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There are Intensive Care Units at both Gold Coast University Hospital and Robina Hospital.
Gold Coast University Hospital Intensive Care Unit
This unit is a 21 bed ICU/HDU with greater than 85% occupancy, averaging 1600 patients per year.
It is an ANZICS Level 3 unit and provides an extensive tertiary service to the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service of Queensland.
The care of critically ill patients is a co-operative venture involving the contributions of a broad range of health care professionals.
The Intensive care department provided care to patients with life threatening or potentially life threatening conditions. This service provide specialised facilities, equipment, expertise and staff acuity to support the critically ill patients, other departments and the HHS as a whole.
The GCUH Intensive care department manages a varied case mix of patients and conditions.
These include:
- major trauma
- neurosurgery
- neuro intervention and neuro trauma
- cardiac surgery
- vascular surgery
- major head and neck
- maxilo-facial and ENT
- surgery, and other medical and surgical emergencies and elective admissions.
Robina Hospital High Dependancy Unit and Intensive Care Unit
Patient casemix includes general medical, respiratory and post-surgical. Services include all forms of ventilation, dialysis, bronchoscopy, as well as the MET/Code blue team, cardioversion and central line/PICC line services.
The unit has a progressive and comprehensive education program for both clinical and management education, and offers secondments to areas of specialist interest.
The Robina ICU facilities include:
- 10 beds, all with central monitoring and air/O2 outlets for ventilation
- 6 with reverse osmosis loop access for dialysis
- 2 isolation rooms (one negative pressure and one ambient pressure)
- an external terrace area with medical services access for 3 ventilated patients and the ability to dialyse
- a stand alone procedure room. | https://www.goldcoast.health.qld.gov.au/our-services/intensive-care |
Parkinson’s is a neurological condition in which brain function gradually becomes impaired. The main cause is thought to be a loss of the chemical called dopamine which helps to regulate the body’s movements.
The main motor (movement) symptoms are bradykinesia (slow movements), tremor (involuntary shaking of parts of the body) and rigidity (experienced as muscle stiffness). Symptoms that aren’t specifically related to your movement can include disturbed sleep, altered mood, changes to the way that you process thoughts, memory difficulties, as well as issues with speech & swallowing.
The cause of the main type of Parkinson’s (called idiopathic) isn’t known, but most experts believe that both genetic and environmental factors are involved. Other types of Parkinsonism can be caused by a series of mini strokes, by certain drugs or by trauma.
Diagnosis can be difficult because of the wide variety of symptoms, but is usually based upon the bradykinesia and any of the other symptoms, the results of brain scans and sometimes by seeing how the person responds to drug treatment. In some cases, an individual may have just one or some of the symptoms and so is treated as having Parkinson’s – this is sometimes referred to as Parkinsonism.
Your Physiotherapist will start by assessing how the condition is affecting you, whether you are newly diagnosed or have been diagnosed for some time. They will carry out a full assessment of what you can do and will discuss your goals. This might include looking at your posture and your ability to reach and grasp objects and to change positions; for example, turning in bed, getting up from a chair and walking. Your Physiotherapist will also look at your general physical activity and endurance. You may be asked to wear shorts and a t-shirt during the consultation so that your movement can be properly assessed.
Physiotherapists can play a vital role in supporting people with Parkinson’s to review their situation, make choices about how their condition is managed and will help you plan how to look after yourself and best manage the life you would like to lead. This can involve giving you information about Parkinson’s and answering your questions about what you are experiencing and what the future may hold. They will discuss your priorities with you and how you plan to manage your condition, offering advice based on your individual needs. Your Physio will problem-solve with you, suggest how you can maintain your physical activity, consider what you need when you are out and about, and teach you and your family and friends strategies to help you move better. The emphasis is on helping you to stay active and safe.
Physical activity is important for strengthening your muscles, improving your mobility and keeping fit. Your Physiotherapist can discuss ways in which you can maintain and develop your fitness as well as suggesting methods of pacing yourself and learning to complete everyday tasks in more efficient ways if required. A regular exercise routine can reduce stress, anxiety and low mood. Evidence also shows that if people with Parkinson’s do enough exercise, their nervous system becomes more efficient at using dopamine (the chemical that is reduced in people with Parkinson’s), helping them to remain physically and mentally active for longer.
Joining a gym that offers a flexible exercise programme, or a local self-care group, or a course to help cope with Parkinson’s is a good way to get out of the house, find new friends and put in place an important strategy for managing some of the symptoms. Ask your healthcare professional about what is available locally.
As you get older, and as the condition progresses, some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s can have a bigger impact on your day-to-day life. Your Physiotherapist will support you in making decisions about how you cope with these changes. Again, the emphasis is on helping you and your support network to make decisions about the best way to keep you active and safe.
Weight fluctuations are common in Parkinson’s as some foods can affect how your medication is absorbed. It’s important to maintain a balanced, nutritious diet, but you may need to adjust the time you eat and the time you take your medications. Parkinson’s UK has detailed advice on eating well and also about the medications you may be prescribed.
Your Physiotherapist will create a personalised home exercise plan which may include exercises to prevent falls, to maintain your balance, and, improve strength and flexibility. Resistance training will help keep your muscles in shape for activities that require strength; for example, strength in your legs to climb stairs and walk up and down hills, and in your arms to carry items such as shopping bags. Physiotherapists are highly skilled in exercise prescription and will provide you with a progressive exercise plan that will help maintain and improve your function and strength. Your Physiotherapist will check your progress and will carry out regular re-assessment to ensure your exercise plan remains effective and challenging. | https://www.purephysiotherapy.co.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/ |
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Facial symmetry is usually a priority for both patient and clinician when planning oculoplastic procedures such as ptosis repair. Changes in appearance including lid retraction or ectropion can have severe psychological consequences and may be the main reason the patient is seeking oculoplastic advice.
In severe asymmetries, the decision for surgery is usually simple, but ‘borderline’ deformities carry greater uncertainty of the benefits. However, perfect symmetry is rare and the consultation may be complicated by patients’ biases and perceptions of their own face.
Eyelid position is the most sensitive discriminating sign of facial asymmetry, with observers having lower thresholds for detecting abnormalities when compared with equal deviations in smile or eyebrow position . However, contrary to popular belief, people rate natural faces as more attractive than perfectly symmetrical left-left or right-right composites, suggesting there is more to aesthetics than perfect regularity .
Figure 1: When looking at another person, the right side of their face is in your left visual field.
Figure 2: When looking at yourself in the mirror, the left of your face is in your left visual field.
It has been noted that people have a left-sided bias when looking at faces; that is to the ‘viewer’s left’ – the half of the face that occupies the left visual field. Studies measuring responses to photos taken of the right and left sides of people’s faces have shown the left side to be rated consistently more pleasant and attractive than the right . Furthermore, chimeric faces composed of two left hemi-faces are rated as looking more representative of and similar to the original images than one of two right hemi-faces, as well as overall more attractive . Deviations of the nose to the left have been reported as consistently more asymmetric than equal deviations to the right, indicating that there is a lower threshold to abnormalities in the left visual field, and that people focus more intently on that side of the face [5,6].
The reason behind this phenomenon remains unclear, although it is possibly related to the muscles on the left side of the face being more expressive. Burt et al. found left-sided chimeric faces were rated as more attractive and emotionally expressive, indicating that the perception of emotions is stronger in the left visual field . This is consistent with the right hemisphere showing dominance for facial perception and recognition on functional MRI . Interestingly, this effect is weakened for those whose native language is read from right to left – such as Arabic speakers – suggesting that there may be an added effect of scanning habits . Consistent with this theory, a study measuring gaze patterns of participants showed that there is a significant focus of gaze on the left-hand side when exploring faces . This is more pronounced in females, whose gaze was also found to be more exploratory than males with shorter fixations and longer saccades.
“Rather than perfect alignment, the patient’s goal may be to return to a face that they recognise as looking more ‘like’ themselves, either when they were younger or before the onset of a deformity”
The face is the focal point of social interaction and self-perception. Although minor facial asymmetries or deformities will not normally be noticed in the average social exchange, patients may spend a long time looking at themselves in the mirror. Possible implications of a left-sided bias from an oculoplastic perspective include patients having a greater fixation on that side of the face, and consequently reporting deformities as having greater significance. In addition, it is worth considering that total symmetry is not necessarily what patients want. Although perfect proportions have been claimed to be the epitome of beauty, people will rarely have an entirely symmetrical face. Overall facial aesthetics will take into account many emotional and biological factors that cannot be easily quantified. A study of 100 patients being consulted for upper lid blepharoplasty found that the majority had an underlying asymmetry, but it was not the focus of the consultation and indeed they were unaware of it .
Rather than perfect alignment, the patient’s goal may be to return to a face that they recognise as looking more ‘like’ themselves, either when they were younger or before the onset of a deformity. Their ideal face may reflect the left-sided features more than the right. Regardless, it is important that as clinicians we pay close attention to an individual patient’s observations of their face, which may not be clear from the outside and should be part of a comprehensive preoperative discussion. Oculoplastic surgeons should aim, in partnership with the patient, to correct any deformity of the eyes while being aware of possible perceptual differences. Understanding the nuances of facial perception may help the surgeon and patient come to a greater understanding.
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
-
The face is the centre of social interaction and self-perception.
-
Many studies have shown that people have a bias towards the half of faces in the left visual field, rating them as more representative of the face overall.
-
Perfect symmetry may not be the patient’s goal.
-
Patients may fixate more on left-sided deformities.
-
Many parameters contribute to the overall perception of beauty but they are not perfectly understood. Furthermore, they may differ between patient and surgeon.
References
1. Hohman MH, Kim SW, Heller ES, et al. Determining the threshold for asymmetry detection in facial expressions. Laryngoscope 2014;124(4):860-5.
2. Zaidel DW, Deblieck C. Attractiveness of natural faces compared to computer constructed perfectly symmetrical faces. Int J Neurosci 2007;117(4):423-31.
3. Blackburn K, Schirillo J. Emotive hemispheric differences measured in real-life portraits using pupil diameter and subjective aesthetic preferences. Exp Brain Res 2012;219(4):447-55.
4. Li C, Li Q, Wang J, Cao X. Left-side bias is observed in sequential matching paradigm for face processing. Front Psychol 2018;9:2005.
5. Meyer-Marcotty P, Stellzig-Eisenhauer A, Bareis U, et al. Three-dimensional perception of facial asymmetry. Eur J Orthod 2011;33(6):647-53.
6. Kwak KH, Kim Y Il, Nam HJ, et al. Differences Among Deviations, Genders, and Observers in the Perception of Eye and Nose Asymmetry. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2015;73(8):1606-14.
7. Burt DM, Perrett DI. Perceptual asymmetries in judgements of facial attractiveness, age, gender, speech and expression. Neuropsychologia 1997;35(5):685-93.
8. Yovel G, Tambini A, Brandman T. The asymmetry of the fusiform face area is a stable individual characteristic that underlies the left-visual-field superiority for faces. Neuropsychologia 2008;46(13):3061-8.
9. Megreya AM, Havard C. Left face matching bias: Right hemisphere dominance or scanning habits? Laterality 2011;16(1):75-92.
10. Coutrot A, Binetti N, Harrison C, et al. Face exploration dynamics differentiate men and women. J Vis 2016;16(14):16.
11. Macdonald KI, Mendez AI, Hart RD, Taylor SM. Eyelid and brow asymmetry in patients evaluated for upper lid blepharoplasty. J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014;43:36.
Declaration of competing interests: None declared.
Acknowledgement: Figures 1 and 2 created by Matthew Rooney.
Comments are welcome
If you would like to comment on this article please contact: | https://www.thepmfajournal.com/features/features/post/could-a-left-sided-facial-perceptual-bias-affect-satisfaction-with-oculoplastic-procedures |
NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), broke ranks with the American Medical Association (AMA) today, by adopting a new position of "engaged neutrality" on the issue of medical aid in dying, reports Compassion & Choices.
Since the new position by AAFP, the second largest component society of the AMA with more than 131,400 members, is at odds with the 1993 AMA Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 5.7 opposing "assisted suicide," the resolution required a two-thirds supermajority vote to approve it. AAFP delegates approved the resolution, which "captured the spirit" of resolutions introduced by the California, New Mexico, New York and Washington Academy of Family Physicians, by voice vote with no objections.
"The action taken today allows the AAFP to advocate for engaged neutrality on this subject at future AMA House of Delegates meetings," said Michael Munger, MD, president of the AAFP. "Our bylaws state any resolution that differs from the AMA Code of Ethics requires a two-thirds vote of the AAFP Congress of Delegates. This resolution passed by that majority.
"Through our ongoing and continuous relationship with our patients, family physicians are well-positioned to counsel patients on end-of-life care, and we are engaged in creating change in the best interest of our patients."
"Changing our position to engaged neutrality shows that our members can respectfully disagree about medical aid in dying, but still agree about our role in supporting our patients no matter what care they choose at the end of life," said Julia Sokoloff, MD, a member of the Washington Academy of Family Physicians, who introduced the resolution.
"As a former delegate for the American Academy of Family Physicians, I am proud that the organization has adopted a position of engaged neutrality to ensure its members can advise terminally ill patients about all end-of-life care options and provide them," said Compassion & Choices National Medical Director Dr. David Grube, who was honored as Family Physician of the Year by the Oregon Academy of Family Physicians in 1986 and Oregon Medical Association Doctor Citizen of the Year in 2009. "I believe many AMA constituent societies will follow suit, so it is only a matter of time before the AMA does as well."
"By supporting the AMA's opposition to medical aid in dying, some members feel the AAFP is telling them that they are unethical," concludes the resolution. "Overall, the testimony provided in the hearing supported development of an AAFP position of engaged neutrality toward medical aid in dying as a personal decision made by the patient in the context of the physician-patient relationship ... the American Academy of Family Physicians [sic] reject the use of the phrase 'assisted suicide' or 'physician-assisted suicide' in formal statements or documents and [sic] direct the AAFP's American Medical Association (AMA) delegation to promote the same in the AMA House of Delegates."
Medical aid in dying has been authorized in Washington, D.C., and seven states: California, Colorado, Hawai'i, Montana, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and California. Collectively, these eight jurisdictions represent nearly one out of five Americans (19%) and have 40 years of combined experience safely using this end-of-life care option.
According to a 2016 Medscape online survey, more than 7,500 doctors from over 25 specialties agreed by nearly a 2-1 margin (57% vs. 29%) that "physician-assisted dying [should] be allowed for terminally ill patients."
Last June, the AMA House of Delegates voted 56 to 44 percent to reject a report by its Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs (CEJA) that recommended the AMA maintain its Code of Medical Ethics' opposition to medical aid in dying. Instead, the House of Delegates referred the report back to CEJA for further work.
In fact, the CEJA report implicitly acknowledged that medical aid-in-dying laws improve end-of-life care by spurring conversations between physicians and terminally ill patients about all end-of-life care options, such as hospice and palliative care:
"Patient requests for [medical aid in dying] invite physicians to have the kind of difficult conversations that are too often avoided. They open opportunities to explore the patient's goals and concerns, to learn what about the situation the individual finds intolerable and to respond creatively to the patient's needs ..." the report concluded.
ABOUT COMPASSION & CHOICES:
Compassion & Choices is the nation's largest nonprofit organization working to improve and expand healthcare options for the end of life. For more information, visit CompassionAndChoices.org
National Media Contact: | https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-academy-of-family-physicians-adopts-new-position-of-engaged-neutrality-on-medical-aid-in-dying-300728230.html |
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Issue 53
April 26, 2017
Telerik Developer Digest
Welcome
Welcome to the latest collection of the best articles from the Telerik Developer Network and around the web, curated by a group of Telerik developers just like you.
From the Telerik Developer Network
What Did We Learn from Facebook's F8 Developer Conference?
Rob Lauer discusses the key announcements and their significance to developers from the recent F8 developer conference by Facebook.
Telerik Developer Network
What is a Software Developer?
Jen Looper explores how we define our work as developers, how that definition differs among individuals and sometimes use that definition to exclude others.
Telerik Developer Network
HoloLars talks HoloLens
On this episode of the Eat Sleep Code podcast, guest Lars Klint talks about his experience with Microsoft’s newest mixed reality device the HoloLens.
Telerik Developer Network
Creating Your First Native Mobile App with Visual Studio
Rob Lauer continues a series (Part 3) on building a native mobile app in Visual Studio with NativeScript by showing how to build the server-side components with .NET.
Telerik Developer Network
Creating Your First Native Mobile App with Visual Studio
Rob Lauer shows how to connect the ASP.NET web service and add styling.
Telerik Developer Network
7 Killer Visual Studio 2017 Features for Mobile Devs
Sam Basu explains why he thinks that the new features in Visual Studio 2017 make it the ideal IDE for mobile developers, regardless of their tech stack.
Telerik Developer Network
Around the Web
.NET Core Overview
A Senior Application Development Manager at Microsoft introduces .NET Core and many of its features for cross platform development scenarios.
Sash Kavalaparambil
.NET Futures: Type Classes and Extensions
InfoQ
Setting up ASP.NET Core in Visual Studio 2017 with npm, webpack, and TypeScript: Part I
Part 1 walks through setting up VS, npm and webpack.
Part 2
focuses on TypeScript.
The Practical Dev
What is Machine Learning?
Ed Charbeneau explores the history behind the concept of machine learning and some examples of the application of machine learning in modern web apps.
Telerik Developer Network
What's the most popular programming language? It depends on the time
It seems that developers of different languages tend to work at different times of the day.
Matthew Hughes
Code a Mobile App With NativeScript
A commercial course on NativeScript development from Tuts+ (parts 1 and 2 are free).
Keyvan Kasaei
Tour Of Heroes As A NativeScript With Angular Android And iOS Application
Learn how to take the official Angular Tour of Heroes tutorial and build a native Android and iOS mobile application from it using NativeScript.
Nic Raboy
C# Futures: Read-Only Local Variables
A look at the revived proposal for read only local variables.
Jonathan Allen
C# Futures: Read-Only References and Structs
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NORTHBROOK, Ill – July 1, 2013 – Clarus Therapeutics, Inc., today announced the hiring of Theodore M. Danoff, M.D., Ph.D. and Wael A. Salameh, M.D., FACP to fill the newly created posts of VP clinical development & chief medical officer and VP medical affairs & chief scientific officer, respectively.
Dr. Danoff has been board certified in internal medicine and nephrology and has extensive pharmaceutical industry R&D experience at SmithKline Beecham, GlaxoSmithKline and, most recently, Endo Pharmaceuticals where he was vice president, clinical development and medical affairs. In this capacity, Dr. Danoff played a pivotal role in the preparation of the New Drug Applications (NDAs) for Fortesta® (a topical testosterone (T) gel) and Aveed® (a long-acting injectable T product currently under review by FDA).
“Dr. Danoff’s proven track record in clinical development, NDA preparation and FDA advisory panel presentations for T-replacement products will be of enormous benefit to Clarus as we commence work on our NDA for CLR-610. We are fortunate to have his skill set at Clarus,” said Dr. Robert Dudley, president & CEO of Clarus.
Dr. Salameh is board certified in internal medicine and endocrinology and has specialized training in andrology/men’s health. Prior to joining Clarus, Dr. Salameh was on the medical faculties of Temple University and UCLA. He left UCLA to become medical director, endocrinology, metabolism and cardiovascular laboratories at Quest Diagnostics Nichols Institute. He has also served as vice president of clinical development and CLIA validation at Telome Health and senior medical director and team leader for early clinical stage biomarker development at Genentech.
“Dr. Salameh’s clinical expertise in T-replacement therapy coupled with his clinical trial and laboratory experience will be particularly important as we analyze data from our ongoing clinical trials of our oral T replacement product, CLR-610,” Dr. Dudley added.
About Clarus Therapeutics
Clarus is a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of our oral T-replacement product, CLR-610. The ongoing Phase 3 trials for CLR-610 are expected to be completed in mid-2013, after which the Company expects to file a New Drug Application with the FDA by the end of 2013. According to the American Urological Association, 10% of men 40-to-60 years of age, and 20% over the age of 60 have low T levels. Common symptoms associated with low T may include mild depression, reduced sex drive and erectile function, increased body fat, and decreased energy, lean body mass, muscle strength and bone mineral density. For more information, please visit: www.clarustherapeutics.com. | https://higbio.com/news/release/668 |
1. Introduction {#sec1-sensors-20-01063}
===============
Drilling is an important technology for the exploitation of coalbed methane, shale gas, petroleum, and other mineral resources. Drill string vibration will inevitably occur during the drilling process, and the excessive vibration probably damages the drilling tool, affects the drilling efficiency, and even causes downhole accidents \[[@B1-sensors-20-01063]\]. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the drill string vibration in the downhole in real-time. However, the traditional downhole vibration measurement methods which use cable or battery as power supplies increase the drilling costs and reduce the drilling efficiency. Hence, there are urgent needs in actual production to develop instruments that can collect the vibration energy and measure the vibration frequency in downhole.
The theory of the triboelectric nanogenerator was firstly proposed by Wang \[[@B2-sensors-20-01063]\]. Based on the theory, researchers have developed numbers of triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B3-sensors-20-01063],[@B4-sensors-20-01063],[@B5-sensors-20-01063]\], which had been widely used in many fields, such as the energy collection \[[@B6-sensors-20-01063],[@B7-sensors-20-01063],[@B8-sensors-20-01063],[@B9-sensors-20-01063]\], industrial sensors \[[@B10-sensors-20-01063],[@B11-sensors-20-01063],[@B12-sensors-20-01063],[@B13-sensors-20-01063]\], medical equipment \[[@B14-sensors-20-01063],[@B15-sensors-20-01063]\], leisure equipment \[[@B16-sensors-20-01063],[@B17-sensors-20-01063],[@B18-sensors-20-01063],[@B19-sensors-20-01063]\], geological monitoring \[[@B20-sensors-20-01063],[@B21-sensors-20-01063]\], and other industrial applications \[[@B22-sensors-20-01063],[@B23-sensors-20-01063]\]. Therefore, the triboelectric nanogenerator brings hope for solving the problems of vibration energy collection and vibration measurement in downhole. Especially in the field of vibration energy collection, researchers had achieved a series of outstanding results, such as the 3D stack integrated triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B24-sensors-20-01063]\], the single-electrode three-dimensional triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B25-sensors-20-01063]\], the magnetically levitated triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B26-sensors-20-01063]\], the ferrofluid-based triboelectric-electromagnetic hybrid generator \[[@B27-sensors-20-01063]\], the liquid metal triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B28-sensors-20-01063]\], the vibration-amplified triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B29-sensors-20-01063]\], the soft and robust spring-based triboelectric nanogenerator \[[@B30-sensors-20-01063]\], triboelectric-piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid nanogenerator \[[@B31-sensors-20-01063]\], and so on. But in the field of traditional drill string vibration measurement methods, there are just few related research results, such as the three-axis vibration sensor \[[@B32-sensors-20-01063]\], the near-bit vibration sensor with storage function \[[@B33-sensors-20-01063]\], the vibration measurement method using the gyroscope \[[@B34-sensors-20-01063]\], the vibration measurement method using the decibel sensor \[[@B35-sensors-20-01063]\], the vibration measurement method combined with machine learning \[[@B36-sensors-20-01063]\], and so on.
The traditional drill string vibration measurement methods have limited application due to the inability to achieve self-powered sensor, and only a few publications are related to the application of the triboelectric nanogenerator in the field of geosciences, especially in the field of drill string vibration. Therefore, in order to solve the actual needs during drilling, this paper proposes a spherical triboelectric nanogenerator (or S-TENG, for short), which shows the potential to collect the downhole vibration energy to provide the power for the downhole measurement instruments and measure the vibration frequency in the self-powered model.
2. Design and Working Principle {#sec2-sensors-20-01063}
===============================
2.1. Design Requirements {#sec2dot1-sensors-20-01063}
------------------------
The S-TENG is installed between the downhole drill bit and the drill string, so the downhole environments have some requirements for the design of the S-TENG, namely, strong anti-interference ability, large power generation, and high reliability. The specific explanations are as follows.
Firstly, the larger the output signal amplitude, the higher the signal-to-noise ratio, and the stronger the anti-interference ability of the S-TENG. Therefore, the S-TENG should have a larger contact or electrostatic induction area to ensure a larger output signal amplitude. Secondly, the larger the contact or electrostatic induction area of the friction layer, the larger the power generation of the S-TENG. Therefore, the S-TENG should be as large as possible to increase the contact or electrostatic induction area. Thirdly, the fewer mechanical parts, the more reliable of the S-TENG. Therefore, the S-TENG should depend on its own weight instead of springs to return to the original position to reduce the use of mechanical parts. In summary, a larger-size spherical triboelectric nanogenerator is used for this paper.
Meanwhile, the S-TENG must be installed in a professionally designed measuring instrument with a sealing function when used in actual drilling environments (as shown in [Figure 1](#sensors-20-01063-f001){ref-type="fig"}). The properties of the measuring instrument, including the mechanical properties and the dimensions, are generally the same or similar to the drill string, and the measuring instrument is generally installed between the drill bit and the drill string. Due to the different sizes of drill string used in different drilling processes, the sizes of S-TENG under different drilling processes are also different. The larger the size, the larger the power generation, but the smaller the scope of application. Therefore, the size of the S-TENG is limited to 110 × 110 × 120 (unit mm) after careful consideration.
In addition, the vibration frequency range of the drill string is relatively large, because it is closely related to the formation conditions, well structure, drilling process parameters, and drilling tool combinations, etc. However, the drill string vibration of the ordinary low-speed drilling process is generally caused by the collision with rock and soil during the rotation of the drilling tool. As the speed of the drill string is mostly maintained at about 120 r/min in the ordinary low-speed drilling process, the basic vibration frequency generated by this is about 2 Hz. Therefore, the vibration frequency range is set to within 8 Hz, which can meet the measurement requirements of the ordinary low-speed drilling process.
2.2. Assemble Design and Manufacturing {#sec2dot2-sensors-20-01063}
--------------------------------------
As shown in [Figure 2](#sensors-20-01063-f002){ref-type="fig"}, the S-TENG is composed of a fixed ball, a movable ball, and a supporting seat. The fixed ball is fixed on the supporting seat and keeps stationary with the supporting seat, and the movable ball is embedded in the fixed ball and can move freely. Cu (Copper) and PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) are pasted on the upper and lower sections of the fixed ball. PTFE is used as a friction layer to generate electric charges, and Cu is used as an electrode to derive the electric charges generated by PTFE. Cu is also attached on the surface of the movable ball and is used as both the friction layer and the electrode.
The processing method of the S-TENG is as follows. The supporting seat is 3D printed with PLA (Polylactic acid) material, the printing temperature is 210 Celsius, the thickness of the printing layer is 0.2 mm, and the structure duty cycle is 90%. Both the fixed ball and the movable ball are made of acrylic hollow material, and the outer diameters are 100 mm and 75 mm, respectively, with a wall thickness of 3 mm for them. The thickness of the Cu (C1100, ZYTLCL Co., LTD., Dongguan, Guangdong, China) used in the fixed ball and the movable ball are both 0.05 mm, and the PTFE (CTF30, Bench Co., LTD., Suzhou, Jiangsu, China) is 0.03 mm. The sizes of PTFE and Cu pasted on the fixed ball are 70 × 70 (unit mm) and 60 × 60 (unit mm), respectively.
2.3. Working Principle {#sec2dot3-sensors-20-01063}
----------------------
The S-TENG is fixed inside the drill string by fixing the supporting seat. The movable ball moves up and down relative to the fixed ball when the axial vibration of the drill string occurs and generates numbers of charges due to triboelectricity and electrostatic induction. But the electrostatic induction should be the main factor, because the contact area of the two balls is very small and which can even approximate point contact. Then the vibration energy can be collected by processing the charges, and the vibration frequency can be measured by analyzing the transfer rules of the charges. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"} shows the schematic diagram of the working process of the S-TENG. The working principle is further explained as follows.
The movable ball can be precharged when the S-TENG works at least once. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}a-i shows the initial state of the S-TENG. The movable ball is positively charged, and the fixed ball's lower friction layer is negatively charged because the Cu is more likely to lose electrons than the PTFE \[[@B37-sensors-20-01063]\] under the triboelectricity and electrostatic induction. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}a-ii shows the state when the vibration occurs, and the movable ball moves upward to the middle position. At this stage, the electrons flow through the external load and form the electrical current. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}a-iii shows the state when the movable ball contacts the upper friction layer of the fixed ball, and the upper friction is negatively charged due to the triboelectric and electrostatic induction. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}a-iv shows the state when the movable ball moves downward to the middle position, and the electrons flow through the external load reversely and form a reverse current. [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}a-i shows the state when the movable ball falls to the initial position, and the charges are transferred to the lower friction layer, which returns to the initial state. During the working process of the S-TENG, the theoretical output voltage signal is shown in [Figure 3](#sensors-20-01063-f003){ref-type="fig"}b.
3. Testing Results {#sec3-sensors-20-01063}
==================
Tests are divided into two parts, one is the power generation tests that collect the vibration energy, and the other is the sensing tests that measure the vibration frequency. A vibration platform which could obtain different vibration frequency at the same amplitude by adjusting the controller was used for the tests. The vibration platform is mainly composed of a simulation drill rig, a simulation drill string, and a vibration table. The basic principle of the vibration platform is that the rotary power provided by the simulation drill rig is transmitted to the simulation drill string through a cam mechanism, which causes the simulating drill string to impact the vibration table in the vertical direction. By adjusting the speed controller of the simulated drill rig, different vibration frequencies can be obtained, thereby realize the simulation of the vertical vibration. Since the contour size of the cam is fixed, the vibration amplitude is theoretically equal to it, and the amplitude is 4 mm. The S-TENG was fixed on the vibration platform, and the output signal was measured and displayed by an electrometer (6514, Keithley Co., LTD., Solon, Ohio, America). The specific test results are as follows.
3.1. Power Generation Performance Tests {#sec3dot1-sensors-20-01063}
---------------------------------------
The S-TENG shows the potential to collect the vibration energy of the downhole drill string and convert it into electrical energy in real-time. Therefore, the power generation performance of the S-TENG was tested, and the following conclusions can be obtained.
\(1\) As shown in [Figure 4](#sensors-20-01063-f004){ref-type="fig"}a--d, the output voltage, output current, and output power of the S-TENG are all the average of 1000 measurements, and they increase as the vibration frequency increases. The output voltage, output current and output power all reach the minimum value when the vibration frequency is 0.5 Hz, and the minimum voltage is 27 V, the minimum current and the minimum power are all close to 0. The output voltage, output current, and output power all reach the maximum value when the vibration frequency is 8 Hz, and the maximum voltage is 70 V, the maximum current is 3.3 × 10^−5^ and the maximum power is 10.9 × 10^−9^ W when a 10-ohm resistor is connected. In addition, the output current and output power of the S-TENG decrease with the increase of resistance value, and reach the maximum value at 10 ohms, which indicates that the power supply capability of the S-TENG is weak and needs to be further improved. (2) In order to visually show the power generation performance of the S-TENG, the output power was stored into a capacitor after processing by the circuit (as shown in [Figure 4](#sensors-20-01063-f004){ref-type="fig"}e)), with the switch k1 is closed and switch k2 is opened. Then a 0.25 W LED (light-emitting diode) was lighted when switch k2 is turned on after about 3 minutes, and the charging curve of the capacitor (50 V, 2 μF) with the load resistance (1 k) is shown in [Figure 4](#sensors-20-01063-f004){ref-type="fig"}f. Hence, if the power generation is stored for a certain period of time when numbers of S-TENG are connected in parallel, it is possible to provide intermittent power for the low-power downhole measurement instruments.
3.2. Sensing Performance Tests {#sec3dot2-sensors-20-01063}
------------------------------
The S-TENG shows the potential to be used as a self-powered vibration sensor to measure the vibration frequency of the downhole drill string. Therefore, the sensing performance of the S-TENG was tested in self-powered, and the following conclusions can be obtained.
\(1\) As shown in [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}a--c, the vibration frequency of downhole drill string corresponds to the number of voltage pulses, so the vibration frequency can be measured by the voltage pulses signal. A common low-pass filter algorithm that had been embedded into the software to process the noise signal, and the effect is shown in [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}a,b. Since ordinary MCU (Microprogrammed Control Unit) all have the function of pulse measurement and the trigger mode is a negative pulse trigger, the corresponding pins of the MCU can be directly connected to the S-TENG for statistics of vibration frequency. (2) As shown in [Figure 4](#sensors-20-01063-f004){ref-type="fig"}a,b and [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}c, the rule of the output voltage is similar to the transferred charges, the output voltage signal amplitude and the transferred charges of the S-TENG all increase as the vibration frequency increases, and the output voltage signal amplitude is larger than the noise signal. Therefore, the signal-to-noise ratio is high, and the anti-interference ability is strong. In addition, the vibration frequency and the output voltage signal are not an absolute linear function. (3) As shown in point A of [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}c, the output voltage signal will generate a large pulse interference when the vibration frequency exceeds about 1.8 Hz. The reason is that the movable ball will stop moving at the initial position when the measurement is completed in lower frequency vibration, but it does not stop and fluctuates near its initial position when in higher frequency vibration, which causes a large pulse interference. (4) As shown in [Figure 4](#sensors-20-01063-f004){ref-type="fig"}b and [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}d, the output voltage will become scattered and irregular when the vibration frequency exceeds 8 Hz, so the measurement range is 0 to 8 Hz. (5) As shown in [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}e, in order to research the influence of the installation distance between the S-TENG and the vibration source on the output signal, the S-TENG is fixedly mounted on the vibration platform, and the distance from the vibration source is adjustable. The results show that the output signal amplitude is inversely proportional to the distance between the S-TENG and the vibration source, and the relevance R^2^ is approximately 0.8822. The output voltage is reduced to about 5 V when the distance is greater than 150 cm, in which case the signal-to-noise ratio is unapparent. Therefore, the installation distance between the S-TENG and vibration source should be less than 150 cm and the closer the distance, the better the signal-to-noise ratio. (6) [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}f is a scatter plot containing the largest error after statistical analysis of the measurement data. The total measurement data is 500 groups, and each group is the average value after 3 minutes of measurement. We can obtain that the measurement error at 0 to 8 Hz is less than 2%. (7) As shown in [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}g, the minimum voltage value of the S-TENG is still higher than 45 V when the temperature changes within 0 to 100 degrees Celsius, which is much larger than the amplitude of the noise signal. Therefore, the S-TENG can be used when the good temperature does not exceed 100 degrees Celsius. (8) [Figure 5](#sensors-20-01063-f005){ref-type="fig"}h is the test results when the vibration frequency is 1 Hz, and the test time for each test No. is 20 seconds. The output voltage gradually increases to a maximum of 31 V when the test No. is less than 4500, and it will then gradually decrease to 20 V and remains stable when the test No. (number) is between 4500 and 10,000. Even if the output voltage is reduced to 20 V when the test times reaches 10,000, the voltage value of 20 V still has a high signal-to-noise ratio and anti-interference ability because the MCU with TTL (Transistor-Transistor Logic) voltage standard can still recognize it as a high-level signal and detect it as long as the output signal is greater than 5 V. So, it shows that the S-TENG has high reliability.
4. Conclusions and Discussions {#sec4-sensors-20-01063}
==============================
\(1\) The S-TENG shows the potential to collect the vibration energy of the downhole drill string, and the output signal increases as the vibration frequency increases. The output voltage, output current, and output power all reach the maximum value when the vibration frequency is 8 Hz, and the maximum value is 70 V, 3.3 × 10^−5^ and 10.9 × 10^−9^ W, respectively. Hence, if the power generation is stored for a certain period of time when numbers of S-TENG are connected in parallel, it is possible to provide intermittent power for the low-power downhole measurement instruments. But the power generation of a single S-TENG is relatively small, and it is far from the goal of real-time power supplies for the downhole measurement instruments. Therefore, the next research will begin through the generation of nanowires, the surface characteristics of nanomaterials, and the synthesis of new nanomaterials to further increase the power generation performance of a single S-TENG.
\(2\) The S-TENG shows the potential to measure the vibration frequency of downhole drill string. The measurement range varies from 0 to 8 Hz, the measurement error is less than 2%, the applicable working environment temperature is below 100 degrees Celsius, the signal-to-noise ratio is high, and the anti-interference ability is strong. In addition, the output signal amplitude is inversely proportional to the distance between the S-TENG and the vibration source, and the signal-to-noise ratio is unapparent when the distance is more than 150 cm. As the downhole vibration is mainly generated by the collision between the drill bit, and the rock, the S-TENG should be installed near the drill bit, and the installation distance should be less than 150 cm. The measurement range is small, and it is only suitable for the low-speed drilling processes. Therefore, the next research is to change the structure to increase the measurement range of the S-TENG further.
This work was supported by National Science and Technology Major Project (No.2016ZX05067001-007); Open Research Fund Program of Key Laboratory of Tectonics and Petroleum Resources Ministry of Education (No.TPR-2018-10); China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No.2019M650237).
The contributions were distributed between authors as follows: C.W. wrote the text of the manuscript, researched the related literature, and performed parts of tests. H.H. designed the parts of the S-TENG, researched the related literature, and performed most of tests. R.L. guided the principle design, the laboratory test, and the discussion of the test results. C.F. designed the parts of the S-TENG and performed parts of tests. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
This research received no external funding.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
{#sensors-20-01063-f001}
{#sensors-20-01063-f002}
{#sensors-20-01063-f003}
{#sensors-20-01063-f004}
{#sensors-20-01063-f005}
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The utility model discloses a shock absorption base for a chemical centrifugal machine, which relates to the technical field of chemical engineering and comprises a base, an empty groove is formed inthe upper surface of the base, and two symmetrical first connecting plates are fixedly hinged to the inner bottom wall of the empty groove through pin shafts. The utility model discloses a damping base for a chemical centrifuge. A centrifugal machine is mounted on the mounting plate; generated vibration, through the conduction of the mounting plate, the signals are guided to buffer springs I; vibration in the vertical direction of the centrifugal machine is buffered and damped through a first buffer spring; a buffer spring III is arranged between the connecting plate I and the connecting plateII; vibration in the vertical direction of the side edge position can be better damped; vibration of the output end of the centrifugal machine is generally larger than the vibration amplitude of thefixed end, the mounting plate can incline towards one side, the side with large vibration compresses the third buffer spring downwards by a large depth, and therefore the damping device can better adapt to the vibration amplitude of the two ends of the centrifugal machine to conduct damping treatment, and the damping effect of the damping device is improved. | |
Constant improvement is one of my bedrock principles for starting SalesReformSchool 12+ years ago. Recently, however, I received written feedback from a post accusing me of not modeling Active Listening in my public discourse like I teach my clients. It knocked me back on my heels. Had I slipped or not really improved?
I immediately became defensive in my head.
“You’re accusing me? How dare you.”
“Who are you to write that?”
“No way, can’t be right!”
“You’re just an internet troll.”
I trashed it. Then, I took a deep breath.
“What if he is right?”
Another deep breath.
“No, wrong question.
Assuming he’s right, what do I do about it?”
Whenever we receive criticism, personally or professionally, our natural inclination is to either get defensive or shut down. It’s the fight or flight instinct. If our goal, however, is constant improvement then take the leap of faith. AGREE with the criticism and consider what you should do to correct the suggested flaw. See, there’s no downside in accepting the criticism, as long as it’s in line with your values.
How might this work in sales?
If your sales manager says you are interrupting your prospects too much, don’t argue the point. Accept it. The next time you are speaking with a prospect, take an extra pause before speaking to check whether you are interrupting.
If your subject matter expert says you are not preparing them enough for a conference call or demo, resist thinking, “Geez, all I do is talk to you about what to say and not say.” Instead, ask them, “How do you think we should prepare together?” Then create a preparation process.
If a colleague hears you on the phone and offers the unsolicited advice, “Man, you talk SO much on your calls,” don’t sneer at them to mind their own business. Be grateful for the feedback and start listening to yourself in conversations with an internal clock. Maybe you ARE too verbose.
Me? I’m going to try hard to make sure I am listening to my own advice whether I need to or not: Acknowledge, Clarify and Recap. And to improve even more I’d like to take Aaron Burr’s advice from the musical Hamilton: Talk Less, Smile More.
SalesReformSchool: Food for Thought
Sticking with the same theme of continuous improvement – I learned how to perform a meeting retrospective from a fabulous facilitation course I took from Leadership Strategies, Inc. At the end of each workshop or day within a workshop, I ask the participants to list out all the things they liked about the day we spent together. They can list anything ranging from that day’s content and processes to the lunch menu. These are the ‘Plusses” or “+s.” I also ask for any gaps or things they didn’t like, appreciate, or understand or even agree with about the day or the day’s lessons. Everything is fair game.
These are the “Deltas” or “Δs”. Sure, it’s a little “Meet the Fokker’s-ish” to call them deltas rather than minuses, but the theme is improvement, and I can’t improve if I don’t know the gaps or deltas. Then I go around the room listing and listening to what everyone noted under + and Δ columns on a board for all to see. The rules for me: Document and seek clarification, but resist discussing or defending. I complete the process by reviewing the board, especially the Δ column, to see what I need to fix or improve. Please note though, that I am rarely responsible for the lunch menu.
My agile software development tools client tells me this is in line with the “Agile Sprint Retrospective.” I like that. Here’s an example from a workshop this month –
SalesReformSchool: Extracurricular
“We are not working together as a team!” If you’ve received this criticism and are in the Atlanta metropolitan area, try an escape room at BRAINSTORM ESCAPEGAMES. These games are a fun way to check whether your team is listening to each other and collaborating towards common goals. I’ve secured the promo code SALESREFORMSCHOOL for you to get 20% off.
Good Selling!
P.S. Did you like this post? Any comments you’d like to share? Please post a comment below or email me. Also, please consider sharing this post!
Through SalesReformSchool, I am available to you for Sales Process Design, Sales Messaging Creation, On-boarding/In-boarding Sales Team Workshops, Keynote Addresses, Facilitation, Group or One-on-One Coaching, Pipeline Reviews and other Sales Management Consulting. | https://salesreformschool.com/2017/03/15/todays-lesson-receiving-feedback/ |
Arkansas’ voluntary home visiting programs offer a variety of family-focused, culturally relevant services that are primarily home-based. Home visits are provided regularly to expectant parents and parents with new infants and young children until they enter kindergarten. These services are provided by trained and qualified staff and address such issues as maternal and child health, positive parenting practices, child development, safe home environments, resource and referral access, literacy, and school readiness.
Quality, voluntary home visiting reduces costly problems, including low-weight births, emergency room visits, and children in the social welfare, mental health, and juvenile justice corrections systems, which creates considerable cost savings for states. Home visiting yields powerful short and long-term effects for the families who participate.
The Department of Health and Human Services launched the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness (HomVEE) review in order to conduct a thorough and transparent review of the home visiting research literature and to provide an assessment of the evidence of effectiveness for home visiting programs models that target families with pregnant women and children from birth to age 5. To read more about the Home Visiting Evidence of Effectiveness review, click HERE. | http://www.arhomevisiting.org/about/what-is-home-visiting |
Floaters are very common and can be a very scary symptom. Here is an article I wrote last month for EzineArticles that answers patients’ most common questions about floaters and floaters.
Flashes and Floaters – Get the Facts on This Common Eye Condition
“Doctor I saw dark spots and flashes of light in my eyes and I thought I should come in and have you make sure everything is alright” are words commonly heard by eye doctors and as a result a common cause of urgent visits to their offices. Flashes or floaters can be the signs of serious problems and as a result they should always be investigated by your eye doctor. Merely having floaters is not generally a problem; it is the recent onset of floaters that requires attention. | https://theeyedocblog.com/category/retinal-problems/page/2/ |
Language of instruction:
EN
Contents:
Career exploration supports you in the first steps towards your career. In tutorials the backgrounds of starting your career will be explained. Different assignments help you to link your personal qualities to career opportunities and describe this in a personal profile and an application letter. The assignments will provide insights in your career preferences and help you in explaining your motivation, ambitions and capabilities in a clear way.
Learning outcomes:
After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- describe their career interests and ambitions in relationship to an existing vacancy by means of an application letter;
- state their personal ambitions and capabilities in a concise personal profile;
- give others insight in the competencies they already possess and the competencies that need extra attention by means of a critical self-reflection;
- identify competencies (or requirements) they still need to develop and formulate activities to work on these competencies;
- reflect on application letters and personal profiles of other students and give them constructive and meaningful feedback;
- understand the feedback of others and adjust their application letter and personal profile accordingly.
Activities:
In the tutorials, theory on career exploration will be alternated by assignments and group discussions.
You work on four obligatory assignments that support you in writing a personal profile and an application letter (for a real vacancy).
Furthermore, you can choose out of seven optional assignments that support your career orientation and help you prepare your personal profile and application letter.
Results of the assignments will be discussed in groups during class.
In the final group discussion you will give feedback on the application letter of at least two team members and receive feedback on your own products from team members and the teachers.
Examination:
- application letter for a relevant vacancy, which meets the predefined criteria;
- a concise reflection on (1) the feasibility of the chosen vacancy, (2) competencies that need further development including activities to work on this, (3) the personal profile including adjustments made based on received feedback, and (4) learning outcomes of two interviews with professionals.
A rubric is used to grade these components on various criteria, and determine a weighed final mark.
Literature:
PowerPoint presentations and some background literature will be provided on the digital platform. | https://ssc.wur.nl/Rooster/Vak/ELS-65900 |
Q:
Proof Verification: Prove that HxK is a group.
Assume that H & K are groups with identity elements $e_h$ & $e_k$ respectively.
Let $\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$:={$(h,k):h\in \Bbb{H}, k\in\Bbb{K}$}
and operation of the set is defined as $(h_1,k_1)(h_2,k_2)$:=$(h_1h_2, k_1k_2)$, $\forall h_1,h_2\in \Bbb{H}, k_1,k_2\in\Bbb{K}$.
Prove that $\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$ is a group.
Proof:
(closure) Let $(a,b)(c,d)\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$ such that $a,c\in\Bbb{H}$ and $b,d\in\Bbb{K}$. Then $(a,b)(c,d)=(ac,bd)$ and since $\Bbb{H}$ & $\Bbb{K}$ are groups then there is closure under its binary operation. Hence, $ac\in\Bbb{H}$ and $bd\in\Bbb{K}$ and $(a,b)(c,d)=(ac,bd)\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$.
(existence of identity) Since $e_h\in\Bbb{H}$ and $e_k\in\Bbb{K}$ then by definition of $\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$ $(e_h,e_k)\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$. This shows, $(a,b)(e_h,e_k)=(a,b)\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$ and $(e_h,e_k)(a,b)=(e_ha, e_kb)=(ae_h,be_k)=(a,b)(e_h,e_k)$.
(existence of inverse) Since $a\in\Bbb{H}$ and $b\in\Bbb{K}$ then since $\Bbb{H}$ and $\Bbb{K}$ are groups $a^{-1}\in\Bbb{H}$ and $b^{-1}\in\Bbb{K}$ which implies $(a^{-1},b^{-1})\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$, $\forall a\in \Bbb{H}, b\in \Bbb{K}$. This shows, $(a,b)(a^{-1},b^{-1})=(e_h,e_k)\in\Bbb{H}\times\Bbb{K}$ and $(a,b)(a^{-1},b^{-1})=(aa^{-1},bb^{-1})=(a^{-1}a,b^{-1}b)=(a^{-1},b^{-1})(a,b)=(e_h,e_k)$
(Associativity) $[(a,b)(c,d)](g,f)=(acg,bdf)=(a,b)[(cg,df)]=(a,b)[(c,d)(g,f)]$.
$\bullet$
A:
You also need to check associativity. Also, in the existence of identity, you should also prove that the element $(e_{h},e_{k})$ is indeed the identity for the binary operation in the cartesian product. And the same for the inverse, you should check that it is indeed the inverse.
I didn't know this type of post ("proof verification"), I hope this was what I was expected to answer.
| |
Hypothermic and normothermic machine perfusion in kidney transplantation are purported to exert a beneficial effect on post-transplant outcomes compared to the traditionally used method of static cold storage. Kidney perfusion techniques provide a window for organ reconditioning and quality assessment.
- Improvement of transplant outcomes through delivery of therapeutic agents to repair and regenerate kidneys.
- Reduction in the number of discarded kidneys by developing robust techniques of organ assessment.
- Reduction in ischaemic injury during the preservation interval to improve the ‘shelf life’ of donated kidneys and increase the number available for transplant.
|SCS Fluids||HMP Fluids||NMP Fluids|
|University of Wisconsin (UW) solution||Custodial-N solution||UW Machine perfusion solution (UWPS)||Hosgood protocol ||Minor protocol |
|Base fluid||Water||Water||Water||Ringer’s solution||Steen solution
|
Ringer’s solution
|Volume expanders/osmotic agents||Hydroxyethyl starch
|
Raffinose pentahydrate
|Mannitol||Hydroxyethyl starch
|
Mannitol (USP)
Magnesium gluconate
Sodium gluconate
|Mannitol||Calcium gluconate|
|Oxygen carriers||-||-||-||1 unit red blood cells (group O)||-|
|Drugs||Allopurinol
|
Magnesium sulphate heptahydrate
Lactobionic acid
|Deferoxamine||Dexamethasone
|
Heparin
Prostacyclin
Insulin
|Ampicillin|
|Antioxidants||Glutathione||Tryptophan||Glutathione|
|Metabolic
|
support
|Adenosine||Potassium hydrogen 2-ketoglutarate
|
Sucrose
Aspartate
Arginine
Alanine
Glycine
|Glucose, beta D (+)
|
Ribose
|Glucose, beta D (+)
|
Synthamin 17
Cernevit multivitamins
|-|
|Individual
|
electrolyte
additives
|-||Magnesium chloride
|
Calcium chloride
Potassium chloride
Sodium chloride
|Calcium chloride||-||-|
|Buffering agents||Potassium dihydrogen phosphate||Histidine
|
Histidine · HCI
|HEPES (free acid)
|
Potassium phosphate (monobasic)
|Sodium bicarbonate||Sodium bicarbonate|
|pH adjustment||Sodium hydroxide/hydrochloric acid
|
Potassium hydroxide
|-||Sodium hydroxide||-||-|
|NMP Clinical Trials|
|NCT Number||Title||Primary Outcome Measure||Start Date||Completion Date|
|NCT05031052||Normothermic machine perfusion (NMP) vs Static Cold Storage (SCS) in Human Kidney transplantation||Kidney function at 6 months post-transplant (eGFR)||August 2021||December 2025|
|NCT04882254||Normothermic Machine Perfusion: An Additional Value for Kidney Transplant Outcomes?||Number of patients with immediate graft function within three months post-transplant||May 2021||February 2023|
|NCT03136848||The Feasibility and Safety of Normothermic ex Vivo Kidney Perfusion||
||December 2016||April 2019|
|NCT04693325||PROlonged Ex-vivo Normothermic Machine PERfusion for Kidney Regeneration||Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at: 6 months post-transplantation||February 2021||July 2022|
|NCT02525510||Deceased Organ Donor Interventions to Protect Kidney Graft Function||Delayed Graft Function incidence within 1 week of transplantation||August 2017||March 2022|
|ISRCTN15821205||Ex Vivo Normothermic machine perfusion Trial||Delayed Graft Function incidence within 1 week of transplantation||January 2017||-|
|HMP Clinical trials|
|NCT Number||Title||Primary outcome measure||Start date||Completion Date|
|NCT04619732||Real-time Monitoring of Kidney Grafts on Hypothermic Machine Perfusion||Post-operative recovery of kidney function within: 30 days of transplant||June 2021||December 2021|
|NCT03378817||Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion of Extended Criteria Kidney Allografts from Brain Death Donors||Delayed Graft Function incidence within 1 week of transplantation||December 2017||March 2020|
|NCT03031067||Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion Versus Static Cold Storage for Marginal Graft||Graft function at 3 months post-transplantation||October 2016||February 2018|
|NCT04359173||Propensity Score Matched Comparison of HMP vs. SCS in Kidney Transplantation||Delayed Graft Function incidence within 1 week of transplantation||August 2015||March 2020|
|NCT02055950||Pulsed Perfusion for Marginal Kidneys||
||July 2013||August 2018|
|NCT03837197||Clinical Trial of New Hypothermic Oxygenated Perfusion System Versus Static Cold Storage||Delayed Graft Function incidence within 0–30 days of transplantation||December 2018||December 2021|
|NCT02876692||Prediction and Management of Delayed Graft Function Based on Donor Criteria and LifePort Platform||
||January 2016||December 2019|
|NCT02652520||Evaluation of a Marine OXYgen Carrier: HEMO2Life for hypOthermic Kidney Graft Preservation, Before Transplantation (OXYOP)||Charting within three months of transplant: | https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/16684 |
The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is a massive underground particle accelerator located in Switzerland.
About the LHC
An international team has installed the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in a 27-kilometer ring buried deep below the countryside on the outskirts of Geneva, Switzerland. The LHC is the world's most powerful particle accelerator. Its very-high-energy proton collisions are yielding extraordinary discoveries about the nature of the physical universe. Beyond revealing a new world of unknown particles, the LHC experiments could explain why those particles exist and behave as they do. The LHC experiments could reveal the origins of mass, shed light on dark matter, uncover hidden symmetries of the universe, and possibly find extra dimensions of space. | https://bigbangtheory.fandom.com/wiki/Large_Hadron_Collider |
NETL researchers have created a compact, portable device that can be used to detect cobalt at low concentrations in liquids, such as process streams from U.S. coal byproducts like fly ash and to prospect for cobalt in acid mine drainage – an innovation with financial, environmental and geopolitical implications for recovering the element that is currently produced mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, China and Zambia.
NETL Point Source Carbon Capture Team Gleans Insights from Kentucky Project Sites
After visiting several project sites in conjunction with NETL partner organizations in Kentucky, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Lab’s Point Source Carbon Capture Team gained valuable perspective to enhance their work on future carbon capture projects.
NETL Case Study Explores Solvent-Based Direct Air Capture Systems for the Removal of Atmospheric CO2
A case study conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) NETL examined the performance and cost of solvent-based direct air capture (DAC) system configurations that remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere.
Partnership to Accelerate Commercialization of NETL-Supported Carbon Capture Technology
A transformational absorption-based carbon capture technology long supported by NETL that can help lower the cost of more effectively eliminating carbon dioxide (CO2) in a range of industrial applications is the subject of a new agreement between two technology development organizations to accelerate industrialization and scale-up.
NETL Releases 2022 Compendium of Carbon Capture Technology
NETL’s 2022 Compendium of Carbon Capture Technology, which provides a technical summary of the Lab’s Carbon Capture program, is now available for viewing online.
RWFI E-Note Monthly September 2022 Highlights Funding for New Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute
The September 2022 edition of the RWFI E-Note Monthly, NETL’s Regional Workforce Initiative (RWFI) newsletter, is now available and includes details on a range of grant funding and training opportunities.
RWFI E-Note Monthly: A One-Stop for Federal Funding Opportunities and More
Check out the August 2022 edition of RWFI E-Note Monthly to learn how to engage with NETL and other federal agencies in collaborative development efforts to prepare workers for high-tech jobs in energy-related fields and to meet the growing demand for a diverse and highly skilled workforce.
U.S. Department of Energy Invests $31 Million to Advance Carbon Capture and Storage for Natural Gas Power and Industrial Sectors
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) today announced more than $31 million in funding for 10 projects to develop carbon capture technologies capable of capturing at least 95 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from natural gas power plants, waste-to-energy power plants, and industrial applications, including cement and steel.
August 2022 Edition of Carbon Capture Newsletter Released
Learn about the latest developments in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)/NETL Carbon Capture Program in this month’s edition of the Carbon Capture Newsletter.
NETL Researchers Advance Carbon Matchmaker to Make Connections for Lower Emissions
NETL’s expertise in geo-data science and computational data management and virtualization has supported the development and deployment of a web-based platform to connect entities that generate carbon dioxide (CO2) with the technology and commercial sectors that offer capabilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. | https://netl.doe.gov/news-room-news-stories?tid=89 |
Researchers from Penn State and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science are studying the Chesapeake Bay to see how changes in sea level may have affected the salinity of various parts of the estuary.
"Many have hypothesized that sea-level rise will lead to an increase in estuarine salinity, but the hypothesis has never been evaluated using observations or 3-D models of estuarine flow and salinity," says Timothy W. Hilton, graduate student in meteorology at Penn State.
"The Chesapeake is very large, the largest estuary in the U.S. and it is very productive," says Raymond Najjar, associate professor of meteorology. "It has been the site of many large fisheries and supported many fishermen. A lot of money has gone into cleaning up the bay and reducing nutrient and sediment inputs. Climate change might make this work easier, or it could make it harder."
The Chesapeake is naturally saltier near its mouth and fresher near the inflow of rivers. The researchers, who also included Ming Li and Liejun. Zhong of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, studied the Chesapeake Bay, using two complementary approaches, one based on a statistical analysis of historical data and one based on a computer model of the bay's flow and salinity.
They looked at historical data for the Susquehanna River as it flows into the Chesapeake Bay from 1949 to 2006. The flow of this fresh water into the bay naturally changes salinity. After accounting for the change in salinity due to rivers, the researchers found an increasing trend in salinity. The researchers reported their results in a recent edition of Journal of Geophysical Research.
The team then ran a hydrodynamic model of the Bay using present-day and reduced sea level conditions. The salinity change they found was consistent with the trend determined from the statistical analysis, supporting the hypothesis that sea-level rise has significantly increased salinity in the Bay. However, the Penn State researchers note that historical salinity data is limited and sedimentation reshapes the bed of the Bay. There are also cyclical effects partially due to Potomac River flow, Atlantic Shelf salinity and winds.
"Salt content affects jelly fish, oysters, sea grasses and many other forms of aquatic life," says Hilton. "The Chesapeake Bay is a beautiful place, used for recreation and for people's livelihoods. It is a real jewel on the East Coast and changes in salinity can alter its uses. Our research improves our understanding of the influence of climate change on the Bay and can therefore be used to improve costly restoration strategies."
A'ndrea Elyse Messer | EurekAlert!
Further information:
http://www.psu.edu
Further reports about: > Chesapeake Bay > Climate change > Environmental > aquatic life > coastal flooding > fishing > hydrodynamic model > salinity of estuaries > sea level > sea level rise
Climate change weakens Walker circulation
20.10.2017 | MARUM - Zentrum für Marine Umweltwissenschaften an der Universität Bremen
Shallow soils promote savannas in South America
20.10.2017 | Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseen
University of Maryland researchers contribute to historic detection of gravitational waves and light created by event
On August 17, 2017, at 12:41:04 UTC, scientists made the first direct observation of a merger between two neutron stars--the dense, collapsed cores that remain...
Seven new papers describe the first-ever detection of light from a gravitational wave source. The event, caused by two neutron stars colliding and merging together, was dubbed GW170817 because it sent ripples through space-time that reached Earth on 2017 August 17. Around the world, hundreds of excited astronomers mobilized quickly and were able to observe the event using numerous telescopes, providing a wealth of new data.
Previous detections of gravitational waves have all involved the merger of two black holes, a feat that won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics earlier this month....
Material defects in end products can quickly result in failures in many areas of industry, and have a massive impact on the safe use of their products. This is why, in the field of quality assurance, intelligent, nondestructive sensor systems play a key role. They allow testing components and parts in a rapid and cost-efficient manner without destroying the actual product or changing its surface. Experts from the Fraunhofer IZFP in Saarbrücken will be presenting two exhibits at the Blechexpo in Stuttgart from 7–10 November 2017 that allow fast, reliable, and automated characterization of materials and detection of defects (Hall 5, Booth 5306).
When quality testing uses time-consuming destructive test methods, it can result in enormous costs due to damaging or destroying the products. And given that...
Using a new cooling technique MPQ scientists succeed at observing collisions in a dense beam of cold and slow dipolar molecules.
How do chemical reactions proceed at extremely low temperatures? The answer requires the investigation of molecular samples that are cold, dense, and slow at...
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, using high precision laser spectroscopy of atomic hydrogen, confirm the surprisingly small value of the proton radius determined from muonic hydrogen.
It was one of the breakthroughs of the year 2010: Laser spectroscopy of muonic hydrogen resulted in a value for the proton charge radius that was significantly... | http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/earth-sciences/sea-level-rise-alters-bay-039-s-salinity-123041.html |
Questions tagged [midi]
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol used to allow music hardware, software and other equipment to communicate with each other.
316 questions
3
votes
2answers
327 views
How to hook up Korg EX-8000 to a computer w/o a keyboard?
I have a Korg EX-8000 synth I bought at a thrift store, but no midi keyboard and would like to know how to hook up to my computer so I can test to see if it works. I just ordered a MIDI to USB cable. ...
1
vote
4answers
132 views
Is there a general algorithm to convert MIDI style data to proper sheet with correct notes?
The title almost contains the whole question: is there a general reliable algorithm to determine the correct notes (with sharp/flat) as they appear on a sheet with only input a MIDI-style data that ...
1
vote
0answers
26 views
How to connect keyboard to external synth module through a DAW
I have a Yamaha DGX520, I am able to connect to LMMS (my current DAW) and obtain sounds through the computer through the MIDI-in option; however, I cannot seem to connect to my Kurzweil PC2R sound ...
1
vote
1answer
30 views
Possible to slice to MIDI *manually* in Ableton?
Is it possible to slice to MIDI manually in Ableton? Most people just use the slice-to-MIDI feature (right click on clip and Ableton more or less does the rest), but I want to know if it's even ...
1
vote
0answers
18 views
Ableton AlesisDM7 Midi Drims product sound but no notes
I have a drum MIDI controller, and I used to be able to record the hits into midi notes just fine. Now, it might record 1 in every 35 hits. All intended hits come through the speakers, but nothing is ...
1
vote
1answer
45 views
How can I get the number of ticks in a bar using ticks per beat and tempo?
There seems to be a significance of one bar, certain notes happen every bar at roughly the same position. But how can I calculate how many ticks there are per bar using ticks per beat of the song and ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
How can I split a midi file programatically?
Im using the mido library on python to work with the midi file. Given any midi file, I would like to output a midi file consisting only of the first 10 seconds of the input. I don't see any ...
1
vote
1answer
35 views
I'm looking for a MIDI player that shows each individual key's VOLUME [closed]
I'm looking for a MIDI player that shows each individual key's VOLUME. I saw one online once that indicated this by the intensity of the COLOR of that key when it was depressed. For example, in that ...
2
votes
1answer
35 views
Use MIDI e-drums sounds in Ableton 10
I have no experience with Ableton, but I wanted to start learning by recording some drums samples with my e-drums (Alesis Crimson 2). I already set up the instrument and it sends and receives MIDI ...
0
votes
1answer
56 views
How do I hook my MIDI up with a guitar pedal?
I'm trying to hook my Behringer vintage delay VD4000 guitar pedal up with my akai mkp88 MIDI. However, it doesn't give any proper output wherever I plug the pedal in. And the pedal clearly works, ...
0
votes
0answers
36 views
Using MIDI with a split keyboard
I'm using a keyboard (Roland FP2 in this situation) which has a split facility. When I split bass/piano, it decides I need some drum sounds as well, and I can't make them disappear. How can I use a ...
3
votes
4answers
116 views
Are there any simple ways to improve the sound quality of songs I made in MuseScore?
I have composed several tracks using MuseScore. I exported these as MIDIs and played them on my phone to my friend. His comment was: "It sounds like the music from an old computer game like Super ...
5
votes
3answers
49 views
how to make tuning adjustments to pitches in midi files
Total midi noob here. Say I export a score that I'm writing with music notation software as a midi file (or I suppose any midi file, but that's where my midi files will come from). How would I go into ...
2
votes
3answers
82 views
midi tracks with chords and melody
I've had a decent look at the midi file format and I thought I understood, so I wrote a python script that removed midis with multiple tracks from my data set in order to have only melodies in single ...
0
votes
1answer
53 views
Question about remaking a song in midi
I have been practicing fully remaking songs made by other artists. But ive faced a giant problem since then. I cant hear all the tracks. yes i can hear the main tracks and some other ones but when ...
2
votes
1answer
58 views
Musescore 3 MIDI input not working anymore
I started using Musescore 3 about a week ago, and I was successfully able to use a MIDI cable from my electric piano to my computer until today. And yes, I turned on my keyboard, then plugged in the ...
3
votes
1answer
66 views
Is there any way to record sounds from keyboard as midi notes to DAW?
I've got some nice presets on my keyboard and I wonder if recording audio is the only option here? Is this possible to record these sounds as midi notes or is this kind of thing possible only in DAW ...
0
votes
0answers
41 views
wanting to connect new m audio keyboard via usb and midi to use Finale and Sonar
So both programms work via usb, but sometimes I need both programs open at once (one is music writing software, the other recording as you know). In this case I get the message that the port is in use ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
Combine a microphone and a MIDI keyboard to form a single output
I have a MIDI keyboard and a microphone, I would like to form an output combining both, and be able to select it among my microphones available in Discord or TeamSpeak for example. Is this possible ...
2
votes
0answers
40 views
Digital Piano Midi Latency Problem
I'm connecting Casio cdp-230r to PC(windows 7) using Ableton 10 and I'm experiencing massive Latency. Sound driver: ASIO4ALL(I've also tried with audio interface+ASIO). I know about reducing ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
How to get Logic Pro X to record keyboard sounds? [duplicate]
I have A Juno DS88, which should be able to send audio data. I also have Logic Pro X on my mac. I've been able to use it like a MIDI controller, but I'm trying to record the sounds my Juno gives me ...
1
vote
0answers
31 views
Converting Yamaha EX5 s1s files to MIDI
the diskette drive on my Yamaha EX5R synth has stopped loading files, even after I replaced the drive. I have the files backed-up but they are the S1S proprietary format. Is there a way to convert ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
App for playing music from notation [closed]
I'm looking for an app (hopefully an Android one) which takes notation in text (such as cdefg; the exact syntax shouldn't matter) as input and plays the music that it represents. I haven't been able ...
2
votes
0answers
17 views
Cubase 10 Drum Editor Problem
I opened cubase 10 the other day and found that the descriptions of the drum set and notes for midi are missing from the left side of the editor where they should be. I cannot seem to find a way to ...
5
votes
1answer
65 views
assistance adding back midi to a lilypond file
I had been typesetting Orthodox Christian liturgical by using the gregorian style in lilypond. For the "recitatives" where many syllables are sung to one note I have been actually separating them and ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
How do I get Logic Pro X to record the audio from my keyboard?
I have all the necessary cables to do this, however I'd like to know how to get it going.
1
vote
3answers
105 views
There is an instrument similar to Meowsic Cat Piano, but with Chicken sounds?
I'm working on a game with chickens and I would love to have the chickens sing songs, pretty similar to Gonzo Chickens from "Muppets show". But I'm having a hard time finding a way to do it. I found ...
5
votes
1answer
44 views
How do I make the staff for dynamics affect the MIDI output?
I've written a lovely piece of piano music using Denemo (a graphical front-end to Lilypond), consisting of a piano staff with a staff for dynamics inserted in between them. The ...
3
votes
4answers
139 views
Is there such a thing as a portable chord organ?
I have recently been playing an inherited Chord Organ, with a full set of chord buttons for the left hand and the piano keys for the right hand, however it is not very portable, has a portable version ...
1
vote
0answers
33 views
Is there any way to change pitch bend wheel values in real time?
I have midi keyboard on repair (Evolution MK361-C) that has problems with Pitch Wheel. Pitch Wheel is not sendind accurate high values (7F as max) to computer, it sends maximum value of about 7A-7C. ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
How do I synchronize a Digitech SDRUM with a Tc Helicon VoiceLive 3 looper?
How can I make the MIDI connection between the looper of the Tc Helicon VL3 and the Digitech SDRUM? Does a cable that can do that exist? Maybe there also is some adapter that could help me?
0
votes
0answers
18 views
¿Cómo sincronizo un SDRUM de Digitech con un looper Tc Helicon VoiceLive 3? [duplicate]
How can I make the MIDO connection between the looer of the VL3 and the SDRUM? Does that cable exists? maybe some adapter?
4
votes
1answer
57 views
Simple MIDI/trigger pedals
I have an Arturia KeyStep and Roland SPD-SX, which I use with Ableton live. What I would like to do, is to connect two pedals of some sort that could be used as additional MIDI inputs. Are there any ...
2
votes
1answer
69 views
Korg as MIDI + Send Kontakt sound to Korg Kronos
I am using Kontakt 6 standalone with The GIANT piano library. I cannot figure out how to: Correctly configure Kronos so that it does not play its own sounds but works as a simple keyboard, playing ...
0
votes
1answer
45 views
Syncing analog rytm MKII with analog four MKI
I want to sync. both synth. Here my set up: Connect MIDI OUT of AR to MIDI IN of AF. On the AR: set OUT PORT FUNC to “MIDI” and OUTPUT TO to “MIDI” in the GLOBAL > MIDI CONFIG > MIDI PORT CONFIG ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
Can I save a MIDI data stream on the USB wire to a .MID file?
I am on Linux, using a custom program generating MIDI events, which are interpreted and played by a synth connected to my PC via USB cable. Since this program is interactive and does not allow saving ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Use saved midi presets without using a computer
I've got a novation impulse 49 MIDI keyboard, and I'd like to use it live with presets that I have created on logic, but it would be such a pain and also kinda dangerous to bring my macbook with me ...
2
votes
3answers
193 views
How to make melodies/chords more interesting [closed]
I’m a noob when it comes to making music but I have a little problem when creating melodies/chords. I made a nice loop in fl studio but I feel it’s to repetitive. I’ve tried adding more chords and ...
1
vote
1answer
84 views
M-AUDIO Keystation 88es is Unknown Device on Windows7 64 SP1
I've been using MIDI "M-AUDIO Keystation 88es" for more than 4 years on my PC. Yesterday I tried to connect the MIDI keyboard to my notebook (Windows 7 64bit SP1). I had installed the current driver "...
0
votes
2answers
31 views
How do I rename an instrument in OpenMPT?
How do I rename an instrument?
0
votes
3answers
198 views
Connecting Sound Module (no USB option) to Audio Interface/DAW for recording and playback in MIDI
I currently record midi tracks in my DAW (Reaper) by using a midi controller (NI S61)and software instruments (VST´s). I would like to add an older Kurzweil K2600r sound module to my set up. I want to ...
0
votes
1answer
112 views
Equipment setup [closed]
I have a Roland A-49 keyboard controller (USB powered, MIDI out), an Edirol UA-4FX external sound module and a Roland Integra-7 synth hooked up to running (or not running) on Sonar platinum. Does ...
4
votes
1answer
113 views
MIDI editor that allows to edit .mid files, keep the many tracks, and have a piano roll to move the notes [closed]
I already used many DAWs such as Cubase, Ableton Live, Fruity Loops, etc. but I'm looking for the following features: can open a MIDI (.mid) file and keep the original structure (if 10 MIDI tracks, ...
3
votes
3answers
119 views
How to know tonallity of midi song (Am, C, Fm …)
Is there way to do it with programming? In theory, or may be is there some programming library written in java (perfect variant)?
0
votes
0answers
26 views
Can Ableton add another instrument layer every time a loop repeats whilst live?
Say I'm working with an 8-bar drum beat. If I want to add another instrument layer on top I must stop recording the drums, arm the new instrument, and then press the record button, wait for the count-...
1
vote
1answer
260 views
How to use a MIDI keyboard on a laptop?
So I recently found a Suzuki SPW-49 MIDI keyboard in my home and want to play it. I know a computer is needed to play any sounds using the keyboard, but every time I seem to plug it into my computer ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Polyphone instrument looping
I'm trying to loop an instrument in Polyphone. I've got the sample looping fine, but the instrument seems to completely ignore the looping settings I've set for the instrument. All guides I have read ...
2
votes
3answers
69 views
Do Virtual Synth Softwares need any physical buttons? Do I need to have any extra buttons on my MIDI keyboard?
I am looking to buy an MIDI keyboard. I want to use it with VST as a Synth. Please guide me. I am completely new in this space.
2
votes
2answers
153 views
Is converting audio to MIDI or sheet music difficult (for pro musicians or software)?
I watched this Youtube video about converting audio to MIDI, and the comments mostly point out that it's a scam or hoax. Is it really difficult for software to convert audio to MIDI, and if so why? ...
2
votes
0answers
71 views
Deciding the synthesizer a note is played through based on its MIDI channel
Is it possible to, using a patcher channel, play notes of one midi channel through one synthesizer, and play notes of another midi channel through another synthesizer? Example: I have a basic melody, ... | https://music.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/midi |
Nanoemulsions as Delivery Systems for Lipophilic Drugs
Nanoemulsions have received a growing attention as colloidal drug carriers for pharmaceutical applications. Their advantages over conventional formulations include drug enhanced solubility and bioavailability, protection from toxicity, improved pharmacological activity and stability, more sustained delivery and protection from physical and chemical degradation. Nanoemulsions can be prepared by two major techniques, high-energy and low-energy emulsification. Both these emulsi-fication methods have proved to be efficient to obtain stable nanoemulsions with small and highly uniform droplets. Further research into nanoemulsions is important to develop novel liquid formulations with more efficient results in therapeutic.
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Document Type: Research Article
Publication date: 01 March 2012
More about this publication?
- Journal for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (JNN) is an international and multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal with a wide-ranging coverage, consolidating research activities in all areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology into a single and unique reference source. JNN is the first cross-disciplinary journal to publish original full research articles, rapid communications of important new scientific and technological findings, timely state-of-the-art reviews with author's photo and short biography, and current research news encompassing the fundamental and applied research in all disciplines of science, engineering and medicine. | https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/asp/jnn/2012/00000012/00000003/art00165 |
Chris Denton’s favorite crutch has always been his ability to pretend to be whoever he thought was called for in any given situation. In order to keep himself safe from vulnerability, Denton developed a belief that he was incapable of artistic expression. After a cyclone of pain wreaked a path of destroyed relationships through his life, he understood what that toxicity can do. At 35, Denton found himself standing in the wreckage of his life determined to live authentically with art as his path to salvation. As Denton learned to feel and experience he expressed himself in raw authenticity. Piece by piece, Denton learned to trust his feelings and to hear his own heart. He claims there is no way to pretend to be authentic, and that vulnerability is an absolute requirement for authentic living. Denton says that his strength is expressed and measured in his love, authenticity, and vulnerability. | https://professionalartistmag.com/chris-denton/ |
· Only Work from Office available.
. Strong command of written and verbal English
· Excellent organizational and multitasking skills
· Willingness to cooperate with customers and management to resolve any issues that may arise
· Respond promptly and professionally to incoming customer inquiries in person, by telephone, or by email
· Participate in training opportunities provided by the organization or by outside entities
· Establish and maintain good rapport with customers by using positive language and anticipating their needs.
· Friendly and welcoming manner with clients and other members of the customer service team
· Extensive knowledge of the company's policies, procedures, goods and service
· Familiarity with customer-relationship management (CRM) software programs
· Ability to explain complex concepts in a clear, simple manner to customers
Should have own laptop and location need to be within Trivandrum. Flexible to work in US Shift.
Job Types: Full-time, Walk-In
Salary: ₹17,000.00 - ₹20,000.00 per month
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
Schedule:
- Fixed shift
- Monday to Friday
- Night shift
- US shift
Supplemental Pay:
- Overtime pay
- Performance bonus
- Shift allowance
- Yearly bonus
Education:
- Bachelor's (Preferred)
Language: | https://www.instantrecruiting.org/2021/06/new-job-csa-customer-service-associate_30.html |
A Medical Assistant (MA) is categorized as a member of the Allied Health profession. An MA is the only multi-skilled allied health professional that is specifically used to work in an ambulatory care center, otherwise known as a clinic.
Medical Assistants (MA’s) are expected to be proficient in three different areas: clinical, administrative and laboratory.
1. Customer Service
Health care has become very competitive over the last few years. Patients often have multiple options for providers or organizations that are covered by their insurance. Being able to understand that your patients are your customers and making sure that you can meet their needs is crucial. Medical assistants need to be professional and be able to identify and satisfy their customer’s needs.
2. Honesty and Integrity
People with honesty and integrity can be trusted. They never compromise their values and attempt to do the right thing, even when it may be hard to do. When an error is made, it is extremely important to admit what you did for the sake of patient safety. As a Medical Assistant you must put your patients’ well-being above everything.
3. Competency
Being competent and reliable is an important quality because the doctor is expecting you to get the job done correctly and efficiently. Being competent is also how you will gain respect and trust from your peers, management and ultimately your doctor.
4. Adaptable
The health care field is always advancing and improving. As a MA, you need to be able to pick up on things quickly, be flexible, and adapt to change. Keeping competitive with other health care organizations and innovations becomes difficult at times, but is necessary. You may have to fill in for a co-worker when they are ill, which can mean you are dealing with double the patients for the day. Being adaptable may also mean needing to think fast in an emergency.
5. Team player
As a Medical Assistant you are working on an intricate team. The team starts with the receptionist and continues all the way to the coding and billing department and down to the laboratory. You must be able to get along with others and work very closely and cooperatively with peers and your provider.
6. Continual improvement
In order to keep up with changes and advances in the field you need to stay up to date with your skills. Becoming a Certified Medical Assistant is encouraged. It proves to your employer that you are competent in the skills that are needed for your job. Continuing education credits are required to maintain a certification.
7. Humility
Not being afraid to speak up when something is outside of your scope of practice and being sure to ask for help when needed. Take time to praise your peers and not brag about how good you are. Use constructive criticism to learn from a mistake or suggestion.
8. Effective communication
A big part of an MA’s day is patient education. Being able to effectively communicate is huge! Explaining procedures or re-explaining what the doctor said for a patient to better understand is a common occurrence. Teaching patients how to care for themselves at home or perform certain tasks on their own is critical. Communicating with peers and doctors is another skill that should never be overlooked. Learning the proper etiquette of the medical office can prove to be challenging for some, but is essential.
9. Self- Motivation
Motivation is something that needs to be done within each individual. Watching your nonverbal cues and coming to work every day excited and ready to go. Being able to leave your stress at home and not bring it to work with you is important.
10. Smile and Attitude
Don’t let patients know when you are having a bad day. Always be smiling. Being able to be pleasant even when it is hard, shows you have a good attitude and maintains professionalism.
If you keep these 10 key qualities in mind you will make a great Medical Assistant! | https://www.studypk.com/articles/10-key-qualities-medical-assistant/ |
- Authors:
-
- Subtitle:
- The role of human resource management and lean manufacturing
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.jclepro.2012.07.010
- Abstract:
- The main objective of this study is to verify the influence of Environmental Management (EM) on Operational Performance (OP) in Brazilian automotive companies, analyzing whether Lean Manufacturing (LM) and Human Resources (HR) interfere in the greening of these companies. Therefore, a conceptual framework listing these concepts was proposed, and three research hypotheses were presented. A questionnaire was elaborated based on this theoretical background and sent to respondents occupying the highest positions in the production/operations areas of Brazilian automotive companies. The data, collected from 75 companies, were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The main results are as follows: (a) the model tested revealed an adequate goodness of fit, showing that overall, the relations proposed between EM and OP and between HR, LM and EM tend to be statistically valid; (b) EM tends to influence OP in a positive and statistically weak manner; (c) LM has a greater influence on EM when compared to the influence HR has over EM; (d) HR has a positive relationship over EM, but the statistical significance of this relationship is less than that of the other evaluated relationships. The originality of this paper lies in its gathering the concepts of EM, LM, HR and OP in a single study, as they generally tend not to be treated jointly. This paper also provided valid empirical evidence for a littlestudied context: the Brazilian automotive sector.
- Type:
- Journal article
- Language:
- English
- Published in:
- Journal of Cleaner Production, 2013, Vol 47, p. 129-140
- Main Research Area:
- Social science
- Publication Status:
- Published
- Review type:
- Peer Review
- Submission year:
- 2013
- Scientific Level:
- Scientific
- ID: | http://www.forskningsdatabasen.dk/catalog/241115364 |
Q:
Finding equal sums of constrained trig functions
Problem 63 of the 2001 St. Petersburg Mathematical Olympiad, Second Round, 11th grade:
Are there three different numbers $x, y, z$ in $[0,\pi/2]$ such that the numbers $\sin x$, $\sin y$, $\sin z$, $\cos x$, $\cos y$, $\cos z$ can be divided into three pairs with equal sums?
A:
Without loss of generality each of $x$, $y$, $z$ are $\le\pi/4$, since if for example $x\gt\pi/4$, then we can replace $x$ with $\pi/2-x$ which will not change the set $\{\cos(x),\sin(x)\}$.
So now $0\lt x \lt y \lt z \le \pi/4$, and we have the following ordering:
$\sin(x)\lt\sin(y)\lt\sin(z)\lt\cos(z)\lt\cos(y)\lt\cos(x)$
Hence the only possible pairings must be:
$A=\sin(x)+\cos(x)$
$B=\sin(y)+\cos(y)$
$C=\sin(z)+\cos(z)$
With $A=B=C$
(any other pairing will make one side heavier, term by term).
Now note $f(t)=\sin(t)+\cos(t)$ is a concave function since $\frac{d^2f(t)}{dt^2}=-\sin(t)-\cos(t)<0$ for $t \in (0,\pi/4)$.
So it follows that $B\gt \frac{A+C}{2}$.
So they can never be equal.
Edit: Fixed glitch spotted by Tom
| |
Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Tarek El Molla revealed that work is underway to implement three oil refining projects with investments of $5.7bn. The projects will contribute to Egypt achieving self-sufficiency in petroleum products by 2023.
He also reviewed a number of positive indicators in the country’s oil and gas sector that have taken place during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
El Molla noted that 14 new agreements were signed with major international companies between March and October, to expand Egypt’s natural gas and petroleum exploration activities. This expansion has taken place in a number of new and promising areas.
The minister said that despite the recent challenges of the pandemic, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi recently inaugurated two of the largest petroleum refining projects in Egypt: the Egyptian Refining Company’s (ERC) facility in Mostorod and new extensions at the Alexandria National Refining and Petrochemicals Company (ANRPC), which are worth a total investment of $4.5bn.
El Molla’s remarks came during his speech at the week-long virtual “Egypt’s green Economy” programme that is being hosted by the British Egyptian Business Association (BEBA), and the Egyptian-British Chamber of Commerce (EBCC).
He confirmed that the economic reform programme, adopted by the Egyptian government six years ago, has helped put the country’s economy on the right path.
It has also preserved its progress, despite having to face the severe effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected the economies of many countries worldwide.
El Molla said that President Al-Sisi’s strong support and the government’s efforts have contributed to leading Egypt towards reaching the right balance between containing the pandemic and development priorities.
The Minister said that, during 2020, the oil and gas industry have been exposed to the fiercest challenges and shocks in its history in light of these unprecedented global circumstances.
He also said that Egypt’s oil and gas sector has proceeded steadily towards achieving its goals and investment plans, despite these circumstances. This progress reflects the efficiency and sustainability of the strategic plans for this vital sector and the effectiveness of the bold reforms that have been implemented to develop and modernise it in recent years.
He stressed that local industry’s successes in 2020 come as a continuation of achievements during the past six years. Foremost among these are the self-sufficiency in gas, through the implementation of many major gas development and production projects in the Mediterranean. These have seen investments of more than $30bn during the past five years.
It has also transformed Egypt into one of the largest gas producers in the region, restored the confidence of major international companies and attracted new players and investors in the field of oil and gas in the Egyptian market.
He pointed out that the ministry is about to launch the “Egypt Gate for Research and Exploration”, which is the first electronic platform for geological data. The platform aims to promote Egypt’s oil and gas auctions online.
El Molla stressed that oil and gas sector reforms have been fruitful for the Egyptian economy in terms of providing energy supplies, and attracting more huge investments during the period from 2014 to 2020.
He sent a message to international companies and investors in the sector that Egypt welcomes everyone to invest in this promising sector.
The minister stated that the diversity of international companies present in Egypt is in everyone’s interests, and stressed the ministry’s interest in developing young professionals and giving them the opportunity to take responsibility.
The minister concluded by stressing the importance and depth of the joint Egyptian-British relations, and that Egypt and Britain are strategic partners, expressing his aspiration to strengthen these relations, especially in the field of oil and gas. | https://dailyfeed.dailynewsegypt.com/2020/11/09/egypt-to-build-3-oil-refineries-worth-5-7bn-targeting-self-sufficiency-by-2023/ |
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for filtering data pushed to a client device, and specifically to a server-side personal data filter for filtering data in accordance with user specified parameters.
Access to information has led to the success of the wireless communication device industry. Handheld wireless devices have successfully introduced portable devices that enable users to have wireless access to features such as electronic mail (e-mail) and the Internet.
Referring to Figure 1, a communication infrastructure is illustrated generally by numeral 100. The communication infrastructure 100 comprises a plurality of communication devices 102, a communication network 104, a gateway 106, and a plurality of backend services 108.
The communication devices 102 include any wired or wireless device such as a desktop computer, a laptop or mobile computer, a smart phone, a personal digital assistant, such as a Blackberry™ by Research in Motion for example, and the like. The communication devices 102 are in communication with the gateway 106 via the communication network 104. Accordingly, the communication network 104 may include several components such as a wireless network 110, a relay 112, a corporate server 114 and/or a mobile data server (MDS) 116 for relaying messages between the devices 102 and the gateway 106. The gateway 106 is further in communication with a plurality of the backend servers 108. The types of backend servers 108 and their corresponding links will be apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
In the present embodiment, the MDS 116 provides a platform for mobile applications running on wireless, packet-data networks by providing a secure gateway between the wireless network and corporate intranets and the Internet. Further, in the present embodiment the MDS operates as part of the corporate server 114. An example of a corporate server 114 is the Blackberry Enterprise Server provide by Research in Motion. The corporate server 114 provides functions for enabling wireless applications, including network connectivity, encryption, data transcoding, and push support.
Further, the MDS 116 provides communication protocols such Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and Transfer Communication Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) connections from communication devices 102 to corporate intranets or the Internet. Typically, standard protocols are used to minimize the need to learn or apply new connectivity techniques, and allow new or existing corporate applications to be extended easily to the communication devices 102. However, it will be appreciated that proprietary protocols may also be used.
The MDS 116 performs the necessary address translation to route data between the communication device 102 and IP networks, so the details of addressing between various networks need not be addressed by application developers.
The MDS 116 supports multiple networks and communication devices 102, which enables an organization to deploy and manage its data applications on a single, consistent architecture.
The corporate server 114 provides a secure, private connection between the enterprise and the communication device 102. Using encryption algorithms such as Triple Data Encryption Standard (DES) symmetric key encryption, data flowing between the handheld and the corporate network is fully encrypted. Typically, data is not decrypted at any intermediate point.
Further, the corporate server 114 maintains information about communication device 102 users in the enterprise. Thus for example, push applications can send corporate data to specific users even when they change device, subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, or networks.
As part of the corporate server 114, the MDS 116 uses the same secure architecture. Accordingly, standard HTTP can be used to access a corporate intranet, but sensitive corporate data remains confidential.
As an HTTP proxy and transformation engine, the corporate server 114 can convert and process data that passes between communication device applications and a content server. Using MDS 116, plug-in transcoders can be written to perform custom filtering that delivers content to wireless devices in an efficient and appropriate format.
Lastly, the communication devices 102 can remain continuously connected to the wireless network. Therefore, data can be sent without users having to request it explicitly. This push capability enables wireless enterprise applications that may increase users' productivity and make efficient use of the network.
Typically, the corporate server 114 is responsible for sending new email messages to users' communication devices 102 automatically, while the MDS 116 enables a software developer to write push applications that send new corporate content and alerts to specific users' communication devices 102. Therefore, information can be delivered to the communication devices 102 as it becomes available and users do not have to initiate data exchange and download.
However, one problem faced by most, if not all, of the users of such devices is the limitation and/or cost of bandwidth. Communication across the wireless network 110 can be both slow and costly. Further, another problem is the appropriateness of pushed (and pulled) content. That is, content having no business relevance that is transferred to the communication device 102 often consumes significant resources, including network resources, server resource, and human resources. Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that limits occupying these resources unnecessarily.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for filtering data to be pushed from a server to a communication device in accordance with a set of predefined rules, the system comprising: a personal content filter database for storing the set of predefined rules, the set of predefined rules comprising user defined rules received from an associated user via a user interface on the communication device; and a content filter engine for implementing the set of predefined rules by preventing restricted information from being transmitted to the communication device.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for filtering data be pushed from a server to a communication device in accordance with a set of predefined rules, the method comprising the steps of: receiving the data to be pushed to the communication device at the server; using a content filter engine to determine at the server whether the data meets criteria established by the set of predefined rules, the set of predefined rules having been established by a user of the communication device via a user interface; and transmitting the data to the communication device only if the data is not filtered by the set of predefine rules.
Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a communication infrastructure (prior art);
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a corporate server environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and
Figure 3 is flow chart illustrating a method in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the following drawings in which:
For convenience, like numerals in the description refer to like structures in the drawings.
Referring to Figure 2, a corporate server environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is illustrated generally by numeral 200. The corporate server environment 200 includes a plurality of corporate servers 202. Each corporate server 202 includes a MDS engine 204, which provides the mobile data service. Further, a content filter engine 206 is provided for filtering data to be transmitted to the communication device 102. An administration user interface 208 is provided for administering the parameters of the content filter engine 206, which are stored in a content filter database 210.
Each corporate server 202 further includes a personal data filter 212 for filtering data transmitted to the communication device 102. Further, an end user interface 214 is provided for administering the parameters of the personal data filter 212, which are stored in a personal content filter database 216.
The content filter engine 206 may comprise proprietary software or a known third party solution embedded into the MDS engine 204. Such third party solutions include Surfcontrol's Web Filter, n2h2's Sentian™, and others, as will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
In order to efficiently embed the content filter engine 206 into the MDS engine 204, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) are developed for rule execution and administration purposes. The APIs are used to interface the rule language provided by the administration user interface 208 and the end user interface 214 with the rule language provided by the third party content filter engine 206. Therefore, both the user of the communication device 102 and an IT administrator need not use the user interface provided with the third party content filter engine 206.
The content filter database 210 can store extensive lists of blocked Uniform Resource Locators (URLs), categorization of URLs, and dynamic rules-based and/or keyword blocking support, which is implemented by the content filter engine 206. Accordingly, the content filter engine 206 provides the ability for corporate control of the information transmitted to the communication device 102. Typically, corporate controls are implemented and maintained by a company's Information Technology (IT) department and entered into the content filter database 210 via the administration user interface 208. These controls are used to prevent certain types of information from being transmitted to the communication device 102 in accordance with corporate policy.
Furthermore, the content database 210 provides convenient logging support of visited sites that may also be of interest to corporate IT. Therefore, sites accessed frequently, by many users, or deemed useful for business purposes may be cached locally. Such decisions would be policy-based.
Yet further, the filtering concept can be extended to the communication device's user. The personal data filter 212 provides the ability for personal filter policies to be defined and administrated by the user of each communication device 102. That is, each user can set up and modify rules to apply only to their communication device 102. This functionality is provided to the user via the end user interface 214. The rules set up for each user are stored in the personal content filter database 216. The rules are applied by the personal data filter 212, the backbone of which is provided by the content filter engine 206.
In the present embodiment, in the case of a rule stored on the personal content filter database 216 conflicting with a rules stored on the content filter database 210, the latter takes precedence. This feature inhibits the user from overriding corporate policy.
Referring to Figure 3, a flow chart illustrating the operation of the filter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is illustrated generally by numeral 300. In step 302, the MDS 116 receives data to be pushed to a communication device 102. In step 304, the content filter engine 206 compares the data with the rules established by the corporation and stored in the content filter database 210.
If the data comprises content prohibited by one of the stored rules, then the method continues at step 306 and the message is held at the MDS 116. The term content in this instance includes the origin of the data as well as the type of information being transmitted. Such information includes for example, the file type, file size, context of the information, and the like, as will be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Depending on the rules, this data may be discarded or sent to an alternate communication device. For example, if the target communication device is a wireless handheld device, the data may be sent to a personal computer associated with the wireless device instead. Yet further, other rules may be provided which establish a deferred push and/or a confirmation-required push. For the deferred push, data is deferred for a specified length of time, or until a predefined time or condition is reached. At that point, the data is pushed to the communication device 102. For the confirmation-required push, a message is sent to the communication device 102 indicating to the user that data has been received as well as the reason it has not been transmitted. The user is given the option to have the data sent. Other rules will become apparent to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
If the data comprises content that is allowed, the method continues at step 308 and the personal data filter 212 compares the data with the rules established by the user and stored in the personal content filter database 216.
If the data comprises content prohibited by one of the stored rules, then the method continues at step 306 and the message is held at the MDS 116. As previous described, depending on the rules this information may be discarded or sent to an alternate communication device.
If the data comprises content that is allowed, the method continues at step 312 and the data is sent to the communication device 102.
The previous embodiment describes a case where there exists a corporate entity to set and implement corporate policy. However, in some cases individuals not belonging to a corporate entity may subscribe to such services. Accordingly, the filter applied in such cases is the personal data filter 212. Therefore, steps 304 and 306 as described with reference to Figure 3 are skipped.
Although the content filter engine 206 is described herein as being embedded within the MDS 116, it may also be implemented as a standalone server coupled with the MDS 116, as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art. Further, although the content filter database 210 and the personal content filter database 216 are illustrated as separate entities in Figure 2, they may be one and the same as will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art.
Accordingly, it can be seen that the present invention provides the ability to filter data being pushed to a communication device, and it can do so at the server side of the communication system. In this way, general content filter authority is given to the IT administrator and personal content filter authority is given to end users to control their experience. The present invention provides the user goal of controlling the push barrage of data, which is likely to grow exponentially in the years ahead.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been described herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
SUMMARY
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
DETAILED DESCRIPTION | |
By Bharat Kalra –
When I talk about “my body,” I am declaring that I am separate from my body. When I say “my mind,” I am declaring that I am not my mind. But, if I am not my mind or body, then what am I? Long ago, human life revolved around three basic needs, food, clothing, and shelter. All activity focused on making sure these three needs were met. As societies evolved and advanced, two more basic values emerged, values of vital importance still to this day, health and happiness.
What makes us healthy? What makes us happy? These two questions were seen as different matters. “Health” referred to bodily functions and was a matter for science. “Happiness” was seen as a state of mind and a matter for philosophy.
The great thinkers in science and philosophy always saw the link between health and happiness. Remember Benjamin Franklin’s famous aphorism “Early to bed, early to rise…”? As our understanding of how the mind works advanced scientifically, the importance of mental health to physical health (and vice versa) became clearer.
We found that worry and stress tended to make people more vulnerable to illness. Happy people were more resistant to disease. Studies in longevity revealed the importance of a positive attitude. The whole concept of the placebo is based on the platform that having positive thoughts can ultimately affect physical conditions. Thus, we know our thoughts influence our health. Meditation—a method for focusing and “training” our thought—can have a tremendous impact on our physical wellbeing.
What is Stress?
If asked to describe good health, I might say it is the absence of disease. I would say happiness is the absence of grief and sadness. Similarly, meditation can be understood only when we can define stress, which can be a positive force. In human history, finding food, clothing and shelter was prompted by the stress of not having these things. So, stress that prompts us to act is positive stress. Positive stress helps us carry on with our day-to-day life. When the body needs water, the brain tells us to pick up the glass and pour some water. When the bladder is under stress, we know what we need to do.
While reading this article, close your eyes and observe what is going on in your mind. Do this for ten minutes without interruption. You will realize just how crazy our inner world can be with multiple thoughts crossing the mind every minute, most of them totally irrelevant. When you analyze these thoughts, you observe that most are either connected to the past or to the future. The past is gone and can’t be changed, while the future remains out of reach. Both are effectively out of our control.
Stress is the by-product of fear—the anxiety of feeling that the past and the future are out of our control. The body is prompted to take action, but this action never takes place. Negative thoughts take shape and grow in the mind. This creates negative stress.
Meditation
The present is the link between the past and future. This link carries the secret key to the happiness we have been discussing. That key is meditation. Meditation is nothing but the art of disconnecting from the past and anxiety about the future and learning to live in the present moment.
Sometimes meditation is described as concentration; this is true to a very limited extent. With the mind so full of thoughts, concentration on any one subject is a tool to minimize and focus mental activity. Then when the mind starts fully concentrating on that one object, even that object is removed. What is left for which the mind to hang? Nothing! That is when real meditation starts. We learn the art of not doing anything and become observers, rather than doers.
Therapeutic Value of Meditation
Meditation enhances positivity and decreases stress and negative thinking. Research also shows it increases the ability to concentrate, mental focus and memory. Meditation has proven physical benefits as well. When we change our mind, we change our body; recent neurological studies show this is literally true. Researchers are demonstrating that meditation can be a powerful, even essential ally in healing, recovering and correcting a great variety of physical conditions. Through a determined practice of meditation, one can learn to redirect and refocus neurological activity. Studies actually show increases in brain signaling connections and protective tissue. In other words, with meditation, we are not feeling better just because we spent some time relaxing; we are physically healing our bodies.
Recently, I was treating a patient with cold lasers for swelling caused by a dental abscess. I took her into a meditative state and asked her to observe the inflamed part. This process was repeated two or three times. After the session was over, she said she was healed, with a mild memory of the wound still present. Her dentist the next day observed it was remarkable how quickly she had healed. I mention this patient because she is a practicing doctor herself.
Spirituality
One of the great things about meditation is it doesn’t conflict with your particular type of spiritual practice; in fact, one can approach meditation as an empiricist—a scientific observer. With an open, attentive mind, meditation can deepen and enhance your existing spiritual practice, whatever form that may be.
“If I am neither mind nor body, then what am I?” Once you ask this question, the world within comes upon the threshold of upheaval, and nothing remains the same. The answer to this question lies in meditation.
A recent Indian master puts it this way: “One cannot ‘do’ meditation. Meditation just happens. Meditation means just ‘to be.’ Meditation happens only when all activities cease on a physical and mental level and what remains is just ‘the being’… No activity, no thought, no emotion. This ‘to be’ is just bliss. Where is the source of this bliss? How can you be blissful when you are not doing anything? This is possible because this is happening without any reason. Existence itself is bliss.”
Guided Meditation
Talking about meditation, even if it is an experienced teacher explaining, is no substitute for the experience. When starting your journey, a guide is crucial to getting the most out of the experience. Simply sitting quietly is only a start, and it is far more difficult than people realize. A teacher can instruct in techniques, help you focus and let go, show you what to look for and where and act as a conduit to the meditative state.
Guided meditation is like a show window; it gives a glimpse of what is in store for you. When you experience deep relaxation, you think “Wow! That was great. I never thought relaxation could be so profound and blissful.” Guided meditation is a preparatory step on the journey to silent meditation. People sometimes ask me to describe the feeling after a session. I have to pause. Can it be adequately described? Can you describe the taste of chocolate? You might say it is sweet. You might say it is rich. But the only way to truly know is to taste it. Come experience the taste of chocolate for yourself!
Bharat Kalra, LMT conducts Guided Meditation sessions at various locations in NW Chicago. His goal is to help people learn to relax and allow the body to heal itself. He is also a practicing massage therapist. His massage sessions include hands-on work, Reiki, Craniosacral Therapy, breathing and guided meditation. Contact him via [email protected]. | https://consciouscommunitymagazine.com/heal-mind-and-body-with-meditation/ |
The HiSET® Language Arts, Writing Test is divided into two sections, but the scores are combined so you will receive a single score for both sections. The first part of the Writing test is 75 minutes long and includes 50 multiple-choice questions from the areas of Organization, Sentence structure, Usage, and Mechanics.
In Part I of the test you are expected to make revision choices concerning organization, diction and clarity, sentence structure, usage, and mechanics.
The HiSET Writing subtest questions are embedded in complete texts in the form of letters, essays, newspaper articles, personal accounts and reports. The texts are presented as drafts in which parts have been underlined to indicate a possible need for revision. You are given alternatives that may correct or improve the underlined portions. Aspects of written language that are measured may include appropriate style, logical transitions, discourse structure and organization, conciseness and clarity, or usage and mechanics.
PART II
The second part of the HiSET® writing test consists of writing an essay about a familiar subject. You will have 45 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. The essay topic will require you to present your opinion or explain your views about the assigned topic. Two trained readers will score your essay on the basis of the following features:
- Focused main points
- Clear organization
- Specific development of ideas
- Sentence structure control, punctuation, grammar, word choice, and spelling
Each reader will score your essay on a four-point scale and the scores will be averaHiSET to find your final score. If you earn a final score of less than two on the essay, you must retake Language Arts, Writing, Part I and Part II.
Click a link below to begin one of our our free Writing HiSET practice tests. | https://www.freehisetpracticetest.com/free-hiset-writing-practice-test/ |
One major realm of Condition Based Maintenance is finding features that reflect the current health state of the asset or component under observation. Most of the existing approaches are accompanied with high computational costs during the different feature processing phases making them infeasible in a real-world scenario. In this paper a feature generation method is evaluated compensating for two problems: (1) storing and handling large amounts of data and (2) computational complexity. Both aforementioned problems are existent e.g. when electromagnetic solenoids are artificially aged and health indicators have to be extracted or when multiple identical solenoids have to be monitored. To overcome those problems, Compressed Sensing (CS), a new research field that keeps constantly emerging into new applications, is employed. CS is a data compression technique allowing original signal reconstruction with far fewer samples than Shannon-Nyquist dictates, when some criteria are met. By applying this method to measured solenoid coil current, raw data vectors can be reduced to a way smaller set of samples that yet contain enough information for proper reconstruction. The obtained CS vector is also assumed to contain enough relevant information about solenoid degradation and faults, allowing CS samples to be used as input to fault detection or remaining useful life estimation routines. The paper gives some results demonstrating compression and reconstruction of coil current measurements and outlines the application of CS samples as condition monitoring data by determining deterioration and fault related features. Nevertheless, some unresolved issues regarding information loss during the compression stage, the design of the compression method itself and its influence on diagnostic/prognostic methods exist.
Fault detection in linear electromagnetic actuators using time and time-frequency-domain features based on current and voltage measurements (2015)
In this paper an approach towards databased fault diagnosis of linear electromagnetic actuators is presented. Time and time-frequency-domain methods were applied to extract fault related features from current and voltage measurements. The resulting features were transformed to enhance class separability using either Principal Component Analysis (PCA) or Optimal Transformation. Feature selection and dimensionality reduction was performed employing a modified Fisher-ratio. Fault detection was carried out using a Support-Vector-Machine classifier trained with randomly selected data subsets. Results showed, that not only the used feature sets (time-domain/time-frequency-domain) are crucial for fault detection and classification, but also feature pre-processing. PCA transformed time-domain features allow fault detection and classification without misclassification, relying on current and voltage measurements making two sensors necessary to generate the data. Optimal transformed time-frequency-domain features allow a misclassification free result as well, but as they are calculated from current measurements only, a dedicated voltage sensor is not necessary. Using those features is a promising alternative even for detecting purely supply voltage related faults.
An approach for an adaptive position-dependent friction estimation for linear electromagnetic actuators with altered characteristics is proposed in this paper. The objective is to obtain a friction model that can be used to describe different stages of aging of magnetic actuators. It is compared to a classical Stribeck friction model by means of model fit, sensitivity, and parameter correlation. The identifiability of the parameters in the friction model is of special interest since the model is supposed to be used for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. A method based on the Fisher information matrix is employed to analyze the quality of the model structure and the parameter estimates.
Health index generation based on compressed sensing and logistic regression for remaining useful life prediction (2019)
Extracting suitable features from acquired data to accurately depict the current health state of a system is crucial in data driven condition monitoring and prediction. Usually, analogue sensor data is sampled at rates far exceeding the Nyquist-rate containing substantial amounts of redundancies and noise, imposing high computational loads due to the subsequent and necessary feature processing chain (generation, dimensionality reduction, rating and selection). To overcome these problems, Compressed Sensing can be used to sample directly to a compressed space, provided the signal at hand and the employed compression/measurement system meet certain criteria. Theory states, that during this compression step enough information is conserved, such that a reconstruction of the original signal is possible with high probability. The proposed approach however does not rely on reconstructed data for condition monitoring purposes, but uses directly the compressed signal representation as feature vector. It is hence assumed that enough information is conveyed by the compression for condition monitoring purposes. To fuse the compressed coefficients into one health index that can be used as input for remaining useful life prediction algorithms and is limited to a reasonable range between 1 and 0, a logistic regression approach is used. Run-to-failure data of three translational electromagnetic actuators is used to demonstrate the health index generation procedure. A comparison to the time domain ground truth signals obtained from Nyquist sampled coil current measurements shows reasonable agreement. I.e. underlying wear-out phenomena can be reproduced by the proposed approach enabling further investigation of the application of prognostic methods. | https://opus.htwg-konstanz.de/solrsearch/index/search/searchtype/authorsearch/author/Kn%C3%B6bel%2C+Christian |
Almost as soon as they appeared a quarter of a century ago, Arcturus began turning heads with a very forward-thinking experimental and artistically ambitious take on the black metal template.
In many ways their primary appeal – underlined by the unforgettable 1997 landmark release La Masquerade Infernale – was the degree of sophistication that their music boasted and their musical unpredictability, a trait that sat well with the intellectual and artistic aspirations bubbling within the underground at that time.
When Kristoffer ‘Garm’ Rygg eventually left the band to concentrate on Ulver, the band seemed to lose these characteristics somewhat, the tightrope between serious artistic expression and playful flamboyance that had been expertly walked now becoming somewhat more uncertain. And while their last album, Sideshow Symphonies, was a stronger effort than it’s often given credit for, there was definitely a slight sense of cartoonishness about it at times that ill-suited the group.
It is therefore deeply gratifying to discover that the band’s return to the scene is accompanied by a return to grandeur and finesse of old. The songwriting is once again intricate and ever-shifting, graceful in its transitions, with detail and depth to rival 2002’s The Sham Mirrors. Likewise, the performances are exemplary; the otherworldly vocals of Simen Hestnæs are an obvious focal point, of course, but the rich arrangements are matched by flawless musicianship, be it Knut Magne Valle’s distinctive guitar-playing or founding member Sverd’s dramatic synth work.
What’s most interesting is that with the benefit of 10 years’ hindsight, Arcturian seems to consciously reference the group’s back catalogue and recapture the artistic approach that made it so engaging. As at their peak, the band are contemporary in technique, looking outside the metal genre and embracing new technologies, an example being the dubstep traits on the sublime The Journey. They also continue to be thematic, with a definite Eastern vibe accompanying the familiarly futuristic aesthetic this time around – Demon being but one example vibe. | https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/arcturus-arcturian |
Spain Is Considering 100% Renewable Electricity & 90% Emissions Reduction By 2050
November 16th, 2018 by Joshua S Hill
This article has been updated to include comment from Greenpeace EU
Recent reports have suggested that the Spanish government is currently preparing a Law on Climatic Change which would seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% in 2030 and by 90% in 2050, while targeting 70% renewable electricity generation by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
According to several media reports, the Spanish government is currently preparing a draft plan which would serve to transition the country’s electricity system to renewable energy sources by 2050. Specifically, a draft of the country’s new Law on Climatic Change was submitted to parliamentary groups and interested sectors earlier this week by the country’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition.
The primary measures enshrined in the draft legislation include reducing the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 20% compared to 1990 levels by 2030, and by 90% by 2050.
Further, Spain would seek to ensure that 70% of its electricity generation was sourced from renewable energy sources by 2030, and 100% by 2050. To that end, the government would promote the installation of at least 3 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy capacity annually between 2020 to 2030.
Other measures including banning new fracking licenses and aborting existing licenses beyond 2040, preventing new subsidies or economic incentives that could favor the consumption of fossil fuels, and pushing the public sector to divest from companies that develop fossil fuel-related activity.
“I fully commend the Spanish government on showing real climate and energy leadership,” said James Watson, Chief Executive of SolarPower Europe. “This type of ambition is needed to bring the new clean economy into being, and it shows other large economies exactly what they should be doing – aiming for more renewables in power and cutting the greenhouse gas emissions of their economies. I hope that this will be the first of many leading nations to make similar commitments to delivering a low carbon economy for their citizens.”
The move comes only a month after the Spanish government scrapped the much-reviled “sun tax” which had imposed a levy on solar self-consumption — stymieing residential solar growth in a country perfectly situated to benefit from the technology. The decision was put into motion by the new government, specifically, the new Minister of the Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera, who — as part of the action to scrap the sun tax — introduced a range of measures intended to boost the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The current draft plan being considered will also set aside a fifth of the national budget for fighting and mitigating the impacts of climate change. Spain will also move to shut most of its coal mines.
“The Spanish draft law has many key good things for the climate in it, such as a ban on oil & gas exploration and fracking, a priority access for renewables to grids, a long-term ban of ICE cars by 2040 or a long-term 100% renewable electricity target by 2050,” said a spokesperson from Greenpeace EU. “It also integrates carbon budgets and regular reviews. So overall it puts Spain in the right direction to fight climate change. Yet it lacks ambition and scope: the targets are not enough, they are too low and too late. In particular, the 2030 emissions target is a meagre -20% from 1990 levels, and -90% by 2050. Totally unacceptable for a developed economy when the IPCC warns of the need to take global emissions down to zero by 2050 if we want to have reasonable chances to avoid 1.5ºC global warming.”
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Some time ago, I was surfing online looking for websites about shamanism and Native American culture. I wanted to find some information that might help me to interpret a strange dream I had and the strange circumstances that followed in the weeks after I had the dream. On one website I found, a person on a forum asked, “Why do white people always have to hijack the shamanistic teachings and practices of other cultures?”
The poster went on to say that we have our own heritage and history we could study and it would probably satisfy our hunger to get in touch with the earth and shamanism better, because it would be a bit “closer to home”. I’m paraphrasing the person’s comments. I don’t remember the website I found them on, or I’d quote them directly.
Though the post was written in a somewhat angry way, the person had a point. I’d like to state before I continue though, I’m not criticizing people who look to other cultures to learn, or people who find something of value in other cultures. I also want to state that this blog post isn’t meant to be dissing on anyone for following any kind of religious or spiritual practice. I think there is wonderful truth to many teachings and paths, Christianity included. The purpose of this post is to explore what came before Christianity, and a revival of those beliefs that is now taking place.
Most of us with Celtic roots consider Christianity to be our heritage and many feel a definite longing for something different, but don’t know where to look. We turn to different shamanistic teachings and practices to fill the void that Christianity leaves us lacking. We end up forgetting that Christianity is, in fact, a foreign eastern religion for the Celts, just as it was for Native Americans and others. This causes people to feel like they don’t have any options available to them when it comes to following shamanic paths based off their own heritage. Christianity is not native to people of Celtic decent, we just happen to have been under its influence a little longer. Celtic roots can be traced back to Gaul, Britain, and Ireland.
I grew up in a Christian household, and for me it always felt like something was lacking, I could feel a sort of disconnect from the earth and nature, and magic. It never sat well with me, this idea that nature was sin and evil. It didn’t sit well with me either the idea of god being an angry vengeful entity. In my mind, nature and god were one in the same, there’s a beautiful balance and a flow, everything has a purpose, a reason. Personally, I found it blasphemous in my soul the fact that the church would seek to elevate itself above nature.
That isn’t to say that there aren’t glimmers of truth and hope in Christian teachings; in fact, we can thank the early Christian scholars for preserving some of the history of Druidism and Celtic Lore that we have today. Considering the Celts practiced mostly oral traditions with knowledge being passed down from word of mouth, much of that knowledge was lost to time.
It is interesting to note that Christianity seems to have assimilated many of the pagan beliefs and rituals that the Celts practiced. That’s part of what made Christianity so strong, it assimilated, instead of simply annihilating. Pagans of old would be more likely to convert if they felt like there were still pieces of their traditions present in the teachings of Christianity. Resistance is futile. o.O
You can see evidence of this with the fact that many churches and chapels were built on pagan sacred sites, as well as the fact that many of the Christian holidays seem to incorporate pagan traditions.
The most commonly known example of this is Halloween or Samhain. This holiday marks the day when the old god dies and goes into the underworld.
The bunnies, eggs, chicks and other symbolism we see in Easter traditions represents appears to come from Ostara, or the spring equinox. Ostara is the end of winter, the beginning of spring.
Another name for Christmas time which we’re all familiar with; Yule, represents the winter solstice, when the days start to get longer, it’s a celebration of the return of the sun and the god who dies at Halloween. In Christianity, it represents the Birth of Christ, the son of god. Interesting.
Modern Druids celebrate 8 seasonal holidays that when combined are known as “The wheel of the year”, these are special times throughout the year that mark such things as the solstices and equinoxes as well as other cycles found in nature. Celebration can include hundreds of people gathering for festivities in and around sacred sites like Stonehenge or even the simple observance of an individual in nature or even their home.
Though these observances exist people are not required to follow them. There is evidence that ancient Celts and Druids also observed these sacred days, which can be seen in astrological alignments in sacred sites, much of the modern practices are adopted from nature and the little bit we can divine from archaeology and old family traditions.
Many people think of ancient Celtic cultures and assume they were a savage, barbaric people. I would consider them more a fierce and proud people, even fearless. We tend to put the label of savage and barbaric on anything we don’t understand. Some people think of Druids and images of sacrifices and wicker men come to mind.
Wicker men were said to be giant man-shaped cages, effigies supposedly filled with people, usually criminals though it is said innocent people would be used if no criminals were to be found. The story is that these people would be burned in the wicker cages and offered as sacrifice to the gods. It is said that the gods preferred the blood sacrifice of criminals and evil-doers. This story comes from Julius Caesar, in his commentary on the Gallic war.
It is important to note that historical sources who claimed the Celts practiced sacrifice (namely Greeks and Romans) were known to embellish their accounts of other cultures to promote the idea that those cultures were barbaric, and inferior, to foster support for their invasions, as well as promote the belief that they were a superior culture. They have made similar claims about early Christians as well as Jews. While there is some evidence of sacrifice being preformed, there is also evidence that the sacrificed were willing participants in the ritual.
Some archaeologists point to the discovery of mass graves as proof of mass sacrificial practices carried out by the druids; other archaeologists criticize this perspective, claiming that the mass graves found could belong to honored warriors who had fallen in battle. A national geographic documentary on Druids suggested that they not only performed human sacrifice but also cannibalism. The archaeologist associated with these findings points out that cannibalism appears to have been extremely rare and even if it was practiced it could point to other factors such as famine caused by the war with the Romans.
It’s important to note that if these practices existed, they are not carried out by modern druids, and the claims about the existence and extent of human sacrifice appears to be exaggerated or perhaps misunderstood. It is also important to note that the world was a vastly different place in those times. There were practices all over the world that were regarded as normal which we would find a bit horrifying today.
Due to the oral traditions of the ancient Celtic people, much of the Celtic tradition has been lost to time. Though we don’t know much about the ancient Druids, we can divine something about them through the bits and pieces of knowledge that have been recovered through the scholarly writings of church clergy, historians, archaeology, and somewhat through family traditions passed down through the generations.
History has shown us that the Celts actually had quite a sophisticated culture, with laws, an understanding of math, science and astronomy and complex social structures. In some tribes, Celtic women appeared to have an equal social standing with men, and owned land and held important positions in society, and even joined them in battle. Druids played an important role in Celtic society they could be male or female. Druids acted as teachers, mediators, judges, and were valued for offering counsel and advice to tribal leaders.
We are currently (and have been for around the last 300 years) undergoing what some are calling a ‘druid renaissance’. As time passes more and more people are turning to old ways such as Druidism to fill the void caused from our disconnect with the earth and our true heritage. This is a subject I’ve found fascinating for a many years, the more I learn about it, the more I want to know about it.
Although modern Druidry calls on history for inspiration, we can’t say that it’s exactly the same as the ancient practices, we don’t know enough about them to make that claim. However, I think that it’s remains a viable option for people who are looking for a spiritual path that is similar to what our ancestors practiced.
All things evolve, religion and spirituality are no different. With regard to modern Druidry, it seems there are three different aspects or streams, they correspond three important values in Druidry today, which are wisdom, creativity, and love.
These values are manifested as Bards, Ovates, and Druids.
The bards are the poets, the singers and artists, they represent creativity. Bards were known commit the tales and traditions of their tribe to memory and share them with the people.
Ovates are the shamans, seers and healers, they would divine the future and heal the sick and wounded, they represent love, not only for each other, but for nature and the world around us.
Druids are sages, scientists, teachers, philosophers and judges who offered political council to leaders and kings. Because they were held in such high esteem and respect, Druids were said to have the ability to stop battles with their words alone. They represent wisdom.
One thing I find interesting about Druidry today, is that it’s not so much a religion, as it is a philosophy, a spiritual practice, even a way of life. There are druids that follow many paths, some are monotheists, some are polytheists, some are agnostic. There is no religious dogma, people are free to live their lives according to what resonates with them. However, Druids today share a reverence for nature, people, creativity, love and wisdom.
There’s a willingness to jump in and experience life, there’s an acknowledgement of other realities and spaces, there’s a connection to god and spirit, and there’s the observance and reverence of nature and her patterns. Druids of old were said to spend 20 years in training; they had to devote a year at a time to observing a single tree and they had to observe 20 different kinds of trees. Druid roughly translates to “Oak Wise” Trees remain an important part of Druidism today, and there are some groups who are also helping out with reforestation and repairing our environment. If you’ve read any of my other stuff, you’ll know that resonates quite well with me.
If I’ve ever found anything that feels right to me, and jives well with my own belief system it would be Druidism. There is much more I could write about with regard to Druidry however, this is getting to be a rather long read. In my next post on the subject, I want to cover more in depth the practices and beliefs of Druids today.
In the meantime if you would like to learn more about modern Druidry, as well as ancient Celtic history, I’ve added some links below.
Sources: | https://rebeccara.art/2014/01/23/druids/ |
Who's it for?
This unit of our Middle School U.S. History Homeschool course will benefit any student who is trying to learn about how the American Civil War was carried out and its repercussions on civilian Americans' daily lives. There is no faster or easier way to learn about the American Civil War. Among those who would benefit are:
- Students who require an efficient, self-paced course of study to learn about how the North and South waged war, Civil War battles and turning points, and the significance of the Emancipation Proclamation.
- Homeschool parents looking to spend less time preparing lessons and more time teaching.
- Homeschool parents who need a history curriculum that appeals to multiple learning types (visual or auditory).
- Gifted students and students with learning differences.
How it works:
- Students watch a short, fun video lesson that covers a specific unit topic.
- Students and parents can refer to the video transcripts to reinforce learning.
- Short quizzes and an American Civil War unit exam confirm understanding or identify any topics that require review.
The American Civil War Unit Objectives:
- Compare and contrast the advantages of the North and South.
- Describe the first Battle of Bull Run and its significance.
- List key 1862 Civil War battles, including Antietam, New Orleans, Shiloh, and the Monitor vs. the Merrimack.
- Discuss the creation of the Emancipation Proclamation, as well as its context and legacy.
- Understand how the Northern and Southern economies were affected by the Civil War, and the impact it had on civilians.
- List turning points in the Civil War, including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg.
- Describe the circumstances of the end of the Civil War, including General Grant's march toward Richmond.
- Explain Sherman's March to the Sea and its significance.
- Review Lincoln's assassination and Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse to close the Civil War.
1. Civil War Begins: Northern and Southern Advantages Compared
At the outbreak of the American Civil War, both the North and South believed the conflict would be over quickly. But advantages for both the Confederacy and the Union meant a prolonged war between the states. In this lesson, discover some of the advantages that the North and South had.
2. The First Battle of Bull Run: Civil War Blood is Shed
Three months after the bombardment of Fort Sumter, Northern troops attacked Southern forces near the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. The first Battle of Bull Run (or Manassas) was the first major engagement of the Civil War and a terrifying defeat for the Union spectators who came to watch.
3. Key Civil War Battles in 1862: Monitor and Merrimac, Antietam, New Orleans & Shiloh
In 1862, the Union put its Anaconda Plan into action, resulting in several critical events: the Peninsular Campaign, the Battle of Hampton Roads between the ironclads Monitor and Virginia (Merrimack), the Battle of Shiloh, the capture of New Orleans, and the Battle of Antietam.
4. The Emancipation Proclamation: Creation, Context and Legacy
On January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation went into effect. More than three million slaves in the South were freed, but the move was not without its critics, both then and now.
5. How the Civil War Affected the Economy and Everyday Life in the North and South
With the strongest and most productive demographic of society away fighting in the Civil War, the task of running homes, communities, and the nation fell to those who stayed behind. The war on the home front changed their lives forever.
6. Civil War Turning Points: Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and Vicksburg
In 1863, three events proved to be turning points for the American Civil War: the Battle of Chancellorsville, the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Vicksburg. Learn about these Civil War turning points in this lesson.
7. End of the Civil War: General Grant Begins the March Toward Richmond
President Lincoln took a gamble and named Ulysses S. Grant as General-in-Chief of the Union army. They devised a plan to finally take Richmond and win the war in 1864. In this lesson, learn about General Grant's controversial tactics.
8. Sherman's March to the Sea
In 1864, General William T. Sherman began his Atlanta campaign. His success assured Lincoln's re-election in 1864. Sherman then began his destructive March to the Sea in order to capture Savannah.
9. Lincoln's Assassination and Lee's Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
Two of the most eventful weeks in American history took place between April 1 and April 15, 1865, during which Richmond (the capital of the Confederacy) fell, General Lee surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse and President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.
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The receipt of imported coal by thermal power plants has shot up by 17.6 per cent during April-October. The coal import volumes refer to the power plants monitored by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), a power update report from CARE Ratings showed.
Imports escalated as domestic supplies by Coal India Ltd (CIL) and another state run producer- Singareni Collieries Company Ltd (SCCL) dipped in the period. Rate of supplies by the two coal companies to the CEA monitored power stations stood at 80.4 per cent, indicating a shortfall of 19.6 per cent against the allocated quantity.
According to the study by CARE Ratings, total coal supplied by CIL and SCCL to the power sector stood at 315.9 million tonnes (mt) during April-October as against 328.5 mt in the comparable period of last fiscal year.
The study noted that growth in power generation during the April-October 2019 was on account of higher demand from Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana or ‘Saubhagya Scheme’ beneficiary states. Providing connection to households in order to achieve 100% per cent electrification has in part helped the sector avert de-growth.
Large states namely Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, West Bengal and Rajasthan have recorded over five per cent growth in consumption of power. These states along with Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Assam accounted for 75 per cent of the beneficiaries under the Saubhagya Scheme (Household Electrification Scheme). The ongoing economic downturn has led to decline in power consumption/demand from industrialised states. Maharashtra, which is also the largest power consuming state in India, recorded a decline in consumption of 5.6 per cent.
Other states namely Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Gujarat and Odisha too recorded fall in power consumed. These states house large clusters of mining, automobile, cement and other manufacturing industries, and a decline in these sectors led to fall in demand for power across these states. - The demand-supply gap or power deficit has remained at 0.6 per cent during the April-October 2019. North-East reported 4.8 per cent of power deficit followed by Northern Region at 1.3 per cent. Within Northern Region, Jammu & Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh accounted for 65 per cent and 30 per cent respectively of the regions power supply deficit. | |
Flour obtained from the almonds of the baru the super chestnut of the cerrado that fell into the taste of Brazilian consumers and also from other countries.. Excellent source of iron and vit E, fibers, and proteins. Great source of non-GMO and gluten free protein supplementation. It has high antioxidant properties due to the presence of functional nutrients. It is a versatile flour, ready for recipes, low meat, functional, farofas, finishing dishes, ice cream etc.
Origin: Brazil
Unit Qty: 100 gr
Units per Boxes: 48
Boxes per Pallet: 60
Pallets Per 20″ Container: 20
Shelf Life: 24 Month
Reviews
There are no reviews yet. | https://www.sevenmesh.com/product/sr-ouro-verde-farinha-de-baru-baru-flour-100-gr/ |
- Gilead Sciences, Inc.
- Location
- Foster City
- Salary
- See job description.
- Posted
- July 16 2021
- Ref
- R0020685
- Discipline
- Life Sciences, Oncology
- Position Type
- Full Time
- Organization Type
- Pharma
- Job Type
- Senior Scientist
(Senior) Medical Scientist (m/f/d), Oncology & Cell Therapy - Region South-West
Germany - Stuttgart
Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based bio-pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. With each new discovery and investigational drug candidate, we seek to improve the care of patients living with life-threatening diseases around the world. Gileads therapeutic areas of focus include HIV/AIDS, liver diseases, cancer and inflammation, and serious respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Making an impact on a global scale
Inclusion is one of the companys five core values. Thats because we know that we are stronger and more innovative at Gilead when we are informed by a diverse set of backgrounds, experiences and points of view. Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative therapeutics in areas of unmet medical need. The company's mission is to advance the care of patients suffering from life-threatening diseases worldwide.
When you join Gilead, you join our mission to change the world by enabling people to live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Come join a mission-driven bio-pharmaceutical organization that values inclusion and diversity, has a strong portfolio of products, and is constantly #CreatingPossible
['
(Senior) Medical Scientist (m/f/d), Oncology & Cell Therapy - Region South-West
Overview and key accountabilities:
The Medical Scientist (MS, commonly known as MSL) is a field-based medical-scientific expert in the assigned Therapeutic Area. The MS assumes full responsibility for all Medical activities within the assigned territory and executes the field medical strategy under the guidance of the MS Lead. This involves gathering insights, medical education and communication, supporting clinical research projects, and managing projects of various scope including educational events and regional advisory boards. This requires regular interactions with external stakeholders in the assigned territory and close national and international collaboration with colleagues from Medical Affairs and other departments.
Specific responsibilities:
- Delivering medical/scientific communication (proactive/reactive) and education to physicians and other healthcare stakeholders in the region. This may include the organisation of local educational events.
- Building healthcare landscape awareness in the assigned therapeutic area(s)
- Strategic relationship building with medical and scientific experts - identify and work with regional and national experts on various projects and activities
- Development and execution of regional Medical Plan of Action
- Insight generation through scientific meaningful discussions with clinicians and researchers to inform the medical strategy, including the organisation of advisory board meetings
- Assists with Gilead clinical and real-world evidence studies, which includes collaboration with investigators and study sites
- Actively collaborates with the office- and field-based national and international Medical Affairs team
- Works collaboratively with Gilead personnel in Sales, Marketing, Clinical Research, Pharmacovigilance, Medical Communications, and other functions
- Utilises scientific resources to deliver impactful presentations in a variety of different settings
- Contributes to the development of educational programs and materials
- Travels to appointments, meetings, and conferences on a frequent and regular basis, occasionally with short notice; including national and international travel
Essential background and skills:
- Advanced scientific degree (e.g. MD, PharmD, PhD)
- At least 2 years pharmaceutical company experience ideally within Medical Affairs
- Ability to embrace Gilead's patient-centric values, including highest ethical and compliance standards
- Enthusiastic to work in a continuously evolving scientific environment
- Scientific and/or clinical knowledge in (Hemato-)Oncology, Cell Therapy or a related scientific discipline (molecular biology, molecular medicine, immunology)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in German and English
- Excellent organizational skills including attention to detail and prioritization
Desirable background and skills:
- Growth mindset with the ability to positively adapt to change
- Experience of working in an international environment
- Established German thought leader network in (Hemato-)Oncology and/or Cell Therapy
- Previous experience in Medical Science Liaison
Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system\'s ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA. For more information on Kite, please visit www.kitepharma.com. Sign up to follow @KitePharma on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kitepharma.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
It is the policy of Gilead Sciences, Inc. and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively "Gilead" or the "Company") to recruit select and employ the most qualified persons available for positions throughout the Company. Except if otherwise provided by applicable law, all employment actions relating to issues such as compensation, benefits, transfers, layoffs, returns from layoffs, company-sponsored training, education assistance, social and recreational programs are administered on a non-discriminatory basis (i.e. without regard to protected characteristics or prohibited grounds, which may include an individual's gender, race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, medical condition, veteran status, and age, unless such protection is prohibited by federal, state, municipal, provincial, local or other applicable laws). Gilead also prohibits discrimination based on any other characteristics protected by applicable laws.
For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:
Please log onto your Internal Career Site to apply for this job.
']
To apply, visit https://gilead.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/gileadcareers/job/Germany---Stuttgart/XMLNAME--Senior--Medical-Scientist--m-f-d---Oncology---Cell-Therapy---Region-South-West_R0020685-1
Copyright 2017 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved. | https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/555610/-senior-medical-scientist-m-f-d-oncology-and-cell-therapy-region-south-west/ |
Protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is known to decrease during exercise and it has been suggested that this may depend on the magnitude of the relative metabolic stress within the contracting muscle. To examine the mechanisms behind this, the effect of exercise intensity on skeletal muscle eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4EBP1) phosphorylation, key components in the mRNA translation machinery, were examined together with AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) in healthy young men. Skeletal muscle eEF2 phosphorylation at Thr(56) increased during exercise but was not influenced by exercise intensity, and was lower than rest 30min after exercise. On the other hand, 4EBP1 phosphorylation at Thr(37/46) decreased during exercise and this decrease was greater at higher exercise intensities, and was similar to rest 30min after exercise. AMPK activity, as indexed by AMPK alpha-subunit phosphorylation at Thr(172) and phosphorylation of the AMPK substrate ACCbeta at Ser(221), was higher with higher exercise intensities, and these indices were higher than rest after high intensity exercise only. Using immunohistochemistry, it was shown that the increase in skeletal muscle eEF2 Thr(56) phosphorylation was restricted to type I myofibers. Taken together, these data suggest that the depression of skeletal muscle protein synthesis with endurance-type exercise may be regulated at both initiation (i.e. 4EBP1) and elongation (i.e. eEF2) steps, with eEF2 phosphorylation contributing at all exercise intensities but 4EBP1 dephosphorylation contributing to a greater extent at high versus low exercise intensities. Key words: exercise, skeletal muscle, signaling. | https://nexs.ku.dk/ansatte/?pure=da%2Fpublications%2Fskeletal-muscle-eef2-and-4ebp1-phosphorylation-during-endurance-exercise-is-dependent-on-intensity-and-muscle-fiber-type(7ee4b6b0-e17e-11dd-b5fc-000ea68e967b).html |
Allosteric Modulation of AMPK Enzymatic Activity: In Vitro Characterization.
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a heterotrimeric serine/threonine protein kinase found in nearly all eukaryotes that functions as a master energy sensor in cells. During times of cell stress and changes in the AMP/ATP ratio, AMPK becomes activated and phosphorylates a multitude of protein substrates involved in various cellular processes such as metabolism, cell growth and autophagy. The endogenous ligand AMP is known to bind to the γ-subunit and activates the enzyme via three distinct mechanisms (1) enhancing phosphorylation by upstream kinases of Thr172 in the activation loop (a site critical for AMPK activity), (2) protecting Thr172 from dephosphorylation by phosphatases, and (3) allosteric activation of the kinase activity. Given the important regulatory role for AMPK in various cellular processes and the multiple known modes of activation, there is great interest in identifying small-molecule activators of this kinase and a need for assays to identify and characterize compounds. Here we describe several assay formats that have been used for identifying and characterizing small-molecule AMPK activators.
| |
---
abstract: 'We exhibit a family of computably enumerable sets which can be learned within polynomial resource bounds given access only to a teacher, but which requires exponential resources to be learned given access only to a membership oracle. In general, we compare the families that can be learned with and without teachers and oracles for four measures of efficient learning.'
address:
- |
Department of Mathematics\
University of Hawai‘i at M[ā]{}noa\
Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
- |
Laboratoire d’Informatique de Nantes Atlantique\
Université de Nantes\
2 rue de la Houssinière BP 92208\
44322 Nantes Cedex 03\
FRANCE
author:
- 'Achilles A. Beros'
- Colin de la Higuera
title: '*Teachers, Learners and Oracles*'
---
Introduction
============
In this paper, we address the question of whether or not the presence of a teacher as a computational aide improves learning. A teacher is a computable machine that receives data and selects a subset of the data. In the models we consider, a teacher receives an enumeration for a target and passes its data selection to the learner – the learner does not have access to the original data. The first natural question is if there are families that are learnable with a teacher, but not learnable without. As will be obvious from the definitions presented in the next section, the answer is no: the learner can always perform an internal simulation of the learner-teacher interaction and output the result. The second question is whether a teacher can improve efficiency. For teacher models of learning, only the computational activity of the learner counts against the efficiency bound; the computational activity of the teacher is not counted. Heuristically, the question is whether there is benefit to pre-processing data. We will prove there can be an exponential improvement in efficiency. In fact, there are situations where access to a teacher is better than access to a membership oracle about the target.
Various forms of and questions related to teaching have arisen in learning theory over the last few decades. Work on the complexity of teaching families has given rise to the classical teaching dimension [@goldman-kearns] and more recently the recursive teaching dimension [@zilles-1; @zilles-2]. In [@zilles-2], Zilles et al. establish deep and interesting connections between recursive teaching dimension, Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension and sample compression schemes (see [@floyd-warmuth] for more about sample compression). Query learning has been a central topic in learning theory for even longer than teaching. Numerous papers have been written both on the abilities of machines equipped with oracles to learn [@sammut-banerji; @angluin-q1; @angluin-q2] and on the properties of oracles that allow learning of certain target families [@stephan-noisy; @jain-sharma; @fortnow-etal; @stephan-kummer].
We add to the body of research on teaching and query learning by comparing the efficiency of the two learning modes.
Background
==========
We will examine variants of Gold-style text learning of effectively describable sets of natural numbers. In particular, the target objects will be *computably enumerable sets*.
A set, $S$, is *computably enumerable (c.e.)* if there is a partial computable function, $f$, such that $S = \mathrm{dom}(f)$. A sequence of sets, $\{A_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ is called *uniformly computably enumerable (u.c.e.)* if the set $\{ \langle a,i \rangle : a \in A_i \}$ is c.e. We also call u.c.e. sequences of sets *indexed families* and call $n$ an index for $A_n$. Note that in an indexed family a set may have multiple indices if the sequence $\{A_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ has multiple instances of the same set. For notational convenience, we regard indexed familes both as sequences and as sets and write $A \in \mathcal A$ meaning $(\exists n) (A = A_n)$.
We now remind the reader of some standard notation and concepts as well as introducing some notation specific to this paper.
1. $\phi$ denotes an acceptable universal Turing machine and hence, a partial computable function. $\phi_{e,s}(x)$ is the state or value of the function described by the program coded by $e \in \mathbb N$ after $s$ computation stages on input $x$. If the program execution has terminated, we write $\phi_{e,s}(x)\downarrow$, otherwise we write $\phi_{e,s}(x)\uparrow$.
2. $W_e$ is the c.e. set coded by the program $e$ as the domain of $\phi_e$. $\{ W_e \}_{e \in \mathbb N}$ is a u.c.e. sequence of sets and enumerates all the c.e. sets. We write $\mathcal E$ for the set of all c.e. sets.
3. For $n \in {\mathbb N}$, $\langle x_0,x_1,\ldots , x_n \rangle : {\mathbb N}^{n+1} \rightarrow {\mathbb N}$ is a polynomial-time computable encoding function such that $x_i \leq \langle x_0,x_1,\ldots , x_n \rangle$ for all $i \leq n$. We also define a polynomial-time computable decoding function $(x)_n: {\mathbb N}\rightarrow {\mathbb N}^{n}$ which is the inverse function of encoding function $\langle x_0,x_1,\ldots , x_{n-1} \rangle$. We define $A \otimes B = \{ \langle a,b \rangle : (a \in A) \wedge (b \in B) \}$. We use $\otimes$ to partition ${\mathbb N}$ into an infinite number of infinite computable sets, ${\mathbb N}\otimes \{0\}, {\mathbb N}\otimes \{1\}, \ldots$. Sets of this form are known as *columns*, whereby ${\mathbb N}\otimes \{i \}$ is the $i^{th}$ column of ${\mathbb N}$. As a shorthand, we will represent the $i^{th}$-column of ${\mathbb N}$ with the symbol $C_i$ and the $i^{th}$-column of $A \subseteq {\mathbb N}$ by $C_i(A)$. Associated with $C_i$, we define $c_i$ to be a computable function such that $W_{c_i(x)} = W_x \cap C_i$.
4. We write $(x_0,x_1, \ldots , x_n)$ to denote the ordered tuple of elements (as opposed to the encoding of the ordered tuple, $\langle x_0,x_1,\ldots , x_n \rangle$).
5. We fix an encoding of polynomials as natural numbers and write $p^*$ to denote the encoding of a polynomial $p$. The encoding is polynomial-time computable, as is the decoding, and maps onto ${\mathbb N}$.
6. ${\textsc{signedInt}}: {\mathbb N}\rightarrow {\mathbb Z}$ is the computable bijection such that ${\textsc{signedInt}}(2n) = n$ and ${\textsc{signedInt}}(2n+1) = -(n+1)$.
7. If $a$ is a string or natural number, then $a^i$ denotes the string which consists of $a$ repeated $i$ times.
8. For function composition we use the notation $f \circ g$ where $(f \circ g)(x) = f(g(x))$.
9. If $\sigma = a_0 \cdots a_n$ is a string, then $|\sigma| = n+1$ is the length of the string, $\sigma(k) = a_k$ and ${\mbox{content}(\sigma)} = \{ \sigma(k) : k < |\sigma| \}$.
10. An enumeration of a non-empty set $A$ is an infinite sequence of elements of $A$ such that every element of $A$ appears in the sequence at least once. We regard an enumeration as a stream of bits with markers between individual elements. We will restrict our attention to non-empty sets. Consequently, we need not consider enumerations of the empty set.
11. A learning machine (or learner) is a partial computable function that receives a string as input, may have access to oracle queries and outputs a natural number that is interpreted as a code for a set. The outputs are called hypotheses and the sequence of hypotheses produced by a learner on initial segments of an enumeration is called the hypothesis stream. When measuring efficiency, we allow a learner to skip an element of an enumeration for some fixed computational cost.
12. Given an interval $[0, n]$, where $n$ is unknown, but bounded by $a^m$, $n$ can be determined with $(m+1)^{a+1}$ or fewer oracle queries using the following algorithm. First, determine the least $k_0$ such that $a^{k_0+1} \not\in [0, n]$. We will obtain $k_0$ after at most $m+1$ queries. Next, we repeat the process to determine the least $k_1$ such that $a^{k_0} + a^{k_1+1} \not\in [a^{k_0}, n]$. By iterating this process at most $a+1$ times we find $n$. We call this an exponential query search algorithm.
We will consider learning models using combinations of three different data sources: enumeration, oracle and teacher. All of the models we consider are forms of TxtEx-learning, or learning in the limit. We begin with the definition of this fundamental learning model.
Let $M$ be a computable learning machine, $\mathcal F = \{F_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ an indexed family and $\{ a_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ an enumeration (text) of a set $F \in \mathcal F$.
1. $M$ TxtEx-identifies $\{ a_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ if $$(\exists i)(\forall j) \big( M(a_0 \ldots a_{i+j}) = M(a_0 \ldots a_i) \wedge F_{M(a_0 \ldots a_i)} = F \big)$$ If only the first condition above is met, i.e., $(\exists i)(\forall j)(M(a_0...a_{j+1}) = M(a_0...a_i))$, then we say that $M$ has *converged* on the enumeration $\{a_n\}_{n \in \mathbb N}$.
2. $M$ TxtEx-learns $F$ if $M$ TxtEx-identifies every enumeration of $F$.
3. $M$ TxtEx-learns $\mathcal F$ if $M$ TxtEx-learns every $F \in \mathcal F$.
All of the models we examine in this paper are variants of TxtEx-learning. The parameters we will vary are linked to sources of information and the measurement of efficiency. We state definitions of these variants starting from an arbitrary learning model.
\[def-teacher-oracle\] Let L-learning be an arbitrary learning model.
1. We say that $\mathcal F$ is *L-learnable with a membership oracle* (denoted L\[O\]-learnable) if there is a learning machine, $M$, that L-learns $\mathcal F$ and has access to a membership oracle for the target it is learning. As membership oracles are the only oracles we will consider, we often simply refer to a membership oracle as an oracle.
2. A function $T: 2^{<{\mathbb N}} \rightarrow 2^{<{\mathbb N}}$ is a *teacher* if it is a computable function, $T(\sigma)$ is a prefix of $T(\tau)$ whenever $\sigma$ is a prefix of $\tau$, and ${\mbox{content}(T(\sigma))} \subseteq {\mbox{content}(\sigma)}$. We say that $\mathcal F$ is *L-learnable with a teacher* (denoted L\[T\]-learnable) if there is a learner-teacher pair $(M,T)$ such that $M$ L-identifies every enumeration of the form $T \circ f$, where $f$ enumerates a member of $\mathcal F$.
3. We say that $\mathcal F$ is *L-learnable with a teacher and a membership oracle* (denoted L\[T,O\]-learnable) if there is a learner-teacher pair, $(M,T)$, such that $M$ has access to a membership oracle, $T$ has access to the query responses $M$ receives, and $M$ L-identifies every enumeration of the form $T \circ f$, where $f$ enumerates a member of $\mathcal F$.
As is clear from the definition, the teacher serves to pre-process the text input before passing the elements deemed important to the learner. In the subsequent sections, we will consider the different combinations of teacher and oracle with certain variants of TxtEx-learning.
When defining efficiency notions for learning, the first natural notion is that of polynomial run-time: the learner must converge within $p(e)$ computation steps, where $p$ is a polynomial and $e$ is a code for the target. There are two problems with this definition. First, apart from trivial cases, any learning process can be delayed arbitrarily by using an enumeration that repeats a single element of the target set. Second, if a learning machine has produced an encoding of the target, but has failed to do so in polynomial run-time, a suitably larger and equivalent encoding can be chosen instead so that the run-time is appropriately bounded. As we are considering indexed families, rather than general classes of c.e. sets, we can address the second problem by fixing a reference index for every set in the family against which efficiency is measured.
Let $\mathcal A = \{ A_n \}_{n \in \mathbb N}$ be an indexed family. We define the *minimal index of $A \in \mathcal A$* (symbolically, ${\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal A}(A)}$ to be the least $n$ such that $A_n = A$.
By restricting our attention to indexed families, we have a well-defined concept of polynomial bounds in the size of the target that is independent of the underlying numbering of the c.e. sets, thereby addressing the second problem. In the absence of an oracle or teacher the first problem remains. Nevertheless, we include polynomial run-time among the notions of efficiency that we define below as it is reasonable when an oracle or teacher is present.
We will address four measures of learning efficiency: Polynomial run-time, polynomial size dataset, polynomial size characteristic sample, and polynomial mind-changes.
We have also proved [@beros-teachers-arxiv] the results presented in this paper for general classes of c.e. sets equipped with an indexing function. Nevertheless, in this paper we restrict our attention to the limited case of indexed families as it is a more familiar context than the indexed target families required by the general case. In that more general case, the indexing function selects a unique code from the underlying numbering for each set in the class. The codes output by the indexing function are taken as the reference against which efficiency is computed.
Polynomial Run-Time {#prt-sec}
===================
\[prt-def\] An indexed family $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ is *polynomial run-time learnable* (*PRT-learnable*) if there is a machine $M$ and a polynomial $p$ such that for every enumeration $f$ of $F \in \mathcal F$, the learner $M$ converges to a correct index on $f$ in fewer than $p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$ computation steps. If an oracle is accessed, oracle use must also be bounded by $p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$. We use to PRT to denote the set of all PRT-learnable indexed families.
We will apply Definition \[def-teacher-oracle\] to Definition \[prt-def\] to obtain, for example, PRT\[T\]-learning and PRT\[T\], the PRT\[T\]-learnable indexed families.
Proposition \[prt-sans-to\] demonstrates that PRT-learnability is much too restrictive in the absence of an oracle or teacher.
\[prt-sans-to\] Let $\mathcal F$ be an indexed family. If there are $A, B \in \mathcal F$ such that $A \neq B$ and $A \cap B \neq \emptyset$, then $\mathcal F$ is not PRT-learnable.
Let $A$, $B$ and $\mathcal F$ be as in the statement, let $M$ be an arbitrary learning machine and $p$ an arbitrary increasing polynomial. Also, let $a={\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(A)}$, $b={\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(B)}$ and let $x \in A \cap B$. Define $f_A$ to be an enumeration of $A$ that begins with $x^{p(a) + p(b)}$ and $f_B$ be an enumeration of $B$ that begins with $x^{p(a) + p(b)}$. If $M$ PRT-identifies $f_A$, then $M(\sigma)$ must be a code for $A$ for any $\sigma = x^{p(a)+i}$ for $i \geq 0$. Similarly, if $M$ PRT-identifies $f_B$, then $M(\sigma)$ must be a code for $B$ for any $\sigma = x^{p(b)+i}$ for $i \geq 0$. Thus, no machine can PRT identify both $f_A$ and $f_B$ and $\mathcal F$ is not PRT-learnable.
On the other hand, there are many non-trivial indexed families which are PRT\[O\]-, PRT\[T\]- or PRT\[T,O\]-learnable.
\[prt-o-ex\] Define $F_n = [n, \infty)$, $G_{\langle m,n \rangle} = [m, n]$ and $H^k_n = {\mbox{content}((n)_k)}$. The indexed families $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$, $\mathcal G = {\{G_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ and $\mathcal H_k = {\{H^k_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ for $k\in {\mathbb N}$ are PRT\[O\]-learnable.
\[prt-t-ex\] The indexed families in Example \[prt-o-ex\] are also PRT\[T\]-learnable. For example, consider $\mathcal H_k$ for some fixed $k$. Define a teacher $T$ such that $T(a_0 \cdots a_n) = T(a_0 \cdots a_{n-1}) a_n$ if $a_n \not\in \{a_0, \ldots, a_{n-1}\}$ and outputs $T(a_0 \cdots a_{n-1})$ otherwise. Define a learner $M$ that waits until it has received $k+1$ distinct numbers, $\{b_0, \ldots b_k\}$, from $T$ and then outputs $\langle b_0, \ldots b_k \rangle$. $(M, T)$ PRT\[T\]-learns $\mathcal H_k$.
\[prt-t-o\] $PRT \subset PRT[O] \subseteq PRT[T,O]$ and $PRT \subset PRT[T] \subseteq PRT[T,O]$.
Let $\mathcal H_2$ be as above. As observed in Examples \[prt-o-ex\] and \[prt-t-ex\], $\mathcal H_2$ is PRT\[O\]-learnable and PRT\[T\]-learnable, but by Proposition \[prt-sans-to\], $\mathcal H_2$ is not PRT-learnable. Thus, $PRT \subset PRT[O] \cap PRT[T]$. The other containments follow from the definitions.
We now produce indexed families that distinguish PRT\[T\]-learning from PRT\[O\]-learning and PRT\[T,O\]-learning from both PRT\[O\]- and PRT\[T\]-learning. In order to prove that all of these distinctions are non-trivial, we introduce the concept of marked self-description.
Marked Self-Describing Sets
---------------------------
Including self-description in an object is an encoding technique on which many important learning theory examples are based. Examples of self-description include the self-describing sets $\mathcal {SD} = \{ A\in \mathcal E : W_{min(A)} = A \}$, and the almost self-describing functions $\mathcal {ASD} = \{ f : \phi_{f(0)} =^* f \}$. Many variants on the self-description theme have been explored in learning theory and inductive inference.
Our interest is in families that use carefully engineered self-description to calibrate the difficulty in identifying their members. We will construct families whose members are not only self-describing, but also have their self-describing elements marked for ease of identification. We say that such families exhibit *marked self-description*. In particular, we will use encapsulating objects that we call descriptors.
For finite $X \subset {\mathbb N}$, a *descriptor on the $i^{th}$-column* is a finite set $D = \{ \langle x,c_x,1, i \rangle : x \in X\} \subseteq C_i(C_1)$ such that
1. $\sum_{x \in X} {\textsc{signedInt}}(c_x) = 0$
2. $(\forall X' \subset X)\big(\sum_{x \in X'} {\textsc{signedInt}}(c_x) \neq 0 \big)$
3. $\sum_{x \in X'} {\textsc{signedInt}}(x) \geq 0$.
Such a descriptor is said to *describe* the natural number $n = \sum_{x \in X}{\textsc{signedInt}}(x)$. For $\langle x,c_x,1, i \rangle \in D$, we call $c_x$ the *completion index* of the element. For $n\in {\mathbb N}$, we define ${\textsc{descriptors}}_i(n)$ to be the set of all descriptors on the $i^{th}$-column that describe $n$.
A descriptor can be thought of as a stream of data that includes parity bits to check the integrity of the data stream and where the intended message is the number described by the descriptor. Thus, a machine can decide not only which elements are pieces of the descriptor (packets in the stream), but also decide when the entire descriptor has appeared in the enumeration (all the packets have been received). By using a descriptor to encode the self-description for a set, we make the self-description instantly recognizable upon appearance in the enumeration. For this reason, learning such a self-describing set can be achieved with no mind-changes. In contrast to the degree to which we have made learning easier, we have potentially made *efficient* learning harder. By distributing the self-description into a large descriptor, we will create a scenario in which a very large amount of data is required to reach a correct decision. We now proceed to our first result using these tools.
\[prt-t-not-o\] There is an indexed family ${\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$, where $F_n$ describes $n$, which is PRT\[T\]-learnable, but not PRT\[O\]-learnable. We call this indexed family the *marked self-describing sets* and designate it by $\mathcal{MSD}$.
Fix $n \in {\mathbb N}$ and let learning machine $M$ and polynomial $p$ be such that $n = \langle m, p^*, i \rangle$, where $\phi_m = M$ and $i \in \{0,1\}$. Without loss of generality, we may assume that $p$ is increasing. Consider the situation where $M$ has access to the membership oracle for the singleton $\{ \langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle \}$ and define a computable function $q$ such that, for $\ell \in \mathbb N$, $q(\ell)$ is the greatest number about which $M$ queries the oracle when it receives inputs which are substrings of $\langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle^{\ell}$. Note that $q$ is an increasing function. Define $F_n$ to be a member of ${\textsc{descriptors}}_0(n)$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
F_n \cap [0, q(p(\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle))] = \{ \langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle \}\label{msd-formula}\end{aligned}$$ and chosen according to a fixed algorithm so that $\mathcal{MSD} = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ is u.c.e.
First, we show that $\mathcal{MSD}$ is PRT\[T\]-learnable. We define a teacher $T$ as follows. If ${\mbox{content}(\sigma)}$ is not a descriptor, $T(\sigma)$ is the empty string. If $D = {\mbox{content}(\sigma)}$ describes $n$, then $T(\sigma) = \min(D)^i$ if $|\sigma| = |\sigma_0| + i$ where $\sigma_0$ is the shortest intial segment of $\sigma$ whose content contains $D$ and $i < n$; if $i = n$ then $T(\sigma) = \min(D)^n$. Having output $\min(D)$ $n$ times, $T$ proceeds by enumerating $D$ in decreasing order. Let $M$ be a machine that reads the output of $T$ and returns the number of elements in the output of $T$. The teacher-learner pair learns $\mathcal{MSD}$ and the run-time of the learner is linear in the index of the target.
We now show that $\mathcal{MSD}$ is not PRT\[O\]-learnable. To prove that $\mathcal{MSD}$ is not PRT\[O\]-learnable, fix a learner $M = \phi_m$, an increasing polynomial $p$ encoded by $p^*$, $n_0 = \langle m, p^*, 0 \rangle$ and $n_1 = \langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle$. If $M$ PRT\[O\]-learns $\mathcal{MSD}$ with polynomial bound $p$, then it must succeed at identifying $F_{n_0}$ and $F_{n_1}$ within $p(n_1) \geq p(n_0)$ computation stages. Choose $T_0$ and $T_1$ to be any enumerations of $F_{n_0}$ and $F_{n_1}$, respectively, which have $\langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle^{p(n_1)}$ as an initial segment. When trying to identify $T_0$ and $T_1$, the learner must reach its final hypothesis before finding any elements of the target sets, $F_{n_0}$ and $F_{n_1}$, other than $\langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle$. Whatever hypothesis $M$ converges to before completing the $p(n_1)$ length initial segment of either enumeration cannot code both sets. Thus, $M$ fails to learn at least one of the two sets. Since $M$ and $p$ were chosen arbitrarily we conclude that $\mathcal{MSD}$ is not PRT\[O\]-learnable.
\[not-prt-t\] If $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ is an indexed family, $p$ a polynomial and there are indices $a, b_0, b_1, \ldots b_{p(a)-1}$ such that $F_{b_0} \subset F_{b_1} \subset \ldots \subset F_{p(a)-1} \subset F_a$, then $\mathcal F$ is not PRT\[T\]-learnable with polynomial bound $p$.
Let $\mathcal F$, $p$, $a$ and $b_0, \ldots, b_{p(a)-1}$ be as in the statement and let $(M, T)$ be an arbitrary learner-teacher pair. Let $\sigma_0$ be an initial segment of an enumeration of $F_{b_0}$ on which $M \circ T$ outputs an index for $F_{b_0}$ (if no such $\sigma_0$ exists, then $(M, T)$ has already failed to learn $\mathcal F$). Given $\sigma_n$, an initial segment of an enumeration of $F_{b_n}$ for $n < p(a)-1$, define $\sigma_{n+1}$ to be an initial segment of an enumeration of $F_{b_{n+1}}$ extending $\sigma_n$ on which $(M, T)$ outputs an index for $F_{b_{n+1}}$. Again, if no such extension can be found, then $M$ has failed to learn $\mathcal F$. Let $T$ be an enumeration of $F_a$ which has $\sigma_{p(a)-1}$ as an initial segment. Since $M$ changes hypothesis at least $p(a)$ times on $\sigma_{p(a)-1}$, either $M$ fails to identify $T$ or the runtime of the learner cannot be bounded by $p(a)$.
\[prt-o-not-t\] There is a PRT\[O\]-learnable indexed family that is not PRT\[T\]-learnable. We call this indexed family the *column self-describing sets* and designate it by $\mathcal{CSD}$.
Define $$\begin{aligned}
a_n = n + 1 + \sum_{i = 0}^{n-1} p_i(a_i),\label{csd-formula-1}\end{aligned}$$ where $p_i$ is the polynomial such that $p_i^* = i$. Fix $n \in {\mathbb N}$ and define $A_n = [0, a_n]\otimes\{p_n(a_n)\} \allowbreak\cup \bigcup_{i < p(a_n)} [0, a_n+i]\otimes\{i\}$ and $B_{n,i} = \bigcup_{j \leq i} [0,a_n+j]\otimes\{j\}$, for $i < p(a_n)$. Finally, define $F_n = A_i$ if $n = a_i$ and $F_n = B_{i,j}$ if $n = a_i + j$ where $j < p_i(a_i)$. Let $\mathcal{CSD} = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$. To PRT\[O\]-learn $\mathcal{CSD}$, define $M$ to be a learning machine that uses the exponential query search algorithm to find the highest index non-empty column, queries about the members of the column, in increasing order, until the greatest element is found, and returns the value of this element. Since the number of queries involved is polynomially bounded in $e$, $M$ witnesses the desired learnability.
Since $B_{n,0} \subset B_{n,1} \subset \cdots \subset B_{n,p(a_n)-1} \subset A_n$, for each polynomial, $p$, there is a subfamily of $\mathcal F$ that cannot be PRT\[T\]-learned with efficiency bound $p$. Thus, $\mathcal F$ is not PRT\[T\]-learnable.
Finally, we wish to distinguish PRT\[T,O\]-learning from both PRT\[T\]-learning and PRT\[O\]-learning.
\[prt-to-not-t-o\] There is an indexed family which is PRT\[T,O\]-learnable, but neither PRT\[T\]-learnable nor PRT\[O\]-learnable.
To prove the claim, we must combine the strategies used in the proofs of Lemma \[prt-t-not-o\] and Lemma \[prt-o-not-t\]. Define $F_n$ exactly as the members of $\mathcal{MSD}$ are defined except we modify formula (\[msd-formula\]) to be $$F_n \cap [0, q(p(3\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle))] = \{ \langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle \}.$$ We also define $G_n$ exactly as the members of $\mathcal{CSD}$ are defined except that we replace formula (\[csd-formula-1\]) by $$a_n = 3(n + 1) + \sum_{i = 0}^{n-1} p_i(3a_i)$$ Finally, we define $\mathcal H = {\{H_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ where $$H_n = \begin{cases}
G_i &\mbox{if } n = 2i\\
F_i &\mbox{if } n = 2i+1
\end{cases}.$$ We will show that $\mathcal H = {\{H_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ is PRT\[T,O\]-learnable, but neither PRT\[T\]-learnable nor PRT\[O\]-learnable. To PRT\[T,O\]-learn $\mathcal H$, let $M$ be a learner which first determines if the target set contains 0 using an oracle query. If the target does, then $M$ proceeds as the PRT\[O\]-learner in the proof of Lemma \[prt-o-not-t\], multiplying the hypotheses output by that learner by 2. If the target does not contain 0, then $M$ proceeds as the PRT\[T\]-learner in the proof of Lemma \[prt-t-not-o\], multiplying the hypotheses output by that learner by 2 and adding 1. $M$ PRT\[T,O\]-learns $\mathcal H$ with only a linear decrease in efficiency compared to the two learners from the previous Lemmas.
To see that $\mathcal H$ is neither PRT\[O\]-learnable nor PRT\[T\]-learnable, observe that the proofs of Lemmas \[prt-t-not-o\] and \[prt-o-not-t\] suffice to show that $\mathcal H$ contains two indexed subfamilies, one of which fails to be PRT\[O\]-learnable and the other fails to be PRT\[T\]-learnable.
For clarity, we summarize the results of Section \[prt-sec\] in the following theorem.
1. $PRT \subset PRT[O] \subset PRT[T,O]$,
2. $PRT \subset PRT[T] \subset PRT[T,O]$,
3. $PRT[O] \setminus PRT[T] \neq \emptyset$,
4. $PRT[T] \setminus PRT[O] \neq \emptyset$.
All of the claims in the statement follow from Lemmas \[prt-t-not-o\], \[prt-o-not-t\] and \[prt-to-not-t-o\] and Proposition \[prt-t-o\].
Polynomial Size Dataset
=======================
\[psd-def\] An indexed family, $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$, is *polynomial size dataset learnable* (*PSD-learnable*) if there is a machine $M$ and a polynomial $p$ such that for any enumeration $f$ of $F \in \mathcal F$, $M$ converges to a correct index on an initial segment $f {\upharpoonright}n$ such that $|\{ f(x) : x < n \}| < p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$. If an oracle is accessed, oracle use must also be bounded by $p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$.
Note that oracle use bounds both the queries to which the oracle reponds in the positive and those to which it responds in the negative. We shall apply Definition \[def-teacher-oracle\] to Definition \[psd-def\] much as we did in the case of Definition \[prt-def\].
$\text{PSD} \subseteq \text{PSD}[O] \subseteq \text{PSD}[T,O]$ and $\text{PSD} \subseteq \text{PSD}[T] \subseteq \text{PSD}[T,O]$.
The claim follows from the definitions of PSD, PSD\[T\], PSD\[O\] and PSD\[T,O\].
Unlike PRT-learning, there are non-trivial PSD-learnable indexed families.
\[psd-ex\] Let $\mathcal F$ be an indexed family containing all the finite sets such that ${\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)} = \langle |F|, e \rangle$, where $e$ is the canonical code for $F$. $\mathcal F$ is PSD-learnable by the learning machine $M$ where $M(a_0 \cdots a_n) = \langle |{\mbox{content}(a_0 \cdots a_n)}|,a \rangle$, where $a$ is the canonical code ${\mbox{content}(a_0 \cdots a_n)}$.
\[psd-t-o-not-ex\] Let $F_n = [0, 2^n]$. $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$ is PSD\[O\]-learnable by a learning machine that uses the exponential query search algorithm to find the greatest element. $\mathcal F$ is PSD\[T\]-learnable by the pair $(M,T)$ where $M(a_0^{k_0}, \ldots, a_{n-1}^{k_{n-1}}) = k_0$ and $T(a_0 \cdots a_{k+1}) = a_0^n a_1 \ldots, a_{k+1}$ if $2^n \leq \max\{a_0, \ldots, a_{k+1}\} < 2^{n+1}$ and $\max\{a_0, \ldots, a_{k}\} \allowbreak< 2^n$. $\mathcal F$ is not PSD-learnable as the learner may be forced to receive $2^{n-1}$ distinct elements before converging to a correct hypothesis.
\[psd-t-not-o\] There is an indexed family which is PSD\[T\]-learnable, but not PSD\[O\]-learnable.
We prove the claim using a strategy similar to that used in the proof of Lemma \[prt-t-not-o\]. Following the notation established in the proof, the only differences are that we define $q(\ell)$ to be the maximum number about which $M$ queries the oracle when it receives inputs which are substrings $\langle 0,1,1,0 \rangle \langle 2,1,1,0 \rangle \cdots \langle 2\ell,1,1,0 \rangle$, given the oracle for $\{ \langle 2i,1,1,0 \rangle : i \leq \ell \}$, and that we define $F_n$ to be a member of ${\textsc{descriptors}}_0(n)$ such that $$F_n \cap [0, q(p(\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle))] = \{ \langle 2i,1,1,0 \rangle : i \leq p(\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle) \}.$$ Let $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$. The proof that $\mathcal F$ is PSD\[T\]-learnable is exactly the same as the proof that $\mathcal{MSD}$ is PRT\[T\]-learnable. That $\mathcal F$ is not PSD\[O\]-learnable follows from the observation that for abitrary $M = \phi_m$, $M$ cannot distinguish between $F_{\langle m, p^*, 0 \rangle}$ and $F_{\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle}$ on increasing enumerations without receiving more than $p(\langle m, p^*, 1 \rangle)$ elements of an enumeration of the target.
1. $\text{PSD} \subset \text{PSD[O]} \subset \text{PSD[T,O]}$,
2. $\text{PSD} \subset \text{PSD[T]} \subset \text{PSD}[T,O]$,
3. $\text{PSD[O]} \setminus \text{PSD[T]} \neq \emptyset$,
4. $\text{PSD[T]} \setminus \text{PSD[O]} \neq \emptyset$.
By Lemma \[psd-t-not-o\] and Example \[psd-t-o-not-ex\], we need only prove that $\text{PSD[O]} \setminus \text{PSD[T]} \allowbreak \neq \emptyset$ and $\text{PSD[T]} \cup \text{PSD[O]} \subset \text{PSD[T,O]}$.
Observe that the proof of Lemma \[not-prt-t\] demonstrates that an indexed family meeting the hypotheses of the lemma is not PSD\[T\]-learnable. Thus, Lemma \[prt-o-not-t\] proves that $\mathcal{CSD} \in \text{PSD[O]} \setminus \text{PSD[T]}$.
Following the proof of Lemma \[prt-to-not-t-o\], merging the families constructed in Lemmas \[psd-t-not-o\] and \[prt-o-not-t\] with suitable modifications produces an indexed family which is PSD\[T,O\]-learnable, but neither PSD\[T\]-learnable nor PSD\[O\]-learnable.
It follows from the definitions that $\text{PRT} \subseteq \text{PSD}$, $\text{PRT[O]} \subseteq \text{PSD[O]}$, $\text{PRT[T]} \subseteq \text{PSD[T]}$ and $\text{PRT[T,O]} \subseteq \text{PSD[T,O]}$. With the following theorem, we show that all three of these containments are strict.
$\text{PSD} \setminus \text{PRT}[T,O] \neq \emptyset$
Let $K$ denote the halting problem. Define $\mathcal F = \{F_0, F_1, \ldots \}$ where
- $F_{2i+1} = \{2i\}$ if $i \not\in K$ and $F_{2i+1} = \{2i, 2i+1\}$ if $i \in K$.
- $F_{2^{2^i}} = \{2i, 2i+1\}$.
- For all even numbers $2i \neq 2^{2^k}$ for some $k$, $F_{2i} =\emptyset$.
That $\mathcal F$ is $\text{PSD}$-learnable is witnessed by the learner $M$ which outputs 6 on the empty string, outputs $2i+1$ on a string with one unique element which is $2i$ and outputs $2^{2^i}$ and any other string, if the string either contains $2i$ or $2i+1$. On the other hand, suppose that the learner-teacher pair, $(N, T)$, $\text{PRT[T]}$-learns $\mathcal F$ with polynomial bound $p$. Computing and returning $2^{2^i}$ cannot be done within $p(2i+1)$ computation steps for more than finitely many values of $i$; thus, for all but finitely many $i$, $i \not\in K$ if and only if $(\exists j)(N(T(2i\ (2i+1)^j))=2^{2^i})$. Since this would imply that $\overline{K}$ is $\Sigma_1^0$, we have arrived at a contradiction and must conclude that $\mathcal F \not\in \text{PRT}[T]$. Observe that the use of an oracle does not facilitate learning in this case and so we conclude that $\text{PSD} \setminus \text{PRT[T,O]} \neq \emptyset$.
Polynomial Mind Changes
=======================
An indexed family, $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$, is *polynomial mind-changes learnable* (*PMC-learnable*) if there is a machine $M$ and a polynomial $p$ such that for every enumeration $f$ of $F \in \mathcal F$, the hypothesis stream, $g$, generated by $M$ on $f$ satisfies $|\{ i : g(i) \neq g(i+1) \}| \leq p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$ and the only one that appears infinitely many times in $g$ is an index of $F$. If an oracle is accessed, oracle use must also be bounded by $p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$.
We begin with an example exhibiting three PMC-learnable indexed families.
Let $\mathcal F$ be an indexed family containing all the finite sets such that ${\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)} = \langle |F|, e \rangle$, where $e$ is the canonical code for $F$. $\mathcal F$ is PMC-learnable as witnessed by the learning machine $M$ such that $M(a_0 \cdots a_k) = \langle |{\mbox{content}(a_0, \ldots, a_k)}|, e \rangle$, where $e$ is the canonical code for the finite set of distinct elements in $a_0, \ldots, a_k$. On any enumeration of a finite set, $F$, $M$ will change its hypothesis at most $|F|$ times.
Let $\mathcal F = {\{F_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$, where $F_n = [0, 2^n]$. $\mathcal F$ is PMC-learnable. Define $M$ such that $M(\sigma)$ is a code for $[0, 2^s]$, where $s$ is the least integer greater than or equal to $\log_2(\max(\sigma))$.
$\mathcal{MSD}$ is PMC-learned by a learning machine that waits until a descriptor has appeared in the enumeration and then outputs the number the descriptor describes.
\[pmc-t\] $\text{PMC[T]} = \text{PMC} = \text{PSD[T]}$ and $\text{PMC[T,O]} = \text{PMC[O]}$.
Fix an arbitrary indexed family $\mathcal F$. If $(M, T)$ PMC\[T\]-learns $\mathcal F$, then $M \circ T$ PMC-learns $\mathcal F$. Since every PMC-learnable indexed family is also PMC\[T\]-learnable, $\text{PMC} = \text{PMC[T]}$. Similarly, $\text{PMC[T,O]} = \text{PMC[O]}$.
Suppose $(M, T)$ PSD\[T\]-learns $\mathcal F$ and define $M^*$ such that $M^*(a_0 \cdots a_{k+1}) = \allowbreak M \circ T(a_0 \cdots \allowbreak a_{k+1})$ when $T(a_0 \cdots a_{k+1}) \neq T(a_0 \cdots a_k)$ and $M^*(a_0 \cdots a_{k+1}) = \allowbreak M^*(a_0 \cdots a_{k})$, otherwise. Since $(M, T)$ PSD\[T\]-learns $\mathcal F$, the number of distinct elements that $T$ outputs before $M\circ T$ converges to a correct hypothesis is polynomially bounded, hence $M^*$ changes hypothesis a polynomially bounded number of times. Thus, $\mathcal F \in \text{PMC}$
Define functions $f$ and $g$ such that $f(\sigma) = |\sigma|$ and $g(n, x) = x^n$, the string $x$ repeated $n$ times. Suppose $M$ PMC-learns $\mathcal F$. Define $T$ such that $T(\sigma) = g(M(\sigma), \min(\sigma))$ if $M(\sigma)$ is different from $M(\tau)$ for all $\tau \prec \sigma$. $T(\sigma)$ is undefined otherwise. $(f, T)$ PSD\[T\]-learns $\mathcal F$ because it converges to a correct hypothesis after reading a polynomially bounded number of outputs from $T$.
$\text{PMC} = \text{PMC[T]} \subset \text{PMC[O]} = \text{PMC[T,O]}$
The proof of Lemma \[not-prt-t\] implies that indexed families which meet the hypotheses are not PMC-learnable. Thus, $\mathcal{CSD}$ is PMC\[O\]-learnable, but not PMC-learnable. By Theorem \[pmc-t\], $\text{PMC} = \text{PMC[T]}$ and $\text{PMC[T]} = \text{PMC[T,O]}$. Hence, the desired claims are true.
Polynomial Size Characteristic Sample
=====================================
An indexed family, $\mathcal F$, is *polynomial size characteristic sample learnable* (*PCS-learnable*) if there is a machine $M$, a polynomial $p$ and a family $\mathcal H$ such that for each $F \in \mathcal F$, there is a corresponding $H \in \mathcal H$ such that $|H| < p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$ and if $f$ is an enumeration of $F$, then $M$ outputs the same encoding of $F$ on every initial segment of $f$ whose content includes $H$. If an oracle is accessed, oracle use must also be bounded by $p({\textsc{mi}_{\mathcal F}(F)})$.
\[pcs-o\]
1. $\text{PCS[O]} \setminus \text{PCS[T]} \neq \emptyset$,\[pcso-minus-pcst\]
2. $\text{PCS[T]} \setminus \text{PCS[O]} \neq \emptyset$ and\[pcst-minus-pcso\]
3. $\text{PCS[T,O]} \setminus (\text{PCS[T]} \cup \text{PCS[O]}) \neq \emptyset$.\[pcsto-minus-pcst-and-pcso\]
Define $G_0 = {\mathbb N}$, $G_{n} = [0, n]$ for $n > 0$, and $\mathcal G = {\{G_{n}\}_{n \in {\mathbb N}}}$. $\mathcal F$ is PCS\[O\]-learned by $M$, where $M(a_0 \cdots a_n) = 0$ if the answer to a query about $\max \{a_0, \ldots , a_n \} + 1$ is <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">true</span> and is a code for $[0, \max \{a_0, \ldots , a_n \}]$ otherwise. Since any string, $\sigma$, can either be extended to an enumeration of $G_0 = {\mathbb N}$ or to an enumeration of $G_n = [0, n]$ for any $n \geq \max({\mbox{content}(\sigma)})$, no learner-teacher pair can PCS-learn $\mathcal G$. Thus, we have proved \[pcso-minus-pcst\].
Fix $k$ and suppose that $k = \langle n, p^* \rangle$, where $p$ is an increasing polynomial, and let $M$ be the learner coded by $n$. Define $E_k$ to be a c.e. subset of $[2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}]$ that satisfies three conditions.
- $2^{2k+1}+1 \in E_k$.
- $|E_k| = p(2k+1)+1$.
- For any enumeration, $f$, of $[2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}]$, if $E_k \subset f{\upharpoonright}i$ for some $i \leq p(2k+1)$, then $M(f{\upharpoonright}j) = 2k$ for $i \leq j \leq p(2k+1)$.
If no such set exists, let $E_k = \emptyset$. If $E_k \neq \emptyset$, we define a set $D_k$ satisfiying the following conditions.
- $|D_k| = 2p(2k+1)+1$.
- $E_k \subset D_k \subset [2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}]$.
- $D_k$ includes the first $p(2k+1)$ members of $[2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}]$ about which $M$ queries the oracle on a fixed uniformly computable enumeration of $E_k$.
If $E_k = \emptyset$, then $D_k = \emptyset$. To prove \[pcst-minus-pcso\], define $\mathcal F = \{F_0, F_1, \ldots \}$ where $F_{2k} = [2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}]$ and $F_{2k+1} = D_k \cup \{2^{2k+1} + 1\}$. Observe that for any oracle learner, $M$, and polynomial, $p$, there is a $k$ such that either
- there is an enumeration of $F_{2k+1}$ on which $M$ converges to $2k$ or $M$ makes more than $p(2k+1)$ oracle queries, or
- $M$ does not have a characteristic sample for $F_{2k}$ of size at most $p(2k)$.
Thus, $\mathcal F$ is not $\text{PCS[O]}$-learnable. On the other hand, consider the learner, $M$, and teacher, $T$, defined as follows. Once a number of the form $2^{2k+1}+1$ appears in the enumeration, $T$ outputs $2^{2k+1}+1$. Using $k$, $T$ then determines a natural number, $n$, and polynomial, $p$, such that $k = \langle n, p \rangle$. The teacher outputs no further numbers until the distinct elements of the enumeration exceeds $2p(2k+1) + 1$. At this point, $T$ outputs $2^{2k+1} + 2$. Simultaneously, $T$ calculates $D_k$. If $D_k$ is nonempty, then $T$ outputs the least element of $[2^{2k+1} + 1, 2^{2k+2}] \setminus D_k$ if it appears in the enumeration. $M$ returns $2k+1$ if $T$ has output only one element and returns $2k$ if $T$ has output two or more elements. The learner-teacher pair $\text{PCS[T]}$-learns $\mathcal F$, proving \[pcst-minus-pcso\].
We prove \[pcsto-minus-pcst-and-pcso\] by combining the two families defined above into one family: define $\mathcal H = \{G_0 \otimes \{0\}, F_0 \otimes \{1\}, G_1 \otimes \{0\}, F_1 \otimes \{1\}, \ldots\}$. Were $\mathcal H$ $\text{PCS[O]}$-learnable, that would imply that $\mathcal F$ is $\text{PCS[O]}$-learnable; similarly, if $\mathcal H$ were $\text{PCS[T]}$-learnable then $\mathcal G$ would also be $\text{PCS[T]}$-learnable. That $\mathcal H$ is $\text{PCS[T,O]}$-learnable is witnessed by a learner-teacher pair (with access to an oracle) that first waits to see whether the enumeration contains elements of the form $\langle n, 0 \rangle$ or $\langle n, 1 \rangle$ and applies the appropriate learning algorithm as defined above.
The final theorem of this paper illustrates some of the relationships between $\text{PCS}$-learning and the other three types of polynomial-bounded learning.
1. $\text{PMC} \setminus \text{PCS} \neq \emptyset$.\[pmc-not-pcs\]
2. $\text{PSD} \subset \text{PCS}$.\[psd-sub-pcs\]
3. $\text{PCS}\setminus \text{PMC} \neq \emptyset$.\[pcs-minus-pmc\]
Observe that the family, $\mathcal F$, defined in the proof of Theorem \[pcs-o\] is also $\text{PMC}$-learnable. Consider a learner, $M$, which attempts to compute $D_k$ and returns 0 until a number of the form $2^{2k+1} + 1$ appears in the enumeration. If this is the only number in the enumeration, then $M$ outputs $2k+1$. $M$ also outputs $2k + 1$ if $M$ succeeds in computing $D_k$ and every element of the enumeration is in $D_k \cup \{2^{2k+1} + 1\}$. Otherwise, $M$ outputs $2k$. Since $\mathcal F \not\in \text{PCS}$, we have proved \[pmc-not-pcs\].
We prove \[psd-sub-pcs\] in two parts. First, suppose that $M$ $\text{PSD}$-learns a family $\mathcal G = \{G_0, G_1, \ldots \}$ with polynomial bound $p$. Let $C_i$ denote the first at most $p(i)$ elements of $G_i$. Define $M^*$ such that $M^*(\sigma) = M(\tau)$, where $\tau$ lists the distinct elements of $\sigma$ in increasing order. Since $M$ must $\text{PSD}$-learn $G_i$ on the increasing enumeration, $C_i$ must be a characteristic sample for $M^*$ on $G_i$. Thus, $\text{PSD} \subseteq \text{PCS}$. Now, consider $\mathcal A = \{A_0, A_1, \ldots \}$ where $A_n = \{n\} \oplus {\mathbb N}$. Consider the string $\alpha_k$ consisting of the odd numbers from $1$ to $2k+1$. For any member of $\mathcal A$, there is an enumeration that begins with $\alpha_k$. Consequently, $\mathcal A$ is not $\text{PSD}$-learnable. Conversely, each member of $\mathcal A$ has a characteristic sample of size $1$. We conclude that $\text{PSD} \subset \text{PCS}$.
Given $n \in {\mathbb N}$, there are unique $i_n$ and $k_n$ such that $n = i_n + 2^{k_n}$ and $1 \leq i_n \leq 2^{k_n}$. Define $\mathcal G = \{ G_0, G_1, \ldots \}$ where $G_{2n} = \{n\}\oplus[0, 2^n]$ and $G_{2n+1} = \{k_n\}\oplus[0, i_n]$. In order to $\text{PCS}$-learn $\mathcal F$, we define a learner $M$ as follows. Let $\sigma$ be an arbitrary string of natural numbers. If $\sigma$ contains no odd numbers or contains no even numbers, define $M(\sigma) = 0$. Otherwise, let $2n$ be the least even number in $\sigma$ and let $2m+1$ be the greatest odd number. $M(\sigma) = 2n$ if $m = 2^n$ and $M(\sigma) = 2k + 1$, where $k = m + 2^n$, if $m \neq 2^n$. Each member of $\mathcal G$ has a characteristic sample of size 2 for $M$, thus, $M$ $\text{PCS}$-learns $\mathcal G$. Conversely, suppose that $N$ $\text{PMC}$-learns $\mathcal G$. For each $n, i, a_1, a_2, \ldots, a_{i-1}$ and $k = i + 2^n$, there is an $a_i$ such that $N(2n\ 1\ 3^{a_1}\ 5^{a_2} \ldots (2i-1)^{a_{i-1}}\ (2i+1)^{a_i}) = 2k+1$. Thus, for any polynomial there is an $n$ such that $p(2n) < 2^n$ and an enumeration of $G_{2n}$ on which $N$ outputs $2^n$ different hypotheses. We have proved \[pcs-minus-pmc\].
Acknowledgements
================
The authors could like to thank the anonymous referee for numerous useful comments and suggestions.
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In martial arts training students move from “awareness” (Stance 1) to “on-guard” (Stance 2). We use the Japanese word kamaete in class for the idea of moving to a defensive, on-guard stance. Kamaete in Yon Ch’uan begins with the principle of Yield and Clear. We “yield” to oncoming force and “clear” the midline. At the same time we are yielding and clearing, we are also initiating Contact, Control and Counter. We yield and overcome aggression through the redirection of force, restraints and submission holds, evasion, absorption, reflection and escapes.
In Grace Martial Arts classes we train students to yield, clear, contact, control and counter in less than two seconds. The ultimate goal is to perform all five defensive movements in two seconds or less. Why so fast? Because responses to attacks that take longer than 2-5 seconds often result in serious injury to the person being attacked. We say that the most important 5 seconds in self defense are those seconds immediately following the beginning of an attack.
The idea of “standing fast” in self defense does not necessarily mean a set position with no movement. Standing fast is the process of persevering and enduring an attack. We want our students to escape from danger effectively and efficiently – with the least chance of defeat.
The ability to “stand fast” spiritually is to have the strength to face opposition to your faith and not be moved. Opposition may come from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers or strangers. Stance 1 (alertness, awareness, being on-guard for possible attack at all times) is the best spiritual defense, but when we do come under attack we need to be ready to persevere and endure.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of Paul’s advice about standing fast.
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Ephesians 6:10-20
“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.” Philippians 1:27-28
“Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.” Philippians 4:1
“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” Colossians 4:12
“Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.” 2 Thessalonians 2:15
Here’s Paul’s list for Stance 2. We encourage you to print it, tape it where you will see it several times a day, and ask God to give you the courage to do it.
- Stand in God’s Grace
- Stand in the Gospel
- Stand in Faith
- Stand in Freedom
- Stand against the Tricks of Satan
- Stand in the Evil Day
- Stand in Truth and Righteousness
- Stand in One Spirit
- Stand in the Lord
- Stand in Maturity and Completeness
- Stand in Paul’s Teaching
In Christ’s Love and Grace, | https://gracemartialarts.com/2013/05/12/five-stances-of-christian-martial-arts-stance-2/ |
In a world where email and online communication are prevalent, powerful written contents make the difference. Struggling on what particular content to post in blogs? Don’t worry because other writers feel the same way too.
Are there any tools that could contribute to having the best written work apart from spelling and grammar checker? The answer is yes but it will all start from incorporating helpful and specific tips to make article writing better.
For the article writer, following these is important:
1. Start writing by telling a story.
This is one way of establishing one’s written work. A good example would be starting the article with a tale to illustrate the point and to show the readers what it is all about. From there, develop a particular scene and situation where people could agree and relate with what’s happening in the story.
2. Ever wonder why stories are effective article builders?
It’s because people can relate to them most of the time. Whether it’s based from an experience or just pure observations, people will always agree with the facts that were used to point out something. Another thing is that, they can capture the readers’ attention. To top it all, stories are memorable same as photographs. No matter how stories are being told over and over again, people still don’t bother listening to them. No wonder why great writers of today draw more readers in. By adding details, specifics and color to the story, fictional and non-fictional stories always become a hit.
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Apart from stories, another way of establishing an article is through asking a question. Whether an article starts with a question that seeks for a terrifying or an exciting answer, the readers will always be curious about it. After all, people have different take on an issue.
And sometimes, the question in the beginning of an essay or an article doesn’t require an answer. Added thoughts are already enough to address the question.
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The First person narrative is good for readers to establish relationship with the writer. Second person narrative is perfect for creating empathies but excessive use of it can make the writer bossy. Third person narrative focuses on actions or scenes from anonymous observers within a room. If an article writer feels that the contents are good but not resonating in a way he wants, he should have to re-write it from a different perspective or point of view. That way, he could know the trick in creating snappy written works the way he want.
5. Talk it all out.
Many people believe that for an article to be written, they have to go over each word count carefully and be selective on choosing the right words. Little do they know that one secret of writing better articles is to write naturally using the most comfortable language. Sometimes, thoughts to be written were generated from having a walk in a favorite park or chatting with a pal.
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It’s good to write about things that are obvious to himself because an article about his personal interests could make people who also share the same interests with him relate to it.
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Abstract thinking and clichés are prevalent across all types of writing but depending on the flow of writing, they can be painful to read sometimes. The solution for this is to be incredibly specific by starting on the details of the scene up to the description of who is that person, where he is going and what happens next. Keep in mind that anecdotes are less powerful than examples.
8. After writing an essay or article, go back and remove the beginning and the ending paragraph.
Why is there a need to remove the first and last portion of the paragraph? Usually, it’s because the paragraph’s body contains the “meatiest” portions and most writers spend time on establishing long introductions as well as conclusions. Try removing these parts and shorten it for a clear and more concise message.
9. Mimic some great writers’ style of writing.
It doesn’t necessarily mean to copy or reinvent their writing styles. Just save out a great essay from an admired writer and study how they write effectively by highlighting some parts of their writing. Later on, clues and patterns to better writing all come from particular words that these writers have used.
10. Writers should write less contents and link more thoughts.
It’s better to mention examples and emphasize their points. It is okay to add further contents if they can lead to a better conclusion or outcome.
11. Write regularly. Make writing a habit.
Don’t be discouraged when a short article usually takes about 4 to 5 hours to finish on the first attempt. Consistency is the key. Once it’s in an article writer’s system, everything is now easy.
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Chapter two - locating the field
This chapter will provide an overview of a number of related research areas that connect with learning design. In particular it will provide a description of a number of related research fields: pedagogical patterns, Open Educational Resources (OER), instructional design and learning sciences. It will attempt to show how these areas are related to but also distinct from learning design.
The context of modern education
Many are arguing that there is a need for a fundamental change in the way in which we design and support learning interventions. That traditional outcomes-based, assessment driven and standardised educational systems and processes do not meet the needs of today’s learners (Beetham & Sharpe, 2007; Borgeman, et al., 2008; Sharpe & Beetham, 2010). A number of triggers are evident. Firstly, there is the broader societal context within which educational sits. Giddens (Giddens, 1999), Castells (Castells, 2000) and others describe the networked and globalised nature of modern society, and the impact of the changing nature of society values (including the defragmentation of the family unit, polarised perspectives on secular vs. religion-based beliefs, changing roles for individuals and organisations).
Reigeluth (Reigeluth & Carr-chellman, 2009, p. 390) argues that we have seen a shift from the industrial to information age, where knowledge work has replaced manual labour as the predominant form of work. Within this context he argues that we need to place a greater emphasis on lifelong and self-directed learning. The greater complexity of modern society (both in terms of societal systems and technological tools) requires specific types of competences to make sense of and interact within this context, such as higher order thinking skills, problem solving, systems thinking and the ability to communicate, collaborate and interact effectively with others. Within this broader societal context there are a number of specific triggers influencing and shaping the context of modern education. Firstly, in terms of approaches to learning there has been a general shift away from individual, behaviourist approaches to those that are more authentic, contextual and social in nature. Constructivist and dialogic approaches have become more prevalent, with a rich set of empirically based case studies of applications of strategies such as problem-based learning, case-based scenarios and inquiry-based learning. Secondly, over the past thirty years or so technologies have had a steady, increasing impact on how learning is designed and supported, from the early days of programme instruction and computer-assisted learning packages through to the use of the Web and more recently Web 2.0 tools and services, online gaming environments, mobile devices and 3D environments such as SecondLife. As a consequence a body of research around the competences and skills needed to effective use and interact these new technologies has emerged. Terms such as digital literacies, information literacies, 21st Century literacies have been used, each with subtle nuances and different foci. However fundamentally the central issue is about the literacies needed to communicate with others and make sense of information (and more specifically how to do this in a digital context). Of particular note within this broader discourse, Jenkins et al. (Jenkins, 2009, p. 4) have identified twelve skills which they argue are necessary to interact in what they term this new participatory culture, namely – play, performance, simulation, appropriation, multitasking, distributed cognition, collective intelligence, judgment, transmedia navigation, networking and negotiation. The executive summary to the report states that ‘fostering such social skills and cultural competences requires a more systemic approach to media education’ (pg 4). This is at the heart of the learning design methodology approach outlined here. The aim is to present a more systematic approach to the educational design taking account of all the stakeholders involved in the process.
To sum up, because the context of modern education is rapidly changing, traditional approaches to the design and delivery of learning interventions are being challenged and may no longer be appropriate to meet the needs and expectations of modern learners. New pedagogies and innovative use of technologies seem to offer much promise in terms of providing new, exciting educational experiences for learners. However in reality there is little evidence of this happening. Educational innovations in both pedagogical approaches and innovative use of technologies remain the remit of educational innovators or early adopters, there is little evidence of mainstream adoption and indeed depressingly taken as a whole the majority of educational offerings are still based on fairly traditional approaches, with a primary focus on content and assessment of outcomes, delivered via traditional didactic approaches. See for example a recent review of the use of Web 2.0 tools in Higher Education (Grainne Conole & Alevizou, 2010).
The broader design perspective
The central argument of this book is that adopting a more principled, design-based approach to teaching and learning processes might offer a solution to enabling practitioners to make more informed choices about their creation of learning interventions and better use of good pedagogy and new technologies. Before outlining our learning design methodology, it is important first to consider the broader definition of what is meant by design practice and examples of how it is used in other disciplines.
Design theory refers to identifying methods (or models, techniques, strategies and heuristics) and when to use them. Reiguluth (Reigeluth & Carr-chellman, 2009, p. 7) argues that design theory is different from descriptive theory, in that it is goal oriented and normative. It identifies good methods for accomplishing goals, whereas descriptive theory describes cause-effect relationships. Arguably teachers need to develop both – design expertise through application of a design-based approach to the creation of learning interventions and descriptive expertise in terms of interpreting and understanding the learning that takes place. The learning design methodology described in this paper aims to facilitate the development of both approaches.
In this book I want to argue that we need a more formal design language for education, to make more explicit and sharable design intentions and to enable designers and users of designs to understand their context of use, their origins, and their intentions. This section provides a definition for the term design language and provides examples of how it is used in other professional domains.
Design is a key feature of many professions and in terms of specifically exploring the design aspects in an educational context. I would like to first consider design practices in related fields. I focus here in particular on three disciplines: Music, Architecture and Chemistry and describe how design approaches have been developed in each of these. I then summarise some of the key characteristics of design practice that emerge and explore the implications of these in terms of the application of design principles to an educational context.
It is worth beginning by comparing general language use with design language. Language is what people use for communicating information and ideas, design language is what designers use to communicate design plans, and intentions to each other. Cole, Engestrom and Vasques (Cole, Engeström, & Vasquez, 1997) argue that ‘the Languages used to a great extent shapes what can and cannot be thought and said’ (cited in (Gibbons & Brewer, 2005, p. 113)).
Design Languages can be used to both generate designs and as a mechanism for interpreting and discussing them. They are used in a range of professions, where there is a focus on developing a specific artefact of some kind. Examples include architecture, music composition, writing, choreography, mathematics and computer programming. With reference to the design of software systems, Winograd (Winograd, 1996) argues that design is not a static noun but about the activity of design. He identifies a number of important aspects: design as a conscious process, design as dialogue with materials, design as a creative process, design as a communicative process and design as social activity. He describes design languages as ‘visual and functional languages of communication with the people who use an artefact. A design language is like a natural language, both in its communicative function and in its structure as an evolving system of elements and relationships among those elements’ (Winograd, 1996, p. 64).
I now want to turn to some examples of how design languages are used in other professions. I will consider three examples – the development of musical notation, architectural designs and design in chemistry.
Musical notation captures abstract musical designs in the form of graphical, textual and symbolic representations. It is precise enough that a piece of music written by a composer from 300 or 400 hundred years ago can be accurately replayed. Early musical notations can be traced back to 2000 BC, but the standard notation used today is a relatively recent phenomenon, before its development, music had to be sung from memory. This severely limited the extent and reach of music, as well as resulting in a loss of fidelity of the original music as they changed from person to person memorising them. Musical notation went through a range of forms before settling on the notations we use today (Figure 1). The notation includes a complex set of instructions about not just the notes to be played and their sequence, but the timing, intonation and even some of the emotion embodied in the music.
Figure 1: Music notation
Architectural notation helps articulate and share an Architect’s origin vision behind the development of a building and make that explicit and sharable with others involved in the design and development of the building. Buildings are complex and 3-dimensional. Design decisions have to cover a range of factors, such as the layout of the building, the relationship between the different components, the types of materials, the nature of the surrounding situation of the site. Different designs are therefore needed to relate certain elements of the design to each other while ignoring others, and these allow the designer to see their creation from different perspectives. 3-D visual representations are often annotated with text and supplemented by tables of data. In recent years design representations in Architecture have being computerised with the emergence of sophisticated Computer Assisted Design tools. Arguably use of these CAD tools has influenced the practice of design, in addition to facilitating more effective sharing of designs.
Chemists use a number of design representations, from chemical symbols for individual atoms, through various visual representations for displaying molecules and chemical equations for the design of chemical synthesis and for explanation of particular chemical properties. As with music and architecture the design representations that have been developed closely mapped to the discipline itself and the key focus of interest. So Chemistry is fundamentally concerned with the properties and chemical behaviours of individual atoms and how these can combine in different ways to create molecules with different properties. 2-D representations are common (for example chemical equations) but 3-D representations are also useful and particularly valuable when looking at large molecules with complex typologies. As in architecture a number of computer-based tools have now been developed to enable drawing and manipulation of molecules. These can in some instances be based on real data, such as individual atomic coordinates of individual atoms and so are also powerful modelling tools.
Figure 2: Chemistry notations
Gibbons and Brewer (Gibbons & Brewer, 2005, p. 121) argue that once a notational system is established it can become i) a tool for remembering designs, ii) a structured problem-solving work space in which designs can take form and be shared, iii) a kind of laboratory tool for sharpening and multiplying abstract design language categories. Indeed in the examples cited above it is evident that there is a complex evolution of design languages and associated notations, and that this evolution is closely tied to the nature of the subject domain and what is of particular importance. So for music it is ensuring the accurate representations of the sounds in time, for architecture it is seeing the ways in which the different components connect and how they look overall and in chemistry it is about foregrounding the associated chemical properties and patterns of behaviour of the atoms and molecules.
Gibbons and Brewer (Gibbons & Brewer, 2005, p. 115) list a set of dimensions of design languages. The first is complexity, namely that design are merely partial representation of much more complex, and multifaceted ideas in our minds. The second is precision, there is a tension between the natural, fuzzy nature of real practice and tightly defined specification. This tension is very evident in an educational context as described later, in particular in the specification of formal technical learning designs that can be translated into machine-readable code and fuzzy, practice-based designs. The third is formality and standardisation, which refers to the importance of ensuring that terms used mean the same to all users. The fourth is the tension between personally created designs and those that are shared with others. Designs only become public or sharable through negotiation and interaction with others. Designs should never be seen as static artefacts and are always dynamic and co-constructed in context. The fifth is the tension between implicit, individual designs to those that are completely explicit with clearly defined terms and rules. Again this is a crucial issue in an educational context, where traditional teaching practice has been implicit and designs fuzzy. Shifting to more explicit and sharable designs requires a change of mindset and practice. Related to this are issues around standardisation vs. non-standardisation. In terms of these points, there is a tension with designs in terms of how much they focus on precise presentation, specification and how much on the more aesthetic, visionary aspects of the design. Derntl et al. (Derntl, Parish, & Botturi, 2008) consider this in an instructional design context, arguing that ‘On the one hand, solutions should be creative, effective and flexible; on the other hand, developers and instructors need precise guidance and details on what to do during development and implementation. Communication of and about designs is supported by design languages, some of which are conceptual and textual, and others more formal and visual.’ They present a case study where both a creative solution (“beauty”) and clear-cut details (“precision”) are sought. Finally there are issues around computability. Some languages are so formalised and precise that they can be converted into machine runnable code. Gibbons and Brewer (Gibbons & Brewer, 2005, p. 118) go on to argue that designs can be shared in two ways i) by a description that relies on natural language or ii) through a specialised notation system that uses figures, drawings, models or other standard symbolic representations to express the elements and relationship of the design.
Designs have a number of components. Firstly the context in which the design is created and used; i.e. a design carries with it a socio-cultural element – the background and context, both of the individual and the educational setting. Secondly the inherent beliefs of the designer; i.e. a design carries with it intentions, aspirations and beliefs. In a learning content this is the designer’s believes about what should be learnt and how it should be achieved. Donald and Blake (Donald, Blake, Girault, Datt, & Ramsay, 2009) see this inherent belief basis of teaching practice as a vital tool for unlocking and shifting practice. They have developed a learning design system, HEART (HEaring And Realising Teaching-voice), which aims to support teachers learning design practice by eliciting and depicting the pedagogical beliefs underpinning a learning design or a resource. In an educational context our implicit designs are based on a mix of theoretical concepts, prior examples, personal ideals and idiosyncratic opinions. Finally, designs should encourage reflection and should support iterative redesign and reuse.
Approaches to promoting good teaching practices
Having described design practice in a number of fields, this section looks explicitly at the ways in which learning and teaching innovations have been promoted and supported. It considers the strategies that have been used to scaffold teaching practice to ensure effective use of good pedagogy and to promote innovative use of new technologies. Whilst not intending to be exhaustive this section aims to give a flavour and overview of some of the approaches, before introducing learning design as an alternative approach. It is important to note that learning design as a methodology does not seek to replace these existing approaches, but instead intends to draw on them using a theoretical framework which focuses on the mediating artefacts used in learning and teaching. Learning design is intended to be a holistic approach, covering all stakeholders involved in the learning and teaching process.
The approaches discussed in this section are:
- Instructional Design
- Learning Sciences
- Learning Objects and Open Educational Resources
- Professional networks and support centres
Instructional Design
Instructional Design has a long history as an approach to systematically designing learning interventions. It has been defined as ‘The process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers often use technology and multimedia as tools to enhance instruction’ (Design, n.d.). Reiser (Reiser, 2001aa) defines Instructional Design as encompassing ‘the analysis of learning and performance problems, and the design, development, implementation, evaluation and management of instructional and non-instructional processes and resources intended to improve learning and performance in a variety of settings’. He identifies two practices that form the core of the field, i) the use of media for instructional purposes, ii) the use of systematic instructional design processes (Reiser, 2001b).
Instructional designers design instruction to meet learning needs for a particular audience and setting. Learning design, in contrast, as described later, takes a much broader perspective and sees design as a dynamic process, which is ongoing and inclusive, taking account of all stakeholders involved the teaching-learning process. Instructional Design tends to focus more on the designer as producers and learners as consumer. A number of key features characterise or help define Instructional Design as an approach.
Van Merrienboard and Boot (Van Merrienboer & Boot, 2005, p. 46) describe Instructional Design as an analytical pedagogical approach. This includes the development and evaluation of learning objectives. A key milestone was Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001; Bloom, 1956). In 1965 Gagné (Gagné, 1965) published his conditions of learning, describing five domains of learning outcomes (verbal information, intellectual skills, psychomotor skills, attitudes and cognitive strategies). He argued that each required a different set of conditions to promote learning. He also described nine events of instruction or teaching activities needed to support the attainment of the different learning outcomes. At the heart of the early instructional design work were three aspects: task analysis, objective specification and criterion-referenced testing. Since this early work, Instructional Design has developed in to a significant field and numerous instructional design models have been produced and evaluated. It is now a recognised professional discipline, with established masters-level courses providing a foundation on the fundamentals of the field. Instructional Design as an approach seeks to identify learning goals and through analysis of these goals deriving instructional methods to achieve them. This involves the development of a set of rules for employing instructional strategies to teach different content in different settings, with the rule set linking to conditions, instructional methods and learning outcomes. Instructional Design is also in essence a systems approach to instruction and instructional development, i.e. thinking systemically about instruction and seeing teachers, learners, content, etc. as components of a larger system.
Of particular note in the field is the work of David Merrill, who through a review and analysis of instructional design theories and methods devised a set of first principles for design (Merrill, 2009, p. 43), namely that learning is promoted where learners:
- engage in a task-centred instructional strategy (Task-centred Principle)
- activate relevant prior knowledge or experience (Activation Principle)
- observe a demonstration (Demonstration Principle)
- apply the new knowledge (Application Principle)
- integrate their new knowledge into their everyday world (Integration Principle).
The principles were an attempt to identify the fundamental principles of good instructional design. The central focus is on the tasks that the learners do, through activation, demonstration, application and integration. The principles have been extensively quoted and many of the models that have been subsequently developed explicitly map to them. In recent years work in Instructional Design has shifted to attempt to take a more explicit account of constructivist and socially situated approaches to learning.
Learning Sciences
Learning Sciences is an interdisciplinary field that emerged in the mid-nineties (Sawyer, 2006). It developed in part as a backlash against traditional notions of education, focusing on instructionism (Papert, 1993 cited in Sawyer, 2006) as the principle paradigm, namely that learning is about acquiring knowledge which consists of a collection of facts and procedures. Sutcliffe (Sutcliffe, 2003, p. 242) defines instructionism as ‘learning by telling and emphasizes delivery of content; in contrast, constructionist approaches emphasize learning by doing’. New research on learning suggested that this narrow perspective of learning was incorrect and that there was a need to take account of a number of additional factors: the importance of deep conceptual understanding, a focus on learning rather than just teaching, the creation of appropriate learning environments to foster learning, the need to build on prior learning and the importance of reflection (Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). Sawyer lists five key influences that underpin learning sciences: constructivism, cognitive science, educational technology, socio-cultural studies and studies of disciplinary knowledge. Learning sciences as a field is concerned with developing a scientific understanding of learning. This includes the design and implementation of learning innovations, and an aspiration to improve instructional methodologies. The real value in much of the learning sciences work is the rich, rigorous empirical studies which have been carried out, which collectively give us a much deeper understanding of authentic, learning in real contexts.
Learning Objects and Open Educational Resources
Interest in learning objects emerged in the early nineties, with the promise of creating digital resources that could be shared and reused. The term is contested and has been used to describe everything from raw digital assets up to whole integrated curricula. Wiley provides a succinct definition: Learning objects are educationally useful, completely self-contained chunks of content (Wiley, 2005, p. 2). They usually consist of three parts: educational objectives, instructional materials and an assessment component. (Littlejohn, Falconer, & McGill, 2008) identify four levels of granularity: i) digital assets – a single file, raw media asset, ii) information objects – structured aggregation of digital assets, iii) learning activities – tasks involving interactions with information to attend a specific learning outcome, iv) learning design – structure sequences of information and activities. A considerable body of research has been done into the development of tools for the creation and storing of Learning Objects. However despite the vision in terms of their potential to development an educational exchange economy, the degree of actual reuse is relatively low.
More recently a related field has emerged, namely the Open Educational Resource (OER) movement. Supported by organisations such at the Hewlett foundation and UNESO, the vision behind OER is to create free educational resources that can be shared and reused. (Wiley & Gurrell, 2009, p. 362) argues that OER are ‘learning objects whose intellectual property status is clearly and intentionally labelled and licensed such that designers are free to adapt, modify and redistributed them without the need to seek permission or pay royalties’. He goes on to state that OER have unlocked a new set of issues for design, namely those around how to repurpose resources for different local context, taking account of linguistic and cultural issues. A number of centres for promoting and researching the use of Learning Objects and OER have arisen, as well as a host of online repositories. The Globe repository for example acts a gateway to other learning object repositories.(http://globe-info.org/) . The Reuseable Learning Objects centre (http://www.rlo-cetl.ac.uk/) aims to design, share and evaluate learning objects and has produced a tool, GLO Maker for creating Learning Objects (http://www.glomaker.org/). With the rise of the Open Educational Resources movement in recent years not surprisingly a number of support centres and community sites have emerged. OpenLearn, alongside its repository of OER, created Labspace and provided a range of tools for fostering community engagement, such as a free tool for video conferencing (Flashmeeting) and a tool for visualisation (Compendium) (http://openlearn.open.ac.uk). The aim was to provide an environment for sharing of good practice and promoting the reuse of OER. LeMill is a web-based community for finding, authoring and sharing open educational practices (http://lemill.net/). Similarly, Connexions provides a space for educators and learner to use and reuse OER (http://www.oercommons.org/community/rice-university-connexions). Carnegie Mellon, through its Open Learning Initiative (http://www.oercommons.org/community/rice-university-connexions), adopts a more evidence-based approach. Finally, Carnegie Mellon and the Open University in the UK are developing a global network of support for researchers and users of OER, through Olnet (http://olnet.org/ ). Conole and McAndrew provide a brief history of the OER movement (G. Conole & McAndrew, 2010). However despite the wealth of OER repositories that are now available, evaluation of their use indicates that they are not being used extensively in teaching and there is even less evidence of them being reused (Petrides & Jimes, 2006). As such some research has begun to explore the practices around the creation, use and management of OER, with the view that if we can better identify and understand these practices we will be able to developed approaches to improve the uptake and reuse of the OER. This is the central focus of the OPAL project (http://oer-quality.org/), work to date has included a review of 60 case studies of OER initiatives and from these abstracted eight dimensions of Open Educational Practice (http://cloudworks.ac.uk/cloudscape/view/2087).
Professional networks and support centres
Finally, it is worth mentioning that over the past ten years or so a range of professional networks and support centres have emerged which have as part of their remit a role in promoting good practice. Some have a specific focus on technologies (for example the Association for Learning Technology), others are either focused on educational practices or subject disciplines (for example the Higher Education Academy subject centres). In addition it is relatively common now for institutions to have some form of specialist unit concerned with promoting good approaches to teaching and learning practice and to helping practitioners think about how they can use technologies more effectively. In addition to these support centres there is also an international network of researchers and developers interested in exploring the use of technologies in education. Many of these have associated journals, conferences, workshops and seminar series, as well as a range of mechanisms for connecting members virtual via mailing lists, forums and social networking tools. These networks and support centres provide a range of mechanisms for supporting practice – facilitation of workshops and conferences, online events and discussions spaces, repositories of resources and case studies of good practice.
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The source for the speed setpoint and additional setpoints can be freely selected through parameter settings, I.e. the setpoint source can be programmed as:
- Analog values 0 to +10 V, 0 to +20 mA, 4 to 20 mA
- Integrated motorized potentiometer
- Binectors with functions:
Fixed setpoint, inch, crawl
- Serial interfaces on basic unit
- Supplementary boards
The normalization is such that 100 % setpoint (product of main setpoint and additional setpoints) corresponds to the maximum motor speed.
The speed setpoint can be limited to a minimum or maximum value by means of a parameter setting or connector. Furthermore, “adding points” are included in the software to allow, for example, additional setpoints to be injected before or after the ramp-function generator. The “Setpoint enable” function can be selected with a binector. After smoothing by a parameterizable filter (PT1 element), the total setpoint is transferred to the setpoint input of the speed controller. The ramp-function generator is effective at the same time.
Actual speed value
One of four sources can be selected as the actual speed signal.
- Analog tachometer
The voltage of the tacho-generator at maximum speed can be between 8 and 270 V. The voltage/maximum speed normalization is set in a parameter.
- Pulse encoder
The type of pulse encoder, the number of marks per revolution and the maximum speed are set via parameters. The evaluation electronics are capable of processing encoder signals (symmetrical: With additional inverted track or asymmetrical: Referred to ground) up to a maximum differential voltage of 27 V.
The rated voltage range (5 V or 15 V) for the encoder is set in a parameter. With a rated voltage of 15 V, the SIMOREG converter can supply the voltage for the pulse encoder. 5 V encoders require an external supply. The pulse encoder is evaluated on the basis of three tracks, i.e. track 1, track 2 and zero marker. Pulse encoders without a zero marker may also be installed. The zero marker allows an actual position to be acquired. The maximum frequency of the encoder signals must not exceed 300 kHz. Pulse encoders with at least 1 024 pulses per revolution are recommended (to ensure smooth running at low speeds).
- Operation without tachometer and with closed-loop EMF control
No actual-value sensor is needed if the closed-loop EMF control function is employed. Instead, the converter output voltage is measured in the SIMOREG. The measured armature voltage is compensated by the internal voltage drop in the motor (I*R compensation). The degree of compensation is automatically determined during the current controller optimization run. The accuracy of this control method is determined by the temperature-dependent change in resistance in the motor armature circuit and equals approximately 5 %. In order to achieve greater accuracy, it is advisable to repeat the current controller optimization run when the motor is warm. Closed-loop EMF control can be employed if the accuracy requirements are not particularly high, if there is no possibility of installing an encoder and if the motor is operated in the armature voltage control range.
Caution: The drive cannot be operated in EMF-dependent field- weakening mode when this control method is employed.
- Freely selectable actual speed signal
Any connector number can be selected as the actual speed signal for this operating mode. This setting is selected in most cases if the actual speed sensor is implemented on a technological supplementary board. Before the actual speed value is transferred to the speed controller, it can be smoothed by means of a parameterizable smoothing (PT1 element) and two adjustable band filters. The band filters are mostly used in order to filter out resonant frequencies caused by mechanical resonance. The resonant frequency and filter quality can be selected.
Ramp-function generator
The ramp-function generator converts the specified setpoint after a step change into a setpoint signal that changes constantly over time. Ramp-up and ramp-down times can be set independently of one another. The ramp-function generator also features a lower and upper transition rounding (jerk limitation) which take effect at the beginning and end of the ramp time respectively.
All time settings for the ramp-function generator are mutually independent.
3 parameter sets are provided for the ramp-function generator times. These can be selected via binary selectable inputs or a serial interface (via binectors). The generator parameters can be switched over while the drive is in operation. The value of parameter set 1 can also be weighted multiplicatively via a connector (in order to change generator data by means of a connector). When ramp-function generator time settings of zero are entered, the speed setpoint is applied directly to the speed controller.
Speed controller
The speed controller compares the speed setpoint and actual value and, if these two quantities deviate, applies a corresponding current set point to the current controller (operating principle: Closed-loop speed control with subordinate current controller). The speed controller is a PI controller with additional selectable 0 component. A switchable speed droop can also be parameterized. All controller characteristics can be set independently of one another. The value of Kp (gain) can be adapted as the function of a connector signal (external or internal).
The P gain of the speed controller can be adapted as a function of actual speed, actual current, setpoint/actual value deviation or winding diameter.
To achieve a better dynamic response in the speed control loop, a feedforward control function can be applied by, for example, adding a torque setpoint quantity after the controller as a function of friction or drive moment of inertia. The friction and moment of inertia compensation values can be calculated in an automatic optimization run.
The output quantity of the speed controller directly after enabling can be set via a parameter.
Depending on how parameters are set, the speed controller can be bypassed and the converter operated under torque or current control. Furthermore, it is possible to switch between closed-loop speed control/closed-loop torque control in operation by means of selection function “Master/slave switch-over”. The function can be selected as a binary assignable-function terminal or a serial interface. The torque setpoint is applied by means of a selectable connector and can thus be supplied by an analog assignable-function terminal or a serial interface.
In “slave drive” operation (under torque or current control), a limiting controller is active. Here, the limiting controller can intervene on the basis of an adjustable, parameterized speed limit in order to prevent the drive from accelerating too far. In this case, the drive is limited to an adjustable speed deviation.
Torque limitation
Dependlng on parameterization, the speed controller output acts as either the torque setpoint or current setpoint. In closed-loop torque control mode, the speed controller output is weighted with machine flux F and then transferred as a current setpolnt to the current limitation. Torque-control mode is mostly used in conjunction field weakening so that the maximum motor torque can be limited Independently of speed.
The following functions are available:
- Independent setting of positlve and negative torque limits via parameters.
- Switchover of torque limit via binector as a function of a parameterizable changeover speed.
- Free input of torque limit by means of a connector, e.g. via analog input or serial interface.
The lowest input quantity is always applied as the current torque limit. Additional torque setpoints can be added after the torque limit.
Current limitation
The purpose of the current limitation set after the torque limit is to protect the converter and motor. The lowest input quantity is always applied as the current limit.
The following current limit values can be set:
- Independent setting of positive and negative current limits via parameters (setting of maximum motor current).
- Free input of current limit via a connector, e.g. from an analog input or serial interface.
- Separate setting of current limit via parameters for shutdown and fast stop.
- Speed-dependent current limitation: Parameters can be set to implement an automatically triggered, speed-dependent reduction in the current limitation at high speeds (commutation limit curve of motor).
- I2t monitoring of power section: The temperature of the thyristors is calculated for all current values. When the thyristor limit temperature is reached, the converter current is either reduced to rated DC current or the converter shut down with fault message, depending on how the appropriate response parameter is set. This function is provided to protect the thyristors.
Current controller
The current controller is a PI controller with mutually independent P gain and reset time settings. The P or I component can also be deactivated (to obtain pure P controller or pure I controller). The actual current is acquired on the three-phase AC side by means of current transformers and applied to the current controller after A/D conversion via a burden and rectifying circuit. The resolution is 10 bits for converter rated current. The current limiting output is applied as the current setpoint.
The current controller output transfers the firing angle to the gating unit, the feedforward control function acts in parallel.
Feedforward control
The feedforward control function in the current control loop improves the dynamic response of the control, allowing rise times of between 6 and 9 ms to be achieved in the current controlloop. The feedforward control operates as a function of the current setpoint and motor EMF and ensures that the necessary firing angle is transferred speedily to the gating unit, in both intermittent and continuous DC operation or when the torque direction is reversed.
Auto-reversing module
The auto-reversing module (only on converters for fourquadrant drives) acts in conjunction with the current control loop to define the logical sequence of all processes required to reverse the torque direction. One torque direction can be disabled by a parameter setting if necessary.
Gating unit
The gating unit generates the gate pulses for the power section thyristors in synchronism with the line voltage. Synchronization is implemented independently of the rotating field and electronics supply and is measured on the power section. The gating pulse position timing is determined by the output values of the current controller and feedforward control. The firing angle setting limit can be set in a parameter.
The gating unit is automatically adjusted to the connected line frequency within a frequency range of 45 to 65 Hz. | https://joliettech.com/products/dc-variable-speed-drives/simoreg-6ra70-siemens-variable-speed-dc-drive-description-and-base-drive-catalog-numbers/simoreg-6ra70-design-operation-closed-loop-functions-in-armature-circuit/ |
Vital rates describe the demographic traits of organisms and are an essential resource for wildlife managers to assess local resource conditions and to set objectives for and evaluate management actions. Endangered waterbirds on the Hawaiian Islands have been managed intensively at state and federal refuges since the 1970s, but with little quantitative research on their life history. Information on the vital rates of these taxa is needed to assess the efficacy of different management strategies and to target parts of the life cycle that may be limiting their recovery. Here, we present the most comprehensive data to date on the vital rates (reproduction and survival) of the Hawaiian gallinule Gallinula galeata sandvicensis, a behaviorally cryptic, endangered subspecies of wetland bird endemic to the Hawaiian Islands that is now found only on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu. We review unpublished reproduction data for 252 nests observed between 1979 and 2014 and assess a database of 1,620 sightings of 423 individually color-banded birds between 2004 and 2017. From the resighting data, we estimated annual apparent survival at two managed wetlands on O‘ahu using Cormack–Jolly–Seber models in program MARK. We found that Hawaiian gallinules have smaller mean clutch sizes than do other species in the genus Gallinula and that clutch sizes on Kaua‘i are larger than those on O‘ahu. The longest-lived bird in our dataset was recovered dead at age 7 y and 8 mo, and the youngest confirmed age at first breeding was 1 y and 11 mo. In 4 y of monitoring 14 wetland sites, we confirmed three interwetland movements on O‘ahu. In our pooled dataset, we found no statistically significant differences between managed and unmanaged wetlands in clutch size or reproductive success, but we acknowledge that there were limited data from unmanaged wetlands. Our best supported survival models estimated an overall annual apparent survival of 0.663 (95% CI = 0.572–0.759); detection varied across wetlands and study years. First-year survival is a key missing component in our understanding of the demography of Hawaiian gallinules. These data provide the foundation for quantitative management and assessment of extinction risk of this endangered subspecies.
Introduction
Vital rates, which include reproduction and survival rates, are the basic components of life tables and population models (Caughley 1977; Morris and Doak 2002). Quantifying vital rates is a priority for increasing the efficacy of species conservation and management (Tuljapurkar and Caswell 1997; Taylor et al. 2012). Specifically, vital rates are central to endangered species recovery planning because they are used for population viability analysis (Beissinger and Westphal 1998; Reed et al. 2002), they guide harvest rate assessments for sustainable resource management (Taylor et al. 1987), and vital rate sensitivity analysis is used to guide some management activities (Wisdom et al. 2000; Akçakaya et al. 2003; Reed et al. 2009). Reduction in vital rates can contribute to critical slowing down, which is an increase in recovery time to equilibrium after perturbation for populations in some nonlinear systems that are near a tipping point (Wissel 1984; Ghandi et al. 1998; also referred to as resilience, Holling 1973). It has been suggested that population growth rate, particularly within the context of recovery after a perturbation, might be an excellent metric for evaluating population health and might act as an early warning signal of impending collapse (Wissel 1984; Sibly and Hone 2002; van Nes and Scheffer 2007). Vital rates are also commonly used as indices of habitat quality (e.g., Todd and Rothermel 2006), particularly where the abundance of a species might otherwise be misleading (e.g., Hagan et al. 1996; Purcell and Verner 1998), but this should be done with caution because values for a population near carrying capacity that exhibits density-dependent growth might be difficult to interpret (Watkinson and Sutherland 1995). As such, vital rates are a major resource for a wildlife manager's toolbox by acting as a barometer for a population's overall condition and enabling quantitative analysis for evidence-based conservation and management.
The Hawaiian gallinule Gallinula galeata sandvicensis, an endangered subspecies of the common gallinule (Figure 1), is currently endemic to shallow, coastal freshwater wetlands on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i (Hawai‘i, USA). Hawaiian gallinules were reported as being common on all of the five main Hawaiian Islands during the 1890s (reviewed by Shallenberger 1977; Banko 1987), but they began exhibiting dramatic population declines and range retractions during the early 20th century. By 1947, the species was reported as extirpated from the island of Hawai‘i and as “precarious” on Maui, Moloka‘i, and O‘ahu (Schwartz and Schwartz 1949; Shallenberger 1977). Declines were driven by habitat loss and predation by introduced mammals (Griffin et al. 1989; Chang 1990). Hawaiian gallinules reached their lowest numbers in the early 1960s, with an estimated 57 individuals (Engilis and Pratt 1993), although visual survey methods are recognized as being underestimates because of the species' secretive nature, and early surveys did not incorporate their entire possible range (Shallenberger 1977; DesRochers et al. 2008). With legal protection as endangered (U.S. Department of the Interior 1967) under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA 1973, as amended) and active habitat and predator management, Hawaiian gallinules have since increased to an estimated 600 individuals, but the subspecies is still limited to two islands (Reed et al. 2011).
Hawaiian gallinules are considered to be conservation reliant because their wetland habitats require continual management to exclude exotic, invasive plants and predators (Reed et al. 2012; Underwood et al. 2013). In addition to constant vegetation management, trapping predators (e.g., small Indian mongoose Herpestes javanicus) and careful management of water levels to prevent flooding and create breeding and feeding habitat are common activities in Hawaiian waterbird conservation (VanderWerf 2012). Although Hawaiian gallinules persist in small numbers in relict and artificial wetland habitats (e.g., golf course water hazards, lotus Nelumbo nucifera farms, water features in gardens) on both islands, managed and protected wetlands at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge (JCNWR) and Hamakua Marsh on O‘ahu and Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua‘i are current strongholds for the subspecies (U.S. Fish and Wildlfe Service [USFWS] 2011). Threats to the subspecies are similar on the two islands, but with some notable differences (Reed et al. 2012). For example, gallinule populations on both islands are threatened by introduced predators and wetland loss. However, wetland loss has been substantially higher on O‘ahu (>65%) compared with loss on Kaua‘i (8%; van Rees and Reed 2014), and the introduced small Indian mongoose is numerous on O‘ahu, but not established on Kaua‘i (Hays and Conant 2007; USFWS 2011). Avian botulism caused by Clostridium botulinum is an additional risk factor for Hawaiian waterbirds (Brock and Breese 1953; Morin 1996; Work et al. 2010) and is more common on Kaua‘i than on O‘ahu (K.U. and J.G.U., personal observations). However, any significant effect on the vital rates of Hawaiian gallinules is unknown, and baseline information on vital rates is necessary to understand the impacts of this and other potential threats to the subspecies.
Despite being federally protected, with substantial resources allocated to studying their ecology, status, and management (DesRochers et al. 2009, 2010; Gutscher-Chutz 2011; Reed et al. 2011, 2012; USFWS 2011; Underwood et al. 2013), published data on vital rates for this subspecies are limited or absent. A single published paper (Byrd and Zeillemaker 1981) and three unpublished theses (Nagata 1983; Chang 1990; Gee 2007) are the only reports of Hawaiian gallinule reproduction, and to date there have been no studies of survival rates. This is likely due, in part, to the cryptic behavior of the subspecies. Species-specific call–response surveys are required to effectively detect Hawaiian gallinules in the field, where birds are often concealed from view by dense vegetation (DesRochers et al. 2008). Furthermore, visual observations of nests and young are difficult because they are obstructed by dense emergent vegetation (Byrd and Zeillemaker 1981; Gee 2007). Estimation of vital rates is an important part of long-term conservation planning for Hawaiian gallinules, which calls for quantification of extinction risk through population viability analysis (Mitchell et al. 2005; USFWS 2011; VanderWerf 2012). Vital rate estimates are also important for improving recovery plans for this subspecies and will allow for comparisons among islands and sites to ascertain under what conditions gallinules do best and also to distinguish source and sink populations (e.g., Dias 1996). Until recently, nothing was known about the movement behavior and population structure of Hawaiian gallinules in their apparently relict, fragmented wetland habitats, but recent work by van Rees et al. (2018) showed evidence of low geneflow between many wetlands on O‘ahu, indicating that movement rates may currently be very limited on that island. Field study on the movement rates of this taxon is also needed to inform its management and conservation.
Our objectives were to 1) summarize unpublished data on reproduction (clutch size, hatching rate, nest fate, senescence, annual number of clutches) for Hawaiian gallinules across the subspecies' current range; 2) estimate annual survival rate, age at first breeding, and longevity based on sightings of individually banded birds; and 3) assess evidence of the occurrence and frequency of interwetland movement. Our hope is that by synthesizing these data we can give managers accurate and reliable estimates of critical life-history information on the Hawaiian gallinules that will allow population modeling and demographic management assessment, thereby facilitating evidence-based conservation and management on this endangered subspsecies.
Methods
Reproduction
All known, unpublished data on reproduction for the Hawaiian gallinule were collected from studies conducted from 1979 to the present on the islands of Kaua‘i (22.065143°N, −159.517492°W) and O‘ahu (21.455580°N, −158.038709°W) in Hawai‘i, USA. We were unable to obtain the raw data from the single published study (Byrd and Zeillemaker 1981) after contacting the authors, so we compare our results with theirs. Due to the potential for differences among nest-monitoring protocols between the studies included in our synthesis, we analyzed data first by study and then for all studies as a meta-analysis. Because a larger, synthesized (although possibly less precise) dataset might be useful to managers in certain contexts (e.g., population viability analysis, Morris and Doak 2002), we also pooled the raw data from these studies and conducted overall comparisons between islands and management and nonmanagement settings. This pooled dataset excludes data for reproductive vital rates for which monitoring methods indicated that they might yield biased estimates (see below and Supplemental Material). For the pooled dataset, we compared reproduction metrics of Hawaiian gallinules between managed and unmanaged habitats, between islands (O‘ahu vs. Kaua‘i), and with conspecific data.
Reproductive data documented in this study included clutch size, brood size, and nest fate. For nest success in both our pooled dataset and meta-analysis, we excluded observations from which nest fate could not be unambiguously confirmed (e.g., chicks sighted nearby after termination of nesting activity, but unclear whether those chicks indeed hatched from that nest) and if insufficient or inconsistent information in raw data gave ambiguity to the observations at a single nest. Thus, our summary statistics may differ from those presented in the written accounts of some of these studies (e.g., the three Master's theses Nagata ; Chang ; Gee ).
All studies of reproductive success used behavioral observations taken during prolonged periods in the field to locate nests and defined a nest as successful if at least one egg hatched. All researchers noted when egg counts may not have been completed clutches (due to premature failure, or discovery of the nest late in the nesting cycle). Where possible, all researchers associated broods with nests based on visual inspection of the nest (evidence of hatching, no evidence of nest depredation), or chick activity around nest. We excluded all data that had no confirmation of nest success, hatch rate, or clutch completion when calculating relevant vital rates. Nagata (1983) and J.L.G.-C. (this study) encountered nests incidently to other work in wetland habitats, so their sampling was haphazard. Once found, Nagata (1983) monitored nests through weekly visits, whereas J.L.G.-C. only recorded data from incidental nest encounters. Chang (1990) located nests by using exhaustive surveys (walking through the entirety of a pond and searching emergent vegetation) of study sites every 2–3 wk and visited nests twice per week once they had been located to monitor clutch completion. Chang (1990) also monitored broods twice weekly for 30-min periods. Gee (2007) also used exhaustive surveys to locate nests and playback surveys to locate nesting birds. He marked individual eggs to monitor egg loss throughout the nesting cycle and visited nests three times per week until clutch completion was evident, and he monitored broods during weekly waterbird surveys of study sites. J.C. and M.S. (this study) visited nests once per week from nest discovery to hatching. Posthatch, all researchers except J.L.G.-C. (this study) checked nests for signs of unhatched eggs. Because J.L.G.-C.'s data did not involve repeated visits to nests to confirm clutch size or posthatch brood size, they were excluded from our pooled dataset. All other studies were retained in the analysis, because their methods were deemed sufficiently similar to have not strongly bias separate estimates. We also opportunistically collected data for additional vital rates that are necessary for population viability analysis, but for which only limited or anecdotal accounts are available, and synthesized these data for publication. In particular, we sought information on the prevalence and degree of multiple brooding (i.e., successfully breeding multiple times per year), the maximum number of broods produced in a year, and evidence of reproductive senescence.
Survival and movement
Survival estimates were derived from recaptures and sightings (including banding as the first encounter) of uniquely marked (color-banded) gallinules on O‘ahu. Banding of Hawaiian gallinules on O‘ahu started in 1979 at private lotus farms and the Hamakua Marsh wildlife sanctuary (Dibben-Young 2010). Extensive marking and resighting efforts on Hawaiian gallinules did not begin until 2004 (Dibben-Young 2010) and occurred on an irregular, ad hoc basis for the next decade, primarily at JCNWR (O‘ahu), where the most banding occurred. Starting in 2014, annual surveys from May to August were conducted island-wide, and we expanded banding efforts to include wetlands across the entire island of O‘ahu (Figure 2). May–August survey periods were chosen due to the availability of personnel, but they are not considered a source of bias given the absence of a strong annual cycle in Hawaiian gallinule life history (DesRochers et al. 2009; USFWS 2011). Birds were identified by a unique combination of colored plastic (Darvic) leg bands and an aluminum U.S. Geological Survey leg band. Resightings were acquired during biannual surveys and recapture and recovery, our ongoing citizen-science monitoring program started in 2014 (http://sites.tufts.edu/Hawaiianmoorhen), and as ad hoc observations. For ambiguous resightings (partial combinations seen) or birds with missing color bands, we checked all possible bird identities for a given resighting; if only one individual was possible (i.e., other candidates seen elsewhere at the same time, or known dead), we recorded the sighting as that individual. If no single possible candidate was available, we excluded the record. Hawaiian gallinules cannot be sexed visually in the field (Bannor and Kiviat 2002), so we were unable to analyze data separately by sex. We used this database to estimate mean annual apparent survival of adults, and we reviewed written, unpublished reports from the surveyed studies to find accounts of posthatching and postfledging (chick and juvenile) survival. We were unable to conduct mark–resight studies on chicks because they could not be safely banded at that stage. We also used our resighting database to document movements between islands and between wetland habitats on O‘ahu.
We estimated yearly apparent survival (the estimated survival parameter used in mark–recapture frameworks, wherein mortality is indistinguishable from repeated failure of detection or permanent emigration) by using standard Cormack–Jolly–Seber (CJS) models in programs MARK 8.2 (White and Burnham 1999) and R (R Core Team 2015). Years were determined based on calendar date (years start January 1 and end December 31), which was chosen for computational convenience. As with banding field seasons, the year was not considered to be a source of bias because of the weak seasonal breeding phenology of Hawaiian gallinules (DesRochers et al. 2009; USFWS 2011) and because the majority (>70%) of marking and sighting events occurred during May–August. Resighting data were converted to yearly encounter histories and MARK input files by using an R script written by the authors. To prevent violation of the CJS model assumption of relatively small survey periods compared with between-encounter intervals, we restricted our analysis to resightings in May and June, when most sightings occurred. We compared the likelihood of a suite of potential survival models in MARK by using Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc) (Sugiura 1978; Hurvich and Tsai 1989; Burnham and Anderson 1998). These were a null model (constant φ [survival] and p [detection]); a time model for detection (constant φ, and p varies by study year); a wetland model for survival (φ varies by wetland, constant p); a time model for survival and detection (φ and p vary by study year); three by-wetland survival models (φ varies by wetland, and p is either constant, varies by study year, or varies by wetland); and four models where p varied by wetland, year, and their interaction (φ was either constant, or varied by year, wetland, or their interaction).
We implemented four tests of goodness of fit (TEST.SR, TEST.SM, TEST.CT, TEST.CL) in program U-CARE (Choquet et al. 2009) to evaluate the fit of a CJS model with and without wetland groupings. We also evaluated goodness of fit of our general model (φ and p vary by wetland, year, and their interaction) by using the bootstrapping goodness-of-fit test in MARK. Following Cooch and White (2015), we checked for overdispersion by comparing the observed deviance of the full model to the range of deviances from 1,000 bootstrap simulations of the model and calculated a p-value based on the rank of the observed deviance. We also estimated ĉ (a measure of overdispersion) by dividing the observed deviance by the average deviance of 1,000 bootstrap simulations. Because this process showed interspersion and some lack of fit for our full dataset when observations from all sampled wetlands were included, we reduced our dataset to the two wetland sites with the most extensive histories of mark–resights (JCNWR and Waimea Valley) and carried out all analyses with birds from these wetlands only. We observed no evidence of overdispersion or poor model fit by using this reduced dataset. We also examined individual life histories to find the oldest Hawaiian gallinules among all banded birds.
Results
Reproduction
Our data on reproduction came from 252 individual nests monitored on Kaua‘i and O‘ahu from 1979 to 2014. Reproductive data were collected at eight different locations, including National Wildlife Refuges with active predator control and wetland management (Table 1). All studies except for Gutscher-Chutz (2011) and Gee (2007) had lower clutch sizes, and all except for Chang (1990) had lower nest success, than those reported by Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981) (mean nest success = 0.75, mean clutch size = 5.6) from 64 clutches on the same island from 1975 to 1980 (Table 2). Gee (2007), Gutscher-Chutz (2011) data, and Chang (1990) had higher mean numbers of chicks per successful nest than Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981). Notably, hatch rates (the proportion of eggs per nest that hatched) were much smaller than those reported by Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981); in the case of our meta-analysis average, they were 50% smaller. Data from J.L.G.-C. (this study) showed extremely low nest success, number of chicks per nest, and overall hatch rate, but a high number of chicks per successful nest. Generally, studies from O‘ahu (Chang, 1990; Silbernagle, unpubl. data Nagata, 1983) showed somewhat smaller clutch sizes than those on Kaua‘i (H.K.W.G., J.L.G.-C., and J.C.). M.S. (this study) and Chang (1990), working on wildlife refuges on O‘ahu, saw higher hatch rates than any of the studies on Kaua‘i.
Our pooled dataset included clutch size data from 125 nests on Kaua‘i and 127 nests on O‘ahu (Table S1, Supplemental Material). Pooled clutch sizes on Kaua‘i were very similar those of Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981). Nest success, number of chicks per successful nest, and hatch rate, in contrast, were all lower for our pooled dataset than the values reported by Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981), and hatch rates for Kaua‘i were much lower. Hawaiian gallinule clutch sizes in this study ranged from 2 to 11 eggs (Table S1, Supplemental Material). Comparing between islands in our pooled dataset, nests on Kaua‘i had significantly larger clutch sizes than did nests on O‘ahu (Welch's t-test, t = 4.40, df = 169.68, P < 0.001), although nest success (the proportion of nests that hatched at least one chick) did not differ significantly between the islands (Welch's t-test, t = −0.46, df = 212.09, P = 0.65; Table S1, Supplemental Material). Clutch sizes on O‘ahu ranged from 2 to 8 eggs, whereas those on Kaua‘i ranged from 2 to 11. Nests on O‘ahu produced a similar number of chicks per nest (Welch's 2-sample t-test, t = −1.73, df = 219.99, P = 0.08) but a higher number of chicks per successful nest (Welch's 2-sample t-test, t = −2.64, df = 135.19, P < 0.01; Table S1, Supplemental Material). Using our pooled dataset, we saw no statistically significant differences between managed and unmanaged wetlands in nest success, number of chicks per nest, or number of chicks per successful nest (Table S2, Supplemental Material). The sample size of confirmed clutch sizes and brood sizes in unmanaged habitats were insufficient for comparing clutch size or hatch rate between managed and unmanaged habitats. The dataset of Nagata (1983) was the only dataset with data gathered on unmanaged habitats. Among breeders of known age (n = 7), the youngest bred at an approximate age of 23 mo.
Information on causes of nest failure was not available for most (74%) nests in our study, which precluded analyses based on nest fate. The most frequent cause of nest failure in our review among 51 failed nests of known fate (50 in managed wetlands and 1 in an unmanaged wetland) was predation (n = 30), followed by abandonment (n = 17) and flooding (n = 4).
Nagata (1983) documented Hawaiian gallinules successfully producing two and even three broods in a year at Hamakua Marsh and private lotus farms on O‘ahu. Two monitored, banded pairs of gallinules (one at Waimea Valley and the other at Keawawa Wetland) had a maximum of four successful broods per year in 4 y of monitoring. We saw no evidence of reproductive senescence (reduction in brood or clutch size) for the pair at Waimea Valley over 6 y of monitoring (see longevity data in next section).
Survival and movement
We documented 1,620 sightings of 423 individually marked birds over 14 y. Resighting data were collected at 14 locations on O‘ahu (Figure 2). At least some monitoring for banded birds occurred in all years 2004–2017, yielding 13 annual survival intervals. Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua‘i (the only other island in the subspecies' known range) was surveyed biannually throughout the study period for banded birds from O‘ahu, but none were ever encountered. Number of marked individuals, as well as timing, frequency, extent, and methods of surveys varied substantially between wetlands (see Table S3, Supplemental Material, for summary information on resighting records). Our reduced dataset, which was limited to sightings in May and June at wetlands with the longest mark–resight records (JCNWR and Waimea Valley), consisted of 637 resightings of 209 individually marked birds. All other wetlands had short (2- to 4-y) encounter histories, which seemed to be driving model overdispersion; 95% confidence intervals of yearly apparent survival for these wetlands were also uninformative when all wetlands were included in analyses (∼0.1–0.99).
All candidate survival models are presented in Table 3. Our suite of yearly survival models overwhelmingly supported a model with detection varying by study year, wetland, and their interaction (Table 3). The ΔAICc value of the second-best supported model (survival varying by wetland and detection by year, wetland, and their interaction) was below 2, indicating limited evidence for a statistical difference in model support between the first two models (Burnham and Anderson 1998), and these two top models account for virtually all of the AIC weight assigned to our suite of models (Table 3). The third-ranked model has a ΔAICc > 10, indicating substantial difference in model support. In general, models with detection varying by wetland, year, and their interaction performed best (four of the top five models). The annual apparent survival estimate for the top model was 0.663 (95% CI = 0.553–0.759), whereas wetland-specific annual apparent survival estimates for the second-ranked model were 0.565 (95% CI = 0.356–0.753) for JCNWR and 0.696 (95% CI = 0.572–0.797) for Waimea Valley. Notably, the confidence intervals of estimated annual apparent survival in these two subpopulations overlap. The null model (constant φ and p) had the lowest ranking. Estimated detection rates varied across wetland-years from near 0 (0.5 × 10−15) to 1, with detection rates at Waimea Valley typically much higher than those at JCNWR. Our null model for detection estimated an overall detection rate of 0.496.
Neither global tests nor individual component tests of the assumptions of CJS models yielded significant p-values in U-CARE for either reduced dataset. The estimated ĉ for our general model using the reduced dataset was 1.317, whereas the p-value of its deviance rank was 0.092. Generally, ĉ values close to 1 and nonsignificant deviance rank p-values indicate that the model is a good fit for the data. These values indicate that our yearly model had acceptable goodness of fit with respect to our dataset. The oldest individual gallinule in our dataset was found dead in 2013 and had been banded in 2005 at the age of 28–35 d. Its estimated age was thus 7 y and 8 mo.
No birds banded on O‘ahu have ever been detected on Kaua‘i since the start of mark–recapture studies in 1979. Our own monitoring, combined with citizen-science resighting data, detected only three confirmed movements between wetlands (treating a wetland complex as a single wetland) on O‘ahu. One adult bird (USGS 107639253, YA:WL) banded on September 23, 2005, at JCNWR was seen on January 29, 2008, at Pearl Harbor National Wildlife Refuge (∼36–km straight-line distance; Figure 3). A first-year bird (USGS 119687856, HA:PO) banded at Keawawa Wetland on July 2, 2014, was seen on January 22, 2015, at Enchanted Lake (10 km straight-line distance). A third bird, banded as an adult on June 10, 2015, at Turtle Bay Resorts' Arnold Palmer Golf course (USGS 119687902, WA:RB) was recovered dead on July 13, 2016, at Olomana golf links (∼47-km straight-line distance). Unconfirmed reports (for which reported bands were incomplete, or for which no photographic evidence could be provided) include a bird moving from JCNWR to a drainage ditch in Haleiwa in 2015 (20-km straight-line distance), a bird banded at Keawawa Wetland seen in Kamilonui Valley in 2015 (∼2-km straight-line distance), and a bird banded at Waimea Valley seen at Olomana golf links in 2016 (45-km straight-line distance; Figure 3).
We found no information on postfledging (juvenile) survival rates in unpublished studies. Two studies in our meta-analysis (Chang 1990; Gee 2007) included repeated observations of broods across time from which rough estimates of survival can be derived. Chang (1990) observed that 28 (41.7%) of 67 chicks observed from a blind throughout the fledging period (50–60 d; Bannor and Kiviat 2002) at JCNWR survived from hatch to fledging. Gee (2007) observed much lower survival (37% of 162 chicks) across the same time frame at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge on Kaua‘i.
Discussion
This study presents the first survival rate data of which we are aware for the Hawaiian gallinule and a large expansion on what is known about their reproductive success. Data from this study will enable quantification of extinction risk via population viability analysis for this subspecies across its current range, a management priority according to the USFWS's recovery plan for Hawaiian waterbirds (USFWS 2011). Our meta-analysis illustrates the range and central tendency in several vital rates for Hawaiian gallinules, synthesizing unpublished information from several studies from 1979 to 2014. In our analysis of pooled data, we found clear differences in several reproductive parameters between Hawaiian gallinules on O‘ahu and Kaua‘i, with smaller clutches but greater hatching rates on O‘ahu. We also generated an overall estimate of annual apparent survival for the subspecies on O‘ahu by using more than 600 resightings of 209 individuals at two wetland sites.
We found that Hawaiian gallinules have relatively small mean and range of clutch sizes compared with the North American subspecies Gallinula galeata cachinnans (e.g., mean = 7.9%, n = 2685; Greij 1994) showing greater similarity to gallinules at tropical latitudes, for example, Gallinula angulata (mean = 5.0, n = 55; Taylor and van Perlo 1998). This is consistent with the general observation that clutch sizes are directly related to latitude, where higher clutch sizes are observed in temperate regions at high latitudes and smaller clutch sizes are observed in tropical regions at low latitudes (Cody 1966; Rose and Lyon 2013), especially in low-elevation habitats (Balasubramaniam and Rotenberry 2016). Small clutch sizes of Hawaiian gallinules may also be due to a suite of evolutionary or ecological island effects (Lack 1947, 1970; Cody 1966; Klomp 1970; Frankham 1998). Higher clutch sizes on Kaua‘i may be the result of brood parasitism, a prominent behavior in common moorhen Gallinula chloropus (Gibbons 1986) that might be facilitated by the high breeding densities of Hawaiian gallinules at Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge (J.C. and K.U., personal observations).
Mean hatch rate in this study (mean = 50% for meta-analysis, Table 2; mean = 43% for pooled data in Table S1, Supplmental Material) was much lower than that reported by Greij (1994) in a large study of common gallinules in North America (1,974; mean = 80.2%, n = 2,685 nests) and in a report for G. tenebrosa in Australia (55.5%; Marchant and Higgins 1993). Nest success of Hawaiian gallinules in both our meta-analysis and pooled data was similar to that reported by Greij (1994) in North America (mean = 64.1%, n =968) and G. chloropus in Great Britain (65.3%, n = 1,154; Cramp and Simmons 1980), but higher than that observed by Jamieson et al. (2000) in nests of G. angulata in Namibia (58% failure, n = 33).
O‘ahu's higher mean number of chicks produced per nest and chicks per successful nest in our pooled dataset came as a surprise, given the higher clutch sizes on Kaua‘i and the absence of one major mammalian predator, the small Indian mongoose. The small Indian mongoose is common on O‘ahu but rare or not established on Kaua‘i (Hays and Conant 2007; USFWS 2011). Because of the scarcity of data on posthatching survival rates, however, the effect of differences in clutch sizes and hatching rates on recruitment and population growth is unknown. Examining our meta-analysis (Table 2), it seems that this higher number of chicks is driven mostly by data from Chang (1990), who had a large sample size and the highest mean number of chicks per nest and chicks per successful nest; these data came from managed habitats and so contribute to a trend in our estimates of likely being optimistic for subpopulations in nonmanaged habitats.
The estimates of Chang (1990) and Gee (2007) of chick survival to fledging among Hawaiian gallinules on O‘ahu may fit well with observations of common gallinule G. galeata cachinnans chicks in the southern United States, for which chick mortality was estimated at >40% in the first 10 d posthatch (Miller 1946; Bell 1976). According to the review by Greij (1994), Helm (1982) and Matthews (1983) observed reductions in brood size across a 45-d period posthatch that were similar to values observed here in Hawaiian gallinules (∼45% survival). Although the difficulty of marking and resighting chicks is an obvious factor in poor understanding of this life stage, it remains an important research priority. This low chick survival may be evidence of a limiting factor in the population regulation of Hawaiian gallinules; accordingly, management actions focused on improving chick survival are a reasonable priority for wetland managers in Hawai‘i. Removal, reduction, and exclusion of predators in refuges is likely the most direct approach to increasing chick survival (USFWS 2011; VanderWerf 2012).
Ostensibly high chick mortality in Hawaiian gallinules matches the assertion of Greij (1994) that multiple broods are an important part of population maintenance in common gallinules. Indeed, we observed consistent multiple clutching in two observed pairs with a maximum of four broods in a year, and Nagata (1983) reported frequent double- and triple brooding at other wetlands on O‘ahu. Byrd and Zeillemaker (1981) also observed evidence of multiple broods in a year, noticing family groups with young at two or more distinct stages of development. Bannor (1998) observed a pair of common gallinules in a zoo in Florida hatch five broods in 1 y under conditions of supplemental feeding, and Siegfried and Frost (1975) observed common moorhen hatch 33 and 32 broods over a 48-mo period, also with supplemental feeding, in South Africa. Given that DesRochers et al. (2010) found that Hawaiian gallinules are not food limited on O‘ahu and that conditions in Hawaiian wetlands are highly consistent year-round, our observation of widespread and frequent multiple brooding is intuitively understandable.
The lack of observed differences in reproductive parameters between managed and unmanaged wetlands in our pooled dataset may be an artifact of the small sample size for unmanaged wetlands (n = 22) compared with managed wetlands (n = 230). Endangered Hawaiian waterbirds can have large interannual and intersite variation in vital rates, particularly for hatch-year birds (Reed et al. 2015), and we cannot determine whether differences observed were due to chance differences in interyear and intersite variation. We acknowledge the possibility that sites not specifically managed for endangered waterbirds might still include activities that decrease predation, such as the presence of guard dogs that do not attack waterbirds (as in the lotus farms). Some site-specific management activities, such as water level controls for aquaculture (as in watercress and shrimp farms), might also reduce nest flooding, which was a notable source of clutch failure for known-fate nests in this study. Nagata (1983) who did much of her work in unprotected areas and a refuge (Hamakua Marsh) at which predator control may have been limited at the time of the study, showed lower nest success and than other studies, reinforcing the notion that our general estimates may be somewhat optimistic for unmanaged wetlands. Unfortunately, we do not yet know what life stage most limits population growth; determining this by using population modeling would provide insight for how to focus management effort and funding on Hawaiian wetlands (e.g., Crouse et al. 1987; Beissinger and Westphal 1998; Fefferman and Reed 2006). In general, wetland managers in Hawai‘i would benefit from studies that focus on collecting similar baseline vital rate info in unmanaged habitats for purposes of comparison.
Reported age at first breeding for G. chloropus in the literature is 1 y (Taylor and van Perlo 1998). Our youngest breeder for the Hawaiian subspecies was almost 2 y old, but our small sample size of known-age breeders (n = 7) does not indicate how representative this observation is. The oldest known bird in our dataset, 7 y and 8 mo, was younger than the oldest reported common gallinule (9 y and 10 mo; Clapp et al. 1982). This may be due to comparatively limited sampling of Hawaiian birds, or it could represent a difference for island birds. Longevity data are an important part of population-projection models, which in turn help guide management by estimating the level of risk faced by different populations (Morris and Doak 2002). Continued monitoring of banded Hawaiian gallinules on O'ahu is necessary to gain a more accurate understanding of the distribution of life spans among birds in managed and unmanaged wetlands.
Our resighting database is the only published account of banding, resighting, and recovery of Hawaiian gallinules of which we are aware. The high performance of survival rate models that varied detection parameters by wetland, year, and their interaction reflects the variation of monitoring effort and ease of detection between wetlands and across time, a product of ad hoc research efforts by researchers and institutions. Gallinules at JCNWR are behaviorally cryptic due to limited human disturbance and have flight initiation distances in excess of 75 m (C.B.v.R., personal observation). This makes resightings at JCNWR more difficult than at wetlands such as those at Waimea Valley, where birds have frequent exposure to humans, resulting in tolerance of human proximity; they occasionally even approach humans for food. Habitat structure in Waimea Valley, a botanical garden, is also substantially different than that at JCNWR, with more open water areas and paved pathways where gallinules are easily spotted. These differences are likely the strongest drivers of differences in detection between these wetlands. Although a by-wetland annual apparent survival model performed as well as the top model, the 95% confidence intervals of annual apparent survival between the two wetlands overlapped, indicating that the effect of wetland setting on apparent survival is trivial when comparing these two wetlands. Given that the two wetlands included in our reduced dataset (the only ones with sufficient data available) were both managed wetlands, we also have no information on gallinule survival rates outside of managed areas. Such information will be important for understanding the effect of prevailing management strategies on adult survival rates in this subspecies.
Our resighting data set is missing a potentially important period in the gallinule life cycle when survival rates are lower; specifically, the first ∼40 d of life between hatching and the point when young birds are large enough to band (Fredrickson 1971). In a study of a different species of endangered Hawaiian waterbird, the Hawaiian stilt Himantopus mexicanus knudseni, Reed et al. (2015) found that this age class had the highest mortality rate. Although our literature research yielded some limited information on chick survival in Hawaiian gallinules, this information is crucial for future work, not only for its likely importance to population dynamics but also because chick survival is probably among the easiest vital rates to influence via management. Trapping and exclusion of invasive mammalian predators are a key part of management for Hawaiian waterbirds on wildlife refuges on O'ahu, where they are thought to reduce predation rates on nests and chicks (USFWS 2011). Better knowledge of the extent to which such management improves this vital rate, and the impact this vital rate has on overall population trends, would be instrumental in improving conservation of this subspecies. The impacts of avian botulism on Hawaiian gallinules are virtually unstudied, although the incidence in this subspecies seems rare (K.U., personal observation). It is also unknown whether botulism has different impacts on juvenile vs. adult gallinules, so a major research priority is monitoring incidence of the disease across life stages, to elucidate which parts of the life cycle it impacts most severely.
Although our goodness-of-fit tests indicated that our dataset meets expectations determined by the assumptions of the CJS model, the limitations and asymmetries of this dataset (see Table S3, Supplemental Material) prevented us from including most of our 14 study sites because the sparseness and short duration of their encounter histories led to overdispersion. The high performance of our null model of annual apparent survival (φ constant across both wetlands) is in line with conservative thinking in model selection, particularly where the number of data points per parameter (in this case, encounter histories, n = 26) is limited (Harrell 2001). As Beissinger and Snyder (2002) noted, the most complex model is not necessarily the most useful if there is no reliable biological interpretation, and in this context our null model for annual apparent survival, although it does not provide information on annual or habitat-based differences, is our most credible parameter estimate. This estimate can accordingly be used for population viability analysis and for comparative work as data on survival in unmanaged habitats become available.
Little is known about the movement rates or patterns of Hawaiian gallinules (Dibben-Young 2010), although they are reputed to be highly sedentary (Shallenberger 1977). Dispersal beyond survey sites can cause underestimation of survival rates (Koenig et al. 1996), raising the potential concern that dispersal has biased estimates in our study. Any impact of dispersal on apparent survival rates is likely to be higher in data from earlier in this study (before 2014), when few wetlands were monitored. Banding and surveying for Hawaiian gallinules has occurred opportunistically for the last decade, typically with periods where a cohort of birds was banded, monitored briefly, and then not systematically surveyed for several years. In addition, bird behavior affecting detectability apparently varies between wetlands; DesRochers et al. (2008) observed a greater proportional response to call playback at sites with more birds. Our mark–recapture study showed minimal evidence of movement (three confirmed movements), despite exhaustive surveys of 14 sites for four consecutive years, and regular monitoring of four sites (Waimea Valley, JCNWR, Pearl Harbor NWR, and Hamakua Marsh) for 13 y. This corroborates findings by van Rees et al. (2018) that movement may be severely limited in Hawaiian gallinules, reducing the possibility that dispersal has severely impacted our survival and detectability estimates, but reinforcing the notion that habitat connectivity may be a risk factor for subspecies' population dynamics. The problem of poor detectability remains, however, and more in-depth studies on gallinule movement behaviors are necessary. Radiotelemetry studies may be a feasible alternative, although given our low rates of observed movement a very large sample size would be required. A better understanding of gallinule movement behavior would help managers better predict the effects of habitat management actions (e.g., will birds disperse under unfavorable habitat conditions) and would reveal which management units on the island are connected by dispersal between subpopulations.
All of the resighting data analyzed in our reduced dataset came from wetlands that were under active and ongoing habitat management (predator control and removal of invasive plants), and although most of Hawaiian gallinules are currently found in protected areas, our estimates may be optimistic for unmanaged wetlands. Regular and systematic surveys for banded birds at a larger number of wetland sites would make substantial and timely contributions to current knowledge of survival and movement rates of Hawaiian gallinules. The current cohort of banded individuals thus represents a new and unique opportunity to collect valuable information on the behavior and survival of these birds, but consistent, long-term follow-up is essential to collecting these data. Marking and monitoring of fledglings will also be of value, because poor knowledge of survival rates during this life stage is a major gap in our understanding of the life cycle of the Hawaiian gallinule. Increased nest searching and monitoring, as well as banding and resighting in unmanaged habitats will also be important to quantify the impacts of vegetation management and predator control, the two most commonly used management strategies, on gallinule vital rates and population dynamics.
Supplemental Material
Please note: The Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supplemental material. Queries should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
Table S1. We reviewed unpublished data on the reproduction vital rates of Hawaiian gallinules Gallinula galeata sandvicensis collected on the islands of Kaua‘i and O‘ahu from 1979 to 2014. We pooled these data to generate overall and by-island estimates of mean vital rates, for cases when more general information with higher sample size is preferable. N = number of nests. The last column is comparative data from a published study on Kaua‘i (data not included in our study; Byrd and Zeillemaker 1981). Dashes indicate information not available or not estimated; asterisk (*) indicates a statistically significant difference in means between islands (P ≤ 0.05).
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S1 (17 KB DOCX).
Table S2. We reviewed unpublished data on the reproduction vital rates of Hawaiian gallinules Gallinula galeata sandvicensis collected on the islands of Kaua‘i and O‘ahu from 1979 to 2014. We pooled these data to compare reproductive parameter values between managed and unmanaged habitats. N = number of nests. Dashes indicate information not available or not estimated; we detected no statistically significant differences between any of the tested vital rates. Sample sizes in unmanaged wetlands were insufficient for hypothesis testing of clutch size and hatch rate.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S2 (15 KB DOCX).
Table S3. Distribution of banding effort, survey effort, and resighting data among wetlands where Hawaiian gallinules Gallinula galeata sandvicensis were banded and monitored on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i for all years in our resighting database (2004–2017). Because of sparse, limited data and violations of model fit when including data from all other wetlands, only survival data from James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge and Waimea Valley were used in our final analyses. In addition, to meet the assumptions of the Cormack–Jolly–Seber model, we restricted these data only to resightings in May and June. Accordingly, only 637 of the resightings shown below were used in our final analysis. Banded Individuals describes the number of individual birds banded at each wetland and years of monitoring describes the number of years in which sites were revisited for resightings. The number of resightings at each wetland includes those resightings of birds banded at that wetland as well as immigrants banded at other wetlands. Notably, years of monitoring and number of banded individuals vary largely between groups.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S3 (16 KB DOCX).
Reference S1. Chang PR. 1990. Strategies for managing endangered waterbirds on Hawaiian national wildlife refuges. Master's thesis. Amherst: University of Massachusetts.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S4 (19749 KB PDF).
Reference S2. Nagata SE. 1983. Status of the Hawaiian Gallinule on lotus farms and a marsh on O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Master's thesis. Fort Collins: Colorado State University.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S5 (14375 KB PDF).
Reference S3. Shallenberger RJ. 1977. An ornithological survey of Hawaiian wetlands. Report prepared on contract to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S6 (4339 KB PDF).
Reference S4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2011. Recovery plan for Hawaiian waterbirds, 2nd revision, region 1. Portland: Oregon.
Found at DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3996/102017-JFWM-084.S7 (3238 KB PDF).
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the Tufts University Water Diplomacy Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (National Science Foundation 0966093), Nuttall Ornithological Club, Tufts Institute of the Environment, Wilson Ornithological Society, Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research, Ducks Unlimited, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife, USFWS, and Tufts Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. C.B.v.R. conducted all analyses and wrote initial drafts of the manuscript. P.C., D.D., H.K.W.G., J.L.G.-C., K.U., A.N., S.N., M.S., J.C., J.U., and J.M.R. contributed data for analysis and provided feedback on later drafts of the manuscript. We thank Laurent Pool, Ryan Belcher, and the staff of Waimea Valley Park for contributions of resighting information and banding records and the numerous volunteers who contributed to this study through Ike Na Manu, including R. Cheney; S. Camp; M. Ord; D. Trenhaile; H. Hubanks; A. Pickering; L. Hinano Rey; and Kellen, Drew, and Kawai Apuna. We are grateful to E. Crone and G. Pugesek for help in designing and interpreting survival models in Program MARK and RMark. We thank M. Kawasaki, A. Miller, A. Sandor, A. Muñoz (all of Team Gallinule) and A. Hitt for invaluable fieldwork. We also thank the Livable Hawai‘i Kai Hui; K. Doyle; A. Jeffers-Fabro; Hawai‘i Division of Forestry and Wildlife; Turtle Bay Resorts; Olomana Golf Links; the anonymous owners of a lotus farm and of a shrimp farm on Hawai‘i's North Shore; H. Devries; and C. Turner for help with capture, banding, and survey logistics. We thank the staff of the Kaua‘i National Wildlife Refuge Complex for continued help and support. We are grateful to the U.S. Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i, especially L. Bookless and T. Russell, for permission and assistance banding birds at the Klipper golf course. All research was conducted under the approval of Institutional Animal Care and Use committees of respective institutions and according to the Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research (http://www.nmnh.si.edu/BIRDNET/guide/) and was conducted with the requisite federal and state of Hawai‘i endangered species and banding permits. Previous drafts of this manuscript were greatly improved by insightful comments from two anonymous reviewers and the Associate Editor.
Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
References
Author notes
Citation: van Rees CB, Chang PR, Cosgrove J, DesRochers DW, Gree HKW, Gutscher-Chutz JL, Nadig A, Nagata SE, Silbernagle M, Underwood JG, Uyehara K, Reed JM. 2018. Estimation of vital rates for the Hawaiian gallinule, a cryptic, endangered waterbird. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 9(1):117–131; e1944-687X. doi:10.3996/102017-JFWM-084
The findings and conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. | https://meridian.allenpress.com/jfwm/article/9/1/117/210507/Estimation-of-Vital-Rates-for-the-Hawaiian |
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The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for local public health response in coordination with broader county efforts. Additionally, services for those experiencing homelessness and issues around safe streets and community engagement are top of mind for our community. BCHD also has a long history of financially supporting the local Fire Departments and the Redondo Beach Police Department Domestic Violence program as well as the local Citizen’s Emergency Response Teams (CERT). These established relationships were vital to the community response to COVID-19. The pandemic has broadened awareness of the public health issues that can face a community. BCHD has a role to play in supporting the community and responding to the next public health crisis.
Social determinants of health are defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as conditions in the places where people live, learn, work and play that affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes. Similarly, the World Health Organization defines social determinants of health as the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. These circumstances are shaped by the distribution of money, power and resources at global, national and local levels. They state social determinants of health are mostly responsible for health inequities – the unfair and avoidable differences in health status seen within and between countries. The data in this section is presented in the five key areas identified in the Healthy People 2030 report: Neighborhood and Built Environment, Social and Community Context, Economic Stability, Education Access and Quality and Healthcare Access.
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2022-2025 Strategic Objectives
- Improve emergency preparedness
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- Increase community capacity to respond to public health crises (e.g. COVID-19)
- Improve biking and walking infrastructure
- Increase equitable and inclusive delivery of BCHD programs and services
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Objectives are included as examples of planning goals and are not meant to be an exhaustive list. | https://www.bchd.org/publichealthandsafety |
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Yoshie, thank you so much for the amazing soul regression session! It exceeded my expectations in so many ways and I had high expectations. Now they all make sense to me. It really helped me accept many things in my life, including my current challenge with my wife. I’ve been able to see things from a brand new perspective and feel more compassion toward others. I strongly recommend her soul regression hypnosis to anyone.
M. E. US Military, Honolulu
I received a past life regression therapy from Yoshi and it was phenomenal! The emotions were so strong and real during the whole process. I cried like a little child and Yoshi comforted me and made me feel very safe and protected. Many questions I had about my past lives were answered beautifully. Knowledge gained through the remarkable experience with Yoshi has allowed me to feel much more comfortable with where I stand in my life. I highly recommend hypnosis for life for anyone seeking to connect with one’s eternalness.
-L. C. Sales Associate & Student, Mililani
It was such a profound experience! I felt so calm and peaceful during and after the session. I realized that I am so loved and protected. Thank you so much for all your help!!!
-M. L. Stay-at-home mom, Hawaii Kai
Thank you so much for the session today. It [Spiritual Regression] was just amazing! I think it’s going to take several days for me to process the information I received today. Thank you again for being an excellent guide during the session!!! Aloha -M. S., Honolulu
Spiritual (Soul) Regression in Honolulu, Hawaii
Connect Directly with Your Spiritual Guides
and Loved Ones on the Other Side.
Give Yourself a Psychic Reading Through Hypnotherapy!
“You don’t acquire a ‘spirit’ at death;
you are one now! You adopt a body just as
a space traveler wears a space suit…and much
for the same reason.”
(Jane Roberts) Seth
Benefits:
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Through Past Life and Spiritual Regression Hypnotherapy, you can access cell memories and rid yourselves of pain, traumas, phobias, and relationship issues.
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Direct contact with your spiritual guides/personal guides
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Direct contact with your loved ones on the other side .
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Connect with your immortal life in the spirit world
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Awaken your psychic abilities.
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Give yourself a psychic reading.
What is spiritual regression?
Spiritual Regression Hypnotherapy is an extension of Past Life Regression Hypnotherapy. The focus of spiritual regression goes beyond that of past life regression, allowing us to observe not only one or more significant past lives, but also to visit the period “between lives” and to witness the preparations we, along with our non-physical support system, made to incarnate into our current lifetime. Memories of our past lives and between-lives are believed to be located in our cell memories, as who we are today, in this lifetime, is an aggregate result of all that we have experienced in and between our many lifetimes.
Spiritual Regression Hypnotherapy allows individuals to access these cell memories to learn from our soul experiences in our many lifetimes in a safe and comfortable environment. As with past life regression, visiting past lives and between-lives is done as a detached observer, allowing us to observe from a broader perspective, to learn and grow from the experience without experiencing any of the pain and suffering that may have occurred during that time in our existence.
A Spiritual Regression Session
A typical spiritual regression session can last anywhere between two to three hours. While there are certain procedures that are standard to the process, each spiritual regression is unique, because each of us is a unique being. After a hypnotic induction, we will visit a significant past life experience and observe its importance to current lifetime issues. We will then progress through the end of that particular physical incarnation and into the time between lives. Observing the between-lives period allows us to experience the eternalness of our true selves and to more fully grasp our unique significance to the Universe.
We may watch as our non-physical helpers assist us in making decisions about the parameters of the upcoming physical life, such as the choice of our family members, where we will live and what we want to accomplish in the planned lifetime. Being part of our broader experience, feeling the connections with our Soul (or Inner Being) and with our Soul Family is an education in why we decide to incarnate, and is a first-hand experience of the precision of our Universe. Connections with our Soul Family, our own Soul and our Spiritual Guides, and seeing how each loves and supports us unconditionally in our ventures, is truly a spiritual awakening for each of us who has felt alone in life and unsure as to our purpose in living. These wise personal teachers have been assigned to us since our creation and more easily connect with us during spiritual regression. Bringing this experience to a conscious physical state promotes a real awareness of having a personal relationship with a higher power. Seeing ourselves as the immortal beings that we truly are can forever change and broaden our perspective on our place in life and our relationship to others.
The Benefits of Spiritual Regression
Spiritual regression has all of the benefits that are offered by past life regression, but, by also observing and learning from our between-lives period, spiritual regression offers more. Seeing ourselves as eternal beings and experiencing our relationship with our Inner Being and our non-physical helpers allows us to see more deeply into our true nature. Having faith that we are eternal is a theoretical “knowing;” experiencing our relationship with the Universe in spiritual regression is a profoundly empowering event.
By experiencing firsthand the true nature of our relationship with the larger, cosmic, kingdom, the details of our lives fall into place in a natural and harmonious way. The feeling of true belonging that results from experiencing the non-physical helps us see the answers to the questions that all humans ask: Why am I here? Who am I, really? What are the rules for this game of Life?
The sense of feeling at home in our bodies and in our world that is provided by spiritual regression provides a lasting connection to our larger selves and to Universal wisdom. We see ourselves with new, enlightened, eyes, as so much more than we ever understood before, and part of something so much more awesome than we ever realized. Our life purpose and the special gifts that we have been given to achieve it become ours, at last. | https://www.spiritualsolutionshawaii.com/spiritual-regression |
Background: In the transition from a fee-for-service to a fee-for-value system, health care organizations (HCOs) are under pressure to keep patients healthy through preventive services and population health management. Predictive analytics based on the past health behavior of the patient population can be used to predict future risk of decline.
Objective: The objective of this study was to develop robust predictive models of impending emergency transports to the hospital based on enrollment and medical alert pattern data from subscribers of a Personal Emergency Response System (PERS) service. This enables targeting of clinical programs to members that need it the most.
Methods: De-identified medical alert pattern data of 551,127 subscribers to a PERS service were used. Multivariate logistic regression was performed on subscriber demographics, self-reported medical conditions, variables related to the care giver network and variables derived from up to one year of retrospective medical alert data. A 10-fold cross-validation scheme was used to predict transport to the hospital by emergency medical services in the next 30 days. Furthermore, the model performance was evaluated after retraining using up to 90 days of medical alert data, and using enrollment data only.
Results: Emergency hospital transport in the 30-day window was experienced by 2.4% of all subscribers. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (auROC) was 0.75 ± 0.01 in the validation cohorts. The model using up to 90 days of data resulted in auROC = 0.71 ± 0.01 and the model using enrollment data only resulted in auROC = 0.62 ± 0.01.
Conclusions: Our model for emergency hospital transport in subscribers of a medical alert service showed good discriminatory accuracy on retrospective validation data. While the model yields good discriminatory accuracy with up to 90 days of data, best performance is achieved using up to one year of medical alert data. The model using enrollment data only, without medical alert pattern data, does not perform as well. We are planning a prospective validation of the algorithm to determine the value of the predictive model in assisting HCOs with planning early interventions to avoid emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
doi:10.2196/iproc.4772
Keywords
(This is a conference paper presented at the Connected Health Symposium, Boston, 2015, which was not edited and is only lightly peer-reviewed).
Multimedia Appendix 1
Extended abstract.PDF File (Adobe PDF File), 739KB
References
Edited by G Eysenbach; submitted 29.05.15; peer-reviewed by K Chen, R Gouripeddi; comments to author 25.06.15; accepted 20.07.15; published 27.10.15Copyright
©Jorn op den Buijs, Tine Smits, Marten Pijl, Mariana Simons, Linda Schertzer. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://www.iproc.org), 27.10.2015.
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR mhealth and uhealth, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mhealth.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included. | https://www.iproc.org/2015/1/e19/ |
# Elena Long
Elena Amanda Long is assistant professor of physics at the University of New Hampshire and is an activist for LGBT people in science. The journal Nature called her a "diversity trailblazer" in their Nature's 10: Ten people who mattered this year in 2016. Long's research on the internal structure of nucleons earned her a 2015 Jefferson Science Associates (JSA) Promising Young Scientist award. Long has made significant contributions to improve the inclusion of under-represented researchers and students by founding the LGBT+ Physics organisation and serving as a member of the American Physical Society (APS) Committee of LGBT Issues.
## Education
Long was educated at Kent State University where she successfully defended her PhD thesis in 2012, on Polarized 3He(e, e'n) Asymmetries in Three Orthogonal Measurements which provides important tests of models that use Helium-3 as a neutron target. Long earned a bachelor's degree in Physics from Juniata College in 2006
## Research and career
Long's research in atomic physics focuses on understanding how the quarks inside of protons and neutrons interact to form atomic nuclei. She has worked on the deuteron structure as well as attempts to detect the first measurement on the quasi-elastic tensor asymmetry Azz. The Azz experiment can provide information about nucleon-nucleon calculations at the relativistic level, as well as provide new experimental constraints on decade-old questions about deuteron wavefunctions. An explanation of the Azz experiment described for a six year old can be found on Long's research page.
Long's postdoctoral research at the University of New Hampshire, involved the construction of the polarised target lab in DeMeritt Hall. In 2014 Long was elected to the Jefferson Lab User's Group Board of Directors as a postdoc representative. Long held this position until 2016.
### Public engagement
In 2009 Long founded the LGBT+ Physicists organisation which serves as a networking resource for gender and sexual minority (GSM) physicists as well as providing a yearly award named the Acknowledgement of Excellence Awards. Long worked with the American Physical Society for their 2012 meeting, ensuring invited speakers and participants were able to share their experiences as LGBT+ physicists in a special session which was attended by over 100 people. A summary of the discussions titled Gender and Sexual Diversity Issues in Physics: The Audience Speaks co-written by Long, is quoted as the start of a grassroots movement to produce guides for the LGBT+ scientific community.
Long has served as the Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion for Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM), Inc, a 501(c)(3) organization and non-profit professional society focused on LGBTQ people in the STEM community.
In an interview with the Society of Physics Students (SPS) Observer Long spoke about the driving force behind her efforts to increase support for LGBT physicists:
"I want there to be more LGBT physicists, and I don't want young people to look at this career and find people telling them to never be themselves at their job. I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I did"
Long was honoured as one of Nature's 10: Ten people who mattered this year in 2016 as a 'Diversity trailblazer'. As part of this recognition, Long was named as one of the architects of a first-of-its-kind survey called LGBT+ Climate in Physics run by the American Physical Society (APS), gathering experiences of physicists in the LGBTQ+ community.
### Awards and honors
Long's awards and honors include:
2017: University of New Hampshire Kidder Fund 2017: Juniata College Young Alumni Achievement award 2016: Nature's 10: Ten people who mattered in 2016 2016: Jefferson Science Associates Postdoctoral Prize 2014: Jefferson Science Associates Promising Young Scientist 2014: oSTEM Global STEM Service Award | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elena_Long |
“Redirecting Children’s Behavior” is based on Adlerian psychology and is strongly influenced by the work of Rudolf Dreikurs, MD, author of the highly acclaimed book “Children: The Challenge.” The course was developed by Kathryn Kvols and Bill Reidler, founders of the Global Relationship Centers, Inc., and authors of the book “Redirecting Children’s Misbehavior,” along with Helen Hall.
Positive parenting is focused on developing a strong, deeply committed relationship between parent and child based on communication and mutual respect. Positive Parenting focuses on teaching children not just what but also why. Positive parenting means training children toward self-control.
There are three major components to positive parenting
- Rules and consequences are laid out, discussed often, and followed through.
- Parents focus on helping children internalize discipline, rather than obey orders based on fear of punishment, in order to develop self-discipline.
- Parents use active listening to understand children’s thoughts. This allows parents to correct misunderstandings or mistaken links of logic.
SOLUTIONS: POSITIVE PARENTING, A DEMOCRATIC APPROACH
In our fast-paced society, adults and children spend much of their time in separate environments. We all want to make the most of the time we have together, however, it can become difficult for us to give ourselves or get what we want from our relationships.
You can have the kind of relationship with your children you have dreamed of, and you can help them develop skills to become loving, motivated and successful adults.
What you can give children from this course:
- Encourage responsibility & initiative
- Enhance high self-esteem
- Develop good decision making skills
- Encourage resistance to peer pressure
- Promote cooperation and successful attitudes
What you can gain from this course:
- Reduce arguing, scolding and yelling
- Feel positive about your parenting skills
- Effectively promote behavior changes
- Establish agreements on discipline within your family
Who should take this course:
- Parents (expecting or having children of any age, from toddlers to teens), grandparents, aunts and uncles, teen-age baby-sitters.
- Teachers, Counselors, Nurses, Social Workers, or anyone who relates to children.
THE CLASS
Five weekly classes are held for a total of 15 hours of instruction. This allows adequate time to practice and master the concepts and techniques. Weekly goals are set by each participant. Problems and successes are shared in a warm supportive environment.
Session 1
- Understanding the child’s personality
- Learn to manage stress
- Reducing sibling rivalry and competition
- How to stop fights/ Using action-not words
- Developing healthy self-concepts
- Promoting cooperation and helpfulness
Session 2
- Explore how parenting style affects children
- Teach children respect and responsibility
- Building high self-esteem and self-motivation
Session 3
- Understand why a child misbehaves
- Intervention and corrective measures that work
- Find out how to build a child’s self-confidence
Session 4
- Teach self-control and encourage self-quieting
- Apply natural and logical consequences
- Ways to hold children accountable for their actions
- How to handle and express feelings
- Punishment and reward vs. “Redirecting”
Session 5
- “Redirecting” in the family
- Promoting agreement on discipline for couples
- Working together as parents
- Refine practical parenting skills
- Effective family communication
CHALLENGES FACING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES TODAY:
- The average child in America receives only 12.5 minutes per day in communication with his/her parents.
- On the average a child receives 400 negative comments compared to only 32 positive comments per day.
- In a study of children ages 1-12, the single most important determinant of children’s self-esteem is the perception of how much they are valued by their parents.
DO YOU RECOGNIZE ONE OF THESE CHILDREN?
- A child who demands to be the center of attention
- Siblings Who Fight
- The Bully Who Pushes Others Around
- The Whining Child Who Says “I Can’t”
- A toddler who has repeated temper tantrums
- A child who turns everything into a Power Struggle
- A teenager with an attitude
THIS COURSE IS FOR YOU IF YOU WANT TO:
- Focus on the problem without judging the child
- Resolve conflicts without power struggles
- Create “genuine encounters”, with children, away from the television
- Teach children to solve their own problems, offering them guidance when needed
- Replacing nagging, yelling, threats, bribes and guilt with effective, positive messages
- Manage personal stress to increase parenting effectiveness
- Assist children in becoming self-sufficient, socially responsible and self-confident
WHAT PEOPLE SAY:
This course is full of action. You don’t just sit and listen. We feel much more confident after practicing the skills.
I knew I wanted to parent differently than my parents. This course gave me the tools to be the parent I wanted to be.
We loved the changes we saw in our three children and in our relationship as a couple as we worked together to raise our children.
I have been easier on myself. I am encouraging more and nagging less. We are letting our daughter take more responsibility.
We almost didn’t take the course because of the time and cost, and we really weren’t having a crisis with our children. We’re so glad we invested in our relationships — we now have so many skills to positively manage future challenges.
I have been more patient, understanding and excited to listen to what my kids have to say. Because of my attention my kids have been really expressive. I looked forward each week to come to this class!
We liked the emphasis on practical application of principles that we had only thought about before.
The class activities helped us see the world through our children’s eyes. Now we’re firm and kind when we set limits.
This class was so helpful to me & my family that my son & I are best friends again, the sweet love that we used to share is back! I know the tools I learned in this class WORK! Now I have someone who helps me around the house ~ very interesting concept! I find that this course has helped me in all my relationships and has made my marriage better too. Thank you for all your love and support!
UPCOMING POSITIVE PARENTING COURSES:
Positive Parenting – Redirecting Children’s Behavior
From Toddlers to Teenagers: A Positive Approach to Parenting
Brooklyn – Bushwick – Evening Class
The Cotton Residence Jefferson Avenue (between Central and Evergreen) Bushwick, NY
$297 per parent or $497 per couple
Stone Ridge – Afternoon Class
High Meadow School
3643 Main St
Stone Ridge, New York 12484
Thursday, November 8, 3-5:30pm
Thursday, November 15, 3-5:30pm
Tuesday, November 20, 3-5:30pm
Thursday, November 29, 3-5:30pm
Thursday, December 6, 3-5:30pm
Tuesday, December 11, 3-5:30pm
$297 per parent or $497 per couple
Stone Ridge – Evening Class
High Meadow School
3643 Main St
Stone Ridge, New York 12484
Thursday, November 8, 6-9pm
Thursday, November 15, 6-9pm
Tuesday, November 20, 6-9pm
Thursday, November 29, 6-9pm
Thursday, December 6, 6-9pm
$297 per parent or $497 per couple
Positive Parenting
(805) 648-6846
All Redirecting Children’s Behavior instructors are certified by the International Headquarters for Children and Families, Gainesville, Florida. | https://positiveparenting.com/what-we-offer/ |
GIMATIC S.r.l. Datasheets for Linear Motors
Linear motors generate force only in the direction of travel. They are capable of extremely high speeds, quick acceleration, and accurate positioning. | https://datasheets.globalspec.com/ds/43/GIMATICSrl |
Mafia is a 2002 action-adventure video game developed by Illusion Softworks. The game traces the rise and fall of Tommy Angelo, a fictional mafioso in the 1930s. Mafia takes places within the fictiona...
Whilst we have to wait until May 19 for more official info/footage on the newly announced Mafia: Trilogy, thanks to a store listing we have a glimpse at what the Mafia II definitive remastered edition...
Remastered games is a very large focus in the gaming industry at the moment. With the newer high powered consoles being released, there is a demand to have old favorites revitalized and brought back ...
E3 has come and gone, with tons of new games coming out from all 3 game industries. Although Sony announced a handful of new IPs provided more information on their Project Morpheus, many of the titles...
Remake is a dirty word isn’t it… I think game publishers and developers prefer the term “remaster”. To remake something is to, by definition, make it from the same materials yo... | https://thisgengaming.com/tag/remastered/ |
Rocky Road Brownie Cupcakes – Gooey marshmallows, toasted almonds and chocolate ganache top these brownie cupcakes. It doesn’t matter how creative I get with my baking experiments, there are times when the only thing that satisfies a sweet craving is a simple, chocolate brownie. For a change, I like to make them as cupcakes and I find it intriguing that the difference in shape and presentation takes them to a different level of interest with most people. With the addition of rocky road toppings….they’re spectacular!
I begin this recipe with a good quality boxed brownie mix, because the toppings make these so decadent, no one will know or care. If you have a favorite homemade recipe, try it with these toppings to change it up a little.
Place the slivered almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and set aside.
In a mixing bowl prepare the brownies according to the instructions on the box, adding 1/3 cup of chocolate syrup. [tip: The syrup will make the brownies dense and chewy] Separate the batter evenly into 12 muffin cups.
Prepare ganache: Melt the chocolate chips and cream together in the microwave until smooth. It's best to do this in 30 second intervals and pause periodically to stir like crazy! Drizzle the warm chocolate over each cupcake.
Bake the brownie cupcakes for 23-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center shows moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and quickly place 8-10 marshmallows on top of each brownie cupcake. Return them to the oven for another 2-3 minutes until the marshmallows begin to melt and brown.
Remove from the oven, and immediately sprinkle the top of each cupcake with toasted slivered almonds.
Drizzle with the warm chocolate ganache.
Garnish with additional almonds, if desired. Serve warm.
Do you like coffee? If so, try a mocha version. Add 1-2 tsp of instant coffee or espresso to the batter OR prepared coffee in place of the water called for on the packaging. | https://www.melissassouthernstylekitchen.com/rocky-road-brownie-cupcakes/ |
Phase I Trial of EF5, an Agent for the Detection of Hypoxia
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:
I. Determine the optimal dose of etanidazole derivative EF5 that is safely tolerated and
provides optimal signal-to-noise ratio in patients with solid tumors.
II. Determine the toxic effects of EF5 in this patient population. III. Determine the
pharmacokinetics of EF5 in this patient population. IV. Determine the dose of EF5 that
provides a mean signal-to-noise ratio (maximum binding in anoxia to minimum binding) of 75.
V. Determine the relationship between tumor oxygenation by EF5 binding and needle electrode
measurements.
VI. Compare the levels of EF5 binding in regions of low and high blood flow.
OUTLINE: This is a dose-escalation study.
Patients receive etanidazole derivative EF5 IV over 1-2 hours beginning approximately 24
hours prior to surgery. Tumors are then resected or biopsied after Eppendorf needle
electrode measurements.
Cohorts of 6 patients receive escalating doses of EF5 until the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)
or optimal dose is determined. The MTD is defined as the dose preceding that at which 2 or
more patients experience dose-limiting toxicity. The optimal dose is defined as the dose
level at or below the MTD and results in a signal-to-noise ratio of 75 or greater. Thirty
additional patients are treated at the optimal dose.
Patients are followed at 30-45 days post EF5 infusion.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 patients will be accrued for this study. | http://www.knowcancer.com/cancer-trials/NCT00003282/ |
City of Hope, an innovative biomedical research, treatment and educational institution with over 5,000 employees, is dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases and guided by a compassionate, patient-centered philosophy.
Founded in 1913 and headquartered in Duarte, California, City of Hope is a remarkable non-profit institution, where compassion and advanced care go hand-in-hand with excellence in clinical and scientific research. City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation's 20 leading cancer centers that develops and institutes standards of care for cancer treatment.
Requisition 14639
Senior Research Associate| Integrative Genomics Core Facility
Position Summary and Key Responsibilities:
A Senior Research Associate position is available in Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope to perform analysis of large scale genomics data, specifically microarray and next-generation sequencing data. Develops analysis pipelines and applications for genomic data analysis and data mining.
Essential Functions:
- Works on various research projects as assigned under supervision of the director.
- Performs statistical and bioinformatics analyses of large scale genomic data, e.g. Illumina and PacBio
- Prepares summaries, presentations, manuscript sections and figures for the visualization and publication of complex data and results.
- Evaluates existing methods and develops applications for genomic data analysis and data mining
- Establishes schedules and monitors status of projects on an ongoing basis.
- Trains department personnel in the use of specialized and custom software packages and databases.
- Provides recommendations for the growth and improvement of the computer hardware and software infrastructure of the department.
- Enhances professional growth and development by reviewing current literature and by participation in educational programs, workshops, conferences, and inservice meetings.
- Maintains department records, reports, and files as required.
- Attends meetings as required.
- Performs special projects as assigned by management.
Follows established City of Hope and department policies, procedures, objectives, performance improvement, attendance, safety, environmental, and infection control guidelines, including adherence to the workplace Code of Conduct and Compliance Plan. Practices a high level of integrity and honesty in maintaining confidentiality.
Minimum Education and Skills Required for Consideration:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree, reqired.
- Five or more years related research/ laboratory experience with a Bachelor's degree or, four or more years related research/ laboratory experience with a Master's degree.
- 2+years of relevant experience in applying statistical and computational methods to theanalysis, modeling and visualization of complex genomics data.
- Extensive knowledge of statistical analysis methods and models, mathematical and computational algorithm, such as machine learning algorithms.
- Experience with genomic data integration and data mining.
- Proficient in R/Bioconductor programming.
- Experience working with NGS data, such as Illumina Hiseq/miSeq and PacBio SMRT sequencing.
- Familiar with at least one programming languages, such as R/Perl/Python/JAVA/C++ with R preferred.
- Familiar with Biological databases, such as GEO and TCGA.
- Familiar with open source and commercial software tools for genomic data analysis, such as BWA, TOPHAT, STAR, CUFFLINKS, IGV, VARSCAN, GATK, ANNOVAR, IPA, etc.
- Knowledge of molecular biology preferred.
- Experience with statistical, spreadsheet, graphics and word-processing software packages.
City of Hope is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. | https://jobs.sciencecareers.org/job/484884/senior-research-associate-integrative-genomics-core/ |
On March 3, 2020, a tornado devastated the Nashville metro area. New Covenant Christian Church immediately went to work serving their neighbors, and then quickly had to modify their response in light of COVID-19 restrictions. We recently spoke with their Pastor, Rev. Dr. Judy Cummings, for an update. At Week of Compassion, we frequently share that disaster relief is complex and often draws attention to existing inequalities in a community. The convergence of a tornado with a pandemic amplifies just how glaring those inequalities are; how they affect recovery; and how they create even more challenges in a time of crisis.
“The people in my community were already in crisis before the tornado hit this neighborhood,” says Rev. Dr. Judy Cummings of New Covenant Christian Church (NCCC), Nashville.
This community--37208-- is “the most incarcerated zip code in the nation.” During segregation, redlining pushed many Black families to settle in north Nashville. For a time after WWII, it was a thriving place for the African American community. But in the 60s, urban renewal brought the interstate straight through and split the neighborhood, destroying economic development. That part of town never recovered and is now the most neglected part of the city.
Unsurprisingly, the community received almost no news coverage in the aftermath of the storm, even though they were one of the most heavily impacted parts of the city. This is often the case when disasters strike in poor communities largely populated by people of color. That lack of attention doesn’t end with the news cycle. Among other things, Federal aid for disaster relief isn't allocated to those who need it most; it's allocated according to cost-benefit calculations meant to minimize taxpayer risk. This means, on the whole, that white Americans in more affluent communities receive more aid after a disaster than minorities and lower income neighborhoods.
Week of Compassion recently shared the ways in which NCCC went to work serving their neighbors to bridge the gap after the tornado, from feeding people and providing necessities to advocating for fair housing policies as opportunistic landlords displaced some of the most vulnerable residents.The congregation then quickly adapted to continue their ministry in light of COVID-19 restrictions.
New Covenant is one of many congregations across the United States dealing with compounded disasters. And like the March storm, the new crisis of a pandemic only served to shed light on systemic inequalities created by the pre-existing condition of racism. As Week of Compassion and our partners work to meet the needs of this pandemic, one thing is clear: we must also address the underlying conditions of inequality and racial injustice at work in our systems and institutions that make this crisis even more challenging for many of our neighbors.
Statistics show that the effects of COVID-19 disproportionately impact communities of color. In the U.S., 30 percent of COVID-19 patients are Black, even though they make up just 13 percent of the U.S. population. These markers indicate systemic inequities within our healthcare system.
New Covenant sees the broad effects of inequality on church members and neighbors in this pandemic. With children home from school, a large “digital divide” now contributes to growing educational and opportunity gaps among those who do not have internet access or computers at home. Many of the adults in the community are essential workers, meaning they must go to work, putting themselves and their families at risk. From healthcare and housing to employment and education, the pandemic is exposing the pervasive impacts of systemic racism.
Too often throughout our history, the Church has contributed to these unjust systems in our culture and communities. Which means the Church has a critical role to play in making meaningful change now.
Dr. Cummings says “When you see injustices, we are all called to speak up-- particularly those of us who are called Christians... Black people have been speaking up. Our voices are not heard. Our white allies, this is a time for you all to speak up; to stand in the gap of justice and say ‘this is wrong.’ Use your influence, your privilege. Denounce these structures and systems that continue to oppress people, that continue to hold people of color back. What we need now are not just allies--we need co-conspirators.”
In spite of the Church’s historic silence and complicity, there is hope in the opportunity of this moment. Dr. Cummings says “This could be the Church’s finest hour, if the Church would stand and speak. We are at a critical point. The Church needs to move forward with boldness and courage to have this conversation. A lot of people don’t like talking about race. It makes them uncomfortable. But we say we are a Pro-Reconciling Anti-Racist church. There has to be repentance before there is reconciliation.”
The effects of COVID-19 amplify the systemic racism that has been embedded in the United States for generations. Through Week of Compassion and other ministries of our wider Church, Disciples have taken bold steps working together to respond to the needs of this pandemic. To truly meet the needs of this time, we are also called to address the underlying crisis of racism that causes so many of our human family to suffer. We have an opportunity now-- and an invitation--to listen to leaders in the Black and brown community, to our siblings in African American congregations, and to others engaged in racial justice work. We have an opportunity to learn what it means to repent and be “co-conspirators” with those who are showing the way, meeting the critical needs of this time while also seeking justice and reconciliation for the future.
Week of Compassion remains committed to our mission to alleviate suffering in the world. We recognize that systemic racial injustice is the root cause of much suffering, and join our voice with other Disciples speaking up for change. For resources and information about how to take part in important conversations happening within our wider church, visit the Disciples Reconciliation Ministry website.
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region / focus : | https://www.weekofcompassion.org/stories/inequality-intensifies-crises-racism-tornadoes-and-covid-19-collide |
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Ahead of the Life Sciences Law Forum 2016, which takes place on June 23 at Etc Venues in the City of London, LSIPR previews some of the main discussion points.
The fourth annual Life Sciences Law Forum, hosted by Thomson Reuters, aims to focus on equipping lawyers with practical solutions and strategies for addressing the challenges their organisation may face throughout a product’s lifecycle.
Designed for general counsel, legal counsel, legal directors and private practitioners, the conference will enable in-house counsel and practitioners to advise attendees on the technical elements of law, as well as provide their experience in overcoming those challenges.
The forum includes two ‘breakout’ sessions which take place in the morning and afternoon.
The meeting kicks off with a focus on the themes of European transparency, and regulatory and market access.
The first panel session of the morning, from 9:10am, focuses on the ‘Transparency of clinical trial data’ and is moderated by Helen Roberts, of counsel at Italian law firm BonelliErede.
She is joined by James Ryan, head of legal affairs at GW Pharmaceuticals, and Gautier Pereira, senior legal manager at GSK.
They will discuss the European Medicines Agency’s position on clinical trial and regulatory data. The session will also focus on the importance of integrity as well as transparency, and the challenges faced from an in-house perspective.
The next session, at 10:10am, again moderated by Roberts, focuses on a ‘pricing reimbursement update’. This session promises to discuss the encouraging growth in the pharmaceutical industry and assesses EU single market strategy.
From 11:30am (after a short coffee break), delegates will have a choice of two ‘breakout’ sessions, which are ‘Biosimilars: regulatory developments’ and ‘Product liability claims: lessons learned from cases’.
After lunch, which is at 12:20pm, delegates return to the second half of the day, which concerns important topics that lawyers are handling at the moment.
The first breakout session features Paul England, senior associate, and Simon Cohen, partner, from Taylor Wessing, and Sergio Napolitano, director legal affairs and trade policy at Medicines for Europe, who represent generic and biosimilar companies.
Discussions will focus on the patent challenges faced by lawyers, regulatory approvals, future strategies and an update on litigation.
The second breakout session will discuss, among other things, class action developments and lessons learned from cases and future strategies.
Tom Spencer, senior legal counsel at GSK and Matthew Felwick and Cécile Derycke from Hogan Lovells, discuss these points.
The afternoon sessions’ themes include data privacy, IP, competition law and digital life sciences.
“Discussions will focus on the patent challenges faced by lawyers, regulatory approvals, future strategies and an update on litigation.”
At 13:20pm, Funke Abimbola, general counsel at Roche in the UK, and Maria Chiara Atzori, head of data privacy at Novartis International, will discuss, among other things, personal data in life sciences and the impact of technology convergence.
This is a topic which will likely resonate with delegates after President Barack Obama spoke at an honorary ceremony for scientists at the White House on May 19.
LSIPR reported that Obama praised scientists and the technology industry.
He highlighted the work of Shirley Ann Jackson, Mark Humayan and Mary-Claire King.
“They illustrate why this is such an extraordinary moment to be a scientist in this country. America’s progress in science and technology has countless revolutionary discoveries within our reach,” Obama said.
As the afternoon continues, the forum draws its discussion towards attendees. At 14:20pm in the third ‘breakout’ session of the day, Suzanne Smith, chief legal officer and company secretary at Abcam, and Sally Shorthouse, partner at Bird & Bird, will talk about ‘Collaboration agreements—what are the best jurisdictions to resolve disputes?’.
Cameron Firth, partner and joint head of life sciences and healthcare at King & Wood Mallesons, will talk about recent, pending and possible future referrals to the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Free Trade Association.
Changes related to supplementary protection certificates and patents, reverse patent settlements, second medical use patents and avoiding the pitfalls of antitrust law violation will be discussed by Firth.
Technology is a theme which continues during the afternoon and at 15:10pm delegates will further delve into how technology is assisting in legal challenges.
In the final session of the day, at 15:40pm, which is called ‘Panel session: M-health, use of apps, security’, lawyers from Hogan Lovells and a visiting professor from Imperial College, London will talk about how to communicate with patients and discuss past experiments of using patient focus groups.
The Life Sciences Law Forum promises to be informative for guests and has gained positive responses from delegates who attended the 2015 conference.
Karla Burke, from Thomson Reuters, IP and science, said: “Great calibre of speakers, diverse programme, good venue.”
LSIPR is a media partner of this event. Further information can be viewed here.
Life Sciences Law Forum, Thomson Reuters, EU single market strategy, patent, Medicines for Europe, biosimilars, | https://www.lifesciencesipreview.com/contributed-article/optimising-ip-strategies-life-sciences-law-forum-preview |
# Mystery Diagnosis
Mystery Diagnosis is a television docudrama series that aired on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Each episode focuses on two or more individuals who have struggled with obscure medical ailments, and their quest for a diagnosis. The program details the patients' and doctors' difficulty in pinpointing a diagnosis; often due to nonspecific symptoms, masquerading syndromes, the rarity of the condition or disease, or the patient's case being an unusual manifestation of said condition or disease.
The series debuted on Discovery Health Channel in 2005, and was continued when the Oprah Winfrey Network replaced Discovery Health on January 1, 2011. The last season premiered January 5, 2011.
## Description
Each episode tells the stories of two patients who experienced difficult to diagnose medical conditions. Each segment generally begins with a short description of the patient's life before they fell ill (or in the case of a young child, the parents' life before the child was born). The symptoms that the person experienced are described from their onset, usually becoming progressively worse; the progression is often re-enacted by actors while the original patient narrates. The show chronicles the patient's visits from doctor to doctor, where they may receive misdiagnoses or be told that the doctors have found nothing wrong. After continuing to experience symptoms for an extended period of time, the person discovers a doctor who is able to solve their case. The doctor reviews the patient's medical records, notices a symptom that his or her colleagues overlooked, performing tests, and finally reaching the correct diagnosis and giving the proper treatment. This is followed by a brief explanation of why the disorder was so difficult to diagnose, and a description of what the person's life is like today. Usually, the patient is still alive. Some have died after the episode was taped or aired, and only one has died before the diagnosis (though his afflicted brother survived).
The series has no regular cast except for its narrator, David Guion (2005–2009) and David Scott (2009–2011), who describes the patients' lives and the destruction their illnesses bring. The patients along with their friends and family help to narrate their stories.
While the majority of the conditions examined in the series are unusual or rare conditions (such as cryoglobulinemia) or genetic disorders, well-known conditions such as epilepsy, Myasthenia gravis, Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, heart disease, Crohn's disease, pulmonary hypertension, Lyme disease, endocarditis and cancer have featured on the show. A significant number of episodes revolve around autoimmune disorders, ranging from Pyoderma gangrenosum to Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration.
## Other activities
In 2009, Mystery Diagnosis was named the program partner in organizing Rare Disease Day, an observance intended to raise awareness of rare diseases among the general public and policy-makers. Mystery Diagnosis worked with the United States coordinator, National Organization for Rare Disorders, to organize events across the country for observing Rare Disease Day at the end of February.
All episodes formerly premiered on Discovery Health channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), and sometimes on the Discovery Channel. As of January 2011, new episodes were aired on OWN. The show later re-aired on Discovery Life.
The show is not currently on Discovery+, the streaming service offered by Discovery. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_Diagnosis |
Breast cancer is scary at any age, especially since according to U.S. Breast Cancer Statistics, 1 in 8 women will develop it in their lifetime. However, for those who are 60 or older, the chance of developing breast cancer is greater.
Preventative procedures such as routine breast exams and mammograms have provided patients with favorable results — mammography screening every two years has been shown to reduce deaths related to breast cancer in patients between the ages of 65 and 74. But what are the treatment options for those seniors who have already been diagnosed?
Radiation
Because an elderly patient’s immune system is not as strong as a younger person’s, their body may respond differently to breast cancer treatment. This is notably true in the case of radiation if the patient is not initially healthy (although radiation has been known to treat elderly patients very effectively).
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy waves to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is typically recommended every day or multiple times a week depending on the cancer of the patient.
However, even in a cancer care center, a doctor may recommend less radiation treatment for an elderly patient than they would a younger person lest the patient’s health were to decline. However, depending on the initial health of the patient (if the patient doesn’t suffer from other illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, etc), radiation therapy may be used at a normal rate.
Chemotherapy treatment
Chemotherapy is the use of chemical substances to kill off cancer cells. Unlike radiation therapy, chemotherapy is known for its more negative side effects such as digestive issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Chemotherapy may not be the most recommended cancer treatment for older patients specifically because of its toll on the body. Even in younger patients, chemotherapy may cause lowered blood cell levels, but in elderly patients a decrease in white blood cells could be worrisome.
Surgery
Mastectomies are common surgical procedures in relation to breast cancer. A mastectomy is the total removal of the breast. There are five different types of breast-removal surgical procedures: a simple mastectomy, which removes the entire breast and tissue; a double mastectomy, which removes both breasts; a skin-sparing mastectomy, which leaves the skin of the breast intact for breast reconstruction; a nipple-sparing mastectomy, which leaves the skin and nipple of the breast intact for breast reconstruction; and a radical mastectomy, which removes the entire breast as well as the lymph nodes of the underarm and the pectoral muscle below the affected breast.
Like most surgical procedures, there may be potential health risks due to your age. If you’re thinking of undergoing a mastectomy, or any other breast cancer treatment, be sure to talk to your doctor or family physician about your cancer treatment options and how radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery may affect your heart, lung, kidney, liver, or immune function. | https://news.woodcountyhospital.org/breast-cancer-over-60-the-best-treatment-options-for-you/ |
How secure is .rs?
In 2014, we did a report titled “National domain security analysis” (pdf) under RNIDS (Serbian National Internet Domain Registry) sponsorship. This study was then presented (same year) on debate panel “3u1” during “European Cyber Security Month”, organised by ENISA, the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security and RNIDS.
Participants, general public and media showed broad interest in this study and it was well received by media at that time. Blic, B92, Live TV, IT Svet, PC Press, Biznis i Finansije, Personal Mag, Dnevnik, etc.
This resulted in more panels, presentations and improvements over original report, mainly at ETF (Faculty of Electrical Engineering), FON (Faculty of Organizational Sciences), Faculty of Security Studies and others.
Our hope was that this 2014 report and analysis will serve as foundation for business and technical decision makers. As the security threat increases and privacy concerns heighten, the relevancy and timeliness of this report is significant, underscoring the imperative that data security, protection and privacy need to be integrated into every service, business process, web site and mobile application.
2014 report and analysis (pdf) #
This study covered 86.291 national internet domains (.rs)
Covered points:
- Domain DNS settings
- Domain MX settings with active check for smtp/imap/pop3 services
- Domain active web services (http and https)
- Geo IP location for domain services
- OS/Version check for web/mail services
- Detailed analysis of web service encryption protocols and settings including HSTS.
- Detailed analysis of mail service encryption protocols and settings
Serbia on the Internet in 2014:
- 2.85 million Internet users in Serbia
- 1.3 million that use e-services
- 99% companies in Serbia uses Internet
- 28.3 million dinars (235k EUR) spent each day in Serbia on buying/selling items over Internet.
Results of this analysis where not encouraging to say at least. Out of 79.1% domains that had web service active, only 54.3% had HTTPS enabled, and out of them only 14.2% had HTTPS set correctly. On the mail transport side, out of 81.9% of domains that had SMTP service active, 49.1% supported encryption and out of them only 13.5% had it set correctly.
On top of that:
- Out of Top20 web sites in Serbia, only one site had HTTPS enabled for visitors.
- Out of 40 official internet domain registers, 13 of them had valid CA signed SSL certificate and 1 (one) had HSTS active.
- In total, only TWO domains out of 86.291 had HSTS active (that is 0.002%).
HTTPS & usage of HSTS #
During our panels, discussions, interviews and training’s we explained dangers of encryption miss-configuration, usage of obsolete encryption standards and protocols. One of major points was explaining that (HSTS) should be enabled for all web encryption setups. In a 2009 paper, Moxie Marlinspike introduced the concept of SSL stripping, a man-in-the-middle attack in which a network attacker could prevent a web browser from upgrading to an SSL connection in a subtle way that would likely go unnoticed by a user.
The HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) specification was subsequently developed, drafted in 2010, and accepted in 2012 as RFC to combat these attacks. Since 2012 all major banks, retail companies, etc. in world (except in under-developed countries - including Serbia) adopted this technology and implemented it to combat MiTM attacks. The major reason for us to push HSTS during our presentations and conversations, was discovery that only 0.002% of all national domains in Serbia used it.
Privacy on the Internet #
Second major point was also trying to engage audience about need, to have privacy on the Internet. The one most common statement among students at that point was: “We don’t care about rights to privacy, because we have nothing to hide”. For perfect answer, we can quote (Edward Snowden): “This is not different than saying: We don’t care about freedom of speech because we have nothing to say”.
2016 addition to the report: e-Banking in Serbia #
In 2016 we analyzed how banks in Serbia protect users with encryption during web access, to see how well users are protected. The criteria used in this addition is highly relevant to the security and privacy practices banks must implement to maximize online trust and consumer protection in e-banking.
This analysis include:
- Detailed analysis of web service encryption protocols and settings including HSTS.
- Encryption policy before POST
- Provider for delivering e-Banking service (in-house and/or outsourced)
This analysis does NOT include:
- Application level security
- Bank procedures for using e-banking web applications
- 2FA implementation security
Like in our 2014 results for overall national domain security, new survey and analysis results are not encouraging to say at least. To some extent we can safely say that they are frightening.
The e-Banking preliminary summary #
Out of 22 Banks & 29 sites analyzed, 0 (zero) use HSTS.
Out of 29 e-banking sites only 4 (four) e-Banking sites encrypt passwords before POST. Rest, use pure plaintext mode relying on HTTPS protection without HSTS! Example:
- Out of 29 e-banking sites 9 (nine) have F grade in security (worst possible grade) checked on Qualys (The leading provider of Information Security and compliance cloud solutions). SSL test web site and results are bellow saved for reference. F grade is mostly due usage of self-signed certificates, unsafe (obsolete protocols/encryption standards, and/or due to known vulnerabilities enabled/used). Here is one of examples summary:
Out of 29 e-banking sites 11 (or 37.93%) use outsourcing services (Pexim/Asseco or Halcom). All of which use same SSL/TLS certificate signed by outsourced company and not Bank(s), completely relying on HTTPS with passing of plaintext passwords, and again not using HSTS. Also Banks “trust” these third parties with customer data, most likely without notifying customers about where that data is, and who has access to it.
Some support 2FA (Two Factor Authentication) that is enabled with either mobile phone application, or sms, or other means (tokens, etc) but almost all of them use 2FA only for payment and not for login (accessing your data). This practically means that someone with MiTM capabilities is likely to get access to your private account and get full insight on your financial information.
Conclusion #
With above mentioned failures to meet the best practices securing data in transit, I will leave any comments to the reader. Mine would not be appropriate after observing above mentioned failures.
It might be worth mentioning that EU HQ’s of some Serbian banks have all these security features implemented correctly, while in Serbia they do not. Maybe, if this was regulated by local Serbian law, and if that law would implemented in such way to protect consumers, banks would take care to implement best possible standards to protect it’s customers. Unfortunately, majority will continue to pay “Account maintenance fee” on monthly basis and accept the conditions.
If you liked this, I would highly recommend you to also read “E-banking: Defective by design” by Dušan Dželebdžić i Žarko Ptiček
UPDATE 2016/01/11: This blog entry was kindly translated to Serbian: Koliko je naš e-banking zaista siguran? and published by Netokracija.rs
UPDATE 2016/01/14: Another blog showed up (not related to our work), mostly same topic different domains on Serbian “Zašto se browseri plaše sajtova državne uprave?”
UPDATE 2016/01/15: Looks like this is not only in Under-developed countries, as Brian X. Chen @bxchen - Lead consumer technology writer and author of the Tech Fix column for @nytimes sent unrelated tweet on almost same topic noticing “World of Warcraft has better password security (2-step verification) than some banks (e.g. Capital One). That’s nuts.” in his tweet published here.
UPDATE 2016/01/22:
First bank that officially responded to this report was Societe Generale Serbia. Public statement was published here and here. This was not surprising since this is one of the banks that actually took all but HSTS measures and had A- in report.
UPDATE 2016/03/07:
Second bank to respond and correct issues mentioned in above survey was UniCredit Bank. | http://blog.gerzic.rs/how-secure-is-rs |
A magisterial paintings of social background, Life After Death illuminates the various other ways historical civilizations grappled with the query of what precisely occurs to us once we die.
In a masterful exploration of the way Western civilizations have outlined the afterlife, Alan F. Segal weaves jointly biblical and literary scholarship, sociology, historical past, and philosophy. A well known student, Segal examines the maps of the afterlife present in Western spiritual texts and divulges not just what quite a few cultures believed yet how their notions mirrored their societies’ realities and beliefs, and why these ideals replaced over the years. He keeps that the afterlife is the replicate during which a society arranges its notion of the self. The composition strategy for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam begins in grief and results in the victory of the self over death.
Arguing that during each spiritual culture the afterlife represents the final word gift for the great, Segal combines historic and anthropological info with insights gleaned from spiritual and philosophical writings to provide an explanation for the subsequent mysteries: why the Egyptians insisted on an afterlife in heaven, whereas the physique used to be embalmed in a tomb in the world; why the Babylonians considered the lifeless as residing in underground prisons; why the Hebrews remained silent approximately existence after loss of life throughout the interval of the 1st Temple, but embraced it in the second one Temple interval (534 B.C.E. –70 C.E.); and why Christianity put the afterlife within the middle of its trust process. He discusses the internal dialogues and arguments inside of Judaism and Christianity, exhibiting the underlying dynamic in the back of them, in addition to the tips that mark the variations among the 2 religions. In a considerate exam of the impact of biblical perspectives of heaven and martyrdom on Islamic ideals, he bargains a desirable standpoint at the present troubling upward thrust of Islamic fundamentalism.
In tracing the natural, ancient relationships among sacred texts and groups of trust and evaluating the visions of existence after loss of life that experience emerged all through background, Segal sheds a vivid, revealing gentle at the intimate connections among notions of the afterlife, the societies that produced them, and the individual’s look for the last word that means of existence on the earth.
Read or Download Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion PDF
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Additional resources for Life After Death: A History of the Afterlife in Western Religion
There is not any old proof for an intermediate country; how the lifeless have been to take part in “the day of the LORD,” which the prophets occasionally anticipated, isn't really obtrusive. First, there are centuries of Hebrew suggestion earlier than a “day of the LORD” within the feel of an eschatological finish seems to be. most likely, it used to be to be loved purely by means of the dwelling at the start. the true factor isn't even if something survives loss of life yet no matter if that anything is punished for its sins or lives on in a beati c and fascinating means. We has to be cautious of this contrast all through: whilst “refa’” or “nefesh,” potential not anything greater than “shade,” “ghost” or “spirit” in describing the afterlife, then it truly is no di erent from a bunch of different phrases for ghost all through global religions. If there isn't any beati c afterlife and no judgment, then it doesn't topic a lot no matter if the “soul” is a “wraith,” a “spirit,” a “ghost,” or a “shade. ” it isn't an afterlife to be wanted. forty five even if nefesh happens particularly often within the Hebrew textual content, there's no proof that the traditional Hebrews conceived of an “immortal” soul in our philosophical experience of the time period. The suggestion of an immortal soul comes mostly from Greek philosophers, specifically Plato. we'll talk about that idea while it truly is traditionally Plato. we are going to talk about that idea while it's traditionally applicable inside of Hebrew thought-that is, through the Hellenistic interval, whilst Greek suggestion in uenced Jewish notion deeply. the sooner, extra local Hebrew suggestion was once extra inchoate and is tied to Canaanite notions; nefesh is even without delay cognate with the Ugaritic time period. it is crucial since it marks the identification of the individual yet no longer since it survives loss of life for a beatific gift. along with the concept that of soul, the Hebrews referred to the existence precept as breath (rüah, ruaḥ), which God stocks with people (Gen 1:1). The notions of ruaḥ and nefesh has to be very comparable, as is logical in view that “nefesh” is derived from one of many Hebrew phrases for “breathing. ” essentially, nefesh skill anything like “breath” or “life principle,” that is glaring within the rst references to it within the Hebrew Bible, while our lord god breathes into the man’s nostrils the breath of lifestyles (nishmat ḥayyim, from nešāmâ, nishamah) and he turned a residing soul (nefesh ḥayyah, Gen 2:7). The note “nishamah,” during this context, seems to indicate “inhalation;” so a residing soul is created via the inhalation of existence. most likely, “nefesh” during this context skill whatever like “living” or “breathing” creature, because it can also be used usually of animals, specifically within the construction tales. It in simple terms capability “soul” in an off-the-cuff method, as while after we say send went down with all souls misplaced, that means all individuals or lives misplaced. certainly, the time period “dead soul” really happens in Hebrew writing, the place it ability a corpse. forty six in brief the matter is that we use the time period di erently from the Hebrews: we predict we now have a soul; the Hebrews idea they have been a soul. therefore the Hebrews didn't instantly or generally distinguish among physique and soul as we may perhaps do. | http://numerologycentral.com/library/life-after-death-a-history-of-the-afterlife-in-western-religion |
According to a study by Small Business Administration, veterans are 45% more likely to become self-employed than their counterparts who have no military experience. Veterans are among the best people to create startups as they possess key qualities necessary for entrepreneurship. You can attribute this to the nature of the work they do in protecting citizens’ rights. Their roles while in service allow them to acquire valuable transferrable skills that contribute to business success. Below are some of the reasons veterans excel at creating startups.
1. Leadership Skills
One of the most prized skills for creating and running a successful startup is leadership skills, as they can determine the failure or success of any business. Most veterans get exposed to leadership roles while in the military, which gives them leadership experience.
They can effectively manage teams, provide guidance and direction and make sound decisions. The ability to lead allows veterans to inspire loyalty and confidence when starting a business. It also motivates employees, which is good for productivity.
As excellent leaders, veterans can make smart decisions regarding crucial aspects of the business, such as recruitment and investments. Therefore, veterans can lead the company towards realizing its vision and business objectives by enacting the necessary changes and adjustments for profitability and growth.
2. Dedication and Discipline
Veterans are resilient and dedicate themselves to ensuring they see any course to the end. The commitment and discipline that define the military make veterans excellent candidates for startup creation as businesses require a high level of attention for success. The discipline enables veterans to work under adversity or pressure and ensure they get the job done.
Veterans can utilize the work ethics they learn while in service to fine-tune critical aspects of business such as finance, planning, sales, and production. The discipline and ability to work under pressure mean veterans won’t give up in the face of challenges. Note that startups face a myriad of challenges before they can find their footing. For people without discipline and commitment to succeed, any startup will fail before it can even take off.
3. Teamwork
While in the military, service members work in groups and teams. The ability to be teamplayers and build relationships while in the military helps veterans create valuable networks. The networks they form can add value to their entrepreneurial journeys and set them up for success. They can easily connect with industry players and gain their support in launching and growing a startup. Also, veterans can take advantage of the relationships they develop while in service to support one another, which increases the chance of success.
Working well with others facilitates good working relationships with employees, regardless of personality or background. The resulting collaboration promotes efficiency, which translates to more productivity and business growth in the long run.
4. Taking Initiative
Besides taking orders, veterans are good at taking initiative and being self-starters, which is essential in establishing and running a successful start-upstart-up. The harsh environment in which most military members work requires them to take initiative, make sense of chaos, and take risks. The difficult situations that veterans get exposed to force them to think outside the box and apply creativity when solving problems.
Veterans are great at identifying business opportunities, taking risks, and creating solutions for existing problems in society. Therefore, they can easily take rewarding risks and identify business opportunities to invest in. They are also resourceful, which helps them get the work done with limited access to the necessary tools. With adequate support, veterans can create successful startups that add value to the target market.
5. Support of the U.S Business Community
Veterans put themselves at risk to protect the rights of citizens. Therefore, most businesses and institutions tend to support veterans when they need to create a startup. They do so as a way of recognizing their efforts and repaying them for the sacrifice. For example, Small Business Administration (SBA) supports veterans starting businesses by helping them create business plans, estimate costs, hire employees and even find clients.
Also, financial institutions are always willing to support veterans seeking financing for their startups. The discipline and integrity that veterans possess make them safe bets for loans, including unsecured loans. As such, financial institutions readily offer veterans financing. With the U.S business community always ready to support and help veterans creating startups, the businesses have better chances of thriving.
While transitioning veterans may not have adequate capital, experience, or skills to compete with established businesses, they have the potential to succeed in entrepreneurship. If you are a veteran looking to create a startup in the tech industry and don’t know where to start, filling the existing skill gap is a good start. You can learn to code for less with GI Bill benefits and begin a journey towards creating a successful tech startup. | https://infobeat.com/why-veterans-excel-at-creating-startups/ |
Let me start off by saying I’ve wondered about this in connection with two very different kinds of male left-handers that I come in contact with. Then there is the third group of left-handed males, who are autistic. One group is filled with social, talkative, articulate, focused, smart, imaginative males. The second group tends to be easily annoyed, gruff, focused, somewhat obsessed, smart and imaginative. Imagination seems to be closely associated with left-handedness in males. I don’t know why there are two kinds of nonautistic males (if my observations are at all useful). Perhaps one is high in estrogen and the other low, with both low in testosterone.
With females, it’s a bit different. Offering attention to left-handed females over the last ten years, I have noticed a very strong clustering of the classic matrifocal archetype, with many brilliant, commanding, discerning, focused females being left-handed. Creativity seems not necessarily related.
So where am I going with this? Marian Annett discussed the balanced polymorphism that makes up a society in the context of the UK, where she is a practicing neuropsychologist. Those in the center are the right-handed, but not the extremely right-handed. These people, Annett believes, retain a language facility advantage yet avoid physical and mental maladies by not being at the right extreme. The extremely right-handed, she believes, retain several disadvantages with few natural talents. Those at the left end–the left-handed and extremely left-handed–experience a different variety of disadvantages. Yet, Annett noted an astonishing number of extremely talented people appearing at the extreme left end, out there where a number of unique physical and mental conditions plague those people. Those conditions include autism, dyslexia, stuttering, allergies, Asperger’s and perhaps obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder and bi-polar personality disorder.
Side note. Annett discovered that dyslexia actually comes in two forms, a phonetic version mostly retained by lefties and a visual dyslexia that mostly affects extreme right-handers. It is possible that several conditions that are assigned one name actually have two separate etiologies composed of these two very different neurologies. For example, schizophrenia may come in both nonlateralized and highly cerebral-lateralized versions with additional narrow and wide corpus callosum variations. OCD may also come in these two very different variations.
With the current neurodiversity movement and the writing of Dr. Michael Fitzgerald, there is now a focus on a number of historical figures who offered world-changing paradigms and who seemed to feature traits of those with autism. Astonishingly creative imaginations with an ability to tease out interconnected wholes and brains with difficulty integrating the thoughts of other humans seem paradoxically closely related.
I think the answer to the question “How come imagination is associated with those leaning towards ancestral brain wiring, that is, less split brain and a better integrated right hemisphere?” has to do with two very different types of imagination engaged in by the two kinds of brains. The old, less split, more integrated, left-handed, autistic-leaning brain has a more direct access to holistic, interconnected, simultaneous, multilayered understanding, except with less grasp of the relationship between those connections and a self. On the other hand, the right-handed, split-brained person with a smaller corpus callosum, who is a narrative thinker, can far easier imagine what is not, and estimate, step by step, how exactly to manipulate time and space to arrive there.
Whereas the lefty with relative ease grasps what is, the righty can fairly effortlessly make up what is not.
Both exercise imagination. One has less self awareness in the context of a self’s relationship with others, but nevertheless he or she has a relative easier access to the existing, supporting, interconnected infrastructure, in no small part because of there being less distraction from a self. The other, with heightened sensitivity to self and self’s relationship with others, is acutely aware of differing perspectives, able to estimate much that does not exist, often failing to understand what is real.
Some male left-handers seem to travel in both worlds. This results in an almost separate class of individuals with abilities both to integrate and separate. Four of the last five presidents were perhaps these kinds of lefties. I believe part of what society is wrestling with today is some kind of synthesis or integration of the two paradigms leading to these kinds of individuals. We need both an ability to imagine what does not exist and the power to perceive and adjust to what does exist. These two usually separate forms of imagination merge, at the societal level, in the societal balanced polymorphism hypothesized by Annett.
I hypothesize these two imaginations are starting to merge in the neurologies of certain individuals, particularly in the matrifocal/patrifocal hybrid society that is developing. Another way of saying this is that the balanced polymorphism intuited by Annett is shifting leftward, exhibiting a different kind of center. A net result may be a wiser, more grounded, less ambitious, less competitive culture with an ability to integrate into its multiplace, multitime, creation-of-opposites imagination an understanding of how exactly we are interconnected with the world as it really is. | http://www.neoteny.org/2010/03/26/question/ |
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Working Inside Social Networking Spaces: Making Sense of Participant Conversation?
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Title
Working Inside Social Networking Spaces: Making Sense of Participant Conversation?
Author/Creator
Hunt, John
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Drabble, A
Description
Children who are considered to be at risk of school failure often have difficulty learning to read (Loeb, Gillam, Hoffman, Brandel, and Marquis, 2009). Berg and Stegelman (2003) reported “the acquisition of phonemic awareness is the result of instruction, and not age or maturation” (p. 49–50). There is a strong relationship between phonemic awareness and reading achievement (Yopp, 1991). This study demonstrated that using read aloud strategies had a positive impact on motivation and learning, developing phonemic awareness, and fostering reading abilities and interest in Hispanic pre-kindergarten students along the Texas-Mexico border. Read aloud strategies were consistently used over a five-month period with twenty-four (24) Hispanic pre-kindergarten students. The findings indicated that their reading abilities, motivation, and interest improved significantly. The twenty-four students were able to reach a higher level of phonemic awareness in language, a strong pre-requisite for success in future reading achievement. Moreover, students were highly motivated to participate in reading activities and began to see themselves as readers. | http://research.usc.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/usc:11231 |
On 2 July, after three days of infighting and political horse-trading, the European Council reached an agreement on appointments to the EU’s ‘top jobs’. To say that these have been controversial would be an understatement, not least because of the process leading to the appointments. The Council’s decision was reached behind closed doors. There was no public scrutiny of the appointees or their agenda for the Union. The European Parliament was all but ignored, as the Council defied the ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ process to appease the leaders of the Visegrad Group. Even the very liberal and pro-EU Guardian conceded that this isn’t an obvious advertisement for the project.
A lot has already been written on the controversies surrounding the four appointees, including the ongoing probe into von der Leyen’s awarding of contracts at the German’s defence ministry and the various corruption allegations against Josep Borrell, the Council’s pick for the role of High Representative for Foreign Affairs. However, Christine Lagarde – chosen to head the European Central Bank – has been largely immune from those controversies. In this post, I argue that insufficient attention has been paid to the fact that Lagarde was actually convicted of a criminal offence for her role in a major financial fraud case and that this raises serious questions regarding the legality of her appointment. Following a brief summary of Lagarde’s role in the Tapie Affair, I examine the rules governing the appointment of the ECB President under the EU Treaties. Other sources of law may be envisaged, such as general principles of EU or global administrative law. But these are beyond the purview of this post and, as will become apparent, my view is that there is sufficient ground under the EU treaties to argue that Lagarde’s criminal conviction renders her appointment invalid and thus liable to judicial review and annulment.
Christine Lagarde: ‘rock star’ of international finance and convicted felon
The appointment of Lagarde – Managing Director of the IMF and ‘rock star’ of international finance – has been met with nothing short of wild enthusiasm by the liberal media. Poised, capable, highly experienced, a good listener with savvy political instincts and deep connections in global finance, she has been hailed ‘the right choice’ to head the ECB and ‘just what Europe needs’ in these troubled times. Lagarde is also a woman, the first ever to score the top job at global law firm Baker McKenzie, to serve as finance minister of a G7 country, to lead the IMF, and now poised to break yet another glass ceiling. A remarkable individual by any measure which, compared to other appointees, may at first glance appear squeaky clean.
Yet, whereas other appointees are tainted with allegations of wrongdoing, Lagarde was actually convicted for her role in the Tapie Affair – a long-running political scandal in which the French state was cheated by nearly half a billion euros through a rigged arbitration. Largarde – who was finance minister at the time – approved a massive payout to French oligarch Bernard Tapie and refused to appeal the arbitral award. This was done against her advisers’ recommendation and in the face of serious corruption allegations which eventually led to the award’s annulment. In what is widely suspected to be part of a secret pact between Tapie and Sarkozy involving a huge payout in return for election support, Largarde was found guilty of gross criminal negligence causing the misappropriation of public funds.
As is all too familiar with white-collar establishment criminals, Lagarde did not receive a formal punishment on account of her ‘international reputation’ and the ‘context of global financial crisis’, causing intense controversy in France and once again proving Jean de la Fontaine’s maxim ‘selon que vous serez puissant ou misérable, les jugements de cour vous rendront blanc ou noir’. Yet her criminal liability was definitively established and her conduct was deemed a ‘decisive cause’ (page 15 of the judgment) in the conspiracy to defraud the French state.
The EU Treaties and the Appointment of the ECB President
The appointment of the EU’s top officials is a notoriously political affair in which EU leaders strike complex compromises based on national preferences, geographical representation, support by leading political parties and policy considerations. Yet the EU remains – as the saying goes – a Union of law, where decisions must have a basis in the constitutive treaties and are made within an agreed legal framework. This goes for technical regulations concerning banana curvature as it does for big political decisions such as top-job appointments. What then do the EU treaties tell us about the appointment of the ECB President? In truth, not much.
The process for appointing the ECB’s Executive Board (including the President) is laid out in article 283 TFEU. The Board is appointed by the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, after consultation of the European Parliament and the ECB’s Governing Council. Yet when it comes to the person specifications for what is in essence one of the most powerful positions in the EU, the Treaties are remarkably short on detail. They lay out only two basic principles: the ECB President must hold the nationality of a Member State; and they must be appointed ‘from among persons of recognised standing and professional experience in monetary or banking matters’ (art. 283(2) TFEU).
As a French national, Lagarde clearly meets the first condition. Whether she satisfies the second is a lot less evident and requires some careful consideration of the meaning of relevant treaty provisions. To be clear, I am not interested here in whether, as a politician with no central banking experience, Lagarde possesses the required qualifications to lead the ECB. Leaving aside the question’s sexist undertone (would we really be asking this if Lagarde was a man?), the ECB has come to assume a highly political role, especially since the Eurozone crisis, and economics are in any event far too important to leave to narrowly focused professional economists.
My concern here is whether, given her conviction in a major financial crime case, Lagarde can reasonably be said to be a ‘person of recognised standing’. To answer this question, one must ascertain the meaning of the term ‘standing’ in the TFEU. ‘Standing’, in the English language, normally refers to a person’s social position, status or reputation. Standing here is axiologically neutral. One can be in good or bad standing. In this acception, ‘person of recognised standing’ may simply denote a person with an established career in the world of finance, a known figure with significant professional experience and competence in areas of relevance to the ECB. However, standing is also often used in a more normative sense to denote a person with good social or moral credentials, an individual commanding respect or admiration because of their positive contribution or influence. In the UK, for instance, passport applications must be countersigned by a ‘person of standing’ in the community, meaning a ‘person of good standing’, the two terms often being used interchangeably.
Looking at non-English versions of the TFEU, it appears plausible that the parties may have intended to use the term standing in this second acception. The French version of the TFEU does for instance use the term ‘autorité’, which indicates a person serving as a reference for others owing to their excellence or seriousness, whilst the Spanish text uses the term ‘prestigio’, a notion with a positive connotation used to describe the respect and admiration resulting from a person’s reputation for high quality, success or social influence.
In the absence of a plain ordinary meaning or clear party intention, the rules of treaty interpretation require taking into account the context of the treaty, including subsequent agreements between the parties and subsequent state practice. In ascertaining the meaning of article 283(2) TFEU, it is helpful to look at the manner in which member states have construed the concept of ‘standing’ in their own legislation, including the statute of their national central banks [NCBs]. NCBs form an integral part of the ESCB (European System of Central Banks, see art. 282(1) TFEU) and their statutes were all revised following the adoption of the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties. They therefore constitute implementing legislation and, as such, are highly relevant to the interpretation of the EU treaties.
Looking at NCB statutes, it is fairly apparent that members of the banks’ governing bodies are expected to possess standing not simply in the axiologically neutral sense of competence or eminence, but also in the sense of integrity and honesty. Whilst a few statutes are silent on the question of governors’ credentials (Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden), most indicate that only persons of high integrity are fit to serve on NCB governing bodies. Consider the following examples:
- ‘members of the Governing Council shall be elected and appointed only among persons of the highest integrity’ (Bulgarian statute, art. 11(3));
- Only a citizen ‘who is of integrity’ and ‘who has not been lawfully convicted of a criminal offence’ is appointable (Czech Republic, art. 7);
- The Board is composed of persons ‘whose reputation must be unblemished’(Estonia, art 4(2));
- A person cannot be appointed as Governor if ‘convicted of an offence’ (Ireland, section 19);
- Persons who are the object of a ‘conviction for a criminal offence’ cannot be appointed as Councillors (Greece, art. 14);
- The Director ‘shall be selected among persons […] who meet the requirements of integrity’. Candidates ‘cannot have sustained a conviction, even one still subject to appeal’ (Italy, art. 16);
- Bank commissioners ‘shall have a clean criminal record’ (Hungary, art. 79);
- ‘no person shall be appointed a director who […] under the law of any country has been […] convicted of a crime affecting public trust or of theft or of fraud’ (Malta, art. 9(3));
- ‘a member of the board must be a natural person who is […] of good repute [i.e.] has not been convicted by a final judgment of a deliberate crime’ (Slovakia, art. 7).
Statutes that do not explicitly list integrity as a requirement at the point of hiring typically contain dismissal clauses in case of serious misconduct whilst in office (Belgium, Spain, France, Croatia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Romania, Finland, UK). The above demonstrates that member states have through their subsequent practice taken the view that serious misconduct – and especially criminal conviction – is incompatible with high office at a central bank. It would therefore appear inconsistent to interpret the requirement of ‘recognised standing’ in art. 283(2) TFEU in a narrow, axiologically neutral sense. If integrity is required of those heading NCBs, then surely the same ought to be expected – as a bare minimum – of the ECB President, given the ECB and NCBs together form part of the same European banking system.
The narrow interpretation of ‘recognised standing’ would also, I argue, be inconsistent with subsequent instruments adopted by the ECB itself. In 2015, the ECB adopted Decision 2015/433 on the establishment of an Ethics Committee and its Rules of Procedures. This affirms that ‘the increased level of public awareness and scrutiny requires the ECB to […] strictly adhere to state-of-the-art ethics rules in order to safeguard the ECB’s integrity and avoid reputational risks’. It also adds that ‘the ethics rules for members of [governing] bodies […] should be proportionate to the addressees’ respective responsibilities’, suggesting that persons at the highest echelons of power are to be subject to the strictest ethical rules.
This is confirmed in the ECB’s Code of Conduct for High-Level Officials, which affirms that:
‘as an institution of the EU, the ECB is required to serve the public interest and ensure the highest standards of integrity […] Adherence to these principles is a key element of the ECB’s credibility and […] a key prerequisite for safeguarding the reputation of the ECB’.
Whilst the Code of Conduct is concerned primarily with officials’ integrity in their discharge of duty, it also contains specific post-employment rules. It would be incoherent for ECB officials to be subject to the highest ethical standards during and after their term of office, whilst being free from any ethical requirement at the point of recruitment.
Under the Code of Conduct, high-level officials are expected to ‘lead by example and inspire employees […] to uphold [the highest ethical standards]’ and adherence to these principles is seen as ‘vital to securing the trust of European citizens’. It is hard to see how a person convicted for their role in a major fraud case could inspire others to act with integrity and foster public trust in EU institutions.
Cumulatively, the argument that the concept of ‘recognised standing’ under art. 283 TFEU is void of ethical content is extremely difficult to sustain. The correct reading of this provision is that it requires – at minimum – a high level of integrity and professionalism, both of which appear highly unlikely in the case of a person convicted of criminal negligence. Under this interpretation, Lagarde’s appointment – if confirmed after consultation of the European Parliament in September – would fall foul of the EU Treaties and would therefore be liable to judicial review and annulment.
It has been suggested to me that a point of distinction might exist between crimes of intention – which clearly speak to a person’s integrity – and crimes of negligence – which speak less to integrity than competence. I am happy to take on this argument in the comments section (the editors – who drew my attention to the issue – also drew my attention to the word limit…). Suffice it to say here that, although the argument may have some theoretical traction, it is rendered largely moot by the fact that, if my interpretation is correct, art. 283(2) TFEU requires both integrity and competence. Other questions, including who may have standing (no pun intended) to challenge Lagarde’s appointment before the ECJ, will also have to be addressed separately.
Conclusion
‘No, no, no, no, no’ is what Lagarde is reported to have said last year when asked if she was interested in running the ECB. ‘No, no, no, no, no’ is what any sensible advisor should have told members of the European Council when they first contemplated Lagarde for the role. Yes, compared to some of the other appointees, Lagarde appears competent. And yes, she is a woman, with undeniable qualities. But Lagarde’s judicial antecedents place her squarely in the shady circle of male politicians who, for decades, have continued to prosper despite allegations and convictions of wrongdoing. As noted by one commentator, ‘the female fiscal ‘rock star’ has done well to haul herself up a greasy and frequently dishonourable career pole, but this by no means suggests she is somebody to be admired’. Gender parity is good. Political integrity is better. | https://www.ejiltalk.org/why-lagardes-ecb-appointment-is-almost-certainly-unlawful/comment-page-1/ |
The Serenades by Dvořák and Tchaikovsky, Schönberg’s Verklärte Nacht and the Bridge Variations by Britten: all these masterpieces from the corpus of music for string orchestra belong to the very nucleus of our repertoire. But in recent decades we have further enriched our genre by initiating commissions, presenting numerous premieres and having music specially arranged for us. And occasionally we have also discovered gems that are never played.
On this album ‘Lento Religioso’ we bring together several romantic works, each with a very specific expressive power of its own. Some are genuine pieces for string ensemble, others are adaptations created for us. Some arrangements are simple: you play the four parts of a string quartet with all the strings of a string orchestra and have a nice bass part written, and a ‘new work’ is born. But it can also be a complicated process. In ‘translating’ a work written for piano or symphony orchestra, the arranger must make complex artistic and technical decisions. In any adaptation lies a danger, but also a potential; will the listener be disappointed in comparing it to his previous knowledge of the piece, or pleasantly surprised by new aspects presented by the arrangement? This tender, melancholy and languishing album is intended for the inquisitive listener.
– Candida Thompson
Artistic director, lead violinist
Tracklist
Total time: 01:16:41
Additional information
|Qualities|
|Artists|
|SKU||
|
36620
|Composers|
|Label|
|Genres|
|Channels|
|Original Recording Format|
|Cables||
|
Van den Hul
|Digital Converters||
|
DSD 64fs AD1 / Grimm Audio (2014, 2016) DSD 256fs Horus / Merging Technologies (2020)
|Editing Software||
|
Pyramix Workstation / Merging Technologies
|Mastering Engineer||
|
Jared Sacks
|Microphones||
|
Bruel & Kjaer 4006, Schoeps
|Mixing Board||
|
Rens Heijnis, custom design
|Producer||
|
Willem de Bordes
|Recording Engineer||
|
Jared Sacks (except Lekeu is recorded by Daan van Aalst)
|Recording location||
|
Stadsgehoorzaal, Leiden (2014) Bethlehemkerk Studio 150, Amsterdam (2016, 2020)
|Recording Type & Bit Rate||
|
DSD 64 (2014, 2016) and DSD 256 (2020)
|Speakers||
|
Grimm LS1
|Release Date||September 9, 2020|
|SKU||36620|
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.
Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. | https://www.nativedsd.com/catalogue/albums/36620-lento-religioso/ |
The classification of the morphology of galaxies at any wavelength has for a long time been the realm of the human eye. While powerful, this made the classification inherently subjective. One approach to quantify and objectify morphological classification is to use several scale-invariant parameters to span the space of galaxy types: concentration, asymmetry, smoothness, Gini distribution index, and the second order moment of brightest regions (M20).
These parameters have proven themselves useful in identifying ongoing major merger events in the near and distant Universe by quantifying the morphology of galaxies in star-formation dominated wavelengths (ultraviolet and blue optical). I applied these parameters for the first time to samples of atomic hydrogen (HI) column density maps, reasoning that before the triggered star-formation, the HI disks of late-type galaxies is severely affected by the merger or tidal event. The motivation was to find a more sensitive, reliable and possibly longer lasting morphological identification of merger events, initially in the nearby Universe but with SKA possibly applicable further afield.
I will present results from several HI surveys, identifying the fraction of mergers through their HI morphology, the visibility time scale from simulations and an first estimate of the volume merger rate based on the WHISP survey for the local Universe. In addition, I identified Extended UltraViolet Disks (XUV) through their ultra-violet and HI maps and discuss what can be said about their origin. Two surveys are poised to map the entire sky in HI at high resolution and sensitivity, the WNSHS survey with WSRT/APERTIF in the Netherlands and the WALLABY survey with the ASKAP telescope in Australia. Quantified morphology of the thousands of observed galaxies will provide the statistics to identify ongoing mergers, unique systems, stripped HI disks etc. | https://www.cv.nrao.edu/tuna/past/2012/10_to_12/20121009_Holwerda.html |
Friday Feb. 13th grassroots across Canada are organizing direct actions in unison to show this government what we can do when we work together. There are over 2000 missing and murdered indigenous women which PM Harper has said “is not on their radar” due to economic reasons. We continue to see indigenous women assaulted and disappear without any meaningful investigation. We demand an independent inquiry into the #mmiw to shed light on the systemic racism and structural violence inherent to the government of Canada. Make no mistake that attacks on indigenous women are attacks on indigenous communities which is directly connected to the colonial agenda to maintain control of the land and natural resources. That is why we must call attention to these issues at the same time - the tars sands, the pipelines, fracking, mining, mega-dam projects and the #MMIW -- it's all connected. We are targeting the Canadian economy as it's the only way to get the government's attention.
CALLOUT for communities across Canada to blockade their local railway, port or highway on February 13th. Don't buy, don't fly, no work and keep the kids home from school. A diversity of tactics is highly recommended! Get everyone involved. The goal is to significantly impact the Canadian economy for a day and demand there be an independent inquiry into the 2000+ cases of missing or murdered indigenous women. It's Time to #ShutDownCanada. | http://www.idlenomore.ca/317503/_shutdowncanada |
El proceso de toma de decisiones ha sido explicado desde diversas perspectivas. Desde la psicología cognitiva se ha enfatizado la importancia de los procesos cognitivos y decisionales durante la acción deportiva, en tareas, fundamentalmente, de alta complejidad táctica, señalando al conocimiento táctico como elemento que orienta el proceso y que posibilita la adecuación de los planes de acción a la situación de juego. El proceso de toma de decisiones no solamente debe ser estudiado desde un punto de vista cognitivo, sino también desde una perspectiva afectiva. Al tomar una decisión, influirá tanto el conocimiento o la capacidad de captar lo más relevante de la situación en la que se encuentra el jugador, como el factor emocional, la fase de competición o las consecuencias de las decisiones, ya que la mayoría de las decisiones suponen riesgo. Se considera necesario analizar la toma de decisiones no como simple selección de la respuesta, sino atendiendo también a la complejidad e incertidumbre que genera la propia decisión en cada sujeto (Becker, 2001). Objetivo: Determinar el conocimiento procedimental y el perfil decisional de jugadores del voleibol de categoría infantil.
The decision-making process has been explained from different perspectives. From the cognitive psychology has emphasized the importance of the cognitive and decisional processes during the sport action, in tasks, fundamentally, of high tactical complexity, pointing to the tactical knowledge as an element that guides the process and that makes possible the adaptation of the plans of action to the game situation. The decision-making process should not only be studied from a cognitive point of view, but also from an affective perspective. When making a decision, the knowledge or ability to capture the most relevant of the situation in which the player is, as well as the emotional factor, the competition phase or the consequences of the decisions, will influence both, since most of the decisions involve risk. It is considered necessary to analyze decision-making not as a simple selection of the answer, but also taking into account the complexity and uncertainty generated by the decision in each subject (Becker, 2001). Objective: Determine the procedural knowledge and decisional profile of volleyball players in the children's category.
|URI:||http://hdl.handle.net/10662/7895|
|Date:||2015|
|Files||Size||Format||View|
|1885-7019_11_S.2_181.pdf||71.86Kb||View|
The following license files are associated with this item: | http://dehesa.unex.es/handle/10662/7895 |
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9X13” baking dish with olive oil.
Using a large nonstick skillet heat ½ of the olive oil over medium heat (add more olive oil as needed during cooking process).
Sauté the chopped artichokes, spinach, chopped green onions and chopped mushrooms (stir often and cook until tender).
Add the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and lemon zest and cook an additional 5 to 10 minutes until fragrant.
Add the coconut milk and reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken.
Cheese Mixture:
Combine the ricotta cheese, slightly beaten eggs, basil pesto, garlic powder, paprika and ½ cup of parmesan cheese and set aside.
Take the prepared baking dish and layer ½ cup of the mushroom mixture to start the layering. Next a layer of the thin sliced sweet potato noodles. Top with a layer of the cheese mixture. Continue layering in this order finishing with a layer of cheese mixture last sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese
Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil after 45 minutes and cook an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until the top of is nice and brown.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for at least 20 minutes before serving. | https://whiteandassociates.net/cooking-with-tona-vegetable-lasagna/ |
This species is only found on Floreana Island at elevations above 250m in moist highland forest habitat. Prime breeding habitat is dominated by Scalesia pedunculata trees. It is threatened by habitat loss which has occurred through clearance for agriculture and introduced predators such as rats, mice, cats, and the Smooth-billed Ani. The diurnal Galapagos Short-eared Owl is its only remaining natural predator. The introduced parasite Philornis downsi is a significant threat to the survival of this species. Parasitic larvae of this fly live in the nest material and feed on the blood and body tissues of nestlings. P. downsi causes high nestling mortality in the Medium Tree-finch.
The Charles Insectivorous Tree Finch is classified as Critically Endangered (CR), facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. | https://thewebsiteofeverything.com/animals/birds/Passeriformes/Emberizidae/Camarhynchus-pauper |
Story highlights
She is heavily influenced by fine art, and the 19th-century paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites
August 19 is World Photo Day
(CNN)"When people first see my images they often think they're paintings," claims Australian photographer Alexia Sinclair, who in fact compiles her artworks from photographs embellished with hundreds or sometimes thousands of layers of details and effects added in post-production.
Sinclair's work is heavily influenced by fine art, and in particular the 19th-century paintings of the Pre-Raphaelites, who she believes would probably have adopted the medium of photography to produce their realistic depictions of romantic and spiritual scenes had such a tool been available to them.
"A lot of my inspiration in the early days came from the Pre-Raphaelites and the way they would reimagine a narrative," Sinclair explains. "I guess I'm not interested in the raw grit of life that a camera can capture, it's more a sense of it being able to more accurately represent what I'm imagining."
Real and surreal
Her imaginings often take the form of historical or allegorical figures portrayed within scenes that employ symbolism and detail to tell a tale about their personality or the period in which they lived.
Read More
From Elizabeth I to Genghis Khan and Marie Antoinette, the people at the heart of these images are brought to life through images in which realism and surrealism converge.
In addition to the intricate process of building the complex scenes layer by layer, using sophisticated computer software, Sinclair also gets hands-on in the creation of the scenery, props, costumes and hairstyles.
Agrippina - The Regal Twelve by Alexia Sinclair
For the recent Rococo series, she even grew many of the flowers strewn around the models in her own garden, while a lion that appears in an image of the Roman Empress Julia Agrippina was photographed by Sinclair inside its cage at a local circus.
A fashion influence
As well as referencing classical paintings, Sinclair's work is strongly influenced by the expressive outfits produced by modern fashion designers.
During the completion of her Masters degree from 2004-2007, Sinclair looked to the work of designers like Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix, whose clothing evoked similar styles and periods to those she herself was interested in when developing her series The Regal Twelve.
Sinclair sees parallels between the dream worlds created by these designers and the theatrical way in which her artworks represent historical themes.
I continually look at fashion designers because they're also always reinterpreting the past.
Alexia Sinclair
"I'm not trying to recreate something like a painter of that period would have, it's about being inspired by and understanding the period and making it contemporary," she says. "I continually look at fashion designers because they're also always reinterpreting the past."
Hidden surprises
Although she claims to enjoy the variety and different pace of these projects, the jobs are predominantly a way to fund her laborious personal projects.
Having recently moved to London with her husband James and two-year-old daughter Heidi, Sinclair is currently focusing on settling into the rhythm of a new city before delving back into post-production on a new set of portraits shot last year for the Rococo series.
She'll also continue developing a series called The Golden Age that she was invited to shoot using photographic supplier Phase One's new 100-megapixel camera.
The Cabinets of Curiosity, 2013 -- A Frozen Tale by Alexia Sinclair
A selection of images from the series, A Frozen Tale, were recently exhibited at the inaugural Dubai Photo Exhibition, where their large dimensions (sometimes more than two meters in width), rich colors and striking subjects lent them a captivating presence.
I want them to zoom right in and experience the tiny little details that maybe only I know about.
Alexia Sinclair
Sinclair insists that such exhibitions offer a crucial opportunity to show the works as they were made to be seen: "That's the reason I shoot on a really big camera and I've always used medium format," she explains, "because I want people to see a big piece on a wall like you would experience a large painting. I want them to zoom right in and experience the tiny little details that maybe only I know about."
If you take another look at these fantastical photographs you may uncover some hidden surprises, but their painterly quality and most intimate secrets are only revealed when viewed up close and in person.
Greenland no.63 by Zaria Forman – She was inspired by her mother, Rena Bass Forman, who photographed remote regions.
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Greenland no.74 by Zaria Forman – Before her death in 2011, Bass Forman had planned to travel through the northwest coast of Greenland, following the route taken by American painter William Bradford in 1869, the world's first Arctic art expedition.
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Greenland no.62 by Zaria Forman – Forman completed the journey herself in 2012, and created pastel drawings of what she saw.
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Deception Island, Antarctica by Zaria Forman – In 2015, Forman traveled south to complete a four-week residency in Antarctica aboard a National Geographic luxury expedition ship.
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Waipi'o Valley, Hawaii (2015) by Zaria Forman – In spring 2015, she travelled to Hawaii on an eco-adventure retreat to learn about permaculture, the development of sustainable agriculture systems. | |
Portugal - Front End Developer at Orion Advisor Solutions, Inc. () (allows remote)
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Type: Full Time
Created: 2021-04-22 05:00:41
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Are you a front end Guru and want to work with one of the fastest growing companies? Bring your creativity, motivation and passion for design to Orion Planning and this high impact team!
The Senior Front-End Developer implements the user interface and engineers the Web and Mobile experience of our clients. The Senior Front-End Developer also builds out patterns and abstractions that emphasize the efficiency of our Web, Mobile and Widget components. This position is supported by Backend developers, who are responsible for server-side business application logic and providing the data feeding the visual elements.
Essential Functions of the Job
- Implements, tests, designs, manages, and troubleshoots the user interface following company standards.
- Analyzes product and design team specifications and assess feasibility and amount of work.
- Collaborates with peer Front-End Engineers to create architecture patterns and best practices.
- Incorporates backend endpoints into Web and Mobile workflows and identify backend API gaps.
- Attends a daily Agile (Scrum) meeting to identify, groom, and report progress on development projects.
Skills Needed to Perform the Job
- Great sense of UI/UX design.
- Ability to write clean code with a focus on good architecture.
- Ability to work collaboratively with product, design, and engineering teams.
- Ability to develop, tests, design, manage, and troubleshoot a high-quality system.
- Self-motivated and able to work with a sense of urgency to meet deadlines and address competing priorities.
- Critical thinking skills - using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Ability and willingness to learn new techniques or procedures.
- Ability and willingness to adapt and implement changes as market and business conditions evolve.
- Act professionally, great team player, and focused on making the team succeed.
- Ability to multi-task while maintaining careful attention to detail.
- Ability to work effectively both individually and within a team environment.
- Ability to work with a sense of urgency to meet deadlines and address competing priorities.
- Proficient skills with Microsoft Office software including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Effective written, listening, and verbal communication skills.
Experience Needed to Perform the Job
- Minimum of 3 years of experience in front-end web development required.
- Strong knowledge of React Native and Mobile Development
- Knowledge of React and working with Agile methodologies preferred. | https://jobs.servicefinder.am/application/detail/91416 |
LOCAL- AND STATE-LEVEL POLICY WORK GRANTS: PAST AWARDEES
Click here to learn more about how to apply.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2020 INCLUDE:
Restoring New York City’s Afterschool Workforce: Leveraging Applied Research for Public Policy Action (Sophia Hwang, Elise Cappella, and Michael Kieffer, New York University; Miranda Yates, Good Shepherd Services and New York University)
This project will develop policy-practice briefs based on original research conducted by the investigators focusing on the needs and experiences of the afterschool workforce and youth in program. These briefs will be developed through an iterative community engagement process between New York University and Good Shepherd Services and highlight evidence-based action items and policy recommendations. This project will also strategically disseminate these briefs to afterschool stakeholders, advocates, and policy-makers throughout New York City and State to inform regional decisions about the mechanisms funding afterschool programming. Ultimately, this project aims to influence local-and state-level afterschool policies to better support the afterschool workforce and the youth and families they serve.
Early Childhood Expulsion in Illinois Amidst COVID-19 (Callie Silver, Katherine M. Zinsser, and Sarai Coba-Rodriguez, University of Illinois at Chicago)
Across the country, 17,000 preschoolers are expelled or suspended from their early childhood programs each year for displaying challenging behaviors that educators are not equipped to handle. In response to the high and disproportionate rates of expulsion from early childhood care and education (ECCE) settings, Illinois passed Public Act 100-0105, which prohibits the expulsion of any child in a state-licensed or funded ECCE program. This project seeks to: Capture rates and demographics of exclusionary discipline in the absence of a statewide data system; identify ECCE program administrator’s remaining concerns and barriers to compliance with the legislation; and assess the impacts of COVID-19-related program closures on exclusion and re-admission decisions.
Mind the (Implementation) Gap: A Critical Analysis of Police Department Commitment to Community-Oriented Policing, Its Implementation Process, and Outcomes (Jan Mooney, Iris Fraude, and Rachel Siegal, University of North Carolina at Charlotte)
Community-oriented policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. This project focuses on the State of North Carolina and seeks to 1) Evaluate the availability and applicability of overlapping and publicly available department-level data addressing racial disparities in police use-of-force incidents, the extent to which police recruits are trained in community policing practices, the existence of problem-solving community partnerships, the extent to which departments seek external support in conducting community policing, and the degree to which departments openly emphasize their values and goals (i.e., as part of a mission statement); 2) For police departments with overlapping indicators as addressed in Aim 1, identify the degree to which mission statements include identifiable principles supportive of community policing practices; and 3) Examine the relationship between the number of community policing components in the context of a recent police department mission statement and racial disparities in use of force incidents.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2019 INCLUDE:
Increasing Support for Comprehensive Sex Education in East Tennessee: A Deep Values Canvassing Project (Patrick R. Grzanka, Pamela Rosecrance, and Elena Schuch, University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Research consistently documents the detrimental effects of abstinence-only-until-marriage curriculum education on youth including higher teen pregnancy and STI rates compared to youth receiving comprehensive sexuality education. In 2012, Tennessee began prohibiting educators from teaching students anything that could promote “gateway sexual activity” or sexual contact that could precipitate non-abstinent behavior. Since public understanding of comprehensive sex education is limited and politically fraught and psychology has lagged in critically examining its impact, this study aims to reduce stigma, address misinformation, and ultimately change the harmful law governing sex education in Tennessee. Partnering with Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, this project will measure the effect to which deep values canvassing can shift voters’ attitudes and possibly inform local- and state-level advocacy for comprehensive sex education.
Assessing School Safety in the Age of Threat Assessment: A Virginia Policy Study (Jessica Smith, Hayley Cleary, and Sarah Raskin, Virginia Commonwealth University)
This mixed-method study of Virginia’s K-12 public schools will examine threat assessment team implementation and its impact on school safety practices and outcomes. Threat assessment is a psychological, behavior-based, deductive process usually performed in a team capacity. Its goal is to desist an individual from their pathway of violence and provide the school community with tools to recognize and report concerning behavior. While studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of threat assessment teams broadly, no studies have examined threat assessment teams’ implementation, functionality, nor the effect of teams on school safety as a whole. This study proposes enhancing and expanding on existing threat assessment team literature with qualitative data collection and qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
Clearing Records, Clearing Paths: Individual, Community, and Policy Benefits of Trauma-Informed Free Expungement Clinics (Jaboa Lake and Kimberly Kahn, Portland State University; Michael Zhang, Metropolitan Public Defenders; and Leni Tupper, Metropolitan Public Defenders and Portland Community College)
The “mark” of a criminal record influences the lives of millions of people across domains, including employment, housing, access to public benefits, and access to student loans. Even the anticipation of experiencing stigma related to one’s criminal record can impair psychological health and community adjustment. Record-cleaning actions, such as expungement, are a useful tool in preventing potential discrimination and eliminate crucial barriers to employment, housing, parenting, civil engagement, and overall social and community welfare. In this study, the research team will collaborate with the office of Portland's Metropolitan Public Defender to investigate the experiences and consequences of having a criminalized record and investigate barriers related to Oregon’s current expungement laws and processes.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2018 INCLUDE:
Tracking Attrition in Rape Prosecution in Alachua County, FL (Alyssa N. Zucker, Moddy Coy, Mary Ann Burg, and Alexandra Weis, University of Florida)
There are many reasons for the sexual assault “attrition rate” (the proportion of reported cases that do not result in prosecution and/or conviction in the criminal justice system). Research to date has identified four key points at which case withdrawals occur: 1. The decision to report; 2. The investigative stage; 3. Discontinuance by prosecutors; and 4. The trial. Documenting where attrition occurs is crucial in taking steps to remedy it. In Alachua County, Florida, there is no central agency that aggregates data on rape. Thus, it is currently impossible to get an accurate count of reported rape cases and to measure the attrition from reporting to referral to prosecution. In this project, the research team will engage in multi-site data collection to measure attrition in the prosecution of rape crimes in Alachua County. The team will also perform interviews with both victims/survivors and key informants in law enforcement and prosecution.
Dissemination of the Status of Women in Nevada Report (Jessica Saunders, Rebecca Gill, and Barb Brents, Women’s Research Institute of Nevada, University of Nevada Las Vegas)
According to a 2018 report (Institute for Women’s Policy Research), women in Nevada face numerous measurable barriers and challenges, particularly compared to men and women residing in other states and territories. This collaborative, interdisciplinary project involves the development, implementation, and analysis of a statewide survey of Nevadans to better understand how women experience life in Nevada, with the long-term goal of positively impacting state-level policy. The research team will meet with research experts and policymakers prior to data collection to identify the main issues women living in Nevada face, and the areas individuals making decisions for women view as in need of more empirical, data-driven support. The research team will then analyze publicly available secondary data to determine trends and areas in need of deeper probing, and will then synthesize this information into a comprehensive online survey to be distributed to adult Nevada residents.
“That’s Not Abusive...Is It?” Examining the Factors Which Influence the Perceived Acceptability, Identification of, and Proclivity to Engage in Reproductive Coercion (Morgana Lizzio-Wilson, Shannon Stuart, and Barbara Masser, School of Psychology, University of Queensland)
Reproductive health and autonomy are central to women’s mental and physical wellbeing. While reproductive choice and access are commonly conceptualized in terms of legal and political barriers, there is growing evidence that women’s reproductive autonomy can be compromised in their romantic relationships via acts of reproductive coercion. Sadly, reproductive coercion is not uncommon. In Queensland, Australia, approximately 33% of clients from counselling services who experienced domestic violence also reported experiencing reproductive coercion. Using a survey research design, the research team will collect data from a random representative sample of Queensland residents to better understand how residents perceive reproductive coercion in different scenarios, how they might respond to such instances of coercion, and how their responses relate to measures of hostile and benevolent sexism.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2017 INCLUDE:
Framing Media Appeals to Promote More Positive Attitudes Toward Immigrants and Immigration (Joshua D. Wright, Anjana Balakrishnan, and Victoria M. Esses, University of Western Ontario)
Canada’s annual intake of immigrants has risen markedly in the past few years and the Canadian government has announced that immigration levels will continue to increase to fill labour shortages, boost Canada’s economy, and contribute to its population base. Despite a relatively warm welcome for Syrian refugees across Canada in 2015-2016, since then there has been evidence of increasing public anxiety about immigration. In this project, the researchers will look at whether media campaigns are more effective when using personal first person versus expert appeals, and whether affective versus cognitive content is more effective irrespective of source or perhaps interacting with source. This empirical study involves collecting data from Canadian-born individuals across three-waves of data collection. At the conclusion of the project, the research team will give presentations to policymakers and other stakeholders at the London and Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership and the Annual National Conference of the Pathways to Prosperity.
Exploring Alabama's Competence to Stand Trial Process (Lauren Kois, Jennifer Cox, and Stanley Brodsky, University of Alabama)
In the state of Alabama, defendants referred for competence to stand trial evaluations are currently waiting upwards of eight months for these assessments. Social science researchers and legal scholars have referred to this delay as an aspect of the “incompetent to stand trial crisis.” In Alabama, this “crisis” has culminated in the recent case Hunter v. Perdue (2016), which spotlights critical limitations of Alabama’s competence to stand trial process. This project aims to inform Alabama’s forensic mental health system as it prepares to address these issues, looking at how and why Alabamian defendants are referred for competence evaluations. The research team will do this by conducting interviews with criminal defense attorneys and judges to better understand how these legal decision-makers consider state policy and case law (i.e., Jackson v. Indiana) when the question of a defendant’s competency is raised. This interdisciplinary project has the potential to influence a forensic system at the local (city of Tuscaloosa) and state (Alabama-wide) levels.
Identity and Appearance-Based Bullying among Utah Public Secondary School Students: The Role of School Climate and Physical Education and Health Teachers (Diana J. Meter, Maya Miyairi, and Andrea M. Hawkman, Utah State University)
Bullying is a pervasive problem among youth, and victims and aggressors are at risk for adjustment problems that may last into adulthood. Bullying can be used to maintain social norms and punish behavior that deviates from norms. Slurs, jokes, and gossip in the peer group may communicate disapproval of those who are different from the majority. In this study, the research team will assess identity- and appearance-related bullying for sexual minority, ethnic minority, and overweight and underweight youth. They will also investigate associations between health education and weight-related and other bullying. Moreover, they will look at the association between positive school climates and identity- and appearance-related victimization and whether teachers need more direct guidance and education about how to prevent and stop bullying. Participants in the study will include Utah public middle school health and physical education (PE) teachers.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE SPRING OF 2017 INCLUDE:
Amending Florida Law to Increase Justice for Victims of Nonconsensual Porn: A Partnership Between Psychological Researchers and the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative (Asia Eaton and Yanet Ruvalcaba, Florida International University; Holly Jacobs, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative)
Nonconsensual pornography (NCP) is defined as “the distribution of sexually graphic images of individuals without their consent.” Before 2013, only three states criminalized NCP. Current laws vary, however those that are in place are often too narrow and offenders are rarely prosecuted. In a recent nation-wide study conducted using Facebook, the research team was able to demonstrate that NCP is in fact a dangerous public health concern. Using the results of this and other studies, the research team will meet with legislators in the Florida state capital, Tallahassee, to suggest evidence-based amendments to the Florida sexual cyberharassment law. Their goal is to amend the state law to: strike the requirements for personally-identifying information of the victim and perpetrator intent to harm, and expand the criminalizable methods of perpetration beyond Internet websites.
Confederate Memorabilia Conundrum: Uniting Communities with a Legacy of Injustice (Ines Jurcevic, Sophie Trawalter, Benjamin Converse, and Eileen Chou, University of Virginia)
The debate on Confederate monuments has led to divisive and unconstructive conversations in local and state governments. Researchers can help communities have more productive conversations through the concept of framing. Research has shown that framing goals in terms of progress (“how far we’ve come”) can have a demotivating effect on persistence, whereas framing goals in terms of commitment toward equity (“how far we still have to go”) can increase persistence. Using archival data and item assessment, this mixed-methods study focuses on how the representation of Confederate monuments in different contexts (progress toward equity versus commitment toward equity) can affect efforts to redress inequities rooted in a racist past. The project has numerous potential implications for race relations, and the findings could inform how we reduce intergroup conflict.
Gap Analysis of Resources for LGBTQIA People in a Quasi-Rural City (Michèle Schlehofer and Diane Illig, Salisbury University; Janice Murphy, Wor-Wic Community College)
This project will explore existing resources and programs provided within City of Salisbury limits for people who self-identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, or asexual (LGBTQIA) and whether existing resources and programs meet the perceived needs of LGBTQIA residents. Using social science methodology, people living, working, or attending school in the City who identify as LGBTQIA will be recruited from the community and asked to complete a survey. The research team is working collaboratively with the City of Salisbury (population 30,000) to conduct this project. Salisbury is a small urban city located in a rural geographic area. Last year, the City established a Human Rights Advisory Committee, which provides direct recommendations to the Mayor for how to best provide support for marginalized populations within City limits and which assists with complaints of discrimination. The Human Rights Advisory Committee and the Mayor are particularly interested in exploring the perceptions of and needs for resources and experiences with discrimination among LGBTQIA people in Salisbury.
GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2016 INCLUDE:
LGBT+ Mental Health Services Seeking and Tennessee’s “Counseling Discrimination Law” (Patrick Grzanka, Joseph Miles, Leticia Flores, Elliot Spengler, Keri Frantell, and Elliot Devore, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
In April of 2016, the Tennessee Governor allowed HB1840/SB1556 to become law. The legislation mandates that “No counselor or therapist providing counseling or therapy services shall be required to counsel or serve a client as to goals, outcomes, or behaviors that conflict with a sincerely held religious belief of the counselor or therapist.” Research has long shown that LGBT+ individuals typically access mental health services at a rate disproportionately higher than their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. This mixed-methods study includes a large, internet-based survey along with follow-up interviews from a subsample of internet respondents. Through a partnership with the Tennessee Equality Project, the research team aims to use these data to inform legal challenges to the law, and to lobby legislators to reverse the law or pass other bills that will negate it.
Can Institutional Signals Improve Opinion toward LGBTI People in Slovakia? (Matej Hruška, Andrej Findor, and Veronika Valkovicová, Comenius University)
This research project focuses on the effect of institutional signals on public opinion toward LGBTI-identified people in Slovakia. The aim of the project is to test whether messages about equal opportunity employment for LGBTI people would make respondents more strongly believe that positive attitudes toward LGBTI people are typical and desirable behavior. The researchers hope to create evidence that can be used by Slovak policy makers, NGOs, and corporations that are interested in promoting equal opportunity (anti-discrimination) policies.
Racial/ethnic disparities in Uptake of Paid Sick Leave in Chicago (Yamile Molina, Kristine Molina, and Ariel Thomas, University of Illinois at Chicago)
This project examines the psychological factors that may affect the success of local paid sick leave policies in Chicago, a city with striking racial/ethnic disparities. In April of 2016, the City of Chicago established and passed a paid sick leave ordinance. The ordinance grants earned sick time to more than 450,000 Chicago workers. On the one hand, this policy could reduce disparities, given racial/ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in occupations that did not previously receive paid sick leave. On the other hand, this policy could maintain or increase disparities due to low adoption of the enactments. In this study, the research team will use a mixed-methods approach to examine racial/ethnic disparities post-ordinance (specifically between 7/1/2017 and 12/1/2017) among City of Chicago employees who are eligible for the program.
THIS GRANT PROGRAM BEGAN IN 2015. GRANTS AWARDED IN THE FALL OF 2015 INCLUDE:
Community Policing Reform Project (Michele Wittig, California State University, Northridge; Gino Galvez, California State University, Long Beach; Michael Giang, Mt. St. Mary’s University; Gabriel Weinberger, Pardee RAND Graduate School of Public Policy)
This project uses oral histories to show that segments of the population experience interactions with the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) as discriminatory practices based on race, which in turn has led to distrust of the SMPD. The project will suggest additions to, and analyses of, SMPD public data so as to 1) bring SMPD into conformity with new California laws on racial profiling and use of force, 2) promote greater transparency and accountability and 3) build trust among all segments of the community.
Understanding Policy Implementation: National Survey of Domestic Violence Intervention Program Standards (Eric Mankowski, Rachel Smith, and Kate Sackett, Portland State University).
This project applies social and community psychology principles to describe and understand how regulatory standards that govern the practices of domestic violence intervention programs are implemented across the United States. The project will document the history of program standards across the U.S., describe the composition and structure of program regulatory bodies, and identify facilitators and barriers to policy implementation, program monitoring and evaluation practices, repercussions for non-compliant programs, and funding issues that impact implementation. Findings will inform best practices for successful implementation of laws regulating intervention programs and can be used to improve the effectiveness of programs in preventing domestic violence, a social problem with significant negative impacts on individual and community health and well-being.
Shared Worlds 2015 (Achu Johnson Alexander, Clark University; Anita Fabos, Clark University; Cheryl Hamilton, International Institute of New England).
Using 100 focus groups with the aim to reach 1000 residents, the research team will examine the relationships between refugees and their U.S.-born neighbors in Worcester, Massachusetts. Specifically, the goal of this project is to look at the effect of these relationships on individual’s sense of belonging and well-being. While the central focus of the study is to better understand refugee integration in the city, marketing the conversation more broadly will increase community participation and lead to recommendations for the city to help develop policies that strengthen relationships across diverse populations (www.sharedworlds.us). | https://www.spssi.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewPage&pageID=2190&nodeID=1 |
Changes in the energy policy – A new framework for the economic development of Serbia
A series of decisions taken during the month of July, 2020 created a new framework for economic development of Serbia. Here we provide an insight into key events and decisions in the area of energy policy with a brief overview of the importance of new circumstances for the Serbia economic development, both at this time and in the period immediately after the COVID-19 epidemic.
At July 21 the European Union adopted the budget framework until 2027 of 1 074.3 billion euros and a special Recovery Fund or “The new generation of the EU” (NGEU) of 750 billion euros.
The Recovery Fund is expected to be financed by issuing long-term EU bonds maturing in 2058. Also, fiscal mechanisms are envisaged for the payment of these bonds, which include: plastic waste tax, border tax for equalization of carbon intensity (from 2022), taxes on digital services and a new system for carbon emissions trading (New EU ETS) as well as some other unspecified mechanisms.
Bearing in mind that trade with the European Union accounts for over 60% of Serbia’s foreign trade and that the carbon intensity of Serbia’s national product is several times higher than the EU average, the introduction of a border tax to equalize carbon intensity could have dramatic effects on Serbia’s economy and the future investments.
The Russian Federation has issued a statement opposing the introduction of these fiscal mechanisms, but also a recommendation to their companies to prepare for the new trade regime. We already know that some custom forms could be applied to reduce the EMIs and the carbon dioxide emissions. This issue has been discussed both in the World Trade Organization and in the framework of the negotiations within the UN Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and in particular the implementation of the 2015 UNFCCC Paris Agreement.
In parallel with described developments, the World Trade Organization gave the right to the Russian Federation to demand changes to the import restrictions imposed by the EU for fertilizers and some other energy-intensive products from the Russian Federation. Bearing in mind the significant improvement in economies of scale, quality and energy efficiency of the industry in the Russian Federation, in the context of the customs regime which includes duties related with the carbon intensity, could lead to significant increase in trade of energy-intensive products between the Russian Federation and the European Union. This, possibly, implies a significant increase in river and sea transport along Danube river. If Serbia renewed its shipbuilding capabilities and managed to open its existing ports for this purpose, benefit to the economic development of Serbia would be imense.
Energy Community Secretariat published its first report on fulfillment of key material obligations from the 2005 Energy Community Treaty. The situation presented by this report is roughly what was foreseen in a detailed analysis of the European Movement from 2013, which was later re-published in the study of the Energy Community itself.
After a series of power plants that are already closed in Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia due to excessive emissions of life-threatening substances and in accordance with the Energy Community Treaty; facilities in Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia are now expected to close. One-eighth or about thousand megawatts of lignite power plants should be decomissioned by 2023. In these countries there are assumptions that some of the existing power plants could still be equipped for further operation. The same expectations with the same arguments have been seen in previous years in Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia.
Having in mind that the removal of sulfur oxides and nitrogen from the power plant’s exhaust gases significantly increases the costs of electricity production and emission of carbon dioxide for the same amount of useful energy, it can be simply concluded that the macroeconomic and foreign policy risk is excessive for the Serbian economy. Recently, a large commercial investor left the project of a new power plant in Kosovo which was designed with somewhat more advanced technology than existing facilities in the region.
The change in the trade regime with the European Union, the problems of security of energy supply and the impact of new trade relations on the main transit route along Danube river create a new framework for evolution of political relations in the region. Economic relations within Serbia, trade with Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Croatia and Albania are gaining a whole new dimension.
Energy intensity is critical for Serbian economy. The high level of productivity, use of the available mineral resources (lithium, copper, aluminum, cement, etc.) and efficient transport,in particular railway transport with reloading at the ports can only be achieved with a considerable power consumption. For example, will the recent decision of a large commercial investor to continue investing into future lithium extraction in Serbia going to have minimal or a very large economic effects for Serbia, essentially depends on the ability of Serbia’s energy system to provide a large amount of cheap renewable electrical energy.
The Energy Community Treaty was ratified in Serbia on July 27, 2006: 14 years ago. Then the problem was difficult to see but relatively easy to solve. It is now far more obvious but need far more intensive effort to apply appropriate solutions. The choice facing the new Government of Serbia is critical and almost unequivocal.
The first option is to maintain the existing development paradigm in energy and transport with increasing impacts on the environment and human health, increased carbon dioxide emissions and modest productivity. It implies missing the opportunity to significantly increase the level of processing of mineral raw materials, develop industries and multiply transit traffic. It would also worsen the trade relations with the European Union and further depth of the long-term poverty, which would prolong European Union aid to the poor country but decline the opportunity to join the European Union.
The second option is to open a completely new perspective for the development of renewable energy on a large scale and to create a foundation for a strong export industry and a significant increase in transit traffic. Serbia’s mineral resources, equipped with renewable energy, would gain a new dimension of competitiveness. Only then, country creates opportunities for investments into new infrastructure along territory and intensive industries producing cars, steel, ships, food, furniture and so many other goods. This enables large-scale employment and improves the quality of life of the population.
Senior Visiting Research Fellow at Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES) and member of the Forum for International Relations of the European Movement in Serbia. An energy economist with nearly 30 years of private consultancy experience serving institutional (the World Bank, UN, EC, USAID, IEA/OECD) and private clients in Southeastern Europe, the Russian Federation and elsewhere.
SOCIAL NETWORKS
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European Western Balkans is a web portal that focuses on the Western Balkans countries and reports on the development of the EU’s enlargement policy. The portal was launched in 2014 by the Centre for Contemporary Politics. | |
Born in Switzerland in 1956, I grew up in Japan and returned to Switzerland with my family when school started. From the age of seven, I played the recorder and a year later I started learning the cello. At the age of seventeen, feeling stuck with the classical musical training, I locked my cello in a cupboard and started to learn the guitar and later the bass by myself. Soon afterwards I played in my first school band.
Music played an important role in my life during the following years, but only in 1987, after leaving a tedious job in a bank and living in India, was I able to dedicate myself wholeheartedly to music. I mostly played the bass in various bands but soon started exploring a whole range of Indian instruments. I became particularly interested in the rudra veena and for over two years I was priviledged to be a student of Pandit Hindray Divekar. Learning the rudra veena opened up a completely new world to me. I allowed myself to go deeper into sounds and to discover a new approach to music which I call Musicality.
I am a multi-instrumentalist with skills on stringed and wind instruments – the western violoncello, guitar, bass, recorders, the South American kena and Native Amerian flute – as well as ethnical instruments from the East such as the Indian dilruba, the sarangi, the rudra veena, the Japanese kyotaku and shakuhachi flute. I also use my voice. For most of these instruments I have developed my own playing style, but my training in Western and Indian classical music has left its clear imprints on my musical expression.
In 1996 I moved to Quebec, Canada, where I currently live. I teach Musicality, conduct Singing Celebrations, give concerts and work as a recording artist. Since 2010 I also spent time in Europe playing and teaching.
Some of the better-known musicians with whom I have collaborated are: Karunesh, Chinmaya Dunster, Deva Premal and Miten, Sambodhi Prem, Deuter and Patrick Bernard. And I give a big ‘thank you’ to all the amazing lesser-known musicians with whom I have had the opportunity to play. We are a large family!
I would also like to thank Pascale Mukti Beaudry. She has supported my musical activities over the last twenty years and we have conducted many workshops together e.g. Soufi Célébration, Spirale Sonore and many more.
I speak German, French and English fluently.
Musicality is universal; every child is born with it. | http://www.kalyanmusic.com/bio/ |
Mayo TD Lisa Chambers said she had learned from her mistakes and ‘I am genuinely sorry’.
The four Fianna Fáil TDs involved in the controversy over voting have apologised in the Dáil.
They expressed their regret in turn after Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl said any sanctions would be issued by the House.
Following a complaint under the Ethics in Office Act the ethics committee is conducting its own investigation. When its inquiry concludes a recommendation about sanctions will be made issue and the Dáil will then consider this.
Former communications spokesman Timmy Dooley apologised to the Ceann Comhairle “and to every member of this House”.
He said it had been a privilege to serve as a Senator and TD since 2002 but with the privilege came responsibility and “I fell short” on that responsibility.
He apologised for “the fact that when I spokes to deputy Collins I gave him the impression that I would be in the chamber” for voting throughout the voting block.
He said he did not ask Mr Collins to vote for him or tell him that he would not be in the chamber.
“I accept and regret that my conduct has led to a controversy that is unwelcome to this House.” He said he should have been there for the voting block because it is one of the most important parts of our function as a TD.” He said his attendance in general for voting was good.
Mr Collins apologised to the Ceann Comhairle and all members of Dáil Éireann “for my role in what happened”
He said “it would never be my intention to bring such negative undue attention to our work here”.
They all understood the immense privilege it was to serve in the House and “and to the people of Limerick and the wider public I offer my sincere apologies too”.
He voted for Mr Dooley “in the mistaken belief that that he was still in the chamber. He said it was wrong and I fully accept that I should not have done so.”
Mayo TD Lisa Chambers said she had learned from her mistakes and “I am genuinely sorry”.
She said she inadvertently sat in party colleague Dara Calleary’s seat to vote and pressed the button in error on the first vote. She moved to her own seat to cast her own vote.
‘Insignificant error’
The vote was lost by a large number and I did not tell the teller at the time “as I genuinely thought it was an insignificant error”.
“I fully accept that I should have done so at the time and I sincerely apologise in this House and to the public for not doing so.”
Ms Chambers added that “mine was a genuine mistake and not something I intended to do and I apologise for the manner in which I handled it”.
Offaly TD Barry Cowen apologised for the “informality”.
He said that when the votes were called he was seated in deputy Collins’s seat and “I voted for him and he for I”.
Mr Cowen apologised for “this informality and carelessness on my part”.
He said that carelessness allowed the integrity of the voting system to be questioned. “I should have sat in my own seat and I should have cast my own votes. I want to assure the House and the people of Offaly who elected me” that he would play his part in ensuring that the recommendations of the report are implemented. | https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/four-fianna-f%C3%A1il-tds-apologise-for-role-in-voting-controversy-1.4061856 |
The moment I stepped inside fashion designer Mariton Villanueva’s studio, I realized how out of place I felt. I had never been to an artist’s studio before, much less one that belonged to a fashion designer, and one as incredibly talented as Mariton. Yet, there I was, awkwardly clad in generic monotone. I watched as she moved woven baskets out of the way and sported her very own naturally-dyed pieces. She was completely in her element.
You could tell that this was a woman in love with nature. And I loved everything about the small, homey nest we were in. There was so much coherence and intertwinedness, just like nature in its very essence—from the photographs of indigenous Philippine plants, handwritten notes, and design sketches, to the colorful textiles, and the lingering scent of tea or perhaps, boiled leaves. All these were inviting, but Mariton's appearance and her presence drew me in, too.
As a fashion designer, she started very young, and still is at 23 years old. Bonding over cups of coffee and Indian takeout, we also savored her story and that of her sustainable clothing brand, Himaya.
This outfit that you’re wearing right now...one of your own designs?
Yes, it’s one of my designs. This polo and these pants were dyed using avocado leaves and mahogany bark, and this material is fashioned out of deadstock cotton. I actually made this polo for my boyfriend during my graduation back in 2019. These pants were also the ones I wore to my graduation.
Is it true you learned all about natural dyeing from Abra province?
Yes from Namarbar, Abra. But actually, what first sparked my interest in natural dyeing or plant-based dyeing was from attending this workshop with Louisa’s World of Patterns, around four years ago. I immediately thought the craft was cool. When I learned it was actually possible to create colors and patterns for clothes using plants, I wanted to practice it for myself.
Did you have a mentor or was it just pure research?
Most of it I learned through different people and workshops, but I also do my own research. You can find a lot of materials and resources online now about it. As for my mentors, there are three people I usually run to when I need guidance. I usually ask my questions from Kuya Jun, the dye artisan from Abra, but there’s also Sir Jaff, who is an expert in weaving natural fibers. He’s based in Aklan, and he’s been in the textile industry ever since he was a kid. There’s also Ate Joy from NTFP (Non-Timber Forest Products). She’s the one who taught me all about Philippine Indigo and the communities that specialize in Philippine Indigo. When I have questions about how to get this specific color from this specific plant, I ask them, or I also look into my own resources, including a natural dye book we have from the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI).
When you first started out with natural-dyeing, did you envision that it would grow into a business?
Well, Himaya started with my graduation collection [Ritmo ng Paglikha] back in 2019. And I think from there, it just unraveled and kept developing after. I kept experimenting with designs, but I also felt like I was guided along this path anyway since I was already in fashion school. The business side of it kind of poses a challenge for me because I’m not so business-oriented... I still have a lot to learn about it.
How is the business? Does it practice sustainability throughout its entire process?
Well, right now, Himaya is run by a one-man team. But whenever I feel that I need help in getting the materials, like in harvesting the leaves and other dyes, I always ask for help. As of now, Himaya mostly receives requests for custom-made pieces, and depending on the design, it can take around a week to a month to make. I don’t get a lot of orders all at once, so the packaging and delivery are easier to manage. For packaging, I use the excess fabrics from the pieces, and for deliveries, I usually hand them over one-on-one. I have done some collaborations, and I think for those, they try to make use of cassava too. Of course, it can’t be helped that we still use Mr. Speedy and [other couriers] for deliveries given the pandemic, but for me, Himaya’s sustainability really starts with and is centered on the materials used for the pieces. I always make sure to use whatever is locally-sourced or whatever is abundant in nature around me. Himaya is also still a very young brand. Eventually, I’m sure we’ll figure out ways to become completely sustainable in our process.
Wow, that sounds laborious!
It is, but it’s still a process that I definitely love. Sometimes, my family will find it strange that I have to do a lot of the work myself—like harvesting the dyes, cutting the fabric, stitching it up, etc. But I just explain that it’s a process I enjoy and that it’s part of the whole concept of slow and alternative fashion. For me, the most important parts, especially with making clothes for other people, are in knowing exactly what materials you’ve made it from, and in practicing creating with intent. By the time my family sees the end product, they give very positive reactions naman.
What sparked your desire to promote sustainable fashion?
I was drawn to the idea of sustainable fashion because growing up, I’ve been exposed to the other side of the fashion industry. Mass production. I have a family member who’s in that business and since I was studying fashion design, I was always going to their factory and would always be talking to the sewers and pattern-makers, asking them to teach me. Being there, I already saw the practices that I honestly didn’t think were okay. Unethical practices...morals and values that didn’t seem right. As a human, you would seriously be bound to notice that there was something wrong with how the sewers and workers were treated, and also, you’d see the huge wastes of fabric, which was [and is] so normalized in the fast fashion industry. That was where my interest in sustainability or alternative fashion started. My thought back then was that there had to be some other way for fashion to thrive, in a way that won’t harm people, or in a way that wouldn’t add to any more of the harms already existing in the world.
So it’s in wanting to help people, as well as nature.
Yes.
Do you think sustainability is where the fashion industry is headed?
I think so, yes. Although I can’t speak for the majority yet, a lot of people are already beginning to embrace sustainable fashion or fashion that is made very thoughtfully. It’s probably going to take a while because we’ve been practicing fast fashion for so many years and we’ve done a lot of damage. But, I think the fashion industry is already headed towards changing things.
What do you think is the solution?
The solution really begins with everyone—with our mindsets when it comes to clothing and our very lifestyles. Wanting to know how things were originally sourced and asking the question, ‘Is this thing really worth the damage it caused?’ It really starts with our mindsets and our awareness, realizing the big effect fast fashion creates on our surroundings, and going beyond the idea that clothing is just something that can be easily made or disposed of. Honestly, for me, that mindset is one of the more harmful things that the fast fashion industry did to us, besides the environmental harms.
I can see now why others like to refer to you as a “warrior for nature.” Besides Himaya, how else do you express love and respect for nature?
I think you can respect nature just from what you do every day, with what you consume every day, with your lifestyle, your practices. I try to be more mindful of what I consume, and how I live out the concept: ‘You grow what you use, and you use what you grow.’ Sustainability is such a big thing so I try to apply it in my life step by step, just taking it slow. I try to learn composting, and I also like to plant. For me, it’s really in the small choices that you make, being mindful of the long-term effects, and maximizing whatever resources you already have at home.
Do you apply this same concept with Himaya? You use what you already have?
Yes. I use whatever’s around because it’s more efficient and because that’s really the spirit of natural dyeing. As much as possible, you try to use what you have that’s around. It’s very easy to find natural dyes in the Philippines anyway. You can find them everywhere: in banana leaves, mango leaves, even ‘yung mga balakid. But part of the spirit of natural dyeing is also in supporting local communities.
You also source from local communities then?
I do. It all depends on the colors or the dyes I’m looking for. If I want a specific color that comes from onion skins, for example, we can gather from our home, but if I need a big batch, I can ask for the ones that they usually just throw away at the palengke. Some dye sources I also get from communities in Sablayan, Mindoro, like with the Philippine Indigo. I also get some from Abra.
Speaking of Philippine Indigo, I heard that it’s not just a source of color, it has other uses, too?
Yeah, some traditional dyers like to say that some plants have medicinal properties and that if you embed the plant pigment onto a piece of clothing, the medicinal properties could be absorbed into your skin. I’m not completely sure if it’s true, or scientifically correct, but it’s a nice concept in its own way.
I guess there’s never a shortage of things you can learn. Would you consider yourself a master of plant-based dyeing already?
No, haha! Actually, I feel like I’m still very young in this craft. Natural dyeing is such a beautiful tradition that there are still so many things you can learn from it. Almost every day, I feel like I learn something new from the practice. Either a new dye source or a new way of keeping the color on the fabric, or possibly a new mordant or fixative. Since natural dyeing is a mix of art, science, and nature, there are already so many things to discover, just from the combination of those three things.
What would you say is the most memorable feedback you’ve received on your creations?
Most people are usually just really happy or amazed at the concept that the colors are derived from plants. Sometimes, I also get messages from people who thank me for what I do. But the response I appreciate the most is when other people want to learn it as well: the practice itself. When they discover that it’s possible to make patterns and colors like these from plants, they become very interested.
The fact that others want to learn the practice behind Himaya doesn’t bother you?
No. I try not to feel that way. I don’t know if it’s human nature, or if it’s in our psychology as humans that we feel threatened whenever someone replicates what we do. For me, the only way to keep the craft alive is only if it is shared. And there really is so much to learn with natural dyeing that you can’t learn everything just on your own. The art and the practice can only really thrive through community, and by sharing with others—having another person learn something new so that they can share what they’ve learned, so then you share knowledge with each other. That’s how the process and the practice of natural dyeing can continue to grow.
That’s really wonderful and very telling of your intentions. I’m curious, is there a designer that inspires you?
I’m inspired by Patis Tesoro. From the stories people tell me about her, she’s also the one who spearheaded the initiative to bring back and revive the craft of natural dyeing in the Philippines. It’s also the reason why we had it as a course in PTRI. I’m inspired by her love for Philippine clothing, and her love for sustainability. I think she even practices permaculture at her house.
You’ve also been using your platform to revive this traditional art form again. Do you think more people should support plant-based dyeing?
Hmm...It’s hard to say that more people ‘should’ be buying this specific product. I think, instead of asking people to outright support, more people should be exposed to the craft. It’s always nice to hear that more people want to learn about it because generally, I feel like everyone can explore how to do natural dyeing on their own. | https://www.adorawonderjournal.com/mariton-villanueva |
A senior UN official says the extremist Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria is a ‘very, very dangerous (and) very threatening’ crisis that needs more than $1 billion in aid in 2022 to help those affected by the decade-long conflict.
ABUJA, Nigeria — The extremist Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria is a “very, very dangerous (and) very threatening” crisis that requires more than $1 billion in aid in 2022 to support the people affected by the decade-long conflict, the UN humanitarian organization said. said chef Martin Griffiths.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Griffiths, head of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, urged the world not to forget the continued devastation caused by Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State province. of West Africa, together accused of killing tens of thousands of people and displacing millions.
“This is a very different type of operation and also very difficult to deter…a grave, clear and present danger, obviously, to the population and a priority for the government,” Griffiths said in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. “The world must remember that this is a tragedy that must be resolved.”
Boko Haram, Nigeria’s Islamic extremist rebels, launched an insurgency in the northeast of the country in 2009, to fight against Western education and to establish Islamic Sharia in Nigeria. Their rebellion has spread over the years to neighboring West African countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Boko Haram was condemned by the international community in 2014 when it abducted 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok, sparking the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. More than 100 of these abducted students are still missing.
The conflict has claimed around 35,000 lives, according to the United Nations Development Programme. For every victim, “nine additional people, mostly children, lost their lives due to lack of food and resources,” the UN agency estimated in a report in June last year.
The Nigerian military continues to try to quell the violence, particularly in northeastern Borno State and the Lake Chad region, but the conflict continues year after year.
The faction allied with the Islamic State group released a video this week showing dozens of child fighters training in open fields and learning in classrooms. The video is a “clear” message that extremists “are here to stay” and “a new generation is coming”, according to Vincent Foucher of the International Crisis Group.
The Nigerian security forces have also boosted their air capability “which means it’s hard for (the Islamic State branch) to get away with the big attacks they carried out two or three years ago. years,” Foucher added.
The UN humanitarian chief said it was unclear when displaced populations will be able to return home, although it is a crucial goal for people to have hope “that this will not happen.” may not be an indefinite exile from their villages”.
For 2022, the UN estimates that northeast Nigeria will need more than $1 billion in development assistance in addition to government spending, he said. The funds are needed to provide food and health care to the millions of displaced people and those who stay at home but are vulnerable to attack. Nigerian officials “understand that this is not a magic bullet,” Griffiths said after meetings with government officials.
Beyond the northeast, northwest and central Nigeria are under heavy attack by armed groups who traditionally worked as nomadic cattle herders and are caught up in a decades-long conflict with Hausa farming communities over the access to water and pasture.
Nigeria’s fight against extremists “cannot be won on the battlefield”, said the UN official, who called for more community development efforts.
“You win civil wars in the minds of the people who live there,” Griffiths said. “If you don’t have communities on your side, it doesn’t matter how many others you have on your side. You won’t make peace. | https://yrtnews.com/nigerian-extremists-are-still-very-dangerous-says-un-official-breaking-news-updates/ |
A place is categorized into urban, suburban, and rural based on population. Whether you live in any of these regions, you feel comfortable or want to move to another community. But wherever that may be, you might wonder what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions? If you do so, then this article on what’s the difference between urban, suburban and rural regions will help you. Also, you will learn what are the similarities between urban and rural communities.
1. What’s the Difference between Urban Suburban and Rural Regions?
The following points will answer your question: what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions.
- Urban: According to the Indian Census, an area is referred to as urban, excluding a cantonment board, corporation, notified town area committee, and a municipality, if the minimum population of that place is 5000. It should have 75% of the working population engaged in non-agricultural pursuits. To be categorized as The Census Towns, the population density must be 400 people per sq. km. These include Tier 1 or X and Tier 2 or Y cities.
- Suburban: Suburban towns are located 10 to 50 km from the metropolitan core and the rural part of the vicinity. These places include Tier 3 or Z cities. To know more about it, check out where are the Suburbs?
- Rural: Rural areas are huge swaths of land that house a lesser population than urban or suburban areas. The households here are self-sufficient and are usually engaged in agricultural labor. According to estimates by the United Nations, all over the world, the rural population is more than compared to urban.
2. What is the Difference between Rural and Urban Areas?
|Rural||Urban|
|Rural areas usually refer to villages.||Urban areas usually refer to cities and towns.|
|Rural areas usually don’t have much development in terms of infrastructure.||Urban areas have more development in terms of access to healthcare, infrastructure, and connectivity like airports, ports, railways, housing, roads, etc.|
|Rural areas usually have a lot of vacant lands without much development.||Land in urban areas is used for development activities. Most available land is used to construct housing societies, malls, etc.|
|Rural areas are sparsely populated.||Urban areas are densely populated.|
|There are a lot of social barriers and less scope for career development.||People are career-oriented and urban areas have many job prospects in fields like industry, corporate jobs, etc.|
3. What are the Similarities between Urban and Rural Communities?
Besides answering what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions, you also should be aware of the following similarities between urban and rural areas:
- Since urban and rural areas are quite a modern phenomenon, both urban and rural areas have a common history that binds them. For example, a village in Maharashtra and an urban city in Maharashtra have a common history of Peshwa rule. The common history gives people of rural and urban areas a common consciousness and culture.
- Both rural and urban areas have a rich-poor divide. Also, both regions have jobless people.
- People in both regions have some sort of source of income.
- Both places have an educational system, but the studying rate might differ. (See What is the Importance of Transportation in your Life?)
4. What are the Characteristics of Suburban Community?
If you want to have a complete idea of what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions, you must know about the suburban areas first. Suburban areas are defined by what they are not rather than what they are. Suburban areas are not a part of the urban core, nor are they entirely rural. As they are referred to, suburbs are part of a metropolis’s outskirts.
Characteristics of suburban areas are:
- Suburban areas have more job opportunities than rural areas but less than an urban metropolis. Must read 9 facts about organizing a flash mob.
- Suburbs are inhabited by the most affluent individuals. These areas have expensive and luxurious housing societies with high living standards.
- Suburbs are characterized by a low development rate, lack of activity, and separate workplaces, shops, and houses.
- Such a spread-out nature of suburban areas has caused a lack of activity among residents, a lack of economic growth, an increase in obesity among residents, and a lethargic response from the healthcare department in case of emergencies. (See What are Unique Characteristics?)
5. Urban vs. Suburban vs. Rural Population Density
As we are on the topic of what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions, you should know about the population density in these regions.
- Urban: To be categorized as urban, the area must be 400 sq. km and house a population of 5000 people. As of 2021, 35.4% of the Indian population lives in urban areas. This figure is calculated using the estimates from World Bank population estimates and United Nations World Urbanization projects.
- Rural: The rural population stood at 898,024,053 as of 2020. It saw an increase of 0.29% from 2019. National Statistical Office calculates this as the difference between the total and urban populations.
- Suburban: Suburban areas include only 1% of the total area but provide a whopping 18% of India’s working population. This shows the trends in which India’s suburbanization is rising. (See How is Culture Transmitted from One Generation to Another?)
6. Living in City vs. Suburbs: Which is Better?
As you are already aware of what is the difference between urban suburban and rural regions, you must take guess which is better and goes with your lifestyle. | https://www.speeli.com/whats-the-difference-between-urban-suburban-and-rural-regions/ |
I am currently working on several projects. My research interests in general are in the dynamics and biodiversity of insect communities. I have studied treehole communities (water-filled rot holes in trees in which mosquitoes and other aquatic insects live), stream macroinvertebrates, insects on decomposing carcasses, and more. Check out my work on Google Scholar or Research Gate.
Recently I have become interested in more applied research projects:
- Collaborating with geologist Dr. Brad Johnson on a Duke Energy Water Resources-funded project examining the connections between first-order stream discharge characteristics and macroinvertebrate communities. The ultimate goals are to help improve water quality and conservation, enhance habitat, and increase public awareness.
- Examining the effects of light pollution on insect communities on campus. By setting up light traps (white sheets with a UV light hanging in front of them), we can collect evidence of insect abundance and diversity in different areas on campus, those that are light continuously and those that are unlit at night. The goal is to determine the impact of light on communities of insects.
- Analyzing spatial and temporal dynamics of cankerworms, and effects of tree-banding on cankerworm populations. Fall cankerworms (Alsophila pometaria) is a perennial problem in the Charlotte area. Recently, they became much more abundant in Davidson, and in past few years their abundance has declined again.
- Effects of land use patterns on biodiversity of insect pollinators in parks and preserves. Insect pollinators provide an essential service to humans and ecosystems, and as we convert more of our land to human uses (agriculture, suburban subdivisions, shopping malls), there is less habitat that contains the flowering plants upon which our pollinators depend. Less resources may adversely affect these communities, which may then adversely affect pollination of our crops and gardens.
For more information consult also my Group Investigation course, BIO 256: Applied Insect Ecology, in which students develop a team approach to conducting research. | https://insects.davidson.edu/research-on-insects/ |
Anxiety and depression in children: a test of the positive-negative affect model.
To examine whether the two-factor model of affect presented by Watson and colleagues is applicable to school children. A child self-report scale of symptoms of depression and anxiety was administered to 624 school children in the third and sixth grades. Factor analyses were applied to extract factors of positive and negative affect. Reliabilities, correlations, and longitudinal analyses were performed to examine the developmental pathway of positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA). In contrast to Watson's early findings, our results indicate that the PA and NA scales are significantly negatively correlated cross-sectionally as well as longitudinally. Moreover, our findings indicate that children with high NA and low PA in the third grade display a worse prognosis than children who have either high NA or low PA. A new affect model is needed for describing children's mood status. In addition, an important implication of these findings is that the occurrence of comorbid mood status in children confers a high risk for later emotional problems.
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As restoration work continued in both districts over the weekend and on Monday, more than 20,500 customers in the territory have been restored. The total represents restoration of 36% of St. Croix; 47% of St. John, 48% of St. Thomas and 37% of Water Island customers. Service has been restored to additional customers in the following areas:
On the west end of St. Thomas from Estate Hope to Bonne Esperance, Santa Maria to the junction of Estate Pearl and Crown Mountain, Crown and Hawk, upper Lindbergh Bay, the Plantation Manor condos, Estate Contant, Contant Knolls housing community and the area behind the Subbase tennis courts, Sorgenfri, West Caret Bay, Bolongo Bay, top of Donkey Hill and New Tutu. On Monday, service was also restored to some customers from Cabrita Point to Secret Harbor and in Old Tutu.
On St. John, most customers in Cruz Bay have been re-energized, as well as portions of Gifft Hill, Fish Bay, Pastory, Great Cruz Bay, additional residences at George Simmonds Terrace, Luxburg and Grunwald. Additionally, crews continue to work in Coral Bay.
On St. Croix, Estate White Lady, Sion Farm and La Grande Princesse. Crews continue restoration work in William’s Delight, Mahogany Welcome, Estate Whim, La Grande Princesse, Rattan, Mary’s Fancy, Contentment, Sion Farm and Sion Hill. Some customers in these areas have already been restored.
On Monday, WAPA published a restoration schedule for the next two weeks detailing areas where crews will be restoring service. WAPA remains committed to its previously stated goal of restoring 90% of all areas in the territory by December 25.
WAPA reminds customers that homes with temporary roofs (blue roofs) will be restored with electrical service once a licensed electrician has certified, in writing, that the structure is safe to energize.
If work needs to be done to repair a damaged meter base and/or weather head, customers must call the Emergency Call Center at 340-774-1424 on St. Thomas-St. John or 340-773-0150 on St. Croix. The call centers operate seven days a week, 9 am – 5 pm.
If your electric meter was removed by WAPA personnel to facilitate repairs to either a meter base and/or weather head, once repairs are completed and a licensed electrician certifies the work in writing, customers are required to notify the Customer Service office. All fees usually associated with meter removal and reconnection have been waived during this restoration period. Customer service offices operate Monday-Friday, 9 am – 4 pm at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas.
Reconstruction, restoration, and hurricane debris removal crews are deployed across the islands. Motorists are asked to exercise caution when driving through the work areas and to heed the directions of flaggers and VIPD officers who are assisting with traffic control.
WAPA urges residents to shut off standby generators when line crews are in your neighborhood restoring electrical service. A standby generator has the potential to back feed electricity to the grid which poses a severe safety risk to restoration crews.
POTABLE WATER SYSTEM
There are six days of emergency water storage on St. John, eight days on St. Thomas, and five days on St. Croix.
WAPA urges clean-up contractors and homeowners in both districts to exercise caution when piling debris on and around potable water meters. There are a growing number of instances where water meters are being damaged by clean-up equipment grading debris and causing damage to the roadside water meters. The continued damage by heavy equipment poses difficulty in maintaining or restoring potable water service to customers.
OTHER INFORMATION
WAPA telephone contact: St. Thomas – St. John district, 340-774-3552; St. Croix district, 340-773-2250.
Customer Service Offices operate Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Sunny Isle on St. Croix and at Port of Sale Mall on St. Thomas.
The latest information on the restoration effort is available on the WAPA website, www.viwapa.vi and on Facebook: Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority.
We continue to Recover, Rebuild and Restore. WAPA…Working for You!! | https://stjohntradewinds.com/wapa-hurricane-restoration-update-nov-27/ |
“Attract and hold the highest-producing knowledge workers by treating them and their knowledge as the organizations most valuable assets” Peter Drucker -The daily Drucker
In today’s world If we look inside any organization in order to identify who is the leader with the biggest challenge in regarding to talent management we might say that the CIO is the one with the hardest work.
What we know for sure is that, there is a growing shortage of talent in the IT sector, and in this context the major question to which every CIO should be concern about is “Why should anyone be work for me?”, because finding the right answer to this question will help the engagement with this scarcest asset in our sector.
The two main challenges any CIO faces in this subject are: how to capture the right talent to achieve the strategic objectives of the company; And how to retain this talent.
In order to reinforce this idea and being provider of several companies in several different countries and cultures, I can say that the ones that have consistently achieved strategic objectives are those with the highest talent retention rates.
With this in mind and focusing in one solution that helps solving both challenges, I do think that, if we want to have the best talents, we also need to have the best leaders, because the best leaders are the ones with the best followers.
Using the words of a Professor of mine about leadership and as a recommendation to any CIO who wants to be a better leader, I will put it this way: “Be yourself – more – with skill” (by the way thanks Professor Gareth Jones for your wise words).
In my opinion, in this task of managing talent, every CIO, is responsible for:
- Identify the required talent to help him achieve the business objectives from his organization (the talent should be aligned with the business corporate strategy)
- And second and most important, the CIO needs to lead this talent in a way that it creates a high performance environment. For this, every CIO must be a leader who can adapt for every situation, who shows leadership in a nonhierarchical way and the most important thing must be authentically in being himself, because people in IT are not searching for “bosses”, they are searching and looking for references and examples that they can follow.
We need to be clear that in the last decades, IT Talent is maybe the scarcest resource on the market and this problem is growing with the digital transformation that the market is facing.
I will conclude by saying that in the case of IT Talent we are facing a situation where the talent drives the market and not the other way around, so being the best leader will be the only differentiator to the be a winner in this war of getting and retain the best ones. | https://blog.cionet.com/2016/06/28/it-talent-and-the-role-of-the-new-cio/ |
By: Mark G. Storz, Amy R. Hoffman
The impact of a one-to-one computing initiative at a Midwestern urban middle school was examined through phenomenological research techniques focusing on the voices of eighth grade students and their teachers. Analysis of transcripts from pre- and post-implementation interviews of 47 students and eight teachers yielded patterns of responses to illuminate how one-to-one computing changed students’ learning experiences and teachers’ instructional practices. Key themes that emerged were changes in teacher pedagogy, effect on student learning experiences, impact on classroom behavior and management, potential for improved communications, and suggestions to address professional development needs. The students demonstrated their learning in varied and creative ways through the use of computer-based lessons. However, the altered format presented new demands on teachers as a delivery model. Although some students were distracted by gaming and chatting opportunities, learning benefits were reported for students of varied ability levels. This study builds on the theoretical framework supporting the role and use of technology to foster learning and to prepare students for a global economy. The focus on student and teacher voices provided the opportunity to explore a new perspective and engage middle school students, teachers, and administrators in school change efforts. | http://www.amle.org/BrowsebyTopic/Research/ResDet/TabId/198/ArtMID/696/ArticleID/29/One-to-One-Computer-Initiative-Student-and-Teacher-Voices.aspx |
How to live life with Diabetes?
- Eat well-
- Make a diabetes meal plan with help from your health care team.
- Choose foods that are lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar, and salt.
- Eat foods with more fiber, such as whole grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta.
- Choose foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, bread and cereals, and low-fat or skim milk and cheese.
- Drink water instead of juice and regular soda
- When eating a meal, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, one quarter with a lean protein, such as beans, or chicken or turkey without the skin, and one quarter with a whole grain, such as brown rice or whole wheat pasta.
- Get active and maintain a healthy weight –
- Set a goal to be more active most days of the week. Start slow by taking 10 minute walks, 3 times a day.
- Twice a week, work to increase your muscle strength. Use stretch bands, do yoga, heavy gardening (digging and planting with tools), or try push-ups.
- Stay at or get to a healthy weight by using your meal plan and moving more.
- Manage your ABCs (A1C, Blood pressure, Cholesterol) (Mentioned in Treatment section)
How do I manage my sick days with Diabetes?
Illness can cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate rapidly and can lead to extreme high or low blood sugars.
In order to prevent this from happening, there are important steps you can take:
- Monitor your blood sugar frequently, as often as every hour
- Continue your diabetes medication as usual; if you are unable to eat, contact doctor for instructions on the dose to take
- Drink at least one glass of fluid every hour; if your sugar levels are high drink water; if the blood sugars are low, you may need to drink sugar-based liquids.
- If you are repeatedly vomiting, speak to your doctor immediately, or go to the nearest Emergency Care Center
- If you have Type 1 diabetes, check the urine for ketones every time you void; if ketones are “medium or large” call your doctor or go to the nearest Emergency Care Center.
Things to follow while on the job
Many people can manage their diabetes without it affecting their work. However, it is important for employers to be aware of the risks for employees with diabetes. Some employees (especially those with type 2 diabetes) may struggle with undertaking shift work as changes to the timing of medication and diet can affect their sugar levels.
People with diabetes should carry “I am Diabetic Card” or medical ID all the time to tackle in case of any emergency
Things to remember while driving
- First, if you take insulin or medications called sulfonylureas or meglitinides to manage your diabetes, your blood sugar might go to low, called hypoglycemia. That can make it hard for you to concentrate on the road and react to what’s going on around you. You might not be able to see clearly, and you could pass out behind the wheel.
- Second, over time diabetes can cause other health problems that can affect your driving. Nerve damage in your legs and feet can make it hard for you to feel the pedals. Diabetes can also hurt your vision by damaging blood vessels in your eyes or making you more likely to get cataracts.
Before you drive, check the following:
Carry some snacks like glucose tablets or gel, regular soda (not diet), and juice boxes or snack bars that won’t go bad if you leave them in the car. Carry your blood glucose meter. You might have to check your blood sugar along the way specially if you are taking a long drive. Keep your medical ID or “I am Diabetic Card” handy. If there’s an emergency, police and helpers need to know that you have diabetes.
You must check your eyes regularly if you or your job involves continuous and more frequent driving
On the Road :
The important thing about being on the road is not to have your blood sugar dip too low. Pull over and check your levels if you start feeling the following symptoms:
- A headache
- Feeling Shaky or jumpy
- Sweaty
- Hungry
- Like you can’t see straight
- Sleepy
- Dizzy, lightheaded, or confused
- Irritable or cranky
- Weak
If your blood sugar is low, have a snack with fast-acting carbohydrates. Wait 15 minutes and check again. If it’s still not high enough, repeat the process again Don’t drive again until your blood sugar is in a normal range.
Being a diabetic, can I travel?
Traveling with diabetes can be comfortable and safe as long as you plan carefully. Good planning includes talking to your doctor and doing a little research before leaving, careful packing, and knowing about airport security.
Before leaving on your trip:
- Talk to your doctor about your travel plans.
- If you're on insulin, ask about getting a prescription for a glucagon kit.
- Make sure your vaccinations, your immunization record and your written health record are up to date, especially if traveling abroad.
- Plan to wear a medical ID bracelet that states you have diabetes.
- Take a copy of your immunization record and health record if needed.
- Make sure that all medications and diabetes supplies you carry have their prescription labels on them. If you use a daily or weekly medication reminder pack, take the original prescription labels with you.
- Refill any prescriptions that may expire during your travel.
If you're traveling by plane:
- Bring enough supplies and medications to last longer than the length of your trip. You'll need extras if you have travel delays or lose some supplies.
- Keep supplies, including insulin, in a carry-on bag.
- Bring healthy food, such as fruit and nuts, to help prevent low blood sugar in case you miss a meal. Bring treatment for low blood sugar.
- Get up and move every hour or so during the flight to prevent blood clots.
During the trip:
- Monitor your blood glucose more often than you usually do.
- Stay as close to your usual schedule as much as possible. Change the time settings on your pump if needed.
- Look for healthy meal options when possible, such as salads with chicken, fruit, yogurt and sandwiches.
If I am going to need a dialysis then why should I care about my blood sugar?
If you are under dialysis you have a greater chance of becoming hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar). This reason makes it further more important to check your current blood sugar levels. | https://www.wingsofchange.in/living-with-diabetes/ |
“My son will only eat crunchy things.” “My daughter will only eat things that are yellow.” “My son hates anything mushy.” Sound familiar? If your child has ASD and often refuses certain foods, you are not alone, as this is a common issue amongst these children.
Gastrointestinal problems – Children with ASD may avoid certain foods because they exacerbate these problems, which then leads to their associating certain foods with pain.
Schedule a medical evaluation to rule out any gastrointestinal issues.
Meet with a speech pathologist in order to assess whether there may be any motor deficits that are contributing to the issue.
Have an occupational therapist (OT) assess for any fine motor deficits that may be leading to difficulties handling certain utensils or maintaining a good posture while eating. An OT may also be able to identify any sensory deficits that may be contributing to food refusal.
Hierarchical exposure with reinforcement – This involves slowly introducing new foods and requiring certain behaviors that increase in difficulty in order to earn a reward. For example, for a child who is resistant to mushy foods, the therapist may first have the child simply look at a picture of mashed potatoes for a certain amount of time and once the child has completed this he or she is given a reward (e.g., engagement in a preferred activity such as playing with trains). Once the child has mastered this, he or she may be required to touch the picture before being given the reward. The required behavior would then continue to increase in difficulty until they are eventually looking at, touching and eventually eating real mashed potatoes.
Differential reinforcement/attention – Involves attending to positive behaviors such as looking at the non-preferred food, touching it, etc., by providing a lot of praise and positive attention, while ignoring negative behaviors such as refusal, whining, and tantrumming.
Whatever the cause may be of your child’s food refusal, as we can see, there are several strategies and professionals available in order to help your child expand their palate – ultimately making meal times less stressful and more enjoyable for everyone.
Nath, S. (2014). Feeding problems in children with autism. Retrieved from https://iancommunity.org/ssc/feeding-problems-children-autism.
Koegel, R.L., Bharoocha, A.A., Ribnick, C.B., Ribnick, R.C., Bucio, M.O., Fredeen, R.M., & Kern Koegel, L. (2012). Using individualized reinforcers and hierarchical exposure to increase food flexibility in children with autism spectrum disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(8), pp 1574–1581. | https://manhattanpsychologygroup.com/feeding-problems-children-autism-spectrum-disorder-asd/ |
Hibiscus syriacus.
Genus, species:
Varietal denomination: ‘Whit XXI’.
Hibiscus syriacus
The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety or cultivar of the ornamental plant, commonly known as rose-of-sharon or althea.
Hibiscus syriacus
syriacus
is native to China and India, but history suggests seeds were transported by early traders over the Silk Road and dispersed over a wide area. The plant was first observed by western botanists in Syria, thus the species name . The plant grows well over a wide range of soils, moisture and other environmental conditions and is popular due to the flower show and long bloom time.
Hibiscus syriacus
Hibiscus
flowers on new growth so even when tops are killed or damaged by cold or are cut off, with the resumption of growth in spring, flowers soon follow. And, like other species of , each flower typically lasts only one day. However, a proliferation of buds allow the flower show to continue for 8 weeks or more. Flowers have little or no fragrance and most flowers fall cleanly leaving dried seed capsules with minimal effect on plant appearance.
In the USA, an assortment of seedlings have been selected, given varietal names and introduced into the nursery trade.
Hibiscus syriacus
The new and semi-dwarf cultivar of claimed herein, which has been given the cultivar name ‘Whit XXI’, is a seedling selected from a block of about 4,000 seedlings which were 10 generations from the original parent used to begin this research in 1989.
Hibiscus syriacus
Hibiscus
This new and distinct was asexually reproduced near Stillwater, Okla. by rooting softwood cuttings taken from the original ‘Whit XXI’ plant near Stillwater, Okla. The asexually reproduced plants show all of the unique features that characterize this . As a further test, cuttings were taken from the asexually reproduced plants. These secondary cuttings rooted and grew the same as the parent, indicating that the unique features of this plant are stable through successive generations of asexual reproduction.
Hibiscus syriacus
The plant of the present invention is a new and distinct variety of rose-of-sharon, which has been given the cultivar name ‘Whit XXI’ and is characterized by flower buds on short pedicels that at first appear red as they extend just beyond the calyx, then as expansion continues red shows as blotches on backs of first petals, then as the flowers fully open, the red and pinkish areas are on the backs of the outer array of petals and are no longer seen, leaving the full flower appearance a soft pink. The flowers are sterile and only occasional deformed reproductive parts can be found. The semi-dwarf, much branched plant is a profuse flower producer. For example, when the photo of the overall two year old plant growing in the field was taken, there were 13 open flowers and 68 flower buds sufficiently developed to show color. The plant may reach a height of 6 to 8 feet with age. The original ‘Whit XXI’ is now seven years old and has remained compact and free of disease.
Leaves are dark green, alternate, simple and broadly ovate to triangular with an irregular serrate margin, and occasionally irregularly lobed. Leaf surface is dark green and smooth.
Inflorescences are coarse spikes that may reach 12 to 16 inches long or more. Flower buds typically develop in each leaf axil.
Flowers are light pink when fully opened with five, occasionally six typical petals, and a multitude of petaloids arising from the receptacle. Details of flower bud color are provided above.
Flower buds and flowers are in abundance over the surface of the plant, as even lower branches typically have flower buds and flowers. Flowers begin opening at the base of the coarse spike and progress upward irregularly. Flower buds are visible as dark green conical whirls of five or six sepals fused into a more or less tubular calyx, then sepals are pushed back by the expanding flower, with the first exposure of the petals turning red, then as the petals extend further, red blotches develop on what will become the back of the primary petals, then disappearing from view with the fully opened flowers. Under Oklahoma conditions, flowering typically begins in late June and continues until mid to late October, depending on seasonal conditions and moisture. Because ‘Whit XXI’ is sterile, flowers remain attractive into the second day versus the typical one day which is typical of the species.
Hibiscus syriacus
The following description is of the new and distinct rose-of-sharon, plant which has been given the cultivar name ‘Whit XXI’. Specific color designations set forth by number designations are in accordance with The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (1966). General color recitations are consistent with ordinary American color terminology.
Type
.—Deciduous woody shrub with multiple stems and dense branching.
Classification
Hibiscus syriacus.
.—Rose-of-sharon or althea,
Growth habit
.—The parent plant grew with a single upright stem and many low branches creating a broad ovate form.
Origin
.—The original parent plant was a seedling growing in a fence row near Topeka, Kans. with flowers nearly all white but with a small reddish center. Since collecting seeds from that original parent in 1989, 10 generations of seedlings have been grown, with seeds being saved and planted from the best few plants in each generation. An open pollinated seedling was selected from a block of about 4,000 seedlings which were 10 generational descendants from the original parent. The relationship between the original plant and the current ‘Whit XXI’ plant are linked genetically but otherwise have few similarities. No genetics of any other plant or cultivar have been introduced into this breeding line.
Propagation
.—The plant is easy to propagate from softwood cuttings placed under intermittent mist with the distinguishing characteristics of the asexually propagated offspring's remaining identical to the parent. When propagated from cuttings taken at tips of branches, a growth habit similar to the parent develops. However, if the tip of the cutting is removed at time of propagation, a broader based multiple stemmed plant beginning near the soil surface results.
Size and shape
Hibiscus syriacus
.—Growth of , ‘Whit XXI’ cultivar in an open field near Stillwater, Okla. is semi-dwarf relative to other seedlings from the same parent. For example, when ‘Whit XXI’ was 3 feet tall, most other seedlings from the same parent were 5 to 6 feet. Form is an upright broad elliptical shape, with an estimated height of 6 to 8 feet and a width of 4 to 5 feet at maturity.
Hardiness
.—The new variety of rose-of-sharon has withstood temperatures of −8 degrees F. in the field with no injury. Based on its genetic heritage it is likely hardy in much of USDA Hardiness Zone 5.
Pests and diseases
.—No diseases or insect problems have been observed on ‘Whit XXI’ cultivar or any of the rose-of-sharon seedlings as part of the plant breeding program in north central Oklahoma.
The plant:
Blooming period
Hibiscus syriacus
.—Flower buds begin forming in mid-June with sustained warm temperatures, and flowers begin to open in early July in north central Oklahoma, and continues into mid-October, with variation due to seasons. Flowering continues during sustained heat as long as drought does not become severe. Rose-of-sharon, ‘Whit XXI’ is an exceptional producer of flowers and because the plant is sterile, flowers remain showy the full first day and into the second day. This extended flower show results from the absence of pollination and ovary expansion which causes flowers to drop on fertile seedlings. For example, in a block of 4,000 seedlings most flowers open in the morning and stay attractive most of the day before becoming less attractive and falling by late afternoon or evening.
Petals
.—The outer array of flower petals are typically five, but occasionally six or seven, with an assortment of central petaloids ranging in numbers from 15 to 40 and in an array of widths and lengths. The primary five petals range in size from 1.25 to 3.0 inches long with irregular margins. The attitude of the outermost petals is approx. horizontal. Furthermore, the petal shape and undulation are variable in that, upon separating the petals of a flower, no two petals had the same shape or undulation. Similarly, the length of any eye zone extensions is variable in that, upon separating the petals of a flower, some petals are entirely the same color while other petals are slightly darker near the receptacle, with coloration related to light exposure.
Inflorescences
.—Inflorescences are a coarse spike with flower buds on short pedicels developing in most leaf axils.
Stamens
.—None, the flowers are sterile.
Sepals
.—Calyx is made up of five, occasionally six sepals, each about ½ to ⅞ inches long, dark green, about 147-A or B, prior to flowers opening, turning variously greenish to yellow-green (no color match) and falling with the flowers.
Buds and flowers
.—Flower buds progress from fully covered by the dark green sepals, about 147-B or C, to partial exposure of the flower petals which develop red blotches, about 53-B, C or D, and as more flower bud expansion proceeds showing previously fully red areas on backs of pink petals, about 49-A, B or C, to fully open flowers with flower petals and petaloids about 49-A, B or C. Basal areas of petals and petaloids are purple, about 187-A, progressing gradually to 187-D.
Seeds
.—None, the plant is sterile.
Pedicel
FIG. 2
.—The pedicel length is variable as shown in , ranging from about 0.3 inches to 1.2 inches. The pedicel coloration is approx. 147-A or B.
The flowers:
Leaf shape
FIG. 4
.—Leaves are alternate on the stem, simple, variously broadly ovate to triangular with an irregular serrate margin and occasionally irregularly lobed. The petiole length is variable from approx. 0.4 inches for leaves in full sun to approx. 0.8 inches for leaves in the shade. The shape of the leaf blade base is truncate. The leaf blade is variable, irregular serrate to doubly serrate. As shown in , the leaf blade margin incisions are variable.
Leaf color
.—Upper leaf surface is dark green, 147-A or B is closest fit. Lower leaf surface is lighter, 147-B or C. The petiole coloration is approx. 147-A, B or C and variable with exposure to sun. The leaf venation coloration is widely ranging, from 147-B to D, depending on sun exposure.
Leaf texture
.—Leaves are smooth, glabrous on both upper and lower surfaces.
Leaf size
.—Leaves range from 1.5 to 2.5 inches long by about 3.4 to 2.5 inches wide, variable with age and growing conditions and location on the plant.
The foliage:
Branch color
.—The current year branch coloration is approximately 197-A or B.
Bark
.—Young and old stems are gray, about 197-A or B.
The branches and bark:
The rose-of-sharon cultivar ‘Whit XXI’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. It is to be understood that the phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as soils, temperature, light conditions and length of day without differences in genotype of the plant. The following botanical characteristics and observations are taken from plants when grown under normal outdoor conditions in north central Oklahoma. Unless otherwise noted, the following description is of plants propagated from the original parent plant grown in a field near Stillwater, Okla., but is also consistent with plants ranging from a few months to 18 months growing in containers in north central Oklahoma.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
Description of Related Art
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a full color photographic view of the new rose-of-sharon plant, ‘Whit XXI’ showing growth and prolific flowering habit after being propagated asexually from the parent two years earlier. On the day of the photo, there were 13 open flowers and 69 flower buds showing color.
FIG. 2
is a full color photographic view of the new rose-or-sharon plant ‘Whit XXI’ showing typical flower bud coloration and early expansion before full flower development.
FIG. 3
is a full color photographic view of the new rose-of-sharon plant ‘Whit XXI’ showing a typical flower with irregular form, typical five primary petals and a multitude of petaloids that obscure the deformed or missing reproductive parts. Full flower development and positioning of primary petals obscures red blotches prominently visible on the developing buds.
FIG. 4
is a full color photographic view of the new rose-of-sharon plant ‘Whit XXI’ showing the assortment of leaf shapes and leaf margins present among the foliage. | |
SSIA has gone through a major transformation over the past two years to better serve and represent our industry. We have focused our initiatives around the framework of Electronics Industry Transformation Map, and at its core – we focus on helping companies drive productivity, help companies innovate their product and services, and continue to grow and retain our industry’s talent pool.
Innovation and R&D are key enablers for industry transformation and core to diversification. To advance a vibrant R&D ecosystem in Singapore through analysis and survey, SSIA has set up an R&D Committee since 2020. It is chaired by the SSIA Secretary, Jerome Tjia, also Head of Development Centre for Infineon Asia Pacific, comprising industry leaders from the semiconductor industry. The Committee looks into the current R&D landscape in Singapore and envisions what the future landscape would be.
Survey on R&D Activities in Singapore
In May 2020, a survey was conducted to understand the ecosystem and challenges in the R&D arena, with 15 companies responding. The survey showed that more than 90% of respondents had a presence in product R&D specializing in systems and software. The majority of the respondents said they had R&D presence in Singapore, yet most of their R&D activities were in South-East Asia, Europe and the US.
Most of them expected there will be an increase in R&D investment in the next 5 years, mainly due to the development of analog, power and RF technologies, expansion of scope, new technology requirements and regional focus. Besides, respondents were optimistic in forecasting even more investment in R&D beyond 5 years, mainly driven by the need to refresh their technology offering, their forecast for a bigger market, and a positive outlook on the macro view of the economy.
Pressing Factors for R&D
Regarding the most pressing factors for companies, they responded it was the high cost in Singapore, and this will drive the shift of their R&D activities to other lower-cost sites. Another concern from respondent on the lack of training/ talents in the R&D arena. There was also an obvious concern about not having sufficient talents to support the R&D sector growth in Singapore. That was why most respondents called for government support to help woo more future talents.
Government support that companies think would help facilitate their R&D development
Growing the R&D Talent Pool
To address the challenges of attracting talent, the SSIA R&D Committee has raised several suggestions to grow a Singapore-based R&D talent pool.
Talent Attraction
- Launch initiatives to promote career and opportunities in the semiconductor industry
- More student outreach to increase engagement with students
- Establish enticing engineering scholarships
- Companies to offer more attractive compensation
Talent Development
- To continue current traineeship programs for R&D talent pool
- Launch more industry technical training (e.g. IoT, 5G, USB, PCIe, etc)
- Offer Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) continuing education and training, and specialized University-level R&D training program
Foreign talent
- Supplementary key foreign talents will still be needed during the transition to increase local talent pool.
- Provide funding support to develop local talent and competency
Deeper Engagement with Universities and Research Institutes
- Establish KPI on industry relevancy and collaboration
- Incorporate more industry-relevant syllabus (e.g., Digital IP, SoC Verification and Test Development)
- Launch more Continuous Education Training (CET) and specialized R&D training program
The Committee has made necessary recommendations to the Board and government agencies based on the study. It will continue defining the support required to help grow the R&D landscape in Singapore. | https://ssia.org.sg/ssia-rd-committee-advancing-a-vibrant-rd-ecosystem/ |
Following a recent teen suicide, a new Woodside club, Bring Change 2 Mind, aims to promote awareness of mental health issues in an effort to proactively prevent deaths within the Woodside community.
Holly Spalletta, a freshman at Sequoia High School, took her own life last month. Despite the growing rate of suicides in the United States, conversations about mental health are rare. Bring Change 2 Mind is a nonprofit organization that sponsors high school clubs throughout California in hopes of erasing stigma and educate students on mental illness, an issue that many students recognize as important.
“I believe it is very valuable to discuss mental health because a lot of people either don’t believe that mental illness is an issue or don’t believe it is real,” Vianne Nickel, a sophomore at Woodside, states.
Omar Bravo, a Woodside sophomore, agrees with Nickel, and thinks that mental health is much less visible than it should be.
“I think Woodside should talk more about mental health because I don’t really see that much of it. I don’t really hear much about it, and I think it is an important topic,” he adds.
Some students argue that the negative effect of the lack of discussion about mental health can cause them to delay getting help because of the stigma surrounding the issue.
“I think that stigma doesn’t allow students to reach out when they need help because it feels so shameful to them, or they feel like they will be perceived as weak, especially by teachers, staff, or even their own peers,” Oriana Smith-Anderson, the secretary of the Bring Change 2 Mind club, says.
Caden Hansen, a Woodside sophomore, is the president of the organization’s newly-formed Woodside chapter. Caden’s experience reflects Smith-Anderson’s ideas about stigma.
“For me personally, I’ve had a lot of experience navigating mental health care and my own interactions with illnesses. For the past six years of my life, or so, I’ve been struggling with suicidal ideation, but because of the stigma I wasn’t comfortable coming forward,” Hansen says. “[The stigma] was really harmful in the end for me, and if I had been able to come forward sooner, I feel like my journey for recovery would have gone a lot faster and been a lot simpler.”
Some Silicon Valley schools already offer resources to students for their mental health such as Gunn High School in Palo Alto. Following the suicides of several Gunn students over the past few years, the school is working to address the damaging stigma around mental health.
“Once a week we have a class called Social Emotional Learning where they give us tips for time management, stress control, studying, et cetera,” a student at Gunn, who asked to remain anonymous, reveals.
Although Woodside already provides some mental health services including therapy and counselors, the Bring Change 2 Mind club plans to teach Woodside students about some of the same principles addressed in Gunn High School’s Social Emotional Learning class through positive messages and help for students who need to talk about mental health. The leaders of the Bring Change 2 Mind club are working on a possible freshman transition lesson that may go into effect next year as well as a survey to collect demographics.
“[By] starting Bring Change 2 Mind, I hope I’m able to help raise this awareness for other people and create an environment where people are comfortable with their experiences and coming forward in general so that there are less harmful impacts in the future,” Hansen concludes. | https://woodsidepawprint.com/uncategorized/2017/11/02/students-suffer-school-stigma/?print=true |
Clean-up in TeamCity is a feature allowing automatic deletion of data belonging to old builds.
Since TeamCity 9.0, project-related clean-up settings are configured in the Project Settings (not in the Server Administration | Clean-up Settings section like in previous versions).
The general clean-up configuration is available in the server Administration | Clean-up Settings.
It is recommended to configure clean-up rules to remove obsolete builds and their artifacts, purge unnecessary data from database and caches in order to free disk space, remove builds from the TeamCity UI and reduce the TeamCity workload.
Clean-up deletes the data stored under
TeamCity Data Directory/system and in the database. Also, during the clean-up time the server performs various maintenance tasks (e.g. resets VCS full patch caches).
On this page:
Server Clean-up Settings
The server settings are configured on the Administration | Server Administration | Clean-up Settings.
Since TeamCity 9.0, the build history clean-up is run as a background process, which means that now there is no server maintenance down-time.
If you use the HSQL database, there is a short period of server unavailability when the HSQL database is being compacted.
Depending on the amount of data to clean up, the process may take significant time, during which the server might be less performant. Therefore, it is recommended to schedule clean-up to run during off-peak hours. By default, TeamCity will start cleaning up daily at 3.00 AM. It is also possible to run it manually.
You can also specify the time limit for the clean-up process. In case not all the data is purged within the time-frame specified, the remaining data will be removed during the next clean-up process.
Manual Clean-up Launch
The Previous clean-up section of the server clean-up settings enables you to:
- review the information on the previous server clean-up date and duration helping you decide whether to launch the clean-up process at a given moment
- run clean-up manually using the Start clean-up now button.
During clean-up, TeamCity reports the progress. If you need, you can stop the clean-up process and the remaining data will be removed during the next clean-up.
Project Clean-up Rules
Clean-up rules are configured per project and define when and what data to clean. Different rules can be assigned to a project and templates or build configurations within this project.
To manage the rules, use the Project-Settings | Clean-up Rules page.
The following inheritance rules apply:
- if a clean-up rule is assigned to a project, it becomes default for all configurations or subprojects in this project
- if a clean-up rule is assigned to a template, it becomes default for all configurations inherited from this template, but if a clean-up rule is assigned to both a template and a project, the rule from the project will override the rule from the template
- if a clean-up rule is assigned to a build configuration, it will override the clean-up rule from a project or a template.
In each rule, you can define a number of successful builds to preserve, and/or the period of time to keep builds in history (e.g. keep builds for 7 days).
The following clean-up levels are available:
- Artifacts (all other data including build logs is preserved. Hidden Artifacts are also preserved);
- History (all the build data is deleted except for builds statistics values that are visible in the statistics charts);
- Everything (no build data remains in TeamCity).
Each level includes the one(s) listed above it.
By default, everything is kept forever. When you select custom settings, for each of the items above you can specify:
- the number of days. Builds older than the number of days specified will be cleaned with the specified level. The starting point is the date of the last build, not the current date. A day is equivalent to a 24-hour period, not a calendar day;
- the number of successful builds. Only builds older than the last matching successful build will be cleaned with the level specified (all the failed builds between the preserved successful ones are kept). This rule is only taken into account if there are successful builds in the build configuration.
When both conditions are specified, only the builds which must be cleaned according to all rules will be actually removed: TeamCity finds the oldest build to preserve according to each of the the rules and then cleans all builds older than the oldest one of the two found.
For the Artifacts level you can also specify the patterns for the artifact names:
- Artifact patterns. The artifacts matching the specified pattern will be included in/excluded from the clean-up. Use newline-delimited rules following Ant-like pattern. Example: to clean-up artifacts with 'file' as a part of the name, use the following syntax:
+:**/file*.*. To exclude
*.jarartifacts with 'file' as a part of the name from clean-up, use
-:**/file*.jar.
There are builds that preserve all their data and are not affected during cleanup. These are:
- pinned builds;
- builds used as a source for artifact dependency in other builds when the "Prevent clean-up" option for dependency artifacts is enabled. See Clean-Up for Dependent Builds below. Such builds are marked with icon in the build history list;
- builds used as snapshot dependency in other not yet deleted builds;
- builds of build configurations that were deleted less than one day ago.
Clean-up for Dependent Builds
The settings in the Dependencies section of the Edit Clean Up Rules dialog affect clean-up of artifacts in builds that the builds of the current build configuration depend on.
TeamCity always preserves builds which are used as snapshot dependencies in other builds. These builds and their associated data (e.g. artifacts) are never deleted by the clean-up procedure.
TeamCity can optionally preserve builds which are used in other builds by artifact dependency.
- Use default choice uses the option configured in the default cleanup rule.
- Prevent clean-up choice protects builds (and their artifacts) which were used as a source of artifact dependencies for the builds of the current build configuration. By default, TeamCity does not prevent dependency artifacts cleanup.
- Do not prevent clean-up choice makes cleanup-related processing of the dependency builds disregard the fact that they are used by the builds of the current build configuration.
Example:
Say, a build configuration A has an artifact dependency on B. If Prevent clean-up option is used for A, the builds of B that provide artifacts for the builds of A will not be processed while cleaning the builds, so the builds and their artifacts will be preserved.
Clean-up in Build Configurations with Feature Branches
If a build configuration has builds from several branches, before applying clean-up rules, TeamCity splits the build history of this configuration into several groups. TeamCity creates one group per each active branch, and a single group for all builds from inactive branches. Then clean-up rules are applied to each group independently.
Clean-up of Personal Builds
Cleanup rules are applied separately for the non-personal builds and then for the personal builds. That is, if you have a rule to preserve 3 successful builds, 3 non-personal builds and 3 personal builds are preserved (in each branch group as per description above).
Deleted Build Configurations Cleanup
When a project or a build configuration is deleted, the corresponding builds data is removed during the cleanup, but only if 24 hours has passed since the deletion. To change the timeout, set the
teamcity.deletedBuildTypes.cleanupTimeout internal property to the required number of seconds to protect the data from deletion.
See also: | https://confluence.jetbrains.com/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=74846192 |
YouTube is a great source of various educational videos. This includes topics in different fields of sciences like Biology. So let’s learn Biology. Below is a YouTube video as a preliminary to learning Biology. You can download and convert this file to mp4 with the use of an app called clip converter.
Download and Convert: Introduction to Biology
What is biology?
The subject of biology research is “everything that is alive.” From bacteria to humans, we study the essence of life in nature and how it should be. Especially in recent years, there is an increasing tendency to elucidate all biological phenomena at the genetic level, and it is becoming a comprehensive discipline such as research involving genetic engineering in fields such as physiology and ethology.
A discipline that studies biology and life phenomena. It is divided into zoology, botany, microbiology, etc. according to the type of target organism, and taxonomy, ecology, embryology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, etc. according to research means and purpose.
Biology, which is a discipline that asks “what is life”, has made great progress as a basic discipline of life science in this century, and acquisition of its basic concepts and knowledge has become indispensable for studying medicine.
What do you study in biology?
The scope of biology research ranges from small molecular-level world research to global ecological research. Typical examples include “Physiology / Biochemistry”, which studies the mechanism of life phenomena from a wide range, “Genetics”, which studies the mechanism of heredity, and “Development”, “Ecology”, and “Ethology”. Can be mentioned. In addition, biotechnology (biotechnology) represented by research on IPS cells (induced pluripotent stem cells) is also in the limelight. This field is also expected to collaborate with medical care, such as research on cancer treatment.
How are biology lectures set up?
In the 1st and 2nd year, you will acquire basic theories such as an introduction to biology, and at the same time, you will also take physics and chemistry classes necessary for biology research. From the third year onward, you will visit each laboratory to look at biology in general and finally decide on the field you want to study.
Biology is a discipline that advances research by repeating observations, practical training, and experiments. Depending on the training theme, we may stay in the laboratory for one to two weeks to collect and observe samples. Some universities have their own research fields, such as training forests, so it is a good idea to understand the strengths of each university and compare them with the theme you want to study.
Post-graduation careers of people who have studied biology
Learning Biology offers a lot of opportunities. The research institutes of food, pharmaceutical, agriculture, forestry, and fisheries-related companies dealing with biotechnology are the center. In addition, you can find employment in places where you can make use of your specialized knowledge, such as teaching professions, private laboratories, and botanical gardens. | https://www.creationofman.net/biology-from-youtube-clips-clipconverter.html |
One of the very first things that I present in the workshops that I lead is the importance of making student learning outcomes explicit and visual in all of the units that we teach in PE. Setting our students up for success requires that they understand exactly what is expected of them during the unit.
This requires me to think, well ahead of time, about the important questions that I need to ask in order to guide them on their learning journeys. And these journeys must always be rooted in and connected to the important student learning outcomes in the units that we teach.
I'm currently teaching a movement composition unit from grades 1-5 at Nanjing International School. I opened my week up by asking the same key question from grades 3-5 (for grades 1 and 2, I had a different key question). The key question that I asked grades 3-5 was:
I will blog next week about the specific activities that I did, but what was most important was that I had several short discussions with my classes during the week that revolved around this key question. I recorded as many of my students' answers as possible in my journal. At times it was necessary to help them articulate what it was that they were trying to say, but for the most part, they were spot on with the answers that they came up with.
I was able to narrow down on 4 generally agreed upon areas earlier this week. I used these 4 areas to springboard 4 new questions that needed to be broken down further. I asked these questions throughout the second half of the week and recorded more student answers. For now, have a look at the 4 big areas below.
Today was a lighter teaching day, so I was able to go through all of the student answers in my journal and further identify the most relevant answers to the questions that I had asked them the second half of the week. Although many of their answers were similar in nature, it was critical to capture their voice and make this visible. To make this happen, I generated a list of the most mentioned answers to each of the questions I had asked. I then created 4 separate visuals that I will use all of next week in my PE classes. I have a formative assessment task in place for next week which will help to check how 'on track' my students are in the movement composition unit in regards to the student learning outcomes expected of them. Check out the 4 visuals below that will be posted for all of my grades 3-5 classes next week.
The 4 questions and 17 student generated answers will help guide our learning over the next week in the movement composition unit. Movement composition can be a tough unit to teach as it is hard to get all students engaged and into it. Most of my students really are enjoying the unit and putting lots of energy and effort in. Hard work but well worth the effort! Please feel free to use these visuals in your own movement composition unit. Let me know if you do and how things went for you and your students.
Grade 4 Movement Composition
2/2/2015
Breaking down success in 45-second routine creation
My grade 4 students are still in the early stages of their movement composition unit here at Nanjing International School. I've been exposing them to a variety of different movement composition type activities that will help to give them a taste of a variety of tasks that can be done in a unit such as this. I want to hook them into all the possibilities that exist in order to help them ultimately find what may interest them the most as we approach the summative assessment task in a few weeks time.
Through a specific line of questioning and getting my students taking part in various movement composition related activities, they have been able to narrow down and identify which success criteria are most important in this unit. My aim in yesterday's class was to get them to create their own 45-second individual balance routine that focused on three important success criteria; Balance, Form, and Timing. Form was a relatively new idea to them but it didn't take long at all for them to understand what it was. I prepared a short Mac keynote to open the class up and begin to have a discussion on how our peers can help us to improve. I was trying to get them zeroed in on the importance of giving and receiving feedback. Not just saying, 'Oh that was good' or 'you need better balance', but to be very specific in their feedback. Many students became hands on helping to adjust and put their partners into the correct positions which was great to see.
In this 65-minute class, I went through a few distinct phases to prepare them for their end of class 45-second balance routines.
A) We discussed what good 'balance' looked like as an initial starting point. I modeled both good and bad balance and the kids immediately began sharing their thoughts. This took no more than 2 minutes. Over the next 10 minutes , we then practiced three different balances focusing on being as still as possible while executing the balance.
B) Once the students were able to do all three balances, we began our discussions on what good 'form' looks like. We discussed each of the balances, centering in on what makes the balances look good. Specifics were discussed such as (hands together, arms straight, toes pointed, back flat, leg and back in a straight line etc.)
C) During this phase of the lesson, students were encouraged to be artists and to create 2 additional extension poses using the initial balance as a starting point. This is when the success criteria of 'timing' was introduced. They were now required to hold each balance for '5 Nanjings' (5 seconds roughly). As they practiced, they began to get peer feedback from a partner.
D) This phase was a bit more teacher directed as I helped them to understand how long each balance was meant to be held. I counted off in 5-second intervals with them switching up balances each interval.
E) This is when I introduced the music and had them practice their 9-balance sequence ensuring that their timing was on. I again counted off '5 Nanjings' to continually remind them about when they need to transition over to their next balance.
F) Final Routine/Peer Feedback Phase: During this final phase, students performed their balance routines for their partner. Their partner was responsible for giving quality feedback. Each student had a chance to perform, listen to feedback, and perform once last time ensuring that they could improve upon the areas recommended by their partner.
G) Final Wrap-Up: During the last 2 minutes of class, I had the students give me their thoughts in regards to what feedback was most useful to them. Most seemed to say that feedback related to their 'form' was most useful to them in regards to helping them improve the overall quality of their routine.
All in all, a great lesson, however, it took a lot of structure and planning ahead of time. Check out the video below which will give you a 2-minute glimpse into different phases of this lesson. I encourage you to try this lesson out if you are doing a movement composition unit. Let me know how it goes if you use the idea. Thanks for reading.
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Author
KAUST Faculty, Pedagogical Coach. Presenter & Workshop Leader.IB Educator. #RunYourLife podcast host. | http://www.andyvasily.com/the-aligned-leader-blog/archives/02-2015 |
Inventory cost includes the costs to order and hold inventory, as well as to administer the related paperwork. This cost is examined by management as part of its evaluation of how much inventory to keep on hand. This can result in changes in the order fulfillment rate for customers, as well as variations in the production process flow.
Inventory costs can be classified as follows:
- Ordering costs. These costs include the wages of the procurement department and related payroll taxes and benefits, and possibly similar labor costs by the industrial engineering staff, in case they must pre-qualify new suppliers to deliver parts to the company. These costs are typically included in an overhead cost pool and allocated to the number of units produced in each period.
- Holding costs. These costs are related to the space required to hold inventory, the cost of the money needed to acquire inventory, and the risk of loss through inventory obsolescence. Most of these costs are also included in an overhead cost pool and allocated to the number of units produced in each period. More specifically, holding costs include:
- Cost of space. Perhaps the largest inventory cost is related to the facility within which it is housed, which includes warehouse depreciation, insurance, utilities, maintenance, warehouse staff, storage racks, and materials handling equipment. There may also be fire suppression systems and burglar alarms, as well as their servicing costs.
- Cost of money. There is always an interest cost associated with the funds used to pay for inventory. If a company has no debt, this cost represents the foregone interest income associated with the allocated funds.
- Cost of obsolescence. Some inventory items may never be used or will be damaged while in storage, and so must be disposed of at a reduced price, or at no price at all. Depending on how perishable the inventory is, or the speed with which technology changes impact inventory values, this can be a substantial cost.
- Administrative costs. The accounting department pays the wages of a cost accounting staff, which is responsible for compiling the costs of inventory and the cost of goods sold, responding to other inventory analysis requests, and defending their results to the company's internal and external auditors. The cost of cost accounting personnel is charged to expense as incurred.
As the preceding list reveals, the cost of inventory is substantial. If not properly monitored and adjusted, inventory costs can eat into profits and cash reserves. | https://www.accountingtools.com/articles/what-is-included-in-inventory-cost.html |
Project Summary/Abstract Neuroinflammation is increasingly thought of as playing a causative role in neurodegenerative disease, with evidence of inflammatory processes preceding neuronal death. For instance, microglia are now thought of as crucial participants in the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer?s disease (AD) and Parkinson?s disease (PD). This shift in focus from neurons to microglia has made evident a glaring need for tools which allows for precise manipulation of microglia. In the last decades there has been great progress in the generation of tools aimed at studying brain form and function. However, despite these advances, barriers remain. Despite the crucial role of microglia in disease, tools to study their function and to manipulate their expression (in disease) are lacking. Certainly the use of inducible transgenic animals has represented a significant step forward. Still, such approaches have limits. For instance, CRE-based models do not facilitate the precise modulation of multiple cellular populations at the same time. To that end, we contend that viral vectors will represent an integral part in studying the role of microglia in disease, and that the use of vectors that can target non-neuronal cells with efficacy and fidelity will be a requisite and a significant advance in translational neurodegenerative research. Thus far, viral vectors have proven to be remarkably refractory to microglial transduction. Thus, herein we propose a novel approach whereby we will engineer novel vectors directed towards microglia with no off-target activity. Our preliminary data using AAV show that there is no biological reason for this apparent impediment in microglial infection. In a single Aim we will utilize an innovative workflow where we will insert a library of known microglial ligands into the capsid of AAV, and where each variant will be unequivocally linked to a unique genetic barcode. This library will be injected in to the brain of mice, and single cell RNAseq (scRNAseq; also identifying the barcode) will be performed. Using genomics we will thus be able to associate each unique barcode/capsid variant with one, or multiple, cellular transcriptional profiles. Importantly, this will allow us to perform in silico negative selection to screen for capsids that only transduce microglia. We will validate the novel viral vectors in aged and inflamed animals, and also demonstrate the utility of this microglial-specific vector in a the 5XFAD mouse model of AD, where we will test the hypothesis that inhibiting Toll-like receptor 4 in microglia per se is sufficient to prevent neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. At the completion of this proposal we will have generated a novel tool to help us manipulate microglial function with precision, and under conditions that is reflective of the degenerating brain. Thus providing for a new and crucial foundation to move translational efforts within neurodegeneration forward. Moreover, we will also have generated a unique database of capsid variants and their associated transduction transcriptome pattern. This database can be queried by any researcher in order to identify vectors that transduce other cells, perhaps even subsets of neuronal cells. These novel tools will have far-reaching impact on the field of neurodegeneration.
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A workgroup focused on adults with disabilities identified the needs of teachers and students involved in adult education in Santa Clara County. In addition to the teachers’ desire for more training to gain a better understanding about different types of disabilities, the workgroup identified the need for students to learn self-advocacy skills.
To meet the need, in August 2016, the South Bay Consortium for Adult Education acquired the services of disability specialist Natalie Bradley to provide services to students with disabilities and their teachers in Santa Clara County school districts. The consortium developed a referral process for teachers to request individualized services for students. Bradley met with students to assess their strengths and learning challenges and also screened students for learning disabilities, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety and other conditions that may affect learning. She incorporated a “strength-based” counseling technique to educate students on how to capitalize upon their strengths and understand their learning challenges. Once strengths and challenges were identified, Bradley developed a plan, and with the students’ permission, collaborated with the teacher to develop individualized teaching strategies.
Bradley and the techniques she shared with students and teachers made a difference in the lives of the students. One student, who scored “extremely high” on a test anxiety scale, was taught anxiety-reducing techniques by the specialist and her test anxiety scores were reduced to “moderate.” She passed the math portion of the Hi-SET exam. Another student, who had a learning disability in math, was having trouble comprehending a math word problem. The student was able to solve the problem when a multisensory approach was introduced into the instruction. Assistive technology software, websites and apps also are being incorporated into lessons. Upon learning how to use these resources, one student downloaded a free and interactive math app on her smartphone and immediately began to practice her multiplication tables with enthusiasm.
Feedback from instructors and students has been very positive. High school counselor Toni Thunen observed that “students are visibly moved” and “comforted in their new knowledge of strategies and the tools available to assist their moving forward in our programs.” From August 2016 through June 2017, a total of 74 students met with Bradley and achieved a variety of positive outcomes, including eligibility for HiSET (high school equivalency) test accommodations, successful transition to community college disability services, significant reduction of test anxiety and overall improved academic performance. | http://aebgpracticeswithpromise.com/showcase_emerging_practice.asp?id=1128 |
Recent studies discovered that a single Ebola virus mutation might have contributed to the outbreak which affected the African continent as it made the disease easier to spread to humans.
The discovery was the result of two studies which were published in the Cell Journal and which revealed that early on, the Ebola virus suffered a mutation which allowed for its easier transmission to humans.
According to one of the studies’ lead authors, University of Massachusetts Medical School virologist, Jeremy Luban the biggest difference between the base version of the virus and its mutation was the latter’s fourfold increase in the number of infected cells.
As the Ebola outbreak that appeared in late 2013 and spread over West Africa was faster and more widespread than any other previous such events, researchers also started studying the virus early on.
In accordance with the apparent behavior of most viruses, the Ebola virus started mutating, but scientists could not determine if it was becoming more dangerous, deadly, or transmissible.
As the Harvard University computational biologists which first started studying the virus could find no further information Luban and another team of researchers started analyzing the Ebola virus mutation.
The other team of was composed of United Kingdom’s University of Nottingham scientists and was led by Jonathan Ball.
According to their research, the mutation suffered by the Ebola virus made if far easier to spread to humans, as it may have potentially adapted to them. But the scientists are uncertain if this has also made it more deadly.
With the mutation being linked to a possible increase in mortality rates, another scientist maintains that the rise is slight enough so as to offer inconclusive results and not come to mean a direct link between the two.
Vincent Racaniello, a Columbia University virologist, declared that although a direct connection between mortality rates and the Ebola virus mutation was not demonstrated, the fact alone that it generated such an outbreak seems and is quite enough.
According to the same Racaniello, the mutated version of the virus was stopped as the outbreak is over. As no new cases of Ebola have been registered and no new mutant virus infections appeared, scientists are quite sure that the mutated version also died out.
The reason for this belief comes not only from the stopped outbreak but also from the mutated virus itself.
The scientists studying the Ebola virus mutation determined that the same modification which determined its easier spread in humans also accounted for its not spreading to animals.
That is, the new mutation prevented its being transmitted to the animal cell which would make it quite difficult if not improbable for it to be lurking in bats or other animals so as to start another outbreak.
This would mean that as soon as the West Africa outbreak and epidemic were over, so was the Ebola virus mutation, which should only make one feel thankful. | https://www.thesilverink.com/ebola-virus-mutation/28724/ |
1 2018-12-15 21:01:44 Re: New zealand farmers dating
New Zealand – Travel guide at Wikivoyage New Zealand was the last major landmass to be settled by people. This, combined with its late European colonisation, geological youth and geographical isolation, has led to the development of a young, vigorous nation with a well-travelled and well-educated population.
2 2018-12-15 21:41:47 Re: New zealand farmers dating
Hemp history - Global Hemp A primer on the uses of hemp throughout the ages. Use of hemp has existed for over ten thousand years, and is one of the oldest crops used for cultivation.
3 2018-12-15 21:47:02 Re: New zealand farmers dating
New Zealand happy to forget the UK's 'betrayal' - BBC News As the UK hopes to secure trade deals around the world post-Brexit, New Zealand remembers how it was cast adrift when Britain joined the EEC.
4 2018-12-15 22:41:53 Re: New zealand farmers dating
Latest News from New Zealand and around the world | MSN. Get the latest News from New Zealand and the world. Breaking news, entertainment, lifestyle, technology, sports, business from your trusted source
5 2018-12-15 23:05:04 Re: New zealand farmers dating
Italians In New Zealand - Italian Migration To The South. Wellington, New Zealand. Here is a brief timeline of the movement of Italians to New Zealand: 1770: Antonio Ponto, a seaman on Captain James Cook's ship, the Endeavour, was the first Italian to set foot on New Zealand soil around 1770. 1860: Italian friars arrived in New Zealand to set up a Catholic mission for the local native population, the Maoris.
6 2018-12-15 23:57:59 Re: New zealand farmers dating
History of New Zealand - Wikipedia The history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to sight New Zealand was Dutch navigator Abel Tasman on 13 December 1642. The Dutch were also the first non-natives to explore and chart New Zealand's coastline.
7 2018-12-16 00:44:25 Re: New zealand farmers dating
NZ Herald Homepage - New Zealand's latest news, business. Latest breaking news articles, photos, video, blogs, reviews, analysis, opinion and reader comment from New Zealand and around the World - NZ Herald
8 2018-12-16 01:05:21 Re: New zealand farmers dating
Hi. Cool, what I was looking for.
9 2018-12-16 01:58:30 Re: New zealand farmers dating
Female goat farmers surprised by statistics showing they. Goat farmers are among a list of 80 occupations where women on average earn more than men, according to the latest tax office statistics. But that comes as a surprise to women working in the industry.
10 2018-12-16 02:23:14 Re: New zealand farmers dating
rma-net: New Zealand's Environmental Law Online With 12139 decisions dating back to the enactment of the Resource Management Act in 1991. New decisions available each week across all the courts. | http://video-de-sexe-gratuit.com/new_zealand_farmers_dating.html |
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