session of the conference, entitled “Participatory Leadership and Democratic Governance,” dealt with the ways that participatory leadership and democratic governance impact the achievement of human security in countries around the world. As Chair of the session, Carl Gershman spoke about the need to empower people at the grassroots level in order to build effective democratic societies. In her opening statement for the session Najma Heptulla addressed the relationship between political participation, democracy, and human security. She stated that gender parity and women’s political participation should be the mandate of every democratic institution. Ms. Heptulla also spoke about the necessity of involving women in conflict-prevention discussions and conflict-resolution strategies. Mishka Mojabber Mourani focused her remarks on work being done at the grassroots level to challenge traditional, patriarchal leadership styles by empowering women and men through innovative leadership methodologies that are horizontal, participatory, and inclusive, using the Machreq/Maghreb Gender Linking Information Project (Editor’s note: described in MEWS Review 15(1/2) Spr/Sum 2000, p. 4) and Women’s Learning Partnership “Leading to Choices” workshop as a case study. Aruna Rao discussed the relationship between institutional change, women’s citizenship, and human security. She stated that full citizenship involves women’s right to participate in decision-making processes, which cannot be achieved without fundamental transformations of institutions. Kumi Naidoo spoke about the ongoing challenges to democracy around the world, in particular, elected officials’ lack of accountability to their constituents. He emphasized that citizens’ freedom to participate fully in political processes is a primary component of building human security. Mr. Naidoo also discussed the importance of including men in conflict prevention, peace building, and democratic development.
“Recovering from Violent Conflict: Gender and Post-conflict Reconstruction,” the conference’s fifth session, highlighted the importance of women’s participation in peace processes both during and after conflict situations. Ambassador Swanee Hunt chaired the session and provided the opening statement, noting that women are a largely untapped resource in peace negotiations and in conflict prevention. Amneh Badran explained that limitations imposed by curfews have led to soaring numbers of people living in poverty in Palestine. The once-vibrant Palestinian women’s movement has declined as members have lost contact with one another and grassroots work has refocused on providing humanitarian aid, documenting human rights violations, and providing trauma counseling. Sakena Yacoobi, highlighting the importance of international long-term support for communities recovering from violent conflict, expressed concern that lack of infrastructure in Afghanistan threatens the positive short-term changes that have taken place for Afghan women seeking education and training. Zainab Bangura stressed that the high numbers of women-headed households resulting from conflict situations, as in Sierra Leone, has important economic repercussions and noted that post-conflict processes must incorporate women’s perspectives in order “to support a sustained peace.” The speakers concluded that working to eliminate poverty and facilitating access to basic services, increasing educational opportunities for women and girls, and including women in all stages of the peace process are essential components of a campaign to ensure human security.
In the lively final roundtable session women leaders of national, regional, and international human rights organizations discussed “The Role of National and Transnational Organizations in Ensuring Human Security.” Mahnaz Afkhami, the session’s Chair, presented the context for the discussion, describing how international democracy and rights organizations are coming under fierce attack by many governments for carrying out work that is considered both subversive and disruptive. The fact remains that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are becoming an increasingly visible and powerful force in world affairs. As head of the International Human Rights Law Group, Gay McDougall emphasized the importance of networks and alliances among human rights organizations and discussed how the Law Group is working to strengthen the capacity of organizations in the developing world. Indai Sajor of the Asian Center for Women’s Human Rights provided a case study of how women’s rights organizations in Asia have worked together to bring international attention to the issue of sexual slavery and the plight of comfort women during World War II. Asma Khader of Sisterhood is Global/Jordan and Kavita Ramdas of the Global Fund for Women discussed the necessity of listening to women’s voices at the grassroots level to articulate their rights in their own words at the international level. While NGOs must not be expected to take on the functions that are the province of governments, they play an increasingly vital role in creating innovative programming, mobilizing for change, and pressuring governmental and international institutions to respond to the human security needs of the people in their communities. | http://mahnazafkhami.com/clash-or-consensus-gender-and-human-security-in-a-globalized-world/ |
How does data usage work?
I just got an Android phone with a data plan on it but I'm not entirely sure I understand how it works...it recently gave me a warning that I was reaching my data limit for the month. Does my data usage refresh at the end of each month, or do I only have what's left of my data to use, like, forever?
1 Answer
Relevance
- 9 years ago
each month or every time you pay your bill, your minutes, text and data get reset to the amount you signed up for. if you download a lot of music or apps over 3g/4g then it will eat your data up. I would recommend only downloading apps or music if you really want or need them and to do a majority of your downloading on wifi.
Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now. | https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20120610175009AA0tBsl |
December is a time of year that many individuals look forward to because of the holidays. Whether it is celebrating traditions, being around family and friends, or shorter work weeks - for the most part people enjoy this month. And while for many, this time of season is considered festive, fun and cheerful for others it can also be anxiety-provoking, depressing and emotionally exhausting.
Feelings of Anxiety - Holidays often equate to engaging in family-oriented gatherings. Factors like family dynamics can result in increased anxiety for some individuals. Worrying about mom's approval of a new boyfriend/girlfriend, wondering whether dad will continue to express his disappointment in your career choice, or stressing about your sibling(s) willingness to understand how much help you really need with caring for your parents, are a few examples of situations that can provoke anxiety thereby causing a person to dread the holiday season.
Feelings of Depression - This time of year can also be depressing for individuals who lack familial support, are not involved in a significant relationship or are going through a life-hardship that prevents them from celebrating the season as they normally would. And while they may choose to not celebrate, commercial advertisements and/or innocent questions like, "What are you doing for the holiday?" or "Have you finished shopping yet?" etc., can serve as a reminder of what they don't have thus causing a negative association with the holiday.
Feeling Emotionally Exhausted - Last but not least, emotional exhaustion is a common feeling many individuals experience during this time of year. Sometimes the mere thought of all the planning, traveling and socializing a person will have to do to prepare is enough to bring about a cloud of gloom. In other cases, memory of last year's disorder, dysfunction or drama can serve as a blockade to feeling cheerful about the holiday.
With all of that said, it is important to be aware of your feelings during this time of year and to not let it get the best of you and your ability to enjoy it or to function. Talking with friends and family you trust and/or with a therapist about your feelings can help you get to the bottom of what you are experiencing, learn ways to resolve it and hopefully make next year's holiday season a more cheerful one.
Do you tend to experience any of the above when the holiday season approaches? If so, how do you deal with it? Please share your thoughts below.
For many individuals, the ability to verbally communicate something they find upsetting can be challenging, especially when emotions get in the way. Defined by the Oxford Dictionary as a natural instinctive state of mind that results from one's mood, circumstances or relationships with others, emotions may lead to an inability to calmly, rationally and effectively communicate. Understanding why your emotions may be blocking you from effective communication is often the first step towards improving relationships. Below are a few common reasons individuals may experience difficulty in verbally communicating their thoughts...
1) Your “Guard” Is Up – for individuals who have experienced hurt, it is common for him/her to want to protect their sense of vulnerability. Having a protective layer a.k.a a "guard" may help do just that. Whether the "guard" comes in the form of an attitude or an approach towards dealing with others, the main goal is for it to shield the person from emotional pain. Therefore, instead of verbally communicating and exposing one's thoughts and feelings, an individual may instead express his/her discontent by engaging in a negative interaction. Understanding whether or not you are trying to protect yourself and knowing why you are doing so can help you identify what can trigger your negative reaction and what you can do to improve your communication style.
2) You've Only Learned One Way to Communicate – it’s not uncommon to come across individuals who believe the only way they can get their point across is by being negative. For example, some individuals will speak in a harsh tone, use demeaning language or even scream, believing that is the only way they will be "heard." For others, the thought of expressing their feelings is something they will not engage in for a variety of reasons, including if their cultural upbringing views it as being disrespectful Education and reassurance about the various ways thoughts and feelings can be communicated in a respectful manner can help to address this issue.
3) You are Being Ignored or Disregarded – there is no doubt that upon learning how to communicate effectively, one's emotions can still get the better of the situation especially if he/she feels their concerns are not being validated or addressed. Being ignored, belittled, or disregarded is something that can send almost anyone into a world of frustration. So, what should someone do in this situation? Figure out a way NOT to explode. Whether you take a break from the conversation, count to ten or express your belief of being disregarded - you essentially want to do something that will prevent your negative reactions from surfacing. Of course, this is easier said than done.
Overall, most people will come across a situation where they have to communicate the frustration they are experiencing because of another person. The ability to communicate effectively relies on various factors but knowing who you are, how you function and what triggers your negative reactions can greatly help you better control your emotions so they don't take over.
What techniques do you find helpful in controlling your emotions? Please share them below.
Within my therapeutic practice, I often work with individuals who experience anxiety related to problems they are having in their relationship. While some individuals will question whether they should do anything different, others are unsure if they should put in any more effort. In order to help them with their uncertainty, I often encourage them to work on some of the key components I believe are important to having a healthy relationship.
Communication - Being able to openly and honestly talk with your partner about what is bothering you about the relationship is vital. Without this, you may find yourself not voicing your opinion about what bothers you, which can result in your partner believing everything is fine. The problem with one person believing everything is fine is they will continue engaging in the behavior you may find troublesome thereby increasing the chances of feeling resentment or irritation with your partner. Whether you are worried about your future, your sex life, your differences, etc., it is important to bring up any issues you have so that you can both work on improving the situation and resolving the problem.
Respect - Having to communicate your feelings about what may be a sensitive issue for you or your partner can be hard to do, especially if one person is hot-tempered and/or very emotional. As a result, it is important to remember to be respectful. Essentially, you want to avoid saying or doing things that you know will upset your significant other. For instance, if your loved one despises when you walk away from an argument, then don't. Or, if he/she hates when you scream then try to speak in a low, calm tone. Showing respect can also be done by refraining from accusatory statements that place all the blame on your partner as it will only cause him/her to become defensive.
Being in a committed relationship, especially when the honeymoon phase is over, is without a doubt challenging. While I realize the aforementioned suggestions are "easier said than done", it is crucial to understand that with patience and understanding a lot more can be accomplished as opposed to having anger and resentment.
Do you believe there are other important components to a successful/healthy relationship? If so, please share them below. .
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Christine M. Valentín
Welcome to my blog where I provide tips on learning how to connect with your child and how to feel more in control of your parenting journey. | https://www.christinemvalentin.com/christinemvalentinblog/category/anxiety/2 |
By Abid Hussain Rather
Catharsis is the process of releasing and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions. It is actually the process of purification and purgation of emotions particularly pity and fear which brings about spiritual renewal or release from tension. It is an emotional release which is linked to a need to relieve unconscious conflicts. If a person doesn’t give a proper vent to these conflicts, these conflicts may burst out in the form of anger or may remain inside in the form of depression which may ultimately result in some psychological disease and even suicidal cases.
When we are unable to express our feelings and emotions at different occasions we get mentally stressed because these unexpressed feelings get stored in our subconscious mind. Catharsis can take place in different ways in a different type of people. Everybody expresses his feelings and his inner thoughts in his own ways. Some write poetry and some prose, to express their feelings. Painting and sculpturing are other ways to express our feelings. Some express their feelings through anger and some prefer silence. We often see some people talking to themselves or sometimes tears come out of our eyes unconsciously. Some people like loneliness and prefer to stay alone. They hate congestions and noisy places. Sometimes these inner conflicts may result in hating ourselves. These are the different ways of catharsis and it depends upon an individual in which mode he may express his inner feelings and relieve himself from stress and tension. It is really ironic that most people don’t know how to express their inner conflicts and get relief from stress. When a person is able to relieve his inner stress through catharsis he feels like his heavy heart slowly lightens. He feels like his stress is fading away and feels inner happiness. His hopes get renewed. He starts to love his life and his surroundings again. He enjoys the beauty of nature and lives his life with a living heart.
We need to take care of our mental health because it directly affects our physical health. Catharsis is very essential for mental health. We should learn to live life fully and enjoy the moments of happiness wholeheartedly. Whenever we feel some sort of grief or sorrow we should never hide it inside us, rather we should express it and share with our near and dears. Whenever we feel bad or get hurt by the actions or words of somebody, we should complain to him in a positive way rather than storing those sentiments inside us. Whenever we need any kind of help from somebody we should openly request for help and whenever somebody helps us we should thank him by heart. If we find some sort of goodness in some person we should openly praise him. Whomever we like to talk we should interact with him. We should prefer the profession we love rather than forcefully involving ourselves in that work in which we are not interested. Positive thinking is necessary to live a stress-free and happy life. We should never indulge ourselves in negative thoughts. When we bury our positive and negative feelings inside us and keep them carrying inside our subconscious mind, it results in mental stress and uneasiness in life. When we live with unsaid sorrows, complaints, hate, love, littleness, affection, faults, and many other likely things from time immemorial inside our mind, these things become a burden on us and snatches our happiness and comfort. We need to give time to ourselves to get clean this burden and come out of depression.
Some ways how catharsis can take place and how we can live a happy life include: Always express your feelings fully and with an open heart. We can express both our good and bad feelings in a positive way; we can share our feelings towards others with someone whom we trust and who is worth to listen and understand us; we can write poetry, prose, novels etc to express ourselves before people.
Mediation is most beneficial to fight mental stress. When we talk to our creator in our mediation with a clear heart, we get the answer to our queries. We should always forgive people before sleeping, it gives mental peace
There are different plate forms where we can express ourselves in this way like Facebook; we can depict our thoughts through painting and sculpturing; sometimes we can relieve our stress through some sports activity in which we are interested and we can enjoy the reading of our choice or we can watch some useful videos. There are many such talk shows, interview programs on TV sets, YouTube can be beneficial to us. We can take part in some social work and benefit our society by our capabilities and in turn, get mentally relaxed. Prayer is the best way to get out of depression. Mediation is most beneficial to fight mental stress. When we talk to our creator in our mediation with a clear heart, we get the answer to our queries. We should always forgive people before sleeping, it gives mental peace.
If a person feels any kind of difficulty in performing all these activities, he needs psychological counselling. He should consult a psychiatrist and express his feelings which are there buried inside him from a long time before him to regain his mental health and to live his life up to his capabilities. Our mental stress doesn’t affect only us but it indirectly affects the people who are related to us in our life affairs and in the long run, it affects the whole society and a society with mentally depressed people can seldom progress.
(The author can be reached at [email protected]). | https://kashmirscanmagazine.com/2020/12/fighting-the-depression/ |
Capable of fulfilling a wide variety of project needs, the GP600 is ideal for heavy-payload applications. While a large work envelope and high moment of inertia ratings accommodate a large selection of heavy parts, fast axis speeds and acceleration capabilities decrease cycle time and optimize production output. A streamlined upper arm provides easy access to parts in confined spaces, and a reduced interference design enables the robot to be placed closer to machines and fixtures, optimizing valuable floorspace. Designed with parallel-link construction, the GP600 offers high-speed, smooth arm rotation while providing stable and powerful performance. | https://www.motoman.com/en-us/products/robots/industrial/assembly-handling/gp-series/gp600 |
- Author(s): Wilk, Philip A.
- et al.
Abstract
The detection and positive identification of the short-lived, low cross section isotopes used in the chemical studies of the heaviest elements are usually accomplished by measuring their alpha-decay, thus the nuclear properties of the heaviest elements must be examined simultaneously with their chemical properties. The isotopes 224 Pa and 266,267 Bh have been studied extensively as an integral part of the investigation of the heaviest members of the groups five and seven of the periodic table. The half-life of 224 Pa was determined to be 855 plus/minus19 ms by measuring its alpha-decay using our rotating wheel, solid state detector system at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory 88-Inch Cyclotron. Protactinium was produced by bombardment of a bismuth target. New neutron rich isotopes, 267 Bh and 266 Bh, were produced in bombardments of a 249 Bk target and their decay was observed using the rotating wheel system. The 266 Bh that was produced decays with a half-life of approximately 1 s by emission of alpha particles with an average energy of 9.25 plus/minus 0.03 MeV. 267 Bh was observed to decay with a 17 s half-life by emission of alpha-particles with an average energy of 8.83 plus/minus 0.03 MeV. The chemical behavior of hahnium, Ha (element 105) was investigated using the fast on-line continuous liquid extraction and detection system SISAK-LISSY. Hahnium was not observed in this experiment following transport and extraction. Protactinium was used as on-line test of the apparatus to determine the experimental efficiency of the entire system. Unfortunately, the amount of protactinium observed after the extraction, compared to the amount produced, was extremely small, only 2.5 percent. The extraction of the protactinium isotope indicated the efficiency of the apparatus was too low to observe the extraction of hahnium. The chemical behavior of oxychloride compounds of bohrium was investigated by isothermal gas adsorption chromatography in a quartz column at 180, 150, and 75 C. It was found to be less volatile than the corresponding compounds of the lighter group seven homologues, rhenium and technetium, which had been measured previously with the same apparatus. Assuming the bohrium compound to be BhO3Cl, the evaluated standard adsorption enthalpy, and delta-Hads, of BhO3Cl on the quartz surface was calculated from Monte Carlo fits to the volatility data to be -75 kJ/mol. The adsorption enthalpies for TcO3Cl and ReO3Cl are -51 and -61 kJ/mol respectively.
Main Content
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Introduction
============
Background and Significance
---------------------------
Bleeding is defined as the escape of blood from the circulatory system (arteries and veins) due to trauma, anatomic malformation, bleeding disorder, medications, and aging. Bleeding events include symptoms like reddening or darkening of urine or stools, bleeding of gums, blood blisters, bruises, and vomiting of blood. Studies show that high incidences of bleeding events are associated with cardiovascular disease in patients on anticoagulant therapy \[[@ref1]-[@ref9]\], which has contributed to its standing as the most-frequent adverse drug events (ADEs) \[[@ref1],[@ref3]-[@ref9]\]. Anticoagulants are considered a high-alert medication by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices because of the potential severity of anticoagulant-related bleeding. In a study on patients receiving oral anticoagulant therapy, major bleeding occurred at a rate of 7.22 per 100 person-years and fatal bleeding occurred at a rate of 1.31 per 100 person-years, with a case-fatality rate of 13.4% for major bleeding \[[@ref3]\]. Adverse health outcomes resulting from bleeding include poor functional status, myocardial infarction, heart failure, stroke, and even death \[[@ref3]-[@ref9]\]. Prompt and accurate detection of bleeding events is essential to prevent such adverse health outcomes and improve drug-safety surveillance and pharmacovigilance.
Bleeding events are frequently not recorded in the structured fields and are buried in the electronic health record (EHR) notes \[[@ref10]\]. Manual abstraction is prohibitively expensive. Rapid, accurate, and automated detection of bleeding events in EHR notes may have significant cost and logistical benefits over manual detection. Therefore, this study aimed to develop natural language processing (NLP) approaches to automatically detect bleeding events in EHR notes.
NLP approaches have demonstrated increasing utility in clinical text mining in recent years \[[@ref11]-[@ref14]\]. Deep neural network methods have recently achieved new state-of-the-art performance in a wide range of NLP tasks \[[@ref15]-[@ref17]\]. In this study, we explored deep learning models and compared them with the strong traditional machine-learning classifiers (eg, support vector machines \[SVM\]).
Two architectures of deep neural networks relevant to this work include convolutional neural network (CNN) \[[@ref18]\] and recurrent neural network (RNN) with its variants of long short-term memory (LSTM) \[[@ref19]\] and gated recurrent unit \[[@ref20]\]. Both architectures have demonstrated advantages in text-processing tasks. The CNN models use layers with convolutional filters that are applied to local features \[[@ref18]\] and therefore are able to capture local relationships between neighboring *w*-gram words in a sentence, but are less efficient for long-distance dependencies. In contrast, the LSTM models \[[@ref19]\] are designed to learn long-term dependencies by maintaining an internal state, which represents the memory cell of the LSTM neuron. Thus, the LSTM models are able to memorize information for a longer duration than the CNN models. Bleeding events can be inferred by local context. Therefore, we chose CNN as the major model of our architecture, but leveraged the LSTM model to learn sentence-level representation. Our CNN model differs from the previous neural network models in that we deployed an autoencoder neural network \[[@ref21]\] as an unsupervised learning algorithm to learn a latent representation from unlabeled sentences in order to help improve CNN performance. Specifically, we propose the hybrid CNN and LSTM (HCLA) autoencoder model, which employs a CNN model that is integrated with a bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM)-based autoencoder model to classify whether a sentence contains a bleeding event.
The knowledge-acquisition bottleneck problem presents a unique challenge in clinical NLP. Unlike data collection in the open domain, crowdsourcing methods (eg, Amazon Mechanic Turks \[[@ref22]\]) cannot be easily applied to medical domain data collection due to privacy concerns. Annotation by medical professionals is expensive and time consuming, and annotated data in the clinical domain are typically limited. Because our HCLA model leverages a large number of unlabeled EHR notes, our results demonstrate that domain-specific features learned through such an autoencoder can effectively improve the supervised learning performance, despite the small amount of the training data.
Related Works
-------------
Existing work in automated bleeding detection mainly involves detection and classification of bleeding for wireless capsule endoscopy images. Neural network methods are also employed for such image detection \[[@ref23],[@ref24]\]. In addition, previous studies have assessed detection of bleeding events in outcome studies by using health registers \[[@ref25]\]. However, studies on the detection of bleeding events in EHR notes are lacking.
The proposed model is based on neural network models that learn feature representations for sentence-level classification. Related work includes the CNN models that first made a series of breakthroughs in the computer vision field and subsequently showed excellent performance in NLP tasks such as machine translation \[[@ref26]\], sentence classification \[[@ref27],[@ref28]\], and sentence modelling \[[@ref29]\]. Autoencoders were originally proposed to reduce the dimensionality of images and documents \[[@ref21]\] and were subsequently applied to many NLP tasks such as sentiment analysis \[[@ref30]\], machine translation \[[@ref31]\], and paraphrase detection \[[@ref32]\].
Neural network models have been applied to the clinical data-mining tasks. Gehrmann et al \[[@ref33]\] applied CNNs to 10 phenotyping tasks and showed that they outperformed concept extraction-based methods in almost all tasks. CNN was used to classify radiology free-text reports and showed an accuracy equivalent to or beyond that of an existing traditional NLP model \[[@ref34]\]. Lin et al \[[@ref35]\] also used a CNN model to identify the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification, diagnosis codes in discharge notes and showed outstanding performance compared with traditional methods; they also showed that the convolutional layers of the CNN can effectively identify keywords for use in the prediction of diagnosis codes. Since our annotated data are relatively small, we expanded the CNN model by integrating it with an LSTM-based autoencoder. Tran et al \[[@ref36]\] developed two independent deep neural network models: one based on CNNs and the other based on RNNs with hierarchical attention for the prediction of mental conditions in psychiatric notes; their study showed that the CNN and RNN models outperformed the competitive baseline approaches. Furthermore, a previous study used semisupervising learning methods such as learning from positive and unlabeled examples \[[@ref37]\] and the anchor-and-learn method \[[@ref38]\], for which traditional machine-learning algorithms like expectation--maximization and SVM can be used to build classifiers.
Methods
=======
Models
------
The EHR notes used in this study were provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Our study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. All the EHR notes were deidentified.
Our HCLA model integrates a supervised CNN architecture and an unsupervised BiLSTM-based autoencoder. Given a sentence as input, we trained a classifier to determine whether the sentence contains a bleeding event. [Figure 1](#figure1){ref-type="fig"} illustrates the architecture of our model. After passing the sentence through the CNN model and the BiLSTM-based autoencoder simultaneously, the HCLA model generates two separate representations for the input sentence: local features encoded by the CNN model and global features encoded by the autoencoder. A softmax function was then used to determine whether the input contained a bleeding event.
Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory-Based Autoencoder
------------------------------------------------------
An autoencoder is a neural network that typically has three layers: an input layer, a hidden (encoding) layer, and a decoding layer. Through the encoding process, the inputs are compressed into a hidden representation, which is then used to reconstruct the input back in the decoding process.
A BiLSTM-based autoencoder has two major parts: encoder and decoder. During the encoding phase, an LSTM is used to scan the input *X*={*x*~*1*~, *x*~*2*~\... *x*~*i*~\... *x*~*n*~} in a sequential order. Each time, it takes a word *x*~*i*~ with *e*~*i*~ as its embedding and the hidden representation *h*~*i*--1~ generated at the previous step as the input to generate the representation for the current step.
The final is the representation of the input sentence. A BiLSTM model uses the same LSTM to scan the input sentence again in reverse and obtains another representation , so that the input is encoded as the concatenated hidden representation , *h*~*n*~ ∈ *R*^*k*^, where *k* is a predefined dimensionality.
The decoder is another LSTM layer. The hidden representation is fed to the decoder LSTM layer to reconstruct the input words. First, we set *h* *\'*~0~=h~n~ to repeat the following steps until the input is reconstructed:
h
\'
i
=LSTM(
h
\'
i
--1,
e
i
--1
)
o
i
=
Wh
\'
i
\+
b
e
i
= emb(x
i
)
The LSTM takes the *h* *\'*~*i*--1~ that is the hidden state of the previous step and e~*i*--1~ that is the word generated in the previous step as input and updates *h* *\'*~*i*--1~ to *h* *\'*~*i*~. Subsequently, *h* *\'*~*i*~ is passed through a softmax layer to generate the word at *i*^th^ step *x*~*i*~*.*
After training by the abovementioned procedures, the hidden representation is obtained as a condensed and better representation of the sentence.
{#figure1}
Convolutional Neural Networks
-----------------------------
The CNN model takes a sequence of words as input and outputs a fixed-length low-density vector as a representation of the input. Words are first represented using their embeddings, which can be learned during training or loaded from pretrained models. We will report how we set the embeddings for each of our specific models in the Models subsection. The sentence subsequently becomes a matrix whose dimensions are decided by the word numbers of the input and the dimensions of word embeddings. Convolutional layers of different sizes scan the matrix to generate a new and dense representation of the input. The newly generated representations are further projected to a fixed-length vector through max pooling as the final representation of the input. We adapted the architecture of an open-domain CNN model \[[@ref27]\] with the following components:
1. Input layer: The input is a sequence of tokens *X*={*x*~*1*~, *x*~*2*~\... *x*~*i*~\... *x*~*n*~} where *n* denotes the length of the sentence. Token *x*~*i*~ is associated with a d-dimensional embedding *e*~*i*~*, e*~*i*~={*e*~*i*~^*1*^, *e*~*i*~^*2*^\... *e*~*i*~^*d*^}. Therefore, the input is represented as a feature map of dimensionality n×d.
2. Convolutional layer: A convolutional operation with a filter sliding over the input is applied for local feature learning. Given the input sentence *X*={*x*~*1*~, *x*~*2*~\... *x*~*n*~} (zero padded if necessary), a feature *c*~*i*~ can be learned from a window of words \[x~i:i+k--1~\] as *c*~*i*~= *f* (*w* \[x~i:i+k--1~\]+ *b*), where *w* is the convolutional weights *w* ∈ *R*^*d**×**kd*^, bias b ∈ *R*^*d*^, *f* is the nonlinear activation function (we used a hyperbolic tangent in our experiments), and *k* is the filter width. In our model, we used three filters of width 3, 4, and 5, and the number of filters used was 10.
3. Max-pooling layer: A max operation is applied to the result of each filter to keep the most-salient information and reduce dimensionality . The outputs of the three filters after max pooling are concatenated in this framework.
4. Concatenation layer: After the max-pooling layer was fully connected, at this step, we concatenated the final hidden representation of the encoder layer obtained from the BiLSTM-based autoencoder approach, as described in the above Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory-Based Autoencoder subsection.
5. Softmax layer: Another fully connected layer and softmax operation was applied for the prediction. The cut-off point of 0.5 was used to convert the predicted probability to a binary outcome with regard to whether the sentence contains a bleeding event.
Results
=======
Experimental Datasets
---------------------
We expert annotated a corpus of 878 longitudinal EHR notes of patients with cardiovascular events. This corpus contains 76,577 sentences and 562,630 word-tokens. Each note was annotated by at least two physicians. The interannotation agreement (Cohen *k*) among the annotators was *k*=0.9182.
We preprocessed the data and removed duplicate sentences. In addition, we removed sentences with length \<5 word-tokens, as those were mostly incomplete sentences or sentence fragments. The remaining 48,628 sentences were used for training and validation. [Textbox 1](#box1){ref-type="boxed-text"} presents the representative sentences in our annotated corpus.
Although we had a total of 878 annotated notes, only 291 notes mentioned bleeding events, from which we identified a total of 1451 sentences. These 1451 sentences were considered as "positive" data for training. From the 291 notes, a total of 285 sentences that mentioned bleeding events, but were annotated as negation. Those sentences presented as "harder" examples for our NLP systems, and we included them in the "negative" data for training.
We performed downsampling to include equal number of positive and negative data for training and validation. Since we had included 285 sentences that contain negated bleeding events, 1166 negative sentences were randomly selected from the remaining negative sentences in the 291 notes, as those sentences were more challenging for an NLP system to identify than sentences from the notes that did not contain a bleeding event. Although we did not include any sentence from the 587 annotated notes that did not contain a bleeding event, the 32,704 sentences from those notes were included to train the autoencoder on feature representation.
Of the combined 2902 positive and negative sentences (50% each), we randomly selected 1 of 10 sentences as the testing data, and the other 9 sentences were used for model training. By setting aside the testing data, we trained the BiLSTM-based autoencoder model on all the remaining sentences of the 878 notes, with a total of 48,338 sentences after preprocessing.
An NLP system that is trained for downsampling may not perform well for the real-world data; in our case, the positive and negative data were highly unbalanced (only 2.9% of annotated sentences contained a bleeding event). To accurately evaluate the performance of our NLP system, we annotated 6 additional EHR notes as unseen hold-out data for testing. Those 6 notes included a total of 2,345 sentences, of which only 64 sentences (2.7%) were positive.
###### Sentence samples from our dataset with 2 positive bleeding samples and 2 negative bleeding samples. POS: positive bleeding sample sentence; NEG: negative bleeding sample sentence.
POS 1: Patient was admitted with hematemesis and blood per rectum.
POS 2: Anticoagulation has been held on this patient secondary to recent gastrointestinal bleed.
NEG 1: She has done well with the warfarin with no further thromboembolic episodes and no bleeding problems.
NEG 2: The patient is also on Keppra for seizure activity, and he has been seizure-free on that medication.
Experimental Setup
------------------
We implemented the neural network models in Pytorch \[[@ref39]\]. For the evaluation metrics, we used precision, recall, and F-score and reported the overall performance as well as the performance on positive instances and negative instances. In addition, we reported the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) score. The AUC-ROC plots the true positive rate (y-coordinate) against the false positive rate (x-coordinate) at various threshold settings. For the testing on the natural EHR notes, we reported overall accuracy as well as the precision, recall, and F-score on positive samples. All the word embedding sizes were initialized or pretrained with 200 dimensions. The dropout rate was set as 0.3, batch size as 16, and learning rate as 0.001. Optimization was performed using stochastic gradient descent. For the BiLSTM autoencoder model, the number of hidden neurons was 64.
Models
------
We conducted experiments with the following baselines to compare them with our proposed model. We first compared our model with a strong traditional machine-learning classifier as the SVM model. The basic bag-of-words features are used for SVM. A stronger SVM baseline with both bag-of-words features and bag of the unified medical language system (UMLS) \[[@ref40]\] concept features were implemented for comparison. In addition, as the proposed model was an integrated model including a word-embedding CNN and a BiLSTM autoencoder, we conducted experiments to determine the separate performance of the two components. Pretrained word embeddings were used in additional experiments to examine their effect in model performance.
### Support Vector Machines+Bag of Words
A standard linear SVM classifier \[[@ref41]\] with bag-of-words features was used. Parameter C (penalty parameter of the error term) was set as 1, and other parameters were set as default in the sklearn.SVM.SVC implementation \[[@ref41]\].
### Support Vector Machines+Bag of Words+Unified Medical Language System
A standard linear SVM classifier \[[@ref41]\] with bag-of-words features and bag of UMLS \[[@ref40]\] concept features were used. Further, we used MetaMap \[[@ref42]\], a tool created by NLM that maps from free text to biomedical concepts in the UMLS, to identify medical phrases. The same parameters were used as mentioned in the Support Vector Machines+Bag of Words subsection above.
### Autoencoder
The BiLSTM-based autoencoder model has been described above (see Methods section); all word embedding was randomly initialized and modified during training. A fully connected layer was used to connect the obtained hidden representation of followed by a softmax operation to generate the prediction.
### Autoencoder and Pretrained Word Embedding
This model was similar to the autoencoder model. However, in this model, we pretrained the word embedding on 4.7 million EHR notes using the Glove model \[[@ref43]\]. The pretrained vectors were fine tuned for the task during training.
### Convolutional Neural Network
The CNN model used has been described in the Methods section, with all word embeddings randomly initialized and modified during training.
### Convolutional Neural Network and Pretrained Word Embedding
This model was similar to the CNN model. The same pretrained word embeddings described in the Autoencoder and Pretrained Word Embedding experiment were used, and the vectors were fine tuned for the task during training.
### Hybrid Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory Autoencoder
Our proposed model incorporates CNN, pretrained word embedding, and a BiLSTM-based autoencoder, as described in the Methods section.
### Convolutional Neural Network for Negation Bleeding
As negation bleeding (eg, NEG1 in [Textbox 1](#box1){ref-type="boxed-text"}) is a relatively difficult and misleading subset of the corpus for the model to make predictions, we conducted this extra experiment with only the 285 sentences that mentioned negated bleeding as negative samples. Of these, 185 sentences were used with the 1451 positive samples for training, and the remaining 100 sentences were used for testing.
### Hybrid Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short-Term Memory Autoencoder for Negation Bleeding
The same data setting was used as mentioned above for Convolutional Neural Network for Negation Bleeding.
Experimental Results
--------------------
Our HCLA model showed the best performance across all evaluation metrics, with an AUC-ROC value of 0.957, overall F-score of 0.938, and F-scores of 0.932 and 0.943 for positive and negative sentences, respectively ([Table 1](#table1){ref-type="table"}). With pretrained word embedding, both the autoencoder and the CNN models performed better than learning word representation directly from the data. For the traditional SVM model, improved performance was achieved by incorporating the UMLS knowledge, leading to an overall F-score of 0.886 and an AUC-ROC value of 0.934 compared to an F-score of 0.862 and an AUC-ROC of 0.921 without the UMLS features. The incorporation of UMLS knowledge especially improved the precision score on positive samples with a large increase of 0.043. The precision score of all CNN models demonstrated a consistent increase in all positive and negative samples. As shown in [Table 1](#table1){ref-type="table"}, the CNN model without the autoencoder outperformed the model that was solely built on the autoencoder.
To further evaluate our model's performance on natural EHR notes (as compared to negative sampling), we tested the proposed HCLA model on the 6 extra annotated notes. The resulting overall accuracy outcomes and precision, recall, and F-score on positive samples are shown in [Table 2](#table2){ref-type="table"}.
######
Comparison of the study results at baseline.
Model Positive Negative Overall AUC-ROC^a^
--------------------------------------- ---------- ---------- --------- ------------ ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
SVM^b^+BOW^c^ 0.848 0.883 0.865 0.878 0.841 0.859 0.862 0.862 0.862 0.921
SVM+BOW+UMLS^d^ concept 0.891 0.887 0.889 0.870 0.886 0.878 0.886 0.886 0.886 0.934
Autoencoder 0.861 0.855 0.858 0.856 0.862 0.859 0.859 0.859 0.859 0.920
Autoencoder+pretrained word embedding 0.875 0.869 0.872 0.870 0.876 0.873 0.872 0.872 0.872 0.926
CNN^e^ 0.908 0.877 0.892 0.879 0.910 0.894 0.893 0.893 0.893 0.938
CNN+pretrained word embedding 0.930 0.911 0.920 0.912 0.931 0.921 0.921 0.921 0.921 0.946
HCLA^f^ 0.954 0.912 0.932 0.925 0.961 0.943 0.938 0.938 0.938 0.957
CNN for negation bleeding N/A^g^ N/A N/A 0.820 0.820 0.820 N/A N/A N/A N/A
HCLA for negation bleeding N/A N/A N/A 0.860 0.860 0.860 N/A N/A N/A N/A
^a^AUC-ROC: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.
^b^SVM: support vector machines.
^c^BOW: bag of words.
^d^UMLS: unified medical language system.
^e^CNN: convolutional neural network.
^f^HCLA: hybrid convolutional neural network and long short-term memory autoencoder.
^g^N/A: not applicable.
######
Performance of the hybrid convolutional neural network and long short-term memory autoencoder model on natural electronic health record notes.
Performance parameter Value
------------------------------- -------
Overall accuracy 0.938
Precision on positive samples 0.992
Recall on positive samples 0.944
F-score on positive samples 0.967
Discussion
==========
Principal Findings
------------------
This study addresses the detection of important bleeding events in EHR notes. Clinical phenotyping is challenging mainly due to irregularity of clinical narratives, which incorporates domain-specific medical jargon, abbreviations, incorrect use of natural language (eg, spelling errors), etc \[[@ref44],[@ref45]\]. In addition, negation is common in the clinical domain, which adds complexity. The difficulty of the NLP task is further exacerbated by the limited size of human annotated gold standard positive samples, which makes it difficult for our data-driven deep learning approaches to extract effective features. However, the proposed HCLA model ([Textbox 1](#box1){ref-type="boxed-text"}) achieved the best result of 0.938 (F-score) and 0.957 (AUC-ROC value).
Our results show that all end-to-end CNN models outperformed the baseline SVM model, despite the incorporation of knowledge-based features for SVM. When we pretrained word embedding over large unlabeled EHR notes (4.3 million), the overall F-score performance improved by approximately 0.03, demonstrating the effectiveness of using unlabeled data. Our results demonstrate that the BiLSTM-based autoencoder improved sentence representation. By concatenating the representation of the BiLSTM-based autoencoder, we further improved the performance by 0.017 (from 0.921 to 0.938) and the AUC-ROC value by 0.957, even though the model was trained with a relatively small data set (1451 positive samples and 285 negative samples).
Our annotated data incorporated both bleeding and negated bleeding events. Detection of bleeding signals is challenging from narratives, but separating true bleeding events from negated bleeding events is more challenging due to different negation variations. We therefore evaluated how our model performed in terms of accurately identifying negated bleeding events. Comparing the data setting described above for CNN and HCLA for negation bleeding, the CNN model achieved an accuracy of 0.82 and our proposed model achieved an accuracy of 0.86. The results validate the ability of the model to learn to grasp meaningful features in the dataset, rather than just depend on "bleeding"-related word indicators. For example, in [Textbox 1](#box1){ref-type="boxed-text"}, the NEG1 sentence contains the word "bleeding" but describes a nonbleeding event.
###### Misclassified sentence samples by the proposed hybrid convolutional neural network and long short-term memory autoencoder system. NEG: negative bleeding sample sentence; POS: positive bleeding sample sentence.
NEG1: Here is no chest pain, chest pressure, shortness breath, wheezing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
POS1: At that time, he was found to be anemic with heme-positive stools and was admitted for evaluation.
POS2: There is no evidence or stigmata for recent bleed.
[Table 2](#table2){ref-type="table"} presents the model's performance in real applications in the 6 natural EHR notes. In this unbalanced data of total 2345 sentences with only 64 positive sentences (2.7%), our model showed good results. The overall accuracy was 0.938. The model achieved high precision, recall, and F-score of 0.992, 0.944, and 0.967, respectively, on positive samples. Performance in positive samples is meaningful because it reflects how accurately the NLP system detects bleeding events in the EHR notes.
Error Analysis
--------------
Our error analyses showed that HCLA needs improvement in negation detection and analyzing complex sentences. [Textbox 2](#box2){ref-type="boxed-text"} includes representative examples to show that HCLA failed the classification. The first sentence in [Textbox 2](#box2){ref-type="boxed-text"} was a negated bleeding sample, but was misclassified as a positive instance. Since our employed CNN model mainly focused on the local context, it may fail to recognize the distant negation cue "no." The second sentence was a positive sample, but was misclassified as a negative sample by the system. The second sentence is complex and required knowledge inference, which may be challenging for the model.
The third sentence in [Textbox 2](#box2){ref-type="boxed-text"} was annotated as a positive instance, but seemed to be correctly identified by our system as a negative instance. On examining the note, we found that it was a follow-up of a patient whose chief complaint was hemorrhoidal bleeding. Our annotators annotated bleeding events at the whole-note level. Although the bleeding event in this specific sentence in the section of Physical Examination, seemed to be negative, it was annotated as "bleeding present." In this case, the annotators interpreted the bleeding as the present complaint, even though the sentence clearly indicated no evidence of a recent bleed.
This sentence represents a complex case of annotation consistency. The annotation guideline needs to be updated to refine the definition of "assertion." On the other hand, this annotation highlights one limitation of our NLP system that is based on sentence-level classification. Our future work will focus on exploring the context of the whole note.
Study Strength
--------------
The contributions of this study are several folds: This study is the first to automatically detect bleeding events from EHR notes. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of HCLA as a high-performance bleeding event-detection NLP system from EHRs. In addition, we have demonstrated the effectiveness of the HCLA architecture that can be trained from small annotated data.
Limitations
-----------
We acknowledge a few limitations to this study. The gold dataset for our experiments was relatively small. Therefore, we built unsupervised models to leverage the large unlabeled EHR data in order to improve the performance. However, the generalizability and robustness of the model were not evaluated on a large scale. In addition, our system was based on sentence-level classification and does not consider the context of whole notes.
Conclusions
-----------
This is the first study to address bleeding detection in EHRs. Our proposed HCLA neural network model effectively outperformed standard CNN models, autoencoder models, and SVM models by using a limited number of expert annotations. In the future, we will attempt to use active learning methods in order to improve the efficiency of experts' annotation. Depending on more high-quality annotation, we will further mine data on bleeding causes, anatomic sites of bleeding, bleeding severity, and assertion (current vs history) from EHRs, as tasks are important and require further examination.
We wish to thank the UMassMed annotation team---WL, Steve Belknap, Nadya Frid, Alex Granillo, Heather Keating, and Victoria Wang---for creating the gold standard evaluation for this work. This study was supported, in part, by the grant R01HL12508 and R01HL125089 from the National Institutes of Health. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this study are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the sponsor.
Conflicts of Interest: None declared.
ADE
: adverse drug events
AUC-ROC
: area under the receiver operating characteristic curve
BiLSTM
: bidirectional long short-term memory
BOW
: bag of words
CNN
: convolutional neural network
EHR
: electronic health record
HCLA
: hybrid CNN and LSTM autoencoder
LSTM
: long short-term memory
NEG
: negative bleeding sample sentence.
NLP
: natural language processing
POS
: positive bleeding sample sentence.
RNN
: recurrent neural network
SVM
: support vector machines
UMLS
: unified medical language system
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Climate Change: Why, How, and What Next?
Climate change is the most serious environmental threat that the world has ever faced. The dangers can hardly be exaggerated. Climate scientists predict that by the end of this century, temperatures could rise 10°F worldwide. But even if they rise by just 5°F, major parts of the earths surface could become uninhabitable and many species on the planet could be wiped out. Just within the next fifty years, there will be more heat waves, higher summer temperatures, fewer cold winters, and rising sea levels. As a consequence, hundreds of millions of people will be at serious risk from flooding, there will be a huge loss of life from excessively hot weather, diseases from warmer regions will become established, some species and habitats will be lost forever, and patterns of agriculture and business will have to change radically. And then, before too long, the whole world may face the even greater dangers of long-term and irreversible catastrophic changes as warming threatens the Greenland ice shelf, the Gulf Stream, and the West Antarctic ice sheet.
Why Is the Climate Changing?
The climate is changing because the natural mechanism known as the greenhouse effect which warms the earthis being increased by human-induced emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases. As the concentrations of the emissions rise well above their natural levels, additional warming is taking place, as shown in the diagram below.
To explain this effect in somewhat more detail, the temperature of the earth is determined by the balance between incoming energy from sunlight and energy constantly being lost from the earth into space. The energy from the sun can pass through the atmosphere almost unchanged and warm the planet. But the heat emanating from the earths surface is partly absorbed by certain gases in the atmosphere and some of this is returned to earth. This infrared radiation further warms the planets surface and the lower strata of the atmosphere. Without this natural greenhouse effect, the planet would be over 35°F cooler than it is nowtoo cold for us to inhabit. However, the greenhouse gases we add to the atmosphere mean that more heat is being trapped. This is leading to global warming and other changes to the climate.
The primary cause of these climate changes is our use of coal, oil, and natural gas. Burning these carbon-based fossil fuels results in the production of carbon dioxide. Globally, these emissions contribute more than two-thirds of the warming and, within the United States, they account for five-sixths. Due to their chemical structure, different types of fuel give rise to different amounts of carbon dioxide per ton burned and per unit of energy produced. Coal is the fossil fuel that produces the most carbon dioxide per unit of energy, followed by oil and gas. (Energy use is explored in detail in the next chapter.)
In addition to fossil fuel combustion, land-use changes contribute to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. These changes stem from clearing land for logging, ranching, and agriculture, or switching from agricultural to industrial or urban use. Vegetation contains carbon that is released as carbon dioxide when it decays or burns. Normally, lost vegetation would be replaced by regrowth, with little or no extra emissions because the replacement vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it grows. However, over the past several hundred years, deforestation and other land-use changes around the world have contributed to one-fifth of the additional carbon dioxide in the atmosphere attributable to human activity, mostly through cutting down tropical forests.
This book concentrates on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use because these are the largest global source of greenhouse gases. However, it should be noted that, in addition to carbon dioxide, there are five other important greenhouse gases: methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, per-fluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The most significant of these are the first two. Methane emissions come primarily from agriculture, waste, coal mining, and natural-gas distribution. They can be a major component of greenhouse gas emissions in countries with strong agricultural economies. For example, as a by-product of their digestion, New Zealands forty-five million sheep and eight million cattle produce about 90 percent of that countrys methane emissions, which equates to over 40 percent of the countrys total production of greenhouse gases. Nitrous oxide is generated from agriculture, industrial processes, and fuel combustion. The other greenhouse gases are emitted from a small range of industrial processes and products. With the exception of methane, these other gases are much easier to control through technological change than is carbon dioxide.
Copyright © 2007 by Mayer Hillman with Tina Fawcett and Sudhir Chella Rajan. All rights reserved.
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In chemistry it is essential that you understand just how chemical reactions occur and how to define them. So, put in the time to learn just how to create and also write a chemical formula.
These are the type of chemical reactions that results in power launch on their completion. This indicates that the reactants include a lot a lot more power than the item itself; and also this excess energy is discharged in the kind of heat. Some instances: One of the most standard image of exothermic response is when you light a match stick, as well as it sheds to launch warmth to the surrounding location. The rusting of iron is yet another prominent example of exothermic response.
In some cases under rare instances a surge called a vapor cloud explosion can happen. This occurs when something like regular gas or one more sort of gas is blended with the oxygen in the atmosphere. When the cloud is sparked there is a change that the burning rate could be fast enough to form the shock wave the defines a surge. Yet it probably wont be as effective as the various other kinds of explosions. But is still solid sufficient to damage buildings.
A chemical adjustment that gets power is called an endothermic reaction. An endothermic response occurs when a things soaks up warm from its environments throughout a chemical reaction. An example of an endothermic response would be thawing ice. The ice absorbs warm, creating it to melt and also eliminating heat and also energy from its environments. | https://wildseasonthegame.com/hypeiu11066/TrcHxq11074/ |
What is smarter than a cat?
Brain SmartsSuzana Herculano-Houzel is a Brazilian neuroscientist, and she found that the dog's brain has about 530 million neurons and that the cat's brain has around 250 million. Herculano-Houzel's study does indicate that scientifically speaking, dogs can be considered smarter than cats.
What animal is smarter than a cat?Results showed that the dogs, having larger brains to begin with, had more than twice as many neurons in their cerebral cortex as the domestic cat, with around 530 million cortical neurons to the cat's 250 million. (For comparison, there are billions of neurons in the human brain.)
What is the equivalent intelligence of a cat?Based on several studies, behaviorists believe an adult cat's intelligence is comparable to that of a 2-year-old human toddler. Studies have shown cats have object permanence recognition, an awareness of objects that aren't directly visible. That is, out of sight doesn't mean vanished forever.
Who has higher IQ cat or dog?Dogs, it turns out, have about twice the number of neurons in their cerebral cortexes than what cats have, which suggests they could be about twice as intelligent.
What's smarter a cat or dog?Though this data might seem to suggest that dogs are twice as intelligent as cats, a direct correlation between larger brain size and increased intelligence has not been conclusively proven. Regardless, dogs' higher neuron count is often viewed as a gauge of their superior intelligence.
How smart cats really are
What is the smartest animal?1: Chimpanzee. Chimpanzees can learn sign language to communicate with humans. Topping our list of smartest animals is another great ape, the chimpanzee. The impressive intellectual abilities of this animal have long fascinated humans.
Are cats color blind?Since a cat's cones are most sensitive to blue and yellow wavelengths of light, they do not see colors like red, orange, or brown. They are similar to people with red-green color blindness—red hues likely appear as the color green to your cat.
Can cats be loyal?While many people think that cats are standoffish and aloof, the truth is that they are loyal, loving companions (just like dogs). The key is that cats show their love in very different ways than dogs. Usually, those expressions of love are fairly subtle, so we miss them.
Do dogs have 100 IQ?The Average Intelligence or IQ of Dogs
Researchers have found that the average IQ of dogs is about 100. When compared to humans, this IQ is similar to the intelligence of two-year-old human toddlers.
What cat has the highest IQ?
Most Intelligent Cat Breeds
- 1 - Abyssinian. An Abyssinian cat lying down and being... well... ...
- 2 - Siamese. A Siamese cat - as clever as Disney portrayed her, but not as malicious! ...
- 3 - Bengal. The very clever and sociable Bengal cat. ...
- 4 - Burmese. ...
- 5 - Cornish Rex. ...
- 6 - Savannah. ...
- 7 - Scottish Fold.
What is a cat highest IQ?Abyssinian
Regardless of where they come from, Abyssinian cats are known as the smartest cat breed due to their inquisitive nature and top-notch detective skills.
Do cat people have higher IQ?600 students were surveyed to identify personality traits and whether they loved cats or dogs. The survey revealed that cat owners scored higher in terms of intelligence, and were found to be sensitive and open-minded people, while dog owners tend to be more energetic, outgoing and rule abiding people.
What PET has the highest IQ?1. Border Collie. The most intelligent breed of dog! These dogs are capable of just about anything they put their mind to.
Who is smarter pigs or cats?Several studies have shown that pigs are even smarter than dogs and cats, and they are able to solve problems quicker than many primates. Their cognitive abilities can be compared to those of a three-year-old human.
What is smarter raccoon or cat?They independently concluded that raccoons bested the abilities of cats and dogs, most closely approximating the mental attributes of monkeys.
Do cats see in Colour?In scientific observations, cats do not appear to perceive the full range of colors that humans can. Some scientists believe that cats see only blue and gray, while others think they see also see yellow like their canine counterparts.
Do cats ever protect their owners?Cats are often stereotyped as standoffish and aloof, even to the people who love them most, but the truth is that cats can be just as protective of their people as dogs are of theirs. Put simply, cats love their family and their family loves them right back.
What breed of cat is friendliest?
The Top 9 Friendliest Cat Breeds
- Persian. ...
- Ragdoll. ...
- Siamese. ...
- Maine coon. ...
- Sphynx. ...
- Abyssinian. ...
- Burmese. ...
- Scottish fold.
Does IQ change with age?The takeaway: Your individual IQ will not change as you age, but on average our intelligence does decrease with age.
Is 120 IQ good for a 11 year old?Scores of 90-109 are Average. Scores of 110-119 are High Average. An IQ of 125 is considered by many schools to be “gifted.” Scores of 120-129 are Superior.
How can I test my IQ?One of the most well-known online exams available to you is Free-IQTest.net. It has 20 questions that will measure your IQ score accurately. After this test, you have to give your birth date since the test calculates your IQ score based on your age. This way, you may compare yourself to your peers.
Can cats see TV?Can cats see TV without trying to ambush and attack what's on the screen? Definitely. While some cats go nuts for on-screen antics, others are content to watch the activity with an air of calm, and still others may not be interested in TV at all.
Can cats cry?Cats don't cry tears when they're sad or in pain. But Halls says whether your cat is experiencing emotional or physical pain, they'll exhibit behavioral changes that could include vocal crying. The sound of a cat crying is typically longer in duration and lower in frequency than day-to-day cat chatter.
Can cats see in total darkness?Do cats have night vision? Not exactly. They can see very well in low light, however — a skill that gave domestic cats' ancestors an advantage over their prey. As American Veterinarian explains, cats' large corneas and pupils, which are about 50% larger than humans', allow more light into their eyes.
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Every year around October, nearly two million herbivores migrate from the northern hills to the southern plains, crossing the Mara River in search of water and pasturage. Six months later, every April, they make their way back north via a western route, once again crossing the Mara River. This occurrence is sometimes referred to as Circular Migration.
The Great Migration is the top of the 10 natural travel wonders of the world.
HISTORY AND ECOLOGY
The Serengeti is located in northern Tanzania and extends into south-western Kenya, covering an area of some 12,000 sq miles (30,000 km2). In 1940 it was declared a protected area, and in 1951, the park was given National Park status. Years later in 1959, extensive boundary modifications took place. Today the government of Tanzania and Kenya give legal protection to over 80% of the Serengeti.
The Serengeti ecosystem is contiguous with the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA), both awarded Serengeti-Ngorongoro International Biosphere Reserve Status and World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. The Site includes the adjoining Maswa Game Reserve.
The name Serengeti translates into “Endless Plains” (Serengit), originating in the language Maa spoken by the Maasai, who lived alongside wild animals surviving entirely from their cattle.
The high diversity of habitats, ranging from forests, rivers, grass- and woodlands as well as the Doinyo Lengai, the only active volcano in the area of the Serengeti, sustains many different animal species. From approximately 70 larger mammals to some 500 bird species, it is host to millions of animal altogether.
Includes:
Lake Manyara
2 Days in Serengeti
Ngorongoro Crater
SAFARI DESTINATIONS INCLUDED IN OUR ITINERARIES
Nestled between a shallow soda lake and the Great Rift Valley's western escarpment, Lake Manyara NP is known for its large flocks of flamingos and tree climbing lions.
The world's largest intact caldera and natural World Heritage site. At the crater's base, the crater walls offer a dramatic backdrop and an abundance of wild life.
One of Tanzania's smaller parks, Tarangire draws less visitors. The park contains large elephant herds and is home to three rare animal species - the Greater Kudu, the Fringed-eared Oryx and a few Ashy Starlings.
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Abstract
The main property of gyroscopic devices is maintaining the axis of a spinning rotor, a mathematical model formulated on the principle of the change in the angular momentum. This principle is used for mathematical modeling of the motions of a top at known publications. Nevertheless, practical tests of gyroscopic devices do not correspond to this analytical approach. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the origin of gyroscope properties is more complex than that represented in known publications. The applied torque on a gyroscope produces internal torques of the spinning rotor based on the action of the several inertial forces. These forces are the centrifugal, Coriolis, and common inertial forces as well as the change in the angular momentum generated by the mass elements and center-mass of the spinning rotor. The action of these torques manifests itself in the resistance and precession torques of the gyroscopic devices. These inertial torques act simultaneously and interdependently around two axes and represent the fundamental principles of the gyroscope theory. The new inertial torques enable deriving mathematical models for the motions of well-known top that is the simplest form of gyroscopic devices. The novelty of the work is mathematical models for the motions of the top based on action of eight inertial forces acting around its two axes. The obtained mathematical models for the top nutation and self-stabilization are represented in terms of machine dynamics and vibration analysis. The new analytical approach for motions of the well-balanced top and top with eccentricity of the center-mass definitely responds to the practical results.
1. Introduction
L. Euler first laid out the mathematical foundations for the gyroscope theory in his work on the dynamics of rigid bodies back in 1765. Since Industrial Revolution time, I. Newton, J-L. Lagrange, L. Poinsot, J. L. R. D’Alembert, P-S. Laplace, L. Foucault, and other brilliant scientists have investigated, developed, and added new interpretations of the gyroscope effects, which are in full display in the rotor’s persistence in maintaining its plane of rotation. The applied theory of gyroscopes emerged mainly in the twentieth century in numerous publications that described the gyroscope effects [1]. The gyroscope properties feature many engineering mechanisms and devices with rotating parts, which thus need to be computed for their proper functioning [2, 3]. Gyroscope effects are used in numerous gyroscopic devices in aerospace engineering, as well as on ships and other industries [4, 5]. The most basic textbooks of classical mechanics have chapters on the gyroscope theory [6, 7] and consider motions with vibrations analysis [8]. Numerous and valuable publications have dedicated themselves to gyroscope effects and their applications in engineering [9–12]. Intuitively and without mathematical models, some researchers have noted that, on a gyroscope, the inertial forces that manifest the gyroscope effects are acting. However, in known publications, mathematical models for the gyroscope effects do not seem to match their practical applications in gyroscopic devices [13–17]. Therefore, researches have spawned artificial terms such as gyroscope resistance and gyroscope couple, as well as fantastical properties that contradict rules of classical mechanics. It is for this reason that the gyroscope theory still attracts many researchers who seek to discover true gyroscope theory [16, 18].
Mechanically, a gyroscope is a spinning disc in which the axle is free to assume any orientation. The simplest gyroscope is represented by a top toy that is one of the most remarkable and widely recognized toys in the world. They still attract attention through their astonishing behavior and unusual gyroscopic properties. The motions of top toy have been described analytically in numerous publications and with complex numerical modeling [19] based on Lagrangian dynamics on Euler coordinates that are solved with computer software [20].
However, all publications contain approximations, assumptions, and simplifications and explain gyroscope effects by the physical principle of the spinning rotor’s angular momentum that generates the precession torque and motions. Gyroscope effects still represent a problem that remains to be solved. The origin of gyroscope effects is more complex than those represented in the theories known to date. Recent investigations into the physical principles of gyroscope motions demonstrate four classical inertial forces acting upon a spinning rotor to generate the gyroscope effects. Research shows that centrifugal, common inertial, and Coriolis forces, in addition to change in the angular momentum of spinning rotors, are the basis for all gyroscope effects and properties [21–24]. Applied to the gyroscope, an external torque generates several torques based on the action of the aforementioned forces. In turn, the centrifugal and Coriolis forces of the rotating mass elements generate a resistance torque that counteracts the inclination of the rotor’s location. Common inertial forces, rotating mass elements, and change in the angular momentum of a spinning rotor generate a precession torque. All torques are interrelated and occur simultaneously. New mathematical models for acting torques accurately describe the physics of gyroscope effects and are validated by tests [21]. Table 1 represents four different torques generated by the inertial forces of the mass elements and center-mass of the spinning rotor under the action of the external torque that was applied to the gyroscope. The action of these torques should be considered for mathematical models of the gyroscopic devices and the top’s motions and nutation.
Table 1: Internal torques acting on a gyroscope.
In Table 1, is a resistance torque generated by the centrifugal () and Coriolis () forces acting around axis ; is the mass moment of inertia of the disc around axis or [6]; is a precession torque generated by the common inertial forces () and change in the angular momentum () acting around axis ; and is the angular velocity of a spinning rotor.
When applied to a gyroscope, an external torque generates angular velocities of precessions around two axes and activates simultaneously and interdependently eight internal torques. The equations of these torques (Table 1) demonstrate that the centrifugal, common inertial, and Coriolis forces of the spinning rotor are real active physical components, just like the change in the angular momentum. The new equations for the internal torques demonstrate their proportional dependence on a rotor’s mass moment of inertia and angular velocity of the spinning rotor, as well as on the angular velocity of its precession. New mathematical models for these torques clearly describe the physics of gyroscope properties and explain the unusual motions of gyroscopic devices. The aim of this paper is to represent mathematical models for the motions of the well-balanced top and with its eccentricity of the center-mass. This analytical approach is based on the action of centrifugal, common inertial, and Coriolis forces as well as the change in the angular momentum generated by the mass elements and center-mass of a spinning rotor. New mathematical model for the top motions describes the physics of forces acting on the top and its motions that represents the novelty of the work. The obtained mathematical models for top nutation and self-stabilization are represented in terms of machine dynamics and vibration analysis.
2. Materials and Methods
The new mathematical models for gyroscope motions will consider the simultaneous and interdependent actions of internal torques (Table 1). The external load torque generates eight internal resistance and precession torques acting around two axes and reveals new gyroscope properties [21]. The interdependent action of internal torques is used to model the behavior of different gyroscopic devices, including the simplest top.
Observation of a fast-spinning top shows that it preserves the vertical position of the axis, remains steady on the supporting pivot, and avoids tilting or falling to the ground. If the axis of a spinning top toy is inclined from the vertical axis under the action of an external torque, the axis starts to describe the vertical circular cone of the precessed motion. Then the spinning top stabilizes itself and its spin axis goes to a vertical position.
However, the axis of a spinning top has free oscillation of the periodic complex motion, which is called nutation, and reveals itself as fast shivering of the precessing axis. This phenomenon of the top’s gyroscope nutation represents small but fast oscillations of the spinning rotor’s axis at about its mean position. The nature of gyroscope nutation is represented by the following sources: the center-mass is displaced from the axis of rotation, the shocked displacement of the center-mass is generated by the action of an external force and the imperfect surface geometry of the tip of the top’s leg, and so forth.
The action of the center-mass, having been displaced from the spinning top, represents the continuing existence of a disturbing force that generates a forced oscillation. Any free oscillation of the spinning top is connected with an angular acceleration that eventually ceases because of a loss of energy. The amplitudes of free oscillated motions are very small in the case of a rapidly rotating top. Because of the inevitable presence of resistances, these oscillations for a well-balanced top toy are subject to asymptotically rapid decay. In most cases, the nutation of a well-balanced top toy is quickly damped by the action of inertial resistance forces and friction forces in the bearing, leaving uniform precession.
Gyroscopes with a high angular velocity represent overdamped or critically damped systems according to the theory of vibration [8]. This makes it possible to neglect nutation in solving most engineering problems and to formulate a gyroscope theory that takes into account only the precessions. However, for a gyroscope with low angular velocity, nutation is a regular process and represents a simple damped system.
The nutation process of the top can be considered in terms of machine dynamics, particularly in terms of vibration analysis [8]. The acting forces on the top are its weight and the force generated by centrifugal forces of the top toy’s center-mass, torques generated by the inertial forces of the rotating mass elements, and change in the angular momentum. The simulation of a free nutation process is presented by modeling it with a damping process and energy losses in the oscillation of a not so well-balanced spinning top.
Vibration analysis often takes into account the energy losses by means of a single factor called the damping factor. The nutation model of the spinning top consists of a not so well-balanced mass and a damper that represents the action of the top’s weight and several internal torques. In the case of a gyroscope’s free nutation process, the action of the single shock type torque on a spinning top toy represents one period of an oscillation with a short time for a single cycle. The damping resistance torques decay the action of one shock torque, resulting in the inclination of only the spinning top’s axis. For well-balanced gyroscopic devices and a top with high angular velocities, the process of the damped oscillation is not displayed.
For a top that possesses an eccentric rotating mass, that is, the center-mass being displaced on some small distance from the top’s axis, nutation is a regular process. The centrifugal force of the offset mass is asymmetric, which causes an angular displacement of the top’s shaft. The spinning top toy is constantly being displaced and moved by these asymmetric forces. The eccentric rotating mass of the top represents harmonic nutation, which means that the top is forced to nutate at the frequency of excitation [8]. A plot using the nutation amplitude along one axis and the forcing frequency along the other axis is then described as a performance or response curve for the system. The eccentric rotation of the mass at about the top’s axis is modeled as a sinusoidal wave, as shown in Figure 1. Here, the function denotes the displacement of the eccentric mass that represents the excitation input, where is the eccentricity of mass location. The frequency of this sine wave is also the frequency at which nutation occurs.
Figure 1: The position of a top’s eccentric motion according to sinusoidal law.
The analysis of a gyroscope motions and nutation is conducted using the example of a top that is not well balanced and is thus tilted (Figure 2). The motions of the spinning top are considered at around the point of support . If the axis of a top is adjusted on the angle to the horizontal position and released, then, under the influence of the force of gravity, its axis should tilt in the direction of the action of this force.
Figure 2: Forces acting on a spinning top.
As a result, the top’s axis will begin to precess at about the vertical and horizontal positions. The precessions of the top are also accompanied by visually undetectable nutational oscillations, which decay rapidly according to the action of the internal torques. Because of the internal torques’ resistance forces, the proper rotation of the top gradually slows down, while the precession velocities correspondingly increase. When the angular velocity of the top becomes smaller, the resistance forces of the internal torques become weaker, and the top becomes unstable and falls. In the case of a slowly rotating top, the nutational oscillations are noticeable and manifest a substantial change in the pattern of the top toy’s axial movement. In this case, the end of the top’s axis can describe a clearly visible wavy or looped curve alternately departing from the vertical position. In the case of a highly rotating top, the nutational oscillations can decrease and manifest the stabilization of the top’s axial movement. The top’s axis can approach the vertical position.
The motions of a not so well-balanced spinning top are complex. The equation of nutation is formulated by the action of several forces on the top. These forces represent the top’s weight, the centrifugal forces of eccentric mass and center-mass, the centrifugal and Coriolis forces generated by the rotating mass elements, the common inertial forces, and the rate of change in the angular momentum of the spinning toy. These forces produce the torques acting on the top. These are demonstrated in Figure 2 and formulated by the equations presented in Table 1.
The centrifugal force of the eccentric mass generates the variable torque represented by the following equation [7]:where is the centrifugal force generated by the rotated eccentric mass is the length of the top’s leg, is the tilt angle of the top’s axis, is the angle that should be used for calculating the maximum magnitude, and and are the torques acting around axes and , respectively.
The weight of a top generates torque, for which the equation is as follows: . is the torque generated by the centrifugal force of the rotating top’s center-mass m around axis oy. Other acting torques are presented in Table 1.
The parameters defined above allow for the formulation of a mathematical model for a top’s motion around axes and in Euler’s form. The torques acting on the top are similar to torques acting on the gyroscope suspended from a flexible cord [22, 23]. Both models consider the gyroscope with one-side support to be equal except for the added torque generated by the centrifugal force of the eccentric rotating center-mass. As such, the mathematical model for a top’s motion around axes and is represented by the following system of equations:where is the top’s mass moment of inertia around axis [6], while the sign denotes and as the positive and negative directions of the action, respectively, for the torque generated by the eccentric mass.
The torques generated by the centrifugal forces of the rotating top’s center-mass around axis are defined by the following equation:where is the centrifugal force of the top’s center-mass rotating around axis and is the angular velocity of the top around axis ; the other components are as specified above.
The methodology towards a solution for (3) and (4) by adding the ratio of the angular velocities of a gyroscope around axes is presented in Usubamatov [22, 23]. Substituting the defined parameters ((1), (2), and (5) and Table 1) into (3) and (4), transformation yields the equations of the top’s motions as follows:where all parameters are as specified above.
Solving (6), (7), and (8) yields the maximum and minimum angular precessions and which allow for defining the nutation amplitudes around axes and , respectively. Changes in the angular velocities of precessions around two axes make it possible to depict the trajectory of a top’s center-mass nutation. The mathematical model for the motions of a tilted top is derived from (6), (7), and (8). Substituting the expression from (8) into (6), transformation yields the following equation:where all parameters are as specified above.
Self-Stabilization. The practical observation of a tilted, well-balanced spinning top with a high angular velocity proves its capacity for self-stabilization. The axis of the tilted spinning top goes to the vertical position by the action of the internal torques, whose magnitudes are bigger than torques generated by the top’s weight. The necessary condition for a top’s self-stabilization is formulated in the following approaches. The expression of the variable torque generated by the eccentric mass is omitted from (9). The torques generated by the top’s weight and by the centrifugal forces of the rotating top’s center-mass around axis are acting in an anticlockwise direction. By contrast, the torques based on the action of the centrifugal and Coriolis forces as well as the factored change in the angular momentum are acting in a clockwise direction. The torques acting in a clockwise direction account for the self-stabilization of the top, as expressed in the following equation:Analysis of (10) shows that equilibrium of the acting torques depends on two main components, that is, the angular velocity of the top and the angle of its inclination. The angular velocity of precession depends on the first one. The stabilization process is intensive when the radius of gyration and angular velocity of spinning both have big value in addition to the length of the top’s leg being short, that is, the center-mass of the top is located towards the lower part. These components explain the unstable spinning of a top and other spinning objects with a long leg and small radius. This property is confirmed by ordinary tests. A detailed analysis of (10) demonstrates that the magnitude of its right component is always bigger than its left one except for the very low value of the top’s angular velocity that does not support its rotation. This top property is validated by practical observation. The low critical angular velocity of the top, which leads to a loss of self-stabilization, is defined when both the right and left sides of (10) are equal.
3. Working Example
The example considers the nutation process of a disc-type top whose data is presented in Table 2, whose formulas of the mass moment of inertia are represented in Hibbeler [6]. The center-mass of the top is located at the plane of the disc (Figure 2). The top initially possesses a displaced mass, while spinning around a vertical axis is conducted with nutation.
Table 2: Technical data of a top.
The torque generated by the top’s weight is as follows:The torque generated by the centrifugal force of the top’s center-mass rotation around axis oy is as follows:The maximal torque generated by the centrifugal forces of the eccentric rotating center-mass around axis ox is as follows:where all parameters are as specified above.
Substituting the defined parameters (Table 2, (11), (12)) into (9), transformation yields the following differential equation: Simplification and transformation of (14) yield the following equation:Separation of variables and transformation for the differential equation (15) yield the following expression:The denominator on the left side of (16) is represented by an equation with a known solution:where the solutions are and yield the following results: , .
Substituting the new expressions into (16) and then converting to integral forms with definite limits yield the following expression: Integral equation (18) is transformed and represented by the following equation:Left integral of (19) is tabulated and presents integral. Right integral is simple, and finally integrals have the following solution: giving rise to the following:The next transformation yields the following result:The right component of (22) has small value of a high order that can be neglected. Substituting expressions and into simplified equation (22), transformation yields the following result:
Solving (23) yields the maximal and minimal value of the precession angular velocity for the gyroscope around axis :where the signs and represent motion in an anticlockwise and clockwise direction around axis , respectively.
Equation (24) enables the angular velocity of a well-balanced top precession around axes ox and oy to be defined, as represented by the following magnitudes:The precession’s linear velocities of a balanced top’s center-mass around axes and have the following magnitudes:The distance of precessed motion for the center-mass of a balanced top per nutation of half oscillation time is as follows:The maximal and minimal value of the linear velocity of the top’s center-mass around axis ox have the following magnitudes:where the signs and represent linear velocity in negative and positive direction along axis , respectively.
The time spent on a half oscillation is as follows:The maximal and minimal value of the amplitudes of center-mass nutation around axis as well as the location of a balanced top are as follows:The total amplitude of oscillation around axis is as follows:The maximal and minimal value of the angular velocity for top’s precession around axis oy are defined by (8). Substituting the parameters defined above and in Table 2 into (26), transformation yields the following results:where the signs and represent motion in an anticlockwise and clockwise direction around axis , respectively.
The maximal and minimal value of the linear velocities of the top center-mass around axis oy indicate the following magnitudes:where the signs and represent linear velocity in positive and negative direction along axis , respectively.
The maximal and minimal value of the amplitudes of the center-mass nutation around as well as the location of a balanced top (29) are as follows:The total amplitude of oscillation around axis oy is as follows:The positive and negative values of the angular velocities around axes and ((34) and (35)), respectively, mean rotation in anticlockwise and clockwise directions. Hence, the linear motions of the top’s center-mass will be in negative and positive directions along the axes. This situation is expressed in the diagrams of nutation amplitudes.
This diagram of the top’s nutation loop is presented in Figure 3 and contains two coordinate systems. The system with asterisks is accepted for the motions of a balanced top. The figure demonstrates that the actual loop of amplitudes for top’s center-mass has stretched down along the axis . This is a natural result, because any action of the centrifugal force in the direction of top toy’s weight increases the amplitude. Any action in the opposite direction decreases the amplitude of nutation.
Figure 3: Nutation’s amplitudes of top’s center-mass.
The magnitudes of precessed motion’s distance (29) and the amplitudes of oscillations around axes (37) and (32) make it possible for diagrams of top’s nutation to be depicted. The distance of the center-mass’s motion along axes and is bigger than the minimal value of the amplitude. It means that the deployed diagram of top’s nutation does not have loops of oscillated motions. The following represent the half-cyclic nutation of top along the axis :Deployed diagram of top’s nutation (illustrated in Figure 4).
Figure 4: Deployed diagram of top’s nutation.
The deployed diagram of top’s nutation can have loops if the negative amplitude of oscillation along axis is bigger than the distance of top’s motion for the same precessing time. Equations of top’s motions with the given and calculated data of nutation parameters demonstrate that the amplitude and frequency of nutation are cyclic. The cycles are different, because the centrifugal force of top’s eccentric center-mass acts at the first semicircle of rotation in the direction of precessed motions and at the second semicircle in a direction opposite to that of the precessed motions. The result of this example demonstrates that the axis of a spinning top toy precesses with a rapid tremor of small amplitude. For top with a big, eccentric, rotating center-mass, the tremor can be visible; however, for small eccentrics, this can hardly be noticeable to the naked eye.
Self-Stabilization. The presented data of a tilted spinning top allow the condition for its self-stabilization to be checked. To make it simple, this is considered a well-balanced top that does not have the eccentric mass. Substituting the data defined above and in Table 2 into (10), transformation yields the following result:or 0.10313000 < 0.1031808.
The right component is bigger than the left one, that is, the top stabilizes itself.
4. Results
The simplest form of a gyroscope is a top, whose motions are described by known publications in terms of mathematical models based on the change in the angular momentum. The analytical study of forces acting on a well-balanced top and on a top toy with the eccentricity of center-mass has formulated new mathematical models for its motions. These models are based on action of several internal forces generated by the mass elements and center-mass of a top. The action of a top’s weight produces its own internal torques that interrelate and act at one time and expresses precession motions. A top rotating eccentric center-mass manifests a nutation process. The obtained mathematical models for the top’s motions enable describing physical principles of acting forces. These models of motions for a well-balanced top allowed its minimal angular velocity for self-stabilization to be defined. The diagram of a top’s nutation represents the motions of the top with eccentricity of its center-mass. The new mathematical models for the motions of the well-balanced top and with eccentricity of its center-mass definitely respond to the practical results.
5. Discussion
New studies of the gyroscope effects have shown that the origin of the acting forces and motions in a gyroscope is more complex. The gyroscope effects result from action of the several inertial torques generated by the centrifugal, Coriolis, and common inertial forces as well as the change in the angular momentum of the spinning rotor. The action of the new internal torques clearly describes the physics of gyroscope’s motions and changes the traditional presentation of gyroscope effects. This new study enables describing gyroscope properties that were unexplainable at former time. Today new mathematical models for acting internal torques can be applied to any gyroscopic devices and manually solve all technical problems. These new analytical solutions were applied for describing the forces acting on a well-balanced top and on a top with the eccentricity of center-mass. The new physical principles enabled formulating mathematical models of top processed motions, nutation, and its ability to rotate vertically.
6. Conclusion
In gyroscope theory, the top’s motions are one of the most complex and intricate in terms of analytical solutions. Known mathematical models for the top motions are accepted with simplifications and do not adequately express a real picture of its motions. The new mathematical models for gyroscope torques consider the simultaneous and interdependent action of several inertial forces generated by the rotating mass of the spinning rotor. As a practical application, these new physical principles for gyroscope motions were used for modeling a top’s motions that include micro oscillation and self-stabilization. These mathematical models are thus distinguishable from those in well-known publications, which tend to have complex numerical modeling that does not interpret the origin of gyroscope effects. The application of new mathematical models for the top’s motions effectively and clearly demonstrates physical principles of acting forces and motions. In that regard, this is also a good example of educational processes.
Nomenclature
:
Linear motion along axis , that is, or along axis or , respectively
;:
Maximal and minimal linear motion along axis , respectively
:
Gravity acceleration
:
Centrifugal force
:
Centrifugal force of a top toy’s center-mass rotating around axis
:
Index for axis or
:
Mass moment of inertia of a top
:
Mass moment of inertia of a top around axis
:
Length of a top’s leg
:
Mass of a top
:
Load torque
,, :
Torque generated by the change in the angular momentum, centrifugal, Coriolis, and common inertial forces acting around axis , respectively
,:
Resistance and precession torque acting around axis , respectively
,:
Torques generated by eccentricity of the center-mass and action around axes and , respectively
:
Linear velocity along axis
;:
Maximal and minimal value of the linear velocity along axis , respectively
:
Time
:
Angle for calculating the maximal value of the torques’ magnitude
:
Tilt angle of a top’s axis
:
Angular velocity of a top
:
Angular velocity of precession around axis
:
Maximal and minimal value of the angular velocity of precession around axis , respectively.
| |
In grades 9 and 10, students continue to explore their imagination, sensitivity, conceptual thinking, powers of observation and analytical ability. Students also gain confidence and enthusiasm as they develop technical skills in two and three dimensional forms of expression and composition. Students are able to identify and solve problems in visual and tactile forms. They also learn how to develop ideas from initial attempts to final solutions as they prepare for the winter and spring art exhibitions.
The aims of the visual arts courses are to:
- Engage and experiment with a range of media, materials and techniques, including new media and technologies, where appropriate
- Experience of working in relevant frameworks and exploration of manipulative skills necessary to form, compose, and communicate in two and/or three dimensions
- Develop a working vocabulary relevant to the subject, an interest in the subject, and a critical awareness of other practitioners, environments, and cultures
- Build analytical, experimental, interpretative, practical, technical and expressive skills which aid effective and independent learning
In grades 11 and 12 art classes, students will study the IB Visual Arts (SL, HL) course offered. The IB Diploma Programme Visual Arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts.
The aims of the IB arts subjects are to enable students to:
- enjoy lifelong engagement with the arts
- become informed, reflective, and critical practitioners in the arts
- understand the dynamic and changing nature of the arts
- explore and value the diversity of the arts across time, place, and cultures
- express ideas with confidence and competence
- develop perceptual and analytical skills
In addition, the aims of the IB visual arts course at SL and HL are to enable students to:
- make artwork that is influenced by personal and cultural contexts
- become informed and critical observers and makers of visual culture and media
- develop skills, techniques and processes in order to communicate concepts and ideas
Students are assessed both internally and externally at the end of Grade 12 through IB examinations. The internally assessed components are also externally moderated by IB. | https://www.mefis.k12.tr/istanbul/learning-at-mef/high-school/visual-arts/ |
It just occured to me that C Wright Mills might have influenced the thoughts of Nwabudike Morgan. Just consider these samples:
From Wiki:
Quote:
The Power Elite is an influential book written by sociologist C. Wright Mills in 1956. In it Mills called attention to the interlaced interests of the leaders of the military, corporate, and political elements of society, suggesting that the ordinary citizen was a relatively powerless subject of manipulation by those entities. The structural basis of The Power Elite was that the United States, after World War II was the leading country in military and economic terms.
Quote:
And when at last it is time for the transition from megacorporation to planetary government, from entrepreneur to emperor, it is then that the true genius of our strategy shall become apparent, for energy is the lifeblood of this society and when the chips are down he who controls the energy supply controls Planet. In former times the energy monopoly was called "The Power Company"; we intend to give this name an entirely new meaning.
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UMBILIKAL is a joint venture of the Biomedical Association of Students for Excellence (BASE, Pakistan) and biomedikal.in, India, for biomedical and healthcare professionals across the globe.
VISION:
UMBILIKAL’s sole purpose is to provide a common platform for the specialists and professionals in healthcare sectors from Pakistan and India to address the challenges faced in the field of healthcare in the two nations as well as other South Asian nations. By doing so, UMBILIKAL will not only help in drawing out effective solutions to redress the challenges faced but also help in the construction of a healthy and peaceful relationship between the biomedical and healthcare professionals of the two nations. Thus, UMBILIKAL aims to provide a knowledge pool from which professionals from the healthcare sector, especially budding professionals, can stay updated on the technological advancements made in this field in both the nations and draw inspiration from each other’s knowledge and experience.
UMBILIKAL, a joint venture of two nations, thus, strives to provide a peaceful co-existence of their healthcare professionals and to empower biomedical and allied healthcare technologies.
UMBILIKAL requires articles for its upcoming e-magazine. All professionals, research scholars, academicians, industrialists and students from healthcare and biomedical sectors are requested to send in their contributions in the form of articles, personal experiences, and innovative ideas to build up the knowledge pool.
CRITERIA:
Articles sent must be the original work of the person, typed in Times New Roman with a font size of 12. | http://biomedikal.in/2012/01/umbilikal-international-biomedical-engineering-e-magazine/ |
Happy New Year!
by Team | 31.12.2019 | TimeOFF | 0 comments
Wishing you a splendid 2020!
Wishing you a splendid 2020!
Let the coming holiday period bring you joy! From our CEE Legal Tech Blog’s Team.
We’re taking a break – see you January 14th 2020!
The interest in perfecting the legal industry is not new, but innovation, interdisciplinarity and human-centrism are elements that have only recently started being used. Relevant stakeholders have gradually understood that purely legal skills are necessary but no longer sufficient to ensure that lawyers provide legal services in a manner consistent with clients’ expectations, social needs and their own aspirations. The focus has shifted between skill-centred models, from I-shaped to T-shaped & +-shaped. The topic of current interest is the so-called Delta Model of Lawyer Competencies but, to be fair, rapid developments within the industry and beyond seem to indicate that this is also another, although important, stepping stone in the efforts to swiftly adapt this profession. That is why, for the scope of this article, we will focus on the Delta Model which, albeit built on the previous models, is nonetheless a pioneer in incorporating and giving equal weight to three categories of skills that, I dare say, are critical for lawyers’ success in today’s globalised society: substantive legal knowledge, business & operations (encompassing tech savviness, data analytics and project management) and personal effectiveness (including characteristics like entrepreneurial mindset, emotional intelligence and character). The beauty of this model resides not only in its plasticity but also in the vast spectrum of stakeholders benefiting from it, from individuals (such as law students and lawyers) to actual entities (law schools and organisations). Notwithstanding some concerns that all this skills-model hunt distracts us from real, more acute problems in the industry, the Delta Model managed to attract much attention and was generally hailed as innovative and thought provoking.
In this article, part 2/2, we’re explaining the nitty-gritty practicalities of a T-shaped lawyer. Namely, the “Who?”, “What?” and “How?”.
We begin by presenting the skills and qualities of a T-Shaped lawyer.
Next, explain what does it take to be T-Shaped Lawyer.
Finally, we suggest a few practical steps on how to become a T-Shaped Lawyer.
Read up and be inspired.
For an intro to the concept – the question of all questions, “Why?” – check out the already posted Part 1 of this text: T-Shaped Lawyer: the new commercial awareness. Why should you become a T-Shaped Lawyer?.
The notion of a “T-shaped professional” has entered the legal field for good. In fact, there are already some upgraded versions of the “T-shaped lawyer”. Yet, before we dive into the next big thing in legal innovation – the exciting Delta Lawyer Competency Model – it’s worth taking a first step in the direction of becoming #futureproof. This means moving on from “commercial awareness” as an icing on the cake of great legal education and experience. Commercial acumen in lawyers is nowadays deemed a given. What’s become a hallmark of a good lawyer is a varied toolkit consisting of tech & data competencies, design thinking and project management, on top of their business know-how and legal expertise. In this blog post – part 1 of 2 on the T-shaped lawyer – we’re looking closely at why you should strive for elevating your skillset and knowledge to this upper level. So, we’re examining the drivers, present the benefits and look at some “but’s” we commonly hear. In case you‘re wondering: it isn’t a matter only for the young and inexperienced. It is a necessity for all lawyers who want to stay relevant and client-responsive. It’s about implementing a more well-rounded learning for life approach of upskilling. That’s another “innovation” – or a well-established business practice trickling into law, at long last.
So, what does it take to be a T-shaped lawyer? How to become one? And, most importantly – why is it worth your efforts? Read up! And don’t forget to come back for Part 2.
The new laws of competition on the legal market call for shifting focus from the customary “Who?” towards the question of all questions – “Why?”. Beware of old habits, as this is an outward query to clients, on top of some preliminary self-examination. This is a turn from “me/us lawyers” to “you/them clients”. It’s a building block towards “we/us”. Legal experts teaming up with clients to tackle law’s challenges as part of providing broader business solutions. It is a cultural change, “shaped by client expectations, not by the legal guild” in response to the requirements of the globalised and digital economy.
Legal profession shall be able to thrive, beyond merely surviving, only upon: (i) truly listening, combined with (ii) scrutinising the basis of success of the non-traditional legal service providers, and (iii) promptly acting upon what we hear and observe. Otherwise, lawyers follow suit of the supposed Henry Ford’s customers. Stuck in the “faster horses mindset”, traditional law is choking. Behind the wheel sit the new competitors – the business of law companies – racing towards greater market shares; leaving the practice of law far behind.
This post briefly presents some recent changes to the legal service provision in the context of Alternative Legal Service Providers. Then, explores a recently circulating notion of potential new entrants into legal – technological giants, like Amazon. By doing so, it looks at the newly formulating “laws of competition” on the legal market. It concludes that while technology, currently, is a leading enabler of the legal organisation’s success, it does not single-handedly constitute any magic formula. What is required in the long-term, are changes towards a more customer-focused and business-driven culture, for which tech is just an accelerator.
With this blog, we set the scene for our next posts – looking at the legal market transformation in Central and Eastern Europe. Stay tuned and follow our Blog @CEELegalTech.
I am talking, of course, about technological and organisational transformation. Still, is it something real in Central and Eastern Europe (“CEE”) and, more importantly, should legal professionals be mindful of it? To put it shortly: YES.
Changing paradigms poses significant challenges especially in industries with more traditional mindsets such as the CEE legal one. The resistance towards innovation manifested by legal professionals here can be traced back to the nature of both law and legal industry. First, law is branded as a human science, for and about social interaction; I will further detail on the accuracy of this assertion. Second, for centuries now, lawyers have had absolute monopoly over providing and delivering legal services, which in turn eliminated any significant form of stimulation or constraint for the professionals to be agents of change. Change is upon this industry, whether the practitioners like it or not. At this stage, the only control they can exert is over the solutions to adopt in order to survive and thrive under these new circumstances. There is a myriad of options out there but what currently seems best fit for CEE would be professional upskilling and a change in the working methods. | https://ceelegaltech.com/page/4/ |
Q:
Prove minimum argument of square error function is equal to expected value
Consider a probability density function $f(x)$ defined over the interval $[a,b]$ where $-\infty<a<b<\infty$.
The square error function is defined as $J(y)=\int_a^b (x-y)^2f(x)dx$.
The argument $y$ that outputs the minimum $J(y)$ is defined as $y_1$.
I have to prove that $y_1$ is equal to $E(X)$.
I have tried doing the problem by myself but I have no idea where to start from. It makes sense that for a square error function to have the least error, it should be centered around the mean. However, due to my lack of math skills, I just couldn't find my way into this proof. Could I get some guidance please?
A:
$J(y)=∫_a^b(x−y)^2f(x)dx = E(X^2) -2yE(X) + y^2$
Deferential is $2y - 2E(x)$.
Let it equal to zero you get $Y=E(X)$.
By secondary deferential, = 2 >0, you get result.
| |
Responsible Innovation pp 51-69 | Cite as
RI – A Drain on Company Resources or a Competitive Advantage?
- Mentions
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Abstract
Responsible innovation (RI) is an approach to business that can both incur and save costs. Some company leaders are concerned that it is yet another administrative and financial burden on their commercial operations. Others can see its financial advantages, e.g. avoiding the development of products the market will not accept, or reducing costs through sustainability measures. Building on the corporate responsibility and management advice literature, this chapter indicates a number of areas where RI can create a competitive advantage for SMEs. Real life case studies provide examples of reduced costs, reputational gains, employee retention, faster market entry, access to previously unavailable stakeholders, higher acceptability of end products, and higher innovation potential through diverse employees. Success cannot be guaranteed, but the willingness of an SME to innovate in areas that have positive societal impact in addition to profits can bring business benefits.
KeywordsResponsible innovation Profits Competitive advantage Corporate responsibility
5.1 Introduction
There are many reasons to start a business. The UK’s ‘No. 1 starting a business resource’ lists 10. Reason 6 states that: “It can be very profitable” (Akselberg 2018). However, actual survival rates of small businesses are low. In the UK, 40% of small businesses do not survive the first 5 years (Lobel 2016).
One of the main causes of business failures is cash flow problems (ibid). For new businesses, it is therefore essential to use funds wisely. Anything that looks like a cost without a benefit will be avoided, and for good reason; small businesses need to concentrate even more than large corporations on spending money thriftily to avoid the cash flow trap.
Is the approach of Responsible Innovation (RI) a good business investment? As noted in previous chapters, RI invites researchers and innovators to engage with society to identify social and ethical impacts of the technologies they are developing, as well as to contribute innovative solutions to societal needs.
RI only applies to innovator companies. This means that RI will not be relevant for about half of European businesses. According to the latest Eurostat innovation statistics (Eurostat 2017), 49.1% of businesses reported innovation activity in the relevant period (2012–2014). The highest innovation levels were observed in Germany (67.0% of all enterprises), and the lowest in Romania (12.8%).
The following will introduce case study examples for each innovation type, which show how the application of RI principles can lead to a competitive advantage (either through savings or additional profits).
5.2 Product Innovation and RI
Innovative products is a term which can be used for both goods and services. Products have to be either entirely new to the market or a significant improvement on an earlier version. Typical examples of innovative goods are food, books, refrigerators, cars, computers, or fashion items. Typical examples of innovative services are flights, hotel nights, education, physiotherapy treatment or accountancy advice.
One can already see that innovation will be easier in some areas (e.g. cars) than in others (e.g. books). To provide focus for our question (is RI a good business investment?), it pays to ask about what happens in irresponsible innovation and the consequent impact on business.
Our history is littered with the unintended consequences of innovations from destruction of stratospheric ozone by chlorofluorocarbons, to birth defects associated with thalidomide and mesothelioma associated with asbestos inhalation, to the near collapse of the global financial system in 2008, in which the innovation of complex financial products, such as the ‘toxic’ collateralized debt obligations… played no small part (Owen et al. 2013a).
As can be seen from this quote, innovation with highly detrimental consequences can occur both in goods (e.g. pharmaceutical products) and in services (e.g. finance). For example, as a result of the tragic birth defects and unnecessary deaths caused by the thalidomide disaster in many countries in the 1950s and 1960s, new rules for pharmaceutical testing and registration were issued, i.e. new responsibilities were added to existing procedures. This did not avoid the compensation payments required from the relevant companies, nor the massive reputational losses worldwide.
The near collapse of the global financial system in 2008 also had major detrimental effects on the industry worldwide. “Consumer trust in the sector plunged … [and] extensive regulation designed to clamp down on opaque investment banking practices, [hit] profits and [caused] a number of lenders to retreat from the sector”(Dunkley 2015).
Companies will want to avoid loss of life or well-being caused by product innovations for ethical reasons, but also for reasons of profitability. A promising angle for presenting the competitive advantages of applying RI is therefore the context of risky new goods or services. Risky can mean that disasters might occur, as in the above infamous scenarios, or it can mean that the product or service will not gain the trust of consumers and will therefore not be in demand, or may not receive official approval. An often cited example for the latter is the Dutch government’s effort to move all patients’ health records to an electronic system, an effort which was abandoned in 2011 due to major privacy concerns among citizens. At this point, 300 million Euros had already been invested (von Schomberg 2013). Whilst this failed investment will have been carried by the tax payer, a bad investment in an SME can reduce its survival chances significantly, given that one of the main causes of business failures is cash flow problems, as noted earlier. At the same time, Forbes count lack of investment as one of five reasons for businesses losing money (Kappel 2017). Hence, a balance between the two has to be found.
In this section the example of a technology perceived as risky is nanotechnology. The short case study will high-light a company, which invests in research and innovation whilst trying to reduce the chances that the market will reject the investment.
5.2.1 Product Innovation and RI in Nanotechnology
In spite of great expectations about the potential of nanotechnology, this study shows that people are rather ambiguous and pessimistic about nanotechnology applications in the food domain.
As the European discussion around biotechnology has shown, high rates of pessimism cannot be aligned with commercially profitable product development using new technologies. For instance, the Court of Justice (2018) of the European Union ruled in July 2018 that organisms modified through new gene-editing tools are considered to be genetically modified and therefore fall under the 2001 GMO Directive). As a result, investment in gene editing and its product will be constrained in Europe.
Researchers and innovators have repeatedly expressed a concern that Europe will lag behind the United States and China in biotechnology developments, most recently after the ruling of the EU Court of Justice (Perets 2018).
The following section describes the case of a science-based spin off company, and its attempts to gain the public’s trust for a nanotechnology product.
5.2.2 Nanotechnology Company applying RI
Responsible innovation in a business context (cross-ref to Chap. 2) introduced the company Applied Nanoparticles SL (AppNps) (Busquets-Fité et al. 2017) to readers of this book. AppNps main business is the commercial exploitation of a patent named BioGAS+. BioGAS+ uses iron nanoparticles to optimize anaerobic digestion processes. When added to organic waste it can increase the production of biogas. Renewable biogas can be used as a replacement for non-renewable natural gas and thereby contribute to sustainable energy use.
In contrast with genetically modified organisms, there are no specific regulations for nanotechnologies or nanomaterials at the European level. They fall under various other categories, for instance, Cosmetic Products, Novel Foods, or Medical Devices (EU Science Hub 2017). A Code of Conduct for Responsible Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies Research provides non-legally binding guidance (European Commission 2009).
It is well known that there are no specific regulations for nanotechnologies or nanomaterials at EU level. Instead, the manufacture, use and disposal of nanomaterials are covered, at least in principle, by a complex set of existing regulatory regimes… The consequence of this … is legal uncertainty. In the current legal framework and social context, companies need to develop safe and sustainable nanomaterials, and applying RI principles is the best way we found to achieve it (Busquets-Fité et al. 2017).
5.2.2.1 What Does That Mean in Practice?
AppNps has developed a vision which is supported by a tailor-made Code of Conduct. The Code includes articles about worker health and safety, as well as innovative articles, for instance about the relationship with suppliers, customers and society. Through continued engagement with relevant stakeholders, facilitated by the regular, transparent disclosure of information, the company anticipates providing a product that meets society’s needs whilst generating a profit.
[E]stablished professionals often ... think that they are already ‘responsible’, and look at this [RI] movement with sympathy and condescendence, while young nanotechnology scientists … are more eager to adopt a responsible approach and realize that technology is never value-neutral, but always value-laden. They accept their moral responsibility (to critically reflect on the wider socio-ethical context of their work), and are thus ready to understand RI as a political tool. They only need the proper innovation environment (ibid.).
The AppNps shareholders believe that education of young scientists is the key to bringing RI into companies. The company is involved in educational efforts through their participation in EU-funded projects and writing up its experiences as, for example, in the case study summarized here.
5.2.2.2 Are Benefits in Evidence?
The 13 shareholders of the company believe that their vision, which incorporates a commitment to RI, helps them retain talented employees who might otherwise be easily head-hunted. The vision of the company is to make use of the opportunities that nanotechnology presents to generate wealth, but to pay special attention to sustainability and the minimization of deleterious side effects at the same time.
Beyond benefits, compensation and work-life balance, there’s an underutilized asset called corporate social responsibility, or CSR, that can attract and keep employees engaged at your company (Hattar 2018).
As employees increasingly look for meaning and social impact in their corporate jobs, companies are seeking—and finding—ways to link talent development and rewarding, purpose-driven work, for both employee engagement and competitive advantage (Eggers et al. 2015).
AppNps can already state with confidence that an RI-linked approach to business helps retain talented employees. The company also hopes to gain the public’s trust for its nanotechnology product through transparent information channels and public engagement. To date, it has not experienced resistance to the nanotechnology product BioGAS+.
5.3 Organisational Innovation and RI
Organisational changes involve different ways of working, for instance with new groups. Two organisational innovations will be introduced here, one leading to a product which has high appeal to the consumer through a university endorsement, and one which allows SMEs to adhere better to government requirements for stakeholder inclusion.
5.3.1 Collaborative Design for Biomechanical Devices
Universities are locations where cutting-edge research is undertaken. From the first-carbon positive houses to world-leading security systems for airports (The Telegraph n.d.), the groundwork and occasionally the implementation of many innovations is carried out by universities. At the same time, universities often suffer from a lack of impact of their ground-breaking research. In medicine, this implementation gap is described as the complex road from bench to bedside (Goldblatt and Lee 2010).
The term ‘translational research’ was created mostly by research funders to emphasize that even the best research has no impact on society if the theoretical know-how cannot be translated into helpful products and services (Woolf 2008). Universities have implemented various mechanisms to support start-ups, both within the institution (Houser 2014) and in the surrounding communities. One example is given in Box 5.1.
Box 5.1: Universities supporting start-ups – Northern lights, now propeller (https://propellerhub.co.uk/)
Northern lights/propeller is an enterprise incubator at the University of Central Lancashire. It started its operations in 2006 and has gone from strength to strength.
In 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron visited to meet young entrepreneurs and take part in a question and answer session with business people. He also announced a financial boost to the Government’s Start-Up Loans scheme, which benefited the funding available through Northern Lights (UCLan Cyprus 2013).
In 2015, the Northern Lights Business Incubation Unit was awarded the title of Best Business Enabler of the Year at this year’s Lancashire Business Awards (UCLan 2015).
The main offers of northern lights, now propeller, for early-stage innovators are 24/7 office facilities, sector-specific mentoring programs, links to local and national businesses, partnering events, financial and legal advice and the creative innovation zone (https://www.uclanfcci.co.uk/creative-innovation-zone.html).
Earlier RI analysis involving SMEs have emphasized the importance of inclusion and end-user involvement (Stahl et al. 2017). If prospective end users are involved in product development, products can reach the market earlier and with higher acceptance levels, as shown in the success story of the ambiact presented in Box 5.2.
Box 5.2: An RI success story – The ambiact (Frenken et al, 2018)
The ambiact is a smart meter for social alarm systems. It is designed as a plug-adapter and can be placed between the power outlet and any commonly-used appliance, such as a television, radio, or kettle. If not used for an unusually long time for the individual at risk, as previously defined, an alarm is raised. The developers of the ambiact included end-users throughout the entire design process in a co-design approach. Once the product had entered the market, they concluded:
Early engagement of stakeholders saves on costs: The engagement of future customers into the development process, starting during the initial idea phase and ending with cooperative product design, saved costs and time. The prototype itself was developed by adhering to acceptability factors for the customers. The continuous interviews during the field trials helped to identify potential problems, including around visual acceptability/impact of the product. Overall, the ambiact was developed from an initial idea to the final product in only three years with the involvement of a “work force” of volunteer end-users.
The development of the Rehab Angel in the UK involved university researchers, an SME, end-users with knee problems as well as prescribers (e.g. physiotherapists). In combination these four groups achieved a result which was university-endorsed, yet business-marketed.
In an initial study, the university researchers identified a lack of evidence of the exact nature and ‘dosage angle’ of interventions used by clinicians. They then explored the use of squatting using decline boards and aimed to determine the optimum angle and the most effective regimen (Richards et al. 2008). As a result of initial publications, they were able to obtain prototype funding and recruit stakeholders, in particular end-users and prescribers, to the project. The SME joined the development early on and benefitted from the exposure to academic research.
The benefits, including the commercial benefits, of this new collaborative way of working (through organisational innovation) are as follows.
access to cutting-edge scientific knowledge in their area of operations
access to end-users who trusted the university’s procedures to ensure safe studies with users
university reports and independent peer reviewed papers to allow evidence-based marketing of the product
societal impact, given that the SME successfully marketed the researched product, a new requirement for researchers at UK universities (Hefce 2014)
the satisfaction that their ground-breaking research work will benefit patients
new sources of co-funding through SME involvement in university activities
This shows the wider and longer-term benefits of broadening participation in a collaborative RI process between universities and businesses.
5.3.2 Widening the Work Force
Research and management literature from around the world shows that the involvement of women in the work force unlocks potential and improves performance (Joshi n.d.), (Devillard et al. 2016) A Gallup publication summarizes the reason for this effect very simply: “Men and women have different viewpoints, ideas, and market insights, which enables better problem solving.”(Badal 2014). It is estimated that achieving 30% of women in leadership positions creates this effect (Heskett 2015). Studies have also shown that the increasing inclusion of staff from ethnic minorities in the workforce has positive impacts on profitability (Cox 2018).
As these are relatively uncontentious claims with significant existing media coverage and policy goals, the following focuses on more ambitious inclusion goals, namely the inclusion of disabled people in the work force of SMEs.
The “on my own” app (Vulterini 2018) was funded through an EU grant and developed in collaboration between socially responsible hotels and a range of partners. Its aim is to train people ‘on the job’ in the hospitality sector so that those with Down’s Syndrome could work in the industry.
People with learning disabilities are harder to train on a job than those without, and they need more assistance and support to do a job well. To help trainers undertake this task, the app focuses on time management, work tasks and work tools, customised for each individual user. Pictures, videos and voice messages are used. The training profiles available are for: assistant cook, chambermaid, café waiter, restaurant waiter, breakfast waiter, receptionist, beach attendant and spa receptionist.
People with Down’s Syndrome are, of course, theoretically able to undertake jobs in the hospitality industry, but previously this was not always practically feasible. For example people with Down’s Syndrome often could not work autonomously, and required reminding of task content and timing on a regular basis. The “on my own” app is set up in such a way that a person trained on the job can – with the help of the app – undertake it with considerably less supervision and more autonomy.
Responsible innovation is about promoting diversity in the work force (European Commission n.d.-a), which this example clearly adheres to. However, the central question of this chapter is whether RI can create a competitive advantage for SMEs.
Quota systems for private and/or public enterprises or institutions can be found in the majority of EU countries (the exceptions are DK, EE, FI, LV, NL, SE and UK). Their basic target is to stimulate labour demand by committing employers to employ a certain share of employees with disabilities. Typically, the stipulated share ranges between 2% (ES) and 7% (IT) of the workforce. (Fuchs 2014)
It is no surprise that the app was designed under Italian leadership, given that the quota is highest in Italy (7%). This shows a problem-solving spirit under conditions of ‘external pressure’ (quota). Collaborating with academics and NGOs, as in this case, can reduce the industry costs of fulfilling the external requirement. As noted earlier, the advantage of using the “on my own” app for staff with learning disabilities is the significant reduction of supervisor time. This makes the app an example of where RI aligns with creating advantages for SMEs under conditions of requirements from the government. Costs (training and supervision) could be saved while a quota target is achieved.
5.4 Process Innovation and RI
A process innovation usually involves “a new or significantly improved production or delivery method” (OECD Glossary n.d.) which saves costs or increases consumer appeal or demand.
Responsible innovation is inextricably linked to sustainable-oriented research and innovation. Both are approaches which aim to increase the positive impact of innovation on society whilst minimizing the negative impact on the environment. Several theorists of RI, in particular Owen et al. and von Schomberg, believe that sustainability considerations should always be part of RI considerations.
Responsible innovation is a collective commitment of care for the future through responsive stewardship of science and innovation in the present (Owen et al. 2013a, b).
Process innovations, which are focused on reducing negative environmental impact, are often called “green innovations”, and defined as “new or modified processes, techniques, systems, and products to avoid or reduce environmental harm” (Marchi 2012). A successful case is given below.
5.4.1 Mission Zero
The highly ambitious “Mission Zero” of carpet manufacturer Interface is a good example (2017), with its mission introduced as early as the 1990s, for completion in 2020. Although Interface has over 3000 employees and operates on a global scale, it “operate[s] much like a small to medium-sized enterprise (SME) from an organizational and structural perspective.”(ibid). For instance, Interface use a bottom-up management style without hierarchically and rigidly defined roles, and without formalized role training and career structure, thereby gaining time efficiencies. Its approach to green innovation therefore mirrors efforts undertaken by SMEs.
Mission zero at interface
Mission zero goals
Description of goals
1. Eliminate waste
Eliminating waste in all forms – Material waste, wasted time and wasted effort
2. Benign emissions
Eliminating waste streams that have negative or toxic effects on natural systems
3. Renewable energy
Reducing energy demand and substituting fossil fuels with renewable ones like solar, wind and biogas
4. Closing the loop
Redesigning processes and products so that all resources used can be recovered at end of life and reused, closing the technical or natural loop
5. Resource efficient transportation
Transporting people with minimal waste and emissions. This includes consideration of plant location, logistics and commuting
6. Sensitising stakeholders
Creating a community within and around Interface that understands the functioning of natural systems and our impact on them
7. Redesign commerce
Redesigning commerce to focus on the delivery of service and value instead of material. Encouraging external organizations to create policies and market incentives
The most important element of the innovation approach to Mission Zero was the setting up of the co-innovation team. The team uses the time and energy gained through the non-formalization of roles to encourage employees to “undertake discretionary activities above and beyond typical working practice, such as coming up with new ideas, identifying resource needs, or reviewing established processes and products.”(ibid) The authors of the case study commented that “the co-innovation team’s utilization of organizational slack for innovative activity demonstrated one of the benefits of a high-slack environment for innovation”, namely the time and energy available.1 The most significant progress was made towards waste elimination (goal 1), benign emissions (2), renewable energy (3) and resource efficient transportation (5).
It was mostly waste reduction and energy savings, which led to the 2013 Interface statement that 480 million US dollars were saved through Mission Zero since 1994 (ibid.)
Net-Works™ redesigns global supply chains to create sustainable and scalable solutions that reduce marine plastic, increase fish stocks and improve the lives of marginalised coastal communities living in biodiversity hotspots of developing countries. We connect these communities to global brands via a fair and inclusive business model that delivers ‘less plastic, more fish’.
Most of the Net-works operations are in the Philippines and Cameroon, with an expansion to Indonesia planned. From the first step (collecting discarded plastic fishing nets to avoid major marine pollution), the project expanded into setting up community savings and credit associations, and supply chains for seaweed carrageenan. The latter reduces over-fishing by creating a second means of income for local communities previously dependent entirely on fishing. The former applies the principles of fair trade and inclusive business to create livelihoods in disadvantaged communities.
This short case study shows how cost savings and global recognition can be achieved through green innovation by linking the aims of RI into a company’s innovation processes.
We have found Mission Zero to be incredibly good for business. A better business model, a better way to bigger profits. Here is the business case for sustainability. From real life experience, costs are down, not up, reflecting some 400 million dollars of avoided costs in pursuit of zero waste … And this dispels a myth too, this false choice between the environment and the economy. Our products are the best they’ve ever been, inspired by design for sustainability, an unexpected wellspring of innovation. Our people are galvanized around this shared higher purpose. You cannot beat it for attracting the best people and bringing them together. And the goodwill of the marketplace is astonishing. No amount of advertising, no clever marketing campaign, at any price, could have produced or created this much goodwill. Costs, products, people, marketplaces – what else is there? It is a better business model.
5.5 Marketing Innovation and RI
Marketing innovations change the look and feel of a product to achieve higher consumer ratings. The following case example is about packaging and is again related to sustainability. Packaging can be understood as a process innovation (an innovative change of the product’s delivery method) or as a marketing innovation, given the strong importance of packaging for marketing a product.
The ways in which packaging can contribute to marketing has been explored by academics and in management circles. For instance, Rundh (2005) has advocated the use of packaging innovations to create competitive advantages. Vernuccio et al. (2010) argues that packaging is a tool beneficial to marketing, logistics, and ethics. Meanwhile, a variety of industries use packaging as a major marketing tool (Drinkpreneur 2016), and promote innovations for a range of reasons, for instance consumer convenience, product safety, or waste reduction, including cost savings (Cuneo 2017).
It would be beyond the scope of this chapter to explain in depth the complexity of sustainability solutions for packaging. This has been beautifully done in a TED Talk by Leyla Acaroglu (2013). Here, one example will be used, namely yoghurt pots, which are one of the most environmentally unfriendly forms of packaging. Yoghurt pots are single-serving foods and the small size and mixed materials make the single serving package highly unattractive for recycling (Wu 2014). The small size problem cannot easily be tackled in a time when the numbers of single person households are increasing considerably. In 2015, for the first time there were significantly more single-households in the EU than any other household type (Koessl 2017). However, some innovators are tackling the diversity of material mix, although solutions are difficult to find. Regarding sustainable packaging, The Guardian newspaper notes that “we were closer to an answer 30 years ago: what on earth happened to milkmen and bottle deposits? Now we live in an absurd age where a packet of crisps can have seven layers of wrapping” (Hall 2017).
German company Desto offers a light-weight, white plastic container for yoghurts, stabilized through a paper banderol, ready for separate recycling by ‘green’ consumers (Optipack n.d.). Whilst this may look like a success story, a sustainability expert in Germany explains that consumers do not seem to be separating the three components properly for recycling (paper, plastic, aluminium top), leading to a worse waste result than the traditional yoghurt pot. At the same time, people are buying the innovative pot in an effort to contribute to sustainable consumption (Lemke 2018).
- 1.
Consumers are buying innovative packaging which is designed to be more sustainable; there is a market.
- 2.
Waste can be reduced through innovative packaging, e.g. the plastic content of the Desto container is significantly lower than the standard pot. As a result, material costs can be saved.
- 3.
As noted above, employee attraction and retention can be improved with commitments to social goals. Sustainability is one of the top goals. Research found that employee pride, the perception that sustainable operations care for their employees and the link to personal value systems are the main reasons for this phenomenon (Network for Business Sustainability 2013).
There is clearly room for movement in the packaging sector, which is relevant to almost all product businesses. Sustainable packaging could achieve a considerable advantage for innovators whilst simultaneously achieving RI goals.
5.6 Conclusion
Innovative SMEs have to decide for themselves. Do they want to innovative responsibly through their operations or not? This decision cannot be based solely on whether this makes businesses more profitable. Successful examples have been shown, but no guarantee is possible. The closest one can argue is that SMEs, which subscribe to responsible innovation, are more likely to attract and retain talented staff. Job satisfaction is higher when employees can be proud of their company. The rest depends on the context and on the willingness of the SME to innovate in areas that have positive societal impact in addition to profits. The possibilities are endless, from more sustainable packaging to reaping the benefits of an increasingly diverse work force. It is the initiative that counts and this has to come from SMEs themselves.
Footnotes
- 1.
The authors also noted that the lack of clear development paths meant that some employees “felt disengaged and underappreciated in their roles”, ibid.
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Q:
what are embeddings of $\Bbb Q(^4\sqrt 2)$ in $\overline {\Bbb Q}$ really fixing?
I want to prove $\sqrt 3 \not \in \Bbb Q(\sqrt[4]2)$ using contradiction.
Suppose $\sqrt 3 \in \Bbb Q(\sqrt[4] 2)$ and set $K:=\Bbb Q(\sqrt 2,\sqrt 3)=\Bbb Q(\sqrt[4]2)$ because both fields have same degree over $\Bbb Q$.
let $σ_1 , . . . , σ_4$ be the distinct field embeddings $K \to \overline {\Bbb Q}$ that fix every element of $\Bbb Q$:
$σ_1(\sqrt[4] 2)=\sqrt[4] 2$
$σ_2(\sqrt[4]2)=-\sqrt[4] 2$
$σ_3(\sqrt[4] 2)=i\sqrt[4] 2$
$σ_4(\sqrt[4] 2)=-i\sqrt[4] 2$
Do we have $σ_1(\sqrt 3\sqrt[4]2) = \sqrt 3 σ_1(\sqrt[4] 2)$? In other words, does embedding fix $\sqrt 3$ within our hypothesis that $\sqrt 3 \in \Bbb Q(\sqrt[4] 2)$?
My understanding of embedding in Field Theory is that it is a ring morphism that permutates the conjugates of $\sqrt[4] 2$ and fixes every other element in the field.
Thank you for your help.
A:
For all $i=1,\ldots,4$ we see that $\sigma_i$ is an isomorphism $($onto a subfield of $\overline{\mathbb{Q}})$, hence must send $\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3}$ to one of their conjugates, namely, $\pm\sqrt{2}$ and $\pm\sqrt{3},$ respectively. Therefore
$$\sigma_i(a+b\sqrt{2}+c\sqrt{3}+d\sqrt{2}\sqrt{3})=a\pm b\sqrt{2}\pm c\sqrt{3}\pm d\sqrt{2}\sqrt{3}\in\mathbb{R}.$$
So $\sigma_i(\overline{\mathbb{Q}})\subseteq\mathbb{R}$ for all $i=1,\ldots,4.$ Then $i\sqrt[4]{2}\in\mathbb{R},$ a contradiction, therefore $\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt{2},\sqrt{3})\not=\mathbb{Q}(\sqrt[4]{2}).$
It would be hard to deduce what would happened to $\sqrt{3}$ exactly, if it were fixed or not, under these isomorphisms. To do that would require we write $\sqrt{3}$ as a linear combination of powers of $\sqrt[4]{2}$, which is impossible. So, to derive a contradiction we have to resort to other means, like what I just mentioned.
"My understanding of embedding in Field Theory is that it is a ring morphism that permutates the conjugates of $\sqrt[4]{2}$ and fixes every other element in the field."
This is partly true, in that the embeddings do permute the conjugates of $\sqrt[4]{2},$ however, the other elements of the fields are linear combinations of powers of $\sqrt[4]{2},$ so we should expect that most are not fixed. For example, $$\sigma_2(1+\sqrt[4]{2})=1-\sqrt[4]{2}\not=1+\sqrt[4]{2}.$$
It is true that every element of the field is sent to one of its Galois Conjugates though, so while $1-\sqrt[4]{2}\not=1+\sqrt[4]{2},$ it is true that both are roots of the same irreducible polynomial over $\mathbb{Q}.$
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Is there a difference between a cover and a remake of a song? Or do both terms mean the same thing?
6 Answers
It's a bit wishy-washy and the terms can be used interchangeably. However, I would say that in general:
A cover usually refers to a reinterpretation. This might take the form of creating an acoustic version, a different arrangement, or even just taking the lyrics and coming up with an entirely new melody.
A remake is an attempt at reproduction, playing the song the same way it was originally played. The remakers might put their own twist on it or they might get very technical and try to be exacting, but ultimately it's the same style as the original.
I think though that most of the time they are not distinguished. Wikipedia says that a cover is simply one band/artist's songs being performed by another. It also gives some interesting insight into its origin:
The term "cover" goes back decades when cover version originally described a rival version of a tune recorded to compete with the recently released (original) version. The Chicago Tribune described the term in 1952: "trade jargon meaning to record a tune that looks like a potential hit on someone else's label."
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I agree with this subjectively, but do you have any sources backing it up? The only source I've been able to fine that discusses any sort of definitive differentiation is history-of-rock.com/cover_remake.htm but even that isn't sourced.– LinFeb 24, 2015 at 18:47
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1@Lin No, I've seen the same. This is more of a "if you have to distinguish them..." than "this is how it is". Feb 24, 2015 at 18:50
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What about if an artist rerecords their own material e.g, Alanis Morisette's "Jagged Little Pill" which she redid as an acoustic version ? Jul 7, 2015 at 18:42
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Interesting. I would have leaned toward the opposite definitions as you, with a cover being a copy, and a remake being the song reinterpreted in a new way. I agree with the fact that the two terms are often used interchangeably today. Sep 23, 2016 at 16:52
Cover typically refers to a new performance or recording of a previously recorded, commercially released song by someone other than the original artist or composer. The new performance or recording usually is very similar to the original (structure, progression, etc), the differences are normally in instrumentation. Some cover artists are very serious and careful about playing their covers as close as possible to the original, others inject something new, but in general both the original and the cover are very similar.
A remix (including this for completeness) is also a reinterpretation of the original song, but with more liberties. Changes in key, structure, and progression are very common. Sometimes a remixed song can be indistinguishable from the original.
In my experience, "remake" doesn't have a formal definition, even in this specific context. It can be a synonym of reinterpretation (a general term that includes cover and remix), or refer to an updated version of a song (1985 vs 2013), or as a cover synonym, from the top of my head.
As "remake" is used in general terms, it makes sense for it to refer to reinterpretations in general. As in both a remix and a cover are remakes.
In short, remake refers to redoing something, carving the song again. The details of the remake are what give it a more specific name, like cover or remix.
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This is a solid interpretation as well, and good idea to include "remix". Feb 24, 2015 at 19:11
The term 'cover' in terms of commercial popular music arose to describe the origination of a particular song. Money was generated by popular songs when they were deemed suitable for commercial production/being produced as sheet music and when recorded for commercial transacting. The identification of a song with a particular orchestra, band, and later, singer meant a certain monetary security for songwriters and music producers/agents. 'Covers' were initiated by those who owned musical copyrights to ensure property usage/commercial security AND popular/cultural identification of the song would achieve a broad 'airing'. Creating, effectively licensing, another to commercially use the 'rights' of a song helped to ensure the maxim monetary return on a song.
Music producers, songwriters, film companies, etc., began in the 1930s to designate the covering of an original song (and it's corresponding performance) to ensure commercial viability over time, and not merely in the months following a release of a song as a record or when performed on radio. So, to 'cover' a song meant to re-present a song to the masses, and that of course came to mean artists/musicians/vocalists would 'reinterpret' the original. By the 1940s preferred artists such as Bing Crosby were often given the initial refusal of a particular song. (Though the practice did happen in the 1930s with Crosby and Russ Columbo and Fred Astaire, etc.) And then a secondary artist (an alternate artist) was extended the opportunity of recording the song after a designated period. The 'covering' of songs began to be so profitable that 'licensing' of material/songs became a standard working practice for record publishing and song production. Songs were performed then covered by bands, the male singer, then a female interpretation, etc.
With the arrival of the LP (long playing - album) and the solo vocalist as a star entity within music, it became necessary/profitable for songs to be broadly recorded. By then the term 'cover' was being used to refer to anyone who recorded a song not originally of their own repertoire. Today the term is used incorrectly... one cannot 'cover' a song by Frank Sinatra originally recorded, say, in 1947... that's more properly a 'rendition'... Just as Sinatra singing a Fred Astaire original 20 years after it appeared in an Astaire film wasn't covering the song; he was interpreting it. Just as Harry Connick Jr. and Micheal Buble aren't 'covering' Crosby or Ella Fitzgerald or Sinatra, they are interpreting songs from the "American Song Book" when they perform/record those classic popular songs/standards from the middle of the 20th Century today. IF, one wants to be historically accurate.
There's really no difference. According to Wikipedia:
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a previously recorded, commercially released song by someone other than the original artist or composer.
The article seems to use remake and cover interchangeably:
In R&B, remakes are common, often seen as tributes to the original artist. R&B artists such as Mary J. Blige have recorded several covers of legendary R&B artists like Aretha Franklin "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," Chaka Khan (Sweet Thing), and Rose Royce "I'm Going Down." In 1995 D'Angelo remade "Cruisin'" originally recorded by Smokey Robinson. K-Ci Hailey of Jodeci recorded a remake of "If You Think You're Lonely Now" by Bobby Womack. Lionel Richie and various contemporary artists recorded and released a remake of "We Are The World" for Haiti in February 2010. In 1994 Aaliyah recorded a cover of The Isley Brothers classic "At Your Best (You Are Love)" on her debut album Age Ain't Nothing But a Number. In 2001, Christina Aguilera, Mýa, Pink and Lil' Kim recorded a remake of "Lady Marmalade," originally recorded by Labelle, for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack.
The links section provides a link to the Remake article, and while it's specifically targeted toward film, it seems to have basically the same definition as cover (emphasis mine):
In film or television, a remake is a motion picture based on a film and television series produced earlier. The term remake can refer to everything on the spectrum of reused material: both an allusion or a line-by-line change retake of a film. However, the term generally pertains to a new version of an old film. A reproduced television series could also be called a remake.
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Does the fact that the Wikipedia article use the terms interchangeably mean they are the same or point to a poorly written wiki article? After all, Wikipedia is renowned for being an unreliable source of information. I often wonder whether such articles should be used as references. Mar 2, 2015 at 13:49
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Wikipedia once said Robbie Williams was a "massive bell end" so it could after all be a reliable source Jul 7, 2015 at 18:43
A cover is when an artist duplicates or reinterprets an already existing song in their own style. The arrangement is generally not changed much and is very close to the original.
A remake, on the other hand, is almost like a complete redo of a song. The artist changes the style of the original and reworks it in their own way.
As a musician if I perform someone else's piece and someone says I covered it, I'm insulted beyond belief -- always have been. Why? It negates all the work I put into it trying to make it mine. "Interpretation" is a much more respectful word, and it's the word used to describe it in the common practise world (common practise more commonly called "classical" but classical means a time frame).
I would never ever say that Miles covered Michael Jackson for example. When I hear one of Miles' renditions of "Human Nature" it is a Miles tune through and through because he made it his, there's absolutely no mistaking it's Miles from the very first note, and I think that's the key. I also find it necessary to hear as many different renditions of the song as possible -- if it's just one or two, I don't feel I've actually heard the depths of the song.
One old band that springs to mind as great interpreters is The Nice, Keith Emerson's band before Emerson Lake & Palmer. They more or less rewrote new music for everything, and I wouldn't want to put down their work, especially as it's astonishing. My two favourites are their take on Dylan's "My Back Pages" and on the Byrds "Get to You" (rf America: The BBC Sessions where it's titled "Better Than Better"). I find the original Byrds rendition nearly unlistenable because it's so drippy and treacly to my ears (I lasted about a minute before I had to turn it off for being such a downer), but The Nice did manage to transform it into something truly magical. That they could hear something in it that I can't is one of the ultimate thrills as a musician.
I think of remixes as interpretations, and I especially like them when they're transformed so much that they're unrecognisable as the original song. Rf Jean-Michel Jarre "Oxygene 4" with The Orb's "Toxygene."
That said I think of remakes as someone rerecording a song they'd previously recorded but couldn't license the original recording from the original record company. I don't bother with them because that's a business thing, and music isn't city planning.
I also think of remakes as those pointless tribute albums that were the rage in the early 90's where all sorts of performers pretended they were their record collections for a track. It's boring in general to me because they replicate the recording instead of making the song theirs. I simply don't have enough life left to entertain any of that. There was some Bettie Serveert album I heard 20 years ago in a record store in Boston (may have been Newbury Comics), where they pretended to be the Velvet Underground for an entire album. I thought, I must find out what this is so I can avoid it in the future.
In general if someone "covers" a song and they themselves say that, I lose respect for them as a musician because it makes them seem amateur and just wanting to replicate their record collections. Songs are living, breathing things, and they are more rewarding and more in-depth in their power if the performer does manage to make it theirs. It is an extremely tall order but it separates the musicians from the wannabees to me.
Since we're discussing terms that are or can be pejorative, perhaps we can come up with one to describe all of those songs that were written by committee with sales in mind. I call them "legos." Just as a lego building is not exactly architecture, a committee written song is music in the technical sense of organised sound but the chances of it grabbing me are nil. | https://musicfans.stackexchange.com/questions/33/what-is-the-difference-between-a-cover-and-a-remake-of-a-song/36 |
Some strange facts of life have a strong meaning, for example that proportions in nature conform to certain mathematical principles, which in turn can be grasped by the human mind – i.e. in the human mind there is a receptive system of mathematical properties which lay at the heart of natural formation. Our mind is part of natural evolution and the laws along which it proceeds. This implies, among other things in the cultural field, that tonal relations in music are grounded in nature, and that the beauty of musical works is related to both how the human mind works, and how nature is structured.
Appreciation of art is evolutionary embedded in the same system that works for survival:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-neuroscience-of-beauty/
The experience of mathematical beauty correlates with activity in the same part of the emotional brain – namely the medial orbito-frontal cortex – as the experience of beauty derived from art or music:
http://neurosciencenews.com/neurobiology-mathematical-beauty-756/
There are certain aspects of art that seem universally appealing, regardless of the environment or culture in which you grew up – indicating that there are universals in the field of aesthetics, i.e. objective standards, however subjectively interpreted:
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/09/15/health/art-brain-mind/index.html
Research indicates that, probably, basic universal aesthetic laws do apply, and that they play a role in our appreciation for art:
https://thesmartset.com/article03161101/
All this confirms Steven Semes’ observations about comparable aesthetic responses to different art forms – a subject which became a major theme in 19th century art, literature and music, the ‘holistic nature of human perception’:
http://www.futuresymphony.org/le-violon-dingres-some-reflections-on-music-painting-and-architecture/
Science has its limitations, since it can only investigate what can be proven. The most important things in life, i.e. for human life, cannot be ‘proven’ because they are not about things but about meanings, and are very difficult to subject to repeatable laboratory examinations. But that does not mean they are not there or that they have no meaning. When even science points towards what perceptive humans experience immediately, there is ample reason to have confidence in its reality, as we confer reality to things like justice, love, altruism, etc. | http://johnborstlap.com/aesthetic-perception-and-nature/ |
The Center on Policy Initiatives is a research and action institute dedicated to creating economic prosperity, sustainable communities and a healthy environment for all. CPI serves a unique role in the San Diego region providing the analysis, policy solutions, education and alliances that advance social and economic justice.
Founded in 1997, the Center on Policy Initiatives has been at the forefront of the economic justice movement in San Diego. CPI works to increase access to good jobs and to improve conditions for low-wage workers and their families. The organization envisions local government as an effective champion for the common good, and works to enable residents of all communities to have an informed and powerful voice in decisions affecting their quality of life.
CPI seeks a Researcher/Policy Advocate who is passionate about economic and social justice, meticulous about research and able to strategically plan and implement short- and long-term research and issue-based campaign work.
CPI’s Research Team conducts research to inform policy development and campaign strategy and to educate lawmakers and the public on issues related to the economic justice, social equity and access to work that treats them with dignity. The position reports to the Deputy Director.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Creating and/or identifying policies that can improve the lives of working families
- Conducting research on the impact of current and proposed local, regional and state policies on working people in San Diego while employing a racial and social justice lens. .
- Providing accurate data and analysis to inform public understanding of the problems facing working communities in San Diego.
- Writing concise policy briefs and reports to share research findings.
- Presenting research findings at community meetings, government hearings, and other venues.
- Leading and supporting CPI campaigns to reach policy goals
- Collaborating with CPI staff to develop collective organizing strategies and advocacy targets that are informed by research findings.
- Coordinating with partner organizations and government officials
- Collaborating with CPI staff to develop accessible education and outreach materials.
- Performing other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience writing and/or analyzing public policies.
- Excellent writing, analytical and verbal presentation skills.
- Strong team collaboration skills with an ability to incorporate input from colleagues
- Experience conducting quantitative or qualitative research experience doing so in real world, applied settings is preferred.
- Strong attention to detail and a demonstrated high standard of quality and accuracy in work products.
- Proven ability to design and execute meaningful, focused research to support policy change.
- Proven ability to write and organize engaging, clear and precise reports and articles that are accessible to a wide range of audiences.
- Proven ability to present information in a clear, concise way, synthesizing information as appropriate for different audiences.
- Demonstrated commitment to social and economic justice.
- Availability and willingness to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends.
- Experience with policy addressing one or more of the following: 1) affordable housing 2) tenants’ rights, 3) public infrastructure 4) land use and planning, or 5) a related field.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience applying a participatory action research framework to engage communities in policy change.
- Experience working alongside community leaders and organizers to guide and inform campaign efforts based on data and research.
- Experience working with government officials (elected, appointed, staff) on policy issues, with a preference for experience in the San Diego region.
- Experience in advocacy, organizing, or community or labor campaign research.
- Proven project management and organization skills, including using project/work plans effectively, managing a team to complete projects successfully, working independently, troubleshooting, prioritizing and meeting deadlines.
- Experience working with communities of color, immigrant communities, and/or people whose first or only language is other than English.
- Understanding of the critical role of the labor movement in achieving social and economic justice.
- Proven skills at working with partner organizations advocating for social, economic, racial, and environmental justice.
- Bi-lingual in English and Spanish – advanced fluency.
- San Diego ties or a history of participation in regional organizing networks or experience in regional research networks.
SALARY AND BENEFITS: CPI’s salary and benefit standards are competitive and reflect our commitment to economic justice and equal pay for equal work. The salary range for this position is between $56,313 and $66,250 per year. We offer a full benefits package including employer-paid health, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution, and a generous paid time-off program including paid sick, vacation, and holidays.
APPLICATION PROCESS: Interested candidates should prepare and submit their resume along with a cover letter highlighting your unique fit for this position, and a brief one-page writing sample on a policy relevant topic to [email protected], with the subject line “Researcher/Policy Advocate – ‘(your First and Last name)’”. No phone calls please.
This position is rolling until filled. Interviews will be completed in August for a September start date.
Due to the current COVID-19 public health protocols, all interview activity will be conducted remotely by phone or Zoom. Upon returning to regular operations, this position will be located at our offices in San Diego. Given the high volume of applications we receive; it is not possible for us to contact all candidates. We are also unable to accept calls or direct e-mails regarding the status of applications.
The Center on Policy Initiatives respects, values and celebrates the unique attributes, characteristics and perspectives that make each person who they are. We believe our strength lies in the broad range of people and partners we work with and represent. Inclusion is a driver of our institutional excellence and we seek out the participation of women, people of color, persons with disabilities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees, board members, and volunteers. | https://cpisandiego.org/2020/08/07/now-hiring-researcher-policy-advocate/ |
How to Pack a Lot of Clothes in a Carry On Suitcase
Packing for a trip can be stressful, especially when you’re trying to fit everything into a carry on suitcase. But with the right packing techniques, you can easily fit all your clothes and other items into one bag. Here are some tips for packing a lot of clothes in a carry on suitcase.
1. Roll Your Clothes
Rolling your clothes is an effective way to maximize space in your suitcase. Start by laying out all the clothes you want to bring and then roll them up tightly. This will help reduce wrinkles and make it easier to fit more items into the bag. You can also use vacuum-seal bags to compress your clothing even further.
2. Utilize All Available Space
Make sure you’re utilizing all available space in your suitcase. Stuff socks and underwear into shoes, place jewelry and other small items in plastic bags, and fill any empty corners with rolled-up clothing or other items. This will help you make the most of the space you have.
3. Choose Versatile Pieces
When packing for a trip, try to choose versatile pieces that can be worn multiple ways. For example, opt for neutral colors that can be mixed and matched with different tops and bottoms. This will allow you to create several different outfits without having to pack too many items.
4. Wear Bulky Items
If you’re traveling with bulky items such as jackets or sweaters, wear them on the plane instead of packing them in your suitcase. This will free up more space for other items and ensure that everything fits comfortably in your bag. | https://www.wisdomberry.com/bag/how-to-pack-a-lot-of-clothes-in-a-carry-on-suitcase.html |
- Creating and delivering marketing campaigns through both online and offline channels.
- Managing monthly and annual budgets to effectively deliver campaigns and communication strategies.
- Raising brand awareness, working with global and regional colleagues to ensure marketing alignment.
- Increasing media share through strategic PR initiatives, coordinating with external agencies, significant social media influencers, and business stakeholders.
- Generate leads for sales through marketing activities, media, and promotions.
- Aligning online and offline marketing strategies through a digital marketing team.
- Producing monthly reports regarding the ROI of marketing activities and initiatives.
- Experience in ATL/BTL
This job opening was posted long time back. It may not be active. Nor was it removed by the recruiter. Please use your discretion. | https://www.iimjobs.com/j/avp-marketing-real-estate-10-15-yrs-1039048.html?ref=kp |
The Music Encoding Conference 2019 calls for paper, poster, panel, and workshop proposals to be submitted by 7 December 2018.
When using and manipulating digital music information, the properties and behaviours of its encoding are of fundamental importance - be that for musicological study, music theory, production of digital editions, composition, performance, teaching and learning, cataloguing, symbolic music information retrieval and recommendation, or more general electronic presentation of musical material and associated narratives. The study of music encoding and its applications is therefore a critical foundation for the use of music information by scholars, librarians, publishers, and the wider music industry.
The Music Encoding Conference has emerged as the foremost international forum where researchers and practitioners from across these diverse fields can meet and explore new developments in music encoding and its use. The Conference celebrates a multidisciplinary programme, combining the latest advances from established music encodings, novel technical proposals and encoding extensions, and the presentation or evaluation of new practical applications of music encoding (e.g. in academic study, libraries, editions, commercial products).
Pre-conference workshops provide an opportunity to quickly engage with best practice in the community. Newcomers are encouraged to submit to the main programme with articulations of the potential for music encoding in their work, highlighting strengths and weaknesses of existing approaches within this context. Following the formal programme, on Saturday 1 June, an unconference session fosters collaboration in the community through the meeting of Interest Groups, and self-selected discussions on hot topics that emerge during the conference.
The programme welcomes contributions from all those working on, or with, any music encoding. In addition, the Conference serves as a focus event for the Music Encoding Initiative community, with its annual community meeting scheduled the day following the main programme, on Saturday 1 June.
The Music Encoding Conference 2019 calls for paper, poster, panel, and workshop proposals. All submissions will be reviewed by 2-3 members of the programme committee before acceptance.
all identifying information must be provided in the corresponding fields of Conftool only, while the submitted PDF must anonymize the author’s details.
Paper and poster proposals must include an abstract of no more than 1000 words. Relevant bibliographic references may be included above this limit (i.e. will not be counted within the 1000 word limit). Please also include a short statement regarding your current interests related to music encoding.
Panel discussion proposal abstracts must be no longer than 2000 words, and describe the topic and nature of the discussion, along with short biographies of the participants. Panel discussions are not expected to be a set of papers which could otherwise be submitted as individual papers.
Proposals for half- or full-day pre-conference workshops, to be held on May 29th, should include the workshop’s proposed duration, as well as its logistical and technical requirements.
If you have any questions, please e-mail [email protected]. | http://www.edu-active.com/conferences/2018/oct/30/music-encoding-conference-2019-university-vienna-a.html |
Self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Carers of People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial.
- Authors
- Type
- Published Article
- Journal
- Journal of clinical psychology in medical settings
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2021
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 279–294
- Identifiers
- DOI: 10.1007/s10880-020-09711-x
- PMID: 32144616
- Source
- Medline
- Keywords
- Language
- English
- License
- Unknown
Abstract
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an established psychological therapy, but its effectiveness for carers of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experiencing carer-related strain has not been established. This study assessed the acceptability and feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial comparing ACT self-help, telephone-supported ACT self-help, and usual care. We describe a mixed-method, parallel three-armed feasibility randomised controlled trial. Participants were carers (i.e. caregivers) of people with MS. The self-help group received an ACT self-help text (covered over 8 weeks), the enhanced self-help group additionally received weekly telephone support. All participants completed questionnaires at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month post-randomisation, assessing carer strain, health-related quality of life, and ACT-related processes. A sample of participants was also interviewed. Twenty-four carers were randomised. Participants found the study procedures to be acceptable, but highlighted difficulties with the self-help text and timing of the intervention. An exploratory, group-level analysis indicated effectiveness for the enhanced self-help group on carer strain (consistent across both follow-ups), with convergent qualitative reports to support this. A full trial of ACT-based, telephone-supported self-help is warranted, including both the self-help and enhanced self-help design, following significant adaptions to the self-help itself. An internal pilot would, therefore, be recommended to further assess the feasibility after changes are incorporated.Trial registration: The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03077971). | https://www.mysciencework.com/publication/show/selfhelp-acceptance-commitment-therapy-carers-people-multiple-sclerosis-feasibility-randomised-controlled-trial-b74d0f8f |
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April was National Child Abuse Prevention Month. This blog post highlights the Children’s Bureau and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Preventions’ efforts to protect children and strengthen families.
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Early childhood home visiting programs typically target pregnant women and mothers of young children, but increasing attention is being given to the practice of engaging fathers as well. This study aimed to understand how home visiting programs engage fathers, what fathers’ experiences are in... | https://healthymarriageandfamilies.org/library-search-results?f%5B0%5D=field_acf_source%3A2&f%5B1%5D=field_ressource_keywords%3A3921 |
Youth Internalized Caregivers’ Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Policies to Support Families Can Help.
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken an extraordinary toll on families. As a primary care pediatrician, I hear from parents and other caregivers trying their best to navigate complex decisions and situations—balancing COVID-19 risk with social isolation when thinking about activities for their unvaccinated children, or alternating day and night shifts to be available for their child’s hybrid school schedule. Many still face economic hardship with inflation and growing costs, feelings of anxiety and loneliness, and fear of a virus that could surge with future new variants.
When the pandemic first hit, our study team wanted to understand how children were being impacted by their caregivers’ stress. In collaboration with the ChildHelp National Child Abuse Hotline, we examined how children and adolescents experienced and described caregiver stress through text and chat conversations with hotline counselors between March and June of 2020. In our recently published findings, we identified several themes showing how children experienced and amplified caregiver stress. Below, we explore a few of those key themes through youths’ words, and discuss the policy implications as we face the lingering impacts of the pandemic.
In Their Own Words: How Caregiver Stress Impacted Children During the Pandemic
A common driver of caregiver stress was financial insecurity, which increased family conflict. Youth said:
“They say I’m a disappointment…I’m the problem they don’t have enough money every week”
“Money is tight however and I don’t know if that [counseling] service is expensive…[my mom] doesn’t have a job right now so we’re stuck at home”
Parental discord was another common source of stress, and a few youth made references to intimate partner violence:
“My parents always argue with each other and when I try to speak to them it’s always the wrong time and sometimes they even lash out on me”
“My mom and dad are fighting a lot and it’s starting to scare me. My dad [threw] a pot at her yesterday and it almost hit me”
Unmet expectations related to school and household chores were another key driver of caregiver stress:
“Sometimes my sister and I will talk to [my mom] about how we feel she expects too much of us and how it stresses us out…Usually, she’ll respond with something about how she works all day (she’s a doctor) and shouldn’t have to come home and do more work”
“She’s getting mad that I’m not going outside enough during quarantine for one, that I don’t do enough around the house for my age either”
Both physical and mental health concerns emerged:
“My mom doesn’t wanna talk to me. My dad’s sick. It’s like everything is going down on me”
“She’s threatened me with physical abuse and blames her actions on her mental illness”
Well beyond the second anniversary of the pandemic, these themes continue to ring true, and are echoed by thousands of caregivers in surveys conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). As communities move toward opening up and scale back protective measures, such as mask and vaccine mandates, COVID-19 still imposes significant economic, health and social costs on families.
The Need for Policies That Support Families
One of the striking findings of our study was that children and adolescents either internalized their caregivers’ stress, or were targets of stress and conflict. With the well-being of children and their caregivers so intricately linked, it is critical that we ensure policies and interventions to support children address the family as a unit.
Our findings demonstrate the importance of providing resources for economic hardship. With food prices increasing and federal programs set to expire (including school lunch programs and extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits), more families will face food insecurity and child hunger. Interventions such as an expanded child tax credit and easier access to vital public benefits are essential.
A comprehensive policy agenda to support caregivers, which would include these financial supports as well as interventions such as paid family and medical leave, would help reduce caregiver stress in the long term. In addition, pediatric settings can be leveraged to provide family-based services that improve caregivers’ physical and mental health.
Finally, our study highlights how text and chat platforms can expand children’s direct access to support and counseling services, and may represent one strategy to address acute needs as policymakers explore long-term investments to expand access to behavioral health services and support parity between mental and physical health services.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed gaps in our safety net, while shining a light on how all families benefit from increased supports. Policies and programs that effectively and equitably address family stress and conflict can help fill these gaps, ensuring that children and their caregivers all do better. | https://policylab.chop.edu/blog/youth-internalized-caregivers-stress-during-covid-19-pandemic-policies-support-families-can |
- Computer Science, BusinessGov. Inf. Q.
- 2012
An overall view about the use of Web 2.0 and social media tools in EU local governments is provided in order to determine whether local governments are using these technologies to increase transparency and e-participation, opening a real corporate dialog.
A framework of ICT exploitation for e-participation initiatives
- Political Science, Computer ScienceCACM
- 2008
As e-government efforts mature, the exploitation of ICt is being extended to the realm of democracy such as, in enhancing citizen participation in policy-making.
The Role of Social Networking Services in eParticipation
- Computer ScienceePart
- 2009
The potential of Social Networking Services for the eparticipation area is investigated by defining social networking services, introducing the driving forces behind their advance, and the potential use of social networking software in the eParticipation context is discussed.
Suggesting frameworks of citizen-sourcing via Government 2.0
- Economics, Computer ScienceGov. Inf. Q.
- 2012
Evaluating the impact of citizen-sourcing will reveal whether citizen- sourcing is rhetorical or if it actually exerts significant effects on society, according to the Open Government Directive's three pillar goals of transparency, participation, and collaboration.
Public participation and engagement in local governance : a South African perspective
- Political Science
- 2010
Engaging citizens and users of services in policymaking and the design and delivery of services is not new. But now it is increasingly being seen as a key to good governance in most democratic…
Social Computing: An Overview
- Computer ScienceCommun. Assoc. Inf. Syst.
- 2007
It is argued that social computing holds tremendous disruptive potential in the business world and can significantly impact society, and outline possible changes in organized human action that could be brought about.
Challenges and opportunities of e-government in South Africa
- Business, Computer ScienceElectron. Libr.
- 2010
There is a need to infuse an e‐government ethos in poverty alleviation programmes in order to enhance service delivery and a lack of synergy between the two programmes means libraries have yet to make any attempts to benefit from the emergence of e‐ government in South Africa.
Social Media Use by Governments: A Policy Primer to Discuss Trends, Identify Policy Opportunities and Guide Decision Makers
- Political Science, Business
- 2014
This working paper takes a comparative snapshot of social media use in and by OECD governments. The focus is on government institutions, as opposed to personalities, and how they manage to capture…
Inviting Failure: Citizen Participation and Local Governance in South Africa
- Political Science
- 2008
This article examines the operation of new forms of public participation in local government in South Africa initiated ‘from above’ by the state. We try to assess whether formal public participation…
Public engagement and government collaboration: Theories, strategies and case studies
- Business, Computer ScienceInf. Polity
- 2011
Two broad categories of government strategies for collaboration are presented, one deals with public engagement in citizen-to-government (C2G) collaborations, and the other is government-togovernment (G2G), to achieve data transparency and strategy sharing as well as innovative technology implementations. | https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Social-Computing-as-an-E-Participation-Tool-in-An-Fashoro-Barnard/c8179f408dc53de444df3c1eb57d94c41ec4d16a?p2df |
This study represents the first phase of a broader study investigating potential brain processing differences between video gamers and non-gamers. The purpose of the current study was to investigate reaction times to visual stimuli in individuals who regularly play action games versus individuals who do not. Stimuli used were based on the visual oddball paradigm in which participants respond to standard and rare occurring visual targets. Results indicate that the speed of decision-making and reaction are increased for those who regularly play video games, and had started playing video games at a younger age. Findings suggest an interacting effect of years experience with video games, and gamer or non-gamer identifying status as determined by the average amount of game play per week. The current results have implications for possible neural processing differences concerning working memory in individuals who have more experience with video games.
For this presentation, Benjamin Richardson received a College of the Sciences Best Poster Presentation Award for 2014.
Richardson, Benjamin, "Reaction Time Differences in Video Game and Non-Video Game Players" (2014). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 175. | https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2014/posters/175/ |
The Ring of Mind Shielding, an uncommon magic item (DMG, p. 191), has the following property (emphasis mine):
While wearing this ring, you are immune to magic that allows other creatures to read your thoughts, determine whether you are lying, know your alignment, or know your creature type.
How does this interact with effects that affect creatures of a certain alignment? After all, by common sense, something can't affect you based on your alignment if it doesn't know it.
Most notably, the Outer Planes affect "dis-aligned" creatures, as specified in the DMG. There are also some magic items that correspond to certain alignments, such as a Candle of Invocation or a Talisman of Pure Good / Ultimate Evil.
Spells such as Glyph of Warding can also affect creatures of certain alignments.
The same question rises for the matter of creature types, but I suspect the answer will be the same. | https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/137909/how-does-the-ring-of-mind-shielding-interact-with-effects-that-affect-a-certain |
Introduction {#S0001}
============
Although significant progress has been achieved in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms, transmission, clinical features and complications of HIV/AIDS, the disease remains a global menace with large numbers of new infections and no scalable cure. Approximately 35 million people in the world currently live with HIV \[[@CIT0001]\], over 7 million of these being children and youth aged less than 24 years \[[@CIT0001]\].
Adolescence is a stage of life during which individuals have unique psychological, social and health needs. The defined age range of adolescence varies, but is generally accepted to begin with puberty and end in the transition to adulthood \[[@CIT0002]--[@CIT0004]\]. Rapid physical and hormonal development during adolescence is sometimes accompanied by a desire for self-discovery, an emerging sense of autonomy, separation from caregivers and the assertion of independence, as well as a quest for recognition and acceptance, which could lead to risk-taking behaviour \[[@CIT0005],[@CIT0006]\].
Often portrayed as the "future generation" or the "next generation of adults" \[[@CIT0003]\], adolescents are central to the evolution of social norms and values, and play important roles in shaping economic trends in society \[[@CIT0007]\]. Adolescents also constitute a disproportionally large proportion of the population in countries with widespread poverty, political instability, rapid urban growth, civil strife, or natural disasters \[[@CIT0003]\]. Adolescents in these settings frequently lack adequate social and economic support, as well as comprehensive health services.
Developmental characteristics of adolescents and societal conditions have implications for healthcare planning. The predisposition to impulsive behaviour and risks of mental health problems including depression and anxiety \[[@CIT0008]--[@CIT0010]\], as well as peer influence and risky behaviour \[[@CIT0005],[@CIT0006]\] increase adolescents' vulnerability to a variety of hazards, such as HIV/AIDS \[[@CIT0008],[@CIT0011],[@CIT0012]\]. Other age-specific factors that may present a risk for HIV infection, or a challenge to its management, include immature judgment \[[@CIT0013]\] and an evolution of the role of caregivers in HIV medication management and treatment. Caregivers may withdraw their support completely, show inconsistent support, or remain completely involved, with resulting implications for the adolescent\'s adherence to treatment \[[@CIT0014]--[@CIT0016]\]. Despite these common aspects of this developmental stage, adolescents are rarely considered a unique group in public health planning in sub-Saharan Africa, as their needs are typically overlooked or not fully recognized \[[@CIT0003],[@CIT0017]\].
In this article, we review adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, their unique challenges, factors identified to affect their adherence behaviour and interventions evaluated to date. We provide recommendations for age-appropriate strategies to improve adherence in this population.
Methods {#S0002}
=======
We conducted a comprehensive query of Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar using search terms including "adherence," "compliance," "antiretroviral use" and "antiretroviral adherence," in combination with "adolescents," "youth," "HIV," "Africa," "interventions" and the MeSH term "Africa South of the Sahara." Also, relevant articles were retrieved from reference lists of the articles identified through this search method. In addition, relevant abstracts and reports from meetings held between 2010 and 2014 were queried and included if they related to work published before or during this period. In total 19,537 articles were retrieved, of which 215 were considered relevant and 148 were reviewed.
Discussion {#S0003}
==========
HIV/AIDS among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa {#S0003-S20001}
------------------------------------------------
Approximately 2.1 million new HIV cases were reported worldwide in 2013 \[[@CIT0001]\]. Children and young people aged 0 to 24 years are disproportionately affected, particularly in the sub-Saharan African region ([Table 1](#T0001){ref-type="table"}) \[[@CIT0018]\]. In 2012 and 2013, adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in sub-Saharan Africa were estimated to account for more than 80% of the world\'s entire population of adolescents living with HIV \[[@CIT0019],[@CIT0020]\]. Sub-Saharan Africa also contributed significantly to the number of new adolescent infections worldwide in 2012, with 10 countries in this region making up nearly 70% of the new infections in 0 to 14 years olds that year \[[@CIT0001]\].
######
Number of people aged 0 to 14 years living with HIV and prevalence by sex among 20 to 24 year olds in 2013, by Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Estimates of young people living with HIV, 2013
---------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ------------ ------- -------
Sub-Saharan Africa 2,900,000 (11.7) 24,700,000 2.2 1.1
Asia and the Pacific 210,000 (4.4) 4,800,000 \<0.1 \<0.1
Caribbean 17,000 (6.8) 250,000 0.5 0.4
Eastern Europe and Central Asia 14,000 (1.3) 1,100,000 0.2 0.2
Latin America 35,000 (2.2) 1,600,000 0.1 0.3
Middle East and North Africa 16,000 (7.0) 230,000 \<0.1 \<0.1
Western and Central Europe and North America 2800 (0.1) 2,300,000 \<0.1 0.2
GLOBAL 3,200,000 (9.1) 35,000,000 0.4 0.3
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Epidemic Monitoring and Analysis, Gap Report and 2013 estimates.
The distribution of HIV/AIDS among adolescents across sub-Saharan Africa is uneven ([Figure 1](#F0001){ref-type="fig"}). In 2009, an estimated one in every three young people newly infected with HIV was from South Africa or Nigeria \[[@CIT0021]\], two of the countries with the world\'s largest HIV-infected populations. About 1.3 million adolescents currently live with HIV in East and Southern Africa, whereas 390,000 live in West and Central Africa 19. Because children and youth constitute large proportions of the population in many sub-Saharan African countries \[[@CIT0022],[@CIT0023]\], HIV/AIDS among these young populations is a proximate threat to societies and economies in the subcontinent.
{#F0001}
### HIV and stigma
Individuals living with HIV/AIDS have been the subject of stigmatizing attitudes and differential treatment in nearly every part of the world, including the sub-Saharan African region. For several years, widespread misconceptions about the disease contributed to its portrayal as a result of divine punishment \[[@CIT0024],[@CIT0025]\], witchcraft \[[@CIT0026]\], or an invariable outcome of promiscuous sexual behaviour \[[@CIT0025],[@CIT0027],[@CIT0028]\], which always resulted in death. These perceptions are believed to have contributed to the persistently high rates of spread in the sub-Saharan African region compared to elsewhere, primarily through individuals' and families' efforts to avoid being identified with HIV. As such, individuals with HIV avoid voluntary testing, and women insist on breastfeeding their babies to avoid suspicion in several African societies \[[@CIT0029]--[@CIT0032]\].
With increased availability of life-saving antiretroviral treatment, consequent improved HIV survival across age groups and widespread stigma reduction campaigns \[[@CIT0033]--[@CIT0035]\], HIV/AIDS has come to be viewed in a less negative light in several African communities. Nevertheless, recent studies among adolescent populations in this region reveal persisting high rates of stigma. Wolf \[[@CIT0036]\], for instance, identified discriminating attitudes against Kenyan youths with HIV from their peers and school teachers. Such stigmatizing behaviour as name-calling and avoidance are still associated with loss to follow-up, poor adherence, failure to disclose status, decisions to drop out of school, avoidance of antenatal care and testing by pregnant female adolescents, and even depression and suicidal ideation among sub-Saharan African youth with HIV \[[@CIT0036]--[@CIT0039]\]. These potential effects highlight a need for further research to understand the ways in which stigma interacts with treatment behaviour among youth, with a view to developing services to address these among youth in this region.
Sex differences in HIV/AIDS among sub-Saharan African adolescents {#S0003-S20002}
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The highest HIV prevalence rates among youth in the United States and parts of Europe are found among male gay and bisexual adolescents and young adults, particularly those with African ancestry \[[@CIT0018],[@CIT0040]\]. In contrast, higher rates are reported among female than male youth in sub-Saharan Africa \[[@CIT0012]\]. According to UNICEF reports \[[@CIT0041]\], females aged 15 to 17 years in this region have up to four times the prevalence rates of HIV reported among their male counterparts. Female adolescents may be infected by male partners through "intergenerational sex" occurring in contexts of power imbalances, poverty, manipulation or exploitation, and without condom use \[[@CIT0042],[@CIT0043]\]. Men in such relationships often have multiple sexual partners and acquire sexually transmitted infections, which they pass on to adolescent females \[[@CIT0044]\]. Lesotho and Swaziland in southern Africa provide a striking picture of these realities. Reports indicate an average HIV prevalence of 6.0% in female adolescents aged 15 to 17 years in Lesotho and in Swaziland. These rates increase to 30% in Lesotho and more than 40% in Swaziland among young women aged 23 to 24 years \[[@CIT0043]\]. These high female rates may also be related to unprotected heterosexual relations with multiple partners, sometimes in concurrent relationships \[[@CIT0044]\].
An additional factor contributing to the sex imbalance in adolescent HIV prevalence may be the two-fold or higher risk of AIDS-related mortality in male adolescents compared to females, which may be related to the lower proportion of males who receive ART \[[@CIT0045],[@CIT0046]\].
Young gay men and other young men who have sex with men (MSMs) are a significant high risk group for HIV/AIDS. Although Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting data from 96 countries indicate a median HIV prevalence of 3.7% among MSMs of all ages, the prevalence is about 4.2% in those aged below 25 years \[[@CIT0047]\]. Recent global AIDS reports reveal higher median HIV prevalence rates among MSMs in west and central Africa (15%), and in eastern and southern Africa (14%), compared to other regions of the world (6 to 13%) \[[@CIT0047]\]. However, precise data on HIV prevalence trends among this population are unavailable in many parts of Africa \[[@CIT0001]\], likely related to stigma and in some cases criminalization of same-sex relationships.
Perinatally- versus horizontally-infected adolescents {#S0003-S20003}
-----------------------------------------------------
In 2007, it was estimated that up to 90% of all children with HIV aged under 15 years had become infected through their mothers during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or via breastfeeding \[[@CIT0048]\]. There have been significant reductions in perinatal transmission of HIV in both well-resourced and resource-limited settings in recent years \[[@CIT0001],[@CIT0049]\] and improved treatment with combination ART has resulted in large numbers of children surviving into adolescence and beyond \[[@CIT0050]--[@CIT0053]\]. However, perinatally-infected children who reach adolescence may have experienced chronic immunosuppression, which has been associated with impaired neurocognitive development and delayed sexual maturation \[[@CIT0054],[@CIT0055]\]. They are also at risk of long-term ART adverse effects, including hyperlipidaemia, cardiovascular disease and renal impairment \[[@CIT0050],[@CIT0056],[@CIT0057]\], and may experience reduced efficacy of combined oral contraceptive pills due to interactions with ARTs \[[@CIT0058]\].
In addition to the large population of perinatally-infected adolescents, a substantial number acquire HIV through other routes such as sex and injecting drug use. Among young people aged 10 to 24 years all over the world, most HIV infections are believed to be sexually acquired \[[@CIT0059]\]. HIV-infected adolescents in several parts of sub-Saharan Africa are unaware of their HIV status \[[@CIT0021],[@CIT0049]\], and lack access to counselling, testing and treatment needed to prevent onward transmission \[[@CIT0049],[@CIT0060]\]. Even where such facilities are available, adolescents may fall below the legal age of independent consent for these services \[[@CIT0061]\].
Mortality and morbidity among HIV-infected youth in sub-Saharan Africa {#S0003-S20004}
----------------------------------------------------------------------
In contrast to the significant decline in global deaths from AIDS-related causes over the past decade \[[@CIT0001],[@CIT0018],[@CIT0049]\], deaths among adolescents have increased during this period \[[@CIT0062],[@CIT0063]\]. HIV currently ranks second among global causes of adolescent deaths \[[@CIT0064]\], and one study found a nearly 50% increase in adolescent AIDS-related deaths between 2005 and 2012 \[[@CIT0012]\]. This increase has occurred predominantly in the African region.
Neurocognitive deficits and psychiatric symptoms are complications among individuals of all ages with HIV and have implications for adherence. Several studies conducted in well-resourced settings have reported a high prevalence of neurocognitive and psychiatric morbidity among HIV-infected adolescents compared to those uninfected \[[@CIT0065]--[@CIT0067]\]. In addition, emotional and behavioural problems are more frequently observed among HIV-infected adolescents, compared to normative data or comparison groups \[[@CIT0068]\]. Rates, however, vary across studies, with some researchers reporting no difference between infected and uninfected groups, or even more psychological problems among uninfected adolescents than those infected \[[@CIT0068]\]. Most research into neuropsychological outcomes of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa has focused on adult \[[@CIT0069]--[@CIT0074]\] or paediatric \[[@CIT0075]--[@CIT0078]\] populations, and there is a need for adolescent studies in this area.
Adherence to ART {#S0003-S20005}
----------------
Adherence to ART in HIV-infected individuals is a strong determinant of disease outcome. Interventions which improve adherence are associated with successful viral suppression, reduced risk of opportunistic infections and prevention of drug resistance \[[@CIT0079]--[@CIT0081]\]. Although adherence levels as low as 80% have been associated with treatment success, adherence of around 95% is widely considered desirable for viral suppression and prevention of ART resistance \[[@CIT0082],[@CIT0083]\]. Studies all over the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa, have identified adolescents with HIV as being at particular risk of poor adherence \[[@CIT0084]--[@CIT0086]\].
Measures of adherence {#S0003-S20006}
---------------------
A gold standard measure of ART adherence remains elusive. Some assessment methods are easily applied because they are a part of routine clinical care, but some research studies have chosen certain methods based on perceived benefits over others. In sub-Saharan Africa, ART adherence studies among youth have used both direct and indirect assessment methods \[[@CIT0087],[@CIT0088]\]. [Table 2](#T0002){ref-type="table"} summarizes the strengths and weaknesses of some of these measures.
######
Some measures of antiretroviral adherence used in sub-Saharan African studies, with merits and drawbacks
Adherence measure Strengths Drawbacks Comments
------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*"Direct" measures*
Plasma drug assays Accurate and relatively objective Limited laboratory resources in several low-resource settings Used in relatively few studies in SSA
Demonstrated to correlate with immunologic response in Tanzanian children and adolescents \[[@CIT0111]\] May only give information about a given time-point, and not long-term adherence Pharmacokinetic factors may cause inter- and intra-patient variations in drug assays \[[@CIT0112]\]
Reliability subject to host pharmacokinetic factors
Relatively high cost
Directly observed therapy Actual ingestion of ART can be monitored No demonstrated efficacy over self-administered ART in a study of South African adults \[[@CIT0113]\] Mainstay of tuberculosis treatment recommended for use in adolescents on ART \[[@CIT0114]--[@CIT0116]\]
Successfully adopted to improve ART adherence in Kenya \[[@CIT0117],[@CIT0118]\] May be time consuming in busy clinic settings
*"Indirect" measures*
Self-report Easy to obtain during routine clinic visits Adherence prone to inadvertent or deliberate overestimation by patients \[[@CIT0089],[@CIT0111]\] Most widely used adherence measure in SSA \[[@CIT0111],[@CIT0119]--[@CIT0121]\]
Relatively inexpensive Social desirability and recall bias may contribute to inaccuracy
Easily supported by aids like visual analogue scales
Demonstrated to correlate with virologic outcomes in Uganda
Electronic monitoring methods and devices Some forms (MEMS) demonstrated to correlate with virologic suppression in Uganda and South Africa \[[@CIT0125],[@CIT0126]\] Expensive \[[@CIT0122]--[@CIT0124]\] Electronic-operated pill-containing devices record and/or transmit data each time an ART dose is taken out. Most common devices use microchips incorporated into pill bottle caps
*Pharmacy-based measures*
Pill count Practical, easy to obtain at clinic visits Easily manipulated; dependent on patient\'s cooperation \[[@CIT0127]\] Patients return unused pills at each pharmacy visit, and count of unused pills indicates doses missed after last drug refill
Demonstrated to be a valid adherence measure among adolescents in Botswana \[[@CIT0129]\] Time-consuming and inconvenient in busy clinic settings \[[@CIT0128]\]
Unannounced home-based counts possible, and may improve reliability \[[@CIT0127],[@CIT0130]\] Patients may forget to turn in unused pills
Pharmacy visits/medication refills Easy to obtain May not accurately reflect ART use, for example, in patients who dump pills or accumulate them without using Medications are dispensed to cover the exact period between visits, and delayed return dates are taken to be indicative of missed doses
Inexpensive Patients' use of multiple pharmacy sources may make measure unreliable Use of pharmacy refill data useful for computing MPR, a valid adherence measure in low-resource regions \[[@CIT0131]--[@CIT0133]\]
Useful in low-resource settings \[[@CIT0134]\]
"Direct" measures, methods which provide objective evidence of patients having ingested medication \[[@CIT0087],[@CIT0088]\]. "Indirect" measures, methods which infer frequency of medication use based on an observable indicator \[[@CIT0087],[@CIT0088]\]. SSA=sub-Saharan Africa; ART=antiretroviral therapy; MEMS=Medication Event Monitoring System; MPR=Medication Possession Ratio.
In a study among Ugandan adolescents with HIV, pill count and self-report measures yielded significantly higher adherence values and were considered less accurate than electronic measurement methods \[[@CIT0089]\]. On this basis, the investigators recommended the use of electronic methods as a possible gold standard for measuring ART adherence in research \[[@CIT0089]\]. Other researchers recommend that multiple methods such as combinations of caregiver and youth self-reports, pill count and pharmacy records be used to assess antiretroviral adherence, especially in young populations \[[@CIT0090]\].
Patterns of adherence in sub-Saharan African adolescents with HIV {#S0003-S20007}
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Antiretroviral adherence patterns in adolescents vary across different regions of the world. In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis, Kim *et al*. \[[@CIT0091]\] found that adolescent adherence was poorer in North America and Europe than in less-developed settings like Africa and Asia (see studies in [Table 3](#T0003){ref-type="table"}). In spite of this, poor adherence behaviour among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is a significant concern, given the limited ART options available in most parts of the subcontinent, and the risk of drug resistance \[[@CIT0092]\].
######
Summary of reported rates of antiretroviral adherence among children and adolescents in sub-Saharan African countries and other regions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study Location Adherence measure Findings
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Studies in West Africa*
Elise *et al*. \[[@CIT0168]\] Cote d\'Ivoire Clinic attendance, self or caregiver report 67% of children aged 13 to 17 years had missed no doses in the previous month
Iroha *et al*. \[[@CIT0169]\] Nigeria Caregiver report 86.3% of a sample of children and adolescents had been 100% adherent in the previous 3 days
Mukhtar-Yola *et al*. \[[@CIT0170]\] Nigeria Caregiver report 80% of children aged 1 to 15 years had ≥95% adherence; 62.5% reported 100% adherence
Polisset *et al*. \[[@CIT0171]\] Togo Caregiver report Among sample aged 1 to 14 years, 14% ≥10 years 42% had no missed doses over previous 4 days or previous month
Ugwu and Eneh \[[@CIT0172]\] Nigeria Self-report 76.1% of children and adolescents aged 5 months to 17 years had \>95% adherence; 59.2% reported 100% adherence
*Studies in East Africa*
Biadgilign *et al*. \[[@CIT0139]\] Ethiopia Caregiver report Patients aged 3 to 14 years with adherence ≥95%:\
Same day, 98.2%\
Day before, 96.9%\
Previous 3 days, 93.1%\
Previous 7 days, 86.9%
Biressaw *et al*. \[[@CIT0121]\] Ethiopia Caregiver report (CR); Children aged 8 to 13 years:\
CR: 90% reported 100% in past month
Unannounced pill count (uPC) 93.3% had ≥95% adherence in past 7 days\
uPC: 34.8% had ≥95% in past 7 days
Byakika-Tusiime *et al*. \[[@CIT0173]\] Uganda Three-day caregiver-report (SR) 30-day visual analogue scale (VA) Mean adherence for children initiating ART (I) and children on long-term treatment (L)\
SR: I, 98.1%; L, 100%
Unannounced pill count (uPC) VA: I, 97.8%; L, 100%
PC: I, 100%; L, 87.7%\
All patients had ≥95% adherence by SR, but only 36% had ≥95% by PC
Langat *et al*. \[[@CIT0090]\] Kenya Pill/drug count (PC) Patients 3 to 14 years; average adherence 44.2%\
PC: 27% had 100% adherence
Caregiver report (CR) CR: appointments kept 45.7%
Drug refill data (DR) Appropriate timing of doses 56.1%\
DR: 47.8% overall adherence
Mghamba *et al*. \[[@CIT0111]\] Tanzania Caregiver report (CR) Children 2 to 14 years\
CR: 98% missed \<1 dose in past 3 days
Pill count (PC) PC: 97% returned \<5% previous dispensed pills
Nevirapine plasma assay 85% had nevirapine concentration \>3 µg/ml
Nabukeera-Barungi *et al*. \[[@CIT0120]\] Uganda Three-day self-report (SR) Children and adolescents 2 to 18 years\
SR: 89.4% of sample had ≥95% adherence
Pill count (PC) PC: 94.1% had ≥95% adherence
Unannounced pill count (uPC) uPC: 72% had ≥95% adherence
Ndiaye *et al*. \[[@CIT0129]\] Botswana Pill count Adolescents 13 to 18 years\
Overall median adherence 99%\
76% had \>95% adherence
Wamalwa *et al*. \[[@CIT0174]\] Kenya Caregiver report (over past 3 days or 2 weeks) Among children 8 months to 12 years: 64% had 100% adherence
Vreeman *et al*. \[[@CIT0142]\] Kenya Self/caregiver report 71% of children aged 1 to 14 years missed at least one dose over a 3^3/4^ years observation period. Odds of non-adherence higher with death of both parents
Wiens *et al*. \[[@CIT0089]\] Uganda Self-report (SR) Pill count (PC) Adolescents 12 to 17 years:\
SR: 99% adherence overall; 93% had \>95%
eCAP™ PC: 97% adherence overall; 67% had \>95%
eCAP^TM^: 88% overall; 23% \>95% adherence
*Studies in Southern Africa*
Nachega *et al*. \[[@CIT0084]\] South Africa Pharmacy refill at 6, 12, and 24 months Adolescents 10 to 19 years vs. adults 20 and above 6 months: 20.7% (vs. 40.5% in adults) 12 months: 14.3% (vs. 27.9% in adults) 24 months: 6.6% (vs. 20.6% in adults) \[*p*\<0.01\]
Reddi *et al*. \[[@CIT0175]\] South Africa Child and caregiver report Children 4 months to 15 years
89% of patients reported \>95% adherence
59.6% had 100% adherence
[a](#TF0001){ref-type="table-fn"}Summary estimates from studies in other regions
*North America*
22 studies Viral load, self-report, MEMS 62.3% overall adherence (95% CI 57.1 to 67.6)
Asia
*3 studies* Viral load, self-report 83.9% overall adherence (95% CI 76.8 to 91.0)
Europe
12 Viral load, pill count 62.0% overall adherence (95% CI 50.7 to 73.3)
*South America*
5 Viral load, self-report 62.8% overall adherence (95% CI 46.6 to 77.0)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Kim *et al*. \[[@CIT0091]\]. CI=confidence interval; MEMS=Medication Event Monitoring System; eCAP™=electronic medication vials.
Compared to other age groups with HIV, adolescents in developed settings are reported to have poorer ART adherence \[[@CIT0093]--[@CIT0096]\], a pattern similar to that reported between adolescents and adults in sub-Saharan Africa \[[@CIT0084],[@CIT0097]--[@CIT0099]\]. There is also some evidence that adolescents aged 15 years and older are at higher risk of poor adherence than children and younger adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa \[[@CIT0100]\], as has been described elsewhere \[[@CIT0101]\]. The transfer of responsibility for treatment from caregivers to adolescents themselves is likely implicated.
Most studies on adolescent ART adherence from sub-Saharan Africa either fail to distinguish between perinatally- and horizontally-infected patients, or focus exclusively on perinatally-infected groups. Findings from some studies in developed settings suggest that horizontally-infected adolescents may have poorer ART adherence than those infected perinatally \[[@CIT0102],[@CIT0103]\].
Factors influencing antiretroviral adherence among adolescents {#S0003-S20008}
--------------------------------------------------------------
A considerable amount of the literature on antiretroviral adherence in sub-Saharan Africa has focused on factors which influence adherence behaviour. Numerous factors have been identified, several of which are believed to act simultaneously. The weight of influence of various factors also varies based on socio-economic, cultural and environmental characteristics in different settings.
### Socio-demographic factors and individual resilience factors
Associations have been found between socio-demographic factors such as age and living conditions, and adherence in some African settings. In a study of 314 Ethiopian youth receiving care in tertiary ART facilities, adherence levels were significantly poorer among older children and adolescents, compared to younger children \[[@CIT0102]\]. Nachega *et al*. \[[@CIT0084]\] also reported lower rates of adherence among adolescents compared to adults in a comparison study of almost 8000 patients receiving ART in South Africa. Mutwa *et al*. \[[@CIT0104]\] highlighted the impact of living situations on adherence to ART among 42 perinatally-infected adolescents in Rwanda. Adolescents who lived in boarding houses, foster care, or orphanages were often faced with a lack of privacy, lack of support, or stigma if they were discovered to be using ARTs, which made it difficult to maintain medication use.
Several studies identify individual adherence-enabling factors among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa. High levels of ART adherence were reported among South African youth, who attributed their ability to cope with their HIV-positive status to the availability of ARTs and the ability to maintain positive attitudes \[[@CIT0105]\]. Individual competence, arising from high levels of cognitive functioning and good adaptive skills, also appears to help individuals cope with HIV-related stressors \[[@CIT0106]\]. Furthermore, among youth living with HIV, good psychological adjustment \[[@CIT0107],[@CIT0108]\] and positive future expectations play protective roles \[[@CIT0109],[@CIT0110]\]. Although little is known about the influence of these resilience factors on ART use patterns, they may act to improve adherence among adolescents.
### Structural and economic factors
Structural or economic factors in sub-Saharan countries may pose barriers to adherence. Jimmy-Gama *et al*. \[[@CIT0135],[@CIT0136]\] reported that challenges to youth uptake of ARTs in Malawi included the unavailability of food, a factor also identified among adolescents in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Similarly, lack of nutritional support was identified as a reason for poor ART adherence among adolescents in urban Ethiopian settings \[[@CIT0137]\]. In the Malawi study, regular access to ART was also difficult due to unaffordable but compulsory treatment fees \[[@CIT0135]\]. In a study among 440 young adolescents receiving ART at district hospitals in northeast Ethiopia, living in close proximity to a treatment centre was associated with better ART adherence \[[@CIT0138]\]. Other researchers described difficulties with access and cost of transportation as economic barriers to adherence among adolescents in an urban Ethiopian setting \[[@CIT0139]\]. These economic challenges sometimes arise from families' loss of livelihood following the death of members from HIV/AIDS \[[@CIT0140]\] and represent some of the multiple structural barriers to ART adherence in socio-economically deprived parts of sub-Saharan Africa. The loss of a family member may also pose an obstacle to adherence for perinatally-infected adolescents who invariably depend on caregivers for treatment \[[@CIT0141],[@CIT0142]\] and may have to abruptly assume responsibility under such circumstances.
The negative impact of civil disruptions due to political instability and violence on healthcare provision has been well documented by several researchers \[[@CIT0143]--[@CIT0146]\]. Several communities in sub-Saharan Africa have experienced significant political violence in recent decades, including the 1986 political conflicts in South Africa \[[@CIT0147],[@CIT0148]\], and more recently, the Kenyan post-election conflicts \[[@CIT0144],[@CIT0149],[@CIT0150]\]. Such situations of violence have negatively influenced health through consequences of death, disabilities, displacement and destruction of health facilities and supplies \[[@CIT0145]\]. Specifically, political violence has been associated with significant disruptions in HIV patient care in Africa through widespread fear, lack of transportation, physical attacks and displacement of individuals with HIV within affected communities \[[@CIT0144],[@CIT0149]--[@CIT0151]\]. In communities at risk of political violence, it is helpful for HIV treatment programmes to have contingency measures, such as emergency preparedness plans in conjunction with local agencies, to forestall treatment interruptions in the event of such outbreaks \[[@CIT0151]\].
### Psychosocial factors
The importance of social support to ART adherence has been highlighted in many sub-Saharan African studies. Fetzer *et al*. \[[@CIT0136]\] described a strong association between caregiver supervision and ART adherence among adolescents in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Similar associations have been reported in qualitative studies among young adolescents with HIV infection and their caregivers in Kenya, Uganda and South Africa \[[@CIT0152]--[@CIT0154]\]. Among a sample of South African adolescents, those with extensive supportive networks among relatives and peers appeared to cope better with psychosocial challenges, and caregivers played an important role in facilitating ART adherence. The participants in this study opined that caregivers contributed to their good adherence by reminding them to take their medications \[[@CIT0105]\].
Where caregiver involvement declines \[[@CIT0155]\], the ability of hitherto dependent perinatally-infected adolescents to assume responsibility for their treatment may be threatened by developmental, psychological and social factors. Assuming responsibility for HIV treatment unlike their age mates may conflict with adolescents' desire for peer acceptance and approval, which can be compounded by stigma, socio-economic challenges and treatment fatigue \[[@CIT0136],[@CIT0137],[@CIT0152]\].
Among horizontally-infected individuals, poor adherence has also been associated with complicated medication routines, as well as individual factors such as forgetfulness and mental health problems \[[@CIT0085],[@CIT0103],[@CIT0156]\]. Psychosocial problems including non-recognition of a need for medications, fear of disclosure, poor social support and involvement in risky behaviour such as substance use, have also been identified among adolescents with behaviourally acquired HIV in the United States \[[@CIT0157]--[@CIT0159]\].
#### Disclosure
Disclosure of HIV status has been studied in different contexts, two of which have been repeatedly associated with adherence behaviour. As adolescents mature, their evolving social relationships may require them to provide details about their HIV-infected status to their peers or intimate partners (self-disclosure). This is often a challenge, especially in settings where HIV/AIDS remains stigmatized \[[@CIT0160]\]. Mutwa *et al*. \[[@CIT0104]\] noted that adolescents' fear of discovery and reluctance to disclose their status made them avoid taking their ARTs in non-private settings like boarding houses and foster homes.
Caregiver disclosure of adolescents' HIV infection status is a more frequently studied form of disclosure \[[@CIT0161],[@CIT0162]\] and is also challenging, as evidenced by findings that only 38% of adolescents aged 11 to 15 years in a Zambian study had been informed about their HIV status \[[@CIT0163]\]. Similarly, Bikaako-Kajura *et al*. \[[@CIT0153]\] found that among 42 Ugandan youth aged 5 to 17 years, only 29% had had their HIV status fully disclosed to them by their caregivers, and only 38% had received partial information about the reason for their frequent illnesses and need for repeated medication. In both of these studies, ART adherence was poorer in children who had not been disclosed to, especially in older adolescents. Bikaako-Kajura *et al*. \[[@CIT0153]\] found that adherence in such situations was often completely dependent on the caregiver and speculated that these adolescents wilfully missed doses whenever possible, as if in rebellion against their caregivers' secrecy or lack of full disclosure. Similarly, in a study among Ugandan children aged 2 to 18 years, Nabukeera-Barungi reported that children or adolescents were three times more likely to be non-adherent when their caregiver was the only one who knew their HIV status \[[@CIT0120]\]. Several other researchers document associations between early disclosure and satisfactory adherence patterns. In a qualitative study among adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in Zambia, Mburu *et al*. \[[@CIT0164]\] reported that among other effects, caregivers' disclosure created opportunities for improved adherence support for the adolescent. Fetzer *et al*. \[[@CIT0136]\] described reduced levels of frustration among adolescents that had been disclosed to, because disclosure provided a motivational factor aiding adherence.
#### Stigma
Among caregivers who hesitate or avoid disclosing children\'s HIV status, the fear of exposing the child or adolescent to stigma is often cited as a reason \[[@CIT0164],[@CIT0165]\]. Socio-cultural misperceptions about the aetiology and spread of HIV/AIDS accentuate the effect of stigma in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa \[[@CIT0029],[@CIT0166]\]. In a qualitative study among caregivers and healthcare providers in Ethiopia, stigma within families was cited as a reason for ART non-adherence \[[@CIT0137]\]. Children were sometimes not given medications at home to avoid stigma from relatives or neighbours who might be present at the time. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, shame and stigma were most frequently cited as barriers to adherence by adolescents who recognized that taking ART made them different from others and exposed them to ridicule \[[@CIT0136]\].
Adolescents are often concerned about "feeling normal" and not feeling "different from their peers." Apart from the inherent difficulty of repeatedly taking medications, adolescents sometimes skip ART doses because they are a reminder of a condition that makes them different from others \[[@CIT0136]\]. Thus, ART adherence can be a paradoxical source of stigma, as is supported by the findings of Makoae *et al*. \[[@CIT0167]\] in five African countries. The researchers compared groups of HIV-infected individuals taking ART medications, with groups without medications in five countries -- Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania and South Africa over five time points. Measuring levels of HIV-related stigma at six-month intervals on the HIV/AIDS Stigma Instrument-PLWA (HASI-P), they observed an increase in perceived stigma among individuals taking ART, compared to those not taking \[[@CIT0167]\].
In contrast to this report, studies in Kenya and Uganda \[[@CIT0117],[@CIT0176]\] have demonstrated decline in internalized stigma among adult patients after a period on ART. This is supported by the findings of qualitative studies among people with HIV in Zimbabwe and South Africa, who generally attributed their improved self-image, functioning and wellbeing to the role of antiretroviral treatment \[[@CIT0177]--[@CIT0179]\]. Improvements in physical and mental health were associated with reduced internalized stigma in the Ugandan study, suggesting that the effect of ART adherence on reducing stigma may be mediated through improvements in quality of life in these African populations \[[@CIT0176]\]. It is plausible that optimal ART adherence may influence stigma reduction among adolescents similarly if adolescents experience improved health and wellbeing with antiretroviral medication use.
### Individual factors
Several studies have reported "forgetting to take medications" as a reason for skipped doses, especially in situations when the adolescent is free from acute illness. For most HIV-uninfected adolescents, day-to-day living does not include medication use, and the absence of memory aids can result in forgotten doses for those youth with HIV receiving ART. Among a sample of older adolescents and adults attending an outpatient clinic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, responses to a standardized questionnaire indicated challenges to ART adherence \[[@CIT0180]\]. These included forgetfulness and difficulty in organizing a schedule around medication use \[[@CIT0180]\], factors which may also be related to subtle deficits or impairment in memory, cognitive and executive function, or behavioural-emotional difficulties that often occur in the background of HIV/AIDS \[[@CIT0068],[@CIT0181]--[@CIT0184]\]. Some research, including studies on offspring of HIV-infected mothers in Africa, has highlighted the risk of neurocognitive delay in infants and children infected or affected by HIV \[[@CIT0076],[@CIT0185]--[@CIT0187]\]. These deficits may be indicative of early neurotoxic effects of HIV on the developing central nervous system of individuals exposed to HIV *in utero* or during early childhood, resulting in lasting deficits that may also compromise adherence during adolescence \[[@CIT0188]\]. However, other studies point to subtle challenges in early language development being the possible effect of *in utero* exposure to ART use in pregnancy \[[@CIT0189],[@CIT0190]\]. Furthermore, adolescents with HIV infection are frequently exposed to adverse environmental influences including poverty, stress, violence and maternal ill-health, which could also contribute to neurocognitive and psychiatric risk \[[@CIT0191],[@CIT0192]\]. These findings suggest a multifactorial aetiology to neurocognitive and behavioural outcomes among this vulnerable population, and there is the need for further research to ascertain the contributions of these individual risk factors.
### Treatment-related factors
Treatment-related factors, including real or anticipated side effects and having to take large quantities of drugs ("pill burden"), have been cited as barriers to ART adherence among children and young adolescents \[[@CIT0137],[@CIT0172],[@CIT0180]\]. Pill burden has been reported to hinder ART adherence among youth populations in the United States \[[@CIT0156],[@CIT0193]\]. Pill burden was also mentioned as the most common reason for skipping ART doses among a sample of adolescents in South Africa \[[@CIT0084]\]; increased burden from the medications prescribed for coexisting conditions contributes further to poor adherence.
A potentially valuable intervention for these medication-related challenges among adolescents is the use of long-acting antiretroviral agents. Over the past few years, a number of new formulations, notably rilpivirine (a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) and GSK1265744 (an HIV integrase inhibitor), have been developed for potential use at nearly 30-day intervals \[[@CIT0194]--[@CIT0196]\]. Surveys have demonstrated widespread acceptability of these agents among adults with HIV due to the potentials for ease of dosing. These agents are currently still in developmental stages, and although yet to be approved for regular use, represent a significant breakthrough particularly for poorly adherent populations of persons with HIV, among whom adolescents constitute a significant subgroup. Initial access to these new agents may be hampered by their considerable cost, particularly for adolescents in resource-poor settings like most parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Nevertheless, significant efficacy among adults has been reported for low doses of rilpivirine at low cost, making it a promising long-acting agent for use in resource-limited settings \[[@CIT0194]\]; evaluation of efficacy among adolescents requires demonstration in future studies.
Transition of care between paediatric and adult HIV treatment services is sometimes challenging for adolescents with HIV in well-resourced settings. Youth with perinatally acquired HIV develop strong relationships with their paediatric care providers through their childhood and adolescent years, and are often reluctant to break these links in exchange for new, unfamiliar providers \[[@CIT0197]--[@CIT0200]\]. Transition to adult services is also challenging for developmentally unprepared adolescents, who may be emotionally or cognitively delayed as a complication of HIV infection \[[@CIT0201]\], and who may be unable to access psychosocial support appropriate to their unique needs in adult care settings, compared to paediatric settings \[[@CIT0200],[@CIT0202],[@CIT0203]\]. As a result, transiting adolescents are at risk of discontinuation of, or irregular access to ART. HIV care services in sub-Saharan Africa are distributed between specialized paediatric and adult clinics in some communities, but in other cases, general primary or secondary care facilities provide services for all age groups. Although anecdotal reports indicate that similar challenges exist in sub-Saharan Africa where youth are often transited from paediatric to adult HIV treatment programmes in mid-adolescence, there is little data on the challenges of transition and its impact on ART adherence in this region. Apart from the need to understand the experience of adolescents transiting in Africa, future research needs to focus on the experience of horizontally-infected youth, whose adherence challenges may differ from widely studied adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV \[[@CIT0198],[@CIT0199]\].
Consequences of poor adherence {#S0003-S20009}
------------------------------
Poor adherence to ART is associated with less effective viral suppression and reduced chance of survival in adolescents and other people with HIV \[[@CIT0055],[@CIT0204],[@CIT0205]\]. In the study by Nachega *et al*. \[[@CIT0084]\] comparing clinical outcomes of adherence among adolescents and adults in southern Africa, adolescents had poorer outcomes. Significantly fewer adolescents achieved complete adherence at each of three time points, and adolescents had lower rates of virologic suppression and immunologic recovery than adults \[[@CIT0084]\]. Increased risk of morbidity and mortality arise from a host of complications of immune suppression and chronic HIV infection, such as opportunistic infections, cardiomyopathy and malignancies \[[@CIT0206]\]. Other outcomes of poor adherence include the development of drug resistance and the risk of transmitting resistant strains of HIV to others when adolescents become sexually active \[[@CIT0207],[@CIT0208]\]. Among effects associated with suboptimal ART adherence, some studies have reported impairments in neurocognitive functioning among adults with HIV \[[@CIT0209],[@CIT0210]\], although there is a specific dearth of research into these associations among youth in sub-Saharan Africa.
Interventions to improve adherence {#S0003-S20010}
----------------------------------
Given the fact that barriers to adherence vary among societies, the success of adherence improvement interventions may depend on how well they are adapted to the unique challenges in each society. Similarly, adolescents constitute a unique, at-risk group whose interests and challenges may differ from those of other age groups, and likely require tailored interventions to improve adherence behaviour. In the sub-Saharan African region, few programmes for improving ART adherence exist for adolescents, and there is a dearth of research into the efficacy of interventions for this age group. The following subsection will, therefore, focus on the few existing interventions, most of which have been developed for adult populations.
A variety of strategies have been developed to improve adherence to ART in both well-resourced and low-resource settings. Although some of these strategies are based on cognitive or behavioural principles, others have involved direct observation and a number of interventions have involved "affective" strategies \[[@CIT0211]\] ([Table 4](#T0004){ref-type="table"}). In some settings, successful strategies introduced to promote retention in treatment have resulted in improved uptake of services \[[@CIT0212]\], with resulting improved adherence across patient age groups. Strategies documented to be most effective in better-resourced settings are mostly patient-based, behavioural interventions \[[@CIT0213],[@CIT0214]\] targeted at those identified to be poorly adherent \[[@CIT0215]\]. A review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted between 1996 and 2005 also found that interventions associated with improved adherence outcomes were those which addressed practical medication management skills in the individual patient, and which were implemented over an at least 12-week period \[[@CIT0214]\].
######
Studies describing effective intervention programmes to improve ART adherence, specifically among adolescents with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Study Location Description of intervention Category of intervention Target
------------------------------------- -------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------
*East and Central Africa*
Musiime *et al*. \[[@CIT0243]\] Uganda Peer support group of adolescents living with HIV. Group held monthly meetings, had talks and discussions on a variety of health and treatment topics. Also, recreational activities leading to formation of a band aimed at reducing stigma and improving self-confidence. Counselling provided for adolescents with identified needs. Affective Adolescents
Van Winghem *et al*. \[[@CIT0216]\] Kenya *"Axis 1"*\ Cognitive, behavioural, and affective Adolescents, caregivers, and clinic staff
Adopting a family-centred care approach in clinics;\
Tracing patients who missed appointments;\
Designated days for recreational activities;\
Age-relevant support groups for patients and caregivers;\
Adherence aids: pill boxes and tick sheets
*"Axis 2"*\
Development and use of a pocket-size booklet with educational information about HIV/AIDS;\
Individual counselling services
*"Axis 3"*\
Treatment literacy training\
Clinic staff training and support\
Incorporation of patients into clinic-based activities
Ssewamala *et al*. \[[@CIT0239]\] Uganda "SUUBI+Adherence," a youth-focused economic approach to HIV treatment. Designed to improve ART adherence among youth in and out of school with HIV, through economic empowerment initiatives. Economic Adolescents
*Southern Africa*
Bhana *et al*. \[[@CIT0244]\] South Africa VUKA family-based programme:\ Cognitive, affective, and behavioural prevention programme Adolescents and caregivers
Educational material presented on psychosocial and treatment aspects of HIV/AIDS to adolescents and their caregivers in 10 sessions over 3 months.
Fatti *et al*. \[[@CIT0245]\] South Africa Lay community-based adherence support (patient advocates) conducted home visits to address household challenges affecting adherence over a 4-year period. Affective Caregivers
Mavhu *et al*. \[[@CIT0246]\] Zimbabwe Three-component adolescent and family-centred programme:\ Cognitive-behavioural, affective Adolescents, caregivers
1) Individualized support from community adolescent treatment supporters\
2) Individual cognitive-behavioural therapy\
3) Caregiver training to enhance adolescent support
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Interventions based on cognitive, behavioural and affective principles
In sub-Saharan Africa, some interventions based on cognitive and behavioural theories have been shown to be effective. One of the few existing adolescent-focused programmes was presented in a Kenyan study which described a three-pronged intervention targeted at adolescents, their caregivers, and care providers. This programme incorporated behavioural, cognitive and psychosocial strategies; a combination of interventions which appeared to foster adherence among adolescent participants \[[@CIT0216]\]. In relation to these, education-focused strategies targeted at improving health literacy concerning HIV and ART use have been found to potentially improve adherence behaviour among youth in African countries including Ghana, Botswana and South Africa \[[@CIT0217]--[@CIT0220]\], similar to findings among similar populations in well-resourced settings \[[@CIT0221]--[@CIT0223]\].
Research findings among adolescents with HIV have also suggested that adolescents' direct involvement in their own HIV treatment decisions may improve adherence behaviour \[[@CIT0224]--[@CIT0226]\]. In several sub-Saharan African societies, cultural influences on patient--physician relationships result in predominantly paternalistic-style relationships, which encourage patients to rely completely on their physicians for treatment-related planning and decision-making. There is little evidence to suggest that these relationships differ for youth with HIV in these cultures, who may be less likely to seek to participate in their own treatment decisions for fear of disrespecting their usually older care providers. There has, however, been limited research into the potential impact of these perceptions and practices on ART adherence.
### Behavioural interventions
Purely behavioural interventions attempt to modify behaviour by reinforcing positive adherence patterns, through strategies such as memory aids. The use of reminder mobile-phone text messages uses such strategies, and its effectiveness has been demonstrated in RCTs among adult patients in Kenya \[[@CIT0227],[@CIT0228]\]. The most common forms of observational monitoring evaluated for improving ART adherence involve direct observed treatment (DOT). Multiple studies in Kenya \[[@CIT0229]\], Mozambique \[[@CIT0230]\], South Africa \[[@CIT0231]\] and Nigeria \[[@CIT0232],[@CIT0233]\] demonstrated improved clinical outcomes in adult patients whose medication use was witnessed regularly by designated healthcare personnel or a family member.
### Interventions involving affective approaches
Interventions classified as "affective" aim at improving ART adherence through emotional support \[[@CIT0211],[@CIT0234]\] and include the use of psychotherapy or antidepressant medication. In Rakai, Uganda, peer health workers, themselves people living with HIV, were trained and equipped to conduct biweekly visits to assigned patients, with resulting improvements in adherence as reported by clinic staff \[[@CIT0235]\]. Similar results were obtained using trained peers and "treatment partners" in Mozambique \[[@CIT0236]\] and Nigeria \[[@CIT0233]\]. Improvements in adherence have also been reported with the use of support groups, positive-living workshops and buddy services, among other community-based support strategies in Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana \[[@CIT0237]\]. Several of these interventions have simultaneously incorporated multiple strategies, such as the successful use of a multicomponent package among adult patients in Uganda \[[@CIT0220]\]. Adherence patterns improved with a combination of approaches including counselling, group education, information leaflets, tracing of late attendees and the use of diaries to monitor adherence \[[@CIT0220]\].
### Interventions using economic incentives
The use of economic incentives has been evaluated among HIV-infected adults and caregivers of infected children in African settings. The introduction of food rations in Zambia \[[@CIT0238]\] was associated with a demonstrable increase in ART adherence among adult patients in eight outpatient clinics. A recent initiative by Ssewamala *et al*. \[[@CIT0239]\] in 32 clinics across Uganda is designed to enhance economic empowerment among youth with HIV, with the aim of improving ART adherence. This intervention, called "SUUBI+Adherence," focuses on improving adherence self-efficacy in adolescents with HIV both in and out of school, through developing economic empowerment and financial management skills, as well as improving mental health among these youth \[[@CIT0239]\]. Among other community support services, nutritional and cash support provided to patients attending outpatient clinics in Lesotho, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana resulted in improved clinical outcomes, including adherence, after 18 months \[[@CIT0237]\].
Guidelines relevant for adolescent adherence to HIV care {#S0003-S20011}
--------------------------------------------------------
Effective interventions for adolescents may be different from those effective in adult populations. For example, based on findings from 325 studies conducted in both well-resourced and low-resource settings, the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) \[[@CIT0239]\] recommends interventions offering therapeutic support using problem-solving techniques and addressing psychosocial contexts, for adolescent and youth populations. In addition, directly observed administration of ART (DAART) is recognized as potentially useful because it requires that treatment is not left to youth in isolation but involves the participation of caregivers. Although DAART is not recommended for adult populations in routine clinical care settings, there is evidence for its efficacy among paediatric and adolescent patients, and as such is recommended for this younger population, with other supportive interventions as adolescence progresses \[[@CIT0240]\].
The US Department of Health and Human Services provides guidelines on ART use across age groups. Among measures for maximizing adherence in adolescents, it strongly recommends discussions of adherence-improvement strategies with the adolescent before initiating treatment, and at each treatment visit \[[@CIT0241]\]. Also recommended is the use of adherence monitoring measures, and the maintenance of a non-judgmental, supportive provider--patient relationship \[[@CIT0241]\]. In recognition of the challenges of pill burden, a once-daily ART regimen is also recommended, where feasible \[[@CIT0241]\].
Interventions for adolescents with HIV may be successful if targeted both at them and their caregivers. Based on evaluations of a youth\'s competencies and challenges, caregiver competencies, and dynamics of the youth-caregiver relationship, strategies to improve youth self-management of adherence should be combined with arrangements to maintain caregiver involvement \[[@CIT0242]\]. These become crucial as children grow into adolescence, particularly in the context of evolving peer relationships and the realities of stigma and discrimination. Challenges in this population may differ from those of younger children, and there is a need to design targeted interventions which are both efficacious and relevant to them.
Conclusions {#S0004}
===========
Children and adolescents living with HIV are a growing population in sub-Saharan Africa. During adolescence, accumulated barriers against the high levels of ART adherence necessary to maintain viral suppression and preserve health often threaten their physical and psychological wellbeing. Although much research has been conducted to identify such barriers and to target effective interventions to improve adherence, most studies have focused on adult patients.
Research findings suggest that care providers and caregivers may play a significant role in preventing adherence problems by addressing crucial issues early. Ensuring early commencement of the disclosure process, and monitoring psychosocial risks such as learning problems, social difficulties, psychological disorders and stressful experiences, particularly following the loss of loved ones, may help to provide support before the onset of adolescence, when youths are faced with additional developmental pressures. The partial transfer of treatment responsibility to the adolescent at this stage may result in better adherence behaviour if such support has been provided.
In sub-Saharan Africa, opportunities for communication and linkage with same-age peers living with HIV may also reduce isolation and provide valuable support in stressful circumstances, helping adolescents to achieve and maintain desirable adherence habits. As observed in well-resourced environments, adherence support by caregivers is likely essential until youth competency and responsibility are assured. Although non-age-specific strategies such as psychosocial interventions, economic incentives, DAART and other therapeutic support may be effective, there is need for further research to better understand the experiences of adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa, and inform the development of well-tailored culturally appropriate interventions to optimize ART adherence.
Research training for this publication was supported by the Fogarty International Center and National Institutes of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number D43TW009608. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Competing interests {#S0005}
===================
The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.
Authors\' contributions {#S0006}
=======================
OAA participated in the design of this review, development of the methodology, retrieval and assessment of contributory articles, writing and in multiple revisions of the manuscript. KMM participated in the design, development of the methodology, assessment of contributory articles, writing and in multiple revisions of the manuscript. PR participated in the design, retrieval and assessment of contributory articles, and in multiple revisions of the manuscript. SJH participated in the design, writing and in multiple revisions of the manuscript. BOT participated in the design of this review, development of the methodology, writing and in multiple revisions of the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version.
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The Hoover City Council approved plans Tuesday to build a $70 million sports complex near the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
The complex will include six soccer or football fields, eight baseball and softball fields, 15 tennis courts, a walking track, playground, splash pad and a 141,000-square-foot indoor facility that can be used for other events, the Hoover Sun reported.
The indoor facility will also be able to accommodate a football or soccer field, nine basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts or six tennis courts, the newspaper reported. Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey told reporters the indoor facility will also seat 2,400 for banquets and 5,000 for events with general seating.
The project is projected to have an economic impact of $27 million to $33 million dollars, and it will be built on 120 acres near the Hoover Met.
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What Does Code P0129 Mean?
When a P0129 code is stored in your OBD-II equipped vehicle, it means that the powertrain control module (PCM) has detected a low barometric pressure reading from the barometric pressure sensor (BPS) or the manifold air pressure sensor (MAP).
The barometric pressure sensor is designed to enable the PCM to monitor variations in atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is directly related to the particular degree of altitude, as it applies to your vehicle. This information is received and used by the PCM to help determine strategy for fuel delivery and ignition timing.
The barometric pressure sensor is typically supplied with a reference voltage signal, a battery ground, and one (or more) output signal circuit/s. As changes in atmospheric pressure occur, BPS resistance levels react accordingly. Changing resistance in the BPS creates variations in sensor output voltage to the PCM. These fluctuating voltage signals are not only used by the PCM to map fuel delivery and ignition timing strategy but also compared to programmed specifications. If voltage signals fail to comply with the programmed specifications, during a set period of time under certain circumstances, a P0129 will be stored and a service engine soon lamp may be illuminated.
Because almost every automaker uses its own system of monitoring barometric pressure, this type of code can be confusing. Here is a brief explanation of some of the most common designs. Keep in mind that this is far from being an exhaustive list. Consult your vehicle service manual, Mitchell On Demand, or All Data to determine the exact BPS design of your vehicle.
Some manufacturers use a BPS that is totally separate from the MAP sensor. It is usually mounted on the firewall or inner fender and has a vacuum hose connected to it. The degree of engine intake vacuum is gathered by the sensor and input to the PCM, where it is compared with the input signal from the MAP sensor, intake air temperature, and other factors to determine actual altitude (elevation above sea level). If the BPS input signal varies by more than a set limit, a P0129 will be stored.
Other automakers choose to integrate the BPS with the MAP sensor. In this type of system the sensor is normally mounted directly to the engine intake manifold and sealed with some type of o-ring. Vehicles with this type of system usually substitute manifold air pressure for barometric pressure and the scanner data stream may reflect this terminology.
In yet another BPS design the sensor is integrated into the mass air flow (MAF) sensor housing. This type of system is relatively effective but makes BPS replacement more expensive since the entire MAF sensor assembly must be replaced if the BPS is defective. Since a single electrical connector is used in this system, the diagnostic process can be challenging. MAP and BPS are normally listed separately in this type of a system.
The PCM typically takes ambient temperature variations into account when calculating altitude. Automotive barometric pressure sensors are very accurate (with a tolerance of approximately one-meter). As a reference, altimeter calculations used in global positioning systems have a resolution of about 20-meters.
What are the common causes of code P0129 ?
- Defective MAP sensor
- Faulty BPS
- Open or shorted wiring for the MAP sensor and/or the BPS
- Corroded connector face at the MAF/BPS sensor
- Insufficient system ground at the MAF/BPS
- Defective PCM or PCM programming error
What are the symptoms of code P0129 ?
- Hesitation upon acceleration
- Diminished fuel efficiency
- General lack of engine performance
- Black smoke from exhaust
- Excessively rich fuel delivery conditions
How do you troubleshoot code P0129 ?
A diagnostic scanner, a digital volt/ohmmeter, a vacuum gauge, and a vehicle service manual (or online service such as All Data or Mitchell On Demand) will be required to correctly diagnose a P0129.
I normally begin my diagnosis with a visual inspection of any system related wiring harnesses and connectors that I can gain access to in a reasonable amount of time. Damaged wiring or corroded connector faces must be repaired before continuing the diagnostic process.
This is a good time to check battery voltage capacity and alternator output. Check battery terminal ends for excessive corrosion. Clean and tighten terminal ends as required. Addressing this issue (now) may save some time if P0129 has been stored due to a low battery voltage or voltage drop condition.
Connect the scanner to the diagnostic connector and retrieve all stored codes. Make a note of all codes and freeze frame data as this information may prove useful in the event that you are dealing with an intermittent code.
Perform an engine vacuum test to ensure that the engine is making sufficient vacuum. Consult the service manual or information service to obtain specifications that apply to your vehicle. Engines that are not performing efficiently will not produce sufficient vacuum to the BPS or MAP sensor. Engine misfire codes should be diagnosed and repaired before attempting to diagnose this code. Conditions such as clogged catalytic converters, restricted mufflers, and low fuel pressure may also contribute to a loss of engine vacuum.
In my personal experience, barometric pressure sensors that are integrated with the MAF sensor are subject to corrosion at the connector face. These types of systems are also subject to malfunctions caused by an extremely dirty air filter element. In addition to these proclivities, this type of BPS configurations will often require that an auxiliary ground be installed. Consult the service manual or information service for technical service bulletins that apply to the barometric pressure sensor, manifold air pressure sensor, or mass air flow sensor of your vehicle.
If all circuits and connectors appear to be in order, continue testing at the MAP/BPS sensor/s. Consult the service manual for exact specifications pertaining to your vehicle. Unplug the electrical connector and check resistance across all circuits, using the DVOM. Replace the sensor if it fails to comply with specifications.
If the sensor meets manufacturer’s requirements, begin testing system circuits. Make sure that system reference voltage and ground signals are present. Before testing system circuits with the DVOM, disconnect all related controllers to prevent damage. Repair or replace open or shorted circuits as necessary.
If the sensor and all circuits are compliant with manufacturer’s specifications, suspect a defective PCM or a PCM programming error. Consider all manufacturer’s recalls and TSBs before replacement and remember that replacement of system controllers will require reprogramming. | https://www.troublecodes.net/pcodes/p0129/ |
Poor comprehenders are generally students who have significant language-learning deficits. A particular problem for students with poor comprehension is that they have difficulty learning new vocabulary because they are inclined to read less, and are unable to apply new meanings to unfamiliar words. This leads to the situation where the gap widens between them and their more successful peers, resulting in more noticeable reading difficulties in later grades. They generally have good word decoding skills but have difficulty connecting meaning to unfamiliar words in context. This is often problematic because they have particular difficulties making inferences and forming a coherent mental model of what they have read. However, effective vocabulary instruction can be achieved by the incorporation of an intervention framework that balances the teaching of word-learning strategies with strategies fostering whole story integration. This article introduces a pedagogical construct based on a modified KWL framework using a combination of evidence-based visual and verbal instructional methods, in conjunction with the development of metacognitive and self-regulating strategies. The implication is that the cognitive load on working memory will be reduced and overall story comprehension will be improved when a well-constructed pedagogical framework is utilised to enhance the acquisition of new vocabulary during reading. | https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ906956 |
The Blacklist (2013)
Raymond "Red" Reddington, one of the FBI's most wanted fugitives, surrenders in person at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He claims that he and the FBI have the same interests: bringing down dangerous criminals and terrorists. In the last two decades, he's made a list of criminals and terrorists that matter the most but the FBI cannot find because it does not know they exist. Reddington calls this "The Blacklist". Reddington will co-operate, but insists that he will speak only to Elizabeth Keen, a rookie FBI profiler.
Stream
Seasons
Seasons of The Blacklist
Specials (Sep 10, 2013)
Episodes: 11
Air Date: 10 Sep, 2013
Season 1 (Sep 23, 2013)
Episodes: 22
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the FBI’s Most Wanted fugitives. Brokering shadowy deals for criminals across the globe, Red was known by many as the "Concierge of Crime." Now, he’s mysteriously surrendered to the FBI with an explosive offer: he will help catch the world’s most elusive criminals, under the condition that he speaks only to Elizabeth "Liz" Keen, an FBI profiler fresh out of Quantico. For Liz, it’s going to be one hell of a first day on the job.
Air Date: 23 Sep, 2013
Season 2 (Sep 22, 2014)
Episodes: 22
For decades, ex-government agent Raymond "Red" Reddington has been one of the FBI's Most Wanted fugitives. He mysteriously surrendered to the FBI but now the FBI works for him as he identifies a "blacklist" of politicians, mobsters, spies and international terrorists. He will help catch them all... with the caveat that Elizabeth "Liz" Keen continues to work as his partner. Red will teach Liz to think like a criminal and "see the bigger picture"... whether she wants to or not.
Air Date: 22 Sep, 2014
Season 3 (Oct 01, 2015)
Episodes: 23
Now a fugitive on the run, Liz must figure out how to protect herself from the fallout of her actions in the explosive season two finale.
Air Date: 01 Oct, 2015
Season 4 (Sep 22, 2016)
Episodes: 22
A mysterious man claiming to be Liz’s real father targets her, but first she must resolve the mystery of her lost childhood and reconcile her true identity with the elusive memories corrupted by Reddington. Without the truth, every day holds more danger for herself, her baby and her husband Tom. Meanwhile, the Task Force reels from Liz’s resurrection and friendships are fractured. Betrayed by those closest to him, Reddington’s specific moral code demands justice, all the while battling an army of new and unexpected blacklisters.
Air Date: 22 Sep, 2016
Season 5 (Sep 27, 2017)
Episodes: 22
Feeling surprisingly unencumbered, Raymond Reddington is back, and in the process of rebuilding his criminal empire. His lust for life is ever-present as he lays the foundation for this new enterprise - one that he'll design with Elizabeth Keen by his side. Living with the reality that Red is her father, Liz finds herself torn between her role as an FBI agent and the temptation to act on her more criminal instincts. In a world where the search for Blacklisters has become a family trade, Red will undoubtedly reclaim his moniker as the “Concierge of Crime.”
Air Date: 27 Sep, 2017
Season 6 (Jan 03, 2019)
Episodes: 22
Following the startling revelation that Raymond "Red" Reddington isn't who he says he is, Elizabeth Keen is torn between the relationship she's developed with the man assumed to be her father and her desire to get to the bottom of years of secrets and lies. Meanwhile, Red leads Liz and the FBI to some of the most strange and dangerous criminals yet, growing his empire and eliminating rivals in the process. All throughout, Liz and Red engage in an uneasy cat-and-mouse game in which lines will be crossed and the truth will be revealed.
Air Date: 03 Jan, 2019
Season 7 (Oct 04, 2019)
Episodes: 19
After being abducted by Katarina Rostova, Raymond "Red" Reddington finds himself alone in hostile territory, unsure of who, if anyone, he can trust. Surrounded by old enemies and new allies, Red must stay one step ahead of the Blacklist's most dangerous criminal, who will stop at nothing to unearth the very truth Red wants no one to know about. To find it, Katarina will insinuate herself into the life of Elizabeth Keen, who has finally reunited with her daughter Agnes. Katarina’s presence will bring danger to Liz’s doorstep and forever alter her relationship with Red.
Air Date: 04 Oct, 2019
Season 8 (Nov 13, 2020)
Episodes: 22
With his back against the wall, Raymond Reddington faces his most formidable enemy yet: Elizabeth Keen. Aligned with her mother, infamous Russian spy Katarina Rostova, Liz must decide how far she is willing to go to find out why Reddington has entered her life and what his endgame really is. The fallout between Reddington and Keen will have devastating consequences for all that lie in their wake, including the Task Force they helped to create.
Air Date: 13 Nov, 2020
Season 9 (Oct 21, 2021)
Episodes: 15
In the two years following the death of Elizabeth Keen, Raymond Reddington and the members of the FBI Task Force have disbanded – their lives now changed in unexpected ways and with Reddington’s whereabouts unknown. Finding themselves each at a crossroads, a common purpose compels them to renew their original mission: to take down dangerous, vicious and eccentric Blacklisters. In the process, they begin to uncover lethal adversaries, unimaginable conspiracies and surprising betrayals that will threaten alliances and spur vengeance for the past, led by the most devious criminal of them all – Raymond Reddington. | https://www.aioview.com/movies/3239 |
The paper reports on a study that examined the use of Project-Based Learning (PBL) increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge. The study was conducted in some private institutes for some Iranian junior high school students.After applying the approach and conducting post-test, significant differences were observed. This approach can be used as a training tool to help acquire vocabulary. The Project-Based Learning (PBL) approach in education often generates justifiable enthusiasm among those who have become frustrated with the limitations of traditional lecture-based education. In recent years, it has been widely acknowledged that classes designed by utilizing Project-Based Learning (PBL) are effective in enhancing the problem-solving ability of students.In PBL-based classes, students worked in groups and tried to apply their knowledge to solve the problems by themselves; therefore, such classes were effective in improving students’ vocabulary knowledge and communication abilities. | http://repo.uum.edu.my/3273/ |
Physical geography of India
The Indian sub continent is situated to the North of the equator between 8°4\' and 37°6\' North latitude and 68°7\' and 97°25\' East longitude. It is the seventh-largest country in the world with a total area of 3,166,414 square kilometers. India measures up to 3,214 km from North to South and 2,933 km (1,822 mi) from East to West. It has a land frontier of 15,200 km and a coastline of 7,517 km.
The Indian sub continent is situated to the North of the equator between 8°4' and 37°6' North latitude and 68°7' and 97°25' East longitude. It is the seventh-largest country in the world with a total area of 3,166,414 square kilometers. India measures up to 3,214 km from North to South and 2,933 km (1,822 mi) from East to West. It has a land frontier of 15,200 km and a coastline of 7,517 km.
India is a peninsula that is covered by the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea in the SouthWest, the Laccadive Sea in the South, the Bay of Bengal in the SouthEast and the Himalayan mountain range in the North-Eastern side. India also has major perennial rivers of the world- Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Godavari and Krishna.
Geological formation:
India is entirely contained on the Indian Plate, a major tectonic plate that was formed after the split from the ancient continent Gondwanaland (ancient landmass, consisting of the Southern part of the supercontinent of Pangea). The Indo-Australian region is subdivided into the Indian and Australian plates. About 90 million years ago, during the late Cretaceous period, the Indian Plate began moving North at about 15 cm/year.
About 50 to 55 million years ago, in the Eocene Epoch of the Cenozoic Era, the plate collided with Asia after covering a distance of 2,000 to 3,000 km (1,243 to 1,864 mi), having moved faster than any other known plate. In 2007, German geologists determined that the Indian Plate was able to move with the said speed because it was half as thick as the other plates that formerly constituted Gondwanaland.
The collision with the Eurasian Plate along the modern border between India and Nepal formed the orogenic belt that created the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. The Indian subcontinent has different physiographic regions that can majorly be divided into five regions - The Northen Mountains, Indo Gangetic Plains, The Peninsular Plateau, Thar Desert and The Coastal Plains.
The Northen Mountains
The Northen region of India is covered by the Himalayas, the Hindukush and the Purvanchal ranges. These were formed by the ongoing tectonic collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. The mountains in these ranges include some of the world's tallest mountains that act as a natural barrier to cold polar winds. They also facilitate the monsoon winds that in turn influence the climate in India.
India has eight major mountain ranges with peaks of over 1,000 meters. The Himalayan range is considered to be the world's highest mountain range, with its tallest peak Mt. Everest (8,854 meters) situated on the Nepal–China border. They form India's NorthEastern border, separating it from NorthEastern Asia. Kanchenjunga—on the Sikkim–Nepal border—is the highest point in the area administered by India.
The Karakoram is situated in the Jammu and Kashmir. It has more than sixty peaks above 7,000 m, including K2, the second highest peak in the world at 8,611 m. K2 is just 237 m shorter than the Mount Everest. The Purvanchal is situated near India's Eastern border with Burma. It was created by the same tectonic processes that led to the formation of the Himalayas. The physical features of the Purvanchal Mountains are conical peaks, steep slopes and deep valleys.
Three hill ranges come under the Patkai: the Patkai–Bum, the Garo–Khasi–Jaintia and the Lushai hills. The Garo–Khasi range lies in Meghalaya. Mawsynram, a village near Cherrapunji lying on the windward side of these hills, has the distinction of being the wettest place in the world, receiving the highest annual rainfall.
The Vindhya Range runs across most of central India, extending to 1,050 km. The average elevation of these hills ranges from 300 to 600 m and rarely goes above 700 m. They are believed to have been formed by the wastes created by the weathering of the ancient Aravali mountains, which separate North India from the South India.
The Western end of the range lies in Eastern Gujarat, near its border with Madhya Pradesh, and runs East and North, almost meeting the Ganges at Mirzapur. The Satpura Range begins in Eastern Gujarat near the Arabian Sea coast and runs East across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. It extends as far as 900 km with many peaks rising above 1,000 m.
The Aravali Range is the oldest mountain range in India, running across Rajasthan from the NorthEast to the SouthWest direction, extending approximately 800 km. The Northen end of the range continues as isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana, ending near Delhi. The highest peak in this range is Guru Shikhar at Mount Abu, rising to 1,722 m (5,650 ft), lying near the border of Gujarat.
The Western Ghats or Sahyadri mountains run along the Western edge of India's Deccan Plateau and separate it from a narrow coastal plain along the Arabian Sea. The range runs approximately 1,600 km from the South of the Tapti River near the Gujarat–Maharashtra border and across Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu to the Southern tip of the Deccan peninsula. The average elevation is around 1,000 m. Anai Mudi in the Anaimalai Hills at 2,695 m in Kerala is the highest peak in the Western Ghats.
The Eastern Ghats are discontinuous and have been eroded and vivisected by the four major rivers of Southern India, the Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna, and Kaveri. These mountains extend from West Bengal to Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, along the coast and parallel to the Bay of Bengal. The Nilgiri hills in Tamil Nadu lie at the junction of the Eastern and Western Ghats. Arma Konda (1,680 m in Andhra Pradesh is the tallest peak in Eastern Ghats.
Indo-Gangetic plain
It is considered as the most fertile area in India, as they are dominated by three main rivers, the Indus, Ganges, and Brahmaputra. They run parallel to the Himalayas, from Jammu and Kashmir in the West to Assam in the East, and drain most of Northern and Eastern India. The plains encompass an area of 700,000 km. The major rivers in this region are the Ganges, Indus, and Brahmaputra along with their main tributaries. The Indo- Gangetic plain can broadly be divided into four types- Bhabar, Terai, Bangar and Khadar.
Thar Desert
The Thar Desert is the seventh largest desert in the world. It forms a significant portion of Western India and covers an area of 200,000 to 238,700 km2. The desert continues into Pakistan as the Cholistan Desert. Most of the Thar Desert is situated in Rajasthan, covering 61 per cent of its geographic area. The only river in this region is Luni.
Highlands
The Central Highlands consists of three main plateaus the Malwa Plateau in the West, the Deccan Plateau in the South (covering most of the Indian peninsula) and the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the East. The Malwa Plateau is spread across Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. The average elevation of the Malwa plateau is 500 metres, and the landscape generally slopes towards the North. Most of the region is drained by the Chambal river and its tributaries; the Western part is drained by the upper reaches of the Mahi River.
The Deccan Plateau is a large triangular plateau, bounded by the Vindhyas in the North and flanked by the Eastern and Western Ghats. The Deccan covers a total area of 1.9 million square km. It slopes gently from West to East and gives rise to several peninsular rivers such as the Godavari, the Krishna, the Kaveri and the Mahanadi which drain into the Bay of Bengal. This region is mostly semi-arid as it lies on the leeward side of both the ghats.
The Chota Nagpur Plateau is situated in Eastern India, covering much of Jharkhand and adjacent parts of Orissa, Bihar and Chhattisgarh. Its total area is approximately 65,000 square km and is made up of three smaller plateaus — the Ranchi, the Hazaribagh, and the Kodarma plateaus.
Coastal Areas
The Eastern Coastal Plain is a wide stretch of land lying between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal. It stretches from Tamil Nadu in the South to West Bengal in the East. The plains are divided into six regions—the Mahanadi delta, the Southern Andhra Pradesh plain, the Krishna-Godavari deltas, the Kanyakumari coast, the Coromandel Coast, and sandy coastal.
The Western Coastal Plain is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, ranging from 50 to 100 km in width. It extends from Gujarat in the North and extends through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala. The Western coastal plain can be divided into two parts, the Konkan and the Malabar Coast.
Islands
The Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are India's two major island formations and are classified as union territories. The Lakshadweep Islands lie 200 to 300 km off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea with an area of 32 square km. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located between 6° and 14° North latitude and 92° and 94° East longitude.
Other significant islands in India include Daman & Diu, a former Portuguese enclave; Majuli, a river island of the Brahmaputra; Elephanta in Bombay Harbour; and Sriharikota, a barrier island in Andhra Pradesh. Salsette Island is India's most populous island on which the city of Mumbai (Bombay) is located. Forty-two islands in the Gulf of Kutch constitute the Marine National Park. | https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Education-and-Careers/2015-02-20/Physical-geography-of-India/132538 |
Guide & Mentor - Dr. Anjlee Prakash
‘Educate, Innovate and Transform’ has been Dr. Anjlee Prakash’s mantra throughout her life. A highly experienced educator she co-founded one of the most successful educational companies in India. Today, her consulting experience includes several reputed national and international organizations in addition to developmental organizations working in the education sector, Departments of Education, curriculum framing bodies and multilaterals among others.
A Ph.D. in Education, she has over 28 years of experience as a techno-pedagogic and has played a key part in developing and launching some of the most successful philanthropic ‘technology in education’ programs for partners in India.
Dr. Anjlee’s experience covers a broad spectrum ranging across public enterprises to private sector, from government projects to NGOs, where her inputs on how education policy and practice can shape the future generations to be successful in their lives have been much valued.
Dr. Anjlee Prakash is the founder and chairperson of Learning Links Foundation, a Not for Profit Organization, working extensively in the education development domain. The Foundation has undertaken the largest professional development initiative in India and to date impacted over 2.1 million educators and youth across the country.
Apart from playing a key role in the Not-for-Profit sector; Dr. Anjlee Prakash is a nominated member of the National Cooperative Committee and has greatly contributed to furthering entrepreneurship and collaboration among women through the effective use of technology. As a testament to the success in supporting the creation of a responsible digital environment, LLF was awarded the FOSI award by Family Online Safety Institute in Washington for outstanding achievement in Online Safety, 2015.
Dr. Anjlee Prakash travels extensively, participating and presenting at various national and international seminars and conferences and is well known for her contributions in the fields of educational technology and pedagogy. | https://www.learningolympiads.co.in/guide-and-mentor/ |
More than 10 years of experience in software development. Strong analytical and problem solving skills. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
Over 10 years of experience in analysis, design, development, testing and implementation of web based applications using Java/J2EE technologies. Strong knowledge of Object oriented programming concepts.
Seeking a position in the field of information technology, where I can utilize my skills and experience to contribute to the success of the organization.
Seeking a position in the field of engineering or related field. I have a strong background in the following areas: Project management, systems analysis, design, and project management.
I am a highly motivated individual with a strong background in the field of public health. I have a proven track record of success in the healthcare industry.
Having over 10 years of experience in the IT industry as a SQL developer and software developer. Experienced in all phases of the system development life cycle (SDLC) including requirements gathering, analysis, design, development, testing, implementation and maintenance.
I have over 10 years of experience in IT industry. Currently working as a technical lead for the last 5 years. I have been working as a senior technical consultant in the development of business Intelligence solutions.
Senior software engineer with over 15 years of experience in the areas of application development, design, development, testing, implementation and support of enterprise applications.
I have over 10 years of experience in the IT industry. Currently working as a senior technical consultant in the Insurance domain. I have worked in the area of data analysis, design, development, testing, implementation and support.
I am a highly motivated individual with a strong background in customer service, and the ability to work well with people. I have a proven track record of success in the healthcare industry.
I am a highly motivated and results-oriented professional with over 20 years of experience in the design, development, and construction of the art products.
Highly motivated and results-oriented professional with over 10 years of experience in the field of information technology. Proven track record of delivering high quality, high quality, timely and cost effective solutions.
I am a highly motivated and detail oriented professional with a proven track record of success in the design, manufacture, and construction of the art products.
Senior programmer with over 15 years of experience in the field of information technology. I have worked in the design, development, testing, and maintenance of the world's largest companies in the financial industry.
Seeking a position in the information technology field where I can utilize my experience in the IT field, and provide a growth oriented organization.
A highly motivated and accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience in the field of information technology. I have worked in the fields of the software development life cycle.
A highly motivated, results-oriented, and conscientious professional with a proven record of accomplishment in the areas of the healthcare industry. I am a team player who is attentive to detail.
Senior software engineer with over 10 years of experience in the field of information technology. Experienced in all phases of the development lifecycle. Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
Senior software engineer with over 10 years of experience in the areas of application development, design, development, testing, and maintenance. Proven ability to lead and motivate teams to deliver quality results.
A highly motivated and results-driven professional with over 10 years of experience in the field of information technology. I have worked in the fields of project management, business analysis, and quality assurance.
Over 20 years of experience in the information technology industry. Proven ability to work in a fast paced environment. Excellent communication skills, able to quickly grasp complex concepts and ideas to the team.
Over 12 years of experience in the IT industry with expertise in Microsoft .NET technologies. Strong knowledge of ASP.Net, C#, VB.
To obtain a position that will utilize my experience in the field of information technology, and to further improve the company. I am a highly motivated, and dedicated individual with a strong work ethic.
A seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in software development, design, development, testing, and maintenance of enterprise applications. Strong knowledge of Object oriented programming (OOP), Java, J2EE, Spring, Hibernate, web services.
A seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in software development, including analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, maintenance, and support of web applications.
A highly motivated and enthusiastic professional with over 15 years of experience in the information technology field. I have worked in the areas of data analysis, and software development.
I am a highly motivated and results-oriented professional with over 10 years of experience in the IT industry. I have worked in the area of information technology, including business analysis, project management, and quality assurance. | http://resumefordesigner.com/job/Senior%20Designer |
The constitution details how the club is run, the roles and responsibilities of the committee and the rules that all members agree to follow.
CONSTITUTION OF
The Chichester Sharks American Football Club
v2 5th January 2008
1. Title:
This organisation shall be known as the Chichester Sharks American Football Club.
2. Membership
- Membership of the organisation is open to all players, coaches, officials and volunteers who have an interest in the furtherance on the objects of the Chichester Sharks American Football Club. It shall be understood that playing members shall be between the ages as specified by League/BAFA regulations.
- Any person having satisfied the requirements of membership as stated in this constitution and the club rules (these persons being referred to hereafter as club members) shall be entitled to attend any general meeting of the club.
3. Administration:
- The club shall be governed by an agreed body consisting of individuals elected by a majority at an annual ballot of club membership (thereafter called the Committee, see clause 6).
- The administration of the Constitution shall be the responsibility of the Club Chairman.
4. Objects:
The objectives of the Club are to:
- Promote and stimulate the interest of American Football within Chichester and the surrounding areas.
- Promote, encourage, develop and ultimately provide practical experience of the sport of American Football.
- Open membership of the Club to anyone regardless of ability, colour, age, race, creed, religion, sex or sexuality.
- Foster and promote good working practices to all other teams and organisations.
- Ensure the Club abides by all rules as set by the National Governing Body and its respective Associations.
- Ensure all Club members abide by the Club, League and National Governing Body and do not bring the club into disrepute.
- Ensure that the highest standards of discipline are maintained during members’ activities particularly in relation to interpersonal, communication and teamwork skills.
- Provide opportunities to develop social, personal and inter-personal skills.
- Create an environment, which allows individuals with an interest in administration in American Football to reach the highest possible standards.
5. Jurisdiction:
In furtherance of the Club’s objects, but not otherwise, the Committee may exercise the following powers to:
- Negotiate and enter into contractual agreements necessary for the furtherance of the objects.
- Raise funds and to invite and receive contributions.
- Buy, take on lease or exchange property necessary for the achievement of the objects.
- Employ staff and/or volunteers as are necessary for the proper pursuit of the objects.
- Co-operate with charitable organisations, voluntary bodies and statutory authorities operating in furtherance of the objects.
- Allocate all such property owned, or held in trust, by the group for the benefit of the participants via an organisation with similar objects, if the Club should be wound up or ceases to exist.
- Effect any policy of insurance that the Committee shall deem necessary.
- Change the name of the Club, as long as any new name embodies the objects of this constitution.
- Do all such lawful things necessary for the achievement of the objects.
6. Committee:
- The Committee shall consist of individuals drawn from the membership having an interest in the furtherance of the objects of the Club.
- The Committee shall elect individuals for the specific management appointments required, e.g. Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, etc.
- Appointment to the Committee shall be by ordinary resolution. Membership is open to adults over the age of 18 years, who are players, officials, coaches, volunteers and parents and/or guardians of those under the age of 18 who are benefiting from the objects of the Club.
- Each member of the Committee shall be entitled to one vote.
- Membership of the Committee may be terminated by an ordinary resolution of the Committee, provided that the member has had the opportunity to make representations to the Committee, accompanied by an advocate of their choosing, before a final decision is made.
- The Committee shall have the power to invite such people to the Committee Meetings as deemed necessary to assist in the continued development of the Chichester Sharks American Football Club.
- The Committee will be appointed at the first Annual General Meeting (AGM), then will be expected to stand for re-election at the next AGM or Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for that specific purpose.
- At the AGM elections for honorary club members may be made for services to the Club.
7. Membership of the Committee:
A member of the Committee shall cease to hold office if he/she:
- Behaves in such a manner as to bring the Club into disrepute or compromises the objects in anyway.
- Becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of managing and administering his/her affairs.
- Is absent without good reason or without the permission of the Committee from three (3) consecutive Meetings. The Committee will carry an ordinary resolution that the position is vacant.
- Notifies the Committee of a wish to resign.
8. Meetings:
- The elected Chairman shall call an AGM each year in January, or within 13 months of the date of the previous AGM.
- The Committee may call an EGM at any time during the year upon giving no less that 14 days’ notice of such a Meeting.
- The Chairman shall, at the request of at least 51% of the members, call an EGM for the purpose of considering specific matters.
- In the event of the Chairman not being present, the Committee may appoint a member to act as Chairman for the duration of the Meeting.
- A quorum shall exist if at least 75% of the Committee members are present.
- All ordinary resolutions shall be determined by the majority vote of those present with voting rights.
- Minutes shall be kept of all Meetings and be available for inspection by any Committee member not present.
- At least 14 days’ notice of the date on which the AGM is to take place shall be given in writing to each member of the organisation.
- The Annual Reports and Annual Accounts are to be presented at the AGM.
- Nominations for committee posts can only be heard at the AGM.
- Any alteration to the Constitution can only be made at an EGM specifically called for that purpose, or at an AGM.
9. Accounts
- All funds raised by or on behalf of the Chichester Sharks American Football Club shall be paid into a current bank account operated by the board in the names of the Chichester Sharks American Football Club. Cheques drawn from this account must be signed by 2 members nominated to do so from time to time.
- All funds of the Chichester Sharks American Football Club shall be used only for the furtherance of the objectives.
- Accounting records are to be kept by the elected Treasurer.
- The preparation of an annual statement of accounts is the responsibility of the elected Treasurer.
10. Dissolution
The Club can be dissolved at anytime by special resolution. After all debts have been settled all assets shall be transferred to the governing body to be used for the further benefit of those organisations within the sport.
11. Club Rules
- Acceptance of club membership implies that members must accept and abide by the club Constitution and Club Rules. Any members found to be in breach of any part of the Constitution and/or Rules will be liable to disciplinary action by the Committee.
- Any member under threat of disciplinary action shall have the right to a personal hearing at a Committee meeting with the right to ask for an adjournment.
- The Committee shall inform the member or members concerned of the intention to discuss disciplinary measures against them at least seven days before the hearing, and within one month of the incident.
- The Committee shall have the right, on reasonable grounds, to suspend from any club activity any player or club member without notice.
- Any club member is liable to disciplinary action for unsportsmanlike conduct or bringing of the club into disrepute whilst on or off the field of play or during any social function.
- Failure to reply to the Committee regarding any disciplinary hearing will render the member liable to such action as the Committee sees fit.
- All members must also abide by the rules and regulations of the sport’s governing body and any league(s) it may be affiliated to.
- All adult members must comply with the requirements of the organisations Child Protection Policy.
- Each member shall be required to pay such subscriptions as decided by the Committee.
- In addition players will be asked to pay fees for hosting/playing games/tournaments, and a percentage of the travel costs to away games (based on the total cost divided by the previously confirmed number of passengers).
- Additionally all club members MUST pay the designated league(s) registration and insurance fees personally.
- Only club members who are insured and registered with the league(s) as mentioned above shall be able to play in league matches.
- The coaches are responsible for team selection providing those players are eligible to play according to the club Constitution and Rules, and the respective league(s)’s rules.
- Team sideline staff and club officials’ discipline shall be the joint responsibility of the coaches and the Committee.
- All players and coaches should make their BEST EFFORTS to attend training sessions. The club concedes that players may be unavailable due to ill health, injury or domestic/work commitments. Players unable to attend training sessions or matches should notify ONE OF THE COACHES OR CLUB SECRETARY at the EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT. Attendance will be recorded for every session. The coaches/committee reserve the right to select the team/base playing time on prior attendance at training sessions where necessary. | http://www.chichestersharks.co.uk/about/constitution/ |
Tropicaleo
Dive In to some Puerto Rican food
Written and photographed by Beau Gustafson
Gabriel (Gabe) Marrero moved to Birmingham from Puerto Rico with his wife around four years ago. He is an environmental engineer and consultant in addition to working for non-profits. “I have always had my own businesses and noticed that though Birmingham is a great food city, it was not a diverse food city,” Marerro says. “I thought it was a good time to open a restaurant focusing on fresh, all-natural foods—Puerto Rican foods with paleo and vegan options. After opening up a few pop-ups shops, we opened up this restaurant about one year ago.” Tropicaleo serves up tasty options for everyone, including empanadas; mofongo, a traditional dish with mashed, fried plantains; chicharrones, a fried boneless chicken with testones; and amarillos, fried sweet plantains. I had the tropibowl with chicken along with the rice and plantains, and finished them off with some flan that was incredible. They have also teamed up with artists who have painted some great murals that make the atmosphere fun. So if you are craving a new taste adventure from the island, make your way to Tropicaleo.
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simple process flow diagram
In creating a flow chart specifically an organizational chart, make sure that the designs you used are simple so that the reader can easily understand the process of the project. ⦠A flowchart or flow chart usually shows steps of the task, process, or workflow. Process Flow Diagram (PFD) is a simple drawing that shows the relationships between major equipment in a process plant using equipment symbols and shows the primary process flow path of a unit. Visualize Your Workflow With Vue Flowchart Component. Letâs start from a blank diagram. is a diagram that represents a set of instructions. You can follow it as long as you like it. At various points in this exercise you will need to fill in flow charts by picking items and placing them in the correct place. In the New Diagram window, select Flowchart and click Next. Use This Template . Make brainstorming simple and actionable with a range of templates for visualizing problems and mapping solutionsâfrom fishbone diagrams to SWOT analysis. You may edit and customize this PFD diagram template for your solution. The squares contain minimalist icons, such as a mobile phone, sheets of paper, a piggy bank, and a computer system. The process flow uses some PFD symbols such as the distillation, burner, separation, pump, waster water treatment and mixer equipments. There are many different SmartArt templates predefined in MS Excel that you can use to illustrate the process, including visually appealing templates with pictures. Use 5 steps linear process flow diagram PowerPoint for simple business illustrations. The key steps in the process are identified, laid out step by step, and subsequently verified by the HACCP team. Select Diagram > New from the main menu. Simple Gantt Chart Plugin For VueJS 2+ Zoomable Treemap With Vue.js ⦠We will use a very simple flowchart example here. Want to know how a system can be implemented or improved? And the reason is very simple: when developed with due care, it is intuitive in interpretation and practical when prepared and submitted to various levels of the organization. The presenter can use the PowerPoint slide to present a Simple Process Flow Diagram with Four Steps. Not that it is a simple and trivial task. The slide features square PowerPoint shapes, in red, yellow, green, and blue. Step 3: Preparation Step 4: Mixing. It's most often used in chemical engineering and process engineering, though its concepts are sometimes applied to other processes as well. Enter the name of ⦠Note: ... Visio 2010 includes many other, specialized stencils and shapes that you can use in your flowchart diagram. How to create an awesome workflow diagram â and why you need one | Cacoo. The key to a successful flowchart is its readability. A Process Flow Diagram (PFD) is a type of flowchart that illustrates the relationships between major components at an industrial plant. Select Blank and click Next. Create New . The concept of the process flow diagram was first pointed out by Frank Gilbreth, an American industrial engineer, in the 1920s. Performant Chart Library For Vue.js â V-Charts. Get started by assembling a small team familiar with the process, find some wall space, gather some ⦠Go to Download Process Flow Diagram ⦠The simple process flow diagram provides an easy-to-use method towards identifying the ins-and-outs of your system. Fig. Extensive built-in flowchart templates are available to use; easy to make visually pleasing flowchart design. This template comes with a number of sample slides that offer a variety of sample flowcharts that can be customized to suit your needs. Why SmartDraw is the Best Flowchart Maker. You start by picking one of the flow chart templates included and add steps in just a few clicks. For more information about how to find more shapes, see Use the Shapes window to organize and find shapes. ConceptDraw flowchart maker allows you to easier create a process flowchart. What is the use of a Process Flow Diagram? As a top-rated diagramming tool, Visual Paradigm Online incorporates an intuitive drag-and-drop flowchart editor that allows you to create professional flowchart quickly and easily. Examples of process mapping: A payment receipt process diagram. Since youâre going to be working with shapes, you might find it helpful to have PowerPoint show a grid you can use to size and line up objects. An example PDF drawing, showing a simple process flow diagram. This is an excellent premium diagram template for PowerPoint which provides an editable process flow chart that can be used for making a flowchart in no time. Following the proper flowcharting standards is a must if you want your flowchart to ⦠Taxi Service Workflow - A process flow diagram to show how taxi booking is done from customer request to picking up the desired taxi vehicle. A flowchart or flow chart usually shows steps of the task, process, or workflow. SmartDraw is the easiest way to make any type of flowchart or diagram representing a process. No prior registration needed. The above process flow diagram is drawn with the Edraw Max software. An arrow will show the currently selected letter. The diagram shows a simple 8-step process, where one step follows the next in order: Step 1: Purchase. Defined symbols such as circles and arrows, short text labels and rectangles are what data flow diagrams use. What is input and output in a flowchart? You may expand the example when finished this tutorial. Simple Flowchart Template for PowerPoint is a flat presentation created with PowerPoint flowchart elements, customizing some of their style properties as fill, effects and stroke.. Easy to use, easy to edit and easy to manipulate, the simple flowchart template for powerpoint is a handy template for creating flowcharts on the fly. D3 Based horizon Chart For Vue2. This simple flowchart example and template can be edited with Lucidchart, an online diagramming app. A simple process flow diagram is an effective way to map your process and document how a particular task is done. Updated: 1 year ago. Print. Network diagrams Simplify your system design process and illustrate how devices and networks all work together with a variety of network templates, shapes, and connector tools. What is data flow diagram? A flowchart. Vue Dynamic Doughnut Chart Component. vue-simple-flowchart Introduction. Workflow diagrams, data flow diagrams, and flowcharts all involve various shapes and arrows. file formats. Edraw includes about 500 vector process flow symbols and examples. Examples of process maps and diagrams. a lightweight flowchart editor for Vue.js, code with vanillaJS, Note. Basic flowcharts are easy to create and, because the shapes are simple and visual, they are easy to understand. Itâs used to document a process, improve a process or model a new one. Step 5: Cooking. Make sure that you have a distinct end point for your chart planned. Business process flow diagram has become very simple with drag-and-drop tools and advanced workflow creation. ... business process model, process model, process flow diagram, work flow diagram, business flow diagram. The most common structure that most people follow is the circular structure. Linear process flow diagrams. This flowchart basics tutorial will teach you how to create a simple flowchart diagram. Tagged: flow,flowchart,business,workflow,process flow,taxi service workflow . Then, we will present detailed examples of process maps. Make sure that your core concepts are simply stated, and that the progression from concept to concept is explained in simple steps. To show the grid, check the box next to âGridlinesâ in the âShowâ section of the âViewâ tab. It also provides a section which shows a complete list of the symbols being used in the flowchart. Just sign up for a free account to start creating your own flowchart. For flowchart, it provides more than 25 symbols. Making a Flowchart in PowerPoint. It is includes rich examples, templates, process flowchart symbols. Shopping for New Dresses This flowchart vividly depicts the process when a girl is choosing her favorite dress from a boutique. This will help make it easier to read. To copy a letter into a box, first click on the letter, then click the box where you want it to go. Diagram Designer can generate electric circuit, flowchart, GUI design and UML class diagram. It can save the image in PCX, GIF, MNG, CUR, ICO, etc. 6. Students can make out the study plans according to their own situation. Step 2: Receipt/Storage. Flowcharts normally use standard symbols to represent the different types of instructions. Arrows connect the squares in a sequence. It will discuss basic flowchart symbols and some common errors to avoid when creating a flowchart. Draw Diagram. 0 (0) Taxi Service Workflow. Linear PowerPoint templates show the sequential progression of activities or workflows in a rhythmic way. Input and output are the fundamental building blocks of a process used to describe a software program. Letâs start with a simple example diagram, which will be sufficient to understand this concept. Other Examples. This simple flowchart shows you the basic requirements of going to No.1 High School. Use a variety of drawing tools, smart connectors, flowchart ⦠A simple flowchart representing a process for dealing with a non-functioning lamp. ConceptDraw is Professional business process mapping software for making process flow diagram, workflow diagram, general flowcharts and technical illustrations for business documents. The linear process flow diagram for PowerPoint presentation represents a set of tasks or events that have been developed in a chronology or step by step manner. Black Friday deals: see all the best offers right now! New Student Application Process (Horizontal Swim lane) By Creately Templates. Microsoft Word provides many predefined SmartArt templates that you can use to make a flowchart, including visually appealing basic flowchart templates with pictures. Process Flow Diagram Template For PowerPoint. Check it out. See that there is not much information, just a start, end and ârawâ tasks, without much detail. Online flowchart solution here! This repository is not being actively maintained due to lack of time and interest. Process Flow Diagram (PFD) is a commonly used chart in chemical engineering and process engineering demonstrating the ongoing production flow of chemicals and other types of equipment involved. You can visualize the flow of material within the plant with the help of these drawings. Our flowchart maker aligns everything automatically so you don't have to worry about formatting, rearranging, or reconnecting steps. For example, the input could be provided by a user like at an ATM machine or in a form online or it could data provided by an instrument like a temperature read. Updated: 1 year ago. READ MORE on kissflow.com. The simplest form of process flow diagram is linear. Process Flow Diagram; Read about the types of flowcharts in detail here. It is also a small software and you can get it in multilingual user-interface. This is a simple Process Flow Diagram (PFD) example that shows the use of various Process Flow Diagram symbols such as tank, valves, vessels and connectors. # Yarn $ yarn add vue-simple-flowchart # NPM $ npm install vue-simple-flowchart --save You Might Be Interested In: ... Related Posts. 1 â Process diagram . Filling in diagrams. Gridlines will now appear on your slides. However, if you want to use different shapes and a complex topology, it is better to create your own flowchart. The terms "flowchart" and "flow chart" are used interchangeably. You can start from an empty diagram or start from a flowchart template or flowchart example provided. Besides, you can also apply this flowchart in many other situations. Flowcharts can be used in almost any situation. And they all. Flowchart software simplifies the process of creating flowcharts for developing ideas, workflows, or project designs, among other things. The flow chart that maps out any system or process information is known as a data flow diagram. Mar 12, 2019. data flow diagram vs. flowchart. The boxes on the right are for practising this process. Apart from process flow chart, another important flow chart is the data flow diagram. They can offer a glance at a process or a helpful guide to making a series of related decisions.
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