content
stringlengths 0
1.88M
| url
stringlengths 0
5.28k
|
|---|---|
The invention discloses an aluminum alloy fireproof window, and belongs to the technical field of aluminum alloy windows, the aluminum alloy fireproof window comprises a window framework, a butt joint outer frame is fixedly mounted in the window framework, two window frames are movably mounted on the butt joint outer frame, hollow structures are arranged in the window frames, and a double-layer tempered glass window is mounted between the window frames in an embedded manner; a ceramic heat insulation sleeve piece is installed on the outer side of the window frame in an embedded mode, built-in cavities are formed in the two sides of the window framework, and the built-in cavities are filled with heat-resistant fireproof layers. According to the technical scheme, conduction of external temperature can be better coped with through the heat-resistant fire-resistant layer arranged in the built-in cavity, conduction of the temperature can be better reduced and blocked through the internal material structure of the heat-resistant fire-resistant layer, and in this way, the fire-resistant and temperature-resistant effects of the whole window are enhanced; the hollow structure in the window frame and the ceramic thermal insulation suite can enhance the temperature resistance and wind pressure deformation resistance of the window through the mutual cooperation of the structural form and external substances. | |
Self-inquiry is the practice of redirecting your attention from outward objects, events and experience, learning to train your focus on the experiences within your body and being.
By gradually peeling away focus from external distraction and staying with our own inner experience, we gain insight into our true nature. Cathy will facilitate this process, providing you with guidance on how to redirect your focus and practicing with you in this afternoon workshop. She offers tools she has gathered during her decades of experience with guided meditation and energy body awareness. No previous experience is necessary. Bring your curiosity to discover what wisdom lies within.
Cathy Prins has been a certified Reiki Master since 1998. She has had a thriving healing practice in Fairfield County for the past 20 years, which includes deep tissue massage, craniosacral therapy and a variety of energetic integration techniques. She is a dynamic teacher and enjoys the opportunity to share her experience and insights about the body and its innate ability to heal. | https://www.trumbullptandwellness.com/specialevents/2018/1/14/the-art-of-self-inquiry-with-cathy-prins |
Home » Post Processing » Saturation or Vibrance?
Just a few years ago, if you wanted more saturated colours in your landscapes or any other sort of photography, there was one basic adjustment to apply – saturation. Especially for beginner photographers, the Saturation slider in Photoshop was one of the most useful tricks to learn and seemed to change everything. You start with a boring, flat looking sundown, and you end up with this magnificent landscape to behold.
We will leave the virtues of saturated, bright colours for another day. In this article, I want to discuss something else. Because if all we had then for the task was Saturation (and Tone Curve, to an extent), we now have another option. And a rather confusing one at first, too, as it’s called Vibrance. To some, that sounds… well, it sounds as if two words that mean pretty much the same thing, doesn’t it? Let’s find out if that’s true. More importantly, let’s find out which one is the more usable, if not quite the more useful.
When talking about colour, saturation basically defines its purity – how red the red is, how blue the blue is and so on. If we were to get really technical, it all has to do with the intensity of light of specific frequency/wavelength coming from a light source, which is the reason why colour saturation of the surrounding objects changes as the light changes, despite the colour itself remaining the same. But we won’t get that technical. For our purposes, it is enough to understand that saturation is the concentration, intensity of colour – the more saturated the colour is, the “purer” it is considered to be, and vice versa. A completely desaturated colour becomes a shade of grey, as in – a desaturated red has absolutely no red in it. The concept is quite confusing to try and explain, but not that difficult to actually understand.
What about vibrance? Well, to start with – it doesn’t really exist. Sounds silly, yes, so bear with me while I explain. The term “saturation” has all sorts of formulas attached to it – it can be measured and calculated as it is an actual property of light and thus colour. Vibrance, on the other hand, is something Adobe came up with. In fact, my browser’s automatic spelling correction doesn’t even know the word! Now, naturally, it is not like vibrance is a completely random word – it clearly has something to do with how vibrant the colour is. But then the exact same thing can be said about saturation, too. So how do we distinguish the two?
In order to do so, we must constrain the concepts within the context of specific software, for example – Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom, as that is the only context where Vibrance (slider) has any distinguishable difference when compared to Saturation (slider). So, according to Adobe (quote), Vibrance adjusts the saturation so that clipping is minimized as colors approach full saturation. This adjustment increases the saturation of less-saturated colors more than the colors that are already saturated. Vibrance also prevents skintones from becoming over saturated. I’d say that explanation is quite detailed and easy to comprehend. Vibrance is basically smart saturation. Now, though, let’s leave theory somewhat behind and move on to practice.
Exaggeration is arguably the easiest, most basic and most effective way of making a point, and it is something I am going to employ now to visualize the difference between Saturation and Vibrance adjustments in Photoshop CS6.
What you see above is an unprocessed (other than default Lightroom sharpening settings and my beloved Pro Neg. Std camera profile) environmental street portrait of a young and tireless man doing his best to blow against the wind in NYC Times Square. The image has plenty of red colour – something a lot of Bayer sensors traditionally struggle with, X-Trans less so – as well as some other prominent hues. Well, I say prominent… Should you not think so, trust me, I will leave you in no doubt soon enough.
Right. So the difference is not as striking as one might think given we applied the value of +75 out of the total scale of -100 to +100. Yes, the reds are a little reder, other prominent colours likewise. But it’s not exactly over the top, is it? So what happens if we compare this result to one achieved by moving the Saturation slider in the same dialogue (Image – Adjustment – Vibrance…) to the same numeric value of 75?
Oh. Suddenly what was a noticeably, but subtly more vibrant version of the original image becomes… well, a bit of a mess, really. Every tone, every shade is now that much more intense. To a point where the colour is not what it was to start with, too. More than that, some colour clipping is very apparent – a fact that becomes even more alarming considering we moved the slider to +75, not +100. Why is that? We applied the exact same numeric value, but the Vibrance image sample is staggeringly bland in comparison. Well, the answer lies in the above-mentioned theory and Adobe’s description of its Vibrance feature. Saturation adjusts the vividness of every single colour. More than that, it affects every colour by the same degree. In other words, every colour captured in the image is made more “pure”. What was slightly blue is nudged (gently speaking) towards its most vivid version, and the issue is more complex than you might think.
Yes, the sky of a landscape image will be unnaturally blue if you overdo Saturation, but portraits are affected in even less pleasant ways. Don’t forget, skin contains mostly orange, red and some yellow colour, but I doubt many would say our actual faces are orange. No. The colours form a very subtle mix. Adjust Saturation and that red is suddenly very prominently red, and that orange is very prominently orange. Adjusting Vibrance does not do that. Adobe made sure the setting didn’t affect skin tones all that much. More than that, Vibrance adjustment leaves already saturated colours almost untouched – it’s the more muted tones that get a gentle push.
As you can see, the reds are noticeably more vibrant, especially the stairs behind our main subject. Other colours are also more punchy, but it still looks very natural and there is virtually no clipping to be seen. Even the young man’s face – although it shifted towards reddish, that is mostly due to the light hitting his face and less so because of the skin tones. It all looks very natural. So what if we compare this natural-looking Vibrance-adjusted sample to the effect of Saturation?
The first impression I got after looking at the above comparison was how unsophisticated and blunt the Saturation tool is in comparison to Vibrance, at least when working with photography and not graphics. It is all a matter of taste, of course, but in my opinion, the rendition is rather ugly, not to mention the shift in colour. It’s not just more vivid, it’s actually different – one look at the stairs is enough to notice it. What was previously areas with smooth transitions between ever so slightly different shades of red are now blobs of solid colour. The adjustment did no favours to skin tones, either.
Vibrance puts a lot more restraint on how far you can push the vividness of those colours. It’s as if Adobe is there holding a safety net for you. Now, on one hand, few want software to make decisions for them. But in this particular case, I strongly believe that, if you find Vibrance scale not enough for your image, there is a chance you need to practice some restraint. Not always, no, but quite often.
Smart Saturation it is, then.
Photoshop is among the most complex pieces of software available to photographers, and yet I was still surprised to find out the old way of adjusting saturation was still present. You may have noticed that the previously used Saturation slider was actually located in the Vibrance dialogue. So if we accept Vibrance as the “Smart Saturation” feature, the Saturation slider in the mentioned dialogue could be considered… mildly educated. In other words, it’s restrained in its effect and limited in functionality. The original Saturation tool, however, is not – it’s much more complex and even less forgiving. I am not going to go into much detail explaining all the functionality of the tool. Suffice to say this: you can find it by clicking Image – Adjustment – Hue/Saturation or by hitting Ctrl + U on your keyboard; it requires well practiced lightness of touch to avoid almost catastrophic results.
Would you not say the somewhat-over-the-top does not seem anywhere near as bad as it did moments ago?
No. Saturation has its numerous uses outside strictly photographic post-processing, but even with such images it is not a useless tool. It is merely a tool that requires careful approach and restraint. Don’t adjust that slider by tens – try much smaller numbers first. Also, using the Saturation controls in the HSL Tab in Lightroom allows precise control over each individual colour, something that can be used to, for example, improve skin tones. Finally, you can’t do B&W by dialing -100 with Vibrance. Having said all that, if you just want more intense colours in your images, chances are Vibrance adjustment is the way to go. It doesn’t pack quite the same punch, but also makes ruining a photograph with too much vividness that much harder. And that is a good thing.
Very good write-up, Romanas. Although I stick to using Vibrance, there are time when I feel the pic needs saturation. And despite using ’em both, I never really was able to differentiate ’em both in this manner. Thanks for the insight.
First thing I noticed was the guy in the picture. I took picture of the same guy at the Times Square when we were visting New York at the end of Sebtember last year. So I was surprised to see this picture. That made me wondering how long he has been going to Times Square with that banner. If you roll end of my blog post you can see this same guy with his banner.
Hi Romanas, I too found the distinction between ‘saturation’ and ‘vibrance’ a little confusing. From my own experiences of using them both, in ACR, in Photoshop, and in DXO Optics Pro, I can tell you my findings are…. Saturation boosts colours across the entire spectrum, but is most noticeable by far on any ‘tones’ which are mid., through to mid/light. The lighter (lightest) tones (eg whites) may be changed by using sat, but the effect is virtually indistinguishable from the original. The same goes for the mid & mid to dark tones, with blacks, dark blues etc being virtually unchanged to the eye. Of course, over-use of the slider might give you slight differences, but if you go there, the normal mid tones are wrecked by over-saturation anyway.
When it comes to vibrance, my own experience has shown me that there is a ‘contrast boost’ with the vibrance control. It seems to increase the variance between not only the colours in an image, but also the contrast between each, blues vs greens vs reds etc. Again, it seems to leave pure whites and blacks more or less alone, unless over-used.
Use of the Vibrance slider will affect (ditto) colours in an image which are inherently vibrant already, and will boost, or subdue the vibrance, while not affecting the other colours (eg non vibrant colours such as black, white, dark green, dark red, dark anything really).
As i used the controls, after reading that, it all made more sense to me.
In a flat dull landscape image, I can boost the whole image, all colours of a mid to dark, through to mid to light tone, using the saturation control.
In an image which is not flat, or dull, and already has good vibrance, I can use the vibrance control to adjust only the ‘vibrant’ colours while not affecting too much, the rest of the image. (like all sliders, sometimes you go too far and have to reign it in a bit by sliding back a tad).
Hope that helps, it does help me, as these days, in general terms, if I need to boost the whole image, I head for the Saturation sliders, but if it is only the vibrant colours that need adjustment, I head for the Vibrance sliders, in all of my software. It’s one of my ‘golden rules’ now, and so glad I found that definition a few years back.
Thanks again Romanas, we sometimes forget to share these nuggets of information with others.
To my understanding current saturation tool is more or less linear – it means the more saturation You have already, the more You get. With vibrance the strength of the effect is dependant on the initial saturation – effect is strongest on medium saturated objects and gets weaker on others.
Is it just me or is use of the word ‘vibrance’ just plain annoying? It’s almost as if Adobe deliberately misused the more acceptable (and commonly used – books.google.com/ngram…cy%3B%2Cc0 term ‘vibrancy’ to describe a control used to subtly alter the intensity and balance of colour (and that’s another annoyance, America!) saturation.
Ive shot the guy in December 2014. I wonder how long he has been doing that banner thing.
Very good post. I have been using Vibrance in place of Saturation for a while because I liked the control better, but now I know why. Thanks.
Also, saturation can be sometimes useful when going slightly in the opposite direction ( muting colors globally, not necessarily pure black and white).
Thank you for a very useful and informative article! Without exactly understanding the difference between saturation and vibrance, in the past I would just use a little of both. Now I can use Lightroom in a more intelligent way!
Actually, an old school way to control saturation issues is to simply use an adjustment layer and set the layer transform value from NORMAL to COLOR. It will now affect only the chroma and not affect luminosity values. This will retain the detail data in the image. Try it. There will be a point of diminishing returns on this of course, but in working on product photography over the years, especially before the advent of the vibrance tool, this technique has been invaluable. I rarely use the vibrance tool in Photoshop because of this technique, but in Lightroom the vibrance tool is your only choice to not lose luminosity data in the image.
I hate the above color . Reminds me of the first color TV I ever saw .belonged to my Great uncle in the 50’s. He bought one of the first Color TVs out. In fact hew as the only person in his community have one. And he cranked up the color so high Indians in cowboy and Indians shows movies looked like they were dripping bright orange blood all over their skin. Even today when I set up a Color TV to watch I turn the color level down so white people’s skin looks a natural pale pink.
comparison graphs in an article by Mark Meyers in Photo Journal www.photo-mark.com/notes…aturation/).
clarity, lowering the luminace of a color and then raising its saturation.
For a matte affect, raise vibrance (to saturate unsaturated colors), and lowering saturation (to lower already saturated colors).
The photo I’ve included here was my own fun with the faux HDR look using the method I described above.
* Completely lower highlights; completely open shadows, blacks and clarity (probably leave the whites where they are).
* Lower the luminance of a color and then raise its saturation. Do this for as many colors as you wish.
* Raise general saturation until one color becomes too much. Now raise general vibrance, since other colors need more saturation.
clarity and shadows. Do another Graduated filter if necessary. Add a lot of sharpening.
For a matte look, lower saturation and raise vibrance.
Vibrance is very nice, but saturation still has its place. The thing to remember is that vibrance is applied most strongly to areas with less saturation, which can sometimes have unexpected effects.
A good example is a sunset in which there is a nice warm glow at the horizon and a very slight blue cast on the clouds. Increasing vibrance will increase the yellows and oranges in the warm glow a little bit, but the clouds can end up quite blue if too much vibrance is added. A judicious mix of both vibrance and saturation can bring out just the right amount of colour.
Very good explanation..!! To be honest, it wasn’t that difficult to understand, and yes, I actually thought the two words meant quite the same before.. Got it cleared to an extent now.
Thanks Romanas, for the clear and concise explanation. It has always been an unanswered question of mine. I’ve been using ‘Vibrance’ for sometime, but only had a vague understanding of its definition. I still use ‘Saturation’ occasionally.
Hmm. The photos I attached didn’t come through. Sorry about that.
I was surprised to find that the basic Saturation slider isn’t actually suitable for reducing selections to black & white. It doesn’t weigh the contributions of the primary colors as nearly every other basic tool does (e.g. YCbCr formula). I used Saturation for this purpose for a while until I noticed that the overall brightness sometimes slightly changed, which I dismissed as a fault of my perception, and faint noise became more pronounced in the greyscale version instead of getting averaged out.
Now I always make a copy, and go through Mode > Greyscale to desaturate.
I can’t see any obvious problems when using a sane saturation range of ±20, although it still doesn’t sit well with me that the process isn’t perceptually accuarate.
Excellent explanation, very clear! Thank you! | https://photographylife.com/saturation-or-vibrance |
Fly Like A Lamassu - In this episode we learn about the first ancient highway, winged gate guardians, and the man who brought the vast Persian Empire to its knees.
This illustration is of a gold coin called a daric minted during the 5th century BCE. It depicts the king wearing a crown in a kneeling-running position—a technique used by ancient artists to show movement. The monarch wears a quiver of arrows slung on his back, and he grasps a bow in his left hand while clutching a lance in the right. The daric might have been named after King Darius I who conquered the Lydians (western Anatolia in present-day Turkey) and adopted their unique form of currency: coinage. Some scholars, however, believe that the word daric came from the Old Persian word for “golden” (dari). The daric was made from nearly-pure gold and weighed about as much as two US nickels.
The Persians were unlikely empire builders but in a relatively short span of years they conquered most of the Near East. They benefited from the leadership of a series of strong kings and from a lack of competent leaders among their neighbors. They expanded very quickly, stood on shaky ground for a few hundred years under internal and external pressures, and then collapsed suddenly and utterly. Despite their accomplishments and the breadth of their influence, our knowledge of the Persians is surprisingly limited.
Very few Persian records have survived and many of these are written in Elamite, an extinct language with no known relationship to any other tongues (called a language isolate). There is nothing to compare with the surviving records of the Egyptians, Greeks, Hittites, and others. Historians rely heavily on what neighbors wrote about the Persians, such as the ancient Greek historian Herodotus; or the Greek mercenary/philosopher Xenophon who campaigned in Persia 70 years before it fell to the Macedonians (see Xenophon’s work the Anabasis). Archaeology has revealed that while it was certainly in decline prior to Alexander the Great’s conquest, the empire was once well-governed and efficient.
The Persians were one of several Indo-Iranian cultures originating in the Eurasian Steppe. Referring to themselves as “Pārsa,” the Persian nomads migrated to the area of what is present-day Iran and settled (c. 7th century BCE) the southwest corner of the Iranian Plateau (the ancient region of Persis), on the north shore of the Persian Gulf, forcing the Elamites—an ancient pre-Iranian culture—to abandon their territories. Persians spoke a branch of the Indo-European language that evolved into what scholars classify as Old Persian. The Persians also utilized the Elamite and Akkadian (Babylonian) languages in their cuneiform inscriptions.
At the beginning of the Achaemenid rule, the Persians were buffered from the great civilizations of Mesopotamia by the Zagros Mountains—a range corresponding approximately to present-day Iran’s western border. Eventually, the Persians conquered the territories west of this natural barrier. At its peak, the Persian Empire stretched from the Indus River across the Near East to the eastern Mediterranean coast, south into Egypt along the Nile to Sudan, across Anatolia, and into Thrace and Macedonia.
During the history of the Persian Empire, five cities served as the royal capital. The first was Pasargadae, built by Cyrus to commemorate his victory over the Medes. It was remote and impractical as an administrative capital. Cyrus rebuilt Babylon as a royal capital for his use when affairs brought him to Mesopotamia. Darius I moved the administration of the empire to Susa, the old Elamite capital, perhaps for efficiency. It was well located at the hub of a road and water transport network.
The extreme summer heat of Susa drove the Persian court first to the higher altitudes of Ecbatana, the old Median capital in the Zagros Mountains. In c. 518 BCE, Darius began building the greatest of the Persian capitals at Persepolis (literally “City of the Persians”). The construction of Persepolis (540 miles/870km south of the present-day Iranian capital of Tehran) was interrupted for long periods and was still not completed nearly 200 years later when the city was sacked and burned by Alexander the Great.
The Persians settled on relatively poor and remote lands where they were seldom troubled by first the Elamites to their west; then the Assyrians (who destroyed the Elamites around 640 BCE); then the Medes (to their north); and finally the resurgent Babylonians who conquered Assyria in 609 BCE. Throughout this period, the various petty Persian kings were vassals of the richer and more advanced Medes—another ancient Iranian people. Cyrus II became king of the small Persian kingdom of Anshan in 559 BCE. Within ten years he had subjugated the eastern part of Persia and established a reputation among even his rivals as a natural leader to whom men gravitated. When the Median king attempted to reassert control over Persia around 550 BCE, the Median army revolted on the battlefield, handing over their king to Cyrus and surrendering their own capital at Ecbatana. The Median Empire, stretching across northern Mesopotamia into Anatolia, underwent a nearly bloodless change of management. Cyrus II was now Cyrus the Great, the first monarch of the Achaemenid Empire, named after Achaemenes (the legendary first ruler of what is referred to as the Achaemenid Kingdom dating back to circa 700 BCE). In quick succession, Cyrus then conquered the Lydians of Asia Minor (led by the King Croesus of legendary wealth who was said to have invented coins), Greek colonies on the Aegean coast, the Parthians, and the Hyrcanians to the north. In 541 BCE, he marched into the steppes of Central Asia, establishing a fortified border along the Jaxartes River.
The early Persian economy was based on herding because the land was so poor for agriculture. The Persians attributed their toughness to the meager lifestyle to which they had been acclimated for generations. The sudden acquisition of the Median Empire, Lydia, Babylon, Egypt, and gold-rich areas in India made Persia an economic powerhouse. It controlled the rich agricultural areas of Mesopotamia, the grasslands of Anatolia, the trade routes in every direction, and rich deposits of metals and other resources.
This illustration shows one of the entrances to the palace complex of Persepolis (Pārsa in Old Persian), the capital of ancient Persia (located in present-day Iran). The majestic statues standing guard on either side are called lamassu. These protective deities were portrayed as hybrid beasts—winged bulls (or lions) with the heads of bearded men. The Persians had adopted these mythological creatures from Babylonian and Assyrian mythology, but the beasts appear in literature as far back as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh. Darius I built the citadel of Persepolis to serve as the seat of his Empire, and his son Xerxes I ordered the creation of the towering lamassus for what he called “The Gate of All Nations.” At the time of their creation these stone wardens would have been painted with bright colors, and massive wooden doors (perhaps covered with decorated metal) were hung on hinges between them. The magical protection of the lamassu-sentinels did not safeguard Xerxes’ descendants from the invader Alexander the Great. The Macedonian ruler and his army stormed the citadel in 330 BCE, slaying its inhabitants, looting the treasury of thousands of tons of gold and silver, and burning Persepolis to the ground.
King Darius the Great instituted many economic innovations and reforms: systematized taxation; standardized weights, measures, and monetary units (the first successful widespread use of coins); improved transportation routes, including the 1600-mile-long Royal Road from Susa to Sardis; improvements to an early version of the Suez Canal; royal trading ships; promotion of agriculture; a banking system; and the promotion of international trade.
The Persian kings and nobility were Zoroastrians, a religion named after its founder, Zarathustra (called Zoroaster in Greek). Zoroastrianism was monotheistic centering on Ahura Mazda—one supreme god who created everything material and spiritual. The powers of good and evil worked on humans, who had to choose constantly between the two. An eternal afterlife, either of pleasure or torment, was the possible result of Ahura Mazda’s judgment after death. These concepts of monotheism, good versus evil, free will, and posthumous reward or punishment were a departure from the polytheistic religions prominent in the area previously.
The head of the Persian government was the king, whose word was law. His authority was extended by a bureaucracy led by Persian nobles, scribes who kept the records, a treasury that collected taxes and funded building projects and armies, and a system of roads, couriers, and signal stations that facilitated mail and trade. In the early years when the army was predominately Persian, it capably preserved the internal and external peace. Much of the empire was divided into provinces called satrapies, ruled by a governor called a satrap. All of Egypt was usually a single satrapy, for example. The satraps were normally Persians or Medes to help ensure their loyalty. They ruled and lived like minor kings in their own palaces. Some satraps became strong enough to threaten the king. Strong kings kept their satraps in check by holding close the reins of the armies and the treasury. The Persian kings were able to communicate very quickly across their empire using a highway called The Royal Road. Riders could make the entire journey—from one end of this 1,600-mile-long highway to the other—in a mere week.
The spectacular ruins of the ancient citadel of Persepolis (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) contain some of the best examples of ancient Persian architecture. It is one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Begun c. 518 BCE by King Darius the Great, the citadel was built upon a partially man-made plateau at the foot of the Kuh-e Rahmat mountain (“The Mountain of Mercy”). The vast complex covers an area the size of 13 hectares (about the size of an equal number of international rugby fields or nearly 16 baseball fields).
Persepolis contained several royal palaces, a colossal throne room (Apadana), a harem and a treasury. The city served as an administrative/ceremonial center for the Achaemenid Dynasty and was described by the ancient Greek historian Diodorus as the “metropolis” of the Persian Empire. Perhaps 10,000 people could stand inside the magnificent Apadana—a chamber decorated with bas-reliefs showing the king engaged in battles with monsters. The exquisite bas-reliefs adorning the walls leading to the Apadana depict dignitaries from all twenty-three of the far-flung subject nations of the Empire bringing gifts to the king (a symbol of their loyalty). All of these bas-reliefs (as well as the columns and ceilings throughout the various buildings and porticos) would have been painted with brilliant colors.
The façade of the raised terrace upon which the complex was built was made of monolithic, irregularly shaped limestone blocks perfectly fitted together without mortar.
The elegant towering columns (called Persepolitan Columns by archaeologists), capped by massive double-animal capitals, once supported lofty roofs and porticos made of wooden beams. The entire citadel was a representation of the Persian king’s power and authority over his vast dominion. The Gate of All Nations (one of the ceremonial entrances to the palace complex) built by Xerxes I bears inscriptions in three languages: Elamite, Akkadian and Old Persian. Tragically, Persepolis was wantonly destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 BCE after being thoroughly looted by his soldiers.
Discovered by Frenchman André Godard, the first scientific excavations of Persepolis were made by German-born Ernst Herzfeld from 1931-4 and sponsored by the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute. According to the UNESCO World Heritage web page, no changes or reconstructions have been made at the site since its discovery, thus making this archaeological treasure completely authentic.
All Persian men to the age of 50 years were obligated to serve in the armies of the Persian Empire. Ancient Greek accounts state that Persian boys were trained in riding, archery, hand-to-hand combat, and mounted combat. At the age of 20 they were eligible for military service. The army consisted mainly of four types of units: spearmen for infantry shock combat; foot archers to act as skirmishers; light cavalry armed mainly with bows; and heavy cavalry that wore some armor and carried spears. In the early years of the empire, the predominately Persian army was highly motivated and responsive on the battlefield, making it a dangerous foe.
The elite of the Persian army was the Ten Thousand Immortals, so called because the unit was always kept at a full strength of 10,000 men. The loss of any man to death or incapacitation was immediately addressed by the promotion of a soldier from another unit. According to the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, the Immortals went to battle glittering with gold, and even took covered carriages filled with their women and servants on campaigns. One thousand of the Immortals were the personal bodyguards of the king. In its later years, the ratio of Persians to provincial levies declined. A mixture of constituent peoples, weapons, and methods replaced the standardized, hardened army of well-trained Persians. These troops lacked the discipline of the Persians and proved difficult to maneuver and employ on the battlefield.
The Persian Empire peaked around 500 BCE, although the seeds of its decline were planted earlier. A recurring problem was court intrigue and ill-defined rules for succession. The death of a king often triggered a scramble for the throne that exhausted the treasury, eroded morale, and loosened the governmental hold on the provinces. Wasteful spending led to inflation and unpopular tax increases. Disputes in the provinces, usually over taxes, were often settled brutally, further increasing dissatisfaction. Five of the six kings who followed Xerxes (died: 464 BCE) were weak leaders who held the empire together only by increasingly harsh measures. The Greeks and Persians had been on a collision course for many years. The two cultures came into conflict in 499 BCE with the revolt of many Greek city-states in Ionia (present-day Turkey) against Persian control. Despite having what appeared to be overwhelming strength and economic resources, the Persians failed to defeat the allied Greek forces over the next 50 years of war on land and sea. The Greeks, though victorious, were not capable immediately of carrying the war into Persia.
Following the Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 BCE), the weak Persian kings concentrated on maintaining their increasingly tenuous hold on the empire. Recurring revolts in outlying provinces, especially Parthia, Lydia, and Egypt, weakened the economy and military. Before the empire could dissolve from within, Alexander the Great dispatched it in an amazingly short period of time. Alexander invaded in 334 BCE, captured Lydia by 333, took Egypt in 332, and became King of Persia in 331 (destroying Persepolis in 330).
The Persians are best remembered in the West as the antagonists in the dramatic Greco-Persian Wars, from which so much history has been preserved. The most famous events from this period are the bridging of the Hellespont, land battles at Marathon, Thermopylae, and Plataea, the great sea battle at Salamis, and the sacking of Athens. Most of this history is biased, however, because we have mainly the Greek accounts to study. One remarkable piece of surviving literature is the ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus’ The Persians, a tragedy about the hubris of King Xerxes and his failed attempt to invade Greece (a play that premiered less than ten years after the Persians were defeated at Plataea). The Persians are also remembered in several Biblical accounts for the tolerance of their wise early kings and the decadence of their later courts. Cyrus the Great is remembered especially for freeing the Hebrews held prisoner in Babylon when he took that city and allowing them to return to Israel. The ruler is featured in the highly fictionalized biography The Cyropaedia (“The Education of Cyrus“) by the ancient Greek writer Xenophon.
The greatest legacy of the Persians was the aggregation and mixture of various cultures under one rule. They were arguably the world’s first super power. Ironically, they were consumed by the world’s next super power—the Macedonians—who, like the Persians, quickly evolved from a small kingdom to a massive Empire. | https://www.ageofempires.com/history/persian-culture |
(June 2001) Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan became independent states in 1991. Recent evidence suggests that since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, these three former Soviet Central Asian republics have experienced a decline in induced abortion. Induced abortion, when performed by people lacking the necessary skills or in an environment lacking the minimal medical standards, may damage a woman’s health, diminish her chances for further childbearing, and contribute to maternal and perinatal mortality.
Based on data from the UNICEF TransMONEE database for the period 1989–1997, the abortion ratio (the number of abortions per 100 live births) fell in Kazakhstan (from 78 to 68); Kyrgyzstan (from 66 to 31); and Uzbekistan (28 to 14 from 1990-1998). (The TransMONEE database is a component of a regional monitoring project to monitor the impact on children of the major social and economic upheavals taking place in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union.)
Findings from the 1999 Kazakhstan Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) also suggest a decline in abortion. According to the KDHS, Kazakhstan has experienced a 22 percent decrease in the abortion rate since 1995 and greater reliance on methods of family planning such as the IUD. This represents an increase in the use of modern methods among currently married women from 46 percent in 1995 to 53 percent in 1999.
Overall, the 1999 KDHS found that 37 percent of all pregnancies ended in abortion; of these, more than 50 percent were preceded by contraceptive failure. This indicates that the availability of more reliable methods might help further reduce the incidence of abortion. In order to reduce the use of abortion in Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Health has promoted the dissemination of contraceptive methods throughout the country for the past decade. One aspect of this strategy has involved opening family planning offices in cities and villages. These offices offer women advice regarding family planning methods and supplies.
While women in all demographic groups in Kazakhstan appear to resort to abortion after contraceptive failure, there is great variability by residence, region, education, and ethnicity. For instance, women living in urban areas terminate 46 percent of their pregnancies whereas women residing in rural areas terminate 28 percent. Finally, women of Russian ethnicity are almost twice as likely to terminate a pregnancy (49 percent) as Kazakh women (27 percent).
In Uzbekistan, 1996 DHS data indicate that induced abortion accounts for 14 percent of pregnancy outcomes. Twelve percent were preceded by contraceptive failure. As in Kazakhstan, women in urban areas are more likely to use induced abortion (22 percent) than women in rural areas (9 percent). In Uzbekistan, women with university-level education are more likely to terminate their pregnancies (23 percent) than those with primary and secondary education (10 percent and 19 percent, respectively). Uzbek women are about half as likely to seek abortion as women of Russian origin.
According to the Uzbekistan DHS, knowledge of contraceptive methods is high among women in Uzbekistan — 89 percent. However, only about half of married women are using contraception; of these women, 46 percent favor the IUD, followed by traditional/folk methods (4 percent), the pill (2 percent), and the condom (2 percent).
Based on 1997 DHS data, in Kyrgyzstan abortion accounts for 27 percent of all pregnancy terminations. In urban areas, pregnancies are twice as likely to end in abortion (42 percent) as in rural areas (21 percent). Among currently married women, 49 percent report using a modern method of contraception; as in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the IUD is the favored method (38 percent).
Women Lack Information About Reproductive Health Issues
Surveys in the three Central Asian countries indicate that women in the region, particularly young women, are often unfamiliar with reproductive health issues. In Uzbekistan in 1996, only 10 percent of women of reproductive age (15 to 49) and 29 percent of women in Kazakhstan in 1995 knew when their fertile period was. The prevalence of contraceptive use also varies widely according to education, socioeconomic status, and residence.
Policymakers in all three countries have publicly stated their support for providing their populations with a broad choice of modern, safe, and effective contraceptive methods. For instance, in-depth interviews with policymakers in Kazakhstan conducted in 2000 indicated that there was widespread concern about the high level of abortion. These policymakers rated it one of the three main reproductive health problems in the country. There was some recognition, however, that the abortion rate had declined somewhat over the past five years. Furthermore, Kazakh policymakers viewed high levels of abortion as impeding the nation’s development and threatening women’s health. These interviews were conducted jointly by a former Kazakh Deputy Secretary of Health and an American social scientist under the MEASURE Communication project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
While abortion remains a highly visible element of the reproductive health profiles in Kazakhstan, Kryzgystan, and Uzbekistan, promising trends such as declining abortion rates and increasing use of contraception may signal advances in preventing unintended pregnancies in parts of Central Asia.
Induced Abortion Primary Form of Birth Control in Soviet Union for Past 40 Years
Upon its legalization in 1955, induced abortion became the primary method of birth control in the Soviet Union because of dissatisfaction with domestically produced condoms and IUDs, opposition to oral contraceptives by health practitioners, and the availability of free abortion services in government facilities. According to researchers with the Alan Guttmacher Institute, by the 1980s, the country had the highest prevalence of abortion in the world. One of every four abortions in the world was performed in the Soviet Union. According to Russian demographer Andrej Popov, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1990, the prevalence of induced abortion has varied greatly among the different republics and regions of the Soviet Union.
Liz Creel is a population specialist with the Population Reference Bureau. | https://www.prb.org/afadingabortioncultureinthreecentralasianrepublics/ |
Pulao or pilaf is plain food and I make it when I want to cook something easy, quick, and satisfying. This all-in-one rice and vegetable dish has added spices and herbs, giving it a sweet aromatic flavor.
This special recipe is my mom’s and it’s my favorite recipe for making veg pulao. The dish is also vegetarian and is excellent on its own or paired with raita (a dish of Indian yogurt), pickle, and roasted papad (a thin and crispy Indian snack).
About Pulao
Called by various names such as pilaf or pulav, one of the most common rice dishes in India is veg pulao, the other being Veg Biryani.
A pulao is a dish of rice and vegetables in one pot or a protein cooked with aromatics (garlic, ginger, etc.), herbs and spices. There are many variations of how to make a pulao.
However, the recipe I’m sharing here is my favorite and how I almost always end up making it.
What I love about making veg pulao is that it cooks quickly. Use a food processor to chop the veggies and they’ll come together really quickly.
Why this recipe works
- Spices: This recipe uses whole garam masala spices, rather than adding pulao or biryani masala. Thus, the aroma of the spices is clearly felt in the dish.
- Rice: I generally like that the texture of the rice is a bit soft in the pulao, rather than being al dente, which is the way it’s typically served in restaurants. So you’ll love this recipe if you’re like me. Read below for tips on making the perfect rice for your pulao.
Also Read: Veg Biryani | Veg Dum Biryani Recipe
How to make Veg Pulao
Preparation
1. Start by rinsing 1.5 cups of basmati rice in water until it is starch free. For 30 minutes, soak the rice in enough water.
2. After 30 minutes, filter the rice from all the water and set it aside.
3. While the rice is soaking, prepare the vegetables. Rinse them and chop them. Make sure you chop the vegetables into small cubes. For the cauliflower, chop them into medium-sized florets. Peel, rinse and thinly slice 1 large onion.
4. Keep all the whole spices aside. From the spice list below, you can skip black pepper, black cardamom, star anise, and mace.
5. Add the chopped ginger (1-1.5 inch), garlic (4-5 small to medium garlic cloves, peeled) and 1-2 green peppers (green peppers) in a mortar and pestle.
6. Crush into a paste. You can also use a small grinder to crush them. Add a little water if necessary while grinding in a small grinder or blender.
Fry spices and onions
7. Heat 3 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a heavy, deep-bottomed saucepan or saucepan.
8. Once the ghee has melted and become hot, add all the whole spices and fry them for a few seconds until they become fragrant. The spices will also stutter during frying. The ghee should not smoke or get too hot.
9. Add 1 cup of chopped onions.
10. Combine the onions with the ghee and start to sauté them.
11. Sauté the onions over low to medium-low heat. First, the onions will turn lightly browned. While stirring, continue to sauté often.
12. Sauté the onions until golden brown.
13. Once the onions are golden, add the crushed ginger + garlic + green chili paste (red chili).
14. Stir and sauté for a few seconds until the raw aroma of ginger and garlic is gone.
15. Add ½ cup of chopped tomatoes.
16. Mix and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
17. Now add all the chopped vegetables. You will need about 1 to 1.5 cups of mixed vegetables (chopped).
18. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of coriander leaves (chopped). You can also add 2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves at this step.
19. Mix and cook for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat.
20. Add the rice.
21. Gently mix the rice with the rest of the ingredients.
22. For 1 to 2 minutes, sauté the rice gently over low to medium-low heat, so that the rice is well coated with oil or ghee.
23. Pour 2.5 to 3 cups of water into the pot. I added 3 cups of water. Depending on the quality of the rice you used, you can add less or more water. You can replace the water with vegetable broth.
24. Add ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice.
25. Season with salt. Mix very well. To know if you’ve added the right amount of salt, check the taste of the water. You should smell some salt in the water. This means that the amount of salt added is correct. If the water doesn’t look salty, you need to add a little more salt.
Cooking in a pan
26. Stir and cover the saucepan or saucepan tightly with its lid.
27. Cover and cook the rice until all the water is soaked. Cook over low to medium heat. Usually at first I cook over medium-low or medium heat, then halfway through I lower the flame. Check several times during cooking to make sure there is enough water. Depending on the quality of the rice, you may need to add more water. You can also gently stir the rice with a fork without breaking the rice grains.
28. Once the rice grains are cooked, fluff them and let the rice rest for 5 minutes, covered with the lid.
29. Serve the pulao garnished with coriander leaves (cilantro), mint leaves or fried cashews and fried onions.
Serving suggestions
I recommend serving veggie pulao with the following:
- Raita (an Indian yogurt dish): Different variations that I recommend include boondi raita, cucumber raita
- Curry or Korma: Choose any spicy or slightly spicy vegetable curry or korma. | https://meridaal.com/pulao-recipe-veg-pulao/ |
Table of Contents
The outcome of adjusting the gross premium for expenditures linked to the maintenance of insurance policies is the net premium. It is also known as a benefit premium. Net premium is equal to the present value of insurance benefits minus the present value of future premiums payable. Thus, it doesn't take any future policy costs of maintenance in the calculation.
To calculate the net premium, the net loss function is used. If the present value of the benefits provided exceeds the present value of the future premiums received, the firm will lose money.
On the other hand, the company will profit if the present value of future premiums is less than the present value of benefits. The formula to calculate net premium is as follows:
Suppose an insurance company provided a policy with the present value benefits of Rs. 1,00,000 and the present value of future expenses of Rs. 10,000, then the net premium can be calculated as follow:
Net premiums and gross premiums are terms used to indicate the amount of money an insurance firm receives in exchange for taking risks under insurance contracts. Premiums are the sums paid by policyholders for insurance coverage to safeguard them against financial loss.
However, there are distinctions between gross and net premiums as follow:
The sums that an insurer anticipates receiving during a policy are known as gross premiums. This impacts the amount the insured pays for the insurance contract's coverage.
It refers to the amount of money an insurance company will get in exchange for accepting a risk under an insurance contract, less the costs of providing coverage under the policy. reinsurance, which pays claims beyond a specific amount, is typically purchased by insurance firms. This shields the insurer from having to pay out in a large or catastrophic loss. A reinsurance policy's payment is subtracted from the gross premiums.
Talk to our investment specialist
A premium reserve is placed aside for level premium conventional Life Insurance plans in the first year of coverage. It is done to compensate for insufficient premiums collected in later years. The net level premium reserve is calculated by multiplying the excess premium charged in the early years by the interest received on the accumulated excess premium. mPart of a policy's death benefit is made up of the net level premium reserve as long as it exists.
Insurance is a high-risk endeavour. An insurance company assumes the risk of its policyholder in exchange for a premium. No one can guarantee that the insuree will follow the policy's rules and file a claim. As a result, an insurance firm faces a variety of risks.
These insurance firms enlist the assistance of a reinsurance business to reduce their risk. If the insuree makes a claim, both the reinsurance and insurance firms are responsible for paying the benefits according to a predetermined ratio. | https://www.fincash.com/l/basics/net-premium |
ST LOUIS - AmeriCorps Education Team Members are fortunate to be able to connect with children in a one-on-one relationship. They have the opportunity to really get to know these students and watch them grow. In order to recognize the achievements of the youth we serve, AmeriCorps St. Louis hosts a Champion Ceremony at the end of each school year. The Champion's Ceremony is a unique way for AmeriCorps St. Louis to honor and recognize our students for their academic accomplishments and character development over the year. This is of particular importance because we work with students who need a little bit more help to become grade level readers and might not otherwise be recognized for their accomplishments in school.
This year's ceremony was held in our Urban Adventure Center (UAC) on Friday, May 22 and included a catered reception and the Champions Ceremony. Each student is able to bring their family along and this year was our largest turnout ever, with the UAC reaching standing room only status quickly, filled with cheering, proud families and bright eyed students. Students were recognized in the following categories:
- Achievement: This student has done remarkably well academically or has made significant improvement in his/her literacy skills.
- Extraordinary Effort: This student has made extraordinary effort towards academic excellence. This student tries no matter what.
- Leadership: This student is a model of positive behavior at school. He/She is the student who takes on extra projects, accepts responsibility, and exhibits the ability to do the right thing in tough situations.
- Service: This student demonstrates excellent citizenship. If ever there is an opportunity to do something for someone else or for the school, this student is on top of it.
We also take this opportunity to recognize the school liaisons that make the Education Team's efforts fruitful, from principals to teachers who have particularly supportive. | https://www.americorpsstl.org/blog/tag/Youth |
Clownfish were made famous by the movies Finding Nemo and Finding Dory; movie viewers learned that all clownfish make their homes inside sea anemones, safe from intruders. They also learned that clownfish are attractive, relatively small saltwater fish that are sometimes kept in aquariums. Most clownfish, like Nemo and his father, Marlin, have bright stripes; the Fire Clownfish, however, loses its stripes as it grows into adulthood. | https://www.thesprucepets.com/red-saddleback-or-fire-clownfish-profile-2924106 |
How Many Teeth Does a Bear Have?
Last Updated Apr 12, 2020 6:03:23 PM ET
Most, but not all, bears have 42 teeth, which include 12 incisors, four canines, 10 molars and 16 premolars. Bears are usually omnivores, meaning they eat plants and meats.
Bears have very sharp incisor teeth, which are made for ripping and tearing chunks of meat. The molars, which have flat crowns, are used to grind most vegetation to help with digestion of plant material. The four pointy canines are long and sharp. The polar bear, grizzly bear and black bear are a few specific examples of bears with 42 teeth. Bears of all kinds can be dangerous to humans. Most bears weigh between 300 and more than 1000 pounds.
More From Reference
Here’s How Online Games Like Prodigy Are Revolutionizing Education
What Are the Steps of Presidential Impeachment?
What Does George Soros' Open Society Foundations Network Fund?
The History of the United States' Golden Presidential Dollars
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Schools and Education in Lasting Ways
Fact Check: Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe? | https://www.reference.com/pets-animals/many-teeth-bear-5d94d5a89f20de78 |
Q:
Why atomic number decreases in alpha emission
My teachers taugh me that alpha particle is a helium nucleus carrying net +2 charge, hence if an radioactive subastance emits alpha particle it looses two of its protons and two neutrons but no electrons. Hence its atomic weight will decrease by 4 units. But books says its atomic number also decreases by 2 units and the atom gets transfromed into another atom e.g
Bi(z=213/A=83) > Tl(Z=209/A=81)
Since electrons are not lost how can the atoms change, only its nucleus must change , and if the atom change then the daughter atom must have -2 charge since the electrons are not lost .
Please help me out.
A:
In nuclear decay we are normally interested in the behavior of atomic nuclei.
Electrons from the atom's electron shell are considered to be spectators only and are ignored.
Since the number of protons in the atomic nucleus decreases by two in alpha emission, the atomic number also decreases by two. However, the principle of electroneutrality tells us that the atom will also lose two electrons from its electron shell.
A:
While chemical properties are determined by the electronic structure of an element, that structure is, in turn, caused by the number of protons in the nucleus of the element (which is the atomic number). And it isn't the number of electrons that characterises and element (strip electrons from an iron atom to give Fe2+ or Fe3+ and we still recognise the element as iron.)
What matters in radioactive decay is what changes in the nucleus. If a nucleus loses two electrons it becomes a different element and the electronic structure will be different. Usually the orbital electrons are ignored as what happens during the decay involves the nucleus only. After the nuclear decay the orbital electrons may rearrange in chemical processes.
We don't normally account for the orbital electrons in nuclear reactions as the orbital electrons are engaging in chemical not nuclear processes and. Besides, there are nuclear processes that involve electrons (neutrons in some nuclei can emit electrons and protons in others can capture them: these processes do involve electrons but it would be confusing to mix accounting for them with accounting for the chemical changes that result from things happening to orbital electrons).
Nuclear chemists only count what happens to the nucleus and ignore the ensuing chemical changes.
| |
Map of Chester St., Watertown...
School data provided by GreatSchools
This unit is a 3 bedroom place offered for $1800 monthly. The residence boasts a great location in Watertown.
This listing is no longer active as of November 1st, 2013.
|Price||
$1,800
|
~$0.00/ft.2
~$600/bedroom
|Included Utilities||
|
|Bottom Line Price||$1,800|
|First month's rent||$1,800|
|Deposit||$0|
|Application fee||—|
|No Broker Fee||$0|
|Estimated Move-In Costs||$1,800|
|Move-in Date||August 1, 2012|
|Lease term||1 year|
|Pet Policy||—|
|Posted at||May 24, 2012|
|Last updated||April 6, 2013|
This apartment is listed as a no fee apartment. That means that you should not be required to pay a broker fee of any kind. If this agent asks you to pay a fee, please flag them immediately. | http://apartable.com/apartments/15448 |
Q&A – Government debt and deficit
At a time when the health of the global financial system has started to improve, a new threat to global financial stability is emerging from the sharp increases in government debts and deficits, especially in developed countries.
Cutting budget deficits is an urgent need for many governments, but exiting from high public debts will be a more difficult task, one which requires fundamental long-term changes.
- Government debt and deficit: what are they?
- How did countries accumulate large debts and deficits?
- Why should debt and deficit matter?
- How to cut budget deficits and exit high public debt?
- What is the future outlook?
Government debt and deficit: what are they?
A deficit occurs when the money the government spends (called expenditure) exceeds the money it takes in (called revenues) each year; this deficit is usually referred to as government budget deficit. Revenues include the money the government takes in from income tax, excise duties, and social insurance contribution, as well as other non-tax revenues such as foreign aid. Expenditures include all government spending ranging from public services, social security and welfare to national defence, education and interest payments on government debt.
When the government is running a deficit, it has to borrow the money needed to finance its expenditure plans each financial year. It borrows by issuing securities such as long-term government bonds and short-term notes and bills to the public, or by borrowing directly from the capital markets. Government debt, also known as public debt or national debt, is the total amount of all government borrowing which has not been repaid.
Debt and deficit are usually viewed as a percentage of GDP. Because the ratios of public debt and deficit to GDP measure a country’s debt and deficit in relation to the size of its economy, they indicate the country’s ability to pay back its public debt and serve as a barometer of a government’s financial health. Economists say that budget deficits above the level of 3.0% of GDP are generally unsustainable while the EU limit for public debt is 60% of GDP.
How did countries accumulate large debts and deficits?
In the wake of the global financial crisis, which started in the USA and spilled over to the rest of the world in the summer of 2008, many governments especially in developed countries raised spending, cut taxes, and provided unprecedented help to the financial, housing and automotive industries in order to support the economy. However, amid a difficult economic climate, government tax revenues have been reduced.
The combination of higher government expenditure and lower tax revenues has led to soaring public debts in many countries, especially in the developed world:
- The average public debt-to-GDP ratio of the G20 economies, which stood at 62.4% in 2007 prior to the global financial crisis, is estimated to have risen to 82.1% in 2009 and is expected to hit 86.6% in 2014;
- In Japan, years of economic stagnation have increased the country’s public debt ratio from 50.7% of GDP in 1990 to 183.8% in 2009, the highest ratio of all developed economies. In March 2010, the Japanese parliament passed a record ¥92.3 trillion (US$1.0 trillion) budget for the 2010/11 financial year, as the government plans to launch fresh stimulus measures to boost economic recovery in 2010. The government will issue an all-time record ¥44.3 trillion of new bonds to help fund a revenue shortfall, which will see Japan’s public debt reaching 200% of GDP – or being twice as much as the economy – in 2010;
- In the eurozone, where countries are abided by the European Union’s Maastricht Treaty rules which set a 60.0% of GDP limit on public debt and a 3.0% of GDP limit on government budget deficits, the global financial crisis has exposed the high levels of public debt in the PIIGS economies of Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain. In particular, Italy and Greece are the two countries with the highest public debt-to-GDP ratio, at 115.2% and 113.3% respectively in 2009;
- In 2010, after years of profligacy (hosting an expensive Olympic Games in 2004 and failing to rein in its spiral public debt), financial misreporting (to comply to the Maastricht criteria), and poor tax collection, Greece plunged into a public debt crisis when the markets lost trust in the government’s plan to cut its deficit and believed that Greece could default on its debts.
Why should debt and deficit matter?
Insufficient government efforts to consolidate finances leading to public debt rising disproportionately high in relation to the size of the economy will have a profound negative impact on the economy:
- The credit rating – an assessment of a country’s ability to repay its debts – will be downgraded, which will immediately make the issue of new government debt to the financial markets more expensive and difficult. In April 2010, Standard & Poor’s downgraded Greece’s credit rating to junk status, effectively lifting Greece’s borrowing costs to a level that made it unsustainable for the country to borrow from the financial markets, pushing it into a bailout by the EU and the IMF;
- Investor confidence will also weaken as unmanageable debts and deficits reflect a mismanagement of the economy. This will lead to lower levels of investment, with negative knock-on effects on the labour market and economic growth. As of 2010, major developed economies such as France, the UK, the USA, and Japan are all at risk of a downgrade in their credit ratings because investors are yet to be convinced about government deficit cutting plans in these countries. China, on the other hand, saw major credit rating agencies (including Fitch, Moody’s and Standard & Poor) upgrading its credit ratings in late 2009 on expectations that the country’s economic recovery is taking stronger hold with only modest effects on the government’s finances;
- Public debt crisis from countries such as Greece can have significant cross-border spill-overs. Banks in heavily indebted countries will have trouble obtaining enough money to support adequate lending to local businesses, which can have damaging impacts on the economy. Likewise, banks outside the indebted country could suffer heavy losses on their loans to the indebted country. This, in turn, will push up the costs of borrowing in other countries;
- Large public debts require large interest payments. This means funds intended for social programmes and public services will be spent instead on debt servicing. Given the global economic recovery is still fragile and a large part of the financial system continues to rely on government rescue funds (e.g. purchasing bad assets from, and injecting capital into, troubled institutions), reduced government expenditure as a result of soaring interest repayments can undermine efforts to spur economic recovery;
- For consumers, as the government draws much of its revenues from the population, government debt is an indirect debt of the consumer who is also a taxpayer. Additionally, when investor confidence in the economy weakens and government expenditure on social security and welfare reduces, the consumer will be directly impacted with lower job rates, lower earnings, and higher taxes. As a consequence, household spending will be reduced.
How to cut budget deficits?
As the global economic conditions improve, governments are expected to start introducing fiscal adjustment measures in order to reduce budget deficits, bring public debts down to manageable levels, and regain investor confidence:
- In May 2010, the IMF issued a warning to developed economies that they face an urgent need to cut their budget deficits to ensure that the sharp increase in deficits and debts resulting from the 2008-09 global financial crisis does not pose a new threat, which is growing sovereign risk, to the global financial system;
- In the eurozone, many countries have introduced or are in the process of introducing a range of austerity measures. In Portugal, measures including pay cuts for public sector staff and tax increases are expected to save €2.0 billion in 2010 in order to cut the deficit to 7.3% of GDP in 2010 and 4.6% in 2011, from 9.4% in 2009. In Spain, spending cuts totalling €15.0 billion in 2010 and 2011 will be introduced to bring the deficit to 9.3% of GDP in 2010 and 6.0% in 2011, compared with 11.2% in 2009. Meanwhile, Greece plans to narrow its budget deficit from 13.6% of GDP in 2009 to 8.1% in 2010 and 7.6% in 2011 through tax hikes, pension freezes until 2012 and a public sector pay freeze until 2014;
- In the USA, the budget deficit is forecast at US$1.6 trillion, or 10.6% of GDP, in 2010, up from 9.9% of GDP in 2009. However, the government aims to reduce the deficit to 8.3% of GDP in 2011 and further to 3.0% of GDP by 2019, through a range of measures including tax hikes on affluent families, scrapping subsidies to energy companies and curbing federal projects. The success of these measures however is dependent on Congress approval and on whether the economy recovers strongly enough to sharply lift tax revenues. However, even if budget deficit cuts go to plan, the US public debt is still forecast to rise above 71.0% of GDP by 2013 (up from 54.8% in 2009), and reach nearly 80% by 2020 – levels that could damage investor confidence.
What is the future outlook?
- According to the IMF, developed economies will continue to run sizable deficits over the medium term, leading the average public debt-to-GDP ratio to reach 110% of GDP by 2015, up from 73% of GDP in 2007 before the global financial crisis;
- On the contrary, in emerging economies, public debt levels are expected to decline slightly, after the initial rise in 2008/2009 as a consequence of fiscal stimulus measures during the economic downturn. Falling public debt levels in emerging economies reflect lower interest spending than in developed economies and a stronger projected economic recovery;
- On the global financial market, the IMF projected that credit recovery is to be “slow, shallow and uneven,” as heavy government borrowing soaks up available funds and banks continue their reluctance to lend to repair their balance sheets;
- Cutting spending is only a short-term measure to demonstrate to investors that the government can manage its deficit. In order to exit from high public debt, many economies, especially those in the developed world where population ageing is also raising public expenditure, will have to undergo more fundamental, long-term changes such as ending the welfare state, abandoning some of the labour laws that make hiring and firing difficult in order to encourage productivity increase, and pushing back the retirement age. | https://blog.euromonitor.com/qa-government-debt-and-deficit/ |
A woman in the U.K. received a terminal diagnosis 15 years ago that left her feeling depressed and suicidal. Alison Davis considered traveling to Switzerland to end her life through that country’s legal assisted suicide program and looked into the cost of the procedure. But she changed her mind thanks to the support of her doctor and family, and she lived on for the better part of a decade.
Before Davis died, she became an advocate against laws that would have made it easier for her to end her life, supporting the U.K.-based Care Not Killing, which opposes euthanasia around the world.
“As she would point out, many people in her position who get a diagnosis are hugely fearful and scared about what is coming,” said Alistair Thompson, a spokesman for the organization. “Rather than giving people the keys to the drugs cabinet, what we should be doing is treating that and supporting them to come through that.”
Lawmakers in the Netherlands are now considering legislation that would further liberalize that country’s already permissive euthanasia laws. The proposed bill would allow healthy patients over the age of 75 to agree to assisted suicide simply because they no longer wish to live. The Netherlands first legalized euthanasia in 2002, ostensibly to provide “relief from suffering to people with terminal conditions,” Thompson noted. The original laws came with nebulous promises saying they would never lead to doctors denying people treatment and would not detract from palliative care.
“The reality is, we are seeing people who have clinically treatable conditions … people who are disabled, who with good support can live normal lives, and yet they are being euthanized,” Thompson said, adding that assisted suicide has weakened the country’s focus on palliative care, an approach that attempts to improve overall wellness and provide relief from pain.
The proposed new law would extend the definition of “unbearable suffering” to include elderly people who are weary of life. They can obtain assisted suicide if they’ve had a persistent desire to die for at least two months.
“We know that with every movement of the law there continues to be pressure to go another step and another step and eventually … even people who are not asking for it … will start to be euthanized,” said Thompson.
He pointed out that another supporter of Care Not Killing was told a decade ago he had only 12 to 18 months to live. He is still alive today.
“What we should be doing is supporting people like [them] … rather than saying, ‘What you should do is consider killing yourself,’” Thompson said
The Dutch bill is headed to a judicial advisory committee, where it will stay for at least three months before parliament debates and votes on it. A push for similar legislation failed in 2016, and the country’s two Christian parties continue to oppose it this time around.
The Royal Dutch Medical Association also opposes the law.
In an article published in 2017, the group wrote about the foreseeable problems of this legislation: “Another concern among our members includes potential undesirable effects on society as the result of the proposed legislation, such as the elderly feeling at risk, or the stigmatization of old age.”
Rather than treating death as a solution for the aging, the association proposed the government invest in “solutions that directly address the feelings of meaninglessness experienced by the elderly.”
Sign up for the weekly Vitals newsletter.
Read more Vitals Sign up for the Vitals email
Leah Hickman
Leah is a reporter for WORLD Magazine and WORLD Digital. She is a World Journalism Institute and Hillsdale College graduate. Leah resides in Cleveland, Ohio. Follow her on Twitter @leahmhickman.
Read more from this writer
Comments
-
RCPosted: Mon, 08/17/2020 10:54 am
If the only solution to aging is death, and we are all aging, who will be left alive? Hopefully, the Dutch legislators will wake up and listen to those who oppose this new suicide law.
-
MDPosted: Mon, 09/07/2020 10:02 pm
As advocate for a pain patient, and as the niece of a brilliant young uncle who committed suicide to escape unrelenting back pain, I am fearful that the national second boot to drop here after the "War on Opioids" will be the Fake-Kindness of legal euthanasia legislation. We are already halfway to legal assisted euthanasia with the proliferation of home hospice with family access to morphine, which hastens the hospice patient's death by intentional or unintentional overdose. If we want to keep Dr. Death legislation from being introduced and quickly succeeding here in the United States, we also need to stop the nonsensical restrictions on doctors who are legitimately helping patients manage their pain. It's one thing to severely prosecute the small percentage of healthcare workers who steal opioids or falsify proscriptions for their own gratification or for resale. It's quite different to over-prosecute doctors who are actually helping pain patients manage severe pain, both chronic and terminal pain. As the spouse of a chronic back-pain patient, I am more than infuriated by doctors terrified of over-proscribing opioids lecturing their pain patients, blaming the patient for his continued use of pain meds as if severe pain were his CHOICE - lectures given in conjunction with "treating" pain symptoms forever rather than searching for the source of pain and fixing the problem. Fearful doctors are even more tempted to give up on real treatment and simply keep the pain patients in the loop for their monthly insurance co-pays and the lowest-possible dose of pain meds. So do we need physician oversight of opioids use and dosages? Yes. But we also need physicians who legally CAN proscribe enough pain medication to alleviate real suffering, with proper documentation and without fear of prosecution. | https://world.wng.org/content/euthanasia_barrels_forward_in_the_netherlands |
Urgent Query – What To Do And How To Do It
Oftentimes, urgent essays would be the most difficult to compose. Pupils who have limited time and resources ought to be cognizant of this fact, and therefore should think about the degree to which they could satisfy their specific essay writing needs.
Urgent essays are such essays which must be composed as soon as possible and need to be thoroughly researched and evaluated. Generally, students who have these harsh essays do not have enough time to do any research themselves. If a student makes the decision to start doing research, he or she might have some issues.
It’s crucial that a pupil be able to recognize and present his or her situation correctly. In the event the pupil doesn’t convey this satisfactorily, he or she runs the danger of putting forth a”poorly written” essay. Many students that are given composition writing assignments which require them to write in an event that has only occurred often realize they don’t have time or energy to return and figure out just what they did wrong.
The time limits associated with a time-sensitive mission make it hard for pupils to do their own study. It’s especially tough to sit at a personal computer, and research as far as one may love to on a given topic, when one is confronted with a short deadline. Unless one is very great at researching, the deadlines made by students with urgent essays might seem nearly impossible to match.
Furthermore, editing and writing for composing urgency is somewhat complicated and hard. Before beginning to compose an urgent essay, the student should spend a good deal of time doing research about the topic matter and even check out different books on this issue. A student who isn’t able to talk the language employed in that particular subject matter will find it rather difficult to efficiently compose.
Another important part of composing for urgent essays is having a sense of humor. It is crucial to know when to state the”not as”lesser”items. By way of Evolutionary Writers example, when writing about something that would have taken a lifetime to accomplish, it’s all right to point out that it could have been accomplished in only a few days. But, it’s often not suitable to use powerful language, because this tends to focus on the negative in contrast to the positive.
Fortunately, writing for article writing assignments that need urgent essays is not impossible. So long as the student keeps the above factors in mind, they ought to be able to manage the challenge. If a student does not feel comfortable with all of the above elements, it may be a fantastic idea to check with a professional writer.
Thus, students should know about the academic writing calendar and make sure that they are ready for all essays. In this manner, students can make confident that their essays for urgent essays will be written properly and sent within the deadline. | https://www.fixitfastautoglass.com/urgent-query-what-to-do-and-how-to-do-it/ |
What’s the best vegan restaurant in your area?
I know that I like to eat a lot of salads and fresh fruit, so I really love my vegan restaurant.
But I also like to take my time when it comes to preparing the dishes.
I like my dishes to be as simple as possible and not be overly complex.
So when I’m cooking, I try to keep the ingredients as simple and as easy to make as possible.
I try not to overwhelm people with too many different ingredients, which is the goal of a vegan restaurant!
I’m also pretty picky about what I eat.
If I have something I really want to eat, I eat it.
If it’s not something I can eat, then I’m not going to eat it!
I like salads and fruits, but I also want to keep things simple.
I don’t mind making sure that there are no additives or ingredients I’m allergic to.
I’m always looking for more ways to make my food taste better and more natural, which has led to me creating recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free and soy-free.
I’ve also tried a lot more vegetarian options since my first restaurant, but my favorites remain as the vegan restaurants I love.
I would love to share my favorite vegan restaurants with you in the comments section.
My personal favorites are the ones I’ve eaten here since I opened my first vegan restaurant, in 2013.
These are my favorite places to eat when I open a vegan dining experience.
(Photo by Jennifer Lai) There’s something about this restaurant that I love about it.
It’s not a typical vegan restaurant that serves meat or meat-free dishes.
In fact, most of my food is gluten- free.
But when it came to the menu items, I always made sure that the options were simple enough to serve as a starting point.
That’s why my favorites are still very vegan.
I think the best way to say it is that the menu is a reflection of my tastes, not necessarily my diet.
My favorite dishes at this vegan restaurant are: 1.
Vegan Pesto Soup with Spinach and Goat Cheese 1.
Vegan Cucumber and Green Bean Soup 1.
Baked Green Beans and Sweet Potato Salad 2.
Vegan Spinach Curry 1.
The Vegetarian Sandwich with Spinacakes, Tomatoes and Veggies 3.
Vegan Beef, Pork and Cheese Sandwich with Bacon and Cheddar 4.
The Vegan Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies I also enjoy the flavors of my vegan cuisine.
If you’re looking for something a little different, I love the flavors you can find in my other vegan restaurants.
For example, I enjoy adding a bit of spicy, nutty, or savory flavors to my vegan dishes.
For the most part, the dishes I’m most interested in are ones with a rich, creamy texture that you can easily get down on a spoon.
I also enjoy eating the vegan desserts, as they are so easy to throw together and come together in just a few minutes.
I love having a salad bar to make up for the lack of a salad or other vegetable.
But even with my vegan meals, I think I’m still a vegetarian.
I eat vegetarian on a regular basis, but sometimes I like a little bit more of the protein and fat in my vegan diet.
I’ll try to eat less meat, eggs and dairy in the near future.
In my book, I also have some tips on what to eat at vegan restaurants when you open one.
1) Be prepared for food to be difficult to find in your new vegan dining environment.
2) Always order your food in advance, so that you don’t have to order anything before you arrive.
3) Don’t be afraid to ask about the ingredients on the menu before you go.
It will help you to know what you’re ordering and what it will be like when you get there.
4) Be patient.
I have to say that it’s sometimes a challenge to find vegan food, but it’s important to do so because you won’t be getting the food you want.
If your vegan dining experiences are not as amazing as you’d like, there’s no reason to be upset.
5) Try to keep your vegan restaurant open as long as possible, so you can experience the best of what vegan restaurants have to offer.
6) Try not to overdo the toppings on the vegan menu items.
I personally love to have vegan sides and desserts like my signature chocolate chip cookies.
But don’t go overboard with the topples, because I think toppings are important.
7) The best way I’ve found to stay on track with my diet is to be very patient with the amount of food I eat every day.
9) Try your best to stay as active as possible while eating at your vegan restaurants because you can lose weight by not eating as much. | https://brakesforbreast.com/whats-the-best-vegan-restaurant-in-your-area/ |
- Develop ways to conduct effective primary research.
- Define the insights and frameworks that keep people at the heart of design solutions.
- Map possible ways forward with a strong "why-does-this-matter-to-customers"
- Represent Design Research in our teams which often include clients.
- Ensure the work is grounded in a deep and contextual understanding of what matters to the people we are designing for.
- Support and help lead design research activities including research planning, fieldwork execution, analysis, synthesis, research story, and deliverables.
- Define design research plans based on relevant research and business objectives.
- Support and help lead design research activities at the project level.
- Support new business development efforts by providing expert information in pitch efforts and client meetings.
- Attend and help plan studio and community events, workshops, and conferences as a Fjord ambassador.
- Have specific opportunities to use our craft to make a difference in people’s lives.
- Engage in ongoing activities that enable us to learn, practice, and evolve our discipline.
- Collaborate on products and services that change the way our clients do business.
Qualifications
- Experience conceptualizing and managing design research from start to finish.
- Proven history of delivering results on time and within budget.
- Working knowledge of all aspects of design research: recruiting processes; scheduling and logistics; protocol development; interviewing and moderating; analysis and framework development; video compilations; research deliverables.
- Ability to learn new software quickly; experience with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite, and video editing software.
- Familiarity with online research tools is a plus.
- Relevant experience including design research experience and participating in all aspects of design research (planning, executing, analysis, synthesis, deliverable creation).
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Design Research.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.
Job candidates will not be obligated to disclose sealed or expunged records of conviction or arrest as part of the hiring process.
Accenture is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women.
Life at Accenture
Work where you're inspired to explore your passions and where your talents are nurtured and cultivated. Innovate with leading-edge technologies on some of the coolest projects you can imagine.
Work Environment
Be your best every day in a work environment that helps drive innovation in everything you do.
LEARN MORE
Training and Development
Take time away to learn and learn all the time in our regional learning hubs, connected classrooms, online courses and learning boards.LEARN MORE
Learn more about Accenture
With over 450,000 employees in more than 120 countries, Accenture solves our clients' toughest challenges by providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations.
Stay connected
Join Our Team
Search open positions that match your skills and interest. We look for passionate, curious, creative and solution-driven team players.
Keep Up to Date
Stay ahead with careers tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today–all from the people who work here.
Stay Connected
Receive job alerts, latest news and insider tips tailored to your preferences. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await. | https://www.accenture.com/my-en/careers/jobdetails?id=00703959_en&title=UX+Reseacher |
Most people think creme brulee is a real fancy dish but it's actually very simple to make. Using a sous vide machine makes it even easier. This is a classic creme brulee and you can take it in a variety of directions depending on the flavors you want.
To get the ramekins at the proper height it is helpful to put a bowl or strainer upside down in the water bath and place a plate or sheet pan on top of it where the ramekins can sit. If you have a lid for your water bath make sure you use it, it will keep the air hot as well as eliminate evaporation, otherwise be sure to maintain the water level throughout the cooking process.
The best depth for the creme brulee is usually less than an inch (25mm) deep, otherwise the inside might not cook all the way through. For deeper creme brulees you may need to increase the cooking time to offset the depth. If your ramekins are touching each other in the water bath it can help to rotate them half way through the cooking process to ensure they cook evenly.
If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the sous vide cinnamon-vanilla creme brulee recipe you can check out the following.
Place an upside down strainer or bowl in your water bath. Top with a sheet pan or plate. Set the ramekins on it and fill the water bath two-thirds of the way up the ramekin. Preheat the water bath to 190°F (87.8°C).
Pour the heavy cream into a pot. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds, add the seeds and the bean to the cream. Add the cinnamon stick. Bring just to a simmer, stirring regularly. Turn off the heat and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the cream.
Whisk together the egg yolks in another bowl then slowly whisk in the salt and sugar, the mixture should turn glossy and thicken slightly. Slowly whisk in the infused cream. Evenly divide among the ramekins, cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and use a rubber band to hold it in place. Place the ramekins in the sous vide bath with the water level coming two thirds of the way up the side. Cook for 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how thick you prefer your creme brulee.
Once cooked, remove from the water bath and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and chill until cold, or preferably overnight.
Spread a thin layer of sugar a few grains thick on the top of the creme brulee and quickly torch until the sugar melts and begins to brown. Add a few mint leaves then serve.
This sous vide cinnamon-vanilla creme brulee recipe creates a fancy but simple velvety rich dessert that will impress your dinner guests! | https://www.amazingfoodmadeeasy.com/info/modernist-recipes/more/sous-vide-cinnamon-vanilla-creme-brulee |
June is a time for celebration and recognition of the achievements and progress made by the LGBTQ community. Pride Month marks the decades-long struggle for equality and serves as a reminder of the need to ensure that LGBTQ students and employees have equitable access to educational and professional opportunities. Every year, members of the LGBTQ community come together to commemorate Pride Month through a variety of festivities and activities. This is a time to honour the courage and resilience of those who have fought for rights and recognition, and to celebrate the progress made towards equality.
The extraordinary courage of these Information Technology professionals inspired many others to strive to create a more equitable and accepting environment for people within the LGBTQ community. Consequently, there are now a multitude of job opportunities that are open and welcoming to individuals who identify as LGBTQ.
At Works, we are committed to providing a safe and secure environment for all of our users, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. We believe in the importance of creating a welcoming atmosphere where members of the LGBTQ community can develop and hone their professional skills. We strive to create a space where everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities to succeed.
Motivating tales of Works’ LGBTQ staff members are shared in this blog article.
A Proud Tale of Romulo
Romulo Espinosa, Designer for the Developer Success Team, highlighted the difficulty of coming out as LGBTQ+ as his most difficult experience. He expressed his apprehension about how people would react if they found out he was a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and felt uncertain about how to accept himself. Despite his initial worries, Romulo eventually learned to embrace his identity and was supported by his closest friends and family.
Romulo recounted that when he was in his early twenties, he was in a relationship with a gay person. He had already gone on dates with females as a teenager and was curious to explore his preferences further. After dating a few males, he discovered that he preferred their company. Initially, he had difficulty acknowledging his attraction to them, but with the support of his openly homosexual friend’s family, he was able to come out to his own family at the age of nineteen. Over time, he became more and more comfortable with himself and was met with unconditional acceptance from his parents.
Romulo discussed his appreciation for the atmosphere at Works, highlighting the welcoming and varied environment and the team happy hours as his favourite time of the week. He said that he felt comfortable discussing his personal life, such as his boyfriend or girlfriend, without fear of any negative consequences.
Romulo emphasised the importance of Works fostering an environment of inclusion and opportunity for everyone, particularly members of the LGBTQ community. He highlighted the company’s commitment to support and encourage them in their professional growth, citing initiatives such as #PrideAtWorks. Through these efforts, Romulo expressed his view that Works is an organisation that celebrates diversity and is dedicated to making all workers—regardless of gender identity—feel welcome and valued.
With regard to being a member of the LGBTQ community in the technology sector, Romulo has expressed his desire to create a more equitable society. He envisions a future in which people of various sexual orientations and gender identities are accepted and employed solely on the basis of their qualifications, and where everyone is able to go to work each day feeling safe to be their true selves. Romulo believes that Works is helping to bring this future to fruition by enabling individuals to feel secure enough to express their true identities.
The Proud History of Rakel
Rakel Cogliatti, Senior Learning and Development Specialist at Works, looked back on her formative years and the journey to her coming out. She stated, “Growing up in a very traditional and religious Brazilian family, I had struggled for a long time to accept the idea of finding a romantic partner of the same gender. After having been in a committed relationship for several years, I eventually made the decision to come out as gay to my family at the age of 27. I was fearful of how my loved ones would respond to this, however, I found that my friends were already aware of my sexual orientation and were very accepting.
Rakel spoke about the marginalisation of members of the LGBTQ population caused by societal prejudice. She elaborated on her own experience of this discrimination, recounting, “My roommate and I encountered numerous instances of bias during the apartment-hunting process. We were rejected from a total of twelve properties before finally securing a home that was suitable for us.
Rakel highlighted the importance of creating a secure environment for the LGBTQ community in all areas of life, including the family, job, and education. She further noted that Works is an exemplary example of such an environment. She was quoted as saying, “I’m grateful to have the assurance that my sexual orientation will not hinder my job security at Works. During our weekly happy hours, I’m able to be myself and communicate on topics other than work. I was even able to invite my wife to the call when my coworkers expressed interest in meeting her. Every company should strive to be as willing to accept and embrace diversity as Works is.
Rakel proceeded to emphasise the significance of the LGBTQ community and their reliance on mutual support. Furthermore, she highlighted Works’ commitment to creating an inclusive, welcoming workplace where all employees are accepted and respected, and where the LGBTQ community can access the services and accommodations they need to thrive. In addition, Rakel expressed her pride in supporting LGBTQ developers as they pursue and progress in their computing careers.
The Proud Tale of Samuel
On his inaugural day at Works, Samuel Sinzza, the company’s new Senior Developer Success Specialist, shared a momentous part of his life with his colleagues. He showed them a photograph of himself and his boyfriend, which was met with warmth and acceptance. He was impressed by the level of tolerance and kindness shown by his colleagues, and knew that Works was the perfect place for him to work.
Samuel further emphasised that the Works workspace is a particularly welcoming and inclusive environment for people from all walks of life. Here, individuals of numerous cultural and ethnic backgrounds are able to come together in harmony, without feeling unwelcome or excluded. Furthermore, the Works is a safe and supportive space for members of the LGBTQ community.
Samuel, who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community, pointed out the importance of creating a safe and welcoming environment in the technology industry. He noted that discrimination against the LGBTQ community continues to be a problem in the world of employment, and suggested that providing a remote working environment, such as Works, would help individuals feel more comfortable.
Samuel went on to explain that, time and time again, he has witnessed developers at Works seizing the opportunity to make changes to their lives that are truly life-altering. Regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, these developers have gone on to experience great professional success. To support these individuals in their pursuit of both success and personal fulfillment, Works has created #PrideAtWorks, an event designed to help developers discover and celebrate their identities.
The Proud History of Hassan
Hass, Senior Manager at Works’ Global Communities, fondly looks back on his formative years. Growing up was a challenge, making it difficult for him to form meaningful connections and to feel accepted. Finding solace in the theatrical world, Hass was able to be his true self without worrying about being judged.
Hassan shared his journey of discovering and becoming involved in the LGBT rights movement, which eventually led to him becoming an editorial assistant for Gay.com. After some time, Hassan moved on to work for the LGBTQ dating app Grindr, where he worked on their workplace brand and was met with much praise. He also noted that the engineering field, in which Grindr works, is highly competitive, making it difficult to acquire the best talent. In response, Hassan developed an extensive plan to assist Grindr in attracting and maintaining their best employees.
I recently found myself in an uncertain professional situation, so I decided to invest in my career by enrolling in a product management course. I am now a member of HOUSE, a network of queer and trans people of colour who have found success at the intersection of technology and culture. Joining this team has been incredibly rewarding, as it has allowed me to build relationships with people from many different backgrounds and walks of life.
Hassan remarked, “When I joined the Works firm, I enjoyed the atmosphere and how well-functioning the organisation is being remote-first.”
Hassan declared that Pride Month is one of his most cherished holidays. While some may consider it superfluous to outwardly express their joy and liberation in their sexual orientation through pride, the LGBTQ community is still subject to widespread discrimination and hostility across all aspects of life. To honour and recognise this uniqueness and the accomplishments made in spite of adversity, Pride Month is celebrated in June. Consequently, we are also launching initiatives such as #PrideAtWorks to promote genuine fellowship in the developer community as well as to provide assistance and guidance.
Do you know whether Works is an LGBTQ-welcoming workplace?
Absolutely! Works is committed to helping members of the LGBTQ community grow professionally and build meaningful relationships in a safe and welcoming environment. If you are a software developer in the United States looking for a permanent job with a generous salary, please visit our Apply for Jobs page. We provide developers with the resources they need to create successful and lucrative long-term positions with some of the most highly regarded companies in the country.
FAQs
When exactly does Pride Month occur?In June, we celebrate LGBTQ+ pride. The Stonewall rebellion of 1969 in New York City is celebrated throughout Pride Month.
I’m confused; when exactly does Pride Day occur?Pride Day is annually observed on June 28.
To begin, let’s define the acronym PRIDE.PRIDE is an acronym that stands for “professionalism” (PR), “respect” (IR), “integrity” (IN), “diversity” (DIV), | https://www.works.so/blog/developers/pride-at-work-inspiring-tales-from-the-lgbtq-tech-community |
The Master in International Business and Technology focuses on business strategy and development in a global context, and particularly in the Tech, Engineering and Manufacturing Industries.
The program is specifically designed for students with a STEM background (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medical Studies) who wish to strengthen their business and management skills as well as to cultivate a better intercultural understanding of the corporate world. The focus on technology and innovation management will prepare them for managerial positions in the cutting-edge industries of tomorrow.
Upon graduation, students will be:
> able to integrate into an international and intercultural environment,
> able to foster innovation and promote organizational change,
> equipped with strong leadership and management skills,
> able to integrate various business disciplines and functions in tech sectors.
Directors’ foreword
Dr. Cyrine BEN-HAFAÏEDH
Your STEM background provides you with numerous skills such as rigorous reasoning, organization, and method. You know how to delve deeply and precisely into complex problems. Employers highly value these skills, but they are also looking for international business acumen and responsible leadership. This program aims at crafting the augmented tech graduate, and bridging the gap between science and business.
Key Program Advantages
> A program specifically designed for STEM students, fitting their academic background and career interests.
> Technology Management courses on cutting-edge topics in a wide range of sectors and industries.
> A comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to business and management.
Career opportunities
The multi-sector and multidisciplinary approach provides our graduates access to a wide range of careers.
Depending on their initial STEM academic background, they may choose very different sectors (Energy, Transport, IT, Mechanical or chemical industries, etc.) but they are all prepared to address the complex challenges that lie at the crossroads of technology and business.
Graduates can take on top positions that require management, business and intercultural skills. Not only are they trained to manage industrial, technology and business projects successfully but they are also encouraged to lead and inspire their teams and organization.
They can work as:
- Business Development Manager
- Business Process Analyst
- Digital Project Manager
- Digital Transformation Consultant
- Engineer (with Managerial Missions)
- Financial Analyst
- International Product Manager
- Operations Manager
- Project Engineer
- Strategy and Management Consultant
Class profile
Our programs attract a wide range of people with diverse perspectives, cultures, opinions, and talents. Once again, this year, we will welcome on both campuses a new group of students originating from different parts of the world:
Study in an International environment
Meet with us
All year round, IÉSEG is present at many events in France and abroad: fairs, open days, live events, etc. Discover our next events and don’t hesitate to come and meet us! We would be happy to meet with you on this occasion. | https://www.ieseg.fr/en/programs/masters-science/msc-international-business-technology/ |
Get to know BYU languages guy Dirk Elzinga
Long before the Oscar-nominated "Arrival" made analyzing languages look cool, Dirk Elzinga was quietly doing it for fun. Quietly being the operative word.
“At that time, it wasn’t the kind of thing you really shared,” said Elzinga, a BYU associate professor of linguistics. “Being a nerd in the early ’80s was not always a good thing.”
But reading The Lord of the Rings as a teenager, he was inspired by Tolkien’s ability to create a whole world, complete with its own languages. “The idea that somebody could just invent a language — it struck me what an achievement that was,” he said.
So Elzinga tried making up his own. “It wasn’t all that great,” he said, “but it gave me practice in thinking that way.”
With that early practice, coupled with years of study since, he’s become a bona fide languages guy — one whose appreciation for the complexity and intrigue of language has only intensified.
That complexity and intrigue now the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters, Elzinga found himself drawn to a particular "Arrival" scene:
Linguistics professor Louise Banks, played by Amy Adams, is working with military personnel to try to learn why a pair of extraterrestrials has come to earth. When her colleagues are frustrated that she can’t just ask them, Banks tries to convey how difficult the task is. “There are all these things you have to know to even be able to ask the question, and then we might not even understand the answer,” Elzinga said. “And in that scene, they broke it down the way a linguist would break it down.”
He would know. In his research Elzinga is breaking down and documenting a trio of endangered Native American languages — work that can in turn pave the way for applied linguists interested in preserving the languages. He spends much of his time exploring the phonetics and phonology of Shoshone, Goshute and Ute. But beyond vocabulary and sounds, Elzinga is drawn to a range of elements that make a language unique.
Getting “really nerdy with grammar,” he points out construction differences in two languages. Want to translate “I’m hurt” from English to German? You’re going to go with “It gives me pain.” Same goes with “I like this”: in German you’ll say “It pleases me.”
“So why would you do that?” he asked. “What does that mean? It’s not just about the sound of the words; it’s about the construction. A lot of people don’t really think about those things in language. But if you can look at them, it gets really fun.”
And more than fun: acknowledging and probing these kinds of questions can lead to an understanding that goes beyond language. “The more we know about how complex all varieties of language are, the less likely we may be to have knee-jerk reactions to the way people talk,” he said.
To help promote understanding, Elzinga requires students in his introductory linguistics courses to create a framework for their own language, complete with beginning lists of vocabulary, prefixes and suffixes, sentence examples and more. The assignment “confronts them with how really complicated languages are,” he said. | https://news.byu.edu/news/arrival-oscar-noms-got-you-pumped-about-linguistics |
Monterey Bay Asset Manager LLC (the “Company”) takes your privacy seriously. We want you to know how we collect, use, and share your personal information.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Use of this Website
Applicability
Personal Information
“Personal information” means information that identifies, relates to, describes, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular Consumer or household.
Assistance for the Disabled
Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Compliance
We do not collect any information from anyone under 13 years of age. The Site and the Company's services are all directed to people who are at least 13 years old or older. If you are under the age of 13, you are not authorized to use the Site.
CONTENTS
SECTION 1 // WHAT PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT
SECTION 2 // THE SOURCES FROM WHICH WE COLLECT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
The Company collects all the categories of personal information listed above from the individual him/herself, as voluntarily provided by that individual, via the Site, in person, or through forms and surveys embedded in the Site.
The Company also collects Internet Activity Information and Geolocation Data through automated technologies on the Site, e.g., cookies.
If you prefer, you can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off cookies by adjusting your browser settings. If you turn off your cookies, some of the features on the Site may not function properly.
SECTION 3 // THE PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Business and Commercial Purposes
Other Purposes
SECTION 4 // HOW WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
No Sales
The Company does not sell personal information of any individuals.
Other Disclosures
For all categories of Personal Information:
SECTION 5 // CALIFORNIA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Your California Privacy Rights and How to Exercise Them
This California section applies only to the personal information of Consumers who are residents of California (“California Consumers”).
a. Your California Privacy Rights
b. How to Exercise Your Rights
The Company will respond to requests in accordance with applicable law if it can verify the identity of the individual submitting the request. California Consumers can exercise their rights to know and to delete in the following ways:
c. How We Will Verify Your Request
The processes that we follow to verify your identity when you make a request to know or a request to delete are described below. The relevant process depends on how and why the request is submitted.
If you submit a request by any means other than through a password-protected account that you created before the date of your request, the verification process that we follow will depend on the nature of your request as described below:
We have implemented the following additional procedures when verifying the identity of requestors:
d. Authorized Agents
If an authorized agent submits a request to know or a request to delete on your behalf, the authorized agent must submit with the request either (a) a power of attorney that is valid under California law, or (b) a document signed by you that authorizes the authorized agent to submit the request on your behalf. In addition, we may ask you to follow the applicable process described above for verifying your identity. You can obtain an “Authorized Agent Designation” form by contacting us at [email protected].
e. The Company's Non-Discrimination Policy
California Consumers have the right not to be subject to discriminatory treatment by the Company for exercising their privacy rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, and the Company will not discriminate on that basis.
f. Tracking Users Over Time And Across Sites
We track your online activities over time and across websites or online services on an individually identifiable basis. For example, we may serve you advertisements on other websites based on what appeared to interest you on our Site. We do not allow third parties to use our Site to track your activities over time or across other websites.
Some web browsers incorporate a “Do Not Track” feature (DNT) that signals to the websites that you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked. Many websites and applications, including our Site, do not currently respond to web browser DNT signals because such signals are not yet uniform. For more information about DNT signals, please visit http://allaboutdnt.com.
For More Information
For questions or concerns about the Company's privacy policies and practices, please contact us at [email protected].
©2020 Monterey Bay Asset Manager LLC
The information contained in this Web site is provided to you by Monterey Bay Asset Manager LLC and its related companies (referred to as “the Company” for your convenience). Your use and access to this Web site, or any of the information herein, is conditioned upon your unqualified acceptance of the following provisions.
Scope:
Your use of this information shall be solely for personal and noncommercial uses and shall not be for any unlawful or prohibited use. The Company reserves the right in its sole discretion, without notice, to deny access to this Web site or any of its information. The information provided, or any portion thereof, shall not be altered, published or sold for any purpose. The content (and compilation thereof) included on this Web site is the property of the Company or the suppliers thereof and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. The Company reserves the right to remove or modify, without notice, any portions of this Web site and your continued use of the Web site constitutes your acceptance of such modifications.
“AS IS”, No Warranty or Guarantee:
Your use of this Web site is at your sole risk. The information contained in this Web site is provided to you “as is”, “with all faults”, “subject to all defects” and without any guarantees, representations or warranties of any kind, expressed or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness, reliability, effectiveness, or that the use hereof will be error free or uninterrupted. In no event shall the Company, its related companies, and their respective managers, members, officers, directors, employees or agents be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special or punitive damages arising out of your use, access (or inability to access) or any defect in the Web site or the content or graphics contained herein whether resulting from loss of use, data, revenue, contracts or profits and whether in an action in contract, tort, strict liability or otherwise whether or not the Company, its related companies, and their respective managers, members, shareholders, partners, officers, directors, employees or agents knew or should have known of the likelihood of such damages.
Links, Advertisements, Coupons and Discounts:
This Web site may contain links to Web sites operated by other parties or advertisements, coupons or discounts relating to other matters or items. Such links, advertisements, coupons or discounts are provided for your general information and any use thereof shall be at your sole risk. The Company makes no representation, warranty or guaranty with respect thereto including but not limited to the accuracy, completeness, effectiveness or benefit thereof and the Company, its related companies, and their respective managers, members, officers, directors, employees or agents shall have no liability whatsoever with respect thereto. By including such links, advertisements, coupons, and discounts, the Company does not make any endorsements thereof. | https://www.parksatmonterey.com/ |
This course is designed to help factories resume their operations safely. The 12 modules cover key aspects of health & safety measures to protect the workers from COVID-19 while ensuring business continuity. A toolbox and self-assessment tool come with it. Documents in the toolbox such as fact sheets and checklists are available not only in English but also in Tamil, Bengali, Turkish and Spanish.
How will you learn?The course consists of 12 modules. The learning path is built on screencast videos, quizzes, downloadables, tool kits. Learners will be able to use a self-assessment tool at the end of the course.
All participants who successfully complete the course will receive a Eurofins | AQM Certificate of Completion.
The overall course duration is approximately 2.5 hours.
What will you learn?This online training is based on the Eurofins I AQM Standard for “COVID-19 PREVENTION IN THE WORKPLACE”. This standard has been developed based on recommendations / guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation, OSHA, and other relevant organisations promoting health, hygiene and safety best practices in the workplace to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 disease.
By the end of this course, attendees will have considered all key aspects of health & safety measures and necessary steps that their organisation should implement to protect their workers from the virus while ensuring business continuity.
Online course Detailed outline
Pre-Assessment Free trial
This pre-assessment will help in assessing the prior knowledge you may have about the course topic. Note: It is not graded.
Introduction Free trial
This is an introductory module about Covid-19 and how it has impacted the workplace.
- Course Overview
Module 1: Introduction about the Coronavirus
This module gives an overview about the Coronavirus and provides a good understanding of why it is so contagious and what its symptoms are.
- 1.1 All About Covid-19
- 1.2 Covid-19 Symptoms and Actions to Limit it
- 1.3 Key Take-away
- 1.4 End of Module Assessment
Module 2: Premises Disinfection
This module focuses on how to of keep the workplace / premises clean at all times to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.
- 2.1 Introduction
- 2.2 What to Disinfect?
- 2.3 How to Disinfect?
- 2.4 Cleaners' Training
- 2.5 Tools and Checklist
- 2.6 Key Take-away
- 2.7 End of Module Assessment
Module 3: Adapt the Workforce to the Need
This module deals with adapting the workforce to the need. It explains how to manage the workforce during this difficult time, to avoid spreading the virus while ensuring the business runs smoothly.
- 3.1 Introduction
- 3.2 Evaluate the Need for Onsite Employees
- 3.3 How to Organize the Workforce in the Factory
- 3.4 Adapt the Lunch Breaks and Recommendations for Prayers
- 3.5 Key Take-away
- 3.6 End of Module Assessment
Module 4: Adapt the Factory Layout
This module introduces best practices and a proven methodology to adapt the factory layout in order to prevent the Corovirus to spread.
- 4.1 Introduction and Key Requirements
- 4.2 Self-assessment Methodology
- 4.3 Example of Self-assessment in a Garment Factory
- 4.4 Example of Engineering Control
- 4.5 Key Take-away
- 4.6 End of Module Assessment
Module 5: Factory Entrance Protocol
This module demonstrates how essential it is to have a clear and well known factory entrance protocol to ensure anyone who is suffering or has symptoms of Covid-19 does not enter the premises.
- 5.1 Introduction
- 5.2 Reducing the Density of Workers
- 5.3 Important Protocols
- 5.4 Records and Confidentiality
- 5.5 Checklists
- 5.6 Key Take-away
- 5.7 End of Module Assessment
Module 6: Receipt and Storage of Goods and Materials
As the Coronavirus can stay on the surface of goods and materials for hours, it is thus essential to know how to handle materials and goods in the factory.
- 6.1 Introduction
- 6.2 Suppliers, Transportation Service and Drivers Awareness
- 6.3 Adapt the Workforce and Unloading Process
- 6.4 Document Handling
- 6.5 Role of Security Guards
- 6.6 Instructions for Raw Materials Suppliers
- 6.7 Key Take-away
- 6.8 End of Module Assessment
Module 7: Daily Health and Safety and Cleaning Practices in the Factory
Good practices should be adopted by factory workers to ensure there is no spread of Coronavirus in the factory. Proper sanitisation and disinfection guidelines should be followed at the factory.
- 7.1 Introduction
- 7.2 Sanitation Routine
- 7.3 Personal Protective Equipment
- 7.4 Child Care Facility
- 7.5 Factory Areas Safety and Cleanliness
- 7.6 Doctor and Nurse’s Consultation During Working Hours
- 7.7 Public Announcement
- 7.8 Other Safe Behavior Recommendation
- 7.9 Key Take-away
- 7.10 End of Module Assessment
Module 8: Workers Transportation
Workers should not be at risk on their way from home to the factory. To fulfill this imperative it is important to know the good practices to follow for workers’ transportation.
- 8.1 Introduction
- 8.2 Raising Workers' Awareness
- 8.3 Factory Procedure for the Safe Transportation of Workers
- 8.4 Log for Workers' Transportation
- 8.5 Key Take-away
- 8.6 End of Module Assessment
Module 9: Action Plan in Case a Person is or Might be Infected
The initial steps are critical when a person is found or might be infected with Covid-19. This module explains what steps should be taken when facing this sanitary situation.
- 9.1 Introduction
- 9.2 How to Promptly Identify Potentially Infectious Individuals?
- 9.3 What to do if a Factory Worker Shows Covid-19 Symptoms at the Factory Entry Gate?
- 9.4 What to do if a Factory Worker Shows Covid-19 Symptoms in the Factory?
- 9.5 What to do if a Suspected Case is Confirmed Positive?
- 9.6 What Must be Documented?
- 9.7 Key Take-away
- 9.8 End of Module Assessment
Module 10: Employee Awareness and Training
The employees should be properly trained and fully aware of any facts and news about Covid-19. This module focuses on how to create awareness and how to give training to employees.
- 10.1 Introduction
- 10.2 Who Should be Trained and on Which Topic?
- 10.3 Content of General Awareness Training
- 10.4 Trainers and Training Quality Control
- 10.5 Wall Posters and Public Announcement
- 10.6 Ensuring the Training is Effective
- 10.7 Key Take-away
- 10.8 End of Module Assessment
Module 11: Governance and Key Documentation
This module provides a brief about the Covid-19 Committee and key policies and procedures with respect to Covid-19.
- 11.1 Introduction
- 11.2 Covid-19 Committee
- 11.3 Key Policies and Procedures
- 11.4 Focus of Covid-19 Preparedness and Response Plan
- 11.5 Focus on Business Continuity Plan (BCP)
- 11.6 Key Take-away
- 11.7 End of Module Assessment
Module 12: Regulations, Guidelines & Toolkit
This module provides examples of regulations and guidelines implemented in different countries.
- Full Download Package - English
- Full Download Package - Bengali / বাংলা ভাষায় কোর্স ডকুমেন্টগুলোর সম্পূর্ণ প্যাকেজ
- Full Download Package - Tamil / தமிழில் முழு பாட திட்ட ஆவணங்களின் தொகுப்பு
- Full Download Package - Turkish / Türkçe ders belgelerinin tam paketi
- Full Download Package - Spanish / Todos los documentos de los módulos para descargar
Conclusion
Congratulations on finishing the course.
Francesca Giometti
Course Instructor
A graduate in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Sciences Po Paris, France, Francesca is a specialist in environmental issues with field experience working on CSR, environmental assessment, and training at global retailers and with Eurofins Consumer Products Assurance (CPA). She has gained extensive expertise in environmental issues carrying out audits in major production countries such as Cambodia, China, India, Turkey, and Bangladesh, where she was stationed for four years overseeing environmental programmes for Eurofins CPA. Francesca is also a well-regarded trainer in chemical management, environmental awareness, and wastewater treatment.
Read more about Eurofins CPA. | https://motif.org/courses/covid-19-prevention-workplace/ |
Public Safety Manager
Manor College has a Full-Time Opening for a Public Safety Manager. The Public Safety Manager is responsible for establishing campus safety and security programs as well as fire prevention. This position is also responsible for supervision of the department’s staff and coordination of the day-to-day operations of the Public Safety Department to ensure the safety, security and protection of students, staff, faculty, and visitors of Manor College and the facilities and property within its campus. Ensuring that all guidelines are clearly identified and students and faculty are aware and knowledgeable of the proper procedures. Reports are accurate and submitted in a timely fashion. The Public Safety Manager should have knowledge/experience in campus security procedures, law and law enforcement and the ability to react quickly and calmly in emergency situations. He/she should be sensitive to the academic community and have the ability to interact diplomatically with the college community.
Specific Responsibilities & Essential Functions
- Coordinate the daily operations of the Public Safety Department to ensure that the delivery of timely and high quality services is provided for all individuals and departments of the College, and that proper procedures and protocols are followed at all times.
- Recruit, train and direct security personnel. Supervise the department’s staff; assigns duties and responsibilities, ensures proper training, evaluates performance, provides staff commendations and performs corrective measures as needed.
- Establish and implement a campus safety and security program
- Establish and implement a fire prevention/safety program
- Act as chair to Manor’s Safety Committee as well as attend all Safety and WC meetings
- Maintain accurate and current records of all incidents
- Ensure record files are current and constantly updated
- Update and maintain the campus safety and security manual/handbook
- Prepare work schedules to ensure adequate staffing coverage.
- In the event of a call out, the manager is responsible for finding coverage.
- Respond to the needs of the department, on an on-call-basis, being able to respond at any time during the day or night in the event of an emergency
- Work with Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs on developing and implementing security budget
- Maintain an orderly security office
- Review the daily log book and ensure it is maintained on a current basis and ensure follow-up action.
- Ensure that all staff uniforms and equipment are properly maintained
- Monitor accurate use of daily patrol logs
- Submit work orders as needed
- Maintain a working relationship with the Residence Coordinator and provide assistance as necessary in matters relating to Clery Laws and accountability documentation
- Work with the Manager of Compliance on Clery documents and ensure reporting is done annually
- Issue ID’s to students, faculty and staff, maintaining current database
- Maintain records of all keys for college
- Follow policy and procedures should a student not log in for a period of 24 hours or longer. | https://manor.edu/employment/public-safety-manager/ |
Life decisions extend beyond what career path you take and what degree you major in as a student. If you are moving toward a serious relationship in your life, it is healthy to consider what you both want in life and that includes children. If you choose not to have any, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a fulfilled life or that you don’t have valid reasons.
For Robin Becker, creative writing instructor, she made no “conscious decision.” Events unfolded into the life she lives now. She was married for 12 years before she and her husband divorced. During that time, she had discovered she had fertility issues when she used no birth control but neither wife nor husband felt compelled to pursue treatments.
She does believe others should not judge personal motivations, adding that the flipside argument could be made: having children is selfish for issues like overpopulation. A childfree person does not struggle to uncover their purpose in life like others might since their purpose lies at hand with their children. She also pointed out that others have the drive to replicate their genes.
“One could say being childfree is selfless because of the drain in that we’re overpopulated,” Becker said. “It’s actually contributing to the overall wellbeing of the world. There will be plenty of people. Not only that but the resources are finite and if we keep on increasing population, we will deplete it.” However, she clarified that they were not her personal reasons but what she has heard from other childfree people.
She does perceive the tension between mothers and childfree women because while mothers who work may have more flexibility, they do not advance in their job or career positions like childfree women. In whatever choice that women choose in regards to bearing children, Becker believes they should be supported: decent schools, free health for kids, government-sponsored daycare, and women would not be hindered based on the choice of motherhood.
Fortunately, she mentioned that she has had nobody who disrespects her way of living and that she actually has a wonderful mix of married and unmarried friends, with and without children. “Even my family didn’t really urge me to have kids,” she added. She also has an older sister without children. “She actually had the same experience I did!” However, Becker does have a brother who decided to have children.
In fact, if her friends need to pick up their children from school, Becker offers her assistance if she is able. She also enjoys babysitting along with pursuing her artistic endeavors especially in music and writing, social activities with her diverse friend groups, and the daily interactions with her college students.
The reasons for Rachael Hanel, assistant Mass Media professor, run a little deeper. She gives two major fears towards the end of her memoir “We’ll be the Last Ones to Let You Down” in which she reflects growing up a gravedigger’s daughter. Growing up around that had a major impact on her.
She also wrote in her book, “I would leave (children) behind in the way dad left me, grief and sadness.” While she understood that’s how it worked out in the real world, Hanel does not want to put children through the same painful experience.
That leads into her other reason, her second and stronger fear. “I might lose a child,” she wrote. “I would be so fearful of something dreadful befalling my child that I would become everything I despise in parents: hovering, smothering, protective…” For her peace of mind, she does not feel at ease with her own children as part of her life. But she also mentioned in her book what she has seen others possibly think based on the reactions she receives.
For anyone who has questions themselves about whether to have children someday, Hanel directs them towards research, in online groups like Twitter accounts or through various news articles found online.
← Does media have too much to say? | https://www.msureporter.com/2016/09/27/personal-choices-taking-a-closer-look-at-the-childfree-lifestyle/ |
In the chapter, ‘Economic growth and financial development in Mexico: from a virtuous circle of a bi-directional causality to financial subordination,’ the authors develop the theme of bank lending to non-financial activities in the context of the Mexican economy between 1990 and 2013. An empirical and econometric assessment shows that deregulation and globalization, instead of increasing savings, caused the banking system to lose sight of its core activity, which is the financing of production. On this basis, the authors assert the need to establish regulatory mechanisms to ensure financial resources for production.
You are looking at 1 - 4 of 4 items
- Author or Editor: Teresa López x
Teresa Jurado-Guerrero, María José González López and Manuela Naldini
Rafael López, Teodosio Pérez-Amaral, Teresa Garín-Muñoz and Covadonga Gijón
From an economic perspective, the ultimate goal of a market is twofold: to provide consumers with a wide range of available options and to allow consumers to freely choose among them based on information. The first part is obtained by promoting competition while the second part is ensured through consumer protection. Regulators of mobile telecommunications markets have been particularly successful in promoting and securing competition and are now turning their attention to consumer protection. This is so because competition by itself does not ensure market efficiency. In fact, the existence of demand-side market failures, such as incomplete information and consumers' behavioural biases, usually lead to an inefficient outcome in competitive markets. In this paper we focus on the particular issue of low-quality customer service that, according to widespread evidence, prevails in the mobile telecommunications industry. We provide theoretical support to this empirical observation by using simple game theoretical models where inefficient low-quality customer service levels are obtained as part of an equilibrium strategy profile for the firms. In our models, this negative result is due to the existence of incomplete information: when signing a mobile phone contract, consumers cannot observe (ex ante) the operator's customer service quality and therefore firms may lack incentives to provide (ex post) high quality customer service levels. As a benchmark, we start by studying the simple case of a one-shot monopoly market and show that incomplete information leads to an inefficient outcome. We then show that the negative result continues to hold under repeated interaction and that it does not necessarily vanish with competition. This is particularly important in terms of policy implications because it suggests that the inefficiency should be solved through regulation via consumer protection.
Rafael Martínez Martín, Teresa T. Rodríguez Molina and Antonio Martínez López
Unemployment and job security are problems that have become part of the main concerns in Western countries. Demographic changes, the continued fluctuation of labor markets, the advancement of economic globalization, and the creation of new information technologies in the technology sector are explanatory factors of labor reality. The labor differences between the north and the south have been a constant that has marked notable differences in the countries of the European Union. This chapter analyzes the main labor indicators of the labor market in Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal, with the objective of understanding and analyzing their employment situation with respect to the average of the European Union as a whole. In this way, we intend to find out if the southern countries continue to have the worst working conditions or, on the contrary, the north–south differences have been reduced. | https://www.elgaronline.com/search?f_0=author&q_0=Teresa+L%C3%B3pez |
Lino Casadei is an established contemporary artist, Lino Casadei was born in 1947. Artists like Peter Borkenhagen, Urs Bischoff, Chen Zhaoting, Francine Babot, and Italo Cammarata were also born in 1947.
Further Biographical Context for Lino Casadei
Lino Casadei was born in 1947 and was primarily influenced by the 1960s. The astronomical impact of the 1960s was truly sensational across the globe. Illustrative of a time inspiring both faith and anger, the 1960s triggered an explosion of new philosophies and movements, truly exciting and spectacular. Historically established in the context of the Cold War, which would have a highly powerful impact worldwide, largely defined by the Iron Curtain separating Europe both physically and spiritually, and drastically marked by the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. The 1960s re-defined all pre-existing assumptions on gender, race and justice, questioned education as well as morality and selfhood – for instance through the civil rights movement and second wave of feminism, as well as student political uprisings. The incredible escalation of mass consumerism also defined the era, generating new trends in marketing and advertising. Minimalism established the central idea that art should subsist in its own reality, and not try to represent the real world. Born of a desire to erase all pre-established notions about art, Minimalism became a radically progressive movement, highly influential worldwide, with artists such as Frank Stella, Donald Judd and Dan Flavin as key actors. Morris Louis, Kenneth Noland and Helen Frankenthaler were artists who sought to delve into some of the most fundamental ideologies of Abstract Expressionism, while eliminating the emotional and highly personal aspect it would often associated with it. This led to the creation of Colour Field painting, deeply identifying with Minimalism. The iconic contemporary art movements that reverberated through the wave of radicalism of the 1960s also had their own nuances and scopes, particular to different areas or countries. Spatialism, for example, was founded in Italy by Lucio Fontana and Piero Manzoni, and its ideologies embraced by the Zero group in Germany. Throughout Europe, the ideologies of Existentialism strongly influenced artists such as Francis Bacon and Alberto Giacometti, who sought to portray the raw human emotions often associated with reflections on death and the lingering angst of the meaninglessness of life. | https://www.artland.com/artists/lino-casadei |
Which Programming Languages in Demand & Earn The Highest Salaries?
444156 views
50+ Data Structure, Algorithms & Programming Languages Interview Questions for Programmers
262224 views
100+ Data Structure, Algorithms & Programming Language Interview Questions Answers for Programmers - Part 1
224277 views
Data Analyst Interview Questions & Ans to Prepare For Data Analyst Job
- Data mining usually does not require any hypothesis.
- Data Mining depends on clean and well-documented data.
- Results of data mining are not always easy to interpret.
- Data mining algorithms automatically develop equations.
- Data analysis begins with a question or an assumption.
- Data analysis involves data cleaning.
- Data analysts interpret the results and convey them to the stakeholders.
- Data analysts have to develop their own equations based on the hypothesis.
2) Explain the typical data analysis process.
- Developing a data quality plan to identify where maximum data quality errors occur so that you can assess the root cause and design the plan according to that.
- Follow a standard process of verifying the important data before it is entered into the database.
- Identify any duplicates and validate the accuracy of the data as this will save a lot of time during analysis.
- Tracking all the cleaning operations performed on the data is very important so that you repeat or remove any operations as necessary.
- Having a poor formatted data file. For instance, having CSV data with un-escaped newlines and commas in columns.
- Having inconsistent and incomplete data can be frustrating.
- Common Misspelling and Duplicate entries are a common data quality problem that most of the data analysts face.
- Having different value representations and misclassified data.
- The developed model should have predictable performance.
- A good data model can adapt easily to any changes in business requirements.
- Any major data changes in a good data model should be scalable.
- A good data model is one that can be easily consumed for actionable results.
- How much is the monthly purchase of Cigarette in India?
- How many red cars are there in California?
- There are two beakers -one with 4 liters and the other with 5 liters. How will you pour exactly 7 liters of water in a bucket?
- There are 3 switches on the ground floor of a building. Every switch has a bulb corresponding to it. One bulb in on the ground floor, the other on the 1st floor and the third bulb are on the second floor. You cannot see any of the bulbs from the switchyard and neither are you allowed to come back to the switchyard once you check the bulbs. How will you find that which bulb is for which switch?
- There are 3 jars, all of which are mislabelled. One jar contains Oranges, the other contains Apples and the third jar contains a combination of both Apples and Oranges. You can pick as many fruits as you want to label the jars correctly. What is the minimum number of fruits that you have to pick and from which jars to label the jars correctly?
- Explain how would you estimate how many pairs of shoes could be sold in New York City each June.
- What is your experience in using various Statistical analysis tools like SAS or others if any?
- What is the most difficult data analysis problem that you have solved to date? Why was it difficult than the other data analysis problems you have solved?
- You have a developed a data model but the user is having difficulty in understanding on how the model works and what valuable insights it can reveal. How will you explain to the user so that he understands the purpose of the model?
- Name some data analysis tools that you have worked with.
- Have you ever delivered a cost-reducing solution?
- Under what scenarios will you choose a simple model over a complex one?
- What have you done to improve your data analytics knowledge in the past year? | https://www.houseofbots.com/news-detail/3541-Data-Analyst-Interview-Questions-&-Ans-to-Prepare-For-Data-Analyst-Job |
Write C program to implement bucket sort.
The idea of Bucket Sort is to divide the interval [0, 1] into n equal-sized sub intervals, or buckets, and then distribute the n input numbers into the buckets. To produce the output, we simply sort the numbers in each bucket and then go through the buckets in order, listing elements in each.
Bucket sort runs in linear time when the input is drawn from a uniform distribution. Read more about C Programming Language .
Or if you can’t find the program you are looking for, you can contact [email protected] Thank you for visiting.
Write a C program to sort a string.
In this program we sort the string using bubble sort technique.
Bubble Sort is the simplest and easiest sorting technique. In this technique, the two successive items A[i] and A[i+1] are exchanged whenever A[i]>=A[i+1]. The larger values sink to the bottom of the array and hence it is called sinking sort. The end of each pass smaller values gradually “bubble” their way upward to the top(like air bubbles moving to surface of water) and hence called bubble sort.
C Program to implement address calculation sort.
Write a C Program to implement address calculation sort.
Address calculation sort is the sorting method which sorts the given array by using insertion method.
In this algorithm, a hash function is used and applied to the each key. Result of hash function is placed in the linked lists. The hash function must be a order preserving function which places the elements in linked lists are called as sub files. An item is placed into a sub-file in correct sequence by using any sorting method. After all the elements are placed into subfiles, the list is concatenated to produce the sorted list.
Address calculation sort is used to efficiently store non-contiguous keys (account numbers, part numbers, etc.) that may have wide gaps in their alphabetic and numeric sequences.
K & R C Programs Exercise 5-15.
C program to add the option -f to fold upper and l;ower case together, so that case distinctions are not made during sorting; for example, c and C compare equal. Read more about C Programming Language .
K & R C Programs Exercise 5-16.
C program to add the option -d(“directory order”) option, which makes comparisons only on letters, numbers and blanks. Make sure it works in conjunction with -f. Read more about C Programming Language .
K & R C Programs Exercise 5-14.
Write a C program to handle a -r flag which indicates sorting in reverse (decreasing) order. But sure that -r works with -n.Read more about C Programming Language .
C Program to implement Radix Sort.
Radix sort is an algorithm. Radix Sort sorts the elements by processing its individual digits. Radix sort processing the digits either by Least Significant Digit(LSD) method or by Most Significant Digit(MSD) method. Read more about C Programming Language.
C program to implement MERGE sort.
Merge sort is based on the divide conquer strategy. Array is divided in to two halves.if the array length is n, then it is divided into n/2,n/4,n/8…. and each part is sorted independently, then conquered into the sorted array. The efficiency of merge sort is O(n log n). Read more about C Programming Language .
C Program to implement Insertion sort.
Insertion sorting technique is the elementary sorting technique. Insertion sort sorts one element at a time, It is just like manual sorting by humans. Insertion sort is better for small set of elements. Insertion sort is slower than heap sort, shell sort, quick sort,and merge sort. Read more about C Programming Language .
Data structures using C, Heap sort algorithm starts by building a heap from the given elements,and then heap removes its largest element from the end of partially sorted array. After removing the largest element, it reconstructs the heap, removes the largest remaining item, and places it in the next open position from the end of the partially sorted array. This is repeated until there are no items left in the heap and the sorted array is full. Elementary implementations require two arrays – one to hold the heap and the other to hold the sorted elements. Read more about C Programming Language . | https://c-program-example.com/tag/sorting-in-c |
The interior angles are those on the inside of the triangle.
Try this
Drag the orange dots on each
vertex
A,B or C to reshape the triangle. Notice that the interior angles always add to 180°
The interior angles of a triangle always add up to 180°. Because of this, only one of the angles can be 90° or more. In a right triangle, since one angle is always 90°, the other two must always add up to 90°
A triangle is simply a polygon that has 3 sides. See
interior angles of a polygon
for the properties of the interior angles of a polygon with any number of sides.
Properties
The interior angles of a triangle always add up to 180°
Because the interior angles always add to 180°, every angle must be less than 180°
The
bisectors
of the three interior angles meet at a point, called the
incenter
, which is the center of the
incircle of the triangle
.
Note
The interior angles only add to 180° when the triangle is planar, meaning it is lying on a flat
plane
. If the triangle is not planar, for example if it is lying on the curved surface of a sphere, the angles do not add to 180°.
Other triangle topics
General
Triangle definition
Hypotenuse
Triangle interior angles
Triangle exterior angles
Triangle exterior angle theorem
Pythagorean Theorem
Proof of the Pythagorean Theorem
Pythagorean triples
Triangle circumcircle
Triangle incircle
Triangle medians
Triangle altitudes
Midsegment of a triangle
Triangle inequality
Side / angle relationship
Perimeter / Area
Perimeter of a triangle
Area of a triangle
Heron's formula
Area of an equilateral triangle
Area by the "side angle side" method
Area of a triangle with fixed perimeter
Triangle types
Right triangle
Isosceles triangle
Scalene triangle
Equilateral triangle
Equiangular triangle
Obtuse triangle
Acute triangle
3-4-5 triangle
30-60-90 triangle
45-45-90 triangle
Triangle centers
Incenter of a triangle
Circumcenter of a triangle
Centroid of a triangle
Orthocenter of a triangle
Euler line
Congruence and Similarity
Congruent triangles
Solving triangles
Solving the Triangle
Law of sines
Law of cosines
Triangle quizzes and exercises
Triangle type quiz
Ball Box problem
How Many Triangles?
Satellite Orbits
(C) 2011 Copyright Math Open Reference. | https://www.mathopenref.com/triangleinternalangles.html |
The Private Pilot Textbook contains complete and concise explanations of the fundamental concepts and ideas that every private pilot needs to know. Unique design techniques enhance the hundreds of graphics and photos are included.
FEATURES
- Intuitive organization and colorful presentation make this manual an essential study aid on your journey to becoming a private pilot.
- The subjects are organized in a logical manner to build upon previously introduced topics.
- Subjects are often expanded upon through the use of Discovery Insets, which are strategically placed throughout the chapters.
- The Summary Checklists, Key Terms, and Questions are designed to help you review and prepare for both the knowledge and practical tests. | https://shop.aeroalliance.com.hk/zh/products/private-pilot-textbook |
Egypt’s Age-Old Control of Nile Waters Challenged
Five thousand years ago, ancient Egyptians believed their kings were gods because they held sway over the waters of the Nile. Today’s Egypt too, guided by the mystic belief that the state and the longest river in the world are synonymous – and a strong sense of self-preservation – refuses to relinquish a single drop of the water that nourished Cleopatra’s asp.
DEBKA-Net-Weekly‘s Cairo sources stress: The fact that the Nile’s course and sources are located in ten different countries has little impact on modern-day Egyptian consciousness – particularly when a gap in international law leaves colonial treaties in place as the only benchmark for water-sharing among riverside nations.
(See attached map of Nile Basin)
The last of a long line of riparian rebels to try and overturn Egypt’s aggressive Nile exclusivity is Kenya. Its target: the Nile Basin Treaty signed in 1929 between Britain and Egypt, which bars nine of the ten countries across which the Nile River basis spreads – Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, DRCongo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda and Sudan – from undertaking any project that might diminish the flow of Nile waters to Egypt. Kenya is prevented therefore from using desperately needed Lake Victoria waters because it is the main source of the River Nile.
On December 12, Kenya announced its intention of withdrawing from the 1929 Nile Basin Treaty calling it a colonial relic. Egypt’s minister for Water and Natural Resources, Mahmoud Abu-Zeid, reacted strongly. Describing the move as “an act of war” and “a breach of international law,” he threatened that Kenya could “not lay claim to sovereignty to protect itself from any action that Egypt might want to take.”
The argument flared at a water conference in Ethiopia from which Kenya’s Water Minister Martha Karua walked out. Uganda shared Kenya’s concern but hoped the treaty could be renegotiated. Nairobi subsequently agreed to talks with the Egyptian government, but insisted that Egypt must understand that the time has come to give way on this point.
Eight main rivers in Kenya pour into Lake Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, and the Nairobi government is demanding a renegotiated treaty that guarantees the country its fair share.
Last summer, a Kenyan Catholic archbishop, Zachaeus Okoth, raised Egyptian hackles when he asked why Kenya does not consider pumping out water from Lake Victoria to the dry parts of the country to boost food production through irrigation. “If we can do this…with petrol, why can’t we do the same with water?” he asked.
In February 1999, the Nile Basin Initiative brought together the riparian nations for a joint effort to work together to fight poverty through the “equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile Basin water resources.” So far, though drought and armed conflict rage and exacerbate hardship and poverty in an entire arid slice of Africa, nothing has been done to divert a single gallon of Nile water from its immemorial one-way flow to Egypt.
According to DEBKA–Net-Weekly‘s political analysts, the issue is approaching crisis point – and not for the first or last time.
A UN Development Program report describes water scarcity as the single biggest threat to global food security. Nearly one in two people in Africa will live in countries facing water scarcity in 25 years. By 2025, 12 more African countries will join the 13 already suffering from water stress or scarcity (defined as less than 1,000 cu.m of water per person per year). If the population of only three Nile countries, Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, rises from 150 million today to 340 million in 2050, as estimated, the competition for diminishing water resources will intensify much before then. Water is already a catalyst for regional conflict.
The growing awareness of the unequal share-out of Nile waters is generating intense animosity on the part of the upstream nations, all poorer than Egypt. In Eritrea, traditional huts are built around the village pump. But after four years of drought, the village well has dried up and there is little if any food for people and animals. Without irrigation water to grow food and sustain farms, Eritrean children are starving except for the small proportion that is fed by international programs.
The immense power Egypt holds over the entire nearly 6,648 kilometers river up to its furthest streamhead, the Kagera River near the northern tip of Lake Tanganyka, derives from an accident of geography. When the British-Egyptian Nile Basin Treaty was signed in 1929, Lake Victoria with Lake Albert was thought to be the only sources of the Nile River proper. Nine countries were barred from using lake waters without Cairo’s permission. Egypt was allocated the exclusive right to use 48 billion cubic meters of water per year and Sudan some 4 billion cubic meters. In 1959, a new agreement set Egypt’s share at 55.5 bcm per year to Sudan’s 18.5 bcm. Other riverside nations were not asked to join or included in the distribution.
Today, the Nile is known to rise in the basins of the White and Blue Niles. Although 85 percent of the total Nile volume comes from its highlands, Ethiopia like Kenya owns no rights to its waters under present agreements, any more than Burundi does in relation to the Kagera River.
Ethiopia has tried before and is like to try again to obtain some of the Blue Nile waters for itself. According to one authority, if Ethiopia were to use Nile water to irrigate even half of its potentially irrigable area, the Nile flows downstream to Egypt would fall by 16 percent. In 1980, when the Addis Ababa government proposed to dam the Blue Nile, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat declared: “If Ethiopia carries out its plan and blocks our right to the Nile waters, there will be no alternative for us but to use force.”
Ten years later, Boutros-Ghali declared: “If Uganda and Sudan were to build their own high dams (As Egypt did on the Aswan in the 1960s), these would greatly cut down the amount of water available for Egypt. This would be catastrophic for Egypt and would kill us. People have gone to war for less.”
Nine Nile nations, led by Kenya, may be preparing to overturn a 5,000-year old fact of Northeastern African life to alleviate the harsh conditions of their peoples. DEBKA-Net-Weekly‘s African sources cite the frustration of the deprived countries and a new awareness: The Sudanese government and rebels have managed to share out the nation’s oil wealth after 20 years of bloody conflict, some are saying. So why not the equitable distribution of Nile water? | https://www.debka.com/egypts-age-old-control-of-nile-waters-challenged/ |
The World Health Organisation has launched a public consultation on its draft physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines. It is being conducted to enable the wider scientific and public health community, as well as end users of the final guidelines, including civil society and the community, to review the draft recommendations and provide comments.
This new public consultation on the draft WHO Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour for children and adolescents, adults and older adults 2020 is open until 17 April. The overarching goal of these guidelines is to provide population-based recommendations using the latest available evidence concerning the amount of physical activity (frequency, intensity and duration) that will offer health benefits and mitigate health risks. Additionally, for the first time, these guidelines extend to provide recommendations on the association between sedentary behaviour and health outcomes.
The closing date is 17 April 2020, 17:00 CEST.
The consultation is particularly interested in feedback on the relevance and importance of these guidelines, the resource implications and if implementing these will benefit all in society.
Physical inactivity has been identified as a leading risk factor for global mortality and a contributor to the rise in overweight and obesity. In 2010, WHO published Global recommendations on physical activity for health which detailed interventions for the primary prevention of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) through physical activity at population level. The recommendations specified the different types, frequency and duration of physical activity for optimal health benefits for three population-age groups: youth 6-<18years, adults 18-65 years and older adults >65 years. The 2010 guidelines provided only general guidance on the risks of sedentary behaviour due to insufficient evidence to guide more specific statements at the time.
Over the last ten years there has been a large increase in the evidence on the health impacts of different types, amounts and durations of physical activity and on the health impacts of sedentary behaviours, as well as the interrelationship with levels of physical activity and health outcomes. Particular areas of new evidence include the impact of physical activity on mental wellbeing and cognitive health outcomes, health outcomes in older adults and in children under the age of 5 years. There is also increasing recognition of the importance of physical activity guidelines that are relevant and inclusive of people living with disability. | https://www.transportxtra.com/publications/local-transport-today/news/64956/who-new-consultation-on-physical-activity-guidelines |
Founded in 1963, Fairfield Church of Christ is located on the border of the Cincinnati suburbs of Hamilton and Fairfield. We are a non-denominational, Bible-believing church. Our congregation is led by a group of Shepherding Elders and a Lead Minister who oversees the operation of the administrative and ministry Staff. We are a church of around 400 that ministers to adults, students and children with both traditional and contemporary style services. We are in the process of expanding our vision to reach additional segments of the community surrounding our church, including an increasingly diverse population of people from around the world and young adults. We are looking for a Youth Minister who will help us reach this goal.
JOB SUMMARY
The primary purpose of the Student Minister is to develop and implement a student ministry for 6th-12th grade that introduces students to Christ, disciples them in spiritual growth and trains them to serve Christ with their life. Of equal importance is to assist and empower parents/guardians in raising their teenagers to be spiritually mature adults. In accomplishing this mission, the Student Minister will work together with all other staff and leadership and will fully support all the ministries of FCC.
PERSONAL
- A deep-seated relationship with Jesus Christ and a foundation to their faith that aligns with the views of our church.
- Passionate heart for students and their families
- Gifts of leadership, teaching and administration
- Shows a faithful pursuit of leadership characteristics listed in 1 Timothy 3
- Possess strong computer skills competency and ability and desire to learn and implement new technologies as needed.
- Self-motivated with strong personal time management with a commitment to excellence
PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY
- Be a leader who is both a team player and a team builder, working well with staff, students, parents, and adult volunteers.
- Assist in supporting the spiritual, emotional and personal development and spiritual maturity of students by working with parents to understand and help them meet the needs of their children beyond youth ministry.
- We want someone who can build relationships in the community to build a bridge from students’ everyday culture to the gospel.
- Support a holistic approach to Student Ministry that can be a part of the broader ministry of the church.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.Ministry Program Oversight
- Develop and provide diverse programming for students that points toward and encourages three main environments of growth: Spiritual Life, Group Life, and Ministry Life in coordination with the other ministries of FCC. This could include but is not limited to worship services, Bible studies, camps, conferences and retreats, discipleship groups, mission opportunities, and outreach events.
- Provide oversight, encouragement, and empowerment of students and the adult volunteers in the ministry.
- Be involved with, as much as possible, the personal lives of the students (directly and through adult volunteers).
- Create and maintain open communication with parents/guardians.
- Assure proper care of facilities used by student programs.
- Assist with preaching to allow you to connect with our whole congregation. (2-6 times per year).
- Leadership Oversight
- Build and maintain a team of adult volunteers who will build relationships with students and serve as the “frontline” of ministry. Work under an Ephesians 4 model leading out by: recruiting, training, and retaining.
- Help develop leaders within the student body.
- Determine curriculum for teaching students.
- Be able to counsel, advise, and provide resources to students and parents.
- Administrative Oversight
- Maintain an organized, balanced program throughout the year coordinated with other ministries and events at FCC.
- Assure roles and responsibilities for all events are delegated and understood by adult volunteers and students.
- Communicate with staff, parents, and students in a clear and timely fashion.
- Determine and manage Student Ministry budget, including as many plans for the year as possible.
- Establish and maintain a philosophy of student ministry with clear goals and objectives.
ACCOUNTABILITY
- Student Minister, under the guidance of the Senior Minister, will meet monthly for prayer, support and accountability with goals and objectives.
- Take advantage of professional development opportunities
- Attend weekly staff meetings for prayer, communication, and planning.
Compensation
- Position is full time, with salary package determined based on education and years of experience in ministry, with a range of $35,000-$50,000.
TO APPLY, GO TO WWW.WERFCC.COM
Physical Address:
Fairfield Church of Christ
745 Symmes Rd
Fairfield, OH 45014
Contact:
Brian Schrieber, Lead Minister
[email protected]
Website: | http://mccks.edu/job/student-ministry/ |
WILL THERE ALSO BE SINGING?
The National Opera Review is doing a Mother Courage around the nation: dragging its wagon in which rides, Dr Helen Nugent AO in the box seat with Moffatt Oxenbould AM, Andrew McKinnon and Kathryn Fagg bouncing along inside. If you can’t get along to one of the scheduled meet-and-greets and say your piece, you can send them an email at [email protected]
This is what I put to them... (and the photos are of Victorian Opera and Malthouse’s The Riders and are by Jeff Busby)...
Please accept my submission to the National Opera Review. It is made mainly in relation mainly to Opera Australia and in particular, the Terms of Reference – that the Review will cover Opera Australia, Opera Queensland, State Opera of South Australia and West Australian Opera … and… “an assessment of the extent of co-operation among the companies and the appropriate approach going forward, including the role of Opera Conference.”
It is my submission that: if opera is to survive and flourish in 21st century Australia it cannot continue as it is today in terms of its overall structure, artistic decision-making and management. This means that the monolithic structures and rigid terms of reference (as defined above) are actually part of the problem and nothing will be be achieved if a broader and more flexible approach is not considered.
As it stands today, too much money and too much artistic control are concentrated in one company - Opera Australia - and this is dragging down any hope of change and a viable future for the art form.
OA’s artistic thinking is out of date and virtually moribund. The artistic director was recently quoted in the Sydney Morning Herald: “Fundamentally, it's because of a lack of support from the public and a lack of support from sponsors to be involved in presenting new Australian operas.” … “When we do present a contemporary opera, it’s not supported by the public at the box office, so it’s always extremely difficult to do.”
This is not a statement of fact so much as an unwitting admission of artistic bankruptcy and absence of vision.
The “national” opera company must be a leader, not a follower (especially not following a segment of its subscriber base). The “national” company has a duty to actively and consistently – as a matter of policy – find, generate and nurture Australian talent: not only singers and musicians but also composers, librettists, directors and conductors. The “national” company has a duty to seek creative thinkers and possibilities wherever they may be – and that is not necessarily within the confines of the Conference or the major companies listed above.
I believe there is good reason for Opera Australia (and the other major companies) to look to the way theatre has been evolving in this country over the past decade or so. The major theatre companies have increasingly sought to make links and generate work with smaller, independent and otherwise non-conventional individuals and organisations.
This is because the companies have taken notice of and been influenced by the unprecedented growth and excellence in independent theatre. There are more and more performers and creative workers exercising their skills and developing their talents than ever before. And this burgeoning of work and talent is filtering through to the mainstream with similarly creative and exciting results that are ongoing and herald the spread of creative thinking and work that would have been unthinkable ten years ago.
Extraordinarily – and of crucial importance to the future of opera in Australia – the expansion of theatre culture has occurred at a time when money, risk and politics have all been in a difficult place. Yet, in a recent AMPAG (Australian Major Performing Arts Group) newsletter Marion Potts, outgoing Artist Director of Malthouse Theatre and, from March 2015, Director of Theatre at the Australia Council, said, “If it’s true that we’re becoming more risk averse in our society, then we need to make sure that we’re still taking creative risks – and taking a leadership role in that respect.”
And it should be noted that Potts directed a new Australian opera for Victorian Opera in 2014: The Riders, based on the novel by Tim Winton, libretto by Alison Croggon, music by Iain Grandage, conducted by Richard Mills and sold-out in its world premiere season in the 500-seat Merlyn Theatre.
There are many more instances of new and Australian opera finding passionate audiences; and of reaching those audiences with economy and creative excellence. Opera Australia is not part of this springboard into survival and the 21st century and will never be while the only innovation is to stage behemoths on floating platforms and beaches.
In my view it is vital that opera not continue in the same artistic and repertoire frameworks that have been decaying for decades even as its traditional monied audiences are dying of old age and choler. Instead oper must look to the way theatre is growing and changing in this country (and in Sydney in particular, as Opera Australia is based in the city) and take up the challenge to find its way out of the creative darkness in which it now stumbles about. | http://www.stagenoise.com/feature/2015/will-there-also-be-singing |
Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work!
Common good, that which benefits society as a whole, in contrast to the private good of individuals and sections of society.
From the era of the ancient Greek city-states through contemporary political philosophy, the idea of the common good has pointed toward the possibility that certain goods, such as security and justice, can be achieved only through citizenship, collective action, and active participation in the public realm of politics and public service. In effect, the notion of the common good is a denial that society is and should be composed of atomized individuals living in isolation from one another. Instead, its proponents have asserted that people can and should live their lives as citizens deeply embedded in social relationships.
The notion of the common good has been a consistent theme in Western political philosophy, most notably in the work of Aristotle, Niccolò Machiavelli, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. It has been most clearly developed in the political theory of republicanism, which has contended that the common good is something that can only be achieved through political means and the collective action of citizens participating in their own self-government. At the same time, the notion of the common good has been closely bound up with the idea of citizenship, a mutual commitment to common goods and the value of political action as public service. Therefore, it has played a prominent role in the defense of republican constitutional arrangements, notably the defense of the Constitution of the United States in the Federalist papers.
In Book I of the Politics, Aristotle asserted that man is political by nature. It is only through participation as citizens in the political community, or polis, provided by the state that men may achieve the common good of community safety—only as citizens and through active engagement with politics, whether as a public servant, a participant in the deliberation of laws and justice, or as a soldier defending the polis, that the common good can be achieved. Indeed, Aristotle argued that only matters of the common good are right; matters for the rulers’ good are wrong.
The notion of the common good was next taken up in the late 15th and early 16th centuries in the work of Machiavelli, most famously in The Prince. Machiavelli contended that securing the common good would depend upon the existence of virtuous citizens. Indeed, Machiavelli developed the notion of virtù to denote the quality of promoting the common good through the act of citizenship, be it through military or political action.
For Rousseau, writing in the mid-18th century, the notion of the common good, achieved through the active and voluntary commitment of citizens, was to be distinguished from the pursuit of an individual’s private will. Thus, the “general will” of the citizens of a republic, acting as a corporate body, should be distinguished from the particular will of the individual. Political authority would only be regarded as legitimate if it was according to the general will and toward the common good. The pursuit of the common good would enable the state to act as a moral community.
The importance of the common good to the republican ideal was notably illustrated with the publication of the Federalist papers, in which Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay provided a passionate defense of the new Constitution of the United States. Madison, for example, argued that political constitutions should seek out wise, discerning rulers in search of the common good.
In the modern era, instead of a single common good, an emphasis has been placed upon the possibility of realizing a number of politically defined common goods, including certain goods arising from the act of citizenship. The common good has been defined as either the corporate good of a social group, the aggregate of individual goods, or the ensemble of conditions for individual goods.
Because the common good has been associated with the existence of an active, public-spirited citizenry, which has acknowledged the duty of performing public service (whether politically or, in the case of the ancient Greek city-states, militarily), its relevance to contemporary politics has been called into question. In the modern era the emphasis has been placed on the maximization of the freedom of the individual, as consumer and property owner discovering that freedom in the private domain of liberalized markets rather than as citizen achieving the common good in the public domain.
Nevertheless, for contemporary politics, the importance of the idea of the common good remains in that it identifies the possibility that politics can be about more than building an institutional framework for the narrow pursuit of individual self-interest in the essentially private domain of liberalized markets. The common good points toward the way in which freedom, autonomy, and self-government can be realized through the collective action and active participation of individuals, not as atomized consumers but as active citizens in the public domain of politics. It also affords the possibility that political participation can have an intrinsic value, in its own right, in addition to its instrumental value of securing the common good.
Learn More in these related Britannica articles: | https://www.britannica.com/topic/common-good |
About the role:
End User Desktop architect who can design/maintain enterprise-wide roadmaps that meet the needs of the organization's strategy related to end user environment software and associated technology. The technology focus is around Windows Autopilot, Operating System Deployment (OSD), SCCM, SW delivery, etc.
Your work:
• Provide advanced technical contributions and input regarding design, development, production and support of end user environment along with relevant backend management system
• Product lifecycle management inclusive of roadmaps and technology refresh needs
• Consult with end-users or senior management to define business requirements for complex systems and end-user computing infrastructure development
• Research on emerging technologies in support of systems development efforts, and recommend technologies that will increase cost effectiveness and systems flexibility
• Product selection inclusive of PoC & RFI/RFP support
• Establish and leverage key strategic vendor relationships
• Deliver complex Infrastructure Projects Implementation
• Form and lead global virtual teams creating functional touch points with both architecture and operation teams enabling the on-boarding of new product/technologies to improve infrastructure supporting the global strategy
Your skills:
• Advanced knowledge/experience with MS product suite focus on End User Experience (especially Intune, M365, SCCM, Windows As a Service)
• Experience with designing new services or managing IT Service portfolio
• Advanced verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex ideas in easy to understand business terms to senior leaders
• Knowledge of Product management of IT services
• Strong collaboration and partnering skills: Ability to accomplish results through others, particularly by establishing relationships with partners
• Proven track of Product management or Service portfolio management
• End-to-end product lifecycle management from strategic planning to tactical activities
• Skills in critical thinking and problem-solving methods
• Demonstrable experience designing highly available, highly scalable production systems
• Familiarity with technical writing, such as authoring/co-authoring structured technical design
What is the plus point(s):
• Cloud centric attitude
• Open minded and able to deal with internal bureaucracy
We offer: | https://dhl.jobs.cz/detail-cs/?id=G2-1552754313-aden_brand0 |
Formal medical training may not equip you with the tools necessary to navigate the job market. The 3rd and final post of this series will focus on the contract negotiation process.
Introduction
In the previous two articles, we discussed navigating the job market and the interview process. In this third and final article in the series, we will delve into the contract negotiation process.
Contract Negotiation
How do I request the contract?
On the job interview trail, one commonly asked question is how many practices a candidate should request a contract from. Requesting a contract implies a serious display of interest on the part of the candidate, as the practice must reveal significant financial and legal information in the contract. The expectation of the practice is that the candidate will negotiate after receiving the contract. If the candidate immediately declines a contract without negotiating in earnest, the practice may assume the candidate was simply seeking information and not genuinely interested in the position, and, to be blunt, “playing them.” Though highly situation-specific, it is reasonable to request a contract from up to three practices.
A practice that has a strong interest in a particular candidate may preemptively send a contract, without the candidate requesting one. This is a strong gesture and may seem enticing for the candidate, but it also represents a somewhat atypical, if not desperate, move on the part of the practice. It may suggest that the practice has difficulty recruiting an employee for the position. Alternatively, a practice may send a "term sheet," which is a pre-contract that outlines key contract variables such as income, paid time off, work schedule, and termination clauses.
How do I negotiate the terms of the contract?
The progression of which terms are negotiated and at what time is highly variable and dependent mostly on how the employer would like to proceed. In some cases, the employer may begin to negotiate the key terms of the contract, namely salary, bonus structure, and work schedule, prior to sending the full contract. In other cases, the employer may send the contract with these key terms included, and they, among other terms, are then negotiated. As a candidate, it is better to negotiate before the employer puts the terms on paper, as this provides more leverage for negotiation. Therefore, once you decide to request a contract from a practice, it is advisable to start negotiating at that moment, so that you can provide your voice and input early in the process.
There is no magic strategy for negotiation, and much of this depends on the intricacies and push/pull of the conversations, as well as the candidate’s relationship with his or her future employer. However, it is important to have a rough understanding of the average salary and typical bonus structure for an ophthalmologist in the geographic area of the prospective practice. Requesting a contract from at least two practices provides the candidate with a greater understanding of the income landscape and a metric for comparison.
It is important to hold steadfast when one believes that the employer is undervaluing a candidate’s worth. Despite the friendliest and smoothest relationship one can share with a future employer, make no mistake that this employer may start the negotiations with a below-market base salary and bonus structure, and a work schedule that is more favorable to their interests. Understand that this is not personal and merely represents typical negotiation tactics. Armed with knowledge of the local average income, you can effectively and confidently counter to achieve more reasonable terms.
Should I solicit the services of an attorney?
It is strongly recommended to solicit the services of an attorney, in particular an attorney well versed in healthcare employment. For those seeking their first job, there are healthcare employment attorneys who specialize in working with residency and fellowship graduates. The best avenue to find this specific type of attorney is to ask your co-trainees and individuals who have gone through the employment process in previous years.
The attorney will review the contract and provide more details about more terms than one thought imaginable. One might become giddy and aim to negotiate all of these terms. However, that would be a huge mistake. One cannot come in strong, demanding the world from a future employer - it is not practical and not good business practice. Choose five or so important terms, prioritize and focus on them. And again, the negotiation is a dance - if you feel that the employer yielded more than expected for one of your demands, go easy on the next term. If you feel that the employer held ground more than expected on one term, push stronger on the next one. It’s essential to keep in mind that the employer also has an attorney who will be providing counsel on counter-negotiating the same terms that you would like to negotiate.
Now, should one ask an attorney to negotiate on his or her behalf? This is controversial, though ideally one would negotiate directly with the employer, as the goal is to develop a burgeoning relationship with this individual. Besides, the candidate’s attorney would unlikely negotiate with the employer directly, but rather, with the employer’s attorney. This simply comes off as a bit distant and unengaging. All else being equal, it is recommended that the candidate negotiate directly with the employer.
How do I interpret the compensation arrangement and what are collections?
Compensation typically comprises a base salary and a bonus. The base salary is the dollar amount to be paid to the employee throughout the year regardless of productivity. The bonus is paid to the employee depending on productivity, which is typically defined as collections or RVUs (relative value units).
In private practice, productivity is typically measured by collections, which represent the dollar amount that the employee earns for the practice in a given year. However, the definition of a "year" may vary, and it is important to discuss this with an attorney.
On the other hand, academic institutions may use RVUs to measure productivity. The RVU is a standardized metric that measures the amount of work performed, the difficulty or risk of the work, or the training required to perform the work, rather than the actual income received from the work. This method of measuring productivity is intended to provide an assessment of the value of the work performed.
To determine the amount of bonus owed in terms of collections, we look at the bonus structure, which comprises a bonus threshold and a bonus percentage. The bonus threshold represents the dollar amount that the candidate must collect, beyond which any additional amount collected applies towards the calculation of the bonus. The bonus percentage represents the portion of the amount beyond the bonus threshold that is paid to the employee as the bonus.
As an example with fictitious numbers, consider a base salary of $200,000, a 3.0x bonus threshold, and a 25% bonus percentage. This means that the employee will receive a bonus equal to 25% of all collections beyond $600,000 (3.0 x $200,000). So if the employee collects $800,000 in a year, the bonus amount would be 25% of the $200,000 collected beyond the bonus threshold, which amounts to $50,000. Therefore, the total income would be the $200,000 base salary plus the $50,000 bonus, resulting in a total income of $250,000.
One important point is that insurance carriers often provide payment weeks to months after the date of service, so collections may significantly lag behind their respective clinical encounters. For example, the collections received in February may not solely comprise the collections from clinical encounters in February. Instead, they may include the first week of February, a large portion of collections from January, and even some clinical encounters from November and December of the previous year. It is important to understand this in order to hold appropriate expectations, namely that for the first year in practice, the lag in collections may impact one’s ability to achieve the bonus threshold.
There is typically an inverse proportion between base salary and bonus structure, and the two extremes do exist (i.e., high base salary with a nearly unattainable bonus threshold, and no base salary with income calculated as a percentage of one’s collections). Most ophthalmologists can expect a typical 40-hour work schedule, though many practices include weekend days, as well. In some cases, if the employee works a weekend day, he or she receives a weekday off the following week; in other cases, the employee simply works that weekend day as an extra day.
What other terms are important to consider?
The author of this article is not an attorney, and none of the information provided in this article should be considered professional legal advice. For any legal questions, it is crucial to seek appropriate legal counsel. Nonetheless, it is essential to understand that in addition to the core terms of income and work schedule, two other aspects of the job contract are of significant interest to the candidate: the termination clause and restrictive covenant.
The termination clause answers the question: how quickly and in what way can I leave this job, and what are the repercussions? Ensure that you have a complete understanding of the terms of the termination clause, since, for various reasons, this may not be your final job.
Restrictive covenants, or noncompete clauses, always garner much interest among candidates. Essentially, these clauses prohibit an employee from providing services within a certain geographic area for a certain time if certain criteria are met upon the termination of employment. Note the use of the word “certain” three consecutive times - legal counsel is highly advised to ensure that the candidate fully understands the details and technicalities of their particular restrictive covenant. Employers include these covenants to protect their interests, as without them, the employee could theoretically quit and then establish a competing practice across the street.
Additional points to consider include:
- If there are any devices, programs, or pieces of equipment that you believe are needed to carry out your work, negotiate these into your contract. It will be more difficult to do so once you begin employment, as the leverage you hold over negotiations decreases as soon as you sign the contract.
- If teaching, research, or academic affiliations are of importance, discuss these during the contract negotiation process.
- Discuss the payment of malpractice insurance, including tail coverage (the details of which may be discussed in a future article).
- Most contracts include reimbursement for some or all the following: continuing medical education (CME), conferences and meetings, society memberships, journal subscriptions, and onboarding expenses, among others.
Work closely with an attorney and negotiate politely though firmly with your prospective employer, focusing on the key terms that matter most to you. Contract negotiation should be an engaging and dynamic process - this is your chance to vouch for yourself and set yourself up to hit the ground running on day one! The author wishes all candidates the best of luck in their negotiations!
Want to get more from OphthoQuestions?
Please login to comment. | https://www.ophthoquestions.com/posts/ophthalmology-job-search-part-3-contract-negotiation |
- Two fifths (44%) of office workers in the UK say they sometimes or often feel burnt out due to work, a new nationwide survey has revealed.
- The Digital Detox survey, from Just Eat for Business, reveals employer and employees’ unhealthy work habits when it comes to breaks and screen time.
- Office workers in management positions accounted for the highest proportion (46%) of those who sometimes feel burnt out at work, the survey found.
- Dr Anneli Gascoyne, Professor in Occupational Psychology, explains how ‘urgency culture’ keeps employees stuck to screens outside of working hours.
Over two fifths (44%) of UK office workers report sometimes or always experiencing feeling burnt out while at work, a new nationwide survey has revealed.
The Digital Detox survey, conducted by Just Eat for Business, uncovers workers’ habits towards breaks and computer use, focusing on screen time. The study also includes expert comments on the mental impact of skipping breaks, and offers advice on how to combat it.
The survey included responses from over 200 UK workers, and were segmented by job role (business owners/C-suite, management team and executive).
When asked whether they’ve ever felt burnout – described as ‘a state of physical and mental exhaustion which can occur when one experiences chronic workplace stress’, 44% of UK workers responded affirmatively, suggesting two fifths of workers need a break from work.
Workers’ experiences of burnout differs from role to role, with those working in management accounting for the highest proportion (46%) of those who’ve suffered from the ‘occupational phenomenon’ (defined by the World Health Organization).
While those in management positions account for the highest proportion of workers who’ve experienced burnout overall, those working at an executive level have seen the biggest increase of late – reporting a 21% rise in feeling burnt out over the last year.
The survey also asked workers how often they find themselves skipping breaks – such as lunch or hourly screen breaks – to draw parallels between work habits and feeling burnt out.
This revealed that over a third (36%) of workers are skipping more lunch breaks now than last year, while 1 in 5 workers check platforms like Slack every hour – even when not at work.
There appears to be a correlation between those who skip breaks and those who feel burnt out, with 73% of workers who report feeling burnout also admitting they don’t take a break until lunch, while 46% don’t stop looking at their screen until the end of the working day.
And with work from home advice now at employers’ discretion, the focus is on them to encourage regular screen breaks to avoid these mental health repercussions.
Dr Anneli Gascoyne, Associate Professor in Occupational Psychology at Goldsmiths University, commented on the impact of excessive screen time, both at work and home:
‘When we’re focusing our attention on our screens, we’re using physical and psychological resources (including energy, motivation and concentration) even if we don’t realise it. Like batteries, these resources aren’t in limitless supply, and need to be recharged.
“Yet, we often find ourselves taking breaks from our computer screens by scrolling on another screen, via our phones, and then in the evening we take a break from our phones by watching telly (or perhaps attempting both at the same time!)
“These aren’t the restorative activities we might think they are. They might feel pretty mindless, but they’re still hooking our attention. And we then find that, when we put our head on the pillow at night, all the concerns and ideas of the day start to flood into our awareness, when we should be sleeping.”
Dr Brad McKenna (University of East Anglia) and Dr Wenjie Cai (University of Greenwich), offer some solutions that both employers could implement in order to promote breaks, and reduce screen time:
“Employers could create new organisational policies and implementations such as requiring digital wellbeing to be integrated into operational strategies. These could be pitched as “take a break” strategies which should be supported by senior management and implemented throughout the organisation.
There could also be messages put into company IT systems, for example, a message might pop up saying “remember to take a break” and companies could consider alternative ways of working away from the screen.”
Rosie Hyam, People Partner at Just Eat for Business adds to the expert commentary, saying: “Regardless of how teams are working – whether it’s in the office, at home, or a hybrid solution – it’s essential to take regular breaks. Without these, it’s not surprising that so many workers are feeling more burnt out than before.
“Given the emphasis currently being placed on health and wellbeing, it’s important that employers and employees prioritise sustainable and healthy working habits – including taking more regular screen breaks, and setting time aside to socialise with colleagues.
“Organisations may want to consider organising regular events that encourage time away from screens, and offer opportunities for team bonding – such as weekly catered in-office lunches, or food deliveries for at-home workers.”
Other key findings of the survey included how often workers put in overtime per week, and why employees may feel pressured to check work notifications outside of office hours. | https://business.express/44-of-uk-office-workers-are-burnt-out-at-work-new-survey-reveals/ |
Dramatic 20ha woodland garden created over the last 200 years by the Carlyon family, forming an exotic green gene bank of known source plants in a temperate rainforest. Within tower some two dozen trees recorded as the biggest of their type in the country. Veteran trees in the 100ha parkland date from the first half of the 17th Century. An extensive 128 ft Victorian greenhouse built in 1844 shelters a fine plant range in the more formal walled garden area.
Living history not corporate heritage.
Nursery specialising in rare and unusual plants of species origin propagated from the garden. Tregrehan Garden self-catering cottages on site.
Open for groups by arrangement
Shop and facilities: tea and plunger coffee, snacks. We do not supply lunches but you may bring your picnic basket. WC suitable for disabled. Parking for cars and coaches. No dogs in the garden. | https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/attractions/tregrehan-garden.htm |
The Director of Torchwood Group is Leigh Eldridge.
In addition to significant experience in government business and management strategies and processes, Leigh has strategic thinking skills, Human Resource Management competencies, performance management experience, expertise in managing organisational change, extensive group facilitation experience, risk management competencies and a well-developed understanding of policy implementation.
Leigh’s knowledge, skills and abilities have been derived from extensive experience in both the public and private sectors, where Leigh has held positions as a Director of government business, Human Resource Manager, Management Consultant, Trainer, Training Manager, and Risk Manager.
Leigh has reviewed many aspects of government operations since being in Australia’s north. In particular in the Northern Territory, this ranges from a review of BushfiresNT, the effectiveness of various clubs and professional associations, Non Government Organisations’s, advised on governance arrangements across whole agencies, developed risk management strategies for agencies, as well as assessments of operational areas and projects.
Leigh has worked in mining, power generation, major construction projects, and run an independent consulting business, as well as forays in natural resource management, power industry, mental health, local government, universities, manufacturing, the oil and gas industry, transport, forestry and the motor trade.
Torchwood Group is more than one person however.
Through a network of consultants in a variety of disciplines Torchwood Group is able to either source specific expertise or pull together an alliance to assist leaders to define and enact a vision which facilitates change where it is needed most.
Change that is called for as a result of changes in government directions, shifts in economic activity, the impact of digital disruption, evolving industries and the shifting sands of our very social fabric. As trusted advisors we help by defining context, understanding markets, engaging with customer needs and managing organisational behaviours.
We deliver strategies and operational execution that fit our clients’ business, building genuine value propositions. The depth and breadth of our experience extends across many aspects of government activity, public sector strategy, business contexts, digital marketing, human resource management, stakeholder engagement and feedback,market analysis, project management, financial investment, risk assessment and much more.
Collectively our industry expertise transverses government, Non Governemnt and Not for Profit organisations, sports, creative industries, media, resources, agribusiness, technology, energy, construction and education.
But our knowledge and networks are not confined to specific industries,- our collective acumen has universal application and benefit. | http://torchwoodgroup.com.au/?page_id=32 |
Known as Duanwu Jie (which roughly translates to “start of the fifth solar month festival”) in Mandarin, the dragon boat festival is a public holiday in China associated with dragon boat races and bamboo leaf wrapped rice dumplings.
There are numerous stories as to how the Dragon Boat Festival originated, among which the commemoration of the death of the famous scholar Qu Yuan (340–278 BC, Chu Kingdom in ancient China) is one of the most widely circulated.
During his exile, when Qu Yuan was accused of false conspiracy charges, he wrote a large number of poems to express his anger and sorrow towards the emperor and his people. At the age of 61, Qu Yuan committed suicide in great despair by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month.
Locals who admired Qu Yuan believed he was an honorable man, and rowed out in their boats to try to save him. They searched desperately for Qu Yuan but were unable to save him. Hence, the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated every year to commemorate this attempt at rescuing Qu Yuan.
The Chu fishermen tried to preserve his body by paddling their boats up and down the river, hitting the water with their paddles and beating drums to scare evil spirits away. They also began the tradition of throwing lumps of sacrificial cooked rice into the river for Qu Yuan, because they believed that the rice would keep the fish full and prevent the fish from eating Qu Yuan’s body. At the start, the locals decided to make zongzi in hopes that it would sink into the river and reach Qu Yuan's body. The tradition of wrapping cooked rice in bamboo leaves to make zongzi didn’t begin until the following year.
How It’s Celebrated Today
Since the Dragon Boat Festival follows the Lunar calendar, there is not a set date to when its held on the Gregorian calendar. According to the Lunar calendar, it takes place on the fifth day of the fifth month. So this year, the Dragon Boat Festival occurs on Jun 3, 2022.
Many celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival by eating sticky rice dumplings (zongzi 粽子), drinking realgar wine (xiong huang jiu 雄黃酒), and race dragon boats. Dragon boat races are held yearly on the day of his death according to the legend. There are other less known activities that include hanging up icons of Zhong Kui (a mythic guardian figure), hanging mugwort and calamus, taking long walks, writing spells and wearing perfumed medicine bags. All of these activities were thought of by the ancients as an effective way of preventing disease, evil, while promoting good health and well-being.
Although the holiday originated in China, other Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, also celebrate the festival with various activities and customs influenced by Chinese traditions. In the Western world, it is introduced by Chinese immigrants and mainly celebrated with dragon boat races, which is gaining more popularity nowadays.
South Korea’s Dano Festival (originally called Surit-nal) is derived from the Chinese Duanwu Jie. It was adopted during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1897) in ancient Korea. It runs for more than 20 days and culminates on the fifth day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar, the day when the Dano falls.The festival involves colorful celebration activities including the Gangneung Danoje Festival, which is the biggest and best-known event for Dano Festivals.
In Japan, this day is celebrated as Children’s Day. It was introduced to Japan after the Heian period (794–1185) and originally called Tango no Sekku. The festival fell on the fifth day of the fifth moon in the Lunar calendar, but then was switched to the Gregorian calendar and moved to May 5. As the word "calamus" and the phrase meaning "advocate strength" are homophones in the Japanese language, the festival was widely regarded as a festival for boys and celebrated as Boy's Day and wasn’t known as Children's Day until it was renamed in 1948. Like the Chinese, the Japanese eat special food on this day that resembles zongzi and drink calamus wine to fend off evil spirits. Kashiwa-mochi, sticky rice cakes filled with red bean jam and wrapped in oak leaves, and chimaki, sticky sweet rice wrapped in an iris or bamboo leaf, are popular traditional foods served during the festival. Wishing that children grow in strength and health, on Children’s Day, activities done on this day include raising the koinobori, which are carp-shaped windsocks that blow like banners in the wind and symbolizes hope.
What is Zong Zi 粽子?
Now you know why zongzi is conventionally consumed to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, but zongzi is also consumed as a meal or snack any time of the year. Let’s dive further into what exactly is zongzi.
Zongzi, also simply called Zong in Cantonese, is made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and usually wrapped in bamboo leaves. Other times, it may also be wrapped with reed or other large flat leaves. There are so many fillings one can include in this sticky rice treat, but some popular fillings for the savory zongzi are various combinations of salty duck egg yolks, tender pork belly, peanuts, Chinese sausage, and shiitake mushroom. The all inclusive Southern-style (Cantonese) zongzi uses salted duck egg, pork belly, spam, taro, shredded pork or chicken, Chinese sausage, pork fat, and shiitake mushrooms as the filling. You can even make vegetarian versions of zongzi by excluding the meat fillings.
They can also be enjoyed as a dessert, as the Northern version includes adzuki beans (or red beans). It is eaten with honey or dipped in sugar. This type of zongzi is called lye water zong (碱水粽) or alkaline rice dumpling.
Zongzi are cooked by steaming (preferred) or boiling it in water. If using the boiling method, boil it in water for at least 15 minutes if they are thawed or refrigerated, and for 30 minutes if they are frozen. You can also heat it up in the microwave (after the zongzi is thawed) for about 2-3 minutes.
Sweet zongzi can be enjoyed at room temperature, but savory zongzi are really the best when they're steamy and delicious. To eat, simply cut the twine and unwrap the leaves to reveal the zongzi inside. Then dig in!
Find Zong Zi on Umamicart
Take a look at the zongzi we carry here at Umamicart and load up your fridge with some before the holiday! | https://umamicart.com/blogs/recipes/dragon-boat-festival-origins-traditions |
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
Playing with impermanence.
This story is one of a number to challenge assumptions about ourselves and reality. Each is inspired by a real-world scientific or spiritual genius (Einstein, LaoTzu, Ramana Maharshi…), and is presented as a visit to a game world in which that thinker’s message is re-imagined in unconventional form.
Welcome to 6autama’s World, which is committed to alleviating human suffering. Its central insight is the impermanence of every aspect of existence: everything passes. Its primary tool is precise attention, especially to the body’s sensations. They are the key to breaking the chain of suffering, in which our craving and clinging are primary characters. Careful meditation on impermanence reveals the deepest truth: no durable self exists. You are among the “things” that seem stable but are actually juggled, fleeting aspects of an undivided flux. If there is no “you,” then who suffers?
This world is inspired by a great royal prince. He lived on the Indian sub-continent in the sixth century BC. Although his name was Siddhartha Gautama, he is often referred to as Buddha. Gautama attained liberation from suffering while meditating beneath a fig tree, refusing to move until he cracked it.
***
You jump in and take your seat in a waiting room. It seems you’re visiting the doctor. The building is narrow and long. Out the window, on one side, heavy and rapid traffic heads south on the interstate. The northbound lanes sit outside the opposite window. These have light traffic, all of it pedestrian. Are their cars broken down? Why would anyone walk, and on the interstate, of all places? The northbound trek barefoot.
A passing nurse, Brent, according to his nametag, helps you out. “Our clinic is in the median strip of the old interstate. The traffic is quite lopsided these days. The world is heading south in a terrible rush. The few walking north are desperate to prove to themselves they aren’t in a rush.”
“I’ve never seen a clinic or any public building in a median strip. Is it cheap rent?”
“It’s symbolic. Consider it a visual metaphor.”
“Thanks for the tip. For what?”
The receptionist interrupts. “The doctor will see you now.”
“Come in,” invites the doctor, a pleasant, even serene, lady. She completes the analogy for you. “6autama’s World is one of balance, reached by walking the narrow middle path between two extremes.
“The first is the path of pleasure — the chase from one shallow satisfaction to the next. What we might call hedonism. This path is very wide indeed, for nearly all twenty-first century humans tread it.
“The second extreme is the path of penance — the rejection of joy and the turning from the world. What we might call austerity. This is an over-reaction to the first path, followed by relatively few, but with enough severity for us all.”
“I see. Does the middle path itself have a name, like ‘the median strip?’?”
“Ha! You jest. Fair enough. It’s called the Noble Eightfold Path, but let’s not rush. This health practice, serving the human mind and spirit, follows Buddha’s teaching. He took a clinical approach, and he was his own first patient.”
“It’s possible for someone to treat themselves?”
“Not only possible but imperative, although help is always available.” She goes on:
Gautama, the Buddha, proclaimed Four Noble Truths:
- Life is suffering. He here identified the central problem of existence.
- Suffering is caused by craving or clinging. Here, he identified the problem’s cause.
- If craving / clinging ceases, then suffering ceases. He here identified the necessary condition for solving the problem.
- There is a means, or path, that leads to the cessation of craving / clinging. Here, he promised a way to meet the required condition.
“That seems very general. I mean, would the diagnosis, prescription, program, and prognosis be the same for anyone who walked in here?”
“Essentially yes. The details differ immensely, as you can imagine, but at heart, these truths hold in all cases. Gautama went on to outline the disciplined Eightfold Path promised in the Fourth Noble Truth: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Awareness, and Right Concentration.”
“Whoa! That’s a lot to get right! I’ve never been able to stick to a diet, exercise plan, or even work schedule, to be honest. Haven’t you managed to put it all into a pill?”
“If you’re lucky, you may access a more direct way to stop craving, and thereby, to end suffering. This requires extrapolating from Gautama’s original Truths. The First Noble Truth — Life is suffering — is a fundamental premise in 6autama’s World. A second such premise (though it’s not a Noble Truth) is that all is impermanent. Another way to express this second premise is that there are no things — whether those “things” are physical or mental. There are no entities.”
“What exists, if not entities?”
“There is this — what surrounds and includes you. What you feel within you. The arising and passing of all there is. All is an unbroken field of continuous change.
“Let this sink in, and an insight may arise: there is no self (as in a separate self for me or for you).”
As she notes your look of painful concentration, the doctor clarifies. “Don’t try to make it sink in this instant. Even this most direct route takes more time and contemplation than that. As I was saying, the ‘things’ we take ourselves to be are stable, durable, separate objects — my-self, your-self. They’re among the entities the second premise tells us are illusory.”
You process that for a second or two. “So, it isn’t so much that the problem of suffering (The First Noble Truth) is solved. It’s that there is no separate thing (you, me) who suffers? There is suffering, as part of an ever-changing flux, but there is no sufferer? And in a way, no sufferer means no problem, and realizing there is no problem brings an end to suffering!”
“Just so. Few are lucky enough for this insight to leap out, let alone for it to instantly incinerate their years of conditioning to dissolve suffering. This leads us back to Gautama’s Eightfold Path.” She continues:
Let’s look back to the Four Noble Truths. Gautama explained them further through describing a chain of causality behind suffering. An abbreviated form of that chain looks like this:
- Ignorance (especially ignorance of impermanence) serves as background;
- We experience contact with the external world;
- This contact, through the senses, yields sensations in the body;
- These sensations yield craving, as we seek to re-capture those sensations we find pleasurable;
- Craving leads to clinging, trying to hold on to pleasurable experiences when we have them, despite their impermanence;
- Craving and clinging yield suffering, for they seek the impossible — to alter or stop reality’s flow.
“Do we need to isolate ourselves from the things we crave and cling to?”
“No, that would be the path of penance, of austerity.”
Gautama used his determined, empirical meditation to break this causal chain at the link between sensations rising and cravings taking hold. The body’s sensations — his own — were the crucial content of study. He realized craving and clinging were not a response to anything outside us, but instead, to sensations within us.”
Careful, disciplined living and meditation allow others to break the chain as Gautama did. They observe that no sensation — pleasant or painful — lasts. All sensations, like everything else, are impermanent.
They realize clinging to sensations is like trying to grasp the mane of a powerful stallion galloping by — it’s bound to end in suffering! This realization eradicates ignorance. Without ignorance as background, the link, the automatic reaction that used to lead from sensation to craving/clinging, breaks. As we’ve seen in the Third Noble Truth: If craving / clinging ceases, then suffering ceases.
“We break the chain by fully recognizing the truth of impermanence — either through the powerful insight that this implies the absence of a self (and therefore the absence of a sufferer) or through meticulous empirical investigation to prove to ourselves the futility of clinging to fleeting sensations. In either case, the ignorance on which the cascade to suffering depends, dissolves.”
“You’ve listened well. And you seem to have gained an intellectual understanding very quickly, unless you’re just parroting me. (Please don’t take offense. This is a common trap people fall into. They think they understand because they can repeat a few pithy phrases. You can fill entire books with just such parroting.) Even from intellectual understanding, a further step exists, which is full absorption and lived understanding.”
“I guess I won’t walk out of here ‘cured’ of suffering, right?”
“If you did, you’d be the first. In another way, if you did, it wouldn’t be you. Anyone who fully absorbs — experientially and practically — the truth of impermanence, either through the lucky direct path or through the Noble Eightfold Path, also recognizes that it is not a separate “them” doing any “thing” but that the recognition is an impersonal event in reality’s flux.”
***
You thank the doctor and step out. On the observation deck of 6autama’s World, looking out onto your own from this new perspective, you see a lifetime of craving, a population clinging. Your world wants what it doesn’t have; fears the loss of what it does.
You ask in your logbook:
Might the fear of loss be worse than loss itself? If the content of craving isn’t the issue, is there a meta-craving beneath all desire? If I use my sensations to break the cascade to suffering and to overcome the grip of craving, what fills the space it used to occupy?
You don’t know the answer, but you’re ready, so you say, “Let’s play.”
***
There is no better-written source for investigating the Vipassana technique for breaking the causal chain of suffering between bodily sensations and craving than Goenka’s The Discourse Summaries. Better still, go on a retreat. | https://doug-fraley.com/2019/11/10/who-suffers/ |
An international team of scientists has found fossil evidence for the evolution of the snapping claw
Snapping shrimps, also known as pistol shrimps, exhibit a remarkable anatomical adaptation: these marine crustaceans use a snapping claw to “shoot” at their prey. Although snapping shrimps have been studied extensively, their fossil ancestors have so far received little attention. A new study by an international team of researchers supported by the Austrian Science Fund now fills an important gap in our understanding of the evolution of snapping shrimps. Using a set of invasive and non-invasive analytical techniques, the team presents the first comprehensive identification of snapping shrimp fossils. The oldest record is documented from about 28 million years old rocks, which establishes a novel minimum age for the entire group.
By: CU Public Relations Office
Snapping shrimps (Malacostraca: Alpheidae) represent a super-diverse group of benthic marine crustaceans. Due to their extraordinary morphological adaptations and remarkable diversity, alpheids constitute one of the model groups for studies on the evolution of complex structural, ecological, and behavioural traits among marine organisms. The most characteristic feature of alpheids is the snapping claw, a specialised appendage (see Figure). “The chelipeds of alpheids exhibit a unique combination of morphological characters not present in any other decapod group”, explained Dr. Matúš Hyžný from the Comenius University in Bratislava. This extraordinary organ is a multifunctional tool used for various behaviours such as aggression, warning, or defence, as well as for stunning and killing prey. The process of snapping involves a loud cracking sound originating from the collapse of a cavitation bubble and a short flash of light, a phenomenon known as shrimpoluminescence. However, reliable fossil material that would permit studying the evolution of the alpheid snapping claw more comprehensively had previously not been identified. The main question of the international research team therefore was: when exactly did snapping claws evolve?
As in several other crustacean groups, the only structures of the body to fossilise are the strongly calcified fingertips of the claws. “The poor fossil record of snapping shrimps is a direct consequence of low fossilisation potential of small-sized decapods and difficulties in attributing fossil remains to alpheids and not to other shrimps”, opined Dr. Hyžný. However, unless unequivocally identified, the precise dating of the evolutionary origin of the snapping claw remained difficult. The present study demonstrates that the well-calcified fingertips of alpheid snapping claws are not uncommon in the fossil record and should be considered a novel type of mesofossil. More precisely, the novel data show that numerous remains previously assigned to various other groups of marine invertebrates, including cephalopods and crabs, actually represent a compelling match with modern alpheid species. “Using a set of state-of-the-art techniques, our study provides the first comprehensive morphological and chemical examination of these enigmatic remains”, clarified Dr. Alexander Ziegler from the Bonn University, and further explained: “We observed a fundamental difference in the microstructure of alpheid claw fingertips in comparison to the remainder of the claw, as well as in the chemical composition of the respective parts, explaining the preferential preservation of the claw fingertips.” Based on their results, the team of scientists can show that the oldest fossil record of snapping shrimps is 27–28 million years old, thus providing a novel minimum age for the entire group.
Within the studied fossils scientists identified several distinct morphologies. Based on this variation, the team concluded that remains of more than one species are present in studied samples. “It can be stated with confidence that a substantial part of the snapping claw diversity we observe today had already evolved 20–30 million years ago”, concluded Dr. Andreas Kroh from the Natural History Museum in Vienna.
Publication:
Hyžný M, Kroh A, Ziegler A, Anker A, Košťák M, Schlögl J, Culka A, Jagt JWM, Fraaije RHB, Harzhauser M, van Bakel BWM, Ruman A (2017) Comprehensive analysis and reinterpretation of Cenozoic mesofossils reveals ancient origin of the snapping claw of alpheid shrimps. Scientific Reports 7: 4076, DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-02603-5
Publicly available resources: | https://uniba.sk/en/news-detail/browse/47/back_to_page/aktuality-1/article/an-international-team-of-scientists-has-found-fossil-evidence-for-the-evolution-of-the-snapping-claw/ |
About the Eliot Parking Task Force
The Eliot Neighborhood Association asked the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to study parking in Eliot. That study kicks off with a community survey and the convening of a Parking Task Force. Our goal: come up with solutions to manage on-street parking better. PBOT needs local experts to help determine the best way forward, including a possible parking permit program for Eliot. Whether you're an Eliot resident, employee, frequent visitor, or business owner or manager, we want your input. Apply to join our Task Force by Sept. 25, 2022. Details below.
Who are we seeking?
PBOT wants to fully understood parking and transportation issues in Eliot so we can come up with equitable and effective solutions. We are seeking 9-13 people to advise us on a plan which could include a new kind of parking permit program, with new tools and techniques to try out. Members do not need parking expertise but should be familiar with their local area parking patterns and issues.
PBOT is looking for diverse perspectives, interests, and lived experience with parking and transportation in Eliot such as residents, employees, regular visitors to the Eliot neighborhood, property and business owners, as well as those who fit the descriptions below. It is critical to the success of the project that we hear from everyone directly affected:
- Long-term residents who drive and own vehicles
- Small business owners or managers
- Black residents and others displaced from North and Northeast Portland who regularly visit Eliot and Albina neighborhoods
- Employees who live outside the neighborhood
- Residents with young children
- Residents and employees with disabilities or who have mobility challenges
- Renters and residents of multifamily buildings
What's required of members?
Members will help advise on every aspect of the plan, including the process for outreach, planning, and decision-making; the boundaries of the study area; the boundaries, hours, and rules of a possible permit program; as well as ways to make any changes to parking more equitable and sustainable.
Members will attend regular Task Force meetings, roughly 6-8 meetings between October 2022 and May 2023, about 2-3 hours per month. Meetings will be open to the public and be held virtually or in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. Members may also attend optional open houses, focus groups, or surveys, but will not be required to do so.
How are members selected?
Applications are due Sept 25, 2022 (see link below). A selection committee made up of volunteers of two existing parking committees, along with a member of PBOT's Transportation Justice committee, will review applications. All personal identifying information will be removed before applications are reviewed. The selection committee is seeking to fill 9-13 seats on the Task Force representing a diverse group of perspectives. Staff from PBOT's Parking Operations team and Equity & Inclusion team will approve the final list of members. | https://www.portland.gov/transportation/parking/eliot-parking/eliot-parking-task-force |
Even when a person stops and takes a moment to enjoy a plant’s beauty, they feel better....
Garden
Each type of garden had its own purpose and meaning, including satisfying medicinal, food, and spiritual needs....
If you make coffee every day, you have an amazing source of organic matter right at your...
Roman gardens were built to suit a range of needs and activities. Curated/Reviewed by Matthew A. McIntoshPublic...
Gardens were an important feature of ancient life and most houses had gardens filled with practical plantings....
Designed at human scale, Chinese gardens are meant to be comfortable, intriguing, and pleasing at every turn....
Wealthy patrons, like kings and emperors, often commissioned prominent artists and architects to design their gardens. Introduction...
This garden is so vast and rich as to enclose within it many forms of pleasure not... | https://brewminate.com/tag/garden/ |
We are representing an organisation that has a vision: high quality data drives success.
Their business is master data management, data quality and governance. A deep understanding in this field has enabled them to develop their own data quality and management tool which enables their clients to completely integrate this tool within their data management and model to ensure that governance and quality of data is managed no matter the complexity of the source systems.
You will be developing new back-end products for global clients with the freedom to develop and create your own ideas for improvement. Collaboration is key within this creative environment.
Key skills:
You will have atleast 3 years working experience with Java, Spring, Kafka, Spark, Elastic Search and related technologies, but we are not limited to this list.
You will work on intersting projects within an inspiring and flexible working environment with great opportunities to learn and develop your own skills.
European Union Work Permit required
This listing has expired
Click below to see other similar positions available now. | https://www.expats.cz/prague/czech-job-server/java-developer-25?joblisting |
Planning low-carbon feeding regimes on the horizon
Scientists could soon be able to measure the exact amount of gas produced by livestock, allowing farmers to plan for low-carbon feeding regimes.
A study by the University of Bristol and the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Centre, Ireland, found a link between a compound – Archaeol – found in the faeces of ruminant animals, and methane production.
The compound is thought to come from organisms called archaea which live in the foregut of ruminant animals, and produce methane as a by-product of their metabolism.
Co-author Dr Fiona Gill, who worked as a post-doctoral researcher at Bristol, and now works at the University of Leeds, said: “We’re quite good at measuring man-made CO² emissions, but techniques to measure the animal production of methane have serious limitations.
“If we can identify a simple biomarker for methane production in animal stools, then we can use this, along with information on diet and animal population numbers, to estimate their total contribution to global methane levels.”
Principal investigator, Dr Ian Bull from Bristol’s School of Chemistry, said two groups of cows were fed on different diets and then tested for faecal archaeol levels and methane gas emissions.
The study found the animals fed on as much silage as they wanted produced more methane and archaeol, than those fed on a fixed amount of silage with supplementary concentrates.
“This confirms that manipulating the diet of domestic livestock could also be an important way of controlling methane gas emissions,” added Dr Bull. | https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/environment/planning-low-carbon-feeding-regimes-on-the-horizon |
Common Conceptions of Community
How can we create community connection — including more support, belonging, smiles, and growth — in our lives?
Bianca Heyming gave a TED talk based on her experiences, affectionately called ‘Intentional Communities – 50% Less Hippie Than You’d Expect.’
She first comedically explores people’s misconceptions about living in an intentional community. Common first questions she receives about where she lives are:
- How many Husbands do you really have?
- Who is your Leader?
- Do you all make bonfires, play guitar, and pass the dutchie to the left hand side?
There are plenty of lovely hippie communities out there. And there are also a few communities out there with defined leaders, or a focus on sexual partners.
But as you know, these questions are all based on limited information and out-of-date stereotypes.
There are actually thousands of communities around the world, with a wide range of variation. Many or even most will be more recognizable and reasonable than one might assume. They seem obvious once you see people spending time together smiling.
Unifying Beliefs Lead the Way
Intentional communities form by people having a common intention — a uniting interest, a set of values, a common vision for the world and how to live in it.
For Bianca, and a group of friends and neighbors in San Diego, the question that initiated their intentional community was simple, “What if we raised our kids together?”
The group found that they also shared two fundamental beliefs: 1) a commitment to continual development of themselves — in mind, body, and spirit; and 2) no problem using attorneys to draw up binding agreements to ensure that a community was forged and maintained reasonably.
People. A Purpose. And Structure. This is what it takes to start an intentional community. With a whole lot of relationship building, collaboration, hard work and persistence to make it possible and to care for it along the way.
Developing Connections through Openness & Vulnerability
The reasons for building and living in an intentional community may seem obvious — including it being a great place to raise children, having heartfelt connections to and supporting each other, living more sustainably and resiliently, etc.
But developing that connection with each other is not always easy, and in fact, often requires experiences of bearing our vulnerable, imperfect, fallible selves to each other, in order to feel truly seen, understood, accepted, nurtured, supported, and respected by others.
Social media encourages people to show the world only what is pretty, happy, successful, and acceptable. Life is not actually like that, of course! And in intentional communities, the truth emerges.
Life is difficult. Relationships and parenting can be exhausting, draining, and defeating. Professional life and personal finance, our physical and mental well-being, and all the challenges that life includes, can wear you raw. But that is all part of real life.
People who form or join and who stay in intentional communities are typically eager to accept, or learn to accept, that reality. We get to see the real people behind the facade, and to meet each other there. We connect to work together towards better lives.
Stay in Community — Stay in Connection
That level of personal and interpersonal dialogue is just too intense for some people to face, and it makes them want to leave. The speaker in this presentation encourages people to stay — not just in intentional communities, but in communities in general.
Keep talking with each other. Keep the dialogue going. Gather and share, even when you are not at your absolute sharpest, most done up, well-rested, and chipper. Keep exploring, expressing, and evolving your sense of your experience and what you value, by meeting yourself and the people in your community where you are. You are resilient!
Bianca Heyming’s message resonates with the most popular TED talk of all time, about the Power of Vulnerability from Brene Brown. In order to get the most out of life, relationships, and your career, you must “Dare Greatly!”
It is through expressing honest vulnerability that we allow ourselves to be known, and to meet with life and each other from where we are actually coming from. This forms true connections, and nurtures a safe place that we can all grow from.
Bianca recounts a moving experience where the women of her community supported her through a trying time for her and her family. She had never been given the permission to experience and share her own suffering like that, and to be loved through it. Although it was challenging and revealing, it was a relieving and transformative experience for her.
Learn Techniques of Communication
Having a strong desire to connect and to collaborate, and being open to learning more about yourself and others, are key ingredients to create community connection.
To help us along this path of connecting to ourselves and each other, Bianca Heyming highly recommends that we learn more about communication and group process.
She advises learning from models, resources, and experts in group process, therapy, communications and facilitation, and the like, to expand your awareness of and constructive response-ability to things that are bound to come up in ourselves and in group dynamics.
More than useful in intentional communities, these tools and insights can serve everyone in their friendships, family relationships, and parenting styles, as well as local church, affinity, and community groups.
You can find some resources on Group Dynamics, Communication, and Governance in the Communities Bookstore, including the fresh Communication in Community.
Also you can check out the Governance + Group Dynamics blog posts, and Communities magazine articles on Group Process. | https://www.ic.org/create-community-connection/ |
# Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park
Penyal d'Ifac Natural Park (Valencian: Parc Natural del Penyal d'Ifac, Spanish: Parque Natural del Peñón de Ifach) is a natural park situated in Calpe, in the Valencian Community, Spain.
The Penyal d'Ifac is a massive limestone outcrop emerging from the sea and linked to the shore by rock debris. It is home to numerous rare plants, including a number of endemic species, and over 300 species of animals, and a nesting site for colonies of sea birds and other birds.
Rising to 332 metres high, the rock is a striking visual feature of the Mediterranean coastline. Historically it was known to the Phoenicians as the Northern Rock, to distinguish it from its southern counterpart, the Rock of Gibraltar.
Behind Penyal d'Ifac is a large lagoon cut off from the sea by strips of sandy beach and extending inland to the coastal mountains. The wetland area around the lagoon is all that remains of the formerly much more extensive wetlands of the Marina Alta.
A protracted campaign to protect the site's unique natural diversity led to the area being granted natural park status in January 1987. With an area of 45 hectares, it is the smallest natural park in Spain, possibly in Europe. The park ranges from sea level to an altitude of 332 metres at the summit of the rock (penyal in Valencian, peñón in Spanish).
From the top of the rock there are views over the surrounding villages and countryside and on a clear day as far across the sea as Ibiza in the Balearic Islands.
## Plant ecology
The rock's sheer cliffs and rocky escarpments, exposed to the sea winds on three sides, have created a variety of microhabitats that have fostered a diversity of specialised plant species. At the lowest levels, relatively deep soils with higher moisture content in areas protected from the sea have allowed the development of a typical Mediterranean scrub vegetation community including dwarf palms, juniper, lavender and white pine. Higher up as soils become thinner and more exposed to the sun and wind alpine plant species have colonised cracks and gullies in the rock. The Ifac silene, Silene hifacensis , a highly endangered species first discovered on the rock, has now disappeared from the locality; no more than 20 adult plants are thought to be left in the wild. Phoenix dactylifera palm species are naturalised in the area due for the massive public and private plantations from nearby.
## Animal life
The rock face provides nesting sites for birds of prey including peregrine falcons and Eleonor's falcon, seabirds including gulls and cormorants, and other birds typical of rocky habitats. There are also semi-domesticated cats that live near the peak.
## Marine life
The seabed around Penyal d'Ifac is varied, with rocky, stony and sandy areas sheltering a very diverse marine community. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penyal_d%27Ifac_Natural_Park |
The mural of the Holy family is finished and hanging in front of the sanctuary at Coburn UM Church in Zanesville, Ohio. Tours can be arranged by calling the church 740-454-0186.
. The creation, drawing and painting of the mural took many hours and days during 2017. Many sketches were made and discarded. The final one was enlarged to fit the 12"-square grids on the canvas. The grid was placed with lightly applied, graphite lines over the canvas. The grid lines were erased prior to any paint application.
Drawings were made using graphite pencils on translucent architect paper. Large figures required taping sheets of paper together. When all the sketches were completed, I taped them onto one wall, ceiling to floor, to see what needed to be addressed.
Again, there were changes made. When I was satisfied with the initial drawings, the papers were placed on the canvas to see how they looked. Once more, the figures were moved to create a more pleasing composition. When I was satisfied, each figure was lightly transferred to the canvas using carbon paper. When all figures were in place, a light coat of clear glaze was put over the lines to ensure they did not smear or disappear as the painting progressed.
The acrylic paints were mixed on Styrofoam plates or, with a larger paint amount, in Styrofoam bowls. I began saving used plates to see how many I used. The completed stack was about 4-feet high! I didn't use them to refer to paint colors as I saved all the paint matches in the book completed for that purpose.
Having researched how the old masters achieved long-lasting colors, to emulate their methods, I used 15-20 coats of tinted, clear glaze over colors I wanted to stand out. Those included anything associated with Mary and the Christ Child. I painted them in vibrant colors.
Joseph was provided for Mary solely as support and protection. During her decade of living in the Jerusalem temple, she made a holy vow to never sleep with a man. Therefore, I painted Joseph in natural colors which faded into the background. He is prominent in the painting, but not like the other two. There are only three figures in the painting.
The Star of Bethlehem, now identified as the planet Saturn (Baron. Irene. Christmas Star Events. Unraveling the Christmas Star Mystery. 2013. p.83), was created with the vertical and horizontal points longer to remind observers of the crucifixion cross. It is the brightest object in the picture. The Christ Child is the second brightest object. He was designed to be in Mary's arms and directly under the star. His swaddling clothes are second in brilliance to the star. There is a light outer layer to his halo which is the third brightest object in the mural.
To document all my thoughts about how the design should be created to match the stories in religious documents and the Bible, a large notebook was created. It contains copies or original drawings, paint samples, names of paint colors used for each application on the mural, etc. The creation of the notebook was accomplished primarily at home except for the paint swatches which were applied during painting at the church.
November and December 2017 often found me in my workroom at church 4-6 hours per day, even on weekends. The painting took place in a small, upper classroom. The canvas was spread out over 4-large white tables with the 11' X 6' canvas overlapping the edges of the tables. The room was so small, I had only 10" to squeeze between wall and tables to move from one side of the canvas to the other.
The very last thing painted on the canvas was the black borders. They made the colors really pop. The canvas was created to hang like the other banners and paintings made for the church. I left no room for stretching the canvas. Therefore, you see some turning of the canvas edges. If the canvas is not stretched, there will be a brace made for the canvas to hold it more rigid.
Accolades for the canvas have not ended since it was hung. Because of the glowing colors, persons seeing it for the first time are often open-mouthed. They are also surprised at the mural size. To compare how large it is, I included a second picture below. It is 11' high and 6' wide.
Members of one tour group from Mt. Vernon, Ohio took multiple pictures. Persons guiding them through the church stated they remained in front of the mural for an extensive time admiring it and asking questions. They wanted to know all about the artist, where it was made, when it was made, and all the details. They said they had never seen such a beautiful church mural. When I was told about that tour group, the person relaying the information was pleased to relay the details. It was fun for me to hear them. The creation from concept to completion took over a year and hundreds of hours.
The drawing part to create original art was the most difficult. The painting, although it took time, was easier as the concept and colors had already been chosen. It's nice to know there is no painting like it anywhere. The insurance value of the original design, materials and time spent would put the replacement value between $10,000-$17,000. The church paid for the canvas and some of the paint. I used my own paint, glazes, brushes, papers, etc.
It has so many coats of glaze medium to make the refraction and depth of the art intense, it cannot be rolled or moved. The pastor was not aware of that restriction and the mural was placed in a special room where it hung from a high attachment. The taking it down and putting it back in storage has damaged some of the paint. It shows cracks and stress damage, even though it is not very old. I hope in the future the mural stays in one place. Without it hanging up, the sanctuary looks barren. The painting, the colors of which I matched to the stained glass windows, brings the sanctuary to life.
I hope you enjoy the mural.
PLEASE SHARE with the Facebook link on this page.
As artist, I would appreciate your comments.
The December 21, 2017 press release stated:
A recently completed mural now hangs in the Coburn UM Church sanctuary in Zanesville, OH. Artist Irene Baron, using acrylic paint over canvas to create the 11’ high by 6’ wide picture, stated that concept to completion took a year. When asked how glowing colors were achieved, she replied, “By painting like the masters with many coats of tinted, clear glazes.” Baron said, “Since new religious murals are rare in the United States, it has been greatly appreciated by the congregation and out of town visitors who take many photographs.” The mural will be on display indefinitely at the church. Tours can be arranged by contacting the church at 740-454-0186. More can be learned at URL: www.irenebaron.com.
. | https://irenebaron.com/irene-baron-blog/blog/christmas-mural-completed-by-irene-baron |
Job Description Overview:
The Coordinator of Health Services strengthens and facilitates the educational process by modifying or removing health related barriers to learning in individual students and by promoting an optimal level of wellness for students and staff. The coordinator serves as a leader for the school health department in leading school nurses and school health office assistants and assumes responsibility for appropriate assessment, planning, and intervention, evaluation, and/or referral activities. They serve as the direct link between physicians, families, and community agencies to assure access and continuity of health care for students. They provide relevant instruction, counseling, and guidance to students, parents, and staff concerning health related issues. They uphold professional standards, the state Nurse Practice Act, and other state and local statutes and regulations applicable to school nursing practice; and adheres to district policies and administrative guidelines.
Training and Licensure:
• Required: Bachelor’s degree in nursing with a minimum grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 grading system in course work.
• Preferred: Master’s degree in nursing.
• Valid Wisconsin license as a registered nurse.
• Certification in CPR.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Candidates should have a commitment to equity, social justice, and culturally and linguistically responsive practices.
• Bilingual candidates (Spanish/English) are strongly preferred.
Knowledge/Skills:
• Commit to high standards, ethical principles, equity, social justice, honesty, fairness, and treating others with dignity and respect.
• Exhibits strong critical thinking skills and clinical decision-making skills.
Full Job Description available by request. | https://career.cals.arizona.edu/jobs/middleton-cross-plains-area-school-district-coordinator-of-health-services/ |
DACC maintains compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (Public Law 93-380). The law provides the student access to official records directly related to the student. It also provides the student with the opportunity for a hearing to challenge such records on the grounds that they are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate. Students who wish to review their official college records should contact the Admissions & Records Office in Vermilion Hall.
Danville area Community College may, from time to time, arrange for the taking of photographs or videos on the various campuses. It is the right of the College to do so. Photos taken are the property of the College and individuals depicted therein are not entitled to compensation or to restrict publication thereof.
The College is authorized under FERPA to release public directory information concerning students without prior consent of the student. Directory information includes the following:
Name; address; telephone numbers; email address; major field of study; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height (if member of athletic team); dates of attendance; enrollment status (full- or part-time, hours enrolled in or completed); degrees, certificates, honors received or anticipated; (parents’ names and home town (in connection with publicity on sports achievements, degrees, and awards received); previous educational agencies or institutions attended; and photograph.
Directory information is subject to release by the College at any time unless the Admissions & Records Office has received prior written request from the student specifying the information not to be released. The College is also authorized to provide access to student records to DACC officials and employees who have legitimate educational interest. These are persons who have responsibilities in the College’s academic, administrative, or service functions. If a student is completing courses through Dual Credit/College Express programs, high school administrators and guidance counselors will also have access to student records under the FERPA guideline of legitimate educational interest.
For complete information contact the Director of Admissions and Records/Registrar in Vermilion Hall or at (217) 443-8803. | https://dacc.edu/student-handbook-2022-2023/student-right-to-privacy |
Low back pain is one of the most common complaints seen in pain management. Nearly 90% of people will have low back pain at some point in their life. Low back pain can be either acute (recent injury) or chronic (pain that has been present for some time, usually more than 3-6 months). The most common causes of low back pain include:
-
Muscle strain or muscle pain
-
Most common cause of low back pain
-
-
Ligament injury around the spine
-
Degenerative disc disease
-
Bones spurs
-
Trauma
-
Car accident, contact sports
-
-
-
Bulging disc
-
Pinched nerve (radiculopathy)
-
-
Scoliosis
-
Internal organs
-
Pancreatitis, aortic aneurysms, kidney stones, endometriosis can all mimic low back pain
-
-
Compression fractures
-
Usually caused by osteoporosis
-
-
Inflammatory arthritis
-
Ankylosing spondylosis, Reactive arthritis
-
-
Cancer
-
Prostate cancer can spread to the bones (vertebrae) in the low back
-
What type of pain can you experience with low back pain?
Low back pain can be difficult to diagnose due to the large variation of symptoms that can occur. Our pain doctors have been specially trained to accurately diagnose and treat the true source of your low back pain. Depending on the cause, low back pain can either be solely isolated to the low back region or it can be associated with pain going down to the buttocks, thighs, calves and toes. Many common symptoms include:
-
Sharp stabbing pain
-
Pain worse with walking and improved with rest
-
Pain worse with walking upstairs than downstairs
-
Electric pain
-
Decreased range of motion of the low back
-
Pain with leaning forward or backwards, pain with twisting side to side
-
-
Muscle spasms
-
Tightness of low back muscles
-
Sharp pain in the low back with coughing or sneezing
-
Weakness in one or both legs
-
Muscle wasting in one or both legs
-
Stiffness
-
Numbness and tingling
-
Pins and needles
-
Burning pain
How can our St. Louis pain doctors help diagnose your low back pain?
-
Thorough history and physical exam. This step is important in identifying the most likely cause of your low back pain. Other tests are used to help confirm what was found on the physical exam.
-
A neurological exam helps determine what nerves may be affected
-
Imaging such as Xray, MRI and CT scan
-
Bone scan
-
A Nerve conduction study and EMG
-
Vital in finding the location of the nerve damage and determining if the the low back pain is associated with a pinched nerve in the back.
-
What are your treatment options?
After the source of the low back pain has been identified, a treatment plan is created specifically to target that cause of pain. Depending on the diagnosis of your low back pain, a combination of treatment options below may be utilized.
-
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS)
-
Cold packs/heating pads
-
-
-
Gabapentin (Neurontin) and Pregabalin (Lyrica)
-
Helps to decrease pain from a pinched nerve or bulging disc
-
-
-
Help with muscle spasms or muscle pain
-
-
-
Used to treat facet joint pain
-
-
Skin creams and patches
-
Lidocaine cream, lidocaine patches, capsaicin cream
-
-
Anti-depressants
-
Many of these medications have been shown to block pain signals in the spinal cord and brain
-
-
Muscle relaxants
-
Acupuncture
-
TENS
-
Also blocks pain signals from affected areas
-
-
Physical therapy
-
Ultrasound, myofascial release, Mckenzie back exercises, Williams flexion exercises
-
-
Massage therapy
What can you do to avoid or decrease low back pain?
-
Exercise
-
The stronger your muscles are, the less prone they are to injury
-
-
Avoid excessive bed rest
-
Studies shown that bed rest can make low back pain worse
-
-
Change your mattress
-
Some mattresses can be causing or making your low back pain worse especially if the mattress is too hard
-
-
Strength training
-
Building strong muscles especially in the back and abdomen can significantly decrease spine fractures from osteoporosis
-
-
Stretch low back muscles
-
Weight loss
-
For every pound of excess weight that is lost, 7 pound of pressure are relieved from the back
-
-
Reduce stress
-
Yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques
-
-
Use proper technique when lifting or moving heavy objects
For more information or to discuss an appropriate treatment plan for your low back pain with one of our specialized pain management physicians, call Saint Louis Spine and Joint Pain Specialists today. | https://www.yourpainmatters.com/low-back-pain |
Do you ever feel like you are getting lost in your own thoughts and find it hard to return to the real world? Does the lure of distraction and numbing tug at you constantly? Me too. There are times when I think I might just get lost and untethered permanently. Of course, this is often linked to times of overwhelm or pain but I am recognising more and more that there is a natural inclination in myself towards this. It can be both a strength and a challenge in many ways.
-
Your invitation to recalibrate your word of the year. | https://jokoepke.com/tag/word-of-the-year/ |
Not what you’re looking for?
What is temporomandibular joint disorder?
The temporomandibular joint is actually two pairs of joints that make it possible for the jawbone to rotate and slide. This joint connects the lower jaw to the skull. The temporomandibular joints can be found on either side of the head in front of the ears. These joints allow us to talk, chew and yawn.
When one or more of these joints become inflamed or painful, the condition is called temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJD).
What causes temporomandibular joint disorder?
The lower jaw has rounded ends that glide in and out of the joint socket when you talk, chew or yawn. These are called the condyles. They are covered with cartilage and are separated by a small shock-absorbing disk, which keeps the movement smooth.
TMJD can occur from:
- Wear and tear on the cartilage.
- Damage to the surfaces of the teeth due to neglect or injury.
- Loose or lost teeth that have led to damage of the jawbone or poor alignment of the upper and lower jaws.
- Poor alignment of the teeth or jaw when biting down. This can cause sensitivity of the teeth as well as affecting the muscles and the temporomandibular joint.
- Overuse of the muscles of chewing. This may occur if a person chews gum continuously, bites fingernails or pencils, grinds the teeth, has a habit of clenching the jaw, biting the cheek or lip or thrusting the jaw out when speaking, exercising or other actions.
- Erosion or improper movement of the disk.
- Damage to the joint from a blow or other impact.
- Arthritis.
- Trigger points in the muscle tissue that cause myofascial pain syndrome.
- Infections deep in the jaw.
- Tumors.
Often, it isn’t clear what is causing the TMJ symptoms.
TMJ disorders most commonly occur in women between the ages of 30 and 50.
What are the symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorder?
Symptoms of TMJD include:
- Pain, including tenderness in the jaw, aching pain in or around the ear, and aching facial pain. Pain may be present whether the temporomandibular joint is moving or not.
- Difficulty opening the mouth fully.
- Difficulty or discomfort while chewing.
- A clicking or popping sensation in the joint.
- Locking of the joint that makes it hard to open or close the mouth.
- Headache.
- Uncomfortable bite.
- An uneven bite because one or more teeth are making contact with each other before the other teeth do.
How is temporomandibular joint disorder diagnosed?
TMJD is diagnosed based on the patient’s symptoms. A doctor will take a medical history to learn how long you have had the symptoms, whether you have had a recent injury to the jaw or recent dental treatment.
The doctor will do a physical examination. This will include listening to and feeling your jaw when you open and close your mouth and checking to see what range of motion you have in the joint. The doctor will ask whether you have felt a clicking, popping or rough crackling sound when the lower jaw moves.
The doctor will press on areas of your jaw and face to locate the pain or discomfort. They may also ask about whether you are feeling stress and how you cope with such feelings. You will be asked about habits such as clenching your teeth, chewing gum, etc.
The doctor will check your bite. They will look for lost teeth, unusual placement of teeth, signs of chronic teeth grinding. It may be necessary to follow up with X-rays of the teeth.
In some cases, a computed tomography scan may be done to check the bones of the joint. A magnetic resonance imaging scan may be done to reveal problems with the disk in the joint.
How is temporomandibular joint disorder treated?
Treatment of TMJD varies, depending on what is causing the symptoms. Treatment may include:
- Arthocentisis, a procedure that flushes debris and the byproducts of inflammation out of the joint.
- Correcting poor habits such as grinding the teeth or chewing gum. Sometimes a device (a night guard) inserted in the mouth can help control grinding of the teeth.
- Corrective dental treatment.
- Drugs to relieve pain and reduce swelling and inflammation.
- Splints that reposition the jaw, ligaments and muscles into better alignment.
- Surgery to correct abnormalities of the jaw.
- Stress management such as meditation, deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
- Stretching or massaging the jaw muscles.
- Applying heat or cold to the muscles to relieve inflammation and pain.
Key points
- Temporomandibular joint disorder happens when there is inflammation or pain in the joints that make is possible for the jawbone to rotate and slide.
- The disorder can happen due to wear and tear on the cartilage, arthritis, injuries, dislocations, structural problems in the joint, dental problems infections or tumors.
- Treatment options run from stretching and massaging to surgery.
Next steps
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
- Know the reason for your visit and what you want to happen.
- Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
- Bring someone with you to help you ask questions and remember what your provider tells you.
- At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you.
- Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed, and how it will help you. Also know what the side effects are.
- Ask if your condition can be treated in other ways.
- Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
- Know what to expect if you do not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
- If you have a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
- Know how you can contact your provider if you have questions.
Not what you’re looking for?
Temporomandibular disorder – NHS
Temporomandibular disorder (TMD) is a condition affecting the movement of the jaw. It’s not usually serious and generally gets better on its own.
Check if you have temporomandibular disorder (TMD)
Signs of TMD include:
- pain around your jaw, ear and temple
- clicking, popping or grinding noises when you move your jaw
- a headache around your temples
- difficulty opening your mouth fully
- your jaw locking when you open your mouth
The pain may be worse when chewing and when you feel stressed.
TMD can also stop you getting a good night’s sleep.
How to ease temporomandibular disorder (TMD) yourself
There are some simple things you can do to try to reduce your jaw pain.
Do
-
eat soft food, like pasta, omelettes and soup
-
take paracetamol or ibuprofen
-
hold ice packs or heat packs to the jaw, whichever feels better
-
massage the painful jaw muscles
-
try to find ways to relax
Don’t
-
do not chew gum or pen tops
-
do not bite food with your front teeth
-
do not yawn too wide
-
do not bite your nails
-
do not clench your teeth – apart from when eating, your teeth should be apart
-
do not rest your chin on your hand
How to make your own ice packs and heat packs
Try either:
- a pack of frozen peas, wrapped in a tea towel, for no more than 5 minutes at a time, or
- a hot water bottle, wrapped in a tea towel, twice a day for 15 to 20 minutes
Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:
- you’re unable to eat or drink
- the pain is affecting your daily life
- the pain is affecting your sleep
- the pain and discomfort keep coming back
Information:
Coronavirus update: how to contact a GP
It’s still important to get help from a GP if you need it. To contact your GP surgery:
- visit their website
- use the NHS App
- call them
Find out about using the NHS during coronavirus
Treatments for temporomandibular disorder (TMD) from a GP
The GP may suggest:
- stronger painkillers
- relaxation techniques to reduce stress
- ways to improve your sleep
They might suggest you see:
- a dentist – if teeth grinding might be an issue
- a psychologist – if stress and anxiety are making your pain worse
- a physiotherapist – for advice about jaw exercises and massage
If these treatments do not help, you may be referred to a specialist in joint problems to discuss other options, such as painkilling injections or surgery.
Causes of temporomandibular disorder (TMD)
TMD can be caused by:
- teeth grinding
- wear and tear of the joint
- a blow to the head or face
- stress
- an uneven bite
Page last reviewed: 05 August 2020
Next review due: 05 August 2023
Why Does My Jaw Hurt by My Ear? | TMJ
Are you experiencing simultaneous pain in your jaw and your ear? There could be a multitude of reasons behind the pain. The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) is usually the source of pain when it comes to the jaw and ear.
If you are wondering “Why does my jaw hurt by my ear?” you are definitely on the right page. In this article, we will unearth some of the most common causes behind jaw and ear pain and how to remedy them.
Possible Reasons Why Your Jaw Hurts by Your Ear
Osteoarthritis
The most common kind of arthritis in the TMJ is osteoarthritis. Although common, it should still be taken seriously. Osteoarthritis is the result of constant wear and tear of the cartilage enveloping the joint. This triggers stiffness in the joint, eventually resulting in critical pain behind the ear and jaw.
Ear Infections
Often, ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria. They can also be caused when water or other fluids build up in and around your ear, leaving you susceptible to earache and jaw pain. Also, if you experience a mild to high fever coupled with reduced stamina, that’s a red flag.
In a condition called mastoiditis, undiagnosed ear infections may spread to other parts of the body as well. As the infection spreads, the person might encounter massive swelling and pain near the ear and jaw on one side.
In fact, severe cases of this condition can demand immediate diagnosis as they could be life-threatening.
Sinusitis
Pain under the ear or behind the jaw bone could be the result of sinusitis. But this only happens when you have a precondition of cold allergies. Since it is a virus borne infection, your nasal passage becomes irritated. This could also be accompanied by a runny nose.
Teeth Grinding
How do you know if your teeth are actually grinding? What are the symptoms? If you are experiencing erosion in your teeth or severe strain in your gums or muscles, this could be it.
The tension caused can create pain in the neck, on the front and sides of the face, or in the ears. In some cases, it can cause massive damage to the teeth, ultimately breaking them.
How to Treat Jaw Pain Caused by TMJ
You can try to nurse it from home, which is the least invasive way. Eat soft foods, stretch and massage your jaw, and apply heat and cold alternately to it.
If your symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments.
Medicines
Some over-the-counter medicines (pain relievers and anti-inflammatories) commonly prescribed for TMJ are Tylenol and ibuprofen.
Therapies
Therapies can include mouthguards to wear while sleeping, as well as physical therapy to get the jaw muscles strong and flexible.
Surgical procedures
Arthrocentesis, corticosteroid injections, TMJ arthroscopy and modified condylotomy are procedures only done in the rarest of cases.
Improve your Quality of Life
Don’t let these issues get in the way of your quality of life. Say Hello to Raleigh TMJ, a leading sleep therapy and TMJ center. It is best known for offering non-surgical therapies and enhancing the quality of your life, painlessly.
Request an appointment right away and bid goodbye to all your TMJ troubles. Additionally, you can check out our other services, which include a cure for headaches, facial pain, snoring, sleep apnea, and more. Why wait? Request an appointment!
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) | Johns Hopkins Medicine
What are the temporomandibular joints (TMJ)?
The temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are the 2 joints that connect your lower jaw to your skull. More specifically, they are the joints that slide and rotate in front of each ear, and consist of the mandible (the lower jaw) and the temporal bone (the side and base of the skull). The TMJs are among the most complex joints in the body. These joints, along with several muscles, allow the mandible to move up and down, side to side, and forward and back. When the mandible and the joints are properly aligned, smooth muscle actions, such as chewing, talking, yawning, and swallowing, can take place. When these structures (muscles, ligaments, disk, jaw bone, temporal bone) are not aligned, nor synchronized in movement, several problems may occur.
What is temporomandibular disorder (TMD)?
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are disorders of the jaw muscles, temporomandibular joints, and the nerves associated with chronic facial pain. Any problem that prevents the complex system of muscles, bones, and joints from working together in harmony may result in temporomandibular disorder.
The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research classifies TMD by the following:
-
Myofascial pain. This is the most common form of TMD. It results in discomfort or pain in the fascia (connective tissue covering the muscles) and muscles that control jaw, neck and shoulder function.
-
Internal derangement of the joint. This means a dislocated jaw or displaced disk, (cushion of cartilage between the head of the jaw bone and the skull), or injury to the condyle (the rounded end of the jaw bone that articulates with the temporal skull bone).
-
Degenerative joint disease. This includes osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis in the jaw joint.
You can have one or more of these conditions at the same time.
What causes TMD?
In many cases, the actual cause of this disorder may not be clear. Sometimes the main cause is excessive strain on the jaw joints and the muscle group that controls chewing, swallowing, and speech. This strain may be a result of bruxism. This is the habitual, involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth. But trauma to the jaw, the head, or the neck may cause TMD. Arthritis and displacement of the jaw joint disks can also cause TMD pain. In other cases, another painful medical condition such as fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome may overlap with or worsen the pain of TMD. A recent study by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research identified clinical, psychological, sensory, genetic, and nervous system factors that may put a person at higher risk of developing chronic TMD.
What are the signs and symptoms of TMD?
The following are the most common signs and symptoms of TMD:
-
Jaw discomfort or soreness (often most prevalent in the morning or late afternoon)
-
Headaches
-
Pain spreading behind the eyes, in the face, shoulder, neck, and/or back
-
Earaches or ringing in the ears (not caused by an infection of the inner ear canal)
-
Clicking or popping of the jaw
-
Locking of the jaw
-
Limited mouth motions
-
Clenching or grinding of the teeth
-
Dizziness
-
Sensitivity of the teeth without the presence of an oral health disease
-
Numbness or tingling sensation in the fingers
-
A change in the way the upper and lower teeth fit together
The symptoms of TMD may look like other conditions or medical problems. See a dentist or your doctor for a diagnosis.
What are the treatments for TMD?
Your healthcare provider will figure out the best treatment based on:
-
How old you are
-
Your overall health and medical history
-
How well you can handle specific medicines, procedures, or therapies
-
How long the condition is expected to last
-
Your opinion or preference
Treatment may include:
-
Resting the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
-
Medicine or pain relievers
-
Relaxation techniques and stress management
-
Behavior changes (to reduce or stop teeth clenching)
-
Physical therapy
-
An orthopedic appliance or mouthguard worn in the mouth (to reduce teeth grinding)
-
Posture training
-
Diet changes (to rest the jaw muscles)
-
Ice and hot packs
-
Surgery
Primary Care/General Health in Craig: What is TMJ Disorder?
By Lauren Glendenning, For Memorial Regional Health
There’s a hinge that connects the side of the skull to the lower jaw that makes it possible to open and close our mouths. This hinge, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), can get injured or damaged and cause pain in the jaw, ears and head.
TMJ disorders include TMJ syndrome or temporomandibular disorder (TMD), and they’re caused by injury to the teeth or jaw, misalignment of the teeth or jaw, teeth grinding or clenching, poor posture, stress, arthritis and gum-chewing, according to MedicineNet.
“In most patients, TMJ pain is usually a result of movement or displacement of the cartilage disc that causes pressure and stretches certain sensory nerves,” according to ENT Health, a site by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. “Popping or clicking noises occur when the disk snaps into place when the jaw moves. In addition, the chewing muscles may spasm or not function efficiently, causing pain and tenderness.”
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Patients can see an ENT specialist, dentist or surgeon if they are experiencing pain in the ear.
If the earache is not associated with hearing loss and the eardrum looks normal, a specialist then can determine the pain is associated with a TMJ disorder, according to ENT Health.
“Your pain may be sharp and searing, occurring each time you swallow, yawn, talk or chew, or it may be dull and constant. It hurts over the joint, immediately in front of the ear, but pain can also radiate elsewhere,” according to ENT Health. “It often causes spasms in the adjacent muscles attached to the bones of the skull, face and jaws. Pain can also be felt at the side of the head (the temple), the cheek, the lower jaw and the teeth.”
In order to diagnose a TMJ disorder, a specialist will listen to and feel the jaw when you open and close your mouth, observe the range of motion in the jaw and press on areas around the jaw to identify pain or discomfort. When the doctor suspects a problem, next steps might include a CT scan to provide detailed images of the bones involved, an MRI to reveal problems with the joint’s disk or surrounding tissue or dental X-rays to examine the teeth and jaw.
“TMJ arthroscopy is sometimes used in the diagnosis of a TMJ disorder,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “During TMJ arthroscopy, your doctor inserts a small thin tube (cannula) into the joint space, and a small camera (arthroscope) is then inserted to view the area and to help determine a diagnosis.”
Treating TMJ Disorders
Some cases of TMJ disorders will resolve without any treatment, but for symptoms that persist, a specialist might recommend medications, therapies, surgery or other procedures.
Medication treatments include pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, antidepressants or muscle relaxants, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Non-drug therapies include oral splints or mouth guards, physical therapy and counseling to help patients understand the factors that are contributing or aggravating pain. Your doctor might recommend resting your muscles and joints by eating soft foods, not chewing gum, not clenching or tensing your jaw, or relaxing muscles with moist heat, according to ENT Health.
Surgical procedures include arthrocentesis, a minimally invasive procedure, injections, arthroscopy and modified condylotomy (surgery on the mandible, but not in the joint itself). In the most severe cases that do not resolve with other treatments, open-joint surgery may be suggested.
How it Might Be Affecting You, And How to Find Relief
This complex joint is a series of muscles, ligaments, discs, and bones that move your jaw forward, backward, and side to side. When anything goes wrong in your jaw joint, you can experience pain and trouble moving your jaw. To understand TMJ and what treatment you’ll need, it helps to know what symptoms to look for.
Symptoms of TMJ
If you’re experiencing any of the following, you may be dealing with a temporomandibular joint disorder:
- Pain or tenderness in your jaw joint
- Pain in your neck or shoulders
- Tired feeling or pain in your face
- Swelling on the side of your face
- Pain in or around your ear
- Pain while chewing or an uncomfortable bite
- Toothaches
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Hearing problems or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Locked jaw, which makes it difficult to open or close your mouth
- Clicking or grating sensation when opening and closing your mouth
Risk factors and causes
While it’s usually easy to recognize the symptoms of temporomandibular joint and nerve pain, it’s more difficult to determine what’s causing your pain. Your doctor or dentist may not be able to tell you what’s causing your TMJ pain. However, a TMJ disorder can occur under the following situations:
- Arthritis damage in joint cartilage
- Disc erosion in the jaw
- A jaw injury like whiplash or a heavy blow
- Grinding or clenching teeth (chronic)
- Stress or anxiety that causes you to tighten facial and jaw muscles
- Poor posture
- Orthodontic braces
- Excessive use of chewing gum
- Connective tissue diseases that affect your temporomandibular joint
Diagnosing temporomandibular joint disorder
One of the first people to notice or diagnose a TMJ disorder is usually your dentist. However, your family physician, an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist, or an oral surgeon can also diagnose and treat your TMJ. Typically, your doctor will check your jaw joints for pain and tenderness. They’ll also listen for any clicking or grating sounds when you move your jaw and check your jaw’s movement and facial muscles. X-rays or further testing like a CAT scan or MRI can also help your doctor rule out other issues and give a full picture of what’s happening in your face.
Treatment options for TMJ
TMJ has many treatment options. Your first line of care can start at home. But after you’ve exhausted at-home treatment options for your jaw, you may need to see your doctor for further care.
At-home treatment
As you know and practice self-care for your temporomandibular jaw disorder, you may find relief and healing. You can do the following at home:
- Eat soft foods. Load up on non-chewy foods and avoid foods that require wide bites like thick sandwiches.
- Take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or naproxen.
- Practice good posture and avoid resting your chin on your hand.
- Avoid extreme or unnecessary jaw movements. Skip the chewing gum, place a hand under your chin when you yawn, and avoid things like singing or yelling that might cause you to open your jaw too wide.
- Position your jaw with your teeth slightly apart as often as possible. Place your tongue between your teeth if you have problems with grinding or clenching your teeth.
- Place moist heat or cold packs on your jaw and the side of your face for about 10 minutes. You can do this several times a day.
- Learn to relax. You’ll need a few stress management techniques in your arsenal to help you relax and loosen your jaw. Consider asking your doctor or dentist about how physical therapy can help.
- Massage your neck and jaw muscles. Where appropriate, ask your doctor or physical therapist about gentle stretches you can do at home.
Medical treatment
See your doctor if the pain and tenderness in your jaw is persistent, or if you can’t open and close your mouth. A doctor may recommend the following types of treatment:
- Medications such as pain relievers, muscle relaxers, or anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Oral splints or mouth guards. These oral devices can be soft or hard and usually slip over your teeth to help keep your jaw in place.
- Physical therapy. A physical therapist can give you stretches and massage techniques to help strengthen and stretch your jaw. They can also do ultrasounds and an evaluation of behaviors that might be making your TMJ worse.
- Surgical options. When other treatment options can’t relieve your pain, your doctor may suggest surgery or other procedures. Some of these might include open joint surgery, arthrocentesis, injections at the joint, TMJ arthroscopy, or modified condylotomy. These procedures range from non-invasive to traditional surgery.
Anytime you have aching pain in your face, temple, ear, or jaw, you may be dealing with TMJ. As you understand your symptoms, take care of yourself at home, and counsel with your doctor, you can find relief. Make an appointment with your doctor to learn more about TMJ and what you can do to relieve your symptoms.
7 TMJ Symptoms You Should Know in 2020
Temporomandibular joint or TMJ is a joint which connects your lower jaw to your skull. The joint is present in the both sides of your jaw in front of your ear and is responsible for many mouth activities like moving your jaw, smiling, eating, speaking, and many other activities. The joint acts like a hinge on the both sides of the jaw to make many movements.
Reasons of TMD
When your jaw or jaw muscle is injured it can cause TMJ disorder or TMD. There could be many reasons behind TMD.
-
Many people grind or clench their teeth during sleep which puts a lot of pressure on the joint and can lead to the TMD.
-
Those who are suffering from arthritis are also vulnerable to TMD.
-
The poor neck and face postures that hold muscle also responsible for TMD.
-
Stress and lack of sleep can also cause TMD syndrome.
TMJ Symptoms
There are many signs and symptoms which help you to diagnose TMJ syndrome.
-
Jaw or facial pain
-
A clicking and popping sound in the jaw
-
Popping sounds in ears
-
Ear pain/earache,
-
Headaches
-
Stiff or sore jaw muscles
-
Restricted jaw movement
These are the symptoms of TMJ disorder.
Jaw or facial pain: This is not common pain that everyone feels, while you are experiencing pain in your jaw for a long time during certain muscle activities it might be due to TMJ syndrome. Note the facial activities during which you are feeling pain in your jaw.
A clicking and popping sound in the jaw: There will be a popping sound from your TMJ joint while you are opening or closing your mouth. It might be a TMJ symptom. If you feel a clicking a popping sound from your TMJ joint while you move your jaw then could be due to TMD.
Popping sound in ear: Popping sound from your ears could be due to TMD. If you are not experiencing any pain then there is nothing to worry about as these signs disappear by themselves.
Ear pain: Many people think that ear pain is due to some problem in ear but if you experience above symptoms with pain in your ear then it could be because of TMD and not due to any other reason. If you are experiencing constant and sharp pain in your ear then you should consult your dentist.
Headache: There could be many reasons for headache and one could not relate headache to the TMJ disorder but if you pay attention to other symptoms like popping sound from TMJ, and restrict jaw movement, pain in jaw then you can relate headache with TMJ syndrome.
Stiff or sore jaw muscles: Your sore jaw muscles are one of the signs that you are suffering from TMJ disorder. If you are feeling pain in your jaw muscles while making certain facial movements, it could be due to TMD syndrome.
Restricted jaw movement: If you are not able to move your jaw or it becomes too stiff then you might be suffering from TMJ. In this case you might not feel pain but stiffness in your jaw.
So if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms you can consult your doctor. He will examine your jaw muscles to diagnose the exact reason.
However, good news is that many times you don’t need to worry about TMJ syndrome as it does not require any treatment. But if you are feeling discomfort for a long time then you should not ignore it.
For more help managing your TMJ disorder, contact the trusted team Advanced Dental Implant and TMJ Center . You can visit their website or call them at (662) 655 -4868 to ask questions or to schedule an appointment.
90,000 Tinnitus or Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome?
Tinnitus can be unpleasant and even extremely harmful to your health. Because tinnitus can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, people with tinnitus or temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) may not be able to pinpoint what they really have.
Tinnitus can be unpleasant and even extremely harmful to your health. Because tinnitus can be a symptom of a variety of conditions, people with tinnitus or temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) may not be able to pinpoint what they really have.
In moments of silence, a person wants to hear only silence. However, many people have to experience the opposite. They hear high frequency sounds, continuous ringing or even roaring. These noises are long lasting and interfere with concentration or relaxation. This condition is called tinnitus. It is characterized by the appearance of extraneous sounds when a person does not say or listen to anything.
However, such a murmur may be a symptom of TMJ dysfunction (or temporomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome).Because damage to the jaw can negatively affect hearing, TMJ dysfunction can lead to the development of tinnitus. In fact, nearly half of people with TMJ dysfunction have some form of tinnitus.
Tinnitus and TMJ dysfunction
As noted above, tinnitus is characterized by persistent, distracting tinnitus. Noise can be caused by a number of factors, including hearing impairment, blockage of the ear canal, or sudden exposure to loud noises.Tinnitus may be temporary, but persistent tinnitus is a common condition. There are ways to alleviate the problem and mask the noise to some extent, but many cases of tinnitus can be avoided with proper listening mode.
With regard to TMJ dysfunction, this condition is associated with damage to the temporomandibular joint. The disc inside this joint is responsible for connecting the jaw bones, which allows a person to speak, chew, and open their mouth.Damage to this joint can lead to tinnitus along with other symptoms.
Tinnitus can also be a symptom of TMJ dysfunction, which in turn can lead to confusion in the diagnosis of the two conditions. A patient with TMJ dysfunction may mistake tinnitus as a problem in its own right and neglect jaw treatment. To make a correct diagnosis, you need to know the difference between tinnitus and TMJ dysfunction.
How to determine the difference
It is easy to diagnose TMJ dysfunction, especially if you have persistent facial or jaw pain.In addition, patients with TMJ dysfunction may have trouble chewing or opening their mouth, and there may be joint pinching or clicking. This makes it difficult to open the mouth wider than a certain position, and the effort to open the jaw can be painful. TMJ dysfunction is common in people with arthritis or facial trauma.
Since the temporomandibular joint is located near the organ of hearing, damage to the intra-articular disc can lead to tinnitus. The best way to determine if tinnitus is associated with TMJ dysfunction is to see your dentist for an appropriate evaluation and diagnosis.
If you suspect you have TMJ dysfunction syndrome, it is best to consult a dentist. With proper treatment of TMJ dysfunction, the likelihood of reducing the manifestations of tinnitus is high.
Unless you have persistent jaw pain, you are most likely not suffering from TMJ dysfunction. Thus, your diagnosis boils down to tinnitus. If you are constantly experiencing ringing in your ears, tinnitus should be diagnosed. The otolaryngologist will consult and carry out the necessary diagnostic procedures.
A referral to a local hearing care professional can be made by your therapist. However, you can also go directly to a hearing care professional for advice and treatment. If you’re unsure of where to start, our online hearing aid locator can help you find trusted professionals in your area. An interactive map contains background information and location data, allowing you to evaluate all options before making an appointment.
90,000 Causes of Jaw Pain, Why You May Feel Pain
Jaw pain is often described as throbbing and constricting. It can appear completely suddenly or grow gradually. However, the exact symptoms vary depending on the underlying cause of the pain. Determining such an underlying cause is the first step towards eliminating the disease state. There are several possible reasons to look out for below.
Teeth grinding
Teeth grinding, or bruxism, can cause serious damage to the teeth and is one of the most common causes of jaw pain.Grinding is the clenching of the jaws that is not associated with chewing. Some people can grind their teeth in stressful situations, but most people have this phenomenon during sleep, and they may not even be aware of it. If this phenomenon is not controlled, it can lead to other damage to the oral cavity. To combat this phenomenon, you can, among other things, do exercises to relieve tension or wear protective mouth guards at night.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is an infection that spreads through the bloodstream, affecting bones and adjacent tissues.When osteomyelitis of the jaw develops, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is often affected, causing jaw pain, fever, and facial swelling. Fortunately, the condition can usually be cured with gradual antibiotics or surgery to remove areas of bone that have died from infection.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) affects the temporomandibular joint of the jaw.In addition to painful sensations, this disorder can cause clicking sounds in the jaw when opening the mouth or chewing. In some cases, this violation can even lead to “jamming” of the jaw in the open or closed position.
Other lesions of the oral cavity
Other causes of jaw pain include gum disease, dental caries and abscess. Although many of these conditions do not directly affect the jaw, the pain they cause can radiate to the jaw.In addition, in people with gaps between teeth or severe damage to the teeth, jaw pain can occur when pressure is applied to the jaw, such as when biting or chewing food. Careful adherence to oral hygiene at home and regular visits to the dentist can reduce the risk of all of these phenomena.
Abscess
An abscess is the result of an infection of the dental pulp. It usually occurs when the cavity remains untreated for an extended period of time.Bacteria that begin to spread along the root canal can also infect adjacent tissues, causing jaw pain. Regular dental check-ups and timely healing of all cavities is the best way to avoid such troubles.
Only a qualified dental professional can pinpoint the root cause of your jaw pain.
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction ›Diseases› Dr.Peter.ru
Temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ) is called differently in medicine: myofacial syndrome, chronic subluxation of the mandible, arthritis, arthrosis of the TMJ joints … of the mandibular joints at the beginning of the 20th century and discovered a connection with ear pain. This is one of the complex and painful pathologies that is not easy to diagnose and treat.
Features
Diagnosis of TMJ lesions is complicated by the fact that this pathology has a lot of symptoms. But some of them can be called classic – those that affect the TMJ joints themselves, ears, head, face and teeth. Since there are no nerve endings in the joints, when their function in this area is impaired, a person does not experience pain. It occurs in the ears, in the neck, head or at trigger points, which are seals in the muscles (masticatory, temporal, sublingual, temporal, cervical) – pain is felt when pressed on them. At the same time, there is a noise in the ears, a crunch in the joints when opening the mouth.
The most common symptom is clicking in the joint of the lower jaw, and not always accompanied by pain. The sound made by the jaw can be heard by others. If the jaw clicks, then the disc is displaced and the muscles supporting the lower jaw while chewing food are unnaturally tense. The result of this tension is pain in the muscles, face, head and neck.
Blocking, or locking, of the TMJ is a condition in which the joint moves unevenly due to the abnormalities that have occurred in it. A person notices that the lower jaw opens unevenly, as if it is catching something. And in order to open the mouth wide, you first need to move the lower jaw in one direction or the other, sometimes this has to be done until a click is heard at the point of its “unlocking”.
Due to the proximity of the TMJ to the auricles, its defeat often causes pain in the ear, its congestion, up to hearing loss. Tinnitus can cause both joint disorders and pain management with drugs (aspirin, ibuprofen).
Headache is one of the most common symptoms of TMJ pathology. It usually concentrates in the temples, the back of the head, and even the shoulders (shoulder blades). Jaw clenching and teeth grinding (bruxism), which can also be symptoms of TMJ, cause muscle pain that can lead to headaches. A displaced TMJ disc can also cause joint pain, which often radiates to the temples, forehead, or neck. Moreover, these pains are so strong that doctors often confuse them with migraines or with brain pathologies.
Due to bruxism, which can be both a cause and a consequence of TMJ lesions, teeth can become very sensitive. At the same time, the dentist cannot find the reasons for this sensitivity and is forced to depulp the teeth, and in some cases remove them in order to relieve his patient of pain. But, on the contrary, it is getting stronger.
TMJ pathology can be associated with back pain due to increased muscle tension (myofascial pain syndrome), dizziness, disorientation, confusion, depression and, on its background, sleep disturbance.It is also possible to develop photophobia (increased sensitivity to light), pain in the eye, blurred vision, and twitching of the eye muscles.
Description
TMJ is a joint located in front of the ear, consisting of the temporal bone and the lower jaw. Muscles that perform the functions of chewing, swallowing and speaking connect the lower jaw to the skull. It is this apparatus that allows our jaw to move left and right, open and close our mouth, and extend the lower jaw. It works correctly when the lower jaw moves synchronously in the joint both on the right and on the left – this is a symmetrical organ, therefore, in the event of a malfunction of one of them, the work of the other also fails. TMJ diseases develop when the lower jaw moves during the opening and closing of the mouth and other movements of the lower jaw.
Dysfunction occurs in all age groups, and in general people suffering from this pathology, according to various estimates, up to 70 percent. Among the reasons for its occurrence are malocclusion, a sharp overstrain of the masticatory muscles when chewing hard and rough food, improper dental treatment (tooth filling, prosthetics), bruxism and increased tooth wear, sports loads that lead to overstrain of certain muscle groups.
Often the cause of the development of TMJ dysfunction is stress, as well as improper dental treatment, more precisely, errors of orthopedic dentists, orthodontists, therapists, surgeons: even the treatment of simple caries can lead to dysfunction of the mandibular joint, if the dentist therapist placed an inflated filling, which violated the symmetry and led to one-sided loads, and then to displacement of the discs, and with it to pain. The causes of this disease can also be a joint injury, abrasion of teeth with bruxism, excessive stress during sports.
First aid
If you are sure that the pain that you are experiencing is associated with dysfunction of the mandibular joint, then in order to improve the function of chewing and reduce pain, you can use moist heat: you need to apply a compress to the sore spot – a bottle of hot water can perform its function. wrapped in a warm damp towel to avoid scalding.
Ice can help reduce inflammation and dull pain. However, the ice bag (or plastic ice bottle) should not be placed directly on the skin, it is better to wrap it in a cloth.Remember that you cannot use ice for more than 10-15 minutes, the break between the installation of compresses should be at least an hour.
Analgesics can help temporarily relieve pain.
Soft (can be ground) or mixed food gives the jaw a chance to rest. Avoid hard, crunchy, and chewy foods. Do not try to open your mouth as wide as possible by biting off large pieces.
Learn relaxation techniques that are comfortable for you: Relaxation can help you manage the pain that accompanies TMJ dysfunction.
Diagnostics
It is difficult to diagnose TMJ dysfunction not only for dentists, but also for doctors of other specialties, so it often turns out that the disease is detected late and the treatment is long and difficult. To diagnose TMJ syndrome, radiography (including orthopantomogram), electromyography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arthroscopy are used. In order to make a correct diagnosis, it is important to consult with specialists from different directions in dentistry.
Treatment
Due to the fact that joint dysfunction is difficult to diagnose, even dentists have little knowledge of this pathology and methods of treatment. Therefore, most patients do not receive qualified timely help and go to osteopaths, chiropractors, otolaryngologists, therapists, neurologists, psychotherapists . .. In fact, dentists should deal with the treatment of TMJ diseases, depending on the cause of this condition.
To achieve success in therapy, a set of measures is needed: orthodontic treatment to correct the occlusion, surgery, retreatment of teeth, prosthetics, physiotherapy, acupuncture.
According to the indications, the doctor may prescribe a nightly wearing of a trainer – an articular splint, with the help of which myofascial pain syndrome is relieved. It can be used for both diagnosis and prevention of tooth abrasion with bruxism.
It is imperative to treat TMJ dysfunction – when the disc is displaced, the articular surfaces undergo restructuring (arthrosis), coarse connective tissue grows in the joint cavity, which leads to immobilization of the joint – ankylosis.
Prevention
Prevention is a timely and high-quality treatment and prosthetics of teeth, correction of occlusion, timely seeking help from a doctor after an injury.
© Dr. Peter
TMJ Pathology | Articles
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunctions occupy a special place among the diseases of the dental profile. This is due to its functional and anatomical features, as well as the complexity of the clinical picture and differential diagnosis. Joint pathology may resemble other diseases that are within the purview of psychiatrists, otolaryngologists, neurologists, and oncologists.
According to various sources, TMJ dysfunction occurs in 25–65% of the population, among young men and adolescents – in 15–30%. The prevalence of pathology is associated with the high stress that the joint is subjected to during its life. He is constantly involved in conversation, yawning, chewing, facial movements. In terms of strength, only the knee joint can compete with it. Another reason for frequent disturbances in the work of anatomical education is the complexity of its structure.
The temporomandibular joint is the only paired joint in the human body, in which movements are carried out only synchronously. It is formed by the fossa and tubercle of the temporal bone from above and the head of the lower jaw from below. The anatomical formation is surrounded by an articular capsule, it is strengthened by the ligamentous apparatus. Movements in a healthy joint are carried out in three planes. Tendons and chewing muscles are also involved in the work of the lower jaw. If all these structures function normally, a person does not experience pain and discomfort during her movements.
Disorders of the TMJ can be the result of pathology of the joint itself and of the masticatory muscles, congenital deformities of the bite and facial skeleton, as well as a consequence of improper treatment by the dentist.
The main causes of TMJ diseases
- Injuries (fractures of the facial bones and jaw, excessive opening of the mouth).
- The action of mechanical factors (ingestion of coarse food).
- Endocrine, metabolic and systemic disorders.
- Infectious diseases.
- Physical and emotional stress.
- Bad habits (nail biting).
- Congenital defects of the maxillofacial apparatus.
- Inadequate dental treatment (dental fillings, prosthetics, treatment with braces, etc.)etc.).
Symptoms of TMJ pathology
- Soreness and spasms in the muscles of the face.
- Clicks and crunches in the joint when chewing and yawning.
- Pain and ringing in the ears, hearing loss on the affected side.
- Swelling and redness of the skin in the joint area.
- Enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes.
- Joint deformity.
- Dizziness, headaches.
- General malaise, fever.
The most popular types of diseases of the temporomandibular joint
- Joint dislocation. It is characterized by a displacement of the head of the lower jaw relative to the temporal fossa. Can be one-way or two-way, front or back. The main cause of pathology is trauma. Dislocation is manifested by pain in the joint when opening the mouth, the inability to close the mouth. Slurred speech and excessive salivation are other symptoms.
- Internal joint disorders.Associated with the displacement of the intra-articular disc and damage to the ligaments and capsule of the joint. A symptom of the disease is difficulty in jaw movement, accompanied by pain and clicks in the TMJ.
- Arthritis. An inflammatory disorder characterized by pain and difficulty in moving the jaw. The soft tissues in this area become swollen, and the skin over the joint turns red. Local and general body temperature is elevated.
- Arthrosis. The disease is characterized by a protracted nature of the course with a gradual progression of the disease and deformation of the articular surfaces.To cure it, you should pay attention to the following symptoms in a timely manner: difficulty in movement of the lower jaw (stiffness, stiffness), which is accompanied by pain and crunching. The occurrence of arthrosis is provoked by inflammatory diseases and metabolic disorders.
- Muscular-articular dysfunction. At the heart of the disease is a violation of the closure of the teeth caused by an improper bite or injury. A common cause of musculoskeletal dysfunction is untimely or incorrect dental prosthetics, as well as inadequate orthodontic treatment.Other causes of the disease are endocrine and metabolic disorders, stress, bruxism. As a result of these processes, well-coordinated work and the correct anatomical ratio of the masticatory muscles and joint components are disrupted.
- Two variants of dysfunction are known: with painful sensations in the masticatory muscles and without them. In the second case, the pain is one-sided and persistent. It can be localized in the parotid, buccal, temporal and other areas of the face and be given to the teeth, ear, tongue, hard palate.The pain increases during chewing, head movements, hypothermia and is relieved for a while after taking painkillers. Other symptoms include limitation of movement of the lower jaw, feeling of numbness, facial asymmetry, clicks when the joint works.
Treatment
If a joint is dysfunctional, you should immediately seek help from a specialist. Diseases of this group are treated by maxillofacial surgeons who have received appropriate training and experience in this field.If necessary, they involve other doctors – orthodontists, orthopedic dentists, psychotherapists, neurologists, otolaryngologists, and general orthopedists.
If you suspect TMJ disease, it makes no sense to go to dentists in government agencies and private clinics. Specialists of this profile are engaged in the treatment of teeth and oral cavity and are not entitled to provide assistance to patients with joint diseases.
Before trusting a doctor who took up TMJ therapy, find out if he has the necessary diplomas and qualifications, how long he has been dealing with this problem and what are the results of his work.
All disorders of the temporomandibular joint are treated in a comprehensive manner: specialists use conservative and surgical methods, including physiotherapy, neurological and psychotherapeutic treatment, surgical interventions, and various options for orthodontic correction.
For an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, seek help from an arthrologist.
90,000 Reception of a dentist-gnatologist in Ufa.
Gnathology: an integrated approach to solving dental problems and not only
Most problems in the work of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are associated with changes in other parts of the body.Pain in the masticatory joint is often manifested due to pathological occlusion (closing) of the teeth. Violations of synchronicity in the movement of the masticatory muscles lead to malocclusion and dysfunction in the work of the temporomandibular joint.
In addition, the mandibular joint is associated with the spine, hip, knee and shoulder joints, skeletal muscles. Therefore, any disturbances in the work of one of the joints provoke disruptions in the functioning of the rest.
Therefore, TMJ pathology can be eliminated only in a complex manner.Otherwise, the desired result will not be achieved.
Gnathology in dentistry
Gnathology is an interdisciplinary direction that arose at the junction of several sciences: dentistry (orthodontics), otolaryngology, neurology, maxillofacial surgery, kinesiology, osteopathy.
What does a gnathologist do
Gnathologist – a doctor who identifies and eliminates the cause and degree of dysfunction in the dentition. He diagnoses and treats diseases of the TMJ, masticatory and facial muscles, trigeminal nerve, corrects bite and prepares the oral cavity for prosthetics.
In the competence of a gnathologist:
- correction of the displacement of the articular disc;
- determination of the correct ratio of jaws and interalveolar height;
- restoration of the correct movements of the lower jaw;
- reconstruction of the anatomical structure of the teeth to ensure gentle and effective chewing with excessive abrasion of enamel and bruxism;
- elimination of the consequences of maxillofacial injuries;
- restoration of vision and hearing in neurological disorders caused by incorrect dental treatment;
- planning and conducting muscle relaxation therapy.
When to see a gnathologist
It is recommended to make an appointment with a specialist at:
- discomfort when closing teeth;
- persistent muscle pain in the jaws, neck, shoulders, occiput, face;
- persistent unreasonable headaches;
- pain and tension in the neck;
- soreness in healthy teeth;
- obstruction of the ears or the appearance of noise of unexplained origin;
- articulation disorders;
- bruxism;
- asymmetric closure of the dentition;
- inability to completely close the teeth;
- Pain or contraction of the facial muscles when eating, laughing or yawning;
- limited opening of the mouth;
- jamming of the jaw when opening or closing the mouth;
- crunch and clicks in the jaw joints.
It is recommended to consult with a specialist before placing braces, prosthetics and dental implants in order to properly distribute the load on the jaw and get an optimal result.
Methods of diagnosis and treatment in gnathology
Before starting treatment, the doctor assesses the condition of the dentition, the facial part of the skull and the spinal column, determines the size of the jaws, examines the mandibular joint and the chewing muscles. For this purpose, he performs X-rays and computed tomography.In the dental clinic Zet 32, professional X-ray equipment Xgenus DC and a radiovisiograph “O wandy” are used to obtain images. If necessary, the gnathologist can refer you for consultation to other specialists – an orthodontist, orthopedist, implantologist, vertebrologist, neurologist, psychologist, maxillofacial surgeon, osteopath.
The next step is modeling. The gnathologist of our clinic designs the future bite, taking into account the location of each tooth, using digital CAD / CAM technologies, which allows obtaining a 3D image.
The doctor uses several methods to eliminate detected problems:
- Myogymnastics – exercises that correct the incorrect work of the muscles, contribute to the formation of a correct bite and prevent relapses. The specialist selects the complex of therapeutic exercises individually.
- Splint therapy – the use of splints (centering, uncoupling, stabilizing, relaxation), eliminating discomfort and restoring the position of the jaws.
- Splint therapy – installation of mouth guards or trainers to restore muscle function.
- Grinding teeth – relieves pathological occlusion.
- Prosthetics – restores the dentition.
Gnathologist Opportunities
Thanks to the study of causal relationships and an integrated approach, the gnathologist receives a complete picture of the structure of the patient’s dentoalveolar apparatus and determines all the features of its functioning. As a result, he manages to find out the causes of any dental pathologies, which guarantees effective treatment.
The gnathologist Khairutdinova Aigul Favisovna, who has extensive knowledge in her field, the necessary skills and many years of experience (21 years), practices in the Z 32 digital dentistry clinic. It will restore the work of the temporomandibular joint after injuries and chronic diseases, as well as solve the most serious problems, which will ensure the correct and smooth functioning of the temporomandibular joint.
To make an appointment with a specialist, call the phone numbers listed on the website, or order a call back.
Diseases of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)
TMJ is a joint that moves the lower jaw, double, unstable, experiencing tremendous stress. The lower jaw moves both during wakefulness and when we sleep. With the help of the lower jaw and its joint, we swallow saliva 2000 times a day, breathe, chew, talk, express emotions, think, lift weights.
There are many TMJ pathologies. Affect people of all ages. There are congenital, such as underdevelopment of the head, deformities; acquired – dysfunctions, snapping jaw, arthrosis-arthritis, adhesion (“sticking” of articular elements), others, including those associated with systemic diseases. They cause pain not only in the joint area, but also in the muscles of the face, back of the head, neck, between the shoulder blades, discomfort when eating, problems in communication, and worsen the quality of life. They affect posture and spine, respiration, and hence the amount of oxygen entering the human brain, and the work of internal organs. They can cause secondary lesions of large and small nerves that do not respond to conventional treatment regimens. The reasons are varied – starting with birth injuries, bite pathology and the formation of skull bones, as well as loss of teeth, decreased bite height, bruxism, incorrect treatment or dental prosthetics.Often, stress, both acute and chronic, psychological shocks, depression, and taking medications, including hormonal ones, can provoke and aggravate the development of TMJ pathology. Trauma, sports, household, can also be the cause. “Whiplash” injury in a car accident, in which the cervical spine is damaged. Injuries not directly related to the cervical region, skull bones and jaws: any fractures of the limbs, spinal column, postoperative, post-burn scars. When visiting a doctor, patients complain of pain when moving the lower jaw, chewing, “tight opening” of the mouth, “seizing” the jaw, clicks, crunching, dizziness, decreased visual acuity, hearing, poor sleep.The diagnosis is established by complaints, history of the development of the disease, clinical examination. Additional examinations are orthopanthogram, X-ray, CT, 3D images, MRI.
Pathologies not associated with underdevelopment, with arthritic deformities, are treated on an outpatient basis. The prognosis is conditionally favorable, especially with early treatment. Arthrosis-arthritis cannot be cured. The complex measures carried out allow to suspend the destruction of the joint, eliminate pathological manifestations, and improve the quality of life of patients.
In the treatment of TMJ pathology, the dentist is assisted by doctors – osteopaths, neurologists, orthodontists, orthopedists, speech therapists, kinesiologists. Specific medication is prescribed.
The earlier the patient addresses his problem, the better the prognosis.
90,000 Changes occurring with a decrease in bite. Correction methods
Changes occurring with a decrease in bite. Correction methods.
A decreasing bite or a decrease in occlusal height is a complication that develops during a formed, permanent bite due to pathological abrasion of the teeth, functional overload with extensive defects in the dentition in the lateral sections and is accompanied by a weakening of the supporting apparatus of the teeth and their displacement.Examination of the oral cavity reveals pathological abrasion up to 1/3 of the length of the crown of the tooth with possible indentations in the exposed dentin of various shapes and degrees of severity.
According to a mass survey, a declining bite occurs in 6% of the population aged 20 and over.
The main complaints of patients.
Violation of the configuration of the face, pain in the temporomandibular joint (joints), masticatory muscles, various parts of the face, head and neck. Some patients complain of hearing loss, a feeling of stuffiness and tinnitus, dry mouth, seizures, pain, burning in various parts of the tongue. Facial pain occurs when chewing, opening and closing the mouth. By the nature of the pain in the face, one can distinguish true trigeminal neuralgia, in which pains are paroxysmal and acute, from dull, monotonous, intensifying pains when the lower jaw moves. However, the above symptoms, along with others, manifest themselves strictly individually, are characterized by varying degrees of severity, and the whole complex of symptoms is not always observed.Some patients do not attach due importance to such phenomena as crepitus, clicking in the temporomandibular joint, displacement of the lower jaw when opening or closing the mouth, limited opening of the mouth, grinding of teeth (bruxism), bruxomania, i.e., symptoms of functional disorders of the nervous system. muscular apparatus (parafunction).
In cases where the reason for the decrease in the occlusal height is only pathological abrasion, the teeth remain stable, but their shape changes significantly, and facets of abrasion are observed on all teeth. Depending on the type of bite, the process of erasure prevails either in a vertical or horizontal direction.
The clinical picture of a declining bite is significantly worse in cases when pathological abrasion of the teeth is combined with the loss of a large number of lateral teeth. For such patients, in addition to the functional overload of the periodontal and pathological mobility of the teeth, the expansion of the periodontal gap, deformation of the rows, expressed in dentoalveolar lengthening, inclination of the teeth in different directions, as well as the introduction into the alveolar process of the teeth, which carries the occlusal load, are characteristic.These violations are especially pronounced in pathological bites (deep, cross with deep incisal overlap, progenic and prognathic). These violations, as a rule, are accompanied by a decrease in occlusion, which undoubtedly affects the load and functional state of the temporomandibular joint.
Methods for bite correction.
There are five main ways to correct the bite, each of which corresponds to the conditions of the peculiarities of the structure of the jaws and the state of the patient’s dentition.
1. The path of a set of regular exercises. During exercise, the load falls on the chewing and facial muscles. Exercise contributes to the prevention, easy correction and correction of malocclusion. They also improve diction, form the correct position of the jaws and develop muscle memory of the correct movement; With all the advantages of this method of bite correction, it also eats and cons – this process is quite lengthy, it requires a lot of time, effort and perseverance from a person.
2. Way of using orthodontic appliances.In this capacity, trainers, plates, mouth guards and braces are used. They allow you to correct the bite at any age with the help of physical impact. One of the most effective methods of bite correction, minus – some ease of use, and there are also restrictions on use in case of serious bite deformities.
|Braces||Aligners (mouthguards)||Trainers|
Kappa is a removable design that is fixed on the denture or on the teeth of the upper or lower jaw.It covers the entire dentition and has close contact with the chewing surfaces of the antagonist teeth, thereby achieving the stability of the prostheses and uniform pressure on the underlying tissues of the prosthetic field. To ensure freedom of movement of the lower jaw, dental impressions on the occlusal surface of the aligner are made almost flat. Unhindered sliding of the teeth during the anterior and lateral chewing movements of the jaw is carefully calibrated and achieved by grinding the plastic. The mouthguard is made of plastic to match the color of the teeth; the vestibular surfaces of the teeth are modeled on it.To clarify the boundaries of the kappa and ensure its better fixation, it is recommended to use the parallelography method.
With the help of a mouthguard, the bite height is raised 3-4 mm above the level of physiological rest, which is accompanied by prolonged muscle relaxation, which greatly facilitates the adaptation of the muscular apparatus to the mouthguard. The limit of the possible raising of the bite on the mouthguard can be set according to the following signs: the patient, although with some effort, is able to close his lips, is able to swallow saliva.
After completion of the preparation, the bite height is reduced to a constructive one, the reaction of the joint and muscles is checked, and after 2-3 weeks the patient receives new prostheses, with the help of which the central ratio of the jaws is completely restored.
The main indication for muscle preparation is long-term (10-25 years) use of prostheses and, as a rule, a significant decrease in the height of the bite and displacement of the lower jaw. Observations show that patients who could not previously master prostheses even with a minimal increase in the height of the bite, after preliminary preparation, successfully use prostheses. The adaptation period to new prostheses is reduced from one month to several days.
Having applied the method of preparation of the chewing muscles also in case of dysfunctions of the dentition associated with a decrease in bite, we noted that after the application of the mouthguard disappears or noticeably decreases: spasm of the chewing muscles, pain or discomfort in the area of the chewing muscles and the temporomandibular joint, decrease or eliminate completely displacement of the lower jaw, both in occlusion and with a wide opening of the mouth.
3. The way of surgical intervention. Surgical correction applies only to adult patients. The advantage is that it is possible to correct even the most difficult deformity of the bite, the negative side is that surgical intervention is always a risk in itself.
4. Complex method. The method combines the use of orthodontic and surgical intervention; This method is good for drastic action in terms of bite correction.
5. Orthopedic correction (prosthetics). This includes replacing an extracted tooth with a prosthesis, installing veneers and crowns. The method allows you to correct the bite in the shortest possible time ..
Veneers – special onlays for aesthetic restorations. They are placed only on the front teeth. But the most cardinal solution for bite correction is correction by installing crowns.
Types of prosthetics:
The capabilities of modern dentistry allow you to restore the integrity of the smile in any situation.The main types of dentures:
1. Removable are used in the absence of all teeth, the structure is attached using special plates.
2. Fixed are used to restore the decayed part of the tooth, as well as in the case of the loss of one or two elements. Such products are installed for a certain period, they cannot be removed without the help of a specialist.
3. Implantation – implantation of an implant (acting as a root) into the jaw bone, on which a crown is put on.This type of prosthetics allows not only to restore the integrity of the smile, but also to restore its functionality to the dentition. This method acts as an alternative, but expensive for prosthetics.
This type of prosthetics has a high cost, but is the best of its kind, since it avoids various unpleasant consequences of missing teeth (for example, atrophy of jaw tissues). One or more defects can be repaired with implants.As a rule, in the complete absence of the dentition, removable dentures are used, which are attached to the artificial roots using bar or push-button mechanisms. To restore several teeth, special bridges are installed on implants.
Basic indications for implantation:
if one tooth is missing in the presence of healthy adjacent ones,
loss of the end chewing units of the dentition,
there are no 1-2 supports for fixing the bridge,
it is impossible to install a removable structure.
Modern prosthetics always begins with wax restoration of the shape of the teeth. This is necessary to create high-quality dentures and veneers. Wax teeth modeling is an absolutely painless procedure. Wax is a natural material that is safe for human health.
The ability to model teeth is a real breakthrough in dentistry. The fact is that the patient is not always able to voice his desires, and the dentist can understand what exactly the patient means. To eliminate this misunderstanding, a wax-up is needed.
Wax-up dentistry.
At the dentist’s office, impressions are taken. They are then sent to the laboratory for wax modeling. Wax modeling has many advantages, namely:
• inaccuracies can be eliminated at the initial stage,
• the patient will not experience any inconvenience when wearing dentures,
• wax modeling shortens the period of getting used to dentures,
• adjacent teeth are not affected during manufacture dentures,
• excellent end result.
All these advantages make the use of this method the most acceptable in comparison with other methods of prosthetics.
Wax modeling technique.
There are two approaches to Wax-up in modern dentistry. In the first one, the technician models the future denture and submits it to the patient for approval. If the latter has any comments, then the necessary adjustments are made to the tooth mock using technical wax. Only after this does the technician start working on the future design.Here, the Wax-up technology is used only to show an early result. This completes the wax modeling in orthopedics.
The second approach is technologically more complex. Here, the technician deals not only with the external data of the tooth, but also with its functionality. First, the patient is shown work on the model, and then transferred to the oral cavity. In practice, it turns out something like this. The technician gives the tooth, created through the wax-up, to the doctor, who, using a special technology, inserts it into the patient’s mouth. That is, they put a temporary structure as close as possible to the future denture. The patient walks with it for some time, so that later you can make adjustments to the final prosthesis.
THE WAX-UP TECHNOLOGY IS PRODUCED IN SEVERAL STAGES:
At the very beginning, the doctor takes casts of the teeth of both jaws. They are made from high quality silicone material.
Fixation of the habitual closing of both jaws is performed. The procedure is carried out using silicone bite rollers.
The dentist then uses the facial arch to record the movements of the dentition. This is one of the most important stages of wax modeling. Then comes the work of the articulator, which debugs all the patient’s chewing movements.
Taking all facial features into account, the bite is measured. For example, if it is lowered, then it is raised. The technology allows you to accurately calculate the height to which the bite should be set. Thanks to her, the technician can create the required tooth as accurately as possible.
The model is being manufactured. She is cast into an articulator.
After analyzing the model, the technician, taking into account the wishes of the doctor and the patient, begins the wax-up of the tooth.
Benefits of the procedure.
Wax-up technology has many advantages. Here are the most obvious ones:
• the patient can look at the future tooth ahead of time;
• the possibility of correcting the appearance of the tooth even before the manufacture of the prosthesis, which favorably affects the price and time of installation of the prosthesis;
• more gentle preparation;
• Possibility of direct temporary restoration.
Performed by the dentist, orthopedist Molokov E.V.
. | https://elispot.biz/about-all/pain-when-opening-mouth-jaw-and-by-ear-the-request-could-not-be-satisfied.html |
SUBSCRIBE:
The humanitarian metadata Problem - Doing no harm in the digital era
Share
A migrant makes a call with the help of a member of the Italian Red Cross outside the 'Tracing Bus', a mobile office giving people the opportunity to re-establish a link with their families, in Rome, 6 March 2017
New technologies continue to present great risks and opportunities for humanitarian action. To ensure that their use does not result in any harm, humanitarian organisations must develop and implement appropriate data protection standards, including robust risk assessments.
However, this requires a good understanding of what these technologies are, what risks are associated with their use, and how we can try to avoid or mitigate them. This joint report by Privacy International and the International Committee of the Red Cross aims to provide people who work in the humanitarian sphere with the knowledge they need to understand the risks involved in the use of certain new technologies. It also discusses the "do no harm" principle and how it applies in a digital environment.
New technologies continue to present great risks and opportunities for humanitarian action. To ensure that their use does not result in any harm, humanitarian organisations must develop and implement appropriate data protection standards, including robust risk assessments.
Laws passed since Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency in May 2012 have dramatically strengthened the Russian authorities’ control over the flow of information online and offline. Much of this crackdown has been fuelled by Russia’s foreign policy, in particular its role in the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine and its armed intervention in Syria.
The Cyber Harassment Helpline was launched after the successful completion of the Hamara Internet (translates as “Our Internet”) project, and based on its findings in the “Measuring Pakistani Women's Experience of Online Violence” report
While AI impacts a plethora of rights, ARTICLE 19 and Privacy International are particularly concerned about the impact it will have on the right to privacy and the right to freedom of expression and information.
Based on extensive interviews with writers, poets, artists, activists, and others personally affected by the government’s grip on online expression, as well as interviews with anonymous employees at Chinese social media companies, the report lays bare the destructive impact of the Chinese government’s vision of “cyber sovereignty” on netizens who dare to dissent.
The general trend over the past 10 years has been bleak, with an overall negative trajectory for press freedom. The major turning point was the election of Xi Jinping as General Secretary of the Communist Party of China in 2012 and President of China in 2013.
Pakistan has been slow to recognize that violence, threats and harassment faced online by journalists reflects the violence they are exposed to offline. A nationwide survey of working journalists was conducted to ascertain their level of digital insecurity, to record their experiences and the protections they desired from the journalist community, their media organizations, and the government.
Internet Landscape of Pakistan is an indigenous effort to regularly monitor and document the ongoing trends and challenges that impact digital and human rights in the country. This is the third edition in the series.
The report examines the rise of fraudulent news, defined here as demonstrably false information that is being presented as a factual news report with the intention to deceive the public, and the related erosion of public faith in traditional journalism. The report identifies proposed solutions at the intersection of technology, journalism, and civil society to empower news consumers with better skills and tools to help them process the torrents of information they see online.
The lack of a comprehensive legal framework for privacy rights and data protection in Lebanon has led to the adoption of illegal mass surveillance programs and to the violation of individual and collective privacy without repercussions
IFEX publishes original and member-produced free expression news and reports. Some member content has been edited by IFEX. We invite you to contact [email protected] to request permission to reproduce or republish in whole or in part content from this site.
Get more stories like this
Sign up for our newsletters and get the most important free expression news delivered to your inbox. | |
June 13, 2021
Maintaining your lawn or small yard is no mean task. It usually requires time and effort on your part. It is also not that fun. But if you have the best lawnmower at hand, you can turn this menial and monotonous task into an enlivening activity. Choosing the right mower, however, isn’t a walk in the park. More often, if you are ill-advised, you may end up buying not the ideal lawnmower for your needs. This is because there are myriads of brands and models of lawnmowers on the market today. This makes it a bit difficult for you to choose the best one then.
To help you zero in on the best lawnmower, we have outlined here the important factors that you need to consider when buying a lawnmower. With the help of these factors, you can readily narrow down your choices to a few options that have the ideal features and designs. From thereon, you can select the best lawnmower that could address your mowing needs.
Of course, before you can zero in on a specific model or brand, you need to first figure out how large your small yard is. The average size of household yards ranges from .14 to .19 acre. This is equivalent to around 6,788 square yards. So, basically small yards are something within this range.
Table of Contents
- Factors to Consider When Buying a Household Lawn Mower
- Most Recommended Lawn Mowers for Small Yards
- Final Words:
Factors to Consider When Buying a Household Lawn Mower
There are indeed important factors to consider when buying a lawnmower for a small yard. Since you will be spending your hard-earned money for this, you definitely need to choose the best. Here are the significant factors that you need to consider when buying a lawnmower.
1) Cutting Width
The cutting width of a mower should factor well in your choice. In a way, it could determine your efficiency in cutting your lawn. It is important that your choice of lawnmower should be able to cut through a wide swathe of ground within a single pass. With a wider cutting width, you can cover enough ground with less effort and time.
2) Topography of Your Yard
One question that you need to ask yourself before buying a lawnmower is whether your yard has a level topography. If it has hills, you would surely not need a gas-powered lawnmower that is quite heavy to use. You will surely find it hard to move it uphill if it is heavy. Sometimes, you will be pushing it hard just to move uphill. This will take its toll on your energy, especially if you are doing the cutting during warm weather. Hence, if you want to be efficiently cutting through your hilly yard, you should instead opt for a lawnmower that is not heavy.
3) Corded or Cordless?
Another choice that you need to make when buying a lawnmower is whether to opt for corded or not. You can inspect your lawn and try to figure out if a corded lawnmower will be suitable for use in your lawn. You will figure out whether a corded one would give you a hard time working out your yard. Is the power socket output accessible in the lawn? Figuring out where the center point of your lawn will help you decide whether a corded or a cordless one is best for you.
4) Consider the size of your Lawnmower
If you have a lawn that you can quickly mow within an hour, I think what you need is a cordless lawnmower. You should also opt for an electric one. But more often, the cost of the battery of a cordless model costing you more money. Moreover, there is the problem of the battery not lasting longer than you expect, which could be a bit frustrating. So, I would also suggest that you get a corded electric lawnmower.
The ideal lawnmower’s size for small yard’s use usually ranges from 12 to 21 inches wide. If your lawn is just a quarter of an acre, you simply need something like a push-reel mower. You can also either choose between corded or battery-powered lawnmowers. However, if your lawn is bigger, you need to go for a wider lawnmower like that of the 21-inch Greenworks and Snapper. If it is too wide to squeeze into tight areas, you may leave the trimming of that area to a trimmer. A smaller mower, of course, will not give you any problem working around tighter areas.
Most Recommended Lawn Mowers for Small Yards
To further facilitate the buying process for you, we have listed here four of the most recommended lawn mowers for small yards:
1) BLACK+DECKER MTC220
The BLACK+DECKER MTC220 features a 3-in-1 mower that could handle difficult pretty well those areas like edges. It is convenient when cutting down grass in smaller gardens with tighter areas and corners. It features an automatic feed system that is integrally built. This keeps this mower running unless you turn it off. It can power itself through wet and muddy grounds without being bogged down.
The good thing about the Black & Decker MTC is that you can easily detach it from its wheel and transform its handle into a distinct and separate trimmer, allowing you to complete your mowing tasks manually. It is, therefore, very useful for cleaning up areas that you find difficult to access. It also features long-lasting 20V Max Batteries that provide it with enough power to clean up your yard many times before having to replace the batteries. This lawnmower is indeed versatile and is specially designed for cleaning up a small lawn.
2) Greenworks 25022 Corded Lawn Mower
The Greenworks 25022 Corded Lawn Mower is a durable mower manufactured by Greenworks that makes use of an electric motor. It comes with a range of settings for different mowing situation. It has seven built-in levels for height adjustments. This allows you to lower or raise its whole body when trimming different heights of grass. This also means that you can engage in cutting grass down to the minimum level.
The Greenworks 25022 is considered one of the best lawnmowers for a small yard. It features a reasonably compact design that makes it very much ideal for mowing through tight spaces. You can readily fold its handles as well as remove its rear bag for easy storage. You can also switch its system to the side-discharging mode or mulching mode for a change in its disposal of grass clippings. It comes with a 20-inch steel deck with a powerful 12-amp motor. It also features a push-button start along with a drive system manual. Lastly, it features a 10-inch rear and 7-inch front wheels. You will surely find this mower great for your small yards.
3) EGO Power+ Cordless Lawn Mower
The EGO Power+ Cordless Lawn Mower is a nicely designed lawnmower for a small yard that has divided grass patches and split grass patches. It is easy to move between these patches without necessarily damaging its blades. The EGO Power is a cordless mower that allows for three ways of grass disposal. You can set it for side discharging, mulching, and bagging. So, this lawnmower is ideal for use in yards that require constant cleaning up.
The Ego Power comes with a compact design along with foldable handles. You can also conveniently store away this mower without taking up much space. It is easy to operate via a simple push of a button. You can also turn it off easily when passing through paved pathways. Furthermore, you can easily turn it on when your back on the grassy ground. It has a 20-inch cutting capacity and is designed to withstand the challenges of the changing weather condition. However, it is a bit expensive.
4) American Lawn Mower 1204-14
The American Lawn Mower 1204-14 features a simple design, yet an effective one. It does the job well despite its simple design. It is also compact as well as being lightweight. Even your wife can handle such a compact mower. Its smoothly spinning blades are known for their quiet operations. Moreover, it comes with easy-roll wheels for smooth sailing across your lawn.
It also comes with a tempered-alloy steel reel along with bed-knife blades that provide precise and clean cuts. It also features a small 14-inch cutting width, though it comes with limited cutting adjustment options. Additionally, it only has three levels of adjustments from 1/2 inch to 1 3/4 inches. Lastly, it is ideal for use in cutting turfgrasses, but it is not effective in cutting tougher and thicker wet grass.
Final Words:
The abovementioned different factors that you need to consider when buying a lawnmower for small yards would surely help you easily zero in on the right lawnmower for your mowing needs. You can easily narrow down your choices if you make use of these factors as your guide when buying. Getting the right mower, of course, will surely save you a lot of time and effort when mowing your small yard. Hence, it is better to get it right at the onset that to regret having bought a mower that is not up to the task. | https://www.mechanicwiz.com/small-yard-lawn-mowers/ |
The following subtopics help present the financial plan for Bizcomm.
The following table and chart show our Break-even Analysis.
The Profit and Loss expenses are summed up below:
The Cash Flow table and chart are summarized below:
Long-term Debt Repayments: There are, at present, three loans at the Beverly National Bank that can be considered as "long-term" despite the maturity schedule:
In addition to the bank debt, there is $12,500 in principle outstanding on an original $30,000 loan to the seller of Bizcomm, Inc. This is being repaid at the rate of $1,250 monthly and carries an interest rate of 8%.
Also included in reduction in long-term liabilities are repayments due monthly to EDIC. Original loan was $75,000 to be repaid at the rate of $2,083 in principle monthly plus 6% interest. Present outstandings in the EDIC loan include some accumulated interest due to back-due payments. We will assume that from the first of 2000, the monthly payments are met, but that the arrears payments are not caught up. Final maturity will be September, 2002.
The EDIC principle repayments each month added to the repayments to the previous owner of the company amount to $3,333 for the first ten months of 2000, after which the debt to the previous owner is fully repaid. Thereafter, $2,083 principle repayment monthly on the EDIC loan will continue through September of 2002.
Short-term Debt: It is expected that Bizcomm will secure a loan from 80% of outstanding accounts receivable in February. This $46,752 shows up as Short-term Debt which is repaid as soon as possible due to its high cost. Due to the high interest rate built in to these funds, they have been reduced as soon as cash flow permits. They are totally repaid by the end of year 2000.
The following table outlines some of the more important ratios from the Other Commercial Printing industry. The final column, Industry Profile, details specific ratios based on the industry as it is classified by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code, 2759 (NAICS Code 323119). | https://www.bplans.com/online_print_shop_business_plan/financial_plan_fc.php |
BY SHRI K.R.NARAYANAN, PRESIDENT OF INDIA,
AT THE DINNER HOSTED BY THE GOVERNOR OF AMAZONAS
MANAUS,
SUNDAY,
MAY 3, 1998
Mr. Governor,
Madame Mendes, Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I,
first of all, thank you, Mr. Governor, and, through you, the Government
of the State of Amazonas for the warm reception extended to me, my family
and members of my delegation.
I bring
to the people of Brazil the greetings and good wishes of the people of India.
It is appropriate that my visit to Brazil should start in Manaus, on the
banks of the Amazon - a river which is one of the wonders of nature and
a symbol of Brazil and of South America.
For people
outside it is hard to think of Brazil without the Amazon and of the Amazon
without Brazil. The flow of this river is the flow of history, not only
of this country but also of this continent. As I beheld the confluence of
the two mighty rivers - Rio Negro and Rio Salimoes from the plane, I was
reminded of the confluence of the two most well known rivers of India -
the Ganga and the Yamuna. The colours of the two rivers are different and
remain distinct for many miles, before mingling and becoming one. The Ganga
represents the history and the civilization of India in a very deep and
abiding sense. As Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru wrote: "She has been a symbol
of India's age-long culture and civilization, ever-changing, ever-flowing,
and yet ever the same Ganga....a symbol and a memory of the past of India,
running into the present and flowing on to the great ocean of the future."
The same
can be said of the Amazon, as indeed of Brazil.
Your
country, your State and your lovely city, represent a vitality, a vibrancy,
that is quite unique. Those like us who come here feel the sensation of
the movement not only of an elemental river but of a great country and people
to a destined future.
Nobody
who has been in this area even for a short time can fail to be impressed
by the splendour of its natural life or, to use the current phrase - bio-diversity.
Millions of species of flora and fauna of this region are of great value
medicinally and commercially. The vast rain forests of this region, in the
midst of which we are just now, play a significant role in purifying the
world's atmosphere. Surely the world, particularly the developed world with
all its affluence, owes something to those who own this natural treasure-house
and who have maintained it over the centuries.
I was
struck by a poetic composition by an Amer-Indian poet that had come to my
attention recently: "The sky is held by trees. If the forest disappears,
the sky - The roof of the world - Collapses and Nature and Man perish together."
I read
with great concern news of the forest fire that broke out in the north of
Brazil some weeks ago. Forest fires have also raged in recent weeks in South
East Asia. Recently, a tornado ripped through parts of our eastern coast
in India. During my visit to the Institute for Environmental Research tomorrow
I greatly look forward to seeing the work being done there for the protection
of the environment and for the use of the bio-diversity of this region for
the benefit of the people of Brazil and, indeed, of humankind.
Although
we are told that the El Nino phenomenon is confined to this part of the
world, it is difficult to believe that there is no inter-connection between
the various natural occurrences around the globe we all live in. Sometime
ago some scientists in India Sought to establish a statistical correlation
between the El Nino phenomenon and the occurrence of monsoons in the Indian
Ocean region.
The inter-dependence
of societies, likewise, is manifest. As we move into the next millennium,
we must consciously think of the web of life on earth as one organic whole
in which the health of one part is affected by the condition of others.
Here in Manaus amidst the Amazonian rain forests one feels the reality of
the inter-dependence of mankind, and of man and nature. Mr. Governor, my
delegation and myself are privileged to be here today, and on behalf of
all of us I convey to you our profound thanks for your warm welcome.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, may I propose a toast to : - the good health and happiness
of Governor Mendes; - Madame Tarcila Mendes; and to - the friendly people
of the State of Amazonas. | http://krnarayanan.in/html/speeches/others/manausbrazil.htm |
Answer :
Lakshadweep with a literacy rate of 92.28% (2011), is the highest among Union Territories in India.
Chandigarh has a literacy rate of 86.43 % (2011)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands has a literacy rate of 86.27% (2011)
Daman and Diu has a literacy rate of 87.07% (2011)
Rate this question :
How useful is this solution?
We strive to provide quality solutions. Please rate us to serve you better.
Try our Mini CourseMaster Important Topics in 7 DaysLearn from IITians, NITians, Doctors & Academic Experts
view all courses
Dedicated counsellor for each student
24X7 Doubt Resolution
Daily Report Card
Detailed Performance Evaluation
RELATED QUESTIONS : | https://goprep.co/which-one-of-the-following-union-territories-of-india-has-i-1nlw54 |
In this article, we explore individuals' pro-environmental innovative behavior (PEIB) as one of the conditions for developing more sustainable cities. We assume that energy-efficient sustainable cities are those where people behave sustainably. Hence, studying the conditions of human behavior is essential for understanding the transformation of cities. We focused on individual antecedents of pro-environmental innovative behavior with a survey conducted in five European countries and a sample of 2502 participants. Descriptive and correlation statistical analyses confirm a moderate relationship between environmental awareness and environmental action. Based on this rudimentary analysis, we suggest further research on city energy transformation, including multiple aspects of individual behavior. | https://pure.northampton.ac.uk/en/publications/between-innovative-and-habitual-behavior-evidence-from-a-study-on |
This sprawling park provides a bucolic backdrop to the town, and is also home to a trio of historic houses, including the Goethes...
-
Goethe-Nationalmuseum
This museum has the most comprehensive and insightful exhibit about Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany's literary icon. It incorporates...
-
Goethe Haus
No other individual is as closely associated with Weimar as Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who lived in this town from 1775 until his death...
-
Gretchen's Cafe & Restaurant
This passionately locavore cafe serves all manner of decadent cakes, tortes and coffee by day, then transforms into an intimate house of...
Location
Marienstrasse 17 · interesting places nearby
Liszt-Haus information
Situated on the western edge of Park an der Ilm, this house was where the composer and pianist resided in Weimar from 1869 to 1886. | http://www.lonelyplanet.com/germany/thuringia/weimar/sights/architecture/liszt-haus |
Abuse of privileged accounts has been understood for a long time to be a major security concern, since it opens up broad access to an organization’s data and IT resources. Up to now, however, the focus has mainly been on how this applies to the so-called insider threat.
Perhaps that has to change. A new report from security solutions vendor CyberArk, which surveyed many of the world’s top security forensics experts, makes the worrisome claim that most, if not all, of the more sophisticated, targeted attacks from the outside are due to exploitation of privileged accounts. And it’s something that many agencies are unaware of.
What’s more, attackers have become adept at using an organization’s business and trading partners to gain access to systems. Even if the organization itself has built its security to make direct attacks on its privileged accounts hard, small and medium-sized partners will probably not have the same experience and expertise. However, they may well have been given privileged access to the organization’s systems just because it’s the easier way to do business.
The oft-cited Target breach, for example, which resulted in the theft of millions of customers’ credit card account data, was due to attackers first getting Target network credentials through its air conditioning vendor.
In August this year, Department of Homeland Security contractor USIS, which does background checks on the agency’s employees, revealed a breach that had “all the markings of a state-sponsored attack” and bled details on up to 25,000 DHS workers.
Even more startling is the report’s assertion that, on average, organizations have as many as three to four times the number of privileged accounts as they do employees. That makes for a very broad field from which attackers can gain access to those accounts.
This is often overlooked in organizations, according to Udi Mokady, CyberArk’s chief executive, since privileged accounts are rightly seen as the key to the IT kingdom and therefore are naturally assumed to be limited.
“In fact, there are many of them,” he said. “They are built into every piece of information technology so, at a minimum, there is one for every desktop system in the organization. But they are also built into every server and every application, operating system, network device, database and so on.”
Those all come with built-in accounts for a system administrator to monitor and control them. But in the modern environment of virtualized IT, every time a new system is spun off, yet another operating system and set of applications is created, along with the virtualization layer with its administrative functions. So the number of privileged accounts tends “to grow exponentially,” Mokady said.
If all of this isn’t enough to give security professionals nightmares, the report also points out that the Internet of Things (IoT) is coming – and quickly. That speaks to allthe embedded systems organizations will have to account for outside of the regular IT infrastructure, “the pieces of technology with a brain,” as Mokady put it.
Critical infrastructure organizations are just one example of what this will entail, with energy companies having privileged accounts also to manage, for example, industrial control systems that take care of power plants and electricity grids.
“These are computers, though not the typical idea of a computer, but they are often targeted by attackers even more than the regular pieces of the IT infrastructure,” Mokady said.
They are also probably more vulnerable than regular IT systems. The report points out that embedded devices require regular firmware updates and typically have more complex quality assurance cycles, which may in turn cause them to lag behind other products as far as security is concerned.
The basic problem for an organization’s security defense is that when attackers gain access to privileged accounts they can penetrate systems undetected, without throwing up alarms and red flags. Intrusion detection tools now are useless. Agencies have to assume that breaches have occurred, that attackers are already inside their networks, and hunt for them.
Managing this situation will mean both a turnaround in traditional thinking about security, though the idea of first stopping attacks at the network perimeter is fast losing ground to the idea that the focus has to be on the inside, which will help. Still, to guard against the privileged account threat, organizations have to spread their arms wide enough to actively monitor and manage those accounts.
No question, that’s a major headache. But some of the current tools can be reworked to help, Mokady said, such as using firewalls to segment user access within an organization, and using encryption to more closely guard data. There are also automated tools now on the market, like those from CyberArk itself, that can detect and count the number of privileged accounts within an organization, and also to automate and change credentials and encrypt and segregate them in secure vaults.
The report lays out generic guidelines that organizations can follow that, just by tightening the regular security practices they follow, will greatly improve their ability to defend against attacks:
Posted by Brian Robinson on Nov 21, 2014 at 9:50 AM
E-Mail this page
Printable Format
Steven Kelman suggests we should spend more time planning for the known risks on the horizon.
As COVID-19 exposed vulnerabilities in state and local government IT systems, the newly formed U.S. Digital Response stepped in to help. | https://gcn.com/blogs/cybereye/2014/11/attacks-from-privileged-accounts.aspx |
As the upcoming release of his new album "Love" was announced, Michael Buble is retiring. The singer of "Feeling Good"...
As the upcoming release of his new album "Love" was announced, Michael Buble is retiring. The singer of "Feeling Good" announced his retirement in his last interview given at the Daily Mail's Weekend Magazine on October 13th. The reason is quite thoughtful.
"This is my last interview," Michael Buble told the magazine. "I'm retiring. I realized the perfect record and I can now go to the top. ". But, there is a much deeper reason. Indeed, the Canadian star, who has won four Grammy Awards in the 20 years of his musical career, leaves all this behind for a good cause: his family. Yet the singer came back on these words a few days later, a sign that this difficult period is destabilizing for the singer and his family.
The fight of his son
Michael and his wife Luisana Lopilato had two sons, Noah, 5, and Elias, 2, and the youngest named Vida, 11 weeks old. At age 43, he changed his outlook on life when Noah, his eldest, was diagnosed with stomach cancer when he was 3 years old. Michael then penned his career to take care of him. Little Noah had undergone many treatments for hepatoblastoma and, fortunately, he is now in remission.
"It has been such a difficult time. It hurts, and talking about Noah hurts me, because it's not my story to tell, it's his. But my whole being has changed, "he said. "My perception of life. I do not even know if I can not cry. And, I have never lost control in public. "
Michael admits that he has started to get too busy with his job, particularly worried about the sale of tickets and the opinion of critics. However his experience with Noah completely changed his order of priorities.
"Two years ago, the diagnosis made me realize how stupid I was to worry about these unimportant things," he continued. "I was controlled by my ego and he had caused this distance with my family. I decided never to read my name on paper again, to read a review, and since then I have never done it. I decided never to use social media again and I did not do it again. "
His faith in humanity
Michael Buble said his return from a "terrible time" had helped him put his uncertainties aside to find his original voice. "Now, I'm just singing the music I love. Maybe when you let go, that's when it comes back to you. Like a love. "
After Noah went into remission in 2017, Michael wanted to release a last album to express his gratitude to his fans who supported him during his son's illness and then retired. "It gave me faith in humanity. I like music and feel. I wish to continue the legacy of my idols. In a troubled world, I look at the political turmoil in America, the Europe that is breaking up and I think there is no better time for music. "
Michael will surely be missed, but difficult to blame him for the hardships experienced by his family.
Pediatric cancer
While the subject occupies the debates currently following the reaction of Laurence Boccolini outraged by the rejection of an amendment that strengthened funding for research on pediatric cancers. In Europe, children's cancers appear in half of cases before the age of five. Among the most common are leukemia, brain tumors and lymphomas. Every year, 2,500 children under the age of 15 are affected in France by pediatric cancer. The causes are rarely identified and depending on the type of cancer, the mortality rate can go from less than 1% to 40% for brain tumors. Research supported by associations or events reduces this mortality rate, but it is still insufficient. | https://www.cryptosavvy.com/2018/10/michael-buble-stops-song-help-son-fight-cancer.html |
The protagonist of Immortal Life is a cultivation apprentice in a clan that is gradually disintegrating, but who is still trying to advance. One day, a central character is tasked with managing a valley to interact with abundant natural resources. He has two personal choices: live alone without problems, or work hard to regain his clan’s glory.
Gameplay is presented as a single player adventure. The player takes control of a cult member “Improvements”. It all starts with the protagonist trying to escape the destruction of his faction, but accidentally finds himself in an unusual valley. The young villagers welcome him and offer to become the new leader. You must constantly work and explore the area to transform an ordinary workers’ settlement into a thriving village.
The player can move freely through a huge area. Many residential buildings have been built throughout the district. The user can interact with minor characters and improve relationships with siblings by helping them. As you progress, more items, missions and special abilities will be unlocked. There are many mysteries and hidden places in the valley where you can find rare items and relics. Spiritual growth comes from finding happiness in the clan.
Immortal Life Screenshots: | https://junubgames.com/immortal-life-download-free/ |
Latin Fiction provides a chronological study of the Roman novel from the Classical period to the Middle Ages, exploring the development of the novel and the continuity of Latin culture. Essays by eminent and international contributors discuss texts including:
* Petronius, Satyrica and Cena Trimalchionis
* Apuleius, Metamorphose(The Golden Ass) and The Tale of Cupid and Psyche
* The History of Apollonius of Tyre
* The Trojan tales of Dares Phrygius and Dictys Cretensis
* The Latin Alexander
* Hagiographic fiction
* Medieval interpretations of Cupid and Pysche, Apollonius of Tyre and the Alexander Romance.
For any student or scholar of Latin fiction, or literary history, this will definitely be a book to add to your reading list. | http://naiti.in/b/Latin-Fiction/ |
ARTalk: Nathaniel Stern on "Ecological Aesthetics"
More Information:http://calendar.bgsu.edu/cal/event/showEventMore.rdo#sthash.S61HC3Ej.dpuf
“Ecological Aesthetics:” Part performance and part presentation, Nathaniel Stern will discuss 15 years of collaborative and solo projects that span interactive installation, networked interventions, performative printmaking, large-scale public and ecological art, and hybrid forms of video, drawing, sculpture and text. Stern’s work amplifies the relationships between humans, nature, and politics. If designers define problems, and engineers solve problems, artists, he says, create problems. We make “propositions for what could be." What would happen if we engaged with the world - its media, concepts and materials - just a bit differently? Stern's talk will be followed by a participatory discussion surrounding ecological aesthetics and critical craft, and their place alongside / within digital media.
ARTalk is a lecture series sponsored by the School of Art that brings prominent artists or scholars to campus. Free and open to the public.
Nathaniel Stern has a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Trinity College in Dublin, a MOS in Interactive Telecommunications from Tisch School of Arts at NYU, and a BS in Fiber Science and Apparel Design from Cornell University. He is currently an Associate Professor of Art and Design Global Studies, and Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, and a Research Associate at the Research Centre of the University of Johannesburg. | https://toledotechevents.org/events/1920 |
The Report of the High Level Panel on the Assessment of Key Legislation (HLPKL) and the Acceleration of Fundamental Change, published on 22 November 2017, recommends that:
“Parliament should consider identifying and reviewing all legislation that includes a public participation component,… so that where provision is made for the public to be consulted, this consultation is meaningful and effective.” (page 403)
The HLPKL report, drawing on the Afesis-corplan and the Democracy Development Programme’s (DDP) submission to the panel, notes that:
“[t]he original conceptual framework for citizen participation in local government is limiting and robs local government of the opportunity to tap into the capacity, the energy and resources that rests within citizens to drive change. There is a need to rethink the role of active citizens in local governance as co-drivers of change. The existing framework for citizen participation only enables the public to participate as invited guests in local government processes as opposed to partners and co-creators. This argument is derived from the emphasis on the term to ‘encourage and to consult’ in Section 152 (1) of the Constitution, in Sections 1 and 4 of the Municipal Systems Act, and in Section 19 of the Municipal Structures Act” (page 402)
Afes-corplan and DDP would like to engage with the HLPKL, parliament and others in further reviewing current legislation to identify how public participation legislation can be improved.
In particular (as recommended in the Afesis-corplan and DDP submission), opportunities for legislative amendments need to be identified, where municipalities, government departments, parliament and others can be encouraged and supported to pilot and test more innovative public participation methods.
Afesis-corplan has also made comments on the land related recommendations from the HLPKL report. | https://afesis.org.za/afesis-corplan-calls-legislative-amendments-support-public-participation/ |
This study deals with the statistic results acquired for life expectancy of the male population in Noricum. They were compared with the data from other Danubian provinces (Pannonia Superior, Pannonia Inferior, Dacia, Moesia Superior, Moesia Inferior) and from Roman Egypt. We stopped on the age-rounding process, analysing the rapport between rounded ages and unrounded ages at the level of the entire male sample. For an insight of the male population we compared the age structure values from all the Danubian province on three age categories, in terms of numbers and percentage.
unrounded ages
Age Rounding and Social Status in Noricum
This survey concerns the age rounding process in the Latin epitaphs of Noricum. In the first part of the study we analysed the age rounding process differentiated by gender, the data obtained being compared with the existing ones from the other Danubian provinces. The second part concerns the age rounding process differentiated in terms of legal status by using Whipple’s Index. The proportion of rounded ages–unrounded ages is overwhelming for both female and male population in Noricum. In terms of legal status, the peregrini/ae features the category with the highest tendency towards rounded digits followed by citizens (male and female) and soldiers. | http://saa.uaic.ro/tag/unrounded-ages/ |
---
abstract: 'We derive a new upper bound for Eve’s information in secret key generation from a common random number without communication. This bound improves on Bennett[@BBCM]’s bound based on the Rényi entropy of order 2 because the bound obtained here uses the Rényi entropy of order $1+s$ for $s \in [0,1]$. This bound is applied to a wire-tap channel. Then, we derive an exponential upper bound for Eve’s information. Our exponent is compared with Hayashi[@Hayashi]’s exponent. For the additive case, the bound obtained here is better. The result is applied to secret key agreement by public discussion.'
author:
- 'Masahito Hayashi [^1]'
title: |
Exponential decreasing rate of leaked information\
in universal random privacy amplification
---
exponential rate, non-asymptotic setting, secret key agreement, universal hash function, wire-tap channel
Introduction
============
study of secure communication in the presence of an eavesdropper began with Wyner[@Wyner]. Following Wyner, Csiszár & Körner[@CK79] dealt with this topic. In this study, we consider a sender Alice, an authorized receiver Bob and an unauthorized receiver Eve, who is referred to as a wire-tapper. This research treats two channels, a channel to Bob and a channel to Eve; such a model is called a wire-tap channel. Whereas the studies above treated the discrete memoryless case, Hayashi[@Hayashi] derived a general capacity formula for an arbitrary sequence of wire-tap channels. In this model, amount of Eve’s accessible information is evaluated by the mutual information $I_E (\Phi)$ between Alice’s and Eve’s variables with the code $\Phi$, and is abbreviated to Eve’s information. Several papers [@Ren05; @RW; @Cannetti] in cryptography community adopt the leaked information criterion based on the variational distance while several papers [@AC93; @CK79; @Hayashi; @Wyner; @Csiszar; @Naito] in information theory community adopt the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information. As is illustrated in Appendix III, there exists an example where the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information is more restrictive than that based on variational distance. Hence, we adopt the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information.
As was shown by Csiszár [@Csiszar], in the discrete memoryless case, if the transmission rate is less than the capacity and if we choose suitable codes, Eve’s information goes to zero exponentially. That is, when the given channel is used with $n$ times, Eve’s information $I_E (\Phi_n)$ with a suitable code $\Phi_n$ behaves as $e^{-n r}$. In order to estimate the speed of the convergence, we focus on the [*exponential decreasing rate*]{} of Eve’s information, which is referred to as the [*exponent*]{} of Eve’s information: $$\begin{aligned}
\lim_{n \to \infty}
\frac{-1}{n}\log I_E (\Phi_n).\end{aligned}$$ Hayashi[@Hayashi] estimates this exponent for the wire-tap channels in the discrete memoryless case. This type of evaluation is quite useful for estimating Eve’s information from a finite-length code. The first purpose of this paper is to improve the previous exponent of Eve’s information.
On the other hand, using the Rényi entropy of order 2, Bennett et al [@BBCM] evaluate Eve’s information after the application of a universal$_2$ hashing function[@Carter]. Their result gives an upper bound of Eve’s information for the generation of a secret key from a common random number without communication. Renner and Wolf [@RW] and Renner [@Ren05] improved this approach and obtained evaluations based on smooth Rényi entropy. Renner [@Ren05] applied his method to the security analysis of quantum key distribution. However, no research studied the relation between these results related to various kinds of Rényi entropies and the above results concerning wire-tap channel.
The main purpose of this paper is to generalize Bennett et al [@BBCM]’s result and to apply it to wire-tap channel model. As the first step, in Section \[s4\], we focus on secret key generation from a common random number without communication. Even in this model, we highlight the exponent of Eve’s information in the case of independent and identical distribution (i.i.d. case). In subsection \[s41\], we extend the result of Bennett et al [@BBCM] to the case of the Rényi entropy of order $1+s$ for $s \in [0,1]$ and obtain a new upper bound for Eve’s information in this problem as the main theorem. We apply this bound to the i.i.d. case. Then, derived a lower bound of the exponent of Eve’s information. In subsection \[s42\], we also apply Renner and Wolf [@RW]’s method to the evaluation of the exponent of Eve’s information. Then, another lower bound is derived based on smooth Rényi entropy. It is shown that the lower bound based on Rényi entropy of order $1+s$ is better than that based on smooth Rényi entropy.
In Section \[s2\], applying the evaluation obtained in subsection \[s41\], we derive an upper bound for Eve’s information from random coding in a wire-tap channel. The upper bound obtained here satisfies the concavity property with respect to the distribution of Alice’s system. This property is essential for connecting this proof with secret key generation from a common random number without communication. The method we present contrasts with the method in Hayashi[@Hayashi]. Hayashi[@Hayashi] deals with channel resolvability and applies it to the security of wire-tap channel; This approach was strongly motivated by Devetak [@Deve] and Winter et al [@WNI]. In Section \[s6\], we show that this upper bound for Eve’s information is better than Hayashi[@Hayashi]’s bound for the wire-tap channel model.
In a realistic setting, it is usual to restrict our codes to linear codes. However, no existing result gives a code satisfying the following conditions: (1) The code is constructed by linear codes. (2) Eve’s information exponentially goes to zero when the transmission rate is smaller than the difference between the mutual information from Alice to Bob and that to Eve. In Section \[s3\], we make a code satisfying the above conditions. That is, we make our code generated by a combination of arbitrary linear codes and privacy amplification by the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix [@Krawczyk] and the identity. Under this kinds of code, we obtain the same upper bound for Eve’s information. when the channel is an [*additive*]{} channel, i.e., the probability space and the set of input signals are given as the same finite module and the probability transition matrix $W_a(b)$ corresponding to the channel is given as $P(a-b)$ with a probability distribution on the finite module. This fact holds when the channel is a variant of an additive channel.
In Section \[s5\], we also apply our result to secret key agreement with public discussion, which has been treated by Ahlswede & Csiszár[@AC93], Maurer[@Mau93], and Muramatsu[@MUW05] et al. Maurer [@Mau93] and Ahlswede & Csiszár[@AC93] showed that the optimal key generation rate is the difference of conditional entropies $H(A|E)-H(A|B)$, where $A$, $B$, $E$ are the random variables for Alice, Bob, and Eve, respectively. Csiszár[@Csiszar], Renner[@Ren05], and Naito et al [@Naito] mentioned the existence of a bound for Eve’s information that exponentially goes to zero when the key generation rate is smaller than $H(A|E)-H(A|B)$. However, no existing result clearly gives a lower bound for the exponential decreasing rate for Eve’s information when the key generation rate is smaller than $H(A|E)-H(A|B)$. Applying our result, we obtain such a lower bound for the exponential decreasing rate for Eve’s information. In this case, we apply our code to a wire-tap channel with a variant of additive channels. Our protocol can be realized by a combination of a linear code and privacy amplification by the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix [@Krawczyk] and the identity.
In Appendix \[s7\], we prove the main theorem mentioned in Section \[s4\]. In Appendix \[stoep\], we show that the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix [@Krawczyk] and the identity is a universal$_2$ hashing function [@Carter].
Secret key generation without communication
===========================================
Method based on Rényi entropy of order $1+s$
--------------------------------------------
Firstly, we consider the secure key generation problem from a common random number $a \in \cA$ which has been partially eavesdropped on by Eve. For this problem, it is assumed that Alice and Bob share a common random number $a \in \cA$, and Eve has another random number $e \in \cE$, which is correlated to the random number $a$. The task is to extract a common random number $f(a)$ from the random number $a \in \cA$, which is almost independent of Eve’s random number $e \in \cE$. Here, Alice and Bob are only allowed to apply the same function $f$ to the common random number $a \in \cA$. In order to discuss this problem, for $s \in [0,1]$, we define the functions $$\begin{aligned}
\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P^X)&:=-\log \sum_{x} P^{X}(x)^{1+s} \\
\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|Y|P^{X,Y})
&:=-\log \sum_{x,y} P^Y(y)P^{X|Y}(x|y)^{1+s} \\
&=-\log \sum_{x,y} P^{X,Y}(x,y)^{1+s} P^Y(y)^{-s}. \end{aligned}$$ Using these functions, we can define Rényi entropy of order $1+s$ $$\begin{aligned}
H_{1+s}(X|P^X):=\frac{\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P^X)}{s}\end{aligned}$$ and the conditional Rényi entropy of order $1+s$: $$\begin{aligned}
H_{1+s}(X|Y|P^{X,Y}):=\frac{\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|Y|P^{X,Y})}{s}.\end{aligned}$$ If there is no possibility for confusion, $P^{X,Y}$ is omitted.
Now, we focus on an ensemble of the functions $f_{{{\bf X}}}$ from $\cA$ to $\{1, \ldots, M\}$, where ${{\bf X}}$ denotes a random variable describing the stochastic behavior of the function $f$. An ensemble of the functions $f_{{{\bf X}}}$ is called universal$_2$ when it satisfies the following condition[@Carter]:
$\forall a_1 \neq \forall a_2\in \cA$, the probability that $f_{{{\bf X}}}(a_1)=f_{{{\bf X}}}(a_2)$ is at most $\frac{1}{M}$.
We sometimes require the following additional condition:
For any ${{\bf X}}$, the cardinality of $f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1}\{i\}$ does not depend on $i$.
This condition will be used in Section III.
Indeed, when the cardinality $|\cA|$ is a power of a prime power $q$ and $M$ is another power of the same prime power $q$, an ensemble $\{f_{{{\bf X}}}\}$ satisfying the both conditions is given by the the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix and the identity $({{\bf X}},I)$[@Krawczyk] only with $\log_q |\cA|-1$ random variables taking values in the finite filed ${\mathbb{F}}_q$. That is, the matrix $({{\bf X}},I)$ has small complexity. The construction and its proof are given in Appendix \[stoep\].
When $M$ is an arbitrary integer and the cardinality $|\cA|$ is an arbitrary multiple of $M$, an ensemble $\{f_{{{\bf X}}}\}$ satisfying the both conditions is given in the following way. First, we fix a function $f$ from $\cA$ to $\{1, \ldots, M\}$ such that the cardinality $|f^{-1}\{i\}|$ is $\frac{|\cA|}{M}$. We randomly choose an permutation $\sigma \in S_{\cA}$ on $\cA$ with the uniform distribution, where $S_{\cA}$ denotes the set of permutation on $\cA$. So, we can make a random function $\{f\circ \sigma \}_{\cA}$. This ensemble satisfies the both conditions.
As is shown in the Appendix \[s7\], we obtain the following theorem.
When the ensemble of the functions $\{f_{{{\bf X}}}\}$ is universal$_2$, it satisfies $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{\bf X}}H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|E|P^{A,E})
&\ge
\log M -
\frac{M^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}}{s}\nonumber\\
&=
\log M -
\frac{e^{s(\log M-H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E}))}}{s}
\Label{5-14-1}\end{aligned}$$ for $0 < \forall s \le 1$.
Note that Bennett et al [@BBCM] proved this inequality for the case of $s=1$.
Since the mutual information $$\begin{aligned}
I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E|P^{A,E}) := H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|P^{A}) - H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|E|P^{A,E}) \end{aligned}$$ is bounded by $\log M -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|E|P^{A,E})$, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E|P^{A,E})
\le
\frac{M^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}}{s}, 0 < s \le 1.
\Label{4-27-4}\end{aligned}$$
This inequality implies the following theorem.
There exists a function $f$ from $\cA$ to $\{1, \ldots, M\}$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
I(f(A):E)
&\le \frac{M^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}}{s}\nonumber \\
&=\frac{e^{s(\log M-H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E}))}}{s},
\quad 0 \le \forall s \le 1.
\Label{4-25-1}\end{aligned}$$
In the following, we mainly use the quantity $\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})$ instead of $H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})$. because the usage of $H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})$ requires more complicated calculation.
Next, we consider the case when our distribution $P^{A_n E_n}$ is given by the $n$-fold independent and identical distribution of $P^{AE}$, i.e, $(P^{A,E})^n$. Ahlswede and Csiszár [@AC93] showed that the optimal generation rate $$\begin{aligned}
&G(P^{AE}) \\
:=&
\sup_{\{(f_n,M_n)\}}
\left\{
\lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{\log M_n}{n}
\left|
\begin{array}{l}
\displaystyle
\lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{I(f_n(A_n):E_n)}{n}=0 \\
\displaystyle
\lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{H(f_n(A_n))}{\log M_n}=1
\end{array}
\right. \right\}\end{aligned}$$ equals the conditional entropy $H(A|E)$. That is, the generation rate $R= \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{\log M_n}{n}$ is smaller than $H(A|E)$, Eve’s information $I(f_n(A_n):E_n)$ goes to zero. In order to treat the speed of this convergence, we focus on the supremum of the [*exponentially decreasing rate (exponent)*]{} of $I(f_n(A_n):E_n)$ for a given $R$ $$\begin{aligned}
&e_I(P^{AE}|R) \\
:=& \!\!\!
\sup_{\{(f_n,M_n)\}}\!\!
\left\{\!
\lim_{n\to\infty} \! \frac{-\log I(f_n(A_n):E_n)}{n}
\!\left|\!
\lim_{n\to\infty} \!\!\frac{-\log M_n}{n}
\!\le\! R\!
\right. \right\}.\end{aligned}$$ Since the relation $\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A_n|E_n|(P^{A,E})^n)= n \tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})$ holds, the inequality (\[4-25-1\]) implies that $$\begin{aligned}
e_I(P^{AE}|R)
&\ge \max_{0 \le s \le 1} \tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})-sR\nonumber \\
&= \max_{0 \le s \le 1} s (H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E}-R)
\Label{4-16-4}\end{aligned}$$ Since $\left.\frac{d}{ds}\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})\right|_{s=0}=H(A|E)$, Eve’s information $I(f_n(A_n):E_n)$ exponentially goes to zero for $R<H(A|E)$.
Method based on smooth min-entropy
----------------------------------
Rényi entropy of order $2$ $H_2(A|E|P^{A,E})$ is bounded by the min-entropy $$\begin{aligned}
H_{\min}(A|E|P^{A,E}):=
\min_{a,e:P^{A,E}(a,e)>0} -\log P^{A|E}(a|e),\end{aligned}$$ i.e., the inequality $$\begin{aligned}
H_2(A|E|P^{A,E})\ge H_{\min}(A|E|P^{A,E})\end{aligned}$$ holds. Then, (\[5-14-1\]) with $s=1$ yields that $$\begin{aligned}
& \rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\log M + H(E |P^{A,E}) -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A) E|P^{A,E})\nonumber \\
= &
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\log M -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|E|P^{A,E}) \nonumber \\
\le &
M e^{-H_{\min}(A|E|P^{A,E})}
\Label{4-14-1}.\end{aligned}$$ Renner and Wolf [@RW] introduced the smooth min-entropy: $$\begin{aligned}
& H_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|P^{A,E}) \nonumber \\
:=&
\max_{\Omega:P^{A,E}(\Omega) \ge 1-\epsilon }
\min_{(a,e)\in \Omega} -\log P^{A|E}(a|e).
\Label{4-14-2}\end{aligned}$$ for $\epsilon \ge 0$. This definition is different from that of Renner [@Ren05]. Modifying the discussion by Renner and Wolf [@RW], we can derive another upper bound of $\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E)$ based on the smooth min-entropy $H_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|P^{A,E})$ in the following way.
Using the variational distance $d(P^X,\tilde{P}^X)$: $$\begin{aligned}
d(P^X,\tilde{P}^X) :=
\sum_{x}|P^X(x)-\tilde{P}^X(x)|,\end{aligned}$$ we have the continuity of the Shannon entropy in the following sense: When $d (P^X,\tilde{P}^X) \le \frac{1}{e}$, the function $$\begin{aligned}
\eta(x,a):=- x\log x+x a\end{aligned}$$ satisfies the following inequality: $$\begin{aligned}
& |H(X|\tilde{P}^X)- H(X|P^X)| \\
\le & \eta( d (P^X,\tilde{P}^X),\log |{\cal X}|).\end{aligned}$$ Based on the variational distance, we define the following modification: $$\begin{aligned}
& \hat{H}_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|P^{A,E}) \nonumber \\
:=&
\max_{\tilde{P}^{A,E}}\{H_{\min}(A|E|\tilde{P}^{A,E})|
d(\tilde{P}^{A,E},P^{A,E}) \le \epsilon
\},\Label{4-16-1}\end{aligned}$$ where $\tilde{P}^{A,E}$ is a probability distribution.
For $0<\epsilon <1/2$, we choose $\Omega$ satisfying the condition in (\[4-14-2\]). Then, $p_{\max}^{A|E}(\Omega):= \max_{(a,e)\in \Omega} P^{A|E}(a|e) \ge \frac{1}{|A|}$. We define the joint distribution $\tilde{P}^{A,E}(a,e)$ satisfying $\tilde{P}^{E}(e)={P}^{E}(e)$ in the following way. For this purpose, it is sufficient to define the conditional distribution $\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)$ for all $e$. When $(a,e)\in \Omega$, the conditional distribution $\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)$ is defined by $$\begin{aligned}
\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e):=
\left\{
\begin{array}{ll}
{P}^{A|E}(a|e) &
\hbox{ if } {P}^{A|E}(a|e) \le p_{\max}^{A|E}(\Omega)\\
p_{\max}^{A|E}(\Omega) &
\hbox{ if }
{P}^{A|E}(a|e) > p_{\max}^{A|E}(\Omega) .
\end{array}
\right.\end{aligned}$$ When $(a,e)\notin \Omega$, we define $\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)$ satisfying that $$\begin{aligned}
& {P}^{A|E}(a|e)
\le
\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)
\le \frac{1}{|A|} , \\
& \sum_{(a,e)\notin \Omega}
(\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)-{P}^{A|E}(a|e)) \\
= &
\sum_{(a,e)\in \Omega}
({P}^{A|E}(a|e)-\tilde{P}^{A|E}(a|e)).\end{aligned}$$ Then, $d(\tilde{P}^{A,E},P^{A,E}) \le 2 \epsilon$. Since $$\begin{aligned}
{H}_{\min}(A|E|\tilde{P}^{A,E})
\ge - \log
p_{\max}^{A|E},\end{aligned}$$ we have $$\begin{aligned}
\hat{H}_{\min}^{2 \epsilon}(A|E|P^{A,E})
\ge {H}_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|P^{A,E}).\end{aligned}$$
When $\tilde{P}^{A,E}$ satisfies the condition given in (\[4-16-1\]), $$\begin{aligned}
& |
(H(E |P^{A,E}) -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A) E|P^{A,E})) \\
&-
(H(E |\tilde{P}^{A,E}) -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A) E|\tilde{P}^{A,E}))
| \\
\le &
2 \eta( \epsilon, \log |{\cal A}| \cdot M).\end{aligned}$$ Hence, $$\begin{aligned}
& \rE_{{{\bf X}}}
I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E|P^{A,E}) \\
\le &
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\log M + H(E |P^{A,E}) -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A) E|P^{A,E})\\
\le &
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\log M + H(E |\tilde{P}^{A,E}) -H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A) E|\tilde{P}^{A,E})\\
& + 2 \eta( \epsilon, \log |{\cal A}| \cdot M) \\
\le &
M e^{-H_{\min}(A|E|\tilde{P}^{A,E})}
+ 2 \eta( \epsilon,\log |{\cal A}| \cdot M )\\
\le &
M e^{-\hat{H}_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|{P}^{A,E})}
+ 2 \eta( \epsilon,\log |{\cal A}| \cdot M )\\
\le &
M e^{-{H}_{\min}^{\epsilon/2}(A|E|{P}^{A,E})}
+ 2 \eta( \epsilon,\log |{\cal A}| \cdot M ).\end{aligned}$$ Thus, we obtain an alternative bound of $\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E|P^{A,E})$ as follows. $$\begin{aligned}
& \rE_{{{\bf X}}}
I(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A):E|P^{A,E}) \nonumber \\
\le &
\overline{I}_{\min,M}(A|E|{P}^{A,E}) \nonumber \\
:= &
\min_{1/4> \epsilon >0}
M e^{-{H}_{\min}^{\epsilon}(A|E|{P}^{A,E})}
+ 2 \eta( 2\epsilon,\log |{\cal A}| \cdot M )\nonumber \\
\le & \min_{R' \ge \log 4|{\cal A}|}
M e^{-R'} \nonumber \\
& + 2 \eta(2 P^{A,E}\{ P^{A|E}(a|e) \ge e^{-R'} \},\log |{\cal A}| \cdot M ).
\Label{4-16-2}\end{aligned}$$ Using (\[4-16-2\]), we can evaluate $e_I(P^{AE}|R)$ as follows. $$\begin{aligned}
e_I(P^{AE}|R)
\ge
\lim_{n\to \infty}
\frac{-1}{n}\log
\overline{I}_{\min,e^{nR}}(A|E|({P}^{A,E})^n) \end{aligned}$$ Cramér Theorem yields that $$\begin{aligned}
& \lim_{n\to \infty}
\frac{-1}{n}\log
(P^{A,E})^n \{ (P^{A|E})^n (a|e) \ge e^{-n R'} \} \\
= &
\max_{s \ge 0}\tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR'.\end{aligned}$$ Thus, $$\begin{aligned}
\lim_{n\to \infty}
\frac{-1}{n}\log P_n(R')
=
\max_{s \ge 0} \tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR'.\end{aligned}$$ where $$\begin{aligned}
&P_n(R')\\
:=&
\eta(
2 (P^{A,E})^n \{ (P^{A|E})^n (a|e) \ge e^{-n R'} \}
,\log |{\cal A}|^n e^{nR} ) .\end{aligned}$$ Therefore, $$\begin{aligned}
& \lim_{n\to \infty}
\frac{-1}{n}\log
\overline{I}_{\min,e^{nR}}(A|E|({P}^{A,E})^n) \\
=&
\max_{R': R'\ge R}
\min\{
\max_{s \ge 0}
\tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR'
,R' -R\}.\end{aligned}$$ $\max_{s \ge 0} \tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR'$ is continuous and monotone decreasing concerning $R'$ and $R' -R$ is continuous and monotone increasing concerning $R'$. Thus, the above maximum is attained when $\max_{s \ge 0} \tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR'=R' -R$. Let $s_0$ be the parameter $s$ attaining the above. Then, $\tilde{H}_{1+s_0} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -s_0R'= R'-R$ and $\frac{d}{ds }\tilde{H}_{1+s_0} (A|E|{P}^{A,E})|_{s=s_0}= R'$. Thus, $$\begin{aligned}
& \max_{R': R'\ge R}
\min\{
\max_{s \ge 0} \tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) -sR',
R' -R\} \nonumber \\
= &
\frac{1}{1+s_0} \tilde{H}_{1+s_0} (A|E|{P}^{A,E})
-\frac{s_0}{1+s_0}R \nonumber \\
= &
\max_{s \ge 0} \frac{1}{1+s} \tilde{H}_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E})
- \frac{s}{1+s}R \Label{n4-16-6} \\
= &
\max_{s \ge 0} \frac{s}{1+s}
(H_{1+s} (A|E|{P}^{A,E}) - R),
\Label{4-16-6}\end{aligned}$$ where the equation (\[n4-16-6\]) can be checked by taking the derivative. This value is smaller than the bound given by (\[4-16-4\]). One might want to apply the formula $$\begin{aligned}
H_{\min}^\epsilon(A) \ge
H_{1+s}(A) +\frac{\log \epsilon}{s}\end{aligned}$$ given by Renner and Wolf[@RS2] to the evaluation of $ \overline{I}_{\min,M}(A|E|{P}^{A,E})$. However, this application does not simplify our derivation. So, we do not apply this formula.
The wire-tap channel in a general framework
===========================================
Next, we consider the wire-tap channel model, in which the eavesdropper (wire-tapper), Eve and the authorized receiver Bob receive information from the authorized sender Alice. In this case, in order for Eve to have less information, Alice chooses a suitable encoding. This problem is formulated as follows. Let $\cY$ and $\cZ$ be the probability spaces of Bob and Eve, and ${{\cal X}}$ be the set of alphabets sent by Alice. Then, the main channel from Alice to Bob is described by $W^B:x \mapsto W^B_x$, and the wire-tapper channel from Alice to Eve is described by $W^E:x \mapsto W^E_x$. In this setting, Alice chooses $M$ distributions $Q_1, \ldots, Q_M$ on ${{\cal X}}$, and she generates $x\in {{\cal X}}$ subject to $Q_i$ when she wants to send the message $i \in \{1, \ldots, M\}$. Bob prepares $M$ disjoint subsets $\cD_1,\ldots, \cD_M$ of $\cY$ and judges that a message is $i$ if $y$ belongs to $\cD_i$. Therefore, the triplet $(M,\{Q_1, \ldots, Q_M\},
\{\cD_1,\ldots, \cD_M\})$ is called a code, and is described by $\Phi$. Its performance is given by the following three quantities. The first is the size $M$, which is denoted by $|\Phi|$. The second is the average error probability $\epsilon_B(\Phi)$: $$\begin{aligned}
\epsilon_B(\Phi){\stackrel{\rm def}{=}}\frac{1}{M} \sum_{i=1}^M W_{Q_i}^B (\cD_i^c),\end{aligned}$$ and the third is Eve’s information regarding the transmitted message $I_E(\Phi)$: $$\begin{aligned}
I_E(\Phi) {\stackrel{\rm def}{=}}\sum_i \frac{1}{M} D( W_{Q_i}^E\| W^E_{\Phi}),\quad
W^E_{\Phi} {\stackrel{\rm def}{=}}\sum_i \frac{1}{M} W_{Q_i}^E.\end{aligned}$$ In order to calculate these values, we introduce the following quantities. $$\begin{aligned}
\phi(s|W,p) &:= \log
\sum_y \left( \sum_x p(x)
(W_x(y))^{1/(1-s)}\right)^{1-s} \\
\psi(s|W,p) &:= \log
\sum_y \left( \sum_x p(x)
(W_x(y))^{1+s}\right)W_p(y)^{-s},\end{aligned}$$ where $W_p(y):= \sum_x p(x)W_x(y)$. The following lemma gives the properties of these quantities.
The following properties hold.
(1)
: The function $p \mapsto
e^{\phi(s|W,p)}$ is convex for $s\in [-1,0]$, and is concave for $s\in [0,1]$.
(2)
: The function $p \mapsto
e^{\psi(s|W,p)}$ is concave for $s\in [0,1]$,
Property (1) follows from the convexity and concavity of $x^{1-s}$ for the respective parameter $s$. Property (2) can be shown as follows. Using the divergence $D_s(p\|q):=\sum_x p(x)(\frac{p(x)}{q(x)})^s$ for $s \in [0,1]$. we obtain $e^{\psi(s|W,p)}=
\sum_{x}p(x) D_s(W_x\|W_p)$. The concavity of $x^{s}$ implies the joint concavity $
D_s(p\|\lambda q_1+(1-\lambda) q_2) \ge
\lambda D_s(p\| q_1) +(1-\lambda) D_s(p\| q_2) $[@AN]. Thus, $
\sum_{a}\sum_{x}q(a) p(x|a) D_s(W_x\|W_{p(|a)})
\le
\sum_{a}\sum_{x}q(a) p(x|a) D_s(W_x\|W_{p})$ when $p(x)=\sum_{a}q(a) p(x|a)$. Therefore, we obtain the concavity of $e^{\psi(s|W,p)}$.
Now, using the functions $\phi(s)$ and $\psi(s)$, we make a code for the wire-tap channel based on the random coding method. For this purpose, we make a protocol to share a random number. First, we generate the random code $\Phi({{\bf Y}})$ with size $LM$, which is described by the $LM$ independent and identical random variables ${{\bf Y}}$ subject to the distribution $p$ on ${{\cal X}}$. For integers $l=1, \ldots, L$ and $m=1,\ldots,M$, let $\cD_{l,m}'({{\bf Y}})$ be the maximum likelihood decoder of the code $\Phi({{\bf Y}})$. Gallager [@Gal] showed that the ensemble expectation of the average error probability concerning decoding the input message $A$ is less than $(ML)^{s}e^{\phi(-s|W^B,p)}$ for $0 \le s \le 1$. Here, we choose a function $f_{{{\bf X}}}$ from a function ensemble $\{f_{{{\bf X}}}\}$ satisfying Conditions \[C1\] and \[C12\]. After sending the random variable $A$ taking values in the set with the cardinality $ML$, Alice and Bob apply the function $f_{{{\bf X}}}$ to the random variable $A$ and generate another piece of data of size $M$. Then, Alice and Bob share random variable $f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)$ with size $M$. This protocol is denoted by $\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})'$
Let $E$ be the random variable of the output of Eve’s channel $W^E$, and $f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}$ be the map defined by the code $\Phi({{\bf Y}})$ from the message space $\{1, \ldots, ML\}$ to ${{\cal X}}$. Since the function $a' \mapsto (W_{a'}^E(e))^{1+s}$ can be regarded as a random variable for a fixed value $e$, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
&\sum_{a'}
p_{mix,ML}\circ f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}^{-1}
(a')
(W_{a'}^E(e))^{1+s}\\
=&
\sum_a p_{mix,ML}(a)
(W_{f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}(a)}^E(e))^{1+s}.\end{aligned}$$ For simplicity, we simplify the uniform distribution $p_{mix,ML}$ on the message space $\{1, \ldots, ML\}$ and the distribution $p_{mix,ML}\circ f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}^{-1}$ on ${{\cal X}}$ by $p'$ and $p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}$. Therefore, since the random variable $A$ obeys the uniform distribution $p'$, the joint distribution $P^{A,E}(a,e):=
p'(a) W_{f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}(a)}^E(e)$ concerning $A$ and $E$ satisfies $$\begin{aligned}
& e^{\psi(s|W^E ,p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})})}\nonumber \\
=&
\sum_e \left( \sum_{a'} p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})} (a')
(W_{a'}^E(e))^{1+s}\right)W_{p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}}^E(e)^{-s} \nonumber \\
= &
\sum_e \left( \sum_a p' (a)
(W_{f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}(a)}^E(e))^{1+s}\right)W_{p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}}^E(e)^{-s} \nonumber \\
= &
M^s L^s
\sum_e \left( \sum_a p'(a)^{1+s}
(W_{f_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}(a)}^E(e))^{1+s}\right)W_{p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}}^E(e)^{-s} \nonumber \\
= &
M^s L^s
e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}\Label{12-26-1}.\end{aligned}$$
For a given code $\Phi({{\bf Y}})$, we apply the inequality (\[4-27-4\]) to the average of Eve’s information. Then, $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}|{{\bf Y}}} I_E(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})')
\le
\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})})}}{L^s s}\quad 0 \le s \le 1.
\Label{4-27-8-1}\end{aligned}$$ Since $\rE_{{{\bf Y}}}p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})}=p$, the concavity of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ (Lemma \[l1\]) guarantees that $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}} I_E(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})')
& \le
\rE_{{{\bf Y}}}\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p_{\Phi({{\bf Y}})})}}{L^s s}
\nonumber
\\
& \le
\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}
\quad 0 \le s \le 1.
\Label{4-27-8}\end{aligned}$$
Now, we make a code for wire-tap channel by modifying the above protocol $\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})'$. First, we choose the distribution $Q_i$ to be the uniform distribution on $f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1}\{i\}$. When Alice wants to send the message $i$, before sending the random variable $A$, Alice generates the random number $A$ subject to the distribution $Q_i$. Alice sends the random variable $A$. Bob recovers the random variable $A$ and Applies the function $f_{{{\bf X}}}$. Then, Bob decodes Alice’s message $i$, and this code for wire-tap channel $W^B,W^E$ is denoted by $\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})$. Since Condition \[C12\] guarantees that the cardinality $|f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1}\{i\}|$ does not depend on $i$, the protocol $\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})$ has the same performance as the above protocol $\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})'$.
Finally, we consider what code is derived from the above random coding discussion. Using the Markov inequality, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\rP_{{{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}}
\{ \epsilon_B(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})) \le 2 \rE_{{{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}} \epsilon_B(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})) \}^c
&\,< \frac{1}{2} \\
\rP_{{{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}}
\{ I_E(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}})) \le 2 \rE_{{{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}} I_E(\Phi({{\bf X}},{{\bf Y}}))\}^c
&\,< \frac{1}{2} .\end{aligned}$$ Therefore, the existence of a good code is guaranteed in the following way. That is, we give the concrete performance of a code whose existence is shown in the above random coding method.
There exists a code $\Phi$ for any integers $L,M$, and any probability distribution $p$ on ${{\cal X}}$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
|\Phi| &=M \nonumber \\
\epsilon_B(\Phi) & \le 2 \min_{0\le s\le 1}(ML)^{s}e^{\phi(-s|W^B,p)}
\Label{3-8-1}\\
I_E(\Phi) & \le 2
\min_{0 \le s \le 1}
\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}.
\Label{7-1-2} \end{aligned}$$
In fact, Hayashi [@Hayashi] proved a similar result when the right hand side of (\[7-1-2\]) is replaced by $2 \min_{0 \le s \le 1/2}\frac{e^{\phi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}$.
In the above derivation, the concavity of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ concerning $p$ is essential. The quantity $e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}$ can be regarded as a function of $p$, but it is not concave. The quantity $e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}$ can be described by $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ via (\[12-26-1\]) only when $p$ is a uniform distribution on the set with the cardinality $ML$. Otherwise, the quantity $e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}$ cannot be given as function of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ via (\[12-26-1\]). Therefore, in the above derivation, we have to apply the following steps with the given order. In the first step, we transform the bound (\[4-27-4\]) with the quantity $e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}$ to a function of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ via (\[12-26-1\]), in which $p$ is a uniform distribution with the cardinality $ML$. In the second step, we apply the concavity of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$.
In the $n$-fold discrete memoryless channels $W^{B_n}$ and $W^{E_n}$ of the channels $W^B$ and $W^E$, the additive equation $\phi(s|W^{B_n},p)= n \phi(s|W^B,p)$ holds. Thus, there exists a code $\Phi_n$ for any integers $L_n,M_n$, and any probability distribution $p$ on ${{\cal X}}$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
|\Phi_n| &=M_n \nonumber \\
\epsilon_B(\Phi) & \le 2
\min_{0\le s\le 1}
(M_n L_n)^{s}e^{n \phi(-s|W^B,p)}
\nonumber
\\
I_E(\Phi_n) & \le 2
\min_{0 \le s \le 1}
\frac{e^{n \psi(s|W^E,p)}}{L_n^s s}.
\Label{7-1-2-a} \end{aligned}$$ Since $\lim_{s \to 0} \frac{\psi(s|W^{E},p)}{s}= I(p:W^E)$, the rate $\max_p I(p:W^B)-I(p:W^E)$ can be asymptotically attained.
When the sacrifice information rate is $R$, i.e., $L_n\cong e^{nR}$, the decreasing rate of Eve’s information is greater than $e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p):=\max_{0\le s\le1} s R-\psi(s|W^E,p)$. Hayashi [@Hayashi] derived another lower bound of this exponential decreasing rate $e_{\phi}(R|W^E,p):=\max_{0 \le s \le 1/2} s R-\phi(s|W^E,p)$.
Comparison with existing bound
==============================
Now, we compare the two upper bounds $\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}$ and $\frac{e^{\phi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}$. Hölder inequality with the measurable space $({\cal X},p)$ is given as $$\begin{aligned}
& |\sum_{x\in {\cal X}} p(x) X(x)Y(x)| \\
\le &
(\sum_{x\in {\cal X}} p(x) |X(x)|^{\frac{1}{1-s}})^{1-s}
(\sum_{x\in {\cal X}} p(x) |Y(x)|^{\frac{1}{s}})^{s}.\end{aligned}$$ Using this inequality, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
& \sum_x p(x)
(W_x(y))^{1+s} W_p(y)^{-s}\\
= &
\sum_x p(x)
W_x(y)
(\frac{W_x(y)}{W_p(y)})^{s}
\\
\le &
\left( \sum_x p(x)
(W_x(y))^{\frac{1}{1-s}}\right)^{1-s}
\left( \sum_x p(x)
\frac{W_x(y)}{W_p(y)}
\right)^{s} \\
= &
\left( \sum_x p(x)
(W_x(y))^{\frac{1}{1-s}}
\right)^{1-s}.\end{aligned}$$ Taking the summand concerning $y$, we obtain $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)} \le e^{\phi(s|W^E,p)}$. That is, our upper bound is better than that given by [@Hayashi].
Next, in order to consider the case when the privacy amplification rate $R$ is close to the mutual information $I(p:W)$, we treat the difference between these bounds with the limit $s \to 0$. In this case, we take their Taylor expansions as follows. $$\begin{aligned}
& \sum_{x,y}
p_x W_x(y)^{1+s}W_p(y)^{-s} \\
\cong &
1+ I(p:W)s +I_2(p:W)s^2 +I_3(p:W)s^3 \\
&
\sum_{y} \left(\sum_{x}p_x W_x(y)^{\frac{1}{1-s}}\right)^{1-s} \\
\cong &
1+ I(p:W)s +I_2(p:W)s^2 +
(I_3(p:W)+\tilde{I}_3(p:W))s^3 ,\end{aligned}$$ where $$\begin{aligned}
I_2(p:W)&:=
\frac{1}{2}
\sum_{x,y}p_x W_x(y)
(\log W_x(y)-\log W_p(y))^2\\
I_3(p:W)&:=
\frac{1}{6}
\sum_{x,y}p_x W_x(y)
(\log W_x(y)-\log W_p(y))^3\\
\tilde{I}_3(p:W)&:=
\frac{1}{2}\sum_y
\Bigl(
\sum_x p_x W_x(y)(\log W_x(y))^2 \\
&\hspace{10ex} - \frac{(\sum_x p_x W_x(y)\log W_x(y))^2}{W_p(y)}
\Bigr).\end{aligned}$$ Indeed, applying the Schwarz inequality to the inner product $\langle f,g \rangle:=
\sum_x p_x W_x(y) f(y) g(y)$, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
&(\sum_x p_x W_x(y)(\log W_x(y))^2 )
\cdot
(\sum_x p_x W_x(y) ) \\
\ge &
(\sum_x p_x W_x(y)\log W_x(y))^2.\end{aligned}$$ Since $\sum_x p_x W_x(y)=W_p(x)$, this inequality implies that $\tilde{I}_3(p:W) \ge 0$. That is, $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ is smaller than $e^{\phi(s|W^E,p)}$ only in the third order when $s$ is small.
Next, we consider a more specific case. A channel $W^E$ is called [*additive*]{} when there exists a distribution such that $W^E_x(z)=P(z-x)$. In this case, $\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}}{L^s s}$ can be simplified as follows. When ${\cal X}={\cal Z}$ and ${\cal X}$ is a module and $W_{x}(z)=W_{0}(z-x)
=P(z-x)
$, the channel $W$ is called additive. Any additive channel $W^E$ satisfies $e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})\ge e_{\phi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})$, where $p_{\mix}$ is the uniform distribution on ${\cal X}$. This fact can be shown as follows. Since $$\begin{aligned}
e^{\psi(s|W^E,p_{\mix})}
&=
|{\cal X}|^{s} e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P)}\Label{12-26-2}\\
e^{\phi(t|W^E,p_{\mix})}
&=
|{\cal X}|^{t} e^{- (1-t)\tilde{H}_{1+\frac{t}{1-t}}(X|P)},
\nonumber\end{aligned}$$ we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
& e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})
=\max_{0 \le s \le 1}
s (R-\log |{\cal X}|)
+ \tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P) \\
=& \max_{0 \le s \le 1}
s (R-\log |{\cal X}|+ H_{1+s}(X|P) ) \\
\ge &
\max_{0 \le s \le 1}
\frac{s (R-\log |{\cal X}|)+ \tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P) }{1+s}
\\
=& \max_{0 \le s \le 1}
\frac{s(R-\log |{\cal X}|+ H_{1+s}(X|P) )}{1+s}
=
e_{\phi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix}),\end{aligned}$$ where $t=\frac{s}{1+s}$. Fig. \[f1\] shows the comparison of $e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})$ and $e_{\phi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})$ with $e_{\psi,2}(R|W^E,p_{\mix}):= (R-\log |{\cal X}|)+ H_{2}(X|P) $, which is directly obtained from Bennett et al[@BBCM]. When $R-\log |{\cal X}| \ge -\frac{d}{ds} \tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P)|_{s=1}$, $e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})= e_{\psi,2}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})$.
Next, we consider a more general case. Eve is assumed to have two random variables $z \in {\cal X}$ and $z'$. The first random variable $z$ is the output of an additive channel depending on the second variable $z'$. That is, the channel $W_x^E(z,z')$ can be written as $W_x^E(z,z')=P^{X,Z'}(z-x,z')$, where $P^{X,Z'}$ is a joint distribution. Hereinafter, this channel model is called a general additive channel. This channel is also called a regular channel[@DP]. For this channel model, the inequality $e_{\psi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})\ge e_{\phi}(R|W^E,p_{\mix})$ holds because $$\begin{aligned}
e^{\psi(s|W^E,p_{\mix})}
&=
|{\cal X}|^{s} e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|Z'|P^{X,Z'})}\Label{12-26-3}\\
e^{\phi(t|W^E,p_{\mix})}
&=
|{\cal X}|^{t} e^{- (1-t)\tilde{H}_{1+\frac{t}{1-t}}(X|Z'|P^{X,Z'})}.\nonumber\end{aligned}$$
Wire-tap channel with linear coding
===================================
In a practical sense, we need to take into account the decoding time. For this purpose, we often restrict our codes to linear codes. In the following, we consider the case where the sender’s space ${{\cal X}}$ has the structure of a module. First, we regard a submodule $C_1\subset {{\cal X}}$ as an encoding for the usual sent message, and focus on its decoding $\{\cD_x\}_{x\in C_1}$ by the authorized receiver. We construct a code for a wire-tap channel $\Phi_{C_1,C_2}= (|C_1/C_2|,
\{Q_{[x]}\}_{[x]\in C_1/C_2},
\{\cD_{[x]}\}_{[x]\in C_1/C_2})$ based on a submodule $C_2$ of $C_1$ as follows. The encoding $Q_{[x]}$ is given as the uniform distribution on the coset $[x]:=x+C_2$, and the decoding $\cD_{[x]}$ is given as the subset $\cup_{x'\in x+C_2} \cD_{x'}$. Next, we assume that a submodule $C_2({{\bf X}})$ of $C_1$ with cardinality $|C_2({{\bf X}})|=L$ is generated by a random variable ${{\bf X}}$ satisfying the following condition.
Any element $x \neq 0 \in C_1$ is included in $C_2({{\bf X}})$ with probability at most $\frac{L}{|C_1|}$.
Then, the performance of the constructed code is evaluated by the following theorem.
Choose the subcode $C_2({{\bf X}})$ according to Condition \[C2\]. We construct the code $\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})}$ by choosing the distribution $Q_{[x]}$ to be the uniform distribution on $[x]$ for $[x]\in C_1/C_2({{\bf X}})$. Then, we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I_E(\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})})
\le &
\frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, C_1})}}{L^s s}
\quad 0 < \forall s <1,\Label{4-27-1}\end{aligned}$$ where $P_{\mix,S}$ is the uniform distribution on the subset $S$.
This inequality can be shown by (\[4-27-4\]) as follows. Now, we define the joint distribution $P(x,z):= P_{\mix, C_1}(x)W^E_{x}(z)$. The choice of $Q_{[x]}$ corresponds to a hashing operation satisfying Condition \[C1\]. Then, (\[4-27-4\]) yields that $\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I_E(\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})}) $ is bounded by $\frac{|C_1|^s
\sum_{x,z} P(z,x)^{1+s}P(z)^{-s}
}{s}
= \frac{e^{\psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, C_1})}}{L^s s}$, which implies (\[4-27-1\]).
Next, we consider a special class of channels. When the channel $W^E$ is additive, i.e., $W^E_x(z)=P(z-x)$, the equation $\psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, C_1+x})= \psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, C_1})$ holds for any $x$. Thus, the concavity of $e^{\psi(s|W^E,p)}$ (Lemma \[l1\]) implies that $$\begin{aligned}
\psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, C_1})
\le \psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix, {\cal X}})
.\Label{2-13-1}\end{aligned}$$ Thus, combining (\[4-27-1\]), (\[2-13-1\]), and (\[12-26-2\]), we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I_E(\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})})
\le &
\frac{|{\cal X}|^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P)}}{L^s s}
\quad 0 < \forall s <1.\Label{4-27-2}\end{aligned}$$ Similarly, when the channel $W^E$ is general additive, i.e., $W^E_x(z,z')=P^{X,Z'}(z-x,z')$, combining (\[4-27-1\]), (\[2-13-1\]), and (\[12-26-3\]), we obtain $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} I_E(\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})})
\le &
\frac{|{\cal X}|^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|Z'|P^{X,Z'})}}{L^s s}
\quad 0 < \forall s <1.\Label{4-27-3}\end{aligned}$$
In the following discussion, we assume that ${{\cal X}}$ is an $n$-dimensional vector space ${\mathbb{F}}_q^n$ over the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_q$. Then, the subcode $C_2({{\bf X}})$ of the random linear privacy amplification can be constructed with small complexity. That is, when $C_1$ is equivalent to ${\mathbb{F}}_q^m$, an ensemble of the subcodes $C_2({{\bf X}})$ satisfying Condition \[C2\] can be generated from only the $m-1$ independent random variables $X_1, \ldots, X_{m-1}$ on the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_q$ as follows.
When $|C_2({{\bf X}})|=q^k$, we choose the subcode $C_2({{\bf X}})$ as the kernel of the the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix and the identity $({{\bf X}},I)$ of the size $m \times (m-k)$ given in Appendix \[stoep\]. Then, the encoding $\{Q_{[x]}\}_{[x]\in C_1/C_2({{\bf X}})}$ is constructed as follows. When the sent message is $x \in {\mathbb{F}}_q^k$, it is transformed to $(b,x-{{\bf X}}b)^T \in {\mathbb{F}}_q^m$, where $b=(b_1, \ldots, b_{k})$ are $k$ independent random variables. This process forms the encoding $\{Q_{[x]}\}_{[x]\in C_1/C_2({{\bf X}})}$ because the set $\{(b, -{{\bf X}}b)^T|b \in {\mathbb{F}}_q^k\}$ is equal to $C_2({{\bf X}})$. This can be checked using the fact that $({{\bf X}},I)(b,x-{{\bf X}}b)^T = x $ and the set $\{(b,-{{\bf X}}b)^T|b \in {\mathbb{F}}_q^k\}$ forms a $k$-dimensional space.
Therefore, if the error correcting code $C_1$ can be constructed with effective encoding and decoding times and $W^E$ is additive or general additive, the code $\Phi_{C_1,C_2({{\bf X}})}$ for a wire-tap channel satisfying the inequality (\[4-27-2\]) or (\[4-27-3\]) can be constructed by using random linear privacy amplification.
Furthermore, for the $n$-fold discrete memoryless case of the wire-tap channel $W^B, W^E$, it is possible to achieve the rate $I(P_{\mix,{{\cal X}}}:W^B)-I(P_{\mix,{{\cal X}}}:W^E)$ by a combination of this error correcting and random linear privacy amplification when an error correcting code attaining the Shannon rate $I(P_{\mix,{{\cal X}}}:W^B)$ is available and the channel $W^E$ is general additive, i.e., $W^{E}_{x}(z,z')=P^{X,Z'}(z-x,z')$. In this case, when the sacrifice information rate is $R$, as follows from the discussion of Section \[s6\] and (\[2-13-1\]), the exponent of Eve’s information is greater than $\max_{0 \le s \le 1}s (R-\log |{\cal X}|)+ \tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|Z'|P^{X,Z'})
=
\max_{0 \le s \le 1}
s (R-\log |{\cal X}|+ H_{1+s}(X|Z'|P^{X,Z'}) )$.
This method is very useful when the channels $W^B$ and $W^E$ are additive. However, even if the channels are not additive or general additive, this method is still useful because it requires only a linear code and random privacy amplification, which is simpler requirement than that of the random coding method given in the proof of Theorem \[3-6\] while this method cannot attain the optimal rate.
Secret key agreement
====================
Next, following Maurer[@Mau93], we apply the above discussions to secret key agreement, in which, Alice, Bob, and Eve are assumed to have initial random variables $a\in {\cal A}$, $b\in {\cal B}$, and $e\in {\cal E}$, respectively. The task for Alice and Bob is to share a common random variable almost independent of Eve’s random variable $e$ by using a public communication. The quality is evaluated by three quantities: the size of the final common random variable, the probability that their final variables coincide, and the mutual information between Alice’s final variables and Eve’s random variable. In order to construct a protocol for this task, we assume that the set ${\cal A}$ has a module structure (any finite set can be regarded as a cyclic group). Then, the objective of secret key agreement can be realized by applying the code of a wire-tap channel as follows. First, Alice generates another uniform random variable $x$ and sends the random variable $x':= x-a$. Then, the distribution of the random variables $b,x'$ ($e,x'$) accessible to Bob (Eve) can be regarded as the output distribution of the channel $x \mapsto W^{B}_x$ ($x \mapsto W^{E}_x$). The channels $W^{B}$ and $W^{E}$ are given as follows. $$\begin{aligned}
W^{B}_x(b,x')&= P^{AB}(x-x',b) \nonumber \\
W^{E}_x(e,x')&= P^{AE}(x-x',e),\Label{4-26-1}\end{aligned}$$ where $P^{AB}(a,b)$ ($P^{AE}(a,e)$) is the joint probability between Alice’s initial random variable $a$ and Bob’s (Eve’s) initial random variable $b$ ($e$). Hence, the channel $W^E$ is general additive.
Applying Theorem \[3-6\] to the uniform distribution $P_{\mix}^A$, for any numbers $M$ and $L$, there exists a code $\Phi$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
|\Phi| & =M \\
\epsilon_B(\Phi) & \le 2 \min_{0\le s\le1} (ML)^s |\cA|^{-s} e^{-(1+s)\tilde{H}_{\frac{1}{1+s}}(A|B|P^{A,B})} \\
I_E(\Phi) & \le 2
\min_{0\le s\le1} \frac{|{\cal A}|^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}}{s L^s }\end{aligned}$$ because $e^{\phi(-s|W^B,P_{\mix,\cA})}=|\cA|^{-s} e^{-(1+s)\tilde{H}_{\frac{1}{1+s}}(A|B|P^{A,B})}$. and $\psi(s|W^E,P_{\mix,\cA})=
s \log |{\cal A}|-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})
=
s (\log |{\cal A}|-H_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E}) )$.
In particular, when ${{\cal X}}$ is an $n$-dimensional vector space ${\mathbb{F}}_q^n$ over the finite field ${\mathbb{F}}_q$ and the joint distribution between $A$ and $B$($E$) is the $n$-fold independent and identical distribution (i.i.d.) of $P^{A,B}$ ($P^{A,E}$), respectively, the relation $
\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A^n|E^n|(P^{A,E})^n)
=n \tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})$ holds. Thus, there exists a code $\Phi_n$ for any integers $L_n,M_n$, and any probability distribution $p$ on ${{\cal X}}$ such that $$\begin{aligned}
|\Phi_n| &=M_n \nonumber \\
\epsilon_B(\Phi) & \le 2
\min_{0\le s\le 1}
(M_n L_n)^{s}
|{\cal A}|^{-ns} e^{-n(1+s)\tilde{H}_{\frac{1}{1+s}}(A|B|P^{A,B})}
\nonumber
\\
I_E(\Phi_n) & \le 2
\min_{0\le s\le1} \frac{|{\cal A}|^{ns} e^{-n \tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}}{s L_n^s }.
\Label{2-13-2}\end{aligned}$$ Hence, the achievable rate of this protocol is equal to $$\begin{aligned}
&I(P_{\mix,\cA}:W^B)- I(P_{\mix,\cA}:W^E)\\
=& H(P^B)+H(P_{\mix,\cA})- H(P^{A,B}) \\
&- (H(P^E)+H(P_{\mix,\cA})- H(P^{A,E}))\\
= &H(P^B)+H(P^A)- H(P^{A,B}) \\
&- (H(P^E)+H(P^A)- H(P^{A,E}))\\
= &I(A:B)-I(A:E)
=H(A|E)-H(A|B),\end{aligned}$$ which was obtained by Maurer[@Mau93] and Ahlswede-Csiszár[@AC93]. Here, since the channels $W^B$ and $W^E$ can be regarded as general additive, we can apply the discussion in Section \[s3\]. That is, the bound (\[2-13-2\]) can be attained with the combination of a linear code and random privacy amplification, which is given in Section \[s3\].
Discussion
==========
We have derived an upper bound for Eve’s information in secret key generation from a common random number without communication when a universal$_2$ hash function is applied. Since our bound is based on the Rényi entropy of order $1+s$ for $s \in [0,1]$, it can be regarded as an extension of Bennett et al [@BBCM]’s result with the Rényi entropy of order 2.
Applying this bound to the wire-tap channel, we obtain an upper bound for Eve’s information, which yields an exponential upper bound. This bound improves on the existing bound [@Hayashi]. Further, when the error correction code is given by a linear code and when the channel is additive or general additive, the privacy amplification is given by the concatenation of Toeplitz matrix and the identity. Finally, our result has been applied to secret key agreement with public communication.
Acknowledgments {#acknowledgments .unnumbered}
===============
This research was partially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research in the Priority Area ‘Deepening and Expansion of Statistical Mechanical Informatics (DEX-SMI)’, No. 18079014 and a MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A) No. 20686026. The author is grateful to Professor Ryutaroh Matsumoto for a helpful comment for proof of Theorem 2 and inequalities (\[4-27-2\]) and (\[4-27-3\]), and interesting discussions. The author thanks Professors Renato Renner and Shun Watanabe for helpful discussions. In particular, he greatly thanks Professor Shun Watanabe for allowing him to including his example mentioned in Appendix III. He is also grateful to the referees for helpful comments concerning this manuscript.
Proof of Theorem \[thm1\]
=========================
The concavity of $x \mapsto x^s$ implies that $$\begin{aligned}
& \rE_{{{\bf X}}}e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P\circ f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1})}
=
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\sum_{i=1}^M
P\circ f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1}(i)
P\circ f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1}(i)^s \\
= & \sum_x
P(x) \rE_{{{\bf X}}}
(\sum_{x': f_{{{\bf X}}}(x)=f_{{{\bf X}}}(x')} P(x'))^s \\
\le &
\sum_x
P(x)
(
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\sum_{x': f_{{{\bf X}}}(x)=f_{{{\bf X}}}(x')} P(x'))^s.\end{aligned}$$ Condition \[C1\] guarantees that $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}
\sum_{x': f_{{{\bf X}}}(x)=f_{{{\bf X}}}(x')} P(x')
\le &
P(x) + \sum_{x\neq x'}P(x')
\frac{1}{M} \\
\le &
P(x) + \frac{1}{M}.\end{aligned}$$ Since any two positive numbers $x$ and $y$ satisfy $(x+y)^s \le x^s +y^s$ for $0 \le s \le 1$, $$\begin{aligned}
(P(x) + \frac{1}{M})^s
\le P(x)^s + \frac{1}{M^s}.\end{aligned}$$ Hence, $$\begin{aligned}
& \rE_{{{\bf X}}}e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P\circ f_{{{\bf X}}}^{-1})}
\le
\sum_x
P(x)
(P(x)^s + \frac{1}{M^s}) \\
= &
\sum_x P(x)^{1+s}
+ \frac{1}{M^s}
=
e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(X|P)}
+ \frac{1}{M^s}.\end{aligned}$$ Therefore, taking the expectation with respect to the random variable $E$, we have $$\begin{aligned}
\rE_{{{\bf X}}}e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{f_{{{\bf X}}}(A),E})}
\le
e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}
+ \frac{1}{M^s}.\Label{5-14-2}\end{aligned}$$ The concavity of the logarithm implies $$\begin{aligned}
\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})\le s H(A|E).\end{aligned}$$ Thus, From (\[5-14-2\]), the concavity of the logarithm yields that $$\begin{aligned}
& s \rE_{{{\bf X}}} H(f_{{{\bf X}}}(A)|E)
\ge
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} \tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E}) \\
\ge &
-\log
\rE_{{{\bf X}}} e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})} \\
\ge &
-\log (e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}
+ \frac{1}{M^s})\\
= &
s\log M
- \log (
1+ M^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})}) \\
\ge &
s\log M
- M^s e^{-\tilde{H}_{1+s}(A|E|P^{A,E})},\end{aligned}$$ where the last inequality follows from the logarithmic inequality $\log (1+x) \le x$. Therefore, we obtain (\[5-14-1\]).
Toeplitz matrix
===============
The concatenation of Toeplitz matrix and the identity $({{\bf X}},I)$ of size $m \times (m-k)$ on the finite filed ${\mathbb{F}}_q$ is given as follows. First, we choose an $m-1$ random variables $X_1, \ldots, X_{m-1}$ on the finite filed ${\mathbb{F}}_q$. $I$ is the $(m-k) \times (m-k)$ identity matrix and the $k \times (m-k)$ matrix ${{\bf X}}=(X_{i,j})$ is defined by the $m-1$ random variables $X_1, \ldots, X_{m-1}$ as follows. $$\begin{aligned}
X_{i,j}=X_{i+j-1} .\end{aligned}$$ This matrix is called a Toeplitz matrix.
Now, we prove that the $m \times (m-k)$ matrices $({{\bf X}},I)$ satisfy Condition \[C2\]. More precisely, we show the following. (1) An element $(x,y)^T \in {\mathbb{F}}_q^k \oplus {\mathbb{F}}_q^{-(m-k)}$ belongs to the kernel of $({{\bf X}},I)$ with probability $q^{k}$ if $x \neq 0$ and $y \neq 0$. (2) It does not belong to the kernel of the $m \times (m-k)$ matrix $({{\bf X}},I)$ if $x = 0$ and $y \neq 0$.
Indeed, since (2) is trivial, we will show (1). For $x=(x_1, \ldots, x_k)$, we let $i$ be the minimum index $i$ such that $x_i \neq 0$. We fix the $k-i$ random variables $X_{i+(m-k)-1}, \ldots,X_{m-1}$. That is, we show that the element $(x,y)^T$ belongs to the kernel with probability $q^{k}$ when the $k-i$ random variables $X_{i+(m-k)-1}, \ldots,X_{m-1}$ are fixed. Then, the condition ${{\bf X}}x+y=0$ can be expressed as the following $m-k$ conditions. $$\begin{aligned}
X_i x_1 &= - \sum_{j=i+1}^{k} X_{j} x_j -y_1 \\
X_{i+1} x_2 &= - \sum_{j=i+1}^{k} X_{j+1} x_j -y_2 \\
& \vdots \\
X_{i+m-k-2} x_{m-k-1} &= - \sum_{j=i+1}^{k} X_{j+m-k-2} x_j -y_{m-k-1} \\
X_{i+m-k-1} x_{m-k} &= - \sum_{j=i+1}^{k} X_{j+m-k-1} x_j -y_{m-k} .\end{aligned}$$ The $(m-k)$-th condition does not depend on the $m-k-1$ variables $X_i, \ldots X_{i+(m-k)-1}$. Hence, this condition only depends on the variable $X_{i+m-k-1}$. Therefore, the $(m-k)$-th condition holds with probability $1/q$. Similarly, we can show that the $(m-k-1)$-th condition holds with probability $1/q$ under the $(m-k)$-th condition. Thus, the $(m-k)$-th condition and the $(m-k-1)$-th condition hold with probability $1/q^2$. Repeating this discussion inductively, we can conclude that all $m-k$ conditions hold with probability $q^{-(m-k)}$.
Two leaked information criteria
===============================
In this appendix, we explain an example, in which, the leaked information criterion based on the variational distance is small but the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information is large. This example is proposed by Shun Watanabe[@Wata]. The former criterion is given as [@Cannetti] $$\begin{aligned}
d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E),\end{aligned}$$ where $P^A_{\mix}$ is the uniform distribution on ${\cal A}$ and the variational distance is given as $d_1(P,Q):=\sum_{x}|P(x)-Q(x)|$. Pinsker inequality [@CKbook] guarantees that $$\begin{aligned}
& d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E) \\
\le &
d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A \times P^E)
+
d_1( P^A \times P^E ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E) \\
\le &
D( P^{A,E} \| P^A \times P^E)^2
+d_1( P^A ,P^A_{\mix}) \\
= & I(A:E)^2+d_1( P^A ,P^A_{\mix}),\end{aligned}$$ where $D(P\|Q):= \sum_{x}P(x) (\log P(x)-\log Q(x))$. This inequality shows that when $d_1( P^A ,P^A_{\mix})$ and $I(A:E)^2$ are close to zero, $d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E)$ is also close to zero.
Assume that the Eve’s distribution $P^E$ is the uniform distribution, and ${\cal E}={\cal A}$. For any small real number $\epsilon >0$, we define a subset ${\cal S} \subset {\cal E}$ such that $P^E({\cal S})=1-\epsilon$. The conditional distribution $P^{A|E}$ is assumed to be given as $$\begin{aligned}
P^{A|E}(a|e):=
\left\{
\begin{array}{ll}
\frac{1}{|{\cal E}|} & \hbox{ if } e \in {\cal S} \\
\delta_{a,e} & \hbox{ if } \in {\cal S}^c ,
\end{array}
\right.\end{aligned}$$ where $\delta_{a,e}$ is $1$ when $a=e$, and is $0$ otherwise. Then, the leaked information criterion based on the variational distance is evaluated as $$\begin{aligned}
&d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E)
=\sum_{e\in {\cal E}} P^E(e) d_1( P^{A|E} ,P^A_{\mix})\\
=&\sum_{e\in {\cal S}} P^E(e) d_1( P^{A|E} ,P^A_{\mix})
+\sum_{e\in {\cal S}^c} P^E(e) d_1( P^{A|E} ,P^A_{\mix})\\
\le & 2 \epsilon.
$$ In oder to evaluate the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information, we focus on the probability $$\begin{aligned}
P_e:= P^{A,E}\{a\neq e \}.\end{aligned}$$ Fano inequality[@CKbook] yields that $$\begin{aligned}
H(E|A)\le 1 + P_e \log |{\cal E}|.\end{aligned}$$ Since $P_e \le 1- \epsilon$, $$\begin{aligned}
& I(A:E)=H(E)-H(E|A)
\ge H(E)- 1 - P_e \log |{\cal E}| \\
=& \log |{\cal E}|- 1 - P_e \log |{\cal E}|
\ge - 1 + \epsilon \log |{\cal E}|.
$$ In particular, when ${\cal E}=\{0,1\}^{n^2}$ and $\epsilon =\frac{1}{n}$, $$\begin{aligned}
d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E)
\le \frac{2}{n} ,\quad
I(A:E)
\ge n- 1 .\end{aligned}$$
This example shows that even if $d_1( P^{A,E} ,P^A_{\mix} \times P^E)$ is close to zero, there is a possibility that $I(A:E)$ is not close to zero. Hence, we cannot guarantee the security based on mutual information from the security based on variational distance while we can guarantee the security based on variational distance from the security based on mutual information when $d_1( P^{A} ,P^A_{\mix})$ is close to zero. Therefore, the leaked information criterion based on the mutual information is more restrictive than that based on variational distance.
[1]{} U. Maurer, “Secret key agreement by public discussion from common information,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 39, 733–742, 1993.
R. Ahlswede and I. Csiszár, “Common randomness in information theory and cryptography part 1: Secret sharing,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 39(4) 1121–1132, 1993.
I. Csiszár and J. Körner, “Broadcast channels with confidential messages,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 24(3) 339–348, 1979.
L. Carter and M. Wegman, “Universal classes of hash functions,” [*J. Comput. Sys. Sci.,*]{} vol. 18, No. 2, 143–154, 1979.
S. Amari and H. Nagaoka, [*Methods of Information Geometry*]{}, (AMS & Oxford University Press, 2000).
H. Krawczyk. LFSR-based hashing and authentication. Advances in Cryptology — CRYPTO ’94. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 839, Springer-Verlag, pp 129–139, 1994.
C.H.Bennett, G. Brassard, C. Crepeau, and U.M. Maurer, “Generalized privacy amplification,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 41, 1915–1923, 1995.
M. Hayashi, “General non-asymptotic and asymptotic formulas in channel resolvability and identification capacity and its application to wire-tap channel,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 52, No. 4, 1562–1575, 2006.
P. Delsarte and P. Piret, “Algebraic constructions of Shannon codes for regular channels,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol.28, no.4, pp.593-599, 1982.
A. D. Wyner, “The wire-tap channel,” [*Bell. Sys. Tech. Jour.*]{}, vol. 54, 1355–1387, 1975.
I. Devetak, “The private classical information capacity and quantum information capacity of a quantum channel,” [*IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory*]{}, vol. 51(1), 44–55, 2005.
A. Winter, A. C. A. Nascimento, and H. Imai, “Commitment Capacity of Discrete Memoryless Channels,” [*Proc. 9th Cirencester Crypto and Coding Conf.*]{}, LNCS 2989, pp 35-51, Springer, Berlin 2003; cs.CR/0304014 (2003) R. G. Gallager, [*Information Theory and Reliable Communication*]{}, John Wiley & Sons, 1968.
R. Renner, “Security of Quantum Key Distribution,” PhD thesis, Dipl. Phys. ETH, Switzerland, 2005. arXiv:quantph/0512258.
J. Muramatsu. “Secret key agreement from correlated source outputs using low density parity check matrices,” [*IEICE Trans. Fundamentals*]{}, E89-A(7): 2036-2046, 2006.
R. Renner and S. Wolf, “Simple and Tight Bounds for Information Reconciliation and Privacy Amplification,” ASIACRYPT 2005, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Springer-Verlag, vol. 3788, pp. 199-216, 2005.
I. Csiszár, “Almost Independence and Secrecy Capacity,” [*Problems of Information Transmission*]{}, vol.32, no.1, pp.40-47, 1996.
M. Naito, S. Watanabe, R. Matsumoto, T. Uyematsu, “Secret Key Agreement by Soft-decision of Signals in Gaussian Maurer’s Model,” [*IEICE Trans. Fundamentals*]{}, vol. 92, no. 2, pp. 525-534, 2009.
R. Renner and S. Wolf, “Smooth Renyi entropy and applications,” In [*Proceedings. International Symposium on Information Theory, 2004. ISIT 2004*]{}, p. 233, 2004.
S. Watanabe, private communication, 2007.
R. Cannetti, “Universal composable security: a new paradigm for cryptographic protocols,” [*Proc. 42nd IEEE FOCS*]{}, pp. 136-145, Oct. 2001.
I. Csiszár and J. Körner, [*Information theory: Coding Theorem for Discrete Memoryless systems*]{}, Academic Press, New York, (1981)
[^1]: M. Hayashi is with Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University, Aoba-ku, Sendai, 980-8579, Japan (e-mail: [email protected])
| |
I2Cnet: Content-based similarity search in geographically distributed repositories of medical images.
The retrieval of images by content is rapidly gaining acceptance as an important function of image database systems. This paper discusses the architecture of I2Cnet, a network of servers which provide content-based query services through a WWW browser. In I2Cnet, algorithms for the representation, storage, and retrieval of medical images based on different descriptions of image content are implemented using description types. AttributeMatch, a description type supported by I2Cnet, aims to capture the knowledge of medical experts in queries by using a similarity criterion which can be tailored to user preferences. We present results showing the query response time of AttributeMatch, obtained with image classes of various sizes, and the degree of similarity of retrieved images to the query image under different similarity criteria.
| |
Video games offer new perspectives for discussions and studies on user experience, which results in a change of the relevant terms in the context of gaming; replacing ‘usability’ with ‘playability’ and ‘user experience’ (UX) with ‘player experience’ (PX). PX can be inspected in various gaming platforms, which present diverse interaction methods through different peripherals, consequently uncovering the complex nature of video games. Therefore, it is critical to understand the nature of PX through user research. However, limited number of studies investigated PX and playability in detail in order to create an analysis framework for entertainment systems by referring to former UX and usability methodologies. Majority of those studies presented a set of playability heuristics on theoretical basis, which still required to be tested through empirical research in various gaming platforms. In this context, this study focuses on the qualitative analysis of multi-platform PX through a proposed playability heuristics framework derived from relevant literature. This study aims to test the proposed framework in a multi-platform game setting and thus seek ways to contribute to the establishment of a new comprehensive analysis framework to understand multi-platform PX. For this purpose, a qualitative multi-method study based on game platform diversity is designed to measure player experience with 8 users in two different gaming platforms which is based on mobile and full body gesture based interaction. Besides revealing the effect of “On-Screen” elements on PX such as game interface, mechanics and gameplay, the study also presents promising findings for the effect of “Off-Screen” aspects such as the environmental and social factors. | https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-40355-7_22 |
When serious about a level in engineering there are dour issues to take into consideration: personal level of commitment, education degree, requirements for admission, and specialized applications. Though the database administrator is answerable for all this stuff, additionally they have an array of different duties relying on their particular job description, employer, and many others. Subjects taught on this program embrace theories of algorithms, programming languages and database administration. That is the point that students typically determine which route they wish to take their pc science diploma, which could vary from programming to networking to computer repair and constructing.
There is a large record of computer based jobs available as we speak and choosing the most effective job is just not a baby’s play. Programmers write packages utilizing various programming languages like C#, C++,.WEB, Java, and so forth. If you’re enrolling your self at MIT, you possibly can undertake a number of programs in computer science. Database administration: Database administrators, or DBAs, are responsible for the design, implementation, maintenance, storage, and repair of a corporation’s databases. RDBMS Methods enable users to view, update, or analyze the database’s data from a number of locations. At present, students find out about laptop technology and programming at an early age.
10. University of Washington: This is considered probably the greatest pc-scienceprograms due to its award profitable faculty and successful alumni. Students will learn how to develop and keep software program, construct applications, handle hardware and software program efficiency, and administrate databases. The accessible textual content on C Language permits the student to be taught each a rational approach to program development and an introduction to ANSI C. As a result of the primary aim is major, a disciplined approach to solving problems and making use of extensively accepted software program engineering strategies to design program solutions as cohesive, readable, and reusable modules.
Having a major in computing may lead to careers in software engineering, system administration, laboratory development and research and much more. For several years the chopping fringe of digital development was in network design, much of which has pushed by the software required to make networks each functional and secure. Between all the roles today, being a Database Administrator is the most typical selection. Harvard college of engineering and utilized sciences: Bachelor in CS. This degree plan presents the CS overview with the additional advantage of coming from one of many greatest schools on the earth.
You will get a pc science diploma online, or you can get one offline. There are several types of colleges that offer these laptop levels, ranging from online colleges to technical faculties to traditional campus-based universities. Laptop scientists study issues to seek out out if they can be calculated, compare algorithms to find out one of the best solution, design and create computer techniques to perform specs from analysis, create encoding languages to convey these algorithms, and apply algorithms to software domains, or units of software programs which share design options.
For example, as a part of the pc science curriculum, the scholars are required to take a course in Software program Engineering. Designing and implementing software program refers back to the work of software improvement which has grown to incorporate facets of internet improvement, interface design, safety points, mobile computing, and much more. You must also know that there are various completely different jobs for computer science majors that it is possible for you to to select from. This can be very accountable job which calls for top safety and data safety points.
A web based laptop science diploma opens up a world of opportunity for any particular person. If an individual can develop nice looking sites there are at all times pc science jobs to be discovered. Many math-associated subjects can appear whereas programming in areas resembling database querying or software testing. College students pursuing courses in laptop science, computer programming and other data expertise (IT) associated courses are on the right track. Because of this incomes a computer science diploma online will improve your chances of finding your dream job. Computer security specialists, also referred to as information security specialists, have the crucial job of guaranteeing the security of an organization’s data systems and preventing entry by unauthorized and destructive forces.
And in the event you’re questioning what you are able to do with a computer science degree, here are just a few exciting careers that you simply would possibly choose. Computer Methods are in all places, from our home, to our jobs, to the grocery store. This occupation is so broad that it has quite a lot of profession options from programming to designing, and sales to analysis and growth. eight. University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign: This school’s laptop science-program has a number of vital entrepreneurial leaders amongst its alumni.
In recent years nonetheless, graduates in this subject find yourself on the theoretical aspect of laptop development and are immersed in laptop engineering activities. Which means that one individual with a pc science diploma might only make around fifty thousand dollars each year and another individuals with the identical sort of degree might have the ability to make round one hundred and twenty thousand dollars each year. This diploma program is ideal for individuals who need to land an entry level job straight away and for professionals searching for advanced training within the area of laptop programming. | https://www.goodsoptical.com/security.html |
Genkyuen Garden (Hikone)
Domo arigato.
-
Genkyuen Garden In Hikone, Shiga Prefecture
Facts & Figures
Genkyuen Garden is one of the many stunning gardens of Japan. Genkyuen Garden is a Japanese landscape garden that has a beautiful pond situated in the middle, as well as a circular walking trail that is perfect for taking a calming stroll. Built on the grounds of Hikone Castle in 1677, the Genkyuen Garden historically belonged to the feudal lords. As usual, the garden is designed to reflect famous poetic stanzas and scenes. In this case, the Genkyuen Garden is a replica of the Eight Views in Omi or Omi Hakke, which refer to the Chinese Imperial Villa that has the Eight Views of Xiaoxiang. This daimyo garden belonging to the ancient Hikone lords is an Edo-style garden that is located next to a number of other historic sites like the Hikone Castle, as well as the Rakurakuen Palace. The Genkyuen Garden is one of the more famous gardens in the region, which is why it is regarded as one of the most stunning gardens for first-time visitors to experience. The garden has a total of four islands that are scattered all through the pond. The four islands are connected by miniature bridges that offer unparalleled views of the Hikone castle. The pond is surrounded by several wooden buildings that help to add to the charm and appeal of the Genkyuen Garden.
- Genkyuen Garden:
- Opening Hours - 8:30 am to 5:00 pm (last entry at 4:30 pm)
- Admission fee - 600 yen (adults), 200 yen (Junior high school student and younger)
History
Genkyuen Garden was created in 1677 within the grounds of the Hikone castle to the northeast. Naooki (1657-1718), who was the 4th Lord of Hikone Castle, ordered the construction of the gardens because he wanted a designated spot where he could entertain visiting dignitaries and guests. The design and the name of the garden were mostly inspired by the gardens of the Chinese emperor of the Tang Period (618 - 907).
Location
Genkyuen Garden is located near Hikone Castle in the city Hikone within the Shiga Prefecture.
Address: 1-1-1 Ishiyamadera, Otsu, Shiga Prefecture 520-0861
How to get to Genkyuen Garden?
- 15min from Hikone Station along the main road to the garden
Sightseeing spots
Top:
Genkyuen Garden Buildings - Feudal Lords used the wooden buildings as entertainment hotspots for their guests and family. Today, however, the wooden buildings serve great cups of fragrant tea that go for as little as 500 yen in a tea house called Hakkeitei.
Rakurakuen Palace - Immediately next to the garden stands the Rakurakuen Palace that served as the primary residence of the feudal lords and their families.
Hikone Castle - It is listed as a national treasure und the most important historical building within the Shiga Prefecture.
Festival & Events (dates can change without notice)
April
Hikone Castle Cherry Blossom Festival (1st - 20th)
Over 1200 cherry trees are in full bloom during that time and it is a fantastic sight.
November
Hikone Shiro-Matsuri (Hikone’s Castle Festival Parade) (3rd)
In this procession children are dressed in traditional costumes of feudal lords. Over 1000 people participate every year on this event.
Where to stay near Genkyuen Garden?
My 100 Best Moments in Japan
I am visiting Japan nearly every year since 2004. This is my collection of the 100 best moments in my favourite country. Enjoy the pictures and I hope you will start your own journey soon. | https://www.japan365days.com/journey_genkyuen_garden.php |
Kate Cheyne joined De Montfort University in 2020 as the Head of the newly formed School of Arts, Design and Architecture. She is a qualified architect, educated at Glasgow School of Art and The Bartlett, UCL. She worked in architectural practices in London, Israel and Sri Lanka, predominantly focussing on healthcare and housing projects, before co-founding and jointly directing the female-led, award-winning practice, Architects in Residence, (AiR). In 2010, Kate worked with Development Workshop France in Haiti, as consultants to Save the Children USA, designing transitional schools that incorporated safer construction methods.
In 2011, she moved her practice knowledge into research and education, where she is exploring cultural landscapes, rural industries and, through their growth and adaptation, spatial and material innovation for a rural condition. A particular focus has been with an inter-disciplinary research group evaluating the textile industry and the potential for novel woven materials within the built environment, that can sense strain and movement.
The impact of her leadership in teaching was acknowledged by being awarded a Higher Education Academy Senior Fellowship (SFHEA). She retains external practice-based links through sitting on Planning Design Review Panels. She is a member of the Standing Conference of Heads of Schools of Architecture (SCHOSA), a board member of RIBA Validation Boards for UK based and International visits and an invited external examiner in a number of institutions ensuring she remains ahead of academic trends within the subject of Architecture.
Kate’s research interests developed out of her fifteen years in architectural practice leading on the use of prefabricated building systems combined with spatial and material innovation. Having worked in a diverse multi-disciplinary studio, from fashion designers to structural engineers and furniture makers to steel fabricators, she learnt the value of interdisciplinary thinking to evolving new design processes that can lead to alternative social and architectural propositions.
Much of her current design research deals with the possibilities of textiles as a viable building material (Tresses, 2009, Fabrikate, 2010, Seismic Shifts, 2011-2017, Strung Out, 2016). Within her teaching she embeds her research that addresses Cultural Landscapes, in particular, the relationship between local materials, growth of rural manufacture and vibrant rural communities (Haiti, 2010, ‘The Isle of Slingers’ 2013, ‘Ducks-a-dabbling’, 2014, ‘Village Factory’ 2014, ‘Blueprints for Future Factories’, 2017, ‘The Makers’ Nursery’, 2018). Kate’s material investigations, in collaboration with Glenn Longden-Thurgood, have been tested as full scale prototype structures, through students’ End of Year Show (Rammed Chalk, 2011, Bent Coppiced Beams, 2012, Reciprocating Grid Structures, 2013, Bundled & Lashed Joints, 2017). | https://www.dmu.ac.uk/about-dmu/academic-staff/art-design-humanities/kate-cheyne/kate-cheyne.aspx?ContensisTextOnly=true |
# Asymmetric graph
In graph theory, a branch of mathematics, an undirected graph is called an asymmetric graph if it has no nontrivial symmetries.
Formally, an automorphism of a graph is a permutation p of its vertices with the property that any two vertices u and v are adjacent if and only if p(u) and p(v) are adjacent. The identity mapping of a graph onto itself is always an automorphism, and is called the trivial automorphism of the graph. An asymmetric graph is a graph for which there are no other automorphisms.
## Examples
The smallest asymmetric non-trivial graphs have 6 vertices. The smallest asymmetric regular graphs have ten vertices; there exist ten-vertex asymmetric graphs that are 4-regular and 5-regular. One of the five smallest asymmetric cubic graphs is the twelve-vertex Frucht graph discovered in 1939. According to a strengthened version of Frucht's theorem, there are infinitely many asymmetric cubic graphs.
## Properties
The class of asymmetric graphs is closed under complements: a graph G is asymmetric if and only if its complement is. Any n-vertex asymmetric graph can be made symmetric by adding and removing a total of at most n/2 + o(n) edges.
## Random graphs
The proportion of graphs on n vertices with nontrivial automorphism tends to zero as n grows, which is informally expressed as "almost all finite graphs are asymmetric". In contrast, again informally, "almost all infinite graphs are symmetric." More specifically, countable infinite random graphs in the Erdős–Rényi model are, with probability 1, isomorphic to the highly symmetric Rado graph.
## Trees
The smallest asymmetric tree has seven vertices: it consists of three paths of lengths 1, 2, and 3, linked at a common endpoint. In contrast to the situation for graphs, almost all trees are symmetric. In particular, if a tree is chosen uniformly at random among all trees on n labeled nodes, then with probability tending to 1 as n increases, the tree will contain some two leaves adjacent to the same node and will have symmetries exchanging these two leaves. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymmetric_graph |
Please read this agreement carefully to ensure that you understand each provision. this agreement contains a mandatory individual arbitration provision that requires the use of arbitration on an individual basis to resolve disputes.
Arival Electronic Communications & e-Signature Agreement
This E-Signature and Electronic Disclosures Agreement (“Disclosure”) applies to all communications related to Arival services available through the Arival’s (“Arival”) website https://ariv.al (the “Website”). “We,” “us,” and “our” refers to Arival. “User” and “you” refers to the business entity obtaining an Account. This Disclosure supplements and is to be construed in accordance with the terms contained in the User Services Agreement (“Agreement”) you received when you obtain the Arival Checking Account (the “Account”), as well as all document referenced therein.
Arival Accessibility Statement
Globally, we work to conform to level Double-A of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG). These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities. Conformance with these guidelines will help make the web more user-friendly for all people. The WCAG defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. These guidelines have been recognized by the International Standards Organization as ISO 40500, and inform our compliance with and commitment to accessibility requirements around the world. | https://arival.com/documents/ |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
0001 This invention relates to the preferential formation of and efficient recovery of alpha olefins by the employment of catalytic distillation in combination with olefin double bond isomerization (shifting of double bonds within an olefin molecule between internal double bonds and double bonds in the alpha position).
0002 Heretofore higher olefins (4 carbon atoms per molecule and higher) have been formed by way of lower olefin (2 or 3 carbon atoms per molecule) oligomerization, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,943,125 to Ziegler et al.
0003 Also heretofore alpha olefins (hereinafter -olefins) have been oligomerized by using catalytic distillation, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,577 to Huss, Jr., et al.
0004 Further heretofore the -olefin 3-methyl butene-1 (hereinafter 3 MB1) has been formed by dehydration of isoamyl alcohol using base treated alumina.
0005 Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,606 to Motz et al. heretofore taught the formation of olefins using aluminum alkyls and then transformation of the -olefins present, in part to internal olefins (olefin molecules with internal double bonds as opposed to olefin molecules with double bonds in the alpha position) using a conventional isomerization reaction. Motz et al. disclose that a conventional isomerization reaction carried out in a conventional isomerization reactor randomizes the double bond placement such that only about 2% alpha olefins remain. This is due to the chemical equilibrium constraints that exist at conditions that are present in a conventional isomerization reactor. By equilibrium constraints what is meant is the balance between -olefins and internal olefins that a given isomerization reaction cannot exceed due to thermodynamic chemical equilibrium. In the case of the illustration of Motz et al. their conventional isomerization reaction reaches equilibrium of 2% -olefins, the remaining olefins in the conventional reactor being internal olefins, and maintains that relative equilibrium between -olefins and internal olefins throughout that conventional isomerization reaction. Thus, the amount of -olefins formed in the Motz et al. illustration is limited by reaction equilibrium constraints to 2% -olefins with the remainder of the olefins in the product being internal olefins.
0006 In accordance with this invention -olefins are continuously formed using conventional isomerization catalyst and then promptly and efficiently removed from the reaction by employing that catalyst in a catalytic distillation column (tower).
0007 By the method of this invention, the isomerization catalyst is employed in a distillation tower in known manner so that the -olefins are formed under distillation conditions that favor speedy removal of the just formed -olefins out of the isomerization reaction and out of the tower.
0008 This overcomes the equilibrium constraints of the isomerization reaction as described hereinabove without eliminating the function thereof, and continuously drives the isomerization reaction toward the formation of ever more -olefins.
0009 Thus, by this invention, -olefins are continually formed in a distillation tower, are promptly removed from the isomerization reaction locale in that tower (reactor) by the distillation conditions under which they were formed, and are just as promptly removed from that reactor and tower for efficient collection of same for further use. This invention thus makes use of the natural equilibrium drive of the isomerization reaction to continuously make -olefins by the continuous swift and efficient removal of -olefins from the distillation tower, the reaction never reaches, much less maintains, its natural equilibrium constraint between -olefins and internal olefins. This allows the overall conversion of internal olefins to far exceed that possible in a conventional isomerization reactor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
0010 By this invention -olefins are formed by catalytic distillation techniques using (A) an olefin double bond isomerization reaction that will produce either a net amount of either -olefins or internal olefins depending on the relative ratios of these compounds in the reaction zone so long as the isomerization reaction has a natural reaction equilibrium point at which a relative mixture of -olefins and internal olefins are produced and maintained during the normal course of the isomerization reaction process, and (B) distillation conditions within the catalytic distillation tower that favor (1) the isomerization reaction in the area or areas of the tower where the isomerization catalyst is located and (2) the prompt removal of -olefins from the distillation tower, preferably the top end of the tower together with refluxing of internal olefins down within the distillation tower giving them the opportunity to react to form -olefins in the catalyst section.
0011 As noted hereinabove with the Huss, Jr., et al. patent it is well known in the art to process olefins using catalytic distillation. Basically, in this process a distillation (fractionation) column (tower) and a catalytic reactor are combined in a single vessel. Catalyst is fitted into a conventional fractionation tower equipped with an overhead condenser, reflux pump, reboiler, internal stages such as fractionation trays, and standard control instrumentation. Depending on the boiling point range of the specific feed being employed, which can vary widely, the feed is introduced into the interior of the tower, in the vicinity of the catalyst so that at least the component(s) of the feed that is to be isomerized in the presence of the catalyst travels into contact with the catalyst. Preferably, the feed is introduced so that the higher boiling point internal olefins are refluxed down into the catalyst from an upper section of the tower into the catalyst zone and so that these internal olefins are boiled up from a lower section of the tower up into the catalyst zone. Thus, depending on the feed composition, the feed can be introduced above or below a given catalyst bed depending on the ratio of the reactants in the feed and the desired products.
0012 The distillation conditions in the tower can vary widely depending on the feed composition, catalyst isomerization function, desired separation of feed components within the tower, and the like, but generally a temperature and pressure gradient will be established within the tower so that the reaction conditions required by the isomerization reaction are established in the tower in the area where the catalyst bed or beds are located and the distillation conditions throughout the interior of the tower favor removal of the desired -olefin promptly and continuously to one end of the tower and movement of the remainder of the feed, or at least internal olefins, to the opposite end of the tower. The distillation conditions can also govern where the catalyst bed(s) is located within tower, i.e., in a central location between the tower top and bottom, or closer to the top or the bottom.
0013 The catalyst employed in the tower must be stable and insoluble in the feed and reaction product, and should be relatively immune to poisoning to minimize replacement costs. The catalyst itself can be a solid material contained in packets stitched into fiberglass cloth which cloth is rolled into bundles with alternate layers of wire mesh. In operation, fluids moving within the tower, either upwardly or downwardly, flow freely into and out of the bundles, providing a constant exchange over the catalyst surface. Multiple bundles of varying diameters can be used to cover the cross section of the tower, and each layer of bundles can be staggered to minimize fluid by-passing. The total bed height of a specific catalyst bed in a tower (reactor and reaction zone) and its relative location within the tower is determined by a number of variables well known in the art such as the feed composition, catalyst composition, possible distillation conditions, desired product composition and purity, desired component separation within the tower, and the like. The desired isomerization reaction occurs with the various feed components in a fluid (gas and/or liquid) state in physical contact with the catalyst.
0014 Catalytic distillation is widely used and well known in the art. In addition to -olefin oligomerization, it has been either commercially used or fully and completely disclosed for use for producing MTBE (U.S. Pat. No. 4,232,177), producing cumene, separating isobutene from a mixture of isobutene and n-butene (U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,530), transetherification (U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,336), and aromatic alkylation. Catalytic distillation is so well known in the art further detail is not required to inform the art.
0015 The advantages of this invention are numerous and not altogether obvious.
0016 First, although it would be preferred that a catalyst be employed that forms more -olefins than internal olefins for obvious reasons, what is not so obvious is that since there is presently no such catalyst available for the double bond isomerization reaction, this invention can employ a catalyst that would form more internal olefins than -olefins in a conventional isomerization process even though the desired product of this invention is -olefins. This is so because by operating under distillation conditions which efficiently remove -olefins from the catalytic reaction zone, the isomerization reaction never reaches its natural equilibrium point between the relative concentrations of -olefins and internal olefins present in the reaction. Thus, whatever type of isomerization catalyst is present in the tower reaction zone (the isomerization reactor), the catalyst is, by this invention's constant removal of -olefin from the reaction zone, constantly driven to make more -olefin to reach its natural equilibrium point between -olefin and internal olefin. Thus, this invention is unexpectedly robust in the very wide variety of isomerization catalysts useful therein, even when such catalysts do not favor the formation of the desired -olefin product.
0017 This invention also has the unobvious advantage that less stages of separation by distillation are required to achieve the desired separation of -olefin from internal olefin. As is well known in the art a separation of a 50/50 mix of -olefin and internal olefin requires a very large number of theoretical separation (distillation) stages, e.g., distillation tower trays. By the combination of the isomerization reaction under distillation conditions, this invention can obtain a desired purity of -olefin product with a lesser number of separation stages.
0018 This invention is especially useful for byproduct streams that are normally used for the production of fuels because it enables the low value olefins to be converted into -olefin products, such as butene-1, 3 MB1 defined hereinabove, pentene-1, and hexene-1, which -olefins can then be used to make other valuable products. For example, -olefins can be employed as a comonomer in the formation of polyethylene to yield a branched chain polymer product that is less brittle and has better impact strength than linear (unbranched) polyethylene.
5
0019 Because of the elimination of normal equilibrium constraints as aforesaid, this invention can be employed to great advantage on low value, low concentration mixed olefin byproduct streams to form additional -olefins and efficiently recover the newly formed -olefins. Examples of such byproduct streams are mixed 5 carbon atom per molecule (C) hydrocarbon streams from a refinery or olefin plant that contain internal olefins in even minor amounts, and ethylene metathesis byproduct streams. Ethylene dimerization streams and Fischer-Tropsch product streams are particularly well suited for the production of linear -olefins. However, any other hydrocarbon stream that has a significant internal olefin content can be used. Thus, by this invention, low value by product streams containing olefins, whether alpha, internal, or mixtures thereof, become a more valuable feed source for -olefins.
5
0020 This invention is especially valuable for processing hydrocarbon streams containing branched chain mixed methyl butenes since it will convert 2-methyl butene-1 (2 MB1) and/or 2-methyl butene-2 (2 MB2) to 3 MB1. When recovered from the tower, the 3 MB1 stream can be used to make other products, e.g., 3 MB1 can be used as a monomer for polymer production or as a comonomer for making branched chain polyethylene. The 3 MB1 product is especially suited to the application of this invention since it has a boiling point that is significantly lower than the other Cproduct's molecules.
5
5
5
0021 A last, but certainly not least, advantage for this invention is in the upgrading of the automotive gasoline pool. Colefins are known as a volatile organic compound that contributes disproportionately to air pollution. The 3 MB1 compound has significantly lower boiling point than other Ccompounds normally found in hydrocarbon streams that are employed in the gasoline pool of hydrocarbon streams from which automotive gasoline for the motoring public is prepared. By preferentially and directionally forming and removing 3 MB1, this invention provides for the easy and ready removal of Colefins that can be converted into 3 MB1 from those hydrocarbon streams and, therefore, from the gasoline pool.
5
5
5
5
0022 Put another way, by this invention a Ccontaining stream, in which at least some of the C's are olefins, can be efficiently depleted in its Colefin content before being added to the gasoline pool by directionally driving the conversion of internal Colefins to newly formed 3 MB1 which is then promptly removed from the host stream by the catalytic distillation conditions present as the 3 MB1 is formed.
4
12
5
10
5
0023 The feed to the catalytic distillation tower can vary widely, but preferably contains olefins (internal or mixture of internal and alpha) having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms per molecule (Cto C), inclusive, still more preferably Cto C, inclusive. The olefin content of the feed should have at least a significant content of internal olefins that can be converted to -olefins with the appropriate catalyst and isomerization conditions, preferably at least about 5 weight percent internal olefins based on the total weight of the feed, still more preferably at least about 30 weight percent internal olefins based on the total weight of the feed. The feed, depending on its content and the isomerization reaction and distillation conditions, will be introduced above or below the catalyst bed reaction zone. Preferably at present, the feed is introduced so that the internal olefins are refluxed down into the reaction zone from an upper section of the tower and reboiled up into the reaction zone from a lower section of the tower, and -olefins rise out of the reaction zone toward the top of the tower while internal olefins travel downwardly toward the bottom of the tower. Suitable feed streams for this invention can be light olefin product streams from a Fischer-Tropsch reactor, steam cracker, catalytic cracker and the like. Product streams containing Colefins are especially useful.
0024 The isomerization catalyst used in this invention can vary widely especially since this invention can employ to advantage catalysts that favor the formation of internal olefins over -olefins. Generally, the catalysts employed promote double bond shifts within a specific olefin molecule (double bond isomerization), so any such catalyst that is suitable for use in a catalytic distillation process can be used. The catalysts useful in this invention will be obvious to one skilled in the art since they are either commercially available or fully and completely disclosed in the prior art. Such catalysts include acidic ion exchange resins such as sulfonated resins with sulfonic acid sites (U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,866), perfluorinated polymer sulfonic acid catalyst, phosphoric acid catalyst, carboxylic acid catalyst, fluorinated alkyl sulfonic acid catalyst, alumina plus alkali metal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,612), zinc aluminate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,430), zirconia, sulfated zirconia, cobalt/sulfur catalyst (U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,367), ruthenium oxide (U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,267), alumino phosphates, and zeolite structures with or without alkali metal (U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,613).
0025 The isomerization conditions useful in this invention will be obvious to one skilled in the art once apprised of this invention, but will generally be temperature and pressure conditions suitable to cause double bond isomerizations in an olefin molecule whether from the alpha position to an internal position or vice versa. The temperature range within the portion of the tower that encompasses the locale of the catalyst will generally be from about 0 to about 500, preferably from about 0 to about 200 C. Some catalysts will require higher isomerization temperatures than others. Also, the isomerization operating range of a catalyst is best at or about (plus or minus 10) the boiling point of the specific feed to that catalyst at the operating pressure of the distillation column. The isomerization pressure range will vary widely given the wide range of feeds and catalysts useful, but will work in conjunction with the temperature range aforesaid to provide the desired isomerization reaction, and will generally be from about 0 psig to about 250 psig.
0026 The distillation conditions within the tower will be broader than the aforesaid isomerization conditions but will encompass the isomerization conditions so that at least one catalyst bed can be fixed in the interior of the tower in a temperature and pressure environment that meets the isomerization reaction temperature and pressure requisites for that particular catalyst bed. Thus, the catalyst could be located anywhere along the internal height of the tower where the desired isomerization conditions are present. A given catalyst could be located centrally of the height of the tower, or nearer the top of the tower, or nearer the bottom of the tower depending on where in the tower the combination of temperature and pressure conditions best match the necessary isomerization conditions and product purity requirements. The tower temperature range from tower bottom to tower top will vary widely depending upon the boiling characteristics of the feed material, particularly its boiling range. Generally, the broader the boiling range of the feed, the broader the temperature range for the tower, and an increase in pressure in the tower provides a higher temperature in the tower for the isomerization reaction. It is presently preferred that the distillation conditions of temperature and pressure encompass the isomerization conditions of temperature and pressure so that the catalyst can be situated in the tower along the height thereof in a manner such that the feed can be introduced into the tower above the catalyst and the -olefins already in the feed migrate upwardly, due to the distillation conditions at the point of feed entry, to the top of the tower for removal while the internal olefins migrate downwardly to the catalyst and toward the bottom of the tower, the remainder of the feed components moving up or down in the tower as is natural for the individual components in the feed under the given distillation conditions.
0027 In the process of this invention, depending on the feed composition, reaction conditions, distillation conditions, specific catalyst employed, and the like, a substantial amount of internal olefin in the feed is converted to -olefin product. This internal olefin conversion amount can be at least about 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed, and in some cases can approach as high as 90 weight percent conversion to -olefin product.
0028 Heavy, unreactive components present in the feedstock along with any internal olefins that are ultimately not converted to -olefins are removed from the tower, preferably as tower bottoms product, for subsequent processing.
0029 A stream produced by ethylene dimerization containing 88 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed, of a mixture of cis-butene-2 and transbutene-2 is employed as a feed to a conventional catalytic distillation tower containing an olefin double bond isomerization catalyst comprising sulfonated resin with sulfonic acid sites (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,866) in a generally central location along the interior height of the tower. The feed is introduced into the tower above the catalyst and falls downwardly into contact with the catalyst whereby at least about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the feed of the cis-butene-2 and transbutene-2 mixture in the feed is transformed into 1-butene.
0030 The temperature range within the tower is from 90 C. at the tower bottom to 75 C. at the tower top, and the tower is essentially at 180 psig at the bottom and 160 psig at the top. This establishes the distillation conditions within the tower.
0031 The catalyst is located within the tower at a location where the prevailing temperature is in the range of from about 80 C. to about 90 C. which is the required temperature range for efficient operation of the isomerization reaction of cis-butene-2 and transbutene-2 to 1-butene using the aforesaid catalyst.
0032 1-butene formed in the isomerizaiton reaction zone of the tower that contains the catalyst rises promptly upwardly out of the reaction zone to the top of the tower where it is removed as tower overhead and collected for further use. The remainder of the feed, including untransformed cis-butene-2 and transbutene-2 is refluxed downward to the reaction section of the tower. Unreacted cis-butene-2 and transbutene-2 that exit the reaction section at the bottom of the tower are reboiled up into the reaction section from the reboiler of the column. This provides multiple opportunities for double bond conversion of the internal olefins as they pass through the reaction zone. Unreactive components present in the feedstock along with any internal olefins that are ultimately not converted are removed in the tower bottoms product for subsequent processing.
0033 A raffinate stream from a steam (thermal) cracker containing 8 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed, of a mixture of 2 MB1 and 2 MB2 is employed as a feed to a conventional catalytic distillation tower that contains in a generally central section of the tower an olefin double bond isomerization catalyst comprising sulfonated resin with sulfonic acid sites (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,866).
0034 The feed is introduced into the tower above the catalyst and falls downwardly into contact with the catalyst wherein at least about 30 weight percent, based on the total weight of the feed, of the mixture of 2 MB1 and 2 MB2 is transformed into 3 MB1.
0035 The temperature range within the tower is from about 96 C. at the tower bottom to about 60 C. at the tower top, and the tower is essentially at 40 psig at the bottom and 20 psig at the top. This establishes the distillation conditions within the tower.
0036 The catalyst is located within the tower at a location where the prevailing temperature is in the range of from about 80 C. to about 96 C. which is the required range for efficient operation of the isomerization reaction of 2 MB1 and 2 MB2 to 3 MB1 using the aforesaid catalyst.
0037 3 MB1 formed in the isomerization reaction zone of the tower that contains the catalyst promptly rises upwardly out of the reaction zone to the top of the tower where it is removed as tower overhead and collected for further use. The remainder of the feed, including untransformed 2 MB1 and 2 MB2 falls downwardly to the bottom of the tower for subsequent processing as tower bottoms such as separation of 2 MB1 and 2 MB2 for recycle to the feed to the tower.
0038 Reasonable variations and modifications are possible within the scope of this disclosure without departing from the spirit of this invention. | |
while the media and public must figure out the negatives.
So it was this past Friday when much enthusiasm was
fawned over the planned conversion of Memorial University’s central heating plant
from oil to electricity. Provincial, Federal,
and Memorial representatives lauded the emissions reduction that would result from
10.5 million liters less fuel consumption at Memorial. The $10.5M project will
be funded 50/50 by Federal and Provincial programs specific to reduction of greenhouse
gas emissions. All that sounds great – there
couldn’t possibly be any downside, could there?
Well, what if reducing 10.5 million liters of
diesel consumption at Memorial requires the Holyrood Thermal Generating Station
to burn 30 million more liters of heavy fuel oil, resulting in far worse provincial
emissions and increased cost to ratepayers?
That’s the kind of info that does not get mentioned at these
cheerleading events.
When Will Muskrat Power Truly and Fully Arrive?
To succeed, electrification initiatives to reduce
emissions need green energy to replace fossil fuels. The new source of green energy in this
province is supposed to be Muskrat Falls hydropower delivered to the Island by
the Labrador Island Link (LIL).
That would be the same LIL whose construction was essentially
complete back in 2017 and has since been plagued by alleged software design
problems. It has operated at an average of
about 10% of it’s rated design capacity and is normally either out of service
altogether or whatever is available is shipped off to meet contractual
commitments to Nova Scotia. The share of
energy used on the Island has been miniscule. After five years of endless failure, utility
and government officials refuse to admit this is a lemon of their own
making.
The only serious appraisal of the situation has
come from the Public Utilities Board US-based consultant, Liberty Consulting
Group. Liberty’s latest quarterly report, issued on March 11, stated they have
no idea when, if ever, the LIL will operate as intended. They stopped just shy of saying what has
become obvious: that if the project is left in the hands of the same set of
managers who have repeatedly failed to date, we should expect it will never
work.
The evidence regarding the dismal prospects for
the LIL are quite plain to see. It is
simply not reasonable to expect that green energy from Muskrat will be
available to supply the new Memorial electric boilers in the foreseeable future. Extra winter season electrical power will
instead have to come from the same place is has for decades: Holyrood.
Irrespective of the source, it may remain true in
the narrowest sense that Memorial will not burn oil on their own property and may
therefore lay claim to becoming a greener campus, keeping up with their
mainland and global competition in being able to boast they are greening up
their operations. The claim is however a
total farce if the utility is forced to burn fuel to meet this new electricity
demand – in fact, far more fuel than Memorial expects to save.
|Memorial University Heating Plant|
Major GHG Reduction Backfire
A few more facts expose the magnitude of the risk
that the politicians and Memorial executives fail to recognize.
First is that Holyrood is a rather inefficient
generating station that converts only 30-35% of fuel energy into electricity. Contrast this to a heating plant boiler system
such as Memorial’s that typically turns 75% or more of the fuel energy into
usable heat.
You don’t need to be an Engineering Professor to do
the math on this one. It’s clear that Holyrood
must burn about 2.5 times as much fuel to supply Memorial’s new electricity
requirements than if the University stayed with its current fuel-fired boiler. Provincial GHG output will not be going down
but will instead rise dramatically higher!
To add further injury to insult, Holyrood burns unrefined
#6 fuel oil, compared to much cleaner refined #2 diesel presently used at Memorial. This results in enormously higher production
of black soot particulates and other toxins more immediately dangerous to
people and the environment.
The Premier spoke at the press event of how the boiler
conversion project would be the equivalent of taking over 6000 cars off the road. If Holyrood generates the power as we should
expect, the result is very much the opposite: adding 15,000 cars!
These wouldn’t be relatively clean modern diesel
cars either. This virtual fleet of 15,000
extra cars would be noxious stinkers powered by dirty unrefined bunker fuel, with
no anti-pollution equipment, driving back and forth on the roads of Conception
Bay South, all day, and all night. Think
about the most choking and polluting diesel vehicles you have ever encountered
and imagine these 15,000 cars all being worse.
Transfer of Cost from MUN/GNL to Ratepayers
Another key issue conveniently ignored at the
announcement event involves who would pay the excess energy cost imposed by
increasing Holyrood fuel consumption.
The answer is: not Memorial.
Instead, the cost will be absorbed by all electric utility ratepayers.
The cost of the 30 million liters of extra fuel consumed
at Holyrood, attributable to Memorial’s heating system electrification, will be
about $35 million at current oil costs.
The extra electricity revenue coming back from
Memorial likely covers just 20% of the fuel cost. Ratepayers should expect a burden of about
$28 Million to provide Memorial with their delusion of emissions
reduction. The resulting rate increase
to be applied to ALL electricity customers will be 0.4 c/KWh.
Extracting that $28 Million annually from
ratepayers also negatively affects the local economy as disposable consumer
capital and corporate investment capital are reduced.
The extra cost to ratepayers is not a one-time event
either. It’s annual until such time as
the LIL works as intended or other new green energy sources are developed in
response to the failure of the LIL. At
the snail’s pace NL Hydro and Government are moving, this is likely many years
into the future. It’s easy to see
unnecessary costs to ratepayers growing to $100 Million or more.
Also, not to be forgotten is that the extra oil expenditure
flows out of the province supporting indirectly if not directly all the
terrible geopolitical problems that accompany oil dependency. This new oil demand will support regimes such
as Russia and Saudi Arabia whether the oil comes from there or not.
Why Does Absurdity Reign Supreme in This
Province?
To recap, we are witnessing a plan that appears to
be set for dismal economic and environmental failure.
If the LIL continues to be the flop that it has
been, and it appears illogical to think otherwise, then there is no reliable
green energy to count upon for true fuel abatement and emissions
reduction. The more likely result is increased
fuel consumption and emissions. The
emissions will also be qualitatively much more harmful. On top of that, higher electricity rates will
negatively impact the local economy and instead support foreign oil interests, supporting
autocratic and despotic regimes.
To be sure, this plan is just insane and is not
what any reasonable citizen of this province should want.
Of course, we know that wherever Muskrat is
involved, Government should be expected to double down on their stupidity.
Observing our University participating in this
high-risk charade, however, is a new low for our province’s self-respect. That the University has proven itself incapable
of seeing the big picture here is a matter of dire concern.
Surely there must be some willing protagonists at
Memorial, among students, faculty and staff, who can deliver similar analysis to
challenge their executives to defer on this plan until such time as green
electricity is proven to be available and reliable. Some from Engineering and Economics are top
of mind, but those in many other programs should see an opportunity to expose
the high risks inherent in this undertaking.
But will they?
For the proposed project to have made it this far
is frankly an outsize embarrassment for the University. A project with far greater chance of having
costly risks materialize than potential benefits should never have been
approved.
In an era of high claim to environmental awareness
and climate science, the University’s commitment to such damaging risk is
unforgivable and a terrible indication of subjugation to a misguided Government
agenda.
That a blogsite has to provide this preliminary
analysis and construct the argument against the project because the University appears
incapable or unwilling to properly attend to its own business, speaks ever more
poorly for the future of the institution and for the province.
Sources and Related Reading:
Memorial University news release on boiler
conversion, March 25, 2022 Emissions
reduction (mun.ca)
CBC.ca report, March 26, 2022 MUN
boiler to go electric with $10.5M from federal, provincial governments | CBC
News
Liberty Consulting Quarterly Monitoring Report to
PUB, March 11, 2022 The
Liberty Consulting Group Fourteenth Quarterly Monitoring Report –
2022-03-11.PDF (pub.nl.ca)
PlanetNL28 – Electrification: Good Business or
Sleight of Hand? UNCLE
GNARLEY: ELECTRIFICATION: GOOD BUSINESS OR POLITICAL SLEIGHT-OF-HAND? | https://unclegnarley.ca/2022/03/mun-electrification-formula-for/ |
Tiptree Financial Inc. GAAP net income of $5.6 million, up $6.6 million from a loss of $1.0 million in the prior year period.
Tiptree Operating Company, LLC GAAP net income of $7.4 million, up $9.4 million from a loss of $2.0 million in the prior year period.
Tiptree Operating Company, LLC Total Adjusted EBITDA of $15.3 million, up 18% or $2.4 million from the prior year period.
Declared dividend of $0.025 per share to Class A stockholders of record on May 23, 2016 with a payment date of May 30, 2016.
GAAP book value of $9.12 per Class A common share and $9.03 per share of Tiptree Operating Company, LLC as of March 31, 2016.
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tiptree Financial Inc. (NASDAQ:TIPT) (“Tiptree Financial”), a diversified holding company which operates in the insurance and insurance services, specialty finance, asset management and real estate industries, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2016. This release reports both the results of Tiptree Operating Company, LLC (“Tiptree” or the “Company”) and the results available to Tiptree Financial’s Class A stockholders.
Fortegra Financial Corporation (“Fortegra”) contributed $9.0 million in pre-tax earnings to consolidated results for the three months ended March 31, 2016 compared to $4.0 million for the prior year period.
Care acquired 2 seniors housing communities with assets of $55 million. As a result of acquisitions in 2015 and 2016, Care revenues grew $4.5 million, or 47.4%.
Purchased an additional $11.9 million in non-performing residential mortgage loans securing single family properties (“NPLs”), bringing the Company’s total investment in NPLs to $51.6 million.
Simplified Tiptree Financial’s corporate structure by creating a consolidated group among Tiptree Financial and its subsidiaries for U.S. federal income tax purposes effective January 1, 2016.
Raised $22 million in proceeds through the sale of our tax exempt portfolio in the quarter and Star Asia investment in early April, available to redeploy into our core businesses.
The Company had net income before taxes from continuing operations of $5.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, which was an increase of $10.8 million from the three months ended March 31, 2015. The key drivers of pretax results from continuing operations were improved revenues and investment income from our insurance and insurance services segment, increased rental income in our senior housing real estate operations, and unrealized gains on principal investments partially offset by increased expenses in specialty finance and higher corporate expenses associated with our effort to improve our controls and financial reporting infrastructure.
For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company reported revenues of $131.8 million, an increase of $42.7 million from the three months ended March 31, 2015. The primary drivers of the increase in revenues were period-over-period improvements in earned premiums, service and administrative fees and investment income in our insurance and insurance services segment, the acquisition of Reliance in specialty finance and of senior housing properties at Care, and improvement in the performance of our principal investments.
For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company had expenses of $127.9 million, an increase of $33.3 million from the three months ended March 31, 2015. The primary drivers of the increase in expenses were commission expenses in insurance and insurance services as a result of the growth in written premiums, higher payroll and commission expense primarily related to the addition of Reliance volume and an increase in headcount in specialty finance, increased operating expenses and depreciation and amortization associated with our increased investments in our real estate segment and increases in corporate payroll and professional expenses to improve our reporting and controls infrastructure.
For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the Company reported Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations of $15.3 million, an increase of $10.6 million from the three months ended March 31, 2015. The key drivers of the change in Adjusted EBITDA were the same as those which impacted our pretax income from continuing operations.
The Company reported total Adjusted EBITDA for the three months ended March 31, 2016 of $15.3 million, an increase of $2.4 million from the three months ended March 31, 2015. The primary drivers of the increase were the same factors that impacted Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations, partially offset by the loss of income from discontinued operations from 2015.
Management believes that Adjusted EBITDA provides a supplementary metric to enhance investors’ understanding of the on-going earnings potential of the Company’s businesses and an indication of the Company’s ability to generate additional funds for re-investment in the combined businesses. Because it is a Non-GAAP measure, it should be reviewed in conjunction with the Company’s GAAP results. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” below for further information relating to the Company’s Adjusted EBITDA measure, including a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
The Company’s insurance and insurance services segment is comprised of its wholly-owned Fortegra subsidiary, which was acquired in December 2014. The acquisition of Fortegra resulted in purchase price accounting adjustments in our insurance and insurance services segment giving effect to the push-down accounting treatment of the acquisition. These adjustments include setting deferred cost assets to a fair value of zero, modifying deferred revenue liabilities to their respective fair values, and recording a substantial intangible asset representing the value of the business acquired (“VOBA”). The application of push-down accounting creates a modest impact to net income, but significantly impacts individual assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. Due to acquisition accounting, the line items through which revenue and expenses relate to acquired contracts are recognized in a single line item, depreciation and amortization, and are different than newly originated contracts. To allow for better period-over-period comparison of operations, we eliminated the effects of purchase accounting ("As Adjusted"). The Company believes that As Adjusted information provides useful supplemental information to investors, but should be reviewed in conjunction with their nearest GAAP equivalent. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - Fortegra” below for further information, including a reconciliation from GAAP results to As Adjusted results.
Insurance and insurance services segment pre-tax income was $9.0 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016, an increase of $5.0 million or 123.5% over the prior year period operating results. The primary drivers of the improvement in period-over-period results was a reduction in total operating expenses of $8.2 million, primarily in depreciation and amortization expenses associated with the VOBA, partially offset by a reductions in net revenues of $3.2 million driven by competition in the warranty segment.
As Adjusted pre-tax income was $8.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, an increase of $5.0 million or 141.8%. The primary drivers of the period-over-period improvement include an increase in net revenues of $4.0 million driven by improvements in credit protection investment income, earned premiums and service fees. As Adjusted operating expenses were down $1.0 million as a result of cost actions taken throughout 2015 to reduce headcount and professional fees.
For insurance and insurance services, the main components of revenue are service and administrative fees, ceding commissions and earned premiums, net. Total revenues were $89.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, up $16.9 million, or 23.4% over the prior year period. The increase was primarily driven by an increase in earned premiums of $7.3 million, or 19.4%, and increase of $8.4 million, or 38.2%, in service and administrative fees, and an increase of $2.2 million in investment income, all of which were slightly offset by a decrease of $5.4 million in period-over-period impacts of purchase accounting.
As Adjusted net revenues were $30.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, up $4.0 million or 14.9% from the comparable 2015 period. The increase was primarily driven by improvements in the credit protection and specialty products, as reduced claim activity and investment income on float drove the year-over-year favorability. Those improvements were dampened slightly by a reduction in period-over-period As Adjusted net revenues for cell phone warranty contracts as competitive pressures remain.
Operating expenses in the insurance and insurance services segment are composed of payroll and employee commissions, interest expense, professional fees, depreciation and amortization expenses and other expenses. Segment operating expenses in the three months ended March 31, 2016 were $23.6 million, a decrease of $8.2 million or 25.8% as compared to the previous year period costs. The primary driver of the period-over-period decrease was attributable to lower depreciation and amortization expense as a result of the decline in purchase accounting impact from the amortization of the fair value attributed to the insurance policies and contracts acquired, which was $1.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 versus $9.4 million in the comparable 2015 period. As Adjusted operating expenses of $22.2 million were down period-over-period as a result of continued cost reduction efforts.
Insurance and insurance services segment adjusted EBITDA was $12.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 an increase of $3.8 million for the same period year-over-year. The key drivers of Adjusted EBITDA growth was higher credit insurance and specialty products revenues and flat operating expenses, adjusted for the impact of purchase accounting effects, partially offset by lower warranty revenues driven by competition in the cell phone warranty business. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” below for a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
Specialty finance segment pre-tax loss was $1.0 million for three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with pre-tax income of $0.4 million for the same period in 2015. The key driver of the decrease was higher expense growth relative to volume growth, caused by investment in marketing expenses and costs of additional sales personnel. Growth in volume tends to lag the hiring of new loan officers as the full ramp up of productivity takes four to six months.
Segment revenues were $16.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with $6.3 million for the comparable 2015 period, an increase of $10.3 million or 164.8%. Segment expenses were $17.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with $5.8 million in the comparable 2015 period, an increase of $11.7 million or 201.5%. Higher expenses more than offset higher revenues, resulting in declining profitability year-over-year. Primarily drivers include unfavorable market conditions which dampened organic origination growth excluding the impact of the Reliance acquisition, increasing payroll expenses as the businesses expand headcount to produce future originations, and increased professional expenses for audit and internal control over financial reporting.
Specialty finance segment Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016 compared to income of $0.6 million in the prior year period. The decline in Adjusted EBITDA was driven by the increased expenses, which more than offset increases in volume and revenue from the Reliance acquisition. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” below for further information relating to the Company’s adjusted EBITDA measure, including a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
Care had a pre-tax loss of $3.9 million for three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with pre-tax loss of $4.2 million for the same period in 2015. In February and March of 2015, Care made significant investments in 11 senior housing properties. The increase in the number of properties in the first quarter of 2016 and 2015 generated higher rental and other income in the 2016 period compared with the comparable 2015 period, however the Company also incurred additional depreciation, amortization and interest expenses as a consequence of the growth in Care’s property portfolio.
Care’s segment NOI was $4.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with $3.1 million in the prior year period, an increase of $1.8 million or 56.7%, primarily as a result of an increase in rental revenue partially offset by increased property operating expenses.
Care had Adjusted EBITDA of $2.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared to $0.6 million in the three months ended March 31, 2015 with the drivers being the same as mentioned above for pre-tax income. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” below for a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
Pre-tax net income for the asset management segment was $1.7 million for three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with pre-tax net income of $1.9 million for the prior year period, a decrease of $0.2 million. The key drivers of decline were a reduction in management fees by $0.2 million, offset by an increase an increase in other income of $0.3 million, and further reduced by an increase of payroll and employee commissions of $0.4 million. The reduction in management fees was driven by a combination of AUM declines in our older CLOs which are past their reinvestment periods and lower fees as described below. The other income was a gain on extinguishment of an obligation to share future management fees for an amount that was significantly below its carrying value.
Asset management segment adjusted EBITDA was $1.7 million for 2016 compared to $1.9 million in the prior year. The decline was driven by the same factors discussed above. See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA” below for a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
Including the net income from our deconsolidated CLOs, pre-tax income from the Company’s CLO business was $2.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2016, compared with pre-tax income of $0.7 million in 2015. The primary driver of the year-over-year increase of $2.1 million was lower realized and unrealized losses incurred on the Company’s holdings of subordinated notes which was only partially offset by reduced distributions from the subordinated notes. The lower management fees were due to the runoff of Telos 1 and Telos 2, which are past their reinvestment period, plus the impact of lower fees on later CLOs. The lower distributions from the subordinated notes in 2016 compared to the prior year is primarily due to our sales of CLO subordinated notes during the second quarter of 2015. The realized and unrealized losses in the three months ended March 31, 2016 and March 31, 2015 were due to the mark-to-market write-down in our retained CLO subordinated note holdings.
See “Non-GAAP Financial Measures - CLO Net Income” below for a reconciliation to GAAP net income.
The Company’s corporate and other segment incorporates revenues from the Company’s investments in CLOs and tax exempt securities, income from the Company’s credit investment portfolio and net gains or losses from the Company’s corporate finance activity, including the interest rate and credit derivative risk mitigation transactions. Segment expenses include interest expense on the Fortress credit facility and head office payroll and other expenses.
Pre-tax loss from the corporate and other segment for the three months ended March 31, 2016 was $0.8 million compared to $8.0 million in the prior year period. The primary drivers of this difference is the result of a pre-tax gain of $2.8 million in our credit investments, consisting primarily of interest income from our Telos 7 warehouse and our credit opportunities fund, which were not formed in the prior year period, as well as a $5.8 million unrealized gains on investments compared with net unrealized losses of $0.7 million in the prior year period, offset by increased corporate payroll and other expenses as the Company expanded its staff and other professional support as a result of its efforts to improve reporting and controls infrastructure.
Tiptree Financial will host a conference call on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its first quarter 2016 financial results. A copy of our investor presentation for the first quarter 2016, to be used during the conference call, as well as this press release, will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website, located at www.tiptreefinancial.com.
The conference call will be available via live or archived webcast at http://www.investors.tiptreefinancial.com. To listen to a live broadcast, go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary audio software.
To participate in the telephone conference call, please dial 1-877-407-4018 (domestic) or 1-201-689-8471 (international). Please dial in at least five minutes prior to the start time.
A replay of the call will be available from Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, until midnight Eastern on Wednesday, May 18, 2016. To listen to the replay, please dial 1-877-870-5176 (domestic) or 1-858-384-5517 (international), Passcode: 13635901.
Tiptree is a diversified holding company engaged through its consolidated subsidiaries in a number of businesses and is an active acquirer of new businesses. Tiptree, whose operations date back to 2007, currently has subsidiaries that operate in five industries: insurance and insurance services, specialty finance, asset management and real estate. Tiptree’s principal investments are included in a corporate and others segment.
Tiptree Financial operates its business through Tiptree Operating Company, LLC, which, effective January 1, 2016 was economically owned 81% by Tiptree Financial.
This release contains “forward-looking statements” which involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. All statements contained in this release that are not clearly historical in nature are forward-looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “target,” “will,” or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions. The forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, are difficult to predict and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecast in the forward-looking statements. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to those described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and as described in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as to the date of this release. The factors described therein are not necessarily all of the important factors that could cause actual results or developments to differ materially from those expressed in any of our forward-looking statements. Other unknown or unpredictable factors also could affect our forward-looking statements. Consequently, our actual performance could be materially different from the results described or anticipated by our forward-looking statements. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Book Value Per Share - Tiptree Financial Inc.
Note: (1) See “—Tiptree Financial Inc. and the Company Book Value Per Share” below for further discussion of book value per common share.
Management uses EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, which are non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that use of these financial measures on a consolidated basis and for each segment provide supplemental information useful to investors as it is frequently used by the financial community to analyze performance period to period, to analyze a company’s ability to service its debt and to facilitate comparison among companies. The Company believes segment EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provides additional supplemental information to compare results among our segments. Adjusted EBITDA is also used in determining incentive compensation for the Company’s executive officers. These measures are not a measurement of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative or substitute for net income. The Company’s presentation of these measures may differ from similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The Company defines EBITDA as GAAP net income of the Company adjusted to add consolidated interest expense, consolidated income taxes and consolidated depreciation and amortization expense as presented in its financial statements and Adjusted EBITDA as EBITDA adjusted to (i) subtract interest expense on asset-specific debt incurred in the ordinary course of its subsidiaries’ business operations, (ii) adjust for the effect of purchase accounting, (iii) add back significant acquisition related costs, (iv) adjust for significant relocation costs and (v) any significant one-time expenses.
(1) The consolidated non-corporate and non-acquisition related interest expense is subtracted from EBITDA to arrive at Adjusted EBITDA. This includes interest expense associated with asset-specific debt at subsidiaries in the insurance and insurance services, specialty finance, real estate and corporate and other segments.
(2) Following the purchase accounting adjustments, current period expenses associated with deferred costs were more favorably stated by $4.4 million and current period income associated with deferred revenues were less favorably stated by $2.4 million. Thus, the purchase accounting effect related to Fortegra, increased EBITDA in the first quarter of 2016 by $2.0 million above what the historical basis of accounting would have generated. The impact of this purchase accounting adjustments have been reversed to reflect an adjusted EBITDA without such purchase accounting effect.
(3) For Care, Adjusted EBITDA excludes the impact of the change of fair value of interest rate swaps hedging the debt at the property level to conform to our updated interest rate hedging policy.
(4) For the first quarter of 2016, $0.4 million of acquisition related costs represents costs in connection with Care’s acquisition of two properties which included taxes, legal costs and other expenses.
The following table presents our insurance and insurance services segment results on a GAAP basis and an As Adjusted basis (a non GAAP measure which excludes the effects of purchase price accounting which management believes provides for better period-over-period comparison of the underlying operating performance of the business and aligns more closely with the basis upon which management performance is measured). Due to acquisition accounting, the line items through which revenue and expenses relate to acquired contracts are recognized in a single line item, depreciation and amortization, and are different than newly originated contracts. To allow for better period-over-period comparison of operations, we eliminated the effects of purchase accounting. The Company believes that As Adjusted information provides useful supplemental information to investors, but should be reviewed in conjunction with their nearest GAAP equivalent. Investors should not consider these Non-GAAP financial measures as a substitute for the financial information that Fortegra reports in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These Non-GAAP financial measures reflect subjective determinations by Fortegra management, and may differ from similarly titled Non-GAAP financial measures presented by other companies. See the below table for a reconciliation from actual to As Adjusted financials.
(1) Includes net realized and unrealized gains and (losses) on investments.
(2) Represents service fee revenues that would have been recognized had purchase accounting effects not been recorded. Deferred service fee liabilities at the acquisition date were reduced to reflect the purchase accounting fair value.
(3) Represents ceding commission revenues that would have been recognized had purchase accounting effects not been recorded. Deferred ceding commissions liabilities at the acquisition date were reduced to reflect the purchase accounting fair value.
(4) Represents additional commissions expense that would have been recorded without purchase accounting; the values of deferred commission assets were eliminated in purchase accounting.
(5) Represents the removal of net additional depreciation and amortization expense that would not have been recorded without purchase accounting; fixed assets and amortizing intangible assets were adjusted in purchase accounting based on fair value analyses.
(6) Represents additional premium tax and other acquisition expenses that would have been recorded without purchase accounting; values of deferred acquisition costs were eliminated in purchase accounting.
For insurance and insurance services, Net revenues, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is shown as total revenue less commissions paid to brokers, member benefit claims and net loss and loss adjustment expenses. Year over year comparisons of total revenues are often impacted by clients’ choice as to whether to retain risk. We use net revenues as another means of understanding product contributions to our results and provides a comparison of period-over-period risk retained by the Company. Net revenues also adds supplemental information for investors to understand profitability of various products after reinsurance payments, claims and losses.
We evaluate performance of our real estate segment based on net operating income (“NOI”). We consider NOI as an important supplemental measure used to evaluate the operating performance of our real estate segment because it allows investors, analysts and our management to assess our unleveraged property-level operating results and to compare our operating results between periods and to the operating results of other real estate companies on a consistent basis. In addition, NOI is the basis upon which our partners in the Managed Properties are compensated. We define NOI as total revenue less property operating expense. Property operating expenses and resident fees and services are not relevant to Care’s Triple Net Lease Properties since Care does not manage the underlying operations and substantially all expenses are passed through to the tenant. Our calculation of NOI may differ from similarly titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. NOI is not a measure of financial performance or liquidity under GAAP and should not be considered a substitute for pre-tax income. The following tables present revenues and expenses, which include amounts attributable to non-controlling interests, by property type in our real estate segment for the three months ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
The Company deconsolidated the results of Telos 1, Telos 2, Telos 3 and Telos 4 for the period that we did not own the subordinated notes for the three months ended March 31, 2016 but not for the prior year period. The table below shows the results attributable to the CLOs both on a consolidated basis and an unconsolidated basis, which is a non-GAAP measure, for the three months ended March 31, 2016. Management believes is helpful to investors for year-over-year comparative purposes, given that Telos 2 and Telos 4 were not deconsolidated until Q2 2015 when we sold our retained interests in each CLO.
(1) Represents amounts from Telos 1, Telos 2, Telos 3 and Telos 4, which have been deconsolidated for the period that we did not own the subordinated notes. See Note 16—Assets and Liabilities of Consolidated CLOs, in the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, regarding the deconsolidation of certain of our CLOs.
(2) Includes amounts from Telos 2 and Telos 4 of $1.2 million which were deconsolidated and sold in the second quarter of 2015.
(3) Management fees to Telos are shown net of any management fee participation by Telos to others.
Tiptree Financial’s book value per share was $9.12 as of March 31, 2016 compared with $8.96 as of December 31, 2015. Total stockholders’ equity for the Company was $388.2 million as of March 31, 2016, which comprised total stockholders’ equity of $409.7 million adjusted for $18.6 million attributable to non-controlling interest at subsidiaries that are not wholly owned by the Company and net assets of $2.9 million wholly owned by Tiptree Financial Inc. Total stockholders’ equity for the Company was $369.7 million as of December 31, 2015, which comprised total stockholders’ equity of $397.7 million adjusted for $15.6 million attributable to non-controlling interest at subsidiaries that are not wholly owned by the Company, such as Siena, Luxury and Care and net assets of $12.5 million wholly owned by Tiptree Financial Inc. Additionally, the Company’s book value per share is based upon Class A common shares outstanding, plus Class A common stock issuable upon exchange of partnership units of TFP. The total shares as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were 42.96 million and 42.95 million, respectively.
Tiptree Financial’s Class A book value per common share and the Company’s book value per share are presented below.
(1) See Note 25—Earnings per Share, in the Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, for further discussion of potential dilution from warrants. | https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160510005590/en/Tiptree-Financial-Reports-Quarter-2016-Financial-Results |
Johannesburg, 31 October 2016 — Global Credit Ratings has affirmed the national scale ratings assigned to Agriculture Bank of Zimbabwe Limited of B+(ZW) and B(ZW) in the long-term and short-term respectively; with the outlook accorded as Stable. The ratings are valid until October 2017.
SUMMARY RATING RATIONALE
Global Credit Ratings (“GCR”) has accorded the above credit ratings to Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe Limited (“Agribank”, “the bank”) based on the following key criteria:
The ratings of Agribank reflect its high degree of past due loans, and the challenges faced in arresting asset quality deterioration in a difficult macro-economic environment. Improvements in capitalisation and profitability are positively noted, but prospects remain subject to high forecast risk. The Government of Zimbabwe (“government”), with 100% ownership of the bank, is likely to provide support for the bank in case of need, as demonstrated historically and given the fact that Agribank is government’s primary vehicle for channelling financial resources to the country’s agricultural sector. However, while the government is committed to support agriculture development, cognisance is taken of its weak financial capacity.
In the 18 months to 1H F16, the bank’s Tier 1 and total regulatory capital increased 4.4x and 3.2x to USD33.8m (above the minimum statutory core capital requirement of USD25m) and USD46.4m respectively, following a USD30m capital injection by the government through treasury bills (“TBs”), coupled with a retention of USD2.2m profit in 1H F16. On a risk adjusted basis, the bank’s Tier 1 and total capital adequacy ratios rose (“CARS”) to 19.7% (FYE14: 5.3%) and 27.0% (FYE14: 10.0%) at 1H F16 respectively. This came after both the absolute quantum of capital and CARS had dropped below regulatory minima due to recurring losses.
Asset quality metrics remain weak, despite the bank’s efforts to clean up its loan book and the decline in non-performing loans (“NPLs”) due to disposals to the Zimbabwe Asset Management Company (“ZAMCO1”) and write-offs. At 1H F16, the bank recorded a gross NPL ratio of 22.4% (FYE15: 28.3%; F14: 35.5%), while its total past due loans accounted for 37.6% of gross loans (FYE15: 46.2%; FYE14: 62.2%). That said, provisioning levels remain low relative to peers and asset quality risk, with specific provisions covering only 13.3% of NPLs at 1H F16 (FYE15: 23.4%).
Following four years of consecutive losses, the bank posted a profit after tax of USD2.2m in 1H F16, supported by an increase in operating income, as well as a decrease in operating expenses subsequent to the completion of a staff and cost rationalisation exercise, coupled with a decline in impairment charges (reflecting the sale of NPLs to ZAMCO). However, looking ahead, earnings generation may be negatively impacted by additional impairment charges that may become necessary, given the considerable stresses in the local market.
Agribank’s liquidity position improved following the mobilisation of agro bills, and the capital injection, which ensured access to interbank funding. However, the bank’s liquid asset base (assets with a maturity of less than 12 months) is still considered low, with a liquid assets to total assets ratio of 10.2% at 1H F16 (FYE15: 3.4%). Furthermore, liquidity risk has increased sector-wide due to domestic liquidity stress, increased appetite for hard currency by retail clients and the absence of a lender of last resort. Agribank (together with all the banks in the market) has placed daily limits on ATM withdrawals and increased the provision of point of sale (“POS”) machines and transaction cards to manage its cash balances and liquidity position.
An upward movement in the bank’s ratings could arise from substantial and sustainable improvements in asset quality, solvency and profitability. An inability to arrest asset quality challenges, and/or a decline in capitalisation and profitability, or further adverse economic developments, could see the ratings come under pressure.
|NATIONAL SCALE RATINGS HISTORY|
|Initial rating (August 2006)|
|Long-term: BBB-(ZW); Short-term: A3(ZW)|
|Outlook: Negative|
|Last rating (October 2015)|
|Long-term: B+(ZW) ; Short-term: B(ZW)|
|Outlook: Stable|
ANALYTICAL CONTACTS
|Primary Analyst||Committee Chairperson|
|Kuzivakwashe Murigo||Jennifer Mwerenga|
|Credit Analyst||Senior Credit Analyst|
|(011) 784-1771||(011) 784-1771|
|[email protected]||[email protected]|
APPLICABLE METHODOLOGIES AND RELATED RESEARCH
Global Criteria for Rating Banks and Other Financial Institutions, updated March 2016
Zimbabwe Bank Statistical Bulletin (June 2016)
Agribank rating reports (2006-15)
RATING LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS
ALL GCR’S CREDIT RATINGS ARE SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS. PLEASE READ THESE LIMITATIONS AND DISCLAIMERS BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK: HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET/UNDERSTANDING-RATINGS. IN ADDITION, GCR’S RATING SCALES AND DEFINITIONS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD AT THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET/RATINGS-INFO. GCR’S CODE OF CONDUCT, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, PUBLICATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND OTHER RELEVANT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT HTTP://GLOBALRATINGS.NET.
SALIENT FEATURES OF ACCORDED RATINGS
GCR affirms that a.) no part of the rating was influenced by any other business activities of the credit rating agency; b.) the rating was based solely on the merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument being rated; and c.) such rating was an independent evaluation of the risks and merits of the rated entity, security or financial instrument.
Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe Limited participated in the rating process via face-to-face management meetings and other written correspondence. Furthermore, the quality of information received was considered adequate and has been independently verified where possible.
The credit ratings have been disclosed to Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe Limited with no contestation of the ratings.
Information received from Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe Limited and other reliable third parties to accord the credit ratings included:
- Audited financial results as at 31 December 2015 (and three years of comparative numbers)
- Unaudited interim results at 30 June 2016
- Budgeted financial statements for 2016
- Latest internal and/or external audit report to management
- A breakdown of facilities available and related counterparties
- Corporate governance and enterprise risk framework
- Industry comparative data
The ratings above were solicited by, or on behalf of Agricultural Bank of Zimbabwe Limited, and therefore, GCR has been compensated for the provision of the ratings.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS/ACRONYMS USED IN THIS DOCUMENT AS PER GCR’S FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS SECTOR GLOSSARY
|Asset||A resource with economic value that a company owns or controls with the expectation that it will provide future benefit.|
|Asset Quality||Refers primarily to the credit quality of a bank’s earning assets, the bulk of which comprises its loan portfolio, but will also include its investment portfolio as well as off balance sheet items. Quality in this context means the degree to which the loans that the bank has extended are performing (ie, being paid back in accordance with their terms) and the likelihood that they will continue to perform.|
|Audit Report||A written opinion of an auditor (attesting to the financial statements’ fairness and compliance with generally accepted accounting principles).|
|Budget||Financial plan that serves as an estimate of future cost, revenues or both.|
|Capital||The sum of money that is invested to generate proceeds.|
|Capital Adequacy||A measure of the adequacy of an entity’s capital resources in relation to its current liabilities and also in relation to the risks associated with its assets. An appropriate level of capital adequacy ensures that the entity has sufficient capital to support its activities and that its net worth is sufficient to absorb adverse changes in the value of its assets without becoming insolvent.|
|Cash||Funds that can be readily spent or used to meet current obligations.|
|Corporate Governance||Refers to the mechanisms, processes and relations by which corporations are controlled and directed, and is used to ensure the effectiveness, accountability and transparency of an entity to its stakeholders.|
|Cost Ratio||The ratio of operating expenses to operating income. Used to measures a bank’s efficiency.|
|Credit Rating Agency||An entity that provides credit rating services.|
|Financial Institution||An entity that focuses on dealing with financial transactions, such as investments, loans and deposits.|
|Financial Statements||Presentation of financial data including balance sheets, income statements and statements of cash flow, or any supporting statement that is intended to communicate an entity’s financial position at a point in time.|
|Forecast||A calculation or estimate of future financial events.|
|Impairment||Reduction in the value of an asset because the asset is no longer expected to generate the same benefits, as determined by the company through periodic assessments.|
|Interest||Scheduled payments made to a creditor in return for the use of borrowed money. The size of the payments will be determined by the interest rate, the amount borrowed or principal and the duration of the loan.|
|International Scale Rating LC||International local currency (International LC) ratings measure the likelihood of repayment in the currency of the jurisdiction in which the issuer is domiciled. Therefore, the rating does not take into account the possibility that it will not be able to convert local currency into foreign currency or make transfers between sovereign jurisdictions.|
|Liquid Assets||Assets, generally of a short term, that can be converted into cash.|
|Liquidity||The speed at which assets can be converted to cash. It can also refer to the ability of a company to service its debt obligations due to the presence of liquid assets such as cash and its equivalents. Market liquidity refers to the ease with which a security can be bought or sold quickly and in large volumes without substantially affecting the market price.|
|Liquidity Risk||The risk that a company may not be able to meet its financial obligations or other operational cash requirements due to an inability to timeously realise cash from its assets. Regarding securities, the risk that a financial instrument cannot be traded at its market price due to the size, structure or efficiency of the market.|
|Long-Term||Not current; ordinarily more than one year.|
|Long-Term Rating||Reflects an issuer’s ability to meet its financial obligations over the following three to five year period, including interest payments and debt redemptions. This encompasses an evaluation of the organisation’s current financial position, as well as how the position may change in the future with regard to meeting longer term financial obligations.|
|Maturity||The length of time between the issue of a bond or other security and the date on which it becomes payable in full.|
|National Scale Rating||Provides a relative measure of creditworthiness for rated entities only within the country concerned. Under this rating scale, a ‘AAA’ long term national scale rating will typically be assigned to the lowest relative risk within that country, which in most cases will be the sovereign state.|
|Past Due||Any note or other time instrument of indebtedness that has not been paid on the due date.|
|Performing Loan||A loan is said to be performing if the borrower is paying the interest on it on a timely basis.|
|Provision||The amount set aside or deducted from operating income to cover expected or identified loan losses.|
|Regulatory Capital||The total of primary, secondary and tertiary capital.|
|Risk||The chance of future uncertainty (i.e. deviation from expected earnings or an expected outcome) that will have an impact on objectives.|
|Security||An asset deposited or pledged as a guarantee of the fulfilment of an undertaking or the repayment of a loan, to be forfeited in case of default.|
|Short-Term||Current; ordinarily less than one year.|
|Short-Term Rating||An opinion of an issuer’s ability to meet all financial obligations over the upcoming 12 month period, including interest payments and debt redemptions.|
|Treasury Bill||Short-term obligation backed by the government that bears no interest and is sold at a discount.|
For a detailed glossary of terms utilised in this announcement please click here
GCR affirms Agriculture Bank Zimbabwe Limited’s rating of B+(ZW) ; Outlook Stable. | https://gcrratings.com/announcements/gcr-affirms-agriculture-bank-zimbabwe-limiteds-rating-of-bzw-outlook-stable/ |
In 2006, the voters of Washington passed Initiative 937, the Clean Energy Initiative. I-937 enacts a Renewable Energy Standard (RES) that requires Washington's 17 largest utilities to get 15% of their electricity from new, homegrown, renewable energy sources by 2020. Utilities are also required to pursue all low-cost energy efficiency and conservation opportunities.
By all accounts, I-937 has been a complete success - and it's good for Washington because it creates good paying jobs for Washingtonians, assists rural communities, and brings more clean energy to the state, all without raising costs to consumers. Still, changes to the Renewable Energy Standard are now being discussed in the Washington Legislature. The following materials hopefully will help inform that debate.
This fact sheet highlights economic impacts of just 4 of Washington's 11 wind projects. While the impacts reported here are significant, they represent just a fraction of the overall economic benefits to Washington's rural counties from development of wind and solar resources.
This document illustrates the potential individual and cumulative effects of some of the proposed amendments to the renewable standard in I-937. If adopted, these and similar amendments could significantly undermine the goals of the renewable standard to diversify our resource base, increase economic development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. | https://renewablenw.org/node/washington-economic-data-wind-and-renewable-standard-progress |
We’re almost at the finish line! All that’s left to do is bottle and carbonate your beer. The end is so close — we can almost taste it!
If you brewed on May 30, your beer should be ready to bottle as early as this weekend. There’s no rush to bottle — letting your beer sit a little longer won’t ruin it — but if you want to taste your beer on July 4, you should plan on bottling by June 27.
How can you tell when your beer is ready to bottle? You can see if your beer is done fermenting by either checking the activity in the airlock or by measuring its “final gravity” with a hydrometer.
Brewing timelineWhat we’ll accomplish in the weeks ahead
- Brew day (4-5 hours): We'll make the beer starting on May 30. Read part of the recipe covering Brew Day.
- Fermentation (2+ weeks): Deadline to start fermentation is June 6. Read part of the recipe covering fermentation.
- Bottling and conditioning (10+ days): Deadline to bottle beer is June 27. Read part of the recipe covering bottling.
- Drink! The beer will be ready to drink as soon as July 4.
Airlock check: The airlock on your secondary fermenter should be bubbling in 60-second intervals or slower. It might not be bubbling at all; this indicates that the yeast have consumed the fermentable sugars and are going dormant — that’s perfectly fine.
Hydrometer check: To check the final gravity, you’ll need to remove a portion of the fermented beer to fill the hydrometer container. (A disinfected turkey baster is a good tool to draw out a sampling of beer. Just remember that anything that comes into contact with the beer needs to be sanitized. Also, don’t tip or slosh the fermenting bucket around to pour a portion out — you don’t want to introduce oxygen into the beer.) For this beer, the final gravity should be near 1.010 if your original gravity reading was close to 1.047 (see how to take a hydrometer reading). If it’s not, wait several days and take another reading.
If you’re unsure whether your beer is ready to bottle, it doesn’t hurt to give it a little bit longer to “condition.” This can be beneficial for the beer because the remaining yeast consume some byproducts from fermentation that can contribute off-flavors. Also, if the beer isn’t done fermenting and continues to do so once it’s bottled, the extra CO2 produced could cause bottles to explode.
How is beer made?Water + malt + hops + yeast. Learn what goes into beer and the processes in brewing.
Latest stories
Hopefully you’ve saved up some bottles to reuse — if not, you can buy new bottles from homebrewing stores for about $15 for two dozen 12-ounce bottles. If you are planning to reuse bottles, soak the bottles in hot, soapy water to remove labels and scrub off any gunk. You’ll need about 50 12-ounce bottles or 28 22-ounce bottles for 4 to 5 gallons of beer. (Note: Twist-top bottles will not work.)
Bottling your beer will take about an hour, but bottling with a friend can significantly speed up the process — one person can fill bottles while the other caps them.
Sanitize equipment and prepare “priming sugar”:
- Fill the 6-gallon bucket used during primary fermentation (it should have a spigot) with a new mixture of sanitizing solution. Don’t use the same the same solution from Brew Day. Add your bottle filler (optional), racking cane, plastic hose, bottle caps and bottles (again, twist-off bottles will not work) to the filled bucket. Soak for at least 10 minutes. The bucket is large enough to sanitize about half of the bottles at a time. You can remove the bottles that have already been sanitized in the bucket and cover their openings with plastic wrap to ensure microorganisms don’t enter the bottles.
- While equipment is being sanitized, bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over the stove. Turn off heat, then stir in ⅔ cup of corn sugar (4 ounces by weight) until dissolved.
- Note: Different sugars add different amounts of carbonation. Refer to this chart for varying levels of CO2 created by different sugars, such as cane sugar.
- After letting the sugar water cool for 10 minutes, pour it into the sanitized 6-gallon bucket.
Why: Boiling will dissolve the sugar and disinfect the mixture before it’s added to the beer.
Siphon beer from secondary fermenter to bucket:
- Using the sanitized racking cane and hose, siphon the beer from the 5-gallon glass carboy or plastic bucket back into the 6-gallon bucket (instructions on how to siphon).
- Siphon until only sediment is left behind in the secondary fermenter.
Why: The remaining yeast in your beer converts the sugar to CO2. When this process happens in airtight bottles, carbonation occurs. It’s important not to add too much sugar or you’ll risk over-carbonation. Some homebrewers add sugar drops directly to the bottles, but adding sugar to the priming bucket allows it to distribute more evenly.
Fill and cap bottles
- If you have a bottle filler (also called a “bottling wand”), attach it to the spigot of the priming bucket and open the spigot. While not necessary, a bottle filler is useful because it fills from the bottom of the bottle and won’t introduce extra oxygen.
- If you don’t have a bottle filler, use the spigot to fill bottles, opening and closing the spigot for each bottle. To avoid oxidation, hold the bottle at an angle so the spigot pours beer down the inside of the bottle at a slow pace.
- Fill all bottles to about 1 inch from the top.
- Use bottle capper to cap each bottle immediately after filling (see video at top of this post for details).
Allow beer to condition
- Store bottles of beer upright in a cool area without direct sunlight, such as in a garage or basement.
Your beer will be ready to taste about 10 days after bottling. We’ll be back to check in then and share the fruits of our labors during this project! If you have any questions about the bottling process, leave a comment on this post or email [email protected]. | https://www.seattletimes.com/life/food-drink/recipe-carbonate-and-bottle-your-american-pale-ale/ |
To understand why slopes with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) forests slid far more frequently between 2008 and 2013 than slopes with a mixed forest of four native species in Yingchanggou valley, western Sichuan province of China, we studied 118 slopes. We examined the relationship between slope stability, degree of slope, slope substrate and percent tree cover of Japanese cedar in various proportions with mixed native tree forest cover, in regard to landslide occurrence with degrees of slope ranging from 20° to 85°. A binomial logistic regression analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between interaction of degree of slope and >35% Japanese cedar cover in stands on slopes that suffered landslides during the 2008 earthquake and the following four years during heavy precipitation seasons. One big difference between Japanese cedar and the other four species comprising the native mixed forests is root type. Japanese cedar has shallow, thin roots while the others have deep, tap roots. The present study demonstrates that root type and root depth are an important factor influencing the role of tree roots on slope stability and that multiple species forests contribute to slope stability. Vegetation often contributes to slope stability but on substrates such as those common in this region, with 1 m or more of loose soil, rock mixtures at the surface inappropriate tree species can increase slope failure. To avoid increasing slope instability on slopes of 35° or greater, Japanese cedar should not be planted, as it is now, across wide areas in western China; instead the reestablishment of natural forest species should be encouraged. | https://digitalcommons.stmarys-ca.edu/school-science-faculty-works/32/ |
Organize details logically, so it would be simpler for readers to observe the data. You want research to find examples on your essay, know what you’ll write in each paragraph, and state a thesis. Make an inventory of topics that could be fascinating for you, and you feel you may inform about to readers. Then, slender it down to one that might be easiest so that you simply can find research. A conclusion that restates a thesis and readdresses it in the listing of provided proof.
An expository essay is an article that involves exploring a specific thought or issue, researching the present evidence, and presenting a coherent and to-the-point argument. A writer ought to outline concepts, exemplify the ideas, compare and distinction related phenomena, or provide cause-effect reasoning to achieve the specified outcome. This type of educational paper isnât designed to argue an idea or to compare two ideas or occasions. Its final purpose is to show the reader by providing new info or inspecting and clarifying something the reader knows slightly about. An essay that delves into biology, such as the free essay writing service life cycle of frogs, is an additional example. If you’re a student of college or faculty, you most likely wrote expository essays before.
Learn what they are and tips on how to outline them in this article. The possibilities are countless with expository writing, and it can cowl all kinds of topics and specialties. To embrace depth to your definition essay, it is potential to talk about in regards to the wordâs historical past and origins, and include your very own perspective to it. Terms which are disputable or controversial are good for composing which means essays. Compare-and-contrast essays tend to be assigned to pupils to gauge their understanding about a matter. You are able that in decreased essays, you could be requested to speak about merely similarities or variations when contemplating two topics.
As college students improve their writing and/or presentation expertise, they can broaden upon or create new expository pieces. This will enable them to gain sturdy knowledge on quite a lot of matters whereas expanding their communication skills, and constructing their self-adequacy. To learn any sort of essay writing, college students want specific instruction with trainer modeling. In addition to introducing students to the final construction of essays, you will want to train the distinctive traits of particular essays.
At the top of each physique paragraph, the author ought to write a short transition to the next paragraph, allowing the essay to flow easily from one section to the next. The method info is presented to the reader can range depending on the writerâs strategy. Using our previous instance of an essay on the American economic system during World War II, the author might even see it match to current their info chronologically â that’s, organized sequentially by time.
If you need support for editing and proofreading providers,contact us. You can alsoe-mailus or use the 24/7 live chat module to get direct assist. We have a 24/7 lively stay chat mode to give you direct support along with qualified editors to refine and furbish your manuscript. Alternatively, you’ll be able to textual content us via ourWhatsApp business line. We have flat-rate pricing based on our sort of service , word rely, and turnaround time. Enter your word rely or copy and paste your document into ourpricing calculatorto get an immediate quote.
Donât hesitate to check out some essay examples to know what expository essay format to comply with and how the ultimate work should look in general. Please note that the above list is just an example for you to have a better understanding of an expository essay, be at liberty to invent something of your own! Once youâve decided on an expository essay topic, you will in all probability want several tips about tips on how to organize the method of writing as well as skilled help with an essay generally. So, listed under are a number of items of http://alaska.edu advice to make the method of composing a perfect expository essay simpler.
The âSituationâ is usually said whenever you take a look at the essay prompt and also you may contact upon it throughout the âIntroductionâ. âEvaluationâ could be part of the âConclusionâ of the Expository Essay or might altogether be omitted in smaller essays. Maintaining this website requires alerts and feedback from the students that use it once they see an issue or have a suggestion. Learn about paraphrasing and the use of direct quotes on this interactive tutorial about analysis writing. Along the means in which, you may additionally find out about grasp magician Harry Houdini. This tutorial is a component one of a two-part collection, so make certain to complete each parts.
We purpose to provide you quick support as you face writing obstacles. After all, in essence what youâre doing is writing an anecdotal piece. You use someone elseâs expertise as proof for your claims â whatever it’s youâre making an attempt to steer the reader. These are a step above your fundamental analysis papers where you take a subject and expounding on it. Hamje32 January 9, 2012 @everetra – I donât suppose that it holds a lot of weight with scientists or other tutorial sorts. | https://constructoracg.cl/how-to-write-an-expository-paragraph/ |
Abstract—Hydatid cyst disease is a zoonotic disease caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus Multilocularis. In human beings, apart from involving the liver and lungs commonly, it also affects other organs like brain, kidney and spleen. Rupture of Hydatid cyst into abdominal cavity causes disseminated abdominal hydatidosis which is a rare complication. Here this rare case was presenting as a 48 years old female patient of disseminated intra-abdominal hydatidosis. Disseminated abdominal hydatidosis occurs secondary to traumatic or surgical rupture of a hepatic cyst. Ultrasonography or Computed Tomography findings are helpful in making a definitive diagnosis. For localized hydatid cysts in liver or lungs, the management of choice is preferably surgical while the treatment for disseminated intra-abdominal hydatidosis remains medical. Albendazole is the treatment of choice for disseminated abdominal hydatidosis.
Keywords: Zoonotic, Disseminated, Abdominal, Hydatid Cyst
Click here to Download Full Paper
AD Publications is a rapidly growing academic publisher in the fields of Engineering, Medical-Health, Environmental Science and Agriculture Research. AD Publications is a registered organization broad-based open access and publishes most exciting researches with respect to the subjects of our journals. The Journals is being indexed and abstracted by all major global current awareness and alerting services.
The organization aims at undertaking, co- coordinating and promoting research and development. It provides professional and academic guidance in the field of basic education, Higher Education as well in the Technical Education. Our Aims is to Promote and support, High Quality basic, Scientific Research and development in fields of Engineering, Medical-Health, Environmental Science and Agriculture Research and to Generate Public awareness, provide advice to scholar’s researchers and communicate research outcomes. | https://www.adpublications.org/disseminated-intra-abdominal-hydatidosis-a-case-report/ |
Dassault Systèmes is an innovator in the PLM industry. DS continues to push the boundaries and scope of engineering software from CAD (CATIA) to Digital Manufacturing (DELMIA) to Simulation (SIMULIA) to PLM (ENOVIA) and well beyond the limits of traditional PLM. DS has strong engineering roots but they are becoming increasingly involved in a larger scope of their customers’ businesses. Dassault Systèmes’ president Bernard Charles paints a very strong vision of a company that helps “harmonize product, nature, and life.” That’s a pretty ambitious goal, and one that DS has made some significant progress on in just the last year since I wrote about their strategy.
This post shares my view of DS’ vision for PLM. It is a part of Tech-Clarity’s PLM Strategies of the Major PLM Vendors 2015+ series. It updates our views from last year in Dassault Systèmes PLM Vision 2014+.
An Update on History
As I mentioned in the prior post on their strategy, DS has looked at PLM differently for some time. I won’t repeat myself here but DS has been on a divergent path from the other major PLM vendors and continues to pursue a different vision than their competitors.
Let’s update some history since we last talked. One of the key investments DS has made is on what they call the “3DEXPERIENCE Platform.” They are harmonizing their products around an integrated platform based on the MatrixOne product they acquired years ago. The platform serves as a process and data backbone and makes ENOVIA the centerpiece of their solutions. Over the last couple of years, DS has rolled out a number of “industry experiences” on the platform that cross product / brand boundaries to meet specific industry needs.
There are a few key updates this year:
- DS made a significant investment by acquiring Accelerys, now known as BIOVIA. The acquisition extends DS significantly further into the scientific lifecycle and allows them to gain a foothold in the life sciences industry. This is the largest acquisition DS has made in their history.
- They migrated another acquired product, Enginuity for recipe development, onto the the 3DEXPERIENCE / Enovia platform. See my thoughts on Enginuity in the platform.
- DELMIA has acquired businesses to expand digital manufacturing (DM) into execution
OK, I think we are caught up. Let’s talk strategy.
The Dassault Systèmes “PLM” Strategy
I’m going to talk about DS’ “PLM” strategy by using PLM as a category of software and software vendors, although it’s fair to say that DS does a lot more than traditional PLM. They have gone beyond the boundaries of product into the business. But before anybody thinks that means they aren’t focused on the core capabilities of product innovation, product development, and engineering – that can’t be further than the truth. What they have done is expand on it.
I’ll talk about their strategy in four aspects:
- Product Experiences
- Business Platform
- Industry Focus
- Technology
Product Experiences
First let’s talk about the more traditional “PLM” things – developing products. DS has a strong suite of solutions for product developers and engineers across a large number of industries. One big shift for DS is the move from “products” to “experiences.” This can be viewed in a number of different ways, but for this context let’s focus on the fact that a product is a “thing” and customers buy more than that. They buy what the thing does and how it performs. DS has spent a lot of time and money developing realistic simulations of products. They started by including simulation and gaming capabilities to allow customers to interact with a product model in a multi-physics environment in a “lifelike experience.” This took the virtual product walkthrough from “let’s look inside the car” to “let’s drive the car.” They have also focused quite a bit on simulating systems behavior. It’s no longer enough to understand what the physical product does, DS wants to show how the mechanics, electronics, and software come together to provide a product experience. This view of a systems “experience” is only one aspect, but it’s an important one and one that existing customers grasp relatively easily how it expands their solutions and investment in DS.
3DEXPERIENCE as a Business Platform
The transition to 3DEXPERIENCE as a Business Platform is another view of “experience” and one that still takes most customers some time to get used to. DS has more in store for companies than design tools. In fact, you could view the “IFWE Compass” as about a 50-50 split between design-centric and business-centric functions. For example, DS has invested heavily in dashboarding, semantic search, and business intelligence (BI) with EXALEAD and NETVIBES. This expands the DS suite further into the business by providing capabilities to gather and analyze structured and unstructured information from inside and outside of the business. In my past review of DS strategy I asked what “secret sauce” DS could bring to technologies where competitive products are already available from companies like Microsoft, IBM, Oracle, and others that serve needs across all domains. A recent demo really opened my eyes by showing how Exalead can put information into a business context (like a tool from a generalists) but can go beyond to put the information in the context of the product structure, right down to variant configurations. DS has taken a general business capability and allowed customers to use it at that level, but also let them drill down into things that are only well understood in the PLM domain. They have also taken the time to develop valuable business solutions such as OnePart to help rationalize parts instead of offering a generic toolkit.
Another example of how DS solves real business problems is the use of EXALEAD to make sense of the vast amount of machine data products communicate back to their manufacturers and operators via the Internet of Things (IoT). Again, DS is taking a general capability and tuning it to their customers’ needs based on their strong domain expertise. With that said, it’s clear that DS also wants to provide business-level tools that don’t reach that deep into products. But their differentiation, as I am starting to see it, is that they can do both – go deep and offer high-level business tools.
Industry Focus
I’m not going to say too much here about industry focus other than to say that DS has taken this to heart. They have organized themselves in such a way that industry leaders lead more than just marketing and sales activities. Seasoned industry veterans are driving the “industry experiences” that showcase capabilities to customers and prospects but also drive requirements back to development. That shows real investment in industry-specific solutions. In addition, acquiring businesses like Accelrys (BIOVIA) last year and Gemcom (GEOVIA) before that show that DS is willing to make the investments needed to penetrate new industries. There are other initiatives such as the Living Heart Project and the consumer-oriented shift of 3DVIA that show DS’ exploration and investment in new areas. DS is a busy – and curious – company.
Platform Technology
There has also been an important shift in the architectural approach to the platform and PLM. ENOVIA is taking a “zero files” approach where they are moving a lot more information out of files and into the database. This is a very different approach and is a step toward making all information readily available without the need to access / download files. For example Enovia holds assembly information in the database so that information is available to all users on a concurrent basis. Only the detailed geometry remains in a file-based format. This shift to a data-driven architecture will take time given the number of files involved in a typical product lifecycle, but DS has started the journey with their customers.
Perhaps no strategy review in 2015 is complete without a mention of the cloud. As of last year I would say that DS was lukewarm about PLM in the cloud. Since that time they have warmed up a bit (now offering a multi-tenant version of ENOVIA on the cloud) but are still not touting it as strongly as some of their competitors. As I mentioned before it’s not an architecture issue, DS embraced SOA early on, but a business decision. In fact, they are building new solutions – including mobile and collaborative applications like Requirements Management – in the cloud.
Wrapping it Up
Dassault Systèmes continues to innovate, invest, and expand their offerings – both in terms of new industries and in terms of new capabilities for existing customers. They are expanding the scope of PLM beyond what some call “PLM” to business experiences and investing in an integrated platform that brings broad capabilities to customers.
RELATED POSTS
See other posts in our on PLM Strategies of the Major PLM Vendors 2015+ series:
Synergis Software PLM Vision 2015+
See more in our Strategic Visions of the Major PLM Vendors 2014+ series including: | https://tech-clarity.com/ds-plm-vision-2015/4338 |
ICOMOS Documentation Centre
The ICOMOS Documentation Centre in Paris is open to anyone interested in the conservation and restoration of cultural heritage. ICOMOS members have priority access to the Documentation Centre. It contains:
- 40,000 titles on heritage worldwide
- 400 periodicals
- 25,000 slides, photographs and plans
- Original nomination files of World Heritage Sites worldwide since 1978
You can visit the Documentation Centre (check the opening hours first), search the catalogue, consult the open archive or buy publications
ICOMOS Guidelines and Statements
ICOMOS Ethical Statement for ICOMOS members
This is an ethical commitment for ICOMOS members, which outlines an ICOMOS member’s practical responsibility towards cultural heritage and towards fellow members.
Policy for the Implementation of the World Heritage Mandate
This covers conflicts of interest in relation to ICOMOS and individuals working on World Heritage Site nominations or projects relating to World Heritage Sites
Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments
This is Guidance for those commissioning Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for World Heritage Sites, to help evaluate the impact of proposed development on the Outstanding Universal Value of properties.
Other key ICOMOS charters, texts and guidelines are on the ICOMOS international website.
Photographic Record of Views of London’s World Heritage Sites (London Views Project)
This project began in 2007 to make a photographic record of the London skyline around London’s four World Heritage Sites – the Tower of London, Westminster, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Maritime Greenwich. Our Cultural Landscapes Committee was concerned that some of London’s most evocative views were in danger of being lost forever because of new buildings and developments.
We commissioned landscape photographer Gavin Kingcome to take images of all four World Heritage sites. We wanted to:
- Make the photos available for public use and scrutiny
- Draw attention to the beauty of London’s World Heritage skyline
Publications available from ICOMOS-UK
Extract of dissertation titled:
‘Are the Building Regulations fit for the purpose of upgrading traditional, historic and listed buildings using modern applications in Wales?’
Disclaimer: the views expressed herein are those of the author; they do ne necessarily reflect the views of ICOMOS-UK
This appraisal is an extract of a MSc dissertation that focuses on the complex interrelations of concerns that the Building Regulations and supporting Approved Documents produced by the Welsh Government are not fit for purpose when carrying out building works to traditional, historic and listed buildings. The Approved Documents are held up as a means to question the suitability for their application and consequences if they are not, and what can be done to ensure they are fit for purpose.
This research was carried out by the report author who has 28 years’ experience in building control as a team leader and chartered building surveyor working for a Local Authority in England on the Welsh Boarder. […]
This report begins by describing the background to vapour permeable (breathable) construction and problems associated with upgrading traditional buildings using the Approved Document to the Building Regulations and recognises significant gaps in this legislation. It considers the drivers of change for making improvements to the Welsh building stock. It also considers case studies which draw out the consequences of applying modern methods of construction to traditional buildings. A literature review then follows to gain a better understanding of how scholars view the Building Regulations and Approved Documents. A questionnaire survey then assesses how the construction industry view the Approved Documents to the Building Regulations, followed by suggested solutions to the problems.
The report concludes with key findings and finds that the Building Regulations and supporting Approved Documents produced by the Welsh Government (and can equally be applied to England) are not fit for purpose when carrying out building works to traditional, historic building and listed buildings. Finally, there are recommendations on how the problems could be resolved without placing these important buildings or occupants at risk.
Author: Anthony Gwynne, MSc (Dist), MRICS, IHBC, MIFireE
Senior Building Control Surveyor
Anthony Gwynne has kindly allowed ICOMOS-UK to provide the full extract as a free download: click here to read it.
If you would like to have access to the full dissertation, please contact Anthony Gwynne at [email protected].
June 2020
———————————————-
Exploring Intangible Cultural Heritage in Museum Contexts
ICOMOS-UK Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee (ICHC) is pleased to present this report of the pilot project Exploring Intangible Cultural Heritage in Museum Contexts. It is a collaborative developmental initiative between the ICHC and Arts Council England (ACE). The Report demonstrates the need for involvement of ICH practicing communities, and of artists as intermediaries between the diverse groups of bearers and cultural organisations, in order to forge an equitable tripartite curation that can make collections and museum spaces alive and relevant to contemporary society.
The framework for the project was based on UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage – an international standard-setting instrument, which provides definitions of ICH for the safeguarding of intangible culture and the role of bearer communities.
Four museums, Hastings Museum & Art Gallery, Weald and Downland Living Museum, Museum of Cambridge, and Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery, rose to the challenge and volunteered to be part of the pilot. A bespoke methodology comprising two layers of processes were used to gauge museums’ level of awareness and knowledge of ICH, test the use of ICH as an interpretative tool, explore the role of artists as intermediaries to facilitate interactions between the practicing communities and museums, and establish what types of synergies and dynamics the threeway relationship could yield in curating collections in the museums and those held by the bearer communities.
The project was showcased at ICOMOS-UK’s ICH Committee’s conference of the 23rd of March
2019 focusing on safeguarding ICH – the passing on of our diverse living heritages to future generations.
Click here to read and download the full report.
—————————————————————————-
The Conservation Plan
A guide to the preparation of conservation plans for places of European cultural significance
|James Semple Kerr||ISBN: 1863640266|
National Trust of Australia, 7th Edition 2013
Dr Kerr has kindly allowed Australia ICOMOS to provide The Conservation Plan as a free download:
http://australia.icomos.org/publications/the-conservation-plan/
To be a Pilgrim: Meeting the Needs of Visitors to Cathedrals and Churches in the United Kingdom
|ICOMOS-UK Research Findings, 2001||ISBN: 0953535010|
This publication is available as a free download. Please contact [email protected]
The Norwich Accord – Finding the Spirit of Place (2009)
This is a declaration articulating the relationship between conservation, communities and cultural tourism. It is based on research and evidence gathered over a three-year period by the ICOMOS-UK Cultural Tourism Committee.
Implementing the European Landscape Convention (2006)
This booklet was published following an ICOMOS-UK and IUCN UK invited workshop in 2006. It includes a ten-point action plan distilling key ideas from the workshop and suggests how opportunities presented by the European Landscape Convention might be put into practice.
Archive List of ICOMOS-UK Publications 1990 – 2001
This is a list of publications produced by ICOMOS-UK from 1990 to 2001. These publications are no longer for sale, but we may have archive copies for reference only. Please contact [email protected]
World Heritage
For information and links on World Heritage, please click here. | https://icomos-uk.org/page-sidebar/resources |
Opis: The doctoral dissertation in question presents in detail the issue of protecting architectural heritage as ruins on the example of the Žiče Charterhouse complex in Slovenia. The author based her work on the history of conservation, internationally applicable charters related to architectural heritage protection and on examples taken from international conservation practice.
Although the Slovenian conservation profession, as an independent technical and scientific discipline, received its formal legal status through the emergence of independent Slovenia merely a couple of decades ago, it is possible to claim that Slovenia, with its first academically qualified conservation specialists Avguštin Stegenšek and France Stele, was in contact with active policy on heritage protection as early as before World War I, when the Slovenian territory was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and also after the War, when the territory was annexed to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Despite long-standing efforts, Slovenians did not achieve the legal protection of architectural heritage until early 1980s, when an independent act on the protection of natural and cultural heritage was adopted in former Yugoslavia. Because of this, the tasks carried out by conservation specialists until that time primarily focused on documenting heritage and carrying out the most pressing maintenance works.
Since all major international charters related to cultural heritage protection were signed when Slovenia was part of former Yugoslavia and after it became independent, it is not possible to claim that the profession did not follow the international legal order in this field. This is why it is sometimes difficult to understand the large gap between international technical criteria and the conservation decisions made by Slovenian conservation experts when performing intervention works on structures or sites of cultural value in Slovenia. To improve this condition, it is therefore vital that buildings be treated comprehensively prior to interventions, including in terms of carrying out natural science and technical research studies that provide an insight into the materials, structural frame and building physics of a building, as shown in the doctoral dissertation on the example of the ruin of the Church of St. John the Baptist at Žiče Charterhouse. Only by carefully analysing historic materials, it is possible to make the right decision on the use of adequate substitute materials for the needs of maintaining a ruin and, only on the basis of preliminary research made into structural frames, it will be possible to monitor the vitality of ruins in future, whereby using state-of-the-art research methods from conservation science. Since the Church of St. John the Baptist has lost its original intended use and also the possibility to get it back, the author of the dissertation proposes that the structure not be reconstructed, since this would imply a major deviation from original architecture, with a shortage of adequate documentation that would provide a basis for credible reconstruction. For this reason, the author of the doctoral dissertation defends the position that the Church be protected as a ruin. | https://repozitorij.ung.si/Iskanje.php?type=napredno&lang=slv&stl0=KljucneBesede&niz0=%C5%BDi%C4%8De+monastery |
Although theoretical discourse and experimental studies on the self- and reward-biases have a long tradition, currently we have only a limited understanding of how the biases are represented in the brain and, more importantly, how they relate to each other. We used multi-voxel pattern analysis to test for common representations of self and reward in perceptual matching in healthy human subjects. Voxels across an anterior–posterior axis in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) distinguished (i) self–others and (ii) high–low reward, but cross-generalization between these dimensions decreased from anterior to posterior vmPFC. The vmPFC is characterized by a shift from a common currency for value to independent, distributed representations of self and reward across an anterior–posterior axis. This shift reflected changes in functional connectivity between the posterior part of the vmPFC and the frontal pole when processing self-associated stimuli, and the middle frontal gyrus when processing stimuli associated with high reward. The changes in functional connectivity were correlated with behavioral biases, respectively, to the self and reward. The distinct representations of self and reward in the posterior vmPFC are associated with self- and reward-biases in behavior.
|Original language||English|
|Pages (from-to)||1859-1868|
|Number of pages||10|
|Journal||Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience|
|Volume||12|
|Issue number||12|
|Early online date||10 Oct 2017|
|DOIs|
|Publication status||Published - Dec 2017|
Keywords
- MVPA
- self
- reward
- vmPFC
Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'An anterior-posterior axis within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex separates self and reward'. Together they form a unique fingerprint. | https://abdn.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/an-anterior-posterior-axis-within-the-ventromedial-prefrontal-cor |
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (or TEK) refers to the evolving knowledge acquired by indigenous and local peoples over hundreds or thousands of years through direct contact with the environment. This knowledge is specific to a location and includes the relationships between plants, animals, natural phenomena, and the landscape that are used for lifeways, such as hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry. TEK is an accumulating body of knowledge, practice, and belief, that encompasses the world view of indigenous people which includes ecology, spirituality, human and animal relationships, and more. TEK has become increasingly recognized as being valuable for natural resource management, including adaptation to climate change. Below is a set of resources that were compiled for an LCC training workshop on traditional ecological knowledge held in Sacramento, CA in September 2014.
Tribal History in California
Introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
TEK and the Policy Environment
TEK and Ethnobiology
Cross-walking of TEK and Western Science
Successful Partnerships that Advance Resource Co-Management
Tribes and Climate Change
Also see the October 2013 special issue of Climatic Change on "Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in the United States: Impacts, Experiences and Actions".
Cross-cultural World Views and Ethics
Integrating TEK in Environmental Decision Making
Policy Declarations and Frameworks
Other Relevant Resources
| |
Abstract:This research emphasises the importance of incorporating traditional ecological knowledge into Peru’s development plans, as a way to manage some of the more adverse impacts of globalisation which continue to impinge on one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. In doing so, it argues for a development strategy to be implemented in the Peruvian Amazon which prioritises local and indigenous rights, needs and perspectives.
Keywords: traditional ecological knowledge, peruvian amazon, globalisation, indigenous, developmentProcedia PDF Downloads 51
9516 Elements of Socio-Ecological Knowledge for Sustainable Fisheries Management: An Analysis of Chakara Fishery Management in South West India
Authors: Antony Thomas Vanchipurrakkal
Abstract:Common property resource like fisheries is conserved and managed by fishermen with the help of Local Ecological Knowledge system. Various forms of Social and Ecological elements adapted to formularize management of Chakara fishery. This study tries for a better understanding of elements involved in fishery management in India, such traditional knowledge system practicing within the fishing communities for management and conservation of the marine resources. Participatory Rural Appraisal technique is applied to seize the traditional knowledge system in central Kerala coastal region, India. Socio-Ecological Analysis framework is used for the study. This paper discusses that traditional knowledge systems of chakara fishery and discloses need for inclusive governance system. The paper also discusses adaptation of different elements of the ecological, biological and institutional knowledge system in local ecological knowledge for sustain the fishery. A framework is formulized based on elements operating in chakara fishery management.
Keywords: common property, fisheries, India, local ecological knowledge, managementProcedia PDF Downloads 325
9515 Traditional Uses of Medicinal Plants in Albania: Historical and Theoretical Considerations
Authors: Ani Bajrami
Abstract:The birth of traditional medicine is related to plant diversity in a region, and the knowledge regarding them has been used and culturally transmitted over generations by members of a certain society. In this context, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) concerning the use of plants for medicinal purposes had survival value and was adaptive for people living in different habitats around the world. Albanian flora has a high considerably number of medicinal plants, and they have been extensively used albeit expressed in folk medicinal knowledge and practices. Over the past decades, a number of ethnobotanical studies and extensive fieldwork has been conducted in Albania both by local and foreign scientists. In addition, ethnobotany is experiencing a theoretical and conceptual diversification. This article is a historical review of ethnobotanical studies conducted in Albania after the Second World War and provides theoretical considerations on how these studies should be conducted in the future.
Keywords: medicinal plants, traditional ecological knowledge, historical ethnobotany, theory, albaniaProcedia PDF Downloads 75
9514 Using India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library on Traditional Tibetan Medicine
Authors: Chimey Lhamo, Ngawang Tsering
Abstract:Traditional Tibetan medicine, known as Sowa Rigpa (Science of healing) that, originated more than 2500 years ago with an insightful background, and it has been growing significant attention in many Asian countries like China, India, Bhutan, and Nepal. Particularly, the Indian government has targeted Traditional Tibetan medicine as its major Indian medical system, including Ayurveda. Although Traditional Tibetan medicine has been growing interest and has a long history, it is not easily recognized worldwide because it is existing only in Tibetan language, and it is neither accessible nor understood by patent examiners at international patent office, data about Traditional Tibetan medicine is not yet broadly exist in the Internet. There has also been exploitation of traditional Tibetan medicine increasing. The Traditional Knowledge Digital Library is a database aiming to prevent the patenting and misappropriation of India’s Traditional medicine Knowledge. By using India’s Traditional knowledge Digital Library on Sowa Rigpa in order to prevent its exploitation at international patent with the help of information technology tools and an innovative classification systems-Traditional knowledge Resource Classification (TKRC). As on date, more than 3000 Sowa Rigpa formulations have been transcribed into a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library database. In this paper, we are presenting India's Traditional Knowledge Digital Library for Traditional Tibetan medicine, and this database system helps to preserve, and prevent the exploitation of Sowa Rigpa. Gradually it will be approved and accepted globally.
Keywords: traditional tibetan medicine, India’s traditional knowledge digital library, traditional knowledge resources classification, international patent classificationProcedia PDF Downloads 11
9513 Comparative Study of Ecological City Criteria in Traditional Iranian Cities
Authors: Zahra Yazdani Paraii, Zohreh Yazdani Paraei
Abstract:Many urban designers and planners have been involved in the design of environmentally friendly or nature adaptable urban development models due to increase in urban populations in the recent century, limitation on natural resources, climate change, and lack of enough water and food. Ecological city is one of the latest models proposed to accomplish the latter goal. In this work, the existing establishing indicators of the ecological city are used regarding energy, water, land use and transportation issues. The model is used to compare the function of traditional settlements of Iran. The result of investigation shows that the specifications and functions of the traditional settlements of Iran fit well into the ecological city model. It is found that the inhabitants of the old cities and villages in Iran had founded ecological cities based on their knowledge of the environment and its natural opportunities and limitations.
Keywords: ecological city, traditional city, urban design, environmentProcedia PDF Downloads 160
9512 Traditional Ecological Knowledge System as Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Mountain Community of Tangkhul Tribe in Northeast India
Authors: Tuisem Shimrah
Abstract:One general agreement on climate change is that its causes may be local but the effects are global. Indigenous people are subscribed to “low-carbon” traditional ways of life and as such they have contributed little to causes of climate change. On the contrary they are the most adversely affected by climate change due to their dependence on surrounding rich biological wealth as a source of their livelihood, health care, entertainment and cultural activities This paper deals with the results of the investigation of various adaptation strategies adopted to combat climate change by traditional community. The result shows effective ways of application of traditional knowledge and wisdom applied by Tangkhul traditional community at local and community level in remote areas in Northeast India. Four adaptation measures are being presented in this paper.
Keywords: adaptation, climate change, Northeast India, Tangkhul, traditional communityProcedia PDF Downloads 192
9511 Knowledge Management Challenges within Traditional Procurement System
Authors: M. Takhtravanchi, C. Pathirage
Abstract:In the construction industry, project members are conveyor of project knowledge which is, often, not managed properly to be used in future projects. As construction projects are temporary and unique, project members are willing to be recruited once a project is completed. Therefore, poor management of knowledge across construction projects will lead to a considerable amount of knowledge loss; the ignoring of which would be detrimental to project performance. This issue is more prominent in projects undertaken through the traditional procurement system, as this system does not incentives project members for integration. Thus, disputes exist between the design and construction phases based on the poor management of knowledge between those two phases. This paper aims to highlight the challenges of the knowledge management that exists within the traditional procurement system. Expert interviews were conducted and challenges were identified and analysed by the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach in order to summarise the relationships among them. Two identified key challenges are the Culture of an Organisation and Knowledge Management Policies. A knowledge of the challenges and their relationships will help project manager and stakeholders to have a better understanding of the importance of knowledge management.
Keywords: challenges, construction industry, knowledge management, traditional procurement systemProcedia PDF Downloads 307
9510 Documentation of Traditional Knowledge on Wild Medicinal Plants of Egypt
Authors: Nahla S. Abdel-Azim, Khaled A. Shams, Elsayed A. Omer, Mahmoud M. Sakr
Abstract:Medicinal plants play a significant role in the health care system in Egypt. Knowledge developed over the years by people is mostly unrecorded and orally passes on from one generation to the next. This knowledge is facing the danger of becoming extinct. Therefore there is an urgent need to document the medicinal and aromatic plants associated with traditional knowledge. The Egyptian Encyclopedia of wild medicinal plants (EEWMP) is the first attempt to collect most of the basic elements of the medicinal plant resources of Egypt and their traditional uses. It includes scientific data on about 500 medicinal plants in the form of monographs. Each monograph contains all available information and scientific data on the selected species including the following: names, description, distribution, parts used, habitat, conservational status, active or major chemical constituents, folk medicinal uses and heritage resources, pharmacological and biological activities, authentication, pharmaceutical products, and cultivation. The DNA bar-coding is also included (when available). A brief Arabic summary is given for every monograph. This work revealed the diversity in plant parts used in the treatment of different ailments. In addition, the traditional knowledge gathered can be considered a good starting point for effective in situ and ex-situ conservation of endangered plant species.
Keywords: encyclopedia, medicinal plant, traditional medicine, wild floraProcedia PDF Downloads 65
9509 Variation in the Traditional Knowledge of Curcuma longa L. in North-Eastern Algeria
Authors: A. Bouzabata, A. Boukhari
Abstract:Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae), commonly known as turmeric, has a long history of traditional uses for culinary purposes as a spice and a food colorant. The present study aimed to document the ethnobotanical knowledge about Curcuma longa and to assess the variation in the herbalists’ experience in Northeastern Algeria. Data were collected by semi-structured questionnaires and direct interviews with 30 herbalists. Ethnobotanical indices, including the fidelity level (FL%), the relative frequency citation (RFC) and use value (UV) were determined by quantitative methods. Diversity in the knowledge was analyzed using univariate, non-parametric and multivariate statistical methods. Three main categories of uses were recorded for C. longa: for food, for medicine and for cosmetic purposes. As a medicine, turmeric was used for the treatment of gastrointestinal, dermatological and hepatic diseases. Medicinal and food uses were correlated with both forms of use (rhizome and powder). The age group did not influence the use. Multivariate analyses showed a significant variation in traditional knowledge, associated with the use value, origin, quality and efficacy of the drug. These findings suggested that the geographical origin of C. longa affected the use in Algeria.
Keywords: curcuma, indices, knowledge, variationProcedia PDF Downloads 463
9508 Traditional Medicines Used for the Enhancement of Male Sexual Performance among the Indigenous Populations of Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: A. N. Sharma
Abstract:A traditional medicine comprises a knowledge system, practices related to the cure of various ailments that developed over generations by indigenous people or populations. The indigenous populations developed a unique understanding with wild plants, herbs, etc., and earned specialized knowledge of disease pattern and curative therapy-though hard experiences, common sense, trial, and error methods. Here, an attempt has been made to study the possible aspects of traditional medicines for the enhancement of male sexual performance among the indigenous populations of Madhya Pradesh, India. Madhya Pradesh state is situated more or less in the central part of India. The data have been collected from the 305 Bharias of Patalkot, traditional health service providers of Sagar district, and other indigenous populations of Madhya Pradesh. It may be concluded that sizable traditional medicines exist in Madhya Pradesh, India, for the enhancement of male sexual performance, which still awaits for scientific exploration and intensive pharmaceutical investigations.
Keywords: Bharias, indigenous, Madhya Pradesh, sexual performance, traditional medicineProcedia PDF Downloads 54
9507 Treatment of Psoriasis through Thai Traditional Medicine
Authors: Boonsri Lertviriyachit
Abstract:The objective of this research is to investigate the treatment of psoriasis through Thai traditional medicine in the selected areas of 2 east coast provinces; Samudprakarn Province and Chantaburi Province. The informants in this study were two famous and accepted Thai traditional doctors, who have more than 20 year experiences. Data were collected by in depth interviews and participant-observation method. The research instrument included unstructured interviews, camera, and cassette tape to collect data analyzed by descriptive statistics. The results revealed that the 2 Thai traditional doctors were 54 and 85 years old with 25 and 45 years of treatment experiences. The knowledge of Thai traditional medicine was transferred from generations to generations in the family. The learning process was through close observation as an apprentice with the experience ones and assisted them in collecting herbs and learning by handling real case in individual situations. Before being doctors, they had to take exam to get the Thai traditional medical certificate. Knowledge of being Thai traditional doctors included diagnosis and find to the suitable way of treatment. They have to look into disorder physical fundamental factors such as blood circulation, lymph, emotion, and food consumption habit. It is important that the treatment needs to focus on balancing the fundamental factors and to observe contraindication.
Keywords: Thai traditional medicine, psoriasis, Samudprakarn Province, Chantaburi ProvinceProcedia PDF Downloads 264
9506 Traditional Practices of Conserving Biodiversity: A Case Study around Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand, India
Authors: Rana Parween, Rob Marchant
Abstract:With the continued loss of global biodiversity despite the application of modern conservation techniques, it has become crucial to investigate non-conventional methods. Accelerated destruction of ecosystems due to altered land use, climate change, cultural and social change, necessitates the exploration of society-biodiversity attitudes and links. While the loss of species and their extinction is a well-known and well-documented process that attracts much-needed attention from researchers, academics, government and non-governmental organizations, the loss of traditional ecological knowledge and practices is more insidious and goes unnoticed. The growing availability of 'indirect experiences' such as the internet and media are leading to a disaffection towards nature and the 'Extinction of Experience'. Exacerbated by the lack of documentation of traditional practices and skills, there is the possibility for the 'extinction' of traditional practices and skills before they are fully recognized and captured. India, as a mega-biodiverse country, is also known for its historical conservation strategies entwined in traditional beliefs. Indigenous communities hold skillsets, knowledge, and traditions that have accumulated over multiple generations and may play an important role in conserving biodiversity today. This study explores the differences in knowledge and attitudes towards conserving biodiversity, of three different stakeholder groups living around Jim Corbett National Park, based on their age, traditions, and association with the protected area. A triangulation designed multi-strategy investigation collected qualitative and quantitative data through a questionnaire survey of village elders, the general public, and forest officers. Following an inductive approach to analyzing qualitative data, the thematic content analysis was followed. All coding and analysis were completed using NVivo 11. Although the village elders and some general public had vast amounts of traditional knowledge, most of it was related to animal husbandry and the medicinal value of plants. Village elders were unfamiliar with the concept of the term ‘biodiversity’ albeit their way of life and attitudes ensured that they care for the ecosystem without having the scientific basis underpinning biodiversity conservation. Inherently, village elders were keen to conserve nature; the superimposition of governmental policies without any tangible benefit or consultation was seen as detrimental. Alienating villagers and consequently the village elders who are the reservoirs of traditional knowledge would not only be damaging to the social network of the area but would also disdain years of tried and tested techniques held by the elders. Forest officers advocated for biodiversity and conservation education for women and children. Women, across all groups, when questioned about nature conservation, showed more interest in learning and participation. Biodiversity not only has an ethical and cultural value, but also plays a role in ecosystem function and, thus, provides ecosystem services and supports livelihoods. Therefore, underpinning and using traditional knowledge and incorporating them into programs of biodiversity conservation should be explored with a sense of urgency.
Keywords: biological diversity, mega-biodiverse countries, traditional ecological knowledge, society-biodiversity linksProcedia PDF Downloads 38
9505 Understanding Tacit Knowledge and DIKW
Authors: Bahadir Aydin
Abstract:Today it is difficult to reach accurate knowledge because of mass data. This huge data makes the environment more and more caotic. Data is a main piller of intelligence. There is a close tie between knowledge and intelligence. Information gathered from different sources can be modified, interpreted and classified by using knowledge development process. This process is applied in order to attain intelligence. Within this process the effect of knowledge is crucial. Knowledge is classified as explicit and tacit knowledge. Tacit knowledge can be seen as "only the tip of the iceberg”. This tacit knowledge accounts for much more than we guess in all intelligence cycle. If the concept of intelligence scrutinized, it can be seen that it contains risks, threats as well as success. The main purpose for all organization is to be succesful by eliminating risks and threats. Therefore, there is a need to connect or fuse existing information and the processes which can be used to develop it. By the help of process the decision-maker can be presented with a clear holistic understanding, as early as possible in the decision making process. Planning, execution and assessments are the key functions that connects to information to knowledge. Altering from the current traditional reactive approach to a proactive knowledge development approach would reduce extensive duplication of work in the organization. By new approach to this process, knowledge can be used more effectively.
Keywords: knowledge, intelligence cycle, tacit knowledge, KIDWProcedia PDF Downloads 443
9504 Relationship of Arm Acupressure Points and Thai Traditional Massage
Authors: Boonyarat Chaleephay
Abstract:The purpose of this research paper was to describe the relationship of acupressure points on the anterior surface of the upper limb in accordance with Applied Thai Traditional Massage (ATTM) and the deep structures located at those acupressure points. There were 2 population groups; normal subjects and cadaver specimens. Eighteen males with age ranging from 20-40 years old and seventeen females with ages ranging from 30-97 years old were studies. This study was able to obtain a fundamental knowledge concerning acupressure point and the deep structures that related to those acupressure points. It might be used as the basic knowledge for clinically applying and planning treatment as well as teaching in ATTM.
Keywords: acupressure point (AP), applie Thai traditional medicine (ATTM), paresthesia, numbnessProcedia PDF Downloads 169
9503 Exploring the Need to Study the Efficacy of VR Training Compared to Traditional Cybersecurity Training
Authors: Shaila Rana, Wasim Alhamdani
Abstract:Effective cybersecurity training is of the utmost importance, given the plethora of attacks that continue to increase in complexity and ubiquity. VR cybersecurity training remains a starkly understudied discipline. Studies that evaluated the effectiveness of VR cybersecurity training over traditional methods are required. An engaging and interactive platform can support knowledge retention of the training material. Consequently, an effective form of cybersecurity training is required to support a culture of cybersecurity awareness. Measurements of effectiveness varied throughout the studies, with surveys and observations being the two most utilized forms of evaluating effectiveness. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of VR cybersecurity training and traditional training. Additionally, research for evaluating if VR cybersecurity training is more effective than traditional methods is vital. This paper proposes a methodology to compare the two cybersecurity training methods and their effectiveness. The proposed framework includes developing both VR and traditional cybersecurity training methods and delivering them to at least 100 users. A quiz along with a survey will be administered and statistically analyzed to determine if there is a difference in knowledge retention and user satisfaction. The aim of this paper is to bring attention to the need to study VR cybersecurity training and its effectiveness compared to traditional training methods. This paper hopes to contribute to the cybersecurity training field by providing an effective way to train users for security awareness. If VR training is deemed more effective, this could create a new direction for cybersecurity training practices.
Keywords: virtual reality cybersecurity training, VR cybersecurity training, traditional cybersecurity trainingProcedia PDF Downloads 77
9502 Traditional Herbal Medicine Used to Treat Infertility in Women by Traditional Practitioner of Malwa Region of Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Shweta Shriwas, Sumeet Dwivedi
Abstract:Knowledge of use of traditional medicine is as old as human civilization in almost every system of medicine. Traditional practitioner viz., vaidhayas, ojha, hakim have their own herbal therapy in the treatment of infertility among women’s. Infertility is very common in developed and developing countries due to busy life style of women’s. The present study was initiated with an aim to identify medicinal plants resources from traditional practitioners of Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh to treat infertility. An ethnomedicinal study of Malwa region viz., Indore, Dewas, Ratlam, Ujjain, Dhar, Mandsour and Neemuch of Madhya Pradesh, India comprising fifty-seven study site was conducted during Jan-217 to June-2017. During the course of present investigation, the traditional use of medicinal plants for infertility in women was revealed by traditional practitioner. The botanical name, family, local name, part used, habit along with mode of their administration and dose duration were enumerated.
Keywords: herbal medicine, infertility, traditional, Malwa, Madhya PradeshProcedia PDF Downloads 350
9501 The State of Herb Medicine in Oriental Morocco: Cases of Debdou, Taourirt and Guerssif Districts
Authors: Himer Khalid, Alami Ilyass, Kharchoufa Loubna, Elachouri Mostafa
Abstract:It has been estimated by the World Health Organization that 80% of the world's population relies on traditional medicine to meet their daily health requirements. In Morocco reliance on such medicine is partly owing to the high cost of conventional medicine and the inaccessibility of modern health care facilities. There was high agreement in the use of plants as medicine in Oriental Morocco. Our objective is to evaluate the informant’s knowledge on medicinal plants by the local population and to document the uses of medicinal plants by this community, for the treatment of different illnesses. Using an ethnopharmacological approach, we collected information concerning the traditional medicinal knowledge and the medicinal plants used, by interviewing successfully 458 informants living in oriental Morocco (from Debdou, Taourirt, Guersif a,d Laayoune districts). The data were analyzed by statistical methods (Component Analysis “CA”, Factorial Analysis “FA”) and other methods such as through Informant’s Consensus Factor (ICF) and Use Value (UV). Our results indicate that, more than 60% of the population in these regions relies on medicinal plants for the treatment of different ailments with predominance of women consumers. 135 plant species belonging to 61 families were documented. These plants were used by the population for the treatment of a group of illness (about 14 principal ailments). We conclude that, in oriental Morocco, till now, the population has some traditional knowledge commonly used as medical tradition. These wealthy heritage needs conservation and evaluation.
Keywords: Morocco, medicinal plants, traditional knowledge, wealthy heritageProcedia PDF Downloads 190
9500 Information Sharing with Potential Users of Traditional Knowledge under Provisions of Nagoya Protocol: Issues of Participation of Indigenous People and Local Communities
Authors: Hasrat Arjjumend, Sabiha Alam
Abstract:The Nagoya Protocol is landmark international legislation governing access to genetic resources and benefit sharing from utilization of genetic resource and traditional knowledge. The field implications of the international law have been assessed by surveying academic/ research institutions, civil society organizations (CSOs) and concerned individuals, who gave their opinions on whether the provider parties (usually developing countries) would ensure effective participation of Indigenous people and local communities (ILCs) in establishing the mechanisms to inform the potential users of traditional knowledge (TK) about their obligations under art. 12.2 of Nagoya Protocol. First of all, involvement and participation of ILCs in suggested clearing-house mechanisms of the Parties are seldom witnessed. Secondly, as respondents expressed, it is doubtful that developing countries would ensure effective participation of ILCs in establishing the mechanisms to inform the potential users of TK about their obligations. Yet, as most of ILCs speak and understand local or indigenous languages, whether the Nagoya Protocol provides or not, it is a felt need that the Parties should disclose information in a language understandable to ILCs. Alternative opinions indicate that if TK held by ILCs is disclosed, the value is gone. Therefore, it should be protected by the domestic law first and should be disclosed then.
Keywords: genetic resources, indigenous people, language, Nagoya protocol, participation, traditional knowledgeProcedia PDF Downloads 81
9499 Wicking Bed Cultivation System as a Strategic Proposal for the Cultivation of Milpa and Mexican Medicinal Plants in Urban Spaces
Authors: David Lynch Steinicke, Citlali Aguilera Lira, Andrea León García
Abstract:The proposal posed in this work comes from a researching-action approach. In Mexico, a dialogue of knowledge may function as a link between traditional, local, pragmatic knowledge, and technological, scientific knowledge. The advantage of generating this nexus lies on the positive impact in the environment, in society and economy. This work attempts to combine, on the one hand the traditional Mexican knowledge such as the usage of medicinal herb and the agroecosystem milpa; and on the other hand make use of a newly created agricultural ecotechnology which main function is to take advantage of the urban space and to save water. This ecotechnology is the wicking bed. In a globalized world, is relevant to have a proposal where the most important aspect is to revalorize the culture through the acquisition of traditional knowledge but at the same time adapting them to the new social and urbanized structures without threatening the environment. The methodology used in this work comes from a researching-action approach combined with a practical dimension where an experimental model made of three wickingbeds was implemented. In this model, there were cultivated medicinal herb and milpa components. The water efficiency and the social acceptance were compared with a traditional ground crop, all this practice was made in an urban social context. The implementation of agricultural ecotechnology has had great social acceptance as its irrigation involves minimal effort and it is economically feasible for low-income people. The wicking bed system raised in this project is attainable to be implemented in schools, urban and peri-urban environments, homemade gardens and public areas. The proposal managed to carry out an innovative and sustainable knowledge-based traditional Mexican agricultural technology, allowing regain Milpa agroecosystem in urban environments to strengthen food security in favour of nutritional and protein benefits for the Mexican fare.
Keywords: milpa, traditional medicine, urban agriculture, wicking bedProcedia PDF Downloads 280
9498 Integrating Knowledge Distillation of Multiple Strategies
Authors: Min Jindong, Wang Mingxia
Abstract:With the widespread use of artificial intelligence in life, computer vision, especially deep convolutional neural network models, has developed rapidly. With the increase of the complexity of the real visual target detection task and the improvement of the recognition accuracy, the target detection network model is also very large. The huge deep neural network model is not conducive to deployment on edge devices with limited resources, and the timeliness of network model inference is poor. In this paper, knowledge distillation is used to compress the huge and complex deep neural network model, and the knowledge contained in the complex network model is comprehensively transferred to another lightweight network model. Different from traditional knowledge distillation methods, we propose a novel knowledge distillation that incorporates multi-faceted features, called M-KD. In this paper, when training and optimizing the deep neural network model for target detection, the knowledge of the soft target output of the teacher network in knowledge distillation, the relationship between the layers of the teacher network and the feature attention map of the hidden layer of the teacher network are transferred to the student network as all knowledge. in the model. At the same time, we also introduce an intermediate transition layer, that is, an intermediate guidance layer, between the teacher network and the student network to make up for the huge difference between the teacher network and the student network. Finally, this paper adds an exploration module to the traditional knowledge distillation teacher-student network model. The student network model not only inherits the knowledge of the teacher network but also explores some new knowledge and characteristics. Comprehensive experiments in this paper using different distillation parameter configurations across multiple datasets and convolutional neural network models demonstrate that our proposed new network model achieves substantial improvements in speed and accuracy performance.
Keywords: object detection, knowledge distillation, convolutional network, model compressionProcedia PDF Downloads 28
9497 Traditional Farming Practices and Climate Change Adaptation among the Dumagats of Tanay, Rizal and Their Implications to the Delivery of Extension and Advisory Services
Authors: Janika Vien K. Valsorable, Filma C. Calalo
Abstract:Climate change is one of the most damaging and serious environmental threats worldwide being faced today. While almost everyone highly depends and puts their trust on what technology, innovations, and initiatives from hard-core science can do to cope with the changing climate, there are still people who find hope on indigenous knowledge systems. The study aimed to analyze the traditional farming practices of the Dumagats in Tanay, Rizal and how these relate to their adaptation and mitigation of climate change. The analysis is based on interviews with 17 members of the Dumagat tribe specifically residing in Barangay Cuyambay, San Andres, and Mamuyao, and supported by Key Informant Interview and Focus Group Discussion as well as document reviews. Results of the study showed that the Dumagats adopt indigenous knowledge systems and their high sensitivity and resilience to climate change aid them in their farming system and activities. These traditional farming practices are exemplified from land preparation to planting, fertilizer application, weed and pest management, harvesting and post-harvest activities. Owing to their dependence upon, and close relationship with the environment and its resources, the Dumagats have learned to interpret and react to the impacts of climate change in creative ways, drawing on their traditional knowledge to cope with the impending changes. With the increasing trend at all levels of government to service the needs of rural communities, there is the need for the extension to contextualize advisory service delivery for indigenous communities.
Keywords: climate change, Dumagat tribe, indigenous knowledge systems, traditional farming practicesProcedia PDF Downloads 172
9496 The Same Rules of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in Treating Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria and Hypertension
Authors: Heng W. Chang, Mao F. Sun
Abstract:Chronic Idiopathic Urticaria (CIU) and hypertension are rarely discussed together in modern and traditional Chinese medicine, and often belong to different medical departments. However, in traditional Chinese medicinal theory, the two diseases have some similar characters. For example, they are both relevant to 'wind'. This study conducted a literature review using the China National Knowledge Infrastructure to identify herbs yielding the same effect for the two diseases. The finding showed that the common herbs used most frequently is Rehmanniae. The conclusion is that the same TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) mechanism of the two diseases may be 'blood heat'. It requires further study to prove it in the future.
Keywords: urticaria, herbs, hypertension, RehmanniaeProcedia PDF Downloads 68
9495 Tapping Traditional Environmental Knowledge: Lessons for Disaster Policy Formulation in India
Authors: Aparna Sengupta
Abstract:The paper seeks to find answers to the question as to why India’s disaster management policies have been unable to deliver the desired results. Are the shortcomings in policy formulation, effective policy implementation or timely prevention mechanisms? Or is there a fundamental issue of policy formulation which sparsely takes into account the cultural specificities and uniqueness, technological know-how, educational, religious and attitudinal capacities of the target population into consideration? India was slow in legislating disaster policies but more than that the reason for lesser success of disaster polices seems to be the gap between policy and the people. We not only keep hearing about the failure of governmental efforts but also how the local communities deal far more efficaciously with disasters utilizing their traditional knowledge. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami which killed 250,000 people (approx.) could not kill the tribal communities who saved themselves due to their age-old traditional knowledge. This large scale disaster, considered as a landmark event in history of disasters in the twenty-first century, can be attributed in bringing and confirming the importance of Traditional Environmental Knowledge in managing disasters. This brings forth the importance of cultural and traditional know-how in dealing with natural disasters and one is forced to question as to why shouldn’t traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) be taken into consideration while formulating India’s disaster resilience policies? Though at the international level, many scholars have explored the connectedness of disaster to cultural dimensions and several research examined how culture acts as a stimuli in perceiving disasters and their management (Clifford, 1956; Mcluckie, 1970; Koentjaraningrat, 1985; Peacock, 1997; Elliot et.al, 2006; Aruntoi, 2008; Kulatunga, 2010). But in the Indian context, this field of inquiry i.e. linking disaster policies with tradition and generational understanding has seldom received attention of the government, decision- making authorities, disaster managers and even in the academia. The present study attempts to fill this gap in research and scholarship by presenting an historical analysis of disaster and its cognition by cultural communities in India. The paper seeks to interlink the cultural comprehension of Indian tribal communities with scientific-technology towards more constructive disaster policies in India.
Keywords: culture, disasters, local communities, traditional knowledgeProcedia PDF Downloads 32
9494 The Effect of Tacit Knowledge for Intelligence Cycle
Authors: Bahadir Aydin
Abstract:It is difficult to access accurate knowledge because of mass data. This huge data make environment more and more caotic. Data are main piller of intelligence. The affiliation between intelligence and knowledge is quite significant to understand underlying truths. The data gathered from different sources can be modified, interpreted and classified by using intelligence cycle process. This process is applied in order to progress to wisdom as well as intelligence. Within this process the effect of tacit knowledge is crucial. Knowledge which is classified as explicit and tacit knowledge is the key element for any purpose. Tacit knowledge can be seen as "the tip of the iceberg”. This tacit knowledge accounts for much more than we guess in all intelligence cycle. If the concept of intelligence cycle is scrutinized, it can be seen that it contains risks, threats as well as success. The main purpose of all organizations is to be successful by eliminating risks and threats. Therefore, there is a need to connect or fuse existing information and the processes which can be used to develop it. Thanks to this process the decision-makers can be presented with a clear holistic understanding, as early as possible in the decision making process. Altering from the current traditional reactive approach to a proactive intelligence cycle approach would reduce extensive duplication of work in the organization. Applying new result-oriented cycle and tacit knowledge intelligence can be procured and utilized more effectively and timely.
Keywords: information, intelligence cycle, knowledge, tacit KnowledgeProcedia PDF Downloads 434
9493 Indigeneity of Transgender Cultures: Traditional Knowledge and Appropriation
Authors: Priyanka Sinnarkar
Abstract:The appropriation of traditional knowledge has already deprived vast indigenous communities of material benefits. One such industry in India responsible for the extensive exploitation of the indigenous communities is Bollywood or the film industry. Indigenous communities are usually marginalized and exploited, whilst the beneficiary is always the third part. Transgender culture in India dates back to 400 AD with a precise description in the Kama Sutra. Since then, with escalating evolution in governance, the community lost its glory and was criminalized until late 2014. However, the traditional knowledge and cultural practices never diminished. The formation of cults (gharanas) and peculiar folklore has remained in place. This study is intended to highlight the culture of the hijra gharanas and their contribution to intangible cultural heritage. Whilst adhering to the norms of the United Nations pertaining to traditional knowledge and indigenous communities, these papers focuses on the fact that one of the most marginalized and ostracized communities in India treasures a huge amount of rituals and practices that are appropriated by the film industry, leaving the transgender community to indulge into odd jobs and commercial sex work leading to poverty and illiteracy. A comparison between caste reservations and no reservation for this community will bring to light the lacuna in the democratic system. Also, through empirical findings, it can be inferred that a creative sector of the society is not properly exploited to its complete potential, thereby restricting a good contribution to intellectual property. It is important to state that the roots of this problem are not in modern practices. Thus an etymological analysis from mythology to the present will help understand that appropriate application of human rights in this segment will be useful to render justice to this community and thereby recognize the IP that has been succumbed since ages.
Keywords: indigenous, intellectual property, traditional knowedge, transgenderProcedia PDF Downloads 57
9492 The Use of Learning Management Systems during Emerging the Tacit Knowledge
Authors: Ercan Eker, Muhammer Karaman, Akif Aslan, Hakan Tanrikuluoglu
Abstract:Deficiency of institutional memory and knowledge management can result in information security breaches, loss of prestige and trustworthiness and the worst the loss of know-how and institutional knowledge. Traditional learning management within organizations is generally handled by personal efforts. That kind of struggle mostly depends on personal desire, motivation and institutional belonging. Even if an organization has highly motivated employees at a certain time, the institutional knowledge and memory life cycle will generally remain limited to these employees’ spending time in this organization. Having a learning management system in an organization can sustain the institutional memory, knowledge and know-how in the organization. Learning management systems are much more needed especially in public organizations where the job rotation is frequently seen and managers are appointed periodically. However, a learning management system should not be seen as an organizations’ website. It is a more comprehensive, interactive and user-friendly knowledge management tool for organizations. In this study, the importance of using learning management systems in the process of emerging tacit knowledge is underlined.
Keywords: knowledge management, learning management systems, tacit knowledge, institutional memoryProcedia PDF Downloads 269
9491 Ontology as Knowledge Capture Tool in Organizations: A Literature Review
Authors: Maria Margaretha, Dana Indra Sensuse, Lukman
Abstract:Knowledge capture is a step in knowledge life cycle to get knowledge in the organization. Tacit and explicit knowledge are needed to organize in a path, so the organization will be easy to choose which knowledge will be use. There are many challenges to capture knowledge in the organization, such as researcher must know which knowledge has been validated by an expert, how to get tacit knowledge from experts and make it explicit knowledge, and so on. Besides that, the technology will be a reliable tool to help the researcher to capture knowledge. Some paper wrote how ontology in knowledge management can be used for proposed framework to capture and reuse knowledge. Organization has to manage their knowledge, process capture and share will decide their position in the business area. This paper will describe further from literature review about the tool of ontology that will help the organization to capture its knowledge.
Keywords: knowledge capture, ontology, technology, organizationProcedia PDF Downloads 504
9490 An Empirical Investigation on the Dynamics of Knowledge and IT Industries in Korea
Authors: Sang Ho Lee, Tae Heon Moon, Youn Taik Leem, Kwang Woo Nam
Abstract:Knowledge and IT inputs to other industrial production have become more important as a key factor for the competitiveness of national and regional economies, such as knowledge economies in smart cities. Knowledge and IT industries lead the industrial innovation and technical (r)evolution through low cost, high efficiency in production, and by creating a new value chain and new production path chains, which is referred as knowledge and IT dynamics. This study aims to investigate the knowledge and IT dynamics in Korea, which are analyzed through the input-output model and structural path analysis. Twenty-eight industries were reclassified into seven categories; Agriculture and Mining, IT manufacture, Non-IT manufacture, Construction, IT-service, Knowledge service, Non-knowledge service to take close look at the knowledge and IT dynamics. Knowledge and IT dynamics were analyzed through the change of input output coefficient and multiplier indices in terms of technical innovation, as well as the changes of the structural paths of the knowledge and IT to other industries in terms of new production value creation from 1985 and 2010. The structural paths of knowledge and IT explain not only that IT foster the generation, circulation and use of knowledge through IT industries and IT-based service, but also that knowledge encourages IT use through creating, sharing and managing knowledge. As a result, this paper found the empirical investigation on the knowledge and IT dynamics of the Korean economy. Knowledge and IT has played an important role regarding the inter-industrial transactional input for production, as well as new industrial creation. The birth of the input-output production path has mostly originated from the knowledge and IT industries, while the death of the input-output production path took place in the traditional industries from 1985 and 2010. The Korean economy has been in transition to a knowledge economy in the Smart City.
Keywords: knowledge and IT industries, input-output model, structural path analysis, dynamics of knowledge and it, knowledge economy, knowledge city and smart cityProcedia PDF Downloads 253
9489 Comparison of the Effectiveness of Communication between the Traditional Lecture and IELS
Authors: Ahmed R. Althobaiti, Malcolm Munro
Abstract:Communication and effective information exchange within technology has become a crucial part of delivering knowledge to students during the learning process. It enables better understanding, builds trust, respect and increase the knowledge between students. This paper examines the communication between undergraduate students and their lecturers during the Traditional lecture and in using the Interactive Electronic Lecture System (IELS). The IELS is an application that offers a set of components, which support the effective communication between students, themselves and their lecturers. Moreover, this paper highlights the communication skills such as sender, receiver, channel and feedback. It will show how the IELS creates a rich communication environment between its users and how they communicate effectively. To examine and check the effectiveness of communication an experiment has been conducted for groups of users; students and lecturers. The first group communicated during the Traditional lecture while the second group communicated by the IELS application. The result showed that there was an effective communication between the second group more than the first group.
Keywords: communication, effective information exchange, lecture, studentProcedia PDF Downloads 332
9488 Conceptualizing the Knowledge to Manage and Utilize Data Assets in the Context of Digitization: Case Studies of Multinational Industrial Enterprises
Authors: Martin Böhmer, Agatha Dabrowski, Boris Otto
Abstract:The trend of digitization significantly changes the role of data for enterprises. Data turn from an enabler to an intangible organizational asset that requires management and qualifies as a tradeable good. The idea of a networked economy has gained momentum in the data domain as collaborative approaches for data management emerge. Traditional organizational knowledge consequently needs to be extended by comprehensive knowledge about data. The knowledge about data is vital for organizations to ensure that data quality requirements are met and data can be effectively utilized and sovereignly governed. As this specific knowledge has been paid little attention to so far by academics, the aim of the research presented in this paper is to conceptualize it by proposing a “data knowledge model”. Relevant model entities have been identified based on a design science research (DSR) approach that iteratively integrates insights of various industry case studies and literature research. | https://publications.waset.org/abstracts/search?q=traditional%20ecological%20knowledge |
The first step in designing your implementation process is setting up small-scale pilots that will help you test the impact of your action strategies in reality. Because of the large uncertainty associated with all interventions in complex systems, it is better to start with this rather than roll out large-scale interventions.
Look at your strategies and your list of possible actions and try to identify a small number of actions that could be tested in a first round and look for settings where these pilot projects could be implemented. While this could be done in different ways, you should target interventions that will reveal the maximum information about the system. For example, you could start with an action that could be implemented within two different communities at once to test social or cultural factors that might be a barrier to the implementation process. Alternatively, you could start with actions based on assumptions that have high consequences but weak evidence. There are often long response times in both social and ecological systems but consider where or how you could intervene with small, short term projects that will rapidly increase your knowledge, your experience or understanding of the system.
Keep in mind that you are intervening in a complex system, which means that there is no way of anticipating all the effects that your actions will have. Remember also that it is critical that your actions do not produce harm, especially to those that are already vulnerable. Before starting any pilot projects, use the discussion questions below to make sure you are sufficiently prepared.
Evaluating the pilots
When you feel confident that your interventions can fail without harming anyone, you are ready to start the pilot testing of specific actions. In evaluating the progress in these pilots, make sure that you ask questions that will inform your wider knowledge and understanding of the system, for example:
- What have you learned about your system during the design and implementation of these small-scale pilot projects? Has the process revealed any new insights about leverage points in the system?
- In particular, have any new dynamics emerged that have the potential to contribute to a sustainable, safe and just future? How could these dynamics be nurtured and spread?
- What are the implications for scaling the pilot projects so that it can be more widely applied and taken up? Does the intervention need to change to give it a wider reach?
- What barriers or challenges to more widespread implementation has the piloting phase identified? | https://wayfinder.earth/the-wayfinder-guide/learning-your-way-forward/designing-implementation/ |
The Specialist for the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) performs a variety of supportive tasks, as assigned by the Director, SBDC. This position is responsible for data entry of all SBDC training sessions into State CRM database, maintenance of all SBDC client, training and PROS files per SBA defined guidelines, and collect SBDC economic data per SBDC guidelines. This role works with each individual consultant to ensure accurate, timely entry of data on all consulting activity.
Core Competencies
Professionalism, Positive Approach, Communication, Managing Work, Courage, Continuous Improvement, Customer/Student/Employee Focus, Technology Savvy, Planning and Organizing, Collaboration, Resolving Conflict, Quality Orientation, Technology Savvy
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Administrative Support & Data Entry
Enters critical data including all SBDC consulting sessions into State CRM database; all SBDC training sessions into State CRM database, maintenance of all SBDC client, training and PROS files per SBA defined guidelines, collection of SBDC economic impact data per SBDC guidelines.
Ensure events and training programs are entered into classroom setup in Datatel and data entry into Colleague and all data tracking elements are coordinated with the Supervisor of Operations. Types and creates records, reports, contracts, invoices, correspondence, and other documents using established and non-established formats. Including mailing, filing and recording documents.
Performs tasks related to the consulting and training satisfaction survey, as directed. Develops packets for consulting and training delivery which includes arranging of all material required for the session. May make occasional trips to training site to conduct room setup or assist instructors.
Budgetary Reporting Support
Works with SBDC supervisor to understand all budgets and funding entities. For grant-funded budgets, works with College’s grants process and responsible grant accountant to ensure compliance with College procedures and practices, as well as with sponsor regulations.
Assists in developing budget transfers, invoicing, processing invoicing, budget revisions, and other budget related activities. Acts as the go-between to ensure all budget deadlines and deliverables are met by developing a follow-up system to ensure adherence to all fiscal and grant deadlines. Collects and enters all revenue/expense items, and processes/setup of consultant paperwork.
Customer Service
Maintains continual contact with SBDC consulting and training clients to ensure customer satisfaction. Delivers high level of customer service by greeting and routing SBDC clients to assigned areas; answering SBDC phone line and general telephone; routing calls; taking messages, and scheduling appointments. Adheres to the 24 hour callback metric on all e-mails and phone calls
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Fosters and maintains a safe environment of respect and inclusion for faculty, staff, students, and members of the community.
Other Duties & Responsibilities
Attends all required training and meetings.
Usual Physical Requirements
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions described in this position description. While performing duties of this job, the employee regularly exhibits digital dexterity when entering data into computer. The employee frequently sits for periods of time, stands, and walks. Employee converses verbally or manually with others in person as well as by telephone. Vision demands include close, relatively detailed vision when focusing on computer screen. Employee occasionally lifts up to 10 pounds.
Working Conditions
Typical office environment. Regular exposure to moderate noise typical to business offices.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Knowledge of: standard office procedures and practices; office administration; advanced computer operations; computer software programs and databases including Microsoft Office and Access. Customer service delivery skills. A thorough command of the English language, both verbal and written execution. Possession of other language skills is a plus, but not a requirement.
Skill in: servicing of customers within area of specialization; performing administrative duties in support of specialized function; application of job related computer software; operation of job-related equipment including computer and other equipment ; general computer typing skills of 45 WPM.
Ability to: work independently in a team environment; manage and prioritize multiple, highly complex projects; originate correspondence; maintain confidential and sensitive information; demonstrate initiative; use good judgement; accomplish results through collaboration and influence; effectively communicate research in oral, written, and graphic form; excellent listening skills and participant in collaborative work; develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across the College; effectively work with persons of varying cultures and diversity; problem solve effectively.
Minimum Qualifications:
High School Diploma or GED with at least three (3) years of progressively responsible experience. State Motor Vehicle Operator’s License or demonstrable ability to gain access to work site(s). An appropriate combination of education, training, coursework and experience may qualify a candidate.
INTERESTED?
Click here for hours, location, salary information and to apply!! | https://sbdccolumbus.com/we-are-hiring/ |
So, you have set your eyes on the open curriculum, beautiful scenery, commitment to diversity and inclusion, and five-college consortium that Amherst College offers; you are not alone! This past admissions cycle, Amherst College received a record-number of 10,567 applications. Because there are only 473 beds on Amherst’s first-year quad (unless forced triples are utilized), the Office of Admission aims to yield exactly 473 students each year. As a result of such a large applicant pool and a relatively small student body, Amherst has a low admission rate - this past year, the school had an admission rate of less than 11%!
As a Former Admissions Officer at Amherst, I’ve seen many students wonder how to convince the readers at the Amherst College Wilson Admission Center that they deserve one of those limited beds. The most important factor in your Amherst application is that admissions officers can clearly see how students will make meaningful, important contributions to Amherst’s relatively small community. So how does an applicant describe convincingly the impact that they will make on campus and elaborate on how they’ll support their fellow community members? There is no better way to do so than through the Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020 that the college specifically asks applicants to answer.
Amherst Supplemental Essays 2019-2020 – The Activity Question
First, you will be required to submit a short response to the following question:
Please briefly elaborate on an extracurricular activity or work experience of particular significance to you. (Maximum: 175 words)
Here is your chance to explain in greater detail to admissions officers one extracurricular activity or work experience. The Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020 only ask for one, so take a look at the activities you have listed on your application, and select carefully just one that meets the following criteria:
- You have not elaborated on this activity anywhere else in your application, particularly not in your personal statement.
- You are passionate about this involvement! Amherst does not conduct interviews as part of their admissions process, so treat this response sort of like a chance to demonstrate your excitement toward what you are involved with, much like you would be able to portray in an interview.
- You have made important, specific contributions that you can describe.
- Preferably, you are currently involved with, or were very recently involved with, this experience or activity, and it could likely be continued in some way once you arrive on campus. Especially since the word count is so low, do not feel the need to explain explicitly why your involvement connects to something that already exists at Amherst. However, if you are most enthusiastic about something that Amherst does not already offer and which you could not realistically start on your own, then select a different involvement.
Download Every Supplemental Prompt Here!
Main Writing Supplement
Finally, Amherst asks you to complete their main writing supplement. You have to choose one essay from the three options provided. Note that Option B and Option C are less time-consuming than A, so make sure you read all three options before spending significant time getting started.
Option A
Please respond to one of the following quotations in an essay of not more than 300 words. It is not necessary to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken; we are looking for original, personal responses to these short excerpts. Remember that your essay should be personal in nature and not simply an argumentative essay.
Do not ignore the fact that Amherst specifies that there’s no need to research, read, or refer to the texts from which these quotations are taken. This does not mean that you do not have to put a lot of time and thought into this essay - you do! However, it also signifies that the admissions officers are worried less about you drawing upon outside sources and previous knowledge, and more so expecting to read about your own interpretation of the prompt after doing a close read of the text provided. They want to see your own original, critical thoughts that are rooted in your own experience.
There are four different quotations to choose from for Option A in your Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020. You only need to select one for a 300-word maximum response.
Quote #1
"Rigorous reasoning is crucial in mathematics, and insight plays an important secondary role these days. In the natural sciences, I would say that the order of these two virtues is reversed. Rigor is, of course, very important. But the most important value is insight—insight into the workings of the world. It may be because there is another guarantor of correctness in the sciences, namely, the empirical evidence from observation and experiments."
- Kannan Jagannathan, Professor of Physics, Amherst College
Quote #2
"Translation is the art of bridging cultures. It's about interpreting the essence of a text, transporting its rhythms and becoming intimate with its meaning… Translation, however, doesn't only occur across languages: mentally putting any idea into words is an act of translation; so is composing a symphony, doing business in the global market, understanding the roots of terrorism. No citizen, especially today, can exist in isolation—that is, untranslated."
- Ilan Stavans, Professor of Latin American and Latino Culture, Amherst College, Robert Croll '16 and Cedric Duquene '15, from "Interpreting Terras Irradient," Amherst Magazine, Spring 2015.
Quote #3
"Creating an environment that allows students to build lasting friendships, including those that cut across seemingly entrenched societal and political boundaries… requires candor about the inevitable tensions, as well as about the wonderful opportunities, that diversity and inclusiveness create."
- Carolyn "Biddy" Martin, President of Amherst College, Letter to Amherst College Alumni and Families, December 28, 2015.
Quote #4
"Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat. Rather achievement can be all the more satisfying because of obstacles surmounted."
- Attributed to William Hastie, Amherst Class of 1925, the first African-American to serve as a judge for the United States Court of Appeals
Analysis of Quotes
If you select Quote #1, make sure that you do not fall into the trap of utilizing too much inaccessible scientific or mathematical jargon. Admissions officers can already see elsewhere in your application that you have excelled in your school’s math or science curriculum. They don’t want an unapproachable essay which conveys little to no new information about you.
If you select Quote #2, the most important piece to keep in mind is that you should know a lot about whatever you write. Too often, students fall into the trap of, after doing a close reading of this prompt and starting to grasp its understanding, being inspired by the ideas it presents, and then trying to inspire the reader to be inspired, likewise, by the ideas. The problem here is that the inspirational piece would not be your own idea, but what is already in the prompt! If you select this prompt, focus on grounding your response in your own interests and experience, and avoid writing in the hypothetical or general.
If you select Quote #3 for your Amherst supplemental essay 2019-2020, then it is absolutely crucial that you have thought a lot about what it would mean to live in a college community with a student body as diverse as Amherst’s. If the idea of “diversity,” as President Biddy Martin describes it here in this quotation, excites you, but you have had limited exposure to this idea thus far - then that is fine, and you are certainly not alone. However, do not use the Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020 to write broadly about your openness to diversity as an idea! This is a space to specifically write about why engaging in dialogue that bridges societal and political boundaries is important to you. Tackling Quote #3 is a chance for you to write about the connection you see between community and race, ethnicity, gender, religion, politics, age, wealth, etc.
If you select Quote #4, make sure that you do not fall into the trap of writing a predictable piece about how something started out as very difficult for you, but through hard work and perseverance, you succeeded. For example, as a general rule, avoid writing about a rainy day in which your chances of winning a big sporting event were limited, but at the last second, your excellent skills earned a win - it has been done too many times! Instead, think about how complicated success and achievement are, and make sure that your writing reflects that complexity. Rather than focusing on the nitty-gritty details of the incident you’ve outlined, highlight the important characteristics or lessons you picked up in the process.
Option B
Please submit a graded paper from your junior or senior year that best represents your writing skills and analytical abilities. We are particularly interested in your ability to construct a tightly reasoned, persuasive argument that calls upon literary, sociological or historical evidence. You should NOT submit a laboratory report, journal entry, creative writing sample or in-class essay. If you have submitted an analytical essay in response to the "essay topic of your choice" prompt in the Common Application writing section, you should NOT select Option B. Instead, you should respond to one of the four quotation prompts in Option A.
This prompt might seem too good to be true at initial glance. But you read it correctly - for Option B, you get to select your favorite paper that you have written from one of the two final years of high school. Make sure that it is a critical piece that is thesis/argument driven, and NOT creative writing, a lab report, or an in-class essay. You should have also scored well on the paper because admissions officers will see what grade you received. If you have a paper that you are proud of that also checks these boxes, then congratulations, you are already finished!
Make sure to keep it short! While there is no technical cut-off point for how long the paper you submit can be, a 5-page paper is ideal (no longer than ten, max!). Amherst prefers if you have a copy of a paper with your teacher's comments on it. If not, they would like to see some sort of indication of the grade or remarks that your teacher gave you on this writing piece.
Option C
If you were an applicant to Amherst's Diversity Open House (DIVOH) weekend program, you may use your DIVOH application essay in satisfaction of our Writing Supplement requirement. If you would like to do so, please select Option C. However, if you would prefer not to use your DIVOH essay for this purpose and you want to submit a different writing supplement, select either Option A or Option B. [Please note that Option C is available only to students who were applicants to Amherst’s DIVOH program.]
Option C, which is new this year, is only for students who applied to Amherst’s Diversity Open House (DIVOH) weekend program. Just like for Option B, if you were accepted into DIVOH you already have your essay. If you did not attend the program, then you have no choice but to pick between Option A and Option B.
Making Your Selection
The Amherst College admissions officers do not have a preference for whether you submit Option A, Option B, or Option C, as each option offers something different and important to your application. Option C is not applicable to everyone; so, you will most likely choose between Option A and Option B.
If your academics shine best through the papers you write rather than your transcript or testing, then submitting your best writing piece as an Option B supplement can help prove your academic prowess to admissions officers. Or, if you feel like you don’t have enough time before the deadline to write a new, well-thought-out essay, Option B is a good way to lighten your workload, while still presenting high-quality work.
However, if you find that, after completing your application, there is a very important part of your personal identity that you have not had the chance to describe yet to admissions officers, elaborating on it through one of the Option A options may be the best choice for you.
Optional Research Supplement
Next, you will be given the option to write a brief research supplement:
If you have engaged in significant research in the natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences or humanities that was undertaken independently of your high school curriculum, please provide a brief description of the research project (50-75 words)
As a top U.S. liberal arts college with a sole commitment to undergraduates and with phenomenal faculty members conducting top-notch research, Amherst places a huge importance on research across all domains: natural sciences, mathematics, computer science, social sciences, and humanities.
Importantly, because there are no graduate students on campus, there are bounteous opportunities for Amherst students to work on graduate-level research with professors. Thus, the Amherst College Office of Admission has a commitment to finding students who already love learning for the sake of learning, are learning, are thrilled at the idea of becoming experts in their chosen academic field(s), and love researching and to makeing new discoveries.
If you have worked on significant research already, then the Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020 giveis you a chance to write a brief abstract about your project. Make this section as clear and direct as possible, describing what your research question was, your methodology, and any conclusions and/or implications of your research without any “frills."
A key part of the instructions for this supplement that should not be ignored is that this research project must have been undertaken independently of your high school curriculum. This means that you did not work with a teacher from your high school on this project, and you did not have to complete this research as a requirement for graduation.
If you did not conduct research that fits these specifications, do not try to force a different research-related experience into this space. Your passion for learning for the sake of learning and any excellent research projects you have conducted through your high school curriculum will shine through in other parts of the application - do not worry!
There are some students for whom it will be more important to include an optional research supplement than others. For example, if you have indicated “researcher” or “scientist” on your application as one of your primary career interests on your application, it will help codify this interest if you already have research relevant experience that you can add here. Likewise, if you have indicated on your application that your desired terminal educational degree is a your doctorate, then having already had this type of research experience will be seen as beneficial.
As you might expect, elements of your application such as your grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, honors, and your personal statement are all considered important in evaluating your application. However, the Amherst supplemental essays 2019-2020 are absolutely key in going beyond the other components to help admissions officers determine how you would fit into the campus community. Don’t take the prompts lightly – dedicate a significant amount of time working on your responses. Good luck!
Schedule a free consultation
to find out how we can help you get accepted. | https://ingeniusprep.com/blog/amherst-supplemental-essays-2019-2020/ |
Archiving data snapshots and using appropriate metadata and packaging standards can increase the longevity and discovery of data immensely. However, these local curation techniques are still susceptible to threats to the projects or institutions that maintain the local archive. People in critical technology positions that maintain archives may change careers or retire, projects can lose funding, and institutions that seem solid can dissolve due to changes in political climate. For these reasons, partnering across institutions to provide archival services of data can greatly increase the probability that data will remain accessible for decades or into the next century.
In this chapter, we discuss techniques and issues involved with archiving data on a multi-decadal scale. For sensor data, we promote the use of periodic data snapshots, persistent identifiers, versioning of data and metadata, and data storage formats and strategies that can increase the likelihood that data will not only be accessible into the future, but will also be understandable to future researchers.
Introduction
A data archive is a location that has a reasonable assurance that data and the contextual information needed to interpret the data can be recovered and accessed after significant events, and ultimately after decades. Data archives should be maintained through backup strategies such as redundancy and offsite backup, in multiple locations and through institutional partnerships. Archiving activities should have institutional commitment, and ideally cross-institutional commitment. Archives may be locally maintained, may be part of a national or network-wide archive initiative, or both. For raw data, an archive can be a local or regional facility, whereas quality controlled, ‘published’ data should be archived in a community-supported network archive and available online.
Environmental research scientists are in need of accessing streaming data from sensor networks both provisionally in near real-time, after QA/QC processing, and in final form for long-term studies. Without appropriate archiving strategies, data are at great risk of total loss over time due to institutional memory loss, institutional funding loss, natural disasters, and other accidents. These typically include near-term accidents and long-term data entropy due to career and life changes for the original investigator(s) [Michener 1997]. Data, and the methods used to generate and process them, are often insufficiently documented, which may result in misinterpretation of the data or may render the data unusable in later research. Likewise, lack of version control or use of persistent identifiers for all files causes downstream confusion, and hinders reproducible science.
Data managers are increasingly asked to both preserve raw data streams and to additionally provide automated, near real-time quality control and access to provisional data from these sensors. Typically, these provisional data streams undergo further visual and other quality checking and final data sets are published. Commonly, further interpretation occurs where some missing data are gap-filled through imputation procedures, or faulty data are removed. There is a strong need to archive these data streams and provide continued access, which ultimately safeguards the investment of both time and money dedicated to collect the data in the first place. There are a number of organizational, storage, formatting, and delivery issues to consider. However, four main archiving strategies should be used: creating well documented data snapshots, assigning unique, persistent identifiers, maintaining data and metadata versioning, and storing data in text-based formats. These practices, described below, will increase the longevity and interoperability of the data, and will promote their usefulness to current and future researchers.
Methods
Publishing of Snapshots
Generating periodic snapshots of near real-time sensor streams allows the data to be stored and described in a deterministic manner. The rate that snapshots are produced depends on the needs of the community using the data, but typically snapshot files are organized using hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or annual datasets. It also depends on the sample rate and sample size. Producing thousands of tiny data files, or one file with gigabytes of data, would decrease the usefulness of the data from a transfer and handling perspective. Make it easy on the researchers using the data, and size the snapshots appropriately.
Without detailed documentation of the contextual information needed to interpret individual measurements, even well-archived data will be rendered unusable. Develop metadata files to accompany the data using a machine-readable metadata standard appropriate to the community using the data. Common standards include the ISO 19115 Geographic Information Metadata [ISO/TC 211, 2003], the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM) [FGDC, 1998], the Biological Profile of the CSDGM (FGDC, 1999], and the Ecological Metadata Language [Fegraus et al., 2001]. Also consider documenting sensor detailed deployment settings and processes with SensorML [OGC, 2000].
Likewise, snapshots of data that represent a time-series should be documented and packaged appropriately such that the relationships among files are clear. Many of the above metadata standards have their own means of linking data with metadata, however they are all implemented differently. Federated archiving efforts such as DataONE have adopted ‘resource maps’ [Lagoze, 2008] to describe relationships between metadata and data files in a language-agnostic manner. (See DataONE packaging in the Resources section, and the Open Archives Initiative ORE primer). Consider publishing resource maps of your data and metadata relationships to improve interoperability across archive repositories.
Once data collections are sufficiently described, delivery can also be a challenge. While providing resolvable links directly to the metadata and data files is a good practice, scientists often would like to be able to download full collections. Providing a service that packages files into a downloadable zip file is commonplace, but relationships between data and metadata can be lost. Consider using the BagIt specification (see BagIt in the Resources section) [Boyko, 2009], which provides simple additions to zip files such as a manifest file that maintains the machine-readable relationships between the items in the collection, while still allowing researchers to download data packages directly to their desktop.
Persistent Identifiers
The above snapshot archiving strategies hinge on the ability to uniquely identify each file or component of a package in an unambiguous manner. File names can often collide, particularly across unrelated projects. So, assigning unique, persistent identifiers to each file, and the originating sensor stream, is paramount to successful archiving. A persistent identifier is usually a text-based string that represents an unchanging set of bytes stored on a computer. Persistent identifiers should be assigned to science data objects, science metadata objects, and other files that associate the data and metadata together, such as resource maps. Opaque identifiers tend to be best for persistence and uniqueness (like UUIDs), but can be less memorable. Systems such as the Digital Object Identifier service (DOI) and EZID can help in maintaining unique, resolvable identifiers (see UUIDs, DOIs, and EZID in the Resources Section). Each version of a file or products derived from files (see versioning below) should also have a persistent identifier. If snapshots of data are being extended with new data, a new version of the dataset needs to be published. Shorter identifiers are best, and avoid using spaces and other special characters in identifiers to increase compatibility in file systems and URLs. Ultimately, the use of persistent identifiers allows associated metadata to track the provenance of cleaned, quality assured data or other derived products, and promotes reproducible science and citable data.
Versioning
Data from sensor streams are usually considered ‘provisional’ until they have been processed for quality control, and multiple versions of the data may be generated. However, provisional data are often used in publications and are cited as such. That said, in order to support reproducible science using sensor data, each version should be maintained with it’s own citable identifier. Overwriting files or database records with new values or with annotated flags will ultimately change the underlying bytes, and effectively break the ‘persistence’ of the identifier pointing to the data. This applies to metadata or packaging versions as well, and so care must be taken to plan in versioning within your storage system. Your versioning strategies of raw data will be dependent on your snapshot strategies (e.g. appending to hourly files, then snapshotting and updating metadata files, or alternatively, say, producing daily, weekly, monthly, or annual packages that include data files and metadata files for the time period of covered). However, by making citable versions, researchers will be able to access the exact bytes that were used in a journal publication, and peer review of studies involving sensor data streams will be more robust and deterministic.
Data Storage Formats
Sensor data may be stored in different structures, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. A suite of variables from one station and collected at the same temporal resolution may be stored within one wide table with a column for each variable, each time being one record of several variables. Alternatives might be a table for each variable or one table of the format of [time, location, variable, value]. This latter system may be value centric with metadata attached to each value or series centric with metadata attached to a certain time interval for one variable (e.g., a time series of air temperature between calibrations). No matter how you organize your data, long-term, archival storage file formats need to be considered. In the digital age, thousands of file formats exist that are readable by current software applications. However, some formats will be more readable into the future than others. As an example, Microsoft Excel 1.0 files (circa 1985), are not readable by Microsoft Excel 2012 since the binary format has changed over time in a backward-incompatible manner. Therefore, unless these files are continually updated year after year, they will be rendered unusable. The same is true for database system files (.dbf) that hold the relational table structures in commonly used databases such as Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, and MySQL. Database files must be upgraded with every new database version so they do not become obsolete. A good rule of thumb is to archive data in formats that are ubiquitous, and are not tied to a given company’s software. Archive data in ASCII (or UTF-8) text files preferably, since this format is universally readable across operating systems and software applications. If ASCII encoding would cause major increases in file sizes for massive data sets, consider using a binary format that is community-supported such as NetCDF. NetCDF is an open binary specification developed at the University Cooperative for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), and provides open programming interfaces in multiple languages (C, Java, Python, etc.) that are supported by many scientific analysis packages (Matlab, IDL, R, etc.). By choosing an archive storage format that isn’t tied to a specific vendor, data files will be readable in decades to come even when institutional support for maintaining more complex database systems falls short.
Data Storage Strategies
For local archives, the most common storage strategy is to just directly store files in a hierarchical manner on a filesystem. Many data managers use a mix of location, instrument, and time-based hierarchy to store files into folders (e.g. /Data/LakeOneida/CTD01/2013/06/22/file.txt). This is a very simple, reliable strategy, and may be employed by groups with little resource for installing and managing database software. However, filesystem-based archives may be difficult to manage when volumes are large, or the number of instruments or variables are growing and don’t fit a straight hierarchical model.
Many groups use relational databases to manage sensor data as they stream into a site’s acquisition system. Well known vendor-based solutions like Oracle Database and Microsoft SQL Server are often used, as well as open source solutions such MySQL and PostgreSQL. These systems provide a means of data organization that can promote good quality control and fast searching and subsetting based on many factors, beyond the typical location/instrument/date hierarchy described above. Databases also provide standardized programming interfaces in order to access the stored data in standard ways across multiple programming languages. From an archive perspective, the use of databases may help in managing data locally, but should be seen as one component of a workflow to get data into archival formats.
Local databases used for managing data should be backed-up regularly, ideally to an offsite location, and the underlying binary database file formats should regularly be upgraded to the newest, supported versions of the database software. Ultimately, data stored in databases should be periodically snapshotted and stored in archival file formats, described above, with complete metadata descriptions to enhance their longevity.
Although local filesystems and databases are the most practical means of managing data, they are often at risk of being destroyed or unmaintained over decadal scales. Natural disasters, computer failure, staff turnover, lack of continued program funding, and other risks should be addressed when deciding how to archive data for the long term. One of the strategies for best data protection is cross-institution collaborations that provide storage services for their participants. These sorts of arrangements can guard against institutional or program disollution, lack of funding, etc. Consider partnering with community supported archives such as the LTER NIS, or federated archive initiatives such as DataONE to archive snapshots of streaming sensor data (see both in the Resource Section).
Best Practices
The following list of best practices are taken from the above recommendations, as well as additional considerations when archiving sensor-derived data.
- Develop and maintain an archival data management plan such that personnel changes don’t compromise access to or interpretation of data archives (potentially through University Library programs)
- Employ a sound data backup plan. Archived data should be backed up to at least two spatially different locations, far enough apart that they won’t be affected by the same destructive events (natural disasters, power or infrastructure issues). Perform daily incremental backups and weekly complete backups that may be replaced periodically, and annual backups that won’t change. (Crashplan, acronis)
- Generate periodic snapshots of near real-time sensor streams (acronis)
- Develop metadata files to accompany the data using a machine-readable metadata standard
- Assign persistent identifiers to science data objects, science metadata objects, and other files that associate the data and metadata together
- Maintain versioned files with their own citable identifier
- Preferably archive data in ASCII (or UTF-8) for text files, or community supported formats like NetCDF for binary format
- Archive all raw data, but all raw data do not necessarily need to be available online.However, assign a persistent identifier to each raw data file to be able to document provenance of the published, quality controlled data.
- Partner across institutions to provide archival services to mitigate programmatic losses
- Preferably make data publicly available that have appropriate QA/QC procedures applied.
- Assign a different persistent identifier for published datasets of different QC levels in an archive. In the methods metadata, document the provenance and quality control procedures applied.
- Document contextual information for each data point. i.e., in addition to assigning a quality flag, assign a methods flag which documents field events like calibrations, small changes, sensor maintenance, sensor changes etc. Include notes that handle unusual field events (e.g., animal disturbance etc.) Encode metadata for sensor-derived data using community and or nationally accepted standards.
- Ensure the timezone for all time stamps is captured. Datalogger are being manually set to a certain time. Consider daylight savings.
- Establish the meaningful naming conventions for your variables taking into account the type of observation that is archived, adjectives describing the location, instrument type, and other necessary variable determinants.
- Determine the precision for your observation values in advance
- Preferably follow a naming convention or controlled vocabulary for variables (See the Resources Section)
- Avoid using databases for archival storage, but use them for management and quality control. However, if databases are used for managing sensor data then periodic snapshots into ASCII or open binary data formats are recommended.
- Track changes to data files within metadata files to maintain an audit trail
Case Studies
1. LTER NIS
The NSF Long-Term Ecological Research Network Information System (LTER NIS) is the central data archive for all data generated by LTER research and related projects. All data including sensor data are submitted with metadata in the Ecological Metadata Language (EML). Data are publicly available through this portal and through DataONE, of which the LTER NIS is a member. Specific approaches to archive streaming sensor data are following the best practice recommendations given in this document: Datasets are submitted as snapshots in time and it is up to the site information managers to decide the length of time in each snapshot, i.e., how frequently a new dataset is submitted. Minimally quality controlled data sets are submitted, while the raw data are archived at each site. As of this writing no standards for quality control levels or data flagging have been adopted by the LTER community.
Features of the LTER NIS include:
- Public availability of data and metadata
- Congruence check - quality check of how well the metadata describe the structure of the data
- Use of persistent identifiers
- Strong versioning of metadata and data files in the system
- Member Node of DataONE
- Support of LTER and related projects data storage using access control rules
- Replication of data and metadata across geographically dispersed servers
2. KNB
The Knowledge Network for Biocomplexity (KNB) is an international network that facilitates ecological and environmental research on biocomplexity. For scientists, the KNB is an efficient way to discover, access, interpret, integrate and analyze complex ecological data from a highly-distributed set of field stations, laboratories, research sites, and individual researchers. The KNB repository has been storing and serving data for over a decade, and stores over 25,000 data sets.
Features of the KNB include:
- Public availability
- Metacat, an open source data management system
- Morpho, an open source, desktop metadata editor
- Support for any XML-based metadata language, but optimized for the Ecological Metadata Language
- Use of persistent identifiers
- Strong versioning of all files in the system
- Support for cross-metadata packaging using resource maps
- Cross-institutional partnering with the LTER and DataONE
- Support for both public and private data storage using access control rules
- Replication of data and metadata across geographically dispersed servers
- International participation, and support for multi-language metadata descriptions
Recent developments of the KNB include support for the DataONE programming interface (API) in both the Metacat and Morpho software products. This API promotes interoperability of archival repositories, and enables federated access to environmental data. Since the KNB products support this open API, anyone can create their own web or desktop applications that are optimized for their research community.
3. GIWS, University of Saskatchewan WISKI data archive
Global Institute for Water Security (GIWS) at the University of Saskatchewan is directly involved in the collection of the field data from different research areas including Rocky Mountains, Boreal Forest, Prairie, and others.
In addition to the “in-house” managed data, GIWS uses external data sets from organizations such as Environment Canada and Alberta Environment. Data management platform on which GIWS currently operates is the Water Information System Kisters (WISKI). This system is used together with Campbell Scientific LoggerNet software and custom .NET modules in automated tasks that handle data collection, centralized data processing, storing, and reporting. After processing, the environmental data sets are published and made available to specific groups of users through the Kisters WISKI Web Pro web interface and KiWIS web service. Both applications can query the centralized database and return data in the formats that are used for visualization or further processing and dissemination purposes.
Features of the GIWS system include public availability, use of persistent identifiers, support for cross-institutional partnering, data access control for different groups of users, support for OGC WaterML2 data format. [See GIWS in the Resources Section]
Resources
BagIt Zip file format: https://wiki.ucop.edu/display/Curation/BagIt
DataONE: http://www.dataone.org/what-dataone and http://www.dataone.org/participate
DataONE Packaging: http://mule1.dataone.org/ArchitectureDocs-current/design/DataPackage.html
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) System: http://doi.org
Ecological Metadata Language: http://knb.ecoinformatics.org/software/eml/
FGDC Metadata Standards: http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/geospatial-metadata-standards
GIWS: http://giws.usask.ca/documentation/system/GIWS_WISKI.pdf
ISO 19115 metadata Standard - Geographic Information http://www.iso.org/iso/home/store/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?csnumber=53798
EZID Identifier Service: http://n2t.net/ezid
LTER Network Information System: http://nis.lternet.edu
Open Archives Intiative Object Reuse and Exchange (Resource Maps) Primer: http://www.openarchives.org/ore/1.0/primer.html
Universally Unique Identifiers (UUID): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier
CF Metadata http://cf-convention.github.io/
References
Biological Data Working Group, Federal Geographic Data Committee and USGS Biological Resources Division. 1999. CONTENT STANDARD FOR DIGITAL GEOSPATIAL METADATA, PART 1: BIOLOGICAL DATA PROFILE. FGDC-STD-001.1-1999 https://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/metadata/biometadata/biodatap.pdf
Boyko, A., Kunze, J., Littman, J., Madden, L., Vargas, B. (2009). The BagIt File Packaging Format (V0.96). Retrieved May 8, 2013, from http://www.ietf.org/id/draft-kunze-bagit-09.txt
Fegraus, E. H., Andelman, S., Jones, M. B., & Schildhauer, M. (2005). Maximizing the value of ecological data with structured metadata: an introduction to Ecological Metadata Language (EML) and principles for metadata creation. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America, 86(3), 158-168. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/0012-9623(2005)86%5B158:MTVOED%5D2.0.CO;2
Lagoze, Carl; Van de Sompel, Herbert; Nelson, Michael L.; Warner, Simeon; Sanderson, Robert; Johnston, Pete (2008-04-14), "Object Re-Use & Exchange: A Resource-Centric Approach", arXiv:0804.2273v1 [cs.DL], arXiv:0804.2273
Metadata Ad Hoc Working Group, Federal Geographic Data Committee. 1998. CONTENT STANDARD FOR DIGITAL GEOSPATIAL METADATA. FGDC-STD-001-1998. http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/projects/FGDC-standards-projects/metadata/base-metadata/v2_0698.pdf
Michener, William K., James W. Brunt, John J. Helly, Thomas B. Kirchner, and Susan G. Stafford. 1997. NONGEOSPATIAL METADATA FOR THE ECOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Ecological Applications 7:330–342. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(1997)007[0330:NMFTES]2.0.CO;2
Open Geospatial Consortium, Inc. (OGC). Url: http://www.opengeospatial.org (2010). | https://wiki.esipfed.org/Sensor_Data_Archiving |
The Halloween Effect and Nordic Equity Markets: Fact or Fiction?
The Halloween effect as described by Bouman & Jacobsen (2002) means that stock returns of the year are significantly higher during the November to April (winter) period than during the May to October (summer) period. In the context of efficient market theory the effect should not exist.
This study researches the existence of the Halloween effect seasonal stock market anomaly in Nordic stock markets (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) and the pan regional OMX40 index by running OLS regression on stock returns data. The purpose of the study is to see if the Halloween effect first formally investigated by Bouman & Jacobsen (2002) holds in the five Nordic stock markets both at country index levels and in factor portfolios.
The main contribution of the study shows how the Halloween effect manifests itself in Fama & French factor portfolios using OLS regression on their portfolio returns. These portfolios are constructed and divided into value and growth portfolios based on other well documented anomalies: book to market, earnings to price, cash flow to price and dividend to price ratios. Therefore, this research paper looks at a stock market anomaly inside other anomalies.
The study finds a statistically significant Halloween effect in 5/5 Nordic stock markets but does not find evidence for the effect in the OMX40 pan regional index. The results for the Fama & French factor portfolios are found in general slightly more significant than those of the individual stock market indices. A statistically significant Halloween effect is found in 3/4 countries for all value portfolios. For the majority of growth portfolios a statistically significant Halloween effect is also found in these three countries. | https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/1252 |
# Hung jury
A hung jury, also called a deadlocked jury, is a judicial jury that cannot agree upon a verdict after extended deliberation and is unable to reach the required unanimity or supermajority. Hung jury usually results in the case being tried again.
This situation can occur only in common law legal systems, because civil law systems either do not use juries at all or provide that the defendant is immediately acquitted if the majority or supermajority required for conviction is not reached during a single, solemn vote.
## Australia
Majority (or supermajority verdicts) are in force in South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland. Australian Capital Territory and Commonwealth courts require unanimous verdicts in criminal (but not civil) trials.
## Canada
In Canada, the jury must reach a unanimous decision on criminal cases. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous decision, a hung jury is declared. A new panel of jurors will be selected for the retrial. Each jury in criminal courts contains 12 jurors. In civil cases, only six people are necessary for a jury, and if there is only one dissenter (i.e. a 5–1 vote) the dissenter can be ignored with the majority opinion becoming the final verdict.
## New Zealand
In New Zealand, the jury must initially try to reach a unanimous verdict. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict after a reasonable time given the nature and complexity of the case (but not less than four hours), then the court may accept a majority verdict. In criminal cases, an all-but-one vote is needed (i.e. 11–1 with a full jury); in civil cases, a three-quarters (75%) vote is needed (i.e. 9–3 with a full jury).
If the jury fails to reach either a unanimous or majority verdict after a reasonable time, the presiding judge may declare a hung jury, and a new panel of jurors will be selected for a retrial. If the retrial also results in a hung jury, the case must be referred to the Solicitor-General, who will generally issue a stay of proceedings unless there are compelling reasons to proceed with a third trial.
## United Kingdom
### England and Wales
In England and Wales a majority of at least 10 votes out of 12 is needed for a verdict. If fewer jurors remain, majorities allowed are 11–0, 10–1, 10–0, 9–1 and 9–0. Failure to reach this may lead to a retrial (R v. Bertrand, 1807).
Initially, the jury will be directed to try to reach a unanimous verdict. If they fail to reach a unanimous verdict, the judge may later (after not less than two hours) give directions that a majority verdict will be acceptable, although the jury should continue to try to reach a unanimous verdict if possible.
When the jury is called to deliver a verdict after majority directions have been given, a careful protocol of questions is followed: only in the event of a guilty verdict is it then asked whether or not all jurors were agreed on that verdict, to prevent any acquittal from being tainted by it being disclosed that any jurors dissented. The protocol is followed separately for each charge.
### Scotland
It is not possible to have a hung jury in Scotland in criminal cases. Juries consist of 15, and verdicts are decided by simple majority (eight) of the initial membership. If jurors drop out because of illness or another reason, the trial can continue with a minimum of 12 jurors, but the support of eight jurors is still needed for a guilty verdict; anything less is treated as an acquittal.
In civil cases there is a jury of 12, with a minimum of 10 needed to continue the trial. It is possible to have a hung jury if there is a tied vote after three hours' deliberation.
## United States
Majority verdicts are not allowed in criminal cases in the United States. A hung jury results in a mistrial, and the case may be retried (United States v. Perez, 1824).
Louisiana, which was historically influenced by the French civil law system, and Oregon used to allow 10–2 majority verdicts but in the 2020 case Ramos v. Louisiana, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a jury must vote unanimously to convict in any criminal offense that requires a jury trial.
Some jurisdictions permit the court to give the jury a so-called Allen charge, inviting the dissenting jurors to re-examine their opinions, as a last-ditch effort to prevent the jury from hanging. The Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure state, "The verdict must be unanimous. ... If there are multiple defendants, the jury may return a verdict at any time during its deliberations as to any defendant about whom it has agreed. ... If the jury cannot agree on all counts as to any defendant, the jury may return a verdict on those counts on which it has agreed. ... If the jury cannot agree on a verdict on one or more counts, the court may declare a mistrial on those counts. A hung jury does not imply either the defendant's guilt or innocence. The government may retry any defendant on any count on which the jury could not agree."
In jurisdictions giving those involved in the case a choice of jury size (such as between a six-person and twelve-person jury), defense counsel in both civil and criminal cases frequently opt for the larger number of jurors. A common axiom in criminal cases is that "it takes only one to hang," referring to the fact that in some cases, a single juror can defeat the required unanimity.
One proposal for dealing with the difficulties associated with hung juries has been to introduce supermajority verdicts to allow juries to convict defendants without unanimous agreements amongst the jurors. Hence, a 12-member jury that would otherwise be deadlocked at 11 for conviction and one against, would be recorded as a guilty verdict. The rationale for majority verdicts usually includes arguments involving so-called 'rogue jurors' who unreasonably impede the course of justice. Opponents of majority verdicts argue that it undermines public confidence in criminal justice systems and results in a higher number of individuals convicted of crimes they did not commit.
In United States military justice, the Uniform Code of Military Justice (10 U.S.C. Chapter 47) Article 52 specifies the minimum number of court martial panel members required to return a verdict of guilty. In cases that involve a mandatory death sentence, a unanimous vote of all panel members is required. In cases that involve mandatory life sentences or sentences of confinement over ten years, a three-fourths vote is required. In all other cases, only a two-thirds vote is required to convict. Additionally, the Manual for Courts-Martial requires only a judge and a specified number of panel members in all non-capital cases (five for a general court-martial or three for a special court-martial; no panel is seated for a summary court-martial). In capital cases, a panel of 12 members is required.
### Hung jury in capital sentencing
Of the 27 U.S. states with the death penalty, 25 require the sentence to be decided by a jury.
Nebraska is the only state in which the sentence is decided by a three-judge panel. If the panel is not unanimous, the defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment.
Montana is the only state where the trial judge still decides the sentence alone.
In all states in which the jury decides the sentence, only death-qualified prospective jurors can be selected in such a jury, to exclude both people who will always vote for the death sentence and those who are categorically opposed to it.
However, these states differ on what happens if the penalty phase results in a hung jury:
In four states (Arizona, California, Kentucky and Nevada), a retrial of the penalty phase will be conducted before a different jury (the common-law rule for mistrial). In two states (Indiana and Missouri), the judge will decide the sentence. In the remaining states, a hung jury results in life imprisonment, even if only one juror opposed death. Federal law also provides that outcome.
The first outcome is referred as the "true unanimity" rule, while the third has been criticized as the "single-juror veto" rule. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hung_jury |
Small ponds have outsized impact on global warming: study
'The ability of the ponds to absorb carbon dioxide was reduced by almost half, while methane release nearly doubled.'
Tiny natural ponds pose an overlooked danger for speeding up global warming, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
In experiments designed to simulate moderate future warming, scientists in Britain found that such ponds -- a meter (three feet) across -- gradually lose the capacity to soak up one kind of greenhouse gas and give off even more of another.
After seven years at higher-than-ambient temperatures, "the ability of the ponds to absorb carbon dioxide was reduced by almost half, while methane release nearly doubled," said lead-author Gabriel Yvon-Durocher, a professor at the University of Exeter.
"Both those trends became amplified over time," he told AFP.
With soil, by contrast, warming initially stimulates CO2 output but then causes it to taper off.
The new findings matter because small ponds play an outsized role in the planet's carbon cycle -- the balance between input and output of greenhouse gases.
While covering only a tiny fraction of Earth's surface area, they are responsible for about 40 percent of methane emissions from inland waters, earlier research has shown.
Amplification effect
Methane is about 28 times more effective in trapping the sun's radiation in our atmosphere than carbon dioxide, the dominant greenhouse gas.
"Our findings show that warming can fundamentally alter the carbon balance of small ponds over a number years," Yvon-Durocher said.
"This could ultimately accelerate climate change."
Scientists working on the next major UN scientific report on climate change -- scheduled for 2020 -- should take note, he added.
"Up to now, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) models do not take into account the amplification effects of warming on these aquatic ecosystems."
The main source of man-made carbon pollution is the burning of fossil fuels, accounting for more than 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The rest comes from deforestation, the livestock industry, and agriculture.
In the experiments, scientists warmed artificial ponds four degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit), corresponding to the projected increase in global average temperatures by 2100 in temperate zones under a "moderate" climate change scenario.
In the Paris Agreement climate treaty, the world's nations have vowed to hold global warming to under 2 C (3.6 F), a goal that some scientists say may be out of reach. |
Subsets and Splits
No saved queries yet
Save your SQL queries to embed, download, and access them later. Queries will appear here once saved.