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Processing hyperspectral images allows you to decode images and recognize objects in the scene on the base of analysis of spectrums. In some problems, information about the spectra may not be sufficient. In this case, visualization of data sets may use, for object recognition, by use additional non-formalized external attributes (for example, indicating the relative position of objects). Target visualization is a visualization adapted to a specific task of application. The method discussed in this chapter uses a way to visualize a measure of similarity to the sample. As a result of the transformation, the hyperspectral (multichannel) image is converted into a single-channel synthesized image in grayscale, on which the objects of interest for the problem under consideration are selected. By changing the brightness and contrast of the synthesized image, it is possible to interactively adjust the results of automatic processing. Hyperspectral image (HSI) is a set of images of one object (scene, slide, field of view, etc.), that match different narrow wavelength subranges, provides powerful tool for detection and recognition of objects under surveying. Hyperspectral data use is a serious problem caused by need of processing of huge amount of information (tens and hundreds gigabytes). Most of hyperspectral image recognition algorithms are highly resource-intensive, especially when striving to provide full classification of hyperspectral information. Information about spectra may be insufficient for some tasks. In those cases acceptable interpretation cannot be realized without human assistance. The data visualization facilitates making decision for an expert-user allowing him to use unobvious signs obtained from experience. Watching all of the band images from HSI (HSI can consist of more than 300 spectral bands) is a labor-intensive and inefficient task. Segmentation methods are used to represent visual information in more compact view. These methods mark out homogeneous regions in the image that allows representing hyperspectral image in view of some synthesized image, for example, in pseudo-color, which facilitates visual perception. However, only in some cases a criterion of true segmentation exists. Visualization only allows us to reveal errors. And for the result correction, we need to process all over again using altered parameters of the algorithm. When solving a certain task, not all of the objects are of equal interest. Obviously, the visualization should be done so that the objects of interest were represented in the result image in the best way, but the details that prevent from good visual perception were eliminated. I.e. visualization should be targeted. Such adaptation of data processing to a specific practical task can be realized by means of target visualization method. As a result of such transformation the information contained in HSI is represented in the synthesized image in grayscale where the brightness range is concentrated on the details of the image that are of interest for user. The method combines mathematical computation speed with visual assessment and possibility to correct interpretation process interactively. In addition, the useful information is appreciably compressed, that is very important for remote sensing tasks. Target visualization converts a set of images that constitute a hyperspectral image into a synthesized single-channel image that provides a visual representation of the data for a particular application. To perform the target visualization of HSI the image transform method is used. The method visualizes measure of similarity to a sample within a space of attributes [1, 2, 7]. Hyperspectral image, or so-called hypercube, is a collection of pictures of a single object that correspond to different narrow subranges of wavelengths, where k – the spectral subrange number; (m, n) – the spatial coordinates of an image pixel; M – the number of lines in the image; N – the number of columns; Bkmn – the brightness value at point (m, n) in the kth frequency subrange. As the attributes, that distinguish the objects of interest, the spectral characteristics are used. Moreover, can be used other characteristics that are used in tasks on image classification [3, 4], such as: features of brightness, texture, gradient and characteristics of adjacency. The values of the characteristics used for each pixel, can be obtained a priori or via image pre-processing. Thus, each pixel of the HSI with certain spatial coordinates has its coordinates within a feature space. In the visualization method for each task on HSI processing a decision function is formed within a set of feature values. The decision function quantitatively determines belonging of the pixel to the object of interest. Then the result image is synthesized. Pixel brightness of this image conforms to the decision function value. Changing brightness range in the obtained image and using his notion about the object being studied, user can interactively set threshold to mark out the object of interest. The main problem of the method is to choose a decision function that corresponds to a specific applied task. Some of tasks and the choice of the decision function for them are listed as an example below: To pick out objects on the HSI that have spectral characteristics that are similar to characteristics Ok from a spectral library. To pick out objects on the HSI that are similar to the characteristics of an object-sample with specified spatial coordinates—i.e., sample Ok is specified by spatial coordinates (m, n): Ok = Bkmn. To pick out objects which have the most widely represented spectra on the HSI (endmembers). To pick out objects which have the most uncommon spectra. To pick out boundaries of homogeneous regions on the HSI. To pick out objects on thematic images—i.e., on images obtained by using mathematical operations with spectral bands . The suitable decision function for the tasks 1–5 is the measure of similarity to the sample [1, 2]. Similarity can be specified by one of the measures of closeness of the vectors used for HSI classification, such as: the Euclidean distance the distance measured by the spectral angle the maximum distance As a sample, multidimensional feature vector is chosen from set of points of the attribute space. A sample can be chosen either by specifying of a priori known feature values or by pointing to one of the discriminated objects. Some set of vectors over region E of the feature space can be chosen as a sample, too. In this case it is possible to use the Mahalanobis distance—i.e., the distance given by the expression: where —the mean of set E, and C—a covariant matrix of set E. For task 6, the suitable decision function is where —some function of the spectral characteristics, used when synthesizing index images, and Por—the fixed a priori value of the index. If an information on probability distribution of attributes of the sample is available, a measure based on conditional probabilities can be used (Bayesian approach). Any of a priori estimated characteristics of studied objects can be participant in forming of a measure. By choosing of a sample and a measure of similarity we can adapt visual representation to a specified task on interpretation. Choice of a sample can be based on: visual analysis of some of the presented pictures; a priori information about the object of interest location; an information about the spectral features of the required object from a specially created database. The value of the decision function (similarity measure value) is brightness of the pixel on the synthesized image. The largest brightness value is assigned to the pixels which are closest to the sample within the attribute space. The other pixels have brightness value according to their distance from the sample. By representing the matrix of the similarity measure in gradations of gray, we obtain a visualization of the HSI adapted to the applied task. Since the brightness of each image pixel characterizes its similarity to the object of interest, by visually choosing the brightness threshold and by varying the contrast, a specialist can discriminate the object that interests him by using his knowledge of the object and accumulated experience. Various versions of the visualization of the same scene can be obtained by selecting various samples and similarity measures. This allows the observer to analyze the imaged scene by changing samples and similarity measures. Such a tool can be compared to a magnifying glass in feature space (on synthesized images various parts of the feature space can be detailed). Target visualization used in various application areas of image processing, has a specificity that is determined by the area of the study and conditions of registration of images. Computer image analysis is one of the relatively new medical technologies that are of great importance in medical research and diagnosing diseases. Due to the complexity of biomedical images, it is almost impossible to completely replace the human brain in processing them. At the same time, the method of target visualization of images allows, with the participation of a qualified user, to quickly identify and measure objects of interest. An example of the visualization of hyperspectral images with different samples is shown in Figures 1 and 2. The source data was obtained using autofluorescent microscopy in the spectral range from 420 to 750 nm with an interval of 6 nm. (The image represents Convallaria rhizome section, acquisition with the Leica TCS SP5. The data were provided us by Biotechnologisches Zentrum der TU Dresden). Figure 1 shows four of the 50 images of the specimen as an example of the initial data. The capabilities of visualizing multispectral images are demonstrated in Figure 2. The results obtained by transforming the 50 initial images using various samples are shown in this figure. The samples are represented in the form of graphs of spectra under the transformed images. Another example of using visualization of hyperspectral images of biomedical theme. This example demonstrates a non-invasive method of isolation of tumor cells using a hyperspectral image. In this paper we used the HSI represented on the website of the Australian National Agency CSIRO— In Figure 3 the multispectral image of a mouse lung with a tumor, marked with fluorescent protein, obtained in 16 spectral bands is shown. It is assumed that the tumor has uncommon spectrums relating to the attribute space. The initial multispectral image is difficult for visual analysis (it is not easy to notice differences), but on the resulting synthesized images, shown in Figure 4, various regions of the studied object are clearly distinguished. For distinguishing these regions all of the initial spectral band images are involved into processing. Under each synthesized image in Figure 4, there is the histogram which corresponds to the distribution of distances (d) in the attribute space from the spectrum of the sample to the spectrum of each pixel in the image. The histogram provides information on the number of pixels with a spectrum similar to the spectrum of the sample. Using the histogram, it is possible to set the start threshold value for the image binarization and distinguishing the objects like the sample. Figure 5 shows the result of selecting objects corresponding to the three samples. The thresholds were chosen at the first minimum of the histograms. By altering the threshold value, it is possible to vary result of the visualization in according to the contextual information and experience of the user. The method also allows us to distinguish pixels with spectral characteristics which are rare relatively most spectra of this image. For this purpose the Mahalanobis distance for some region E can be used—i.e., the distance from the vector y to the mean vector of a set of vectors X which is specified by expression: where is a covariant matrix of set X. In our case, the set X is the set of vectors of the attribute space, which correspond to the most representative part of the image in Figure 6a. This area is indicated with the solid line. Figure 6b represents the result of visualization with the Mahalanobis distance over the set X use. All pixels which are close by their spectral characteristics to have light hue. Pixels, which are appreciably different from , have dark hue. Nevertheless, the dark pixels may have different spectral characteristics. To find regions of the image, which are similar by uncommon characteristics, one should choose a dark pixel within the interesting region and use its spectral characteristics as a sample. In Figure 6c. the result of distinguishing one of the clusters of pixels with uncommon spectral characteristics is represented. The use of contextual information when processing hyperspectral images will be shown in the example of the detection of tampering with a financial document. The HSI of the document was presented to us by ZAO “Scientific Devices”. Figure 7 represents 4 of 125 initial pictures used for processing of the HSI of the financial document, obtained within spectral range 401–998 nm. In these pictures, as in the others, not shown in Figure 7, it is difficult to separate the details of the text written with, though similar by spectrum, but still different ink. To detect the falsification the target visualization of the HSI consisting of 125 was used. To detect the falsification the target-visualization of the HSI consisting of 125 pictures was used. The goal of the visualization initially was to distinguish objects that have a spectrum similar to that of the main handwritten text. The method was used; the letter o (indicated in Figure 8a by an arrow) was chosen as a specimen of the main text. The choice of this sample was based on comprehension of the task (in this part of the text the falsification was senseless). Spectral angle measure was chosen as a measure of the similarity. This gave the synthesized image shown in Figure 8b. The brightness of each pixel of the synthesized image is determined by the similarity of the spectrum that corresponds to a specified pixel with the spectrum of the sample. The image shown in Figure 8c was obtained by varying the brightness and contrast. A section of the text was then selected that did not appear on the synthesized image (indicated in Figure 8a by an arrow). Choice of this specimen was based on the fact that the spectrum of this object was different from the main handwritten text and was handwriting, too (another sort of inks might be used). The spectrum of this section, differed from the spectrum of the main text, was taken as a sample of an forgery. Differences between spectrum of ink of the main text and one’s spectrum of the forgery are shown in Figure 9. Visualization of the text that corresponds to this spectrum is shown in Figure 10b and after correcting the brightness and contrast—in Figure 10c. The letters “TY” and the numeral “0”belong to the forgery. Thus, forgery detection was performed with an interactive user participation, which used information of an indirect nature (“the main text” and “handwritten text different from the main one”). Detection of objects of interest can be performed with a greater degree of automation by combining automatic segmentation and target visualization. At the first stage, automatic segmentation of the spectra of the hyperspectral image is performed. As a result of automatic segmentation, the main spectra are determined. After such preliminary segmentation, an interactive correction can be made using the target visualization of the measure of similarity with the samples-representatives of the corrected areas. As an example, we performed HSI processing with the joint use of automatic segmentation and the target visualization of the main spectra [6, 7, 8]. The main spectra are determined by automatic segmentation. The visualization of the similarity of the spectra of current pixels to the main spectra is shown by the synthesized images in Figure 11a. Interactive correction of these synthesized images, performed with a change in the brightness range, is shown in Figure 11b. Efficient interpretation of images of objects and scenes may be often achieved only with combined processing of video data obtained at different time, by different surveying devices, within different spectral ranges. For combined processing of such images automatic high-accurate coordinate superposition of them is required. Such images, even being obtained with the same aspects and at the same scale, considerably differs one from other. Thus usual correlation methods of image superposition may be inadequate . There are two appreciably different approaches to image coordinate superposition: methods based on areas and methods based on image details. Each of these approaches has various advantages and disadvantages. These two approaches may be combined by means of the method of image processing by similarity to a sample . To carry out the correlation coordinate superposition of these images, each of them is suggested to be preliminary transformed by the method of similarity to a sample involving, as an attribute space, textural, gradient features and features of adjacency. The method does not use reference points of a scene directly. Transforming each of the superposed images by the method of similarity to a sample increase reliability of the superposition methods based on areas. Indeed, this transforming allows us to increase similarity of the images when true superposing of them and to increase their differences when relative shifting. Such transformations can be performed quite a lot, but as much as different samples exist in the fixed image. For each sample, the correlation method determines the coordinates of the shift. The samples are chosen automatically (without the assistance of user). All of the available samples may be used. But if the images have a lot of samples, they can be selected randomly. For the selected samples a distribution is plotted. Example of defining a coordinate shift the image obtained in the visible range with the image obtained in the infrared range, is presented in Figure 12. Presented in these shots images of the scene in the visible and IR ranges (Figure 12a and b), have parallel shift. The proposed method determined the shift; the displacement was estimated in fractions of a pixel. Figure 12c represents distribution of shifts obtained for various samples. Quality of the superposing may be estimated by statistical characteristics. For example, for this distribution of shifts the following characteristics were calculated: mode of the distribution corresponds to shifts: −0.25 pixels along OX axis, −0.5 pixels along OY axis; the mean shift along OX axis is equal to −0.2 pixels and the mean shift along OY axis is equal to −0.6 pixels; the standard deviation along OX axis is equal to 0.52 pixels and the standard deviation along OY axis is equal to 0.55 pixels. Up-to-date equipment allows you to collect and analyze information in very narrow spectral bands and is used in various applications. In particular, for water monitoring, hyperspectral technology makes it possible to identify the distribution of algae by the concentrations of chlorophyll, and also to detect impurities of mineral substances in water and to determine the coefficients of cloudiness. Hyperspectral data can also be used to identify threatened vegetation types, some chemical toxins, changes in the chemical composition of soils, etc. Processing hyperspectral images in remote sensing is related with the difficulties arising from the need to take into account the various distortions that appear in the process of formation of the HSI. In known methods of processing remote sensing data before using hyperspectral information, the data pre-processing is performed. The main stages, of the pre-processing are: radiometric correction (correcting the distortion due to the uneven sensitivity of the elements of the detectors, accounting for the effects of the atmosphere), geometric correction (georeferencing); combining images obtained in different spectral bands, recalculation of data of distant shooting in values of coefficients of spectral brightness . Such pretreatment is complex and requires additional information, time and computational resources. Using the target visualization allows us to facilitate the processing of remote sensing data. Really, the target visualization allows us to significantly reduce influence on results of decryption of conditions of shooting (a condition of the atmosphere, exposition parameters), as a sample can be chosen on the initial images. In this case, the values of attributes of a the sample are obtained under the same conditions of shooting, as the values of attributes of the visualized scene. Using the developed method of the target visualization the work on creation of the information layer “Swamp” on the territory of St.-Petersburg has been done . Remote sensing data, 435 micro landscapes of 11 types on total area of about 40 sq. km were mapped. Majority of the swamps in the city is under strong anthropogenic influence due to which the images of the wetlands on the territory of St.-Petersburg are very diverse (by type) and variegated (by the spectral and spatial characteristics) structure, which creates a big problem in their interpretation by space images. As input data, the following materials were used: the multispectral images of the territory of St. Petersburg obtained by the Quickbird satellite equipment with the resolution 2.4 m on per pixel; the materials of field researches; the available landscape and thematic maps. Here, the images of the territory of town Lomonosov (near by the seaport) in four spectral bands, obtained in August by means of the Quickbird satellite equipment, are presented (Figure 13). Using the linked archival map and the results of field researches, the necessary samples area on the image was allocated. As the sample area in this case, understand the territory which characteristics precisely match the description of this type of a micro landscape in the accepted scheme of classification. For an example the polygon corresponding to the coastal open swamp was chosen. Due to the complexity of the research object, additional information was used in the form of additional images (Figure 14): images derived on the base of spatial-spectral, textural, gradient and morphological characteristics of the original images; images obtained at other season. The result of the target visualization the coastal open swamps is presented in Figure 15a. The result of the interactive correction of the brightness and contrast are presented in Figure 15b. The target visualization method is also applicable to the problem of finding out the boundaries of homogeneous regions on hyperspectral image. Methods of search the boundaries are well developed for grayscale images [3, 10]. Grayscale image is considered as a function of two variables (x, y) and it is assumed that the boundaries of the regions correspond to maxima of the gradient of this function. The main problem of the search of boundary is instability their results to noise. Due to some redundancy in the joint use of multi-channel data, the selection of boundaries on the hyperspectral image is more stable to noise. The target visualization can be used to find out the boundaries of homogeneous regions. For this purpose, the hyperspectral image is transformed in the following way. For each pixel of the hyperspectral image with coordinates (m, n) the maximum spectral angle in a local region of size 3 × 3 pixels with center at (m, n) is calculated. The hyperspectral image is converted to a single-band image in accordance with the value of the spectral angle . To the obtained synthesized image in tones of gray that contains information of all channels, the known methods of search for the boundaries on halftone images can be applied. In addition, visualization of the gradient makes it possible to interactively edit the result of the boundary outlining. Figure 16 demonstrates this method of selection of boundaries of homogeneous regions on the hyperspectral image of an urban area. The hyperspectral image was provided by the Norwegian company Norsk Elektro Opitkk (330 channels). Figure 16a shows some shots from this hyperspectral cube. Note that the images of the individual channels are fuzzy, and some channels are highly noisy. In Figure 16b the synthesized image, visualizing the maximal spectral angles within local regions of 3 × 3, is presented. The result of the interactive selection of the boundaries on the basis of this synthesized image is shown in Figure 16c. Use of the target visualization of hyperspectral images has a number of useful properties. Image processing by using this method is easy and quite intelligible to applied specialists. Visual data representation makes it easy for user to take a decision, allowing him to use unformalized signs according to his experience and to interactively control process of recognition of objects of interest. The transform performs rapid and compact representation of data. Indeed, measure of similarity is computed quickly and is a scalar value, that allows representing the synthesized image in one channel, and allows us to transmit it over one communication channel. It is easy enough to implement both interactive and automatic selection of objects of interest by choosing a threshold for brightness on a synthesized image. The method allows us to considerably diminish the influence of survey conditions (state of atmosphere, exposure parameters) on results of visual interpretation, because a sample can be chosen from the initial images. In this case the spectral attribute values are obtained under the same survey conditions as the feature values of the visualized scene. The method is implemented in the basic software , which allows the target-visualization of hyperspectral images both automatically and with interactive user participation. The program performs the following operations. Shows the source images in each channel. Implements a method for visualizing hyperspectral image using the method of similarity to the reference spectrum. Changes the brightness and contrast of the visualization result. Synthesizes a color image in a pseudocolor using different reference spectra and different similarity measures. The program includes tools that allow you to: Zoom the image. To do making a selection of region of an arbitrary shape on the image Cut an arbitrary fragment of a hyperspectral image and perform the same actions with it as with the whole image. Write the results of the processing to the file. View the spectral curves in different, user-selected, spatial points of the image. To store the spectra measured in the process of operation in the spectral library and use them later.

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If one flower represents one season, the lotus flower, would be the one for summer. The lotus has long been seen as Hunan’s provincial flower. When taking a trip to various tourist destinations in Hunan, you will always see lotus in bloom. The flowers last from June to August, and summer is the prime time for appreciating them. Don’t miss the following places: Loudi Tourism and Foreign Affairs Bureau and Rednet photo Houfu Mansion, Loudi Houfu Mansion, the former residence of Zeng Guofan (Chinese statesman, general, and Confucian scholar of the late-Qing Dynasty), is the largest and best preserved official residence in south China. Its library is among the sixth group of the cultural relics coming under state protection. The lotus in a nearly 20 hectares pond in front of the mansion bloom in June, and last for two months. Chinese source: Hunan Tourism; Photo from Rednet (Lotus Pond of the Village, file photo) Sandu Town, Zixing City Acres of lotus bloom in Sandu Town, Zixing City, Chenzhou. You may taste glutinous rice cake wrapped with lotus leaves, and also lotus tea; experience farm work like ploughing and stone milling; and, try to walk on stilts. You may be deeply impressed by the well-preserved ancient dwellings, stone arch bridges, ancestral temples, and stilt buildings. This year, for the first time, from July 27 to 29, a Migratory Bird Music Festival will be held. Tourists will have chances to enjoy Chinese and Western music styles and appreciate Picasso oil paintings in this vast land of lotus flowers. Chinese source: Hunan Tourism; Photo from Rednet Mid-July lotus pond scene by Li Maochun Xianyu Ridge, Zhuzhou Xianyu Ridge, about 10 km east of downtown Zhuzhou, has hundreds of mu (1 mu= 0.0667 ha.) lotus ponds, including a hundred mu of “space lotus”. “Space lotus” is a type of lotus grown from seeds carried into space by Chinese astronauts in experiments and designed to increase their yield. Xianyu Ridge was chosen as the main venue of the 2018 Zhuzhou Rural Summer Time Tourism Festival. There are four parts for the event: the opening ceremony; traversing the lotus pond - a TV challenge competition; Joyous lotus pond—rural music festival; energetic lotus pond—world cup carnival. Chinese source: Hunan Tourism, Zhuzhou Tourism Website; Photo from Rednet Photo of Junshan Wild Lotus World by Yueyang Tourism Development and Foreign Affairs Committee Junshan Wild Lotus World, Yueyang Walking through Junshan Wild Lotus World on Tuanhu Lake, you will find open water teeming with lotuses. It boasts the largest area of wild lotus in Asia, stretching to over 5,000 mu (about 333 hectares). Giving it its name --" Home to Chinese Wild Lotus" by the China Wild Plant Conservation Association in 2009. Boating and harvesting lotus seeds on the lake is a must-do for visitors. Junshan Wild Lotus World is located at Guangxingzhou Town, Junshan District, Yueyang City Chinese source: Hunan Tourism; Photo from Rednet Hunan Provincial Botanical Garden flowers taken by Peng Wei Hunan Provincial Botanical Garden It boasts the most varied species of lotus flowers in Hunan, reaching almost 600. The best viewing place is close to the Science and Research center. There are many kinds of flowers such as roses, lotus, peonies, daisies and tulips. There are many types of blooms, single-petal, and multiple-petal. There are many colors red, yellow, white, reddish-yellow, etc. There are three petal flower and four petal flowers. etc. Chinese and photo source: Rednet Photo from icswb.com Sujiatuo Lotus Base, Kaifu District, Changsha Sujiatuo is the lotus garden nearest to downtown Changsha. On low-lying land with rich water resources it is suitable for lotus growing. Most growers came from Huashi Town, Xiangtan County. When summer arrives, thousands of mu of lotus flowers bloom under Sujiatuo Viaduct on Changsha’s North Second Ring Road. Chinese source: Hunan Tourism; Kaihui Town, Changsha County The First Lotus Culture Tourism Festival will be launched between July 14 and September 15 in Kaihui Town, Changsha County. Chinese and photo source: Changsha Tourism The tiny-sized lotus flower Water lilies Lotus Park at Panlong Grand Amusement Park Covering a total area of 300 mu, the lotus park inside of Xiangtan’s Panlong Grand Amusement Park is the Only Lotus Species Treasure of China. Over 30 species have won gold prizes among lotus exhibitions. Chinese and photo source: Xiangtan Tourism Overseas Affairs Wanhe Garden, Pushui Town, Xiangxi Lotus flowers in Wanhe Garden are in blossom every June and July. You may also visit the local dwellings and enjoy Chenghe Gaoqiang (an upper-octave opera) performance. The millennium town of Pushi has been promoted as a national 4A-level scenic spot. Chinese source: Hunan Tourism; Photo from: Luxi Pushi Ancient Town Culture Tourism Official Website Photo of the blooming lotus flowers by CPC Nanxian County Committee Publicity Department Luowen Village, Nanxian County, Yiyang City When strolling in Luowen Village, some gorgeous walls come into sight first. The village is the first international graffiti art village in Hunan. A pavilion in the pond center provides visitors a good place to enjoy blooming lotus flowers.

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A classic Chinese writing reads "I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained." Ever since, the lotus has become a metaphor for honesty and a noble character, symbolic of maintaining ones purity even when immersed in an atmosphere of filth and corruption. Embroidered alongside this elegant piece is the following poem: The lotuses are like sisters, leaning on each other, Leisurely standing beside the bridge Making an appointment to blossom together Later than any other flower. But their late blossom does not affect their rank As the most beautiful flowers in the garden. - Frame: 29" x 21", Mat Opening: 23" x 15" - Premium solid wood frame, black matte finish - High-clarity glass - Bevel-cut raised white mat - Soft-mount option Framed Embroidery: To clean, wipe with a soft cloth. To hang, use the preinstalled hangers on the back of the frame. Soft-Mount Embroidery: Enjoy as-is or frame to your liking. The soft-mount can be cut to size and attached to a backboard.

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The lotus is one of the most significant symbolic flowers in the Egyptian-Nubian culture. It symbolizes birth and life after death. Our jewelry is inspired by a lotus pendant with a center lotus flower made by gold wire and glass flux. It is the only piece of its kind to be found together with numerous other pieces of jewelry in the tomb of the Meroitic queen Amanishakheto, who is believed to have ruled from 10 BC to 1 AD. Materials: bronze with gold finish and epoxy, snake chain included Pendant measures approximately 1" x 1.25" Chain Length: 18"

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Between the golden-yellow lotus leaves and stalks, we see swaying white lotus flowers with thick black border lines and red fish swimming among them. The transcendent serenity depicted highlights the infinite vitality of life. - 12 inches - Bone china Tai-Hwa is a Taiwanese ceramics brand whose mission is to combine beauty and usefulness. Their distinctive pottery fuses traditional techniques with cutting-edge experimentation, resulting in vivid colors and unrivaled quality that will last a lifetime. After 30 years in business, Tai-Hwa still produces in the old pottery district of Yingge, in Taipei, where local artists use local materials to bring Taiwanese pottery to the world.

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This chapter serves as a fantastic test preparation tool for individuals who want to better understand or get reacquainted with chemical bonds and reactions. Enhance your comprehension of the laws of thermodynamics, redox reactions, different types of chemical bonds and more. In no time, you will be able to: - Define covalent and ionic chemical bonds - Describe polar covalent and hydrogen chemical bonds - List and discuss basic properties of chemical reactions - Provide examples of hydrolysis and dehydration - Share the definition of ionic compounds - Differentiate between anabolism and catabolism - Discuss weak acids, weak bases and buffers Access the lessons in this chapter as short videos that average about 8 minutes each, or scroll down to view full transcripts you can read online or print out. Each lesson is accompanied by a multiple-choice quiz designed to test your knowledge of the concepts it covers. Clarify any topics you don't fully understand by sending your questions to our experts. When ready, gauge your overall knowledge of chemical bonds and reactions using our practice chapter exam. 1. Chemical Bonds I: Covalent Mom always said that sharing is caring. This lesson will explore how electrons affect the chemical reactivity of atoms and specifically the merits of sharing electrons. 2. Chemical Bonds II: Ionic Did you know that the scientific name for table salt is sodium chloride? Find out how sodium and chlorine atoms come together to form your favorite seasoning. 3. Chemical Bonds III: Polar Covalent Are you confused about how you can tell what kind of bond two atoms will form? This lesson will help you understand the difference between polar and nonpolar covalent bonds as well as how to predict how two atoms will interact. 4. Chemical Bonds IV: Hydrogen This lesson defines and discusses important concepts behind hydrogen bonding. You'll learn when and why these bonds occur and which atoms are often involved. 5. The Laws of Thermodynamics Learn about the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Find out how energy is generated, how it converts from one form to another, and what happens to energy in a closed system. 6. Basic Properties of Chemical Reactions Learn how about the various components of a chemical reaction, and how those components function. Use this lesson to understand the basic properties of different kinds of chemical reactions. 7. Redox (Oxidation-Reduction) Reactions: Definitions and Examples This short video will explain oxidation-reduction reactions, or redox reactions for short. The focus is on how electrons are transferred during redox reactions. Learn some neat mnemonic devices to help you remember when an atom is oxidizing or reducing. 8. Hydrolysis and Dehydration: Definitions & Examples Water is an important component of cellular processes. Two of these processes, dehydration and hydrolysis, help your body build large molecules from small ones and break down large ones into usable components. 9. What Are Ionic Compounds? - Definition, Examples & Reactions Ionic compounds are a common, yet special type of chemical compound. In this video lesson, you will learn about their formation and structure and see examples of compounds formed by ions. 10. Anabolism and Catabolism: Definitions & Examples Metabolism breaks down large molecules like food into usable energy. This energy drives bodily processes critical to survival. In this video lesson, you will learn about the two forms of metabolism that break down and build up molecules and see examples of each. 11. Weak Acids, Weak Bases, and Buffers This lesson covers both strong and weak acids and bases, using human blood as an example for the discussion. Other concepts discussed included conjugate acids and bases, the acidity constant, and buffer systems within the blood. Earning College Credit Did you know… We have over 200 college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1,500 colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page Transferring credit to the school of your choice Not sure what college you want to attend yet? Study.com has thousands of articles about every imaginable degree, area of study and career path that can help you find the school that's right for you.

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NOBCChE Collaborative is proud to announce our Faculty Seminar Series, highlighting faculty’s scientific expertise and covering a wide range of topics. Each seminar is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Use the button above to register. October 28th - Psaras McGrier, PhD Title: Synthesis and Design of Functional Covalent Organic Frameworks Abstract: Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are an advanced class of crystalline porous polymers that are composed of light elements (C, H, O, N, and B) linked via strong covalent bonds. COFs are generally constructed by using reversible bond forming reactions to yield crystalline materials with high surface areas, low densities, and high thermal stabilities. These features make COFs useful for carbon capture, gas storage, and sensory applications. This lecture will discuss employing a bottom-up approach to create novel functional COFs that can bind small metal cations (e.g., Li, Ca, etc.), and some low-oxidation state transition metals (e.g., Ni(0), Co(II), Fe(II), etc.). The prospect of utilizing these COFs for applications related to gas separations, catalysis, and energy storage will be highlighted. November 18th - Peter Chen, PhD Title: TBD Abstract: TBD December 16th - Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, PhD Title: Why don't plants get sunburn? Abstract: In green plants, chlorophyll-containing proteins known as light-harvesting complexes (LHCs) capture solar energy and feed it to downstream molecular machinery. Under high light (i.e., sunny days), excess absorbed energy can cause damage. Thus, LHCs have evolved a feedback loop that triggers photoprotective energy dissipation, solving the so-called “intermittency problem” in solar energy. A long-standing proposal has been that conformational changes of the LHCs activate dissipative photophysical pathways among the chlorophyll. First, we use single-molecule spectroscopy to identify the conformational states of the LHCs, uncovering parallel conformational dynamics that regulate fast and slow changes in sunlight. Second, we use 2D electronic spectroscopy to map out the corresponding photophysics, revealing dissipative chlorophyll-to-carotenoid energy transfer, a hypothesized yet previously unobserved pathway. Collectively, these multi-timescale measurements elucidate the multi-timescale dynamics of photoprotection. January 27th - Mary Jo Ondrechen, PhD Title: How do enzymes impart catalytic superpowers to amino acids? Abstract: Enzymes catalyze reactions under mild conditions that would otherwise require extreme conditions such as high temperature or strong acidity or basicity. To achieve this, enzymes often impart reactive chemical properties to amino acid sidechains that are far less reactive in the absence of the protein environment. In the enzymatic environment, active site amino acid sidechains that are weak Brønsted acids or bases in a small peptide can transform into a strong acid or base. The primary amine side chain of lysine, which would normally be protonated at neutral pH, can be deprotonated to serve as a nucleophile. We present a set of 20 enzymes that represent all six major EC classes and a variety of fold types for which experimental studies of the catalytic residues' mechanistic roles have been reported in the literature. For these 20 enzymes the computed electrostatic and proton transfer properties are investigated. The catalytic aspartates and glutamates are shown to be strongly coupled to at least one other aspartate or glutamate residue, and frequently to multiple other carboxylate residues, with intrinsic pKa differences less than ~1 pH unit. These catalytic acidic residues are sometimes coupled to a histidine, wherein the intrinsic pKa of the acid is higher than that of the His. Anion-forming residues, Tyr or Cys, with intrinsic pKa higher than that of the lysine, are found strongly coupled to all catalytic lysines in the set. Some catalytic lysines are also coupled to other lysines with intrinsic pKas within ~1 pH unit. Some basic principles about the design of enzyme active sites are discussed. The interactions described here provide important clues about how side chain functional groups that are weak Brønsted acids or bases for the free amino acid can become strong acids, bases, or nucleophiles in the enzymatic environment. Supported by NSF CHE-1905214. February 24th - Stephen Leffler Buchwald, PhD Title: Palladium-Catalyzed Carbon-Heteroatom Bond Formation Description: The history of the development of Pd-Catalyzed Carbon-Heteroatom Bond Formation as well as a description of the basic mechanistic considerations, recent examples and an application to the modification of proteins will be described. March 31st - Christine Thomas, PhD Title: Incorporating Metal-Ligand and Metal-Metal Cooperativity into Catalysis Abstract: The formation and cleavage of chemical bonds in catalytic reactions relies on accessible two-electron redox processes that are often challenging for base metals such as first row and early transition metals. Metal-ligand and metal-metal cooperativity provide a potential solution to this challenge by enabling heterolytic bond cleavage processes and/or facilitating redox processes. Both strategies will be discussed, showcasing the many ways that metal-ligand and bimetallic cooperativity can operate and the methods by which cooperativity can be built into catalyst design. A tridentate pincer ligand featuring a reactive N-heterocyclic phosphido fragment is found to be both redox active and an active participant in bond activation across the metal-phosphide bond, with catalytic applications in alkene hydroboration. A tetradentate bis(amido)bis(phosphide) ligand has been coordinated to iron and it has been shown that the resulting complex can activate two σ bonds across the two iron-amide bonds in the molecule without requiring a change in the formal metal oxidation state. In the context of metal-metal cooperativity, phosphinoamide-linked early/late heterobimetallic frameworks have been shown to support metal-metal multiple bonds and facilitate redox processes across a broad range of metal-metal combinations and the resulting complexes have been shown to activate small molecules and catalyze organic transformations.

https://www.nobcche.org/collaborative-faculty-seminar-series

Enzymes are protein catalysts that are responsible for lowering the energy barrier of many biological reactions. They function by reducing the activation energy of the reactions that they catalyse which allows the metabolic reaction to occur faster and at physiological temperatures. Enzymes are specific for one substrate due to the unique arrangement of their active sites. However many enzymes cannot function on their own, and instead require non-protein cofactors. Enzymes that require such cofactors are called apoenzymes. When the cofactor and the apoenzyme are combined a holoenzyme is produced, this holoenzyme is able to catalyse reactions. Cofactors function by providing functional groups needed for the reaction or by slightly altering the structural conformation of the enzyme to which they are bound. This alteration allows substrates to bind more easily, making a reaction more probable. Cofactors can be prosthetic groups which are tightly bound to the enzyme, or the cofactors can be coenzymes which can be loosely bound. Coenzymes are usually released from the active site of the enzyme following a reaction. Coenzymes are a type of cofactor and they are bound to enzyme active sites to aid with their proper functioning. Coenzymes which are directly involved and altered in the course of chemical reactions are considered to be a type of secondary substrate. This is because they are chemically changed as a result of the reaction unlike enzymes. However unlike the primary substrates, coenzymes can be used by a number of different enzymes and as such are not specific. For example hundreds of enzymes are able to use the coenzyme NAD. The function of coenzymes is to transport groups between enzymes. Chemical groups include hydride ions which are carried by coenzymes such as NAD, phosphate groups which are carried by coenzymes such as ATP and acetyl groups which are carried by coenzymes such as coenzyme A. Coenzymes which lose or gain these chemical groups in the course of the reaction are often reformed in the same metabolic pathway. For example NAD+ used in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle is replaced in the electron transport chain of respiration. Due to the importance of coenzymes in chemical reactions, and due to the fact that they are used up and chemically altered by reactions, coenzymes must be continually regenerated. For example, synthesis of B vitamins is a complex, step wise process because the B vitamins have chiral centres which are complicated to synthesise. Coenzymes that are produced from B vitamins are especially important to the proper functioning of enzymes involved with regulation of metabolism and with the release of energy from food. Important B vitamins that are used as large components of coenzymes include riboflavin, niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, B6, folate and B12. For example riboflavin, or vitamin B2 is used as a large component of FAD and FADH, and niacin is an important component of NAD and NADH. However vitamins cannot be made by the body, but instead they must be consumed in the diet. Therefore vitamins are essential components of the diet. Although the human body uses more than its own body weight in ATP, not as much of the vitamin that is used to produce the coenzyme is needed to be consumed. This is because the body is able to use the vitamins very instensively through regeneration. The function of ATP is to transport chemical energy within cells for metabolism, and as such ATP is often referred to as the energy currency of cells. Adenosine triphosphate is composed of an adenine nucleotide base, a ribose sugar and three phosphate groups. Energy can be released from ATP when the terminal phosphate group is released in a hydrolysis reaction. This is because the energy of ATP is held in the bonds between the phosphate groups and when the bonds are broken it is accompanied by a release of energy. NAD is composed of two nucleotides, adenine and nicotinamide. The nucleotides are held together by a pair of phosphate groups which act as a bridge and are also bonded to a ribose sugar each. The function of NAD is to carry electrons from one enzyme controlled reaction to another. As such NAD is involved with redox reactions because substrates are either oxidised, in which they lose electrons or are reduced in which they gain electrons. NAD is either found as NAD+, which is an oxidising agent and is involved with accepting electrons from other molecules, or NADH which is used as a reducing agent to donate electrons to other molecules. FAD is composed of an adenine nucleotide, a ribose sugar and two phosphate groups. FAD can also exist as a monophosphate and is called flavin adenine monophosphate (FMN). The primary role of FAD is in oxidative phosphorylation. FAD is involved with redox reactions and like NAD, FAD can exist in two redox states; FAD and FADH. The two states are interconvertable as a result of the addition or removal of electrons. This is possible because FAD is able to accept hydride ions with their electron pairs. For example, FAD is a coenzyme used by the enzyme succinate dehydrogenase to help catalyse a reaction. The role of FAD in this reaction is to accept two electrons from succinate which results in the production of fumarate. FAD is reduced to FADH2 but remains tightly bound to succinate dehydrogenase. No further reactions can occur until FAD is regenerated. Coenzyme A is not tightly bound to the enzymes to which it is associated and is able to freely be released. It plays an important role in the metabolism of protiens, carbohydrates and fats which are important reactions that allow the energy from food to be released. For example coenzyme A is required for the oxidation of pyruvate in the citric acid cycle. In addition coenzyme A is involved with acetylation reactions. These reactions are important in proper protein function and as a result many of the proteins in the body have undergone such modification reactions in which an acetate group is added to the protein. The acetate group is donated from coenzyme A. The addition of an acetate group alters the 3D structure of the protiens to which it is added and as a result thier function is also altered. In some cases a long chain fatty acid is also donated to the protien. This addition is needed for the cell signalling properties of various membrane protiens. Acetate groups from coenzyme A are also added to various substrates in reactions involved with gene expression and cell division. Coenzyme A is also important in the synthesis of cholesterol and steroid hormones, and is required for the detoxification of a range of harmful drugs that can accumulate in the liver. Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is an enzyme which uses NAD+ as a coenzyme. ADH has two binding regions, one where the primary substrate, ethanol binds and one where the coenzyme, NAD+ is able to bind. The enzyme is responsible for the conversion of ethanol to ethanal. The reaction is an oxidation- reduction reaction and results in the removal of two hydrogen ions and two electrons from ethanol. The hydrogen ions and electrons are added to NAD+ which converts the coenzyme to NADH + H+. This is the first reaction involved with the metabolism of ethanol. Stamp, S. (2012) Alcohol dehydrogenase. Fastbleep.com Biochemistry Chapter. Becker, W. Kleinsmith, L.J. Hardin, J. Bertoni, G.P. (2008) The World of the Cell, Benjamin Cummings. Price N.C., Stevens L., 1999. Fundamentals of Enzymology, 3rd Ed., Oxford University Press, New York.

https://www.fastbleep.com/wiki/article/1183

Redox potential, a measure of how oxidising or reducing an environment is, is tightly regulated by cells to minimise detrimental chemical oxidation and reduction reactions. In proteins, it is the sulfur containing cysteine residues that can be post-translationally modified through specific redox reactions, for example, the formation of disulfide bonds between cysteine residues can be crucial to protein structure. It has recently been hypothesised that signalling pathways utilising redox regulated proteins may be arranged into electrochemical series. The characterisation of the redox properties of specific cysteine residues in proteins has proven difficult using traditional redox characterisation methods such as cyclic voltammetry. A number of biochemical methods have been developed for studying the effect of the redox environment on proteins, many making use of mass spectrometry and allowing for localisation of the site of the modification to specific cysteine residues. However, fewer methods have been reported that facilitate accurate quantification for the determination of the mid-point potential of these redox regulated cysteine residues. Here, a differential labelling protocol using high resolution mass spectrometry techniques for the study of redox chemistry of cysteine residues in proteins will be reported. The protocol exploits the novel chemistry of thiol groups for specific alkylation and allows for both qualitative and quantitative experiments. Thioredoxin-1 from E. coli and human systems was used as a model protein and a novel disulfide bond was characterised. The reducing potential of the active site cysteine residues of human thioredoxin were found to be very similar to those of the E. coli proteoform, -276 ± 1 and -281.4 ± 0.3 mV respectively. The remaining three cysteine residues of human thioredoxin were found to be regulated at more oxidising potentials. The protocol developed was applied to a protein from the cell death pathway of apoptosis; human caspase-3 is an executioner protease from the caspase cascade. Caspase-3 was found to contain three redox sensitive cysteine residues. The catalytically active cysteine residue was redox regulated via two mechanisms, glutathionylation and disulfide bond formation. One of these mechanisms gives the active site cysteine residue a calculated reducing potential of -165 ± 6 mV supporting the correlation between caspase-3 activity and its observed role in the apoptotic pathway but not in necrotic cell death.

https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/18020

This blog post will answer the question, “what is the difference between flammable and combustible” and cover topics like factors differentiating between flammable and combustible, and frequently asked questions related to the topic. What is the difference between flammable and combustible? Here are the differences between flammable and combustible: What are Combustible Materials? Combustible materials are those that can burn in the air with some effort and an igniting source. The flashpoints of flammable liquids vary from 60 to 93 degrees Celsius. It implies they’re less volatile and, as a result, won’t burn quickly at room temp (25-35 °C). Combustible Materials Examples Combustible liquids include cyclohexane formic acid, anthracene, dichlorobenzene, fats, and hydrazine. Combustible liquids’ flashpoints and fire points are lower than their boiling points. Paper and wood are examples of flammable materials. What are Flammable Materials? Flammable objects are flammable substances that may quickly burn in the air if an ignition source is present. When compared to combustible materials, this indicates they have a lower flashpoint temp. The combustible liquid’s flashpoint temperature ranges from 0 to 60 degrees Celsius. They have higher volatility than flammable materials. They’re also referred to as flammable substances. Flammable liquids may quickly catch fire at working/room temp, hence they must be handled with caution when working. Flammable Materials Examples Pentane, hexane, petrol (gasoline), ethyl acetate, acetone, methanol, and isopropyl alcohol are all flammable liquids. Metallic sodium, greasy materials, matches, and nitrocellulose substances are examples of flammable solids. Factors that influence a material’s flammability or combustibility The extent of flammability is determined by the material’s volatility, which is determined by the vapor pressure. The temperature has an impact on vapor pressure. The extent of flammability is also determined by the material’s surface area. Let’s take a closer look at the impact of these interconnected elements on the degree of flammability. 1. Volatility: The more volatile a chemical is, the greater its flammability, i.e., the more volatile compound will burn more readily than a less volatile one. 2 Vapour Pressure: Vapour pressure is the pressure imposed on the surface of a liquid by its vapor at equilibrium when the rate of vapor condensation equals the rate of liquid evaporation. For instance, a chemical with a high vapor pressure will be more volatile and so quickly combust in the air. 3 Temperature: As the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the molecules of a liquid rises, increasing the number of liquid molecules that enter the vapor phase. 4 Surface area: Increasing the surface area of a substance, i.e. using finely split material, might improve its flammability. The material’s increased surface area will increase the number of vapors it produces, allowing it to burn more readily in the air. The Hazards of Combustible and Flammable Materials We know that combustible materials have a higher flashpoint temperature than flammable ones. However, this does not imply that combustibles are less harmful than flammables. At temperatures above their respective flashpoints, both flammable and combustible products are utilized, transported, and stored. To avoid ignition, these materials must be handled with extreme care. Otherwise, combustible substance vapors might readily catch fire at working temperature if the space is not properly ventilated. When the ambient temperature rises over the flashpoints of combustible materials, they emit flammable vapors and catch fire. In summary, flammable and combustible materials may endanger people’s lives as well as damage transportation and storage materials. It also contributes to environmental contamination. As a result, extraordinary attention must be used while storing, transporting, and handling these substances. What measures should be taken while keeping these materials? Let’s have a look at these safeguards. Precautions to take while storing flammable and combustible materials When storing flammable and combustible substances, we, as ordinary people, must keep a few things in mind. These are the main points. - The room where these substances are housed should have enough ventilation. - These items should be kept away from any source of ignition. - Flammable and combustible compounds should be kept apart from incompatible substances to avoid reactions. When flammable and combustible liquids are mixed with incompatible substances, harmful chemical reactions such as combustion and oxidation may occur. As a result, harmful compounds that are incompatible must be separated. The hazardous products separation chart determines a specific separation distance between incompatible compounds for this purpose. Precautions using combustible and flammable substances Ensure that all storage containers are in excellent working order, that they are closed, and that they are correctly labeled. To avoid ignitable vapor/air combinations or inhalation of harmful vapors or gases, use flammable or combustible liquids under a fume hood. Ignition sources (hot substances, flames, or sparking devices) should not be placed near these liquids. If at all feasible, use electrical heating to substitute open flames. Static sparks are likely to be produced by ground equipment. When flammable or combustible substances are warmed to or above their flash points, take extra care. Compressed or molten gases are very flammable. Refer to the EH&S Compressed Gas Guidelines for further information. A major fire hazard exists when incompatible substances come into contact. It is necessary to follow proper storage and handling methods. Some safety methods are listed below: - Cabinets for storing things - Cans of Safety - Storage in the Refrigerator I will now elaborat eon the guidance given above. Cabinets for storing things At any one moment, no more than ten gallons (37.9L) of flammable materials may be stored outside of a certified storage cabinet. Flammable and flammable liquid storage cabinets must fulfill NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) requirements and may not be altered in any manner. Ventilation of storage cabinets is not advised. Storage cabinet vent apertures must be sealed with the bungs provided with the cabinet if they are not vented. Cans of Safety Safety cans can hold up to 5.3 gallons (20L) of flammable or combustible substances. Safety cans must be made of metal and have a flame arrestor as well as spring-loaded lids on the filling and pouring spouts to avoid spilling if dropped. The flame-arrestor screen’s double-perforated metal surface stops flames from reaching the container. Both dispensing goods and collecting rubbish are possible with safety cans. Modifications to safety cans are not permitted. Many store-bought portable gasoline containers do not fulfill safety can requirements. Storage in the Refrigerator Domestic refrigerators, which are commercially accessible, have built-in ignition sources and should not be utilized to store flammable materials or explosive substances. All ignition sources include light bulbs, switches, temperature controls, standard outlets, motor-starting relays, thermal-overload devices, and heating strips (for frost control). Refrigerators properly constructed and certified for storing volatile liquids or explosives should be used by everyone who requires one. Refrigerators and freezers that have been constructed or modified to properly hold flammable and/or combustible substances must be labeled as such. How can flammable or combustible liquids provide a risk of fire or explosion? Flammable liquids may give off enough vapor to generate burnable mixes with air at typical room temperatures. As a consequence, they may provide a significant fire risk. Flammable liquid flames spread quickly. They also produce a lot of heat and heavy, black, poisonous smoke clouds. At temperatures over their flashpoint, combustible liquids release enough vapor to produce burnable mixes with the air. Hot combustible liquids may be just as dangerous as flammable liquids in terms of causing a fire. If an ignition source is available, spray mists of flammable and combustible liquids in the air may burn at any temperature. Normally, the fumes of flammable and combustible liquids are not visible. Unless proper devices are utilized, they may be difficult to detect. The majority of flammable and combustible liquids are easy to flow. A tiny spill on the workstation or the floor might quickly cover a wide area. Burning liquids may spread fire by flowing under doors, down staircases, and even into neighboring buildings. flammable or combustible liquids may readily be absorbed by materials like wood, paper, and fabric. Even after a spill is cleaned up, a deadly quantity of liquid may persist in nearby objects or garments, emitting harmful vapors. Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs), “What is the difference between flammable and combustible?” What is a flammable and combustible material? A combustible substance is one that can burn (or combust) in the presence of air. If a combustible substance ignites quickly at room temperature, it is flammable. In other words, a combustible substance takes some effort to burn, but a flammable material ignites instantly when exposed to flame. Is gas flammable or combustible? For its low flashpoint and high vapor density, gasoline is classified as flammable. Because their Flashpoint is larger than 100 degrees F, oil and diesel fuel are classified as combustible. Gasoline emits flammable fumes that are three to four times heavier than air and may travel considerable distances on the ground. What determines if a liquid is flammable or combustible? The flashpoint of a substance determines its flammability. The minimal temperature at which a liquid creates a vapor above its surface in high quantity to ignite it is known as the flashpoint. The flashpoint of flammable liquids is less than 100°F. Lower flashpoints make it simpler to ignite liquids. What is combustible material? When exposed to fire or heat, combustible material will ignite, burn, assist the combustion, or emit flammable gases in the form in which it is utilized and in the circumstances expected. Combustible materials include wood, cardboard, rubber, and plastics. Is alcohol flammable or combustible? It is also known as alcohol and is flammable. Ethanol (C2H5OH) is a flammable, colorless, and mildly poisonous chemical substance that is commonly referred to simply as alcohol. Ethanol combustion produces carbon dioxide and water. Ethanol is a flammable and poisonous substance. Can you ignite air? Air will never spontaneously combust, and it cannot be forced to do so. The majority of air contains nitrogen, which is not combustible. Because nitrogen is non-reactive in general, it does not assist the combustion of other substances. What makes a burn flammable? If a flammable material is exposed to enough heat, it will burn. The auto-ignition temperature is the minimum temperature at which a flammable and combustible liquid can ignite — and continue to burn — without the presence of a spark or flame.

https://tamingfires.com/what-is-the-difference-between-flammable-and-combustible/

【Appearance】Clear, colorless liquid. 【Solubility in water】Miscible 【Melting Point】-73℃ 【Boiling Point】140℃ 【Vapor Pressure】6 (25℃) 【Density】0.928 g/cm3 (20℃) 【pKa/pKb】5.74 (pKb) 【Partition Coefficient】.06 【Heat Of Vaporization】37.7 kJ/mol 【Vapor Density】4.12 【Refractive Index】1.4115 (20℃) First Aid Measures 【Ingestion】Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. Get medical aid immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting. If conscious and alert, rinse mouth and drink 2-4 cupfuls of milk or water. 【Inhalation】Get medical aid immediately. Remove from exposure to fresh air immediately. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen. Do not use mouth-to-mouth respiration if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; induce artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. 【Skin】Get medical aid. Flush skin with plenty of soap and water for at least 15 minutes while removing contaminated clothing and shoes. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. 【Eyes】Immediately flush eyes with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes, occasionally lifting the upper and lower eyelids. Get medical aid immediately. Do NOT allow victim to rub or keep eyes closed. Handling and Storage 【Storage】Keep away from heat, sparks, and flame. Keep away from sources of ignition. Store in a tightly closed container. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible substances. Flammables-area. 【Handling】Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse. Use only in a well ventilated area. Ground and bond containers when transferring material. Use spark-proof tools and explosion proof equipment. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothing. Empty containers retain product residue, (liquid and/or vapor), and can be dangerous. Avoid contact with heat, sparks and flame. Avoid ingestion and inhalation. Do not pressurize, cut, weld, braze, solder, drill, grind, or expose empty containers to heat, sparks or flames. Hazards Identification 【Inhalation】Causes respiratory tract irritation. Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation. Can produce delayed pulmonary edema. May cause burning sensation in the chest. 【Skin】Causes skin irritation. May cause dermatitis. May cause cyanosis of the extremities. 【Eyes】Produces irritation, characterized by a burning sensation, redness, tearing, inflammation, and possible corneal injury. Lachrymator. May cause chemical conjunctivitis and corneal damage. 【Ingestion】May cause gastrointestinal irritation with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Ingestion of large amounts may cause CNS depression. 【Hazards】Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Most vapors are heavier than air. They will sp along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). Vapor explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. 【EC Risk Phrase】R 10 36/37/38 【EC Safety Phrase】S 16 26 36/37/39 【UN (DOT)】1993 Exposure Controls/Personal Protection 【Personal Protection】Eyes: Wear appropriate protective eyeglasses or chemical safety ggles as described by OSHA's eye and face protection regulations in 29 CFR 1910.133 or European Standard EN166. Skin: Wear appropriate protective gloves to prevent skin exposure. Clothing: Wear appropriate protective clothing to prevent skin exposure. 【Respirators】A respiratory protection program that meets OSHA's 29 CFR 1910.134 and ANSI Z88.2 requirements or European Standard EN 149 must be followed whenever workplace conditions warrant a respirator's use. 【Exposure Effects】Effects may be delayed. Fire Fighting Measures 【Flash Point】29℃ 【Autoignition】260℃ 【Fire Fighting】Wear a self-contained breathing apparatus in pressure-demand, MSHA/NIOSH (approved or equivalent), and full protective gear. During a fire, irritating and highly toxic gases may be generated by thermal decomposition or combustion. Will burn if involved in a fire. Use water spray to keep fire-exposed containers cool. Containers may explode in the heat of a fire. Extinguishing media: Use water spray to cool fire-exposed containers. Water may be ineffective. Do NOT use straight streams of water. In case of fire use water spray, dry chemical, carbon dioxide, or appropriate foam. 【Fire Potential】HIGHLY FLAMMABLE: Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Accidental Release Measures 【Small spills/leaks】Absorb spill with inert material, (e.g., dry sand or earth), then place into a chemical waste container. Avoid runoff into storm sewers and ditches which lead to waterways. Remove all sources of ignition. Use a spark-proof tool. Provide ventilation. A vapor suppressing foam may be used to reduce vapors. Stability and Reactivity 【Disposal Code】1 【Incompatibilities】Oxidizing agents, acids. 【Stability】Stable at room temperature in closed containers under normal storage and handling conditions. 【Decomposition】Nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, irritating and toxic fumes and gases, carbon dioxide, nitrogen. 【Combustion Products】Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases.

http://www.ts007.com/Chemical/122-07-6/msds

Prudent Practices in the Laboratory : Handling and Disposal of Chemicals. - Publication: - Washington : National Academies Press, 1995. - Format/Description: - Book 1 online resource (443 pages) - Status/Location: - Loading... Options |Location||Notes||Your Loan Policy| Details - Other records: - - Subjects: - Hazardous substances. Chemicals -- Safety measures. Hazardous wastes. - Form/Genre: - Electronic books. - Contents: - Prudent Practices in the Laboratory Copyright PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Contents OVERVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS THE CULTURE OF LABORATORY SAFETY (CHAPTER 1) Education for Safety and Pollution Control Factors Affecting Safety Practices in Laboratories PRUDENT PLANNING OF EXPERIMENTS (CHAPTER 2) EVALUATING HAZARDS AND ASSESSING RISKS IN THE LABORATORY (CHAPTER 3) MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS (CHAPTER 4) WORKING WITH CHEMICALS (CHAPTER 5) WORKING WITH LABORATORY EQUIPMENT (CHAPTER 6) DISPOSAL OF WASTE (CHAPTER 7) Hazardous Chemical Waste Multihazardous Waste Chemical-Radioactive Waste Chemical-Biological Waste Radioactive-Biological Waste Chemical-Radioactive-Biological Waste LABORATORY FACILITIES (CHAPTER 8) GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION OF LABORATORIES (CHAPTER 9) RECOMMENDATIONS Recommendations to the Environmental Protection Agency and Other Regulatory Agencies Recommendations to the Industrial Sector Recommendations to Chemical Laboratories 1 THE CULTURE OF LABORATORY SAFETY 1.A INTRODUCTION 1.B THE NEW CULTURE OF LABORATORY SAFETY 1.C RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR LABORATORY SAFETY 1.D SPECIAL SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN ACADEMIC LABORATORIES 1.D.1 High School Teaching Laboratories 1.D.2 Undergraduate Teaching Laboratories 1.D.3 Academic Research Laboratories 1.E THE SAFETY CULTURE IN INDUSTRY 1.F FACTORS THAT ARE CHANGING THE CULTURE OF SAFETY 1.F.1 Advances in Technology 1.F.2 The Culture of Pollution Prevention 1.F.2.1 Waste Management Hierarchy for Pollution Prevention 1.F.2.2 Making Pollution Prevention Work 1.F.3 Changes in the Legal and Regulatory Climate 1.G ORGANIZATION OF THIS BOOK 2 PRUDENT PLANNING OF EXPERIMENTS 2.A INTRODUCTION 2.B LEVELS OF FORMALITY IN EXPERIMENT PLANNING. 2.C INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITIES FOR PLANNING EXPERIMENTS 2.D INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING 2.E STEPS FOR PLANNING AN EXPERIMENT 2.E.1 Chapter 3: Evaluating Hazards and Assessing Risks in the Laboratory 2.E.2 Chapter 4: Management of Chemicals 2.E.3 Chapter 5: Working with Chemicals 2.E.4 Chapter 6: Working with Laboratory Equipment 2.E.5 Chapter 7: Disposal of Waste 2.E.6 Chapter 8: Laboratory Facilities 2.E.7 Chapter 9: Governmental Regulation of Laboratories 3 EVALUATING HAZARDS AND ASSESSING RISKS IN THE LABORATORY 3.A INTRODUCTION 3.B SOURCES OF INFORMATION 3.B.1 Chemical Hygiene Plan 3.B.2 Material Safety Data Sheets 3.B.3 Laboratory Chemical Safety Summaries 3.B.4 Labels 3.B.5 Additional Sources of Information 3.B.6 Computer Services 3.B.6.1 The National Library of Medicine Databases 3.B.6.2 Chemical Abstracts Databases 3.B.6.3 Informal Forum 3.C TOXIC EFFECTS OF LABORATORY CHEMICALS 3.C.1 Basic Principles 3.C.1.1 Dose-Response Relationships 3.C.1.2 Duration and Frequency of Exposure 3.C.1.3 Routes of Exposure 3.C.1.3.1 Inhalation 3.C.1.3.2 Contact with Skin or Eyes 3.C.1.3.3 Ingestion 3.C.1.3.4 Injection 3.C.2 Types of Toxins 3.C.2.1 Irritants 3.C.2.2 Corrosive Substances 3.C.2.3 Allergens 3.C.2.4 Asphyxiants 3.C.2.5 Carcinogens 3.C.2.6 Reproductive and Developmental Toxins 3.C.2.7 Neurotoxins 3.C.2.8 Toxins Affecting Other Organs 3.C.3 Assessing Risks Due to the Toxic Effects of Laboratory Chemicals 3.C.3.1 Acute Toxicants 3.C.3.2 Corrosive Substances, Irritants, and Allergens 3.C.3.3 Carcinogens 3.C.3.4 Reproductive and Developmental Toxins 3.D FLAMMABLE, REACTIVE, AND EXPLOSIVE HAZARDS 3.D.1 Flammable Hazards 3.D.1.1 Flammable Substances 3.D.1.2 Flammability Characteristics. 3.D.1.2.1 Flash Point 3.D.1.2.2 Ignition Temperature 3.D.1.2.3 Limits of Flammability 3.D.1.3 Classes of Flammability 3.D.1.4 Causes of Ignition 3.D.1.4.1 Spontaneous Combustion 3.D.1.4.2 Ignition Sources 3.D.1.4.3 Oxidants Other Than Oxygen 3.D.1.5 Special Hazards 3.D.2 Reactive Hazards 3.D.2.1 Water Reactives 3.D.2.2 Pyrophorics 3.D.2.3 Incompatible Chemicals 3.D.3 Explosive Hazards 3.D.3.1 Explosives 3.D.3.2 Peroxides 3.D.3.3 Other Oxidizers 3.D.3.4 Dusts 3.D.3.5 Explosive Boiling 3.D.3.6 Other Considerations 3.D.4 The Dirty Dozen 3.E PHYSICAL HAZARDS 3.E.1 Compressed Gases 3.E.2 Nonflammable Cryogens 3.E.3 High-Pressure Reactions 3.E.4 Vacuum Work 3.E.5 Ultraviolet, Visible, and Near-Infrared Radiation 3.E.6 Radiofrequency and Microwave Hazards 3.E.7 Electrical Hazards 3.E.8 Magnetic Fields 3.E.9 Cuts, Slips, Trips, and Falls 3.F BIOHAZARDS 3.G HAZARDS FROM RADIOACTIVITY 4 MANAGEMENT OF CHEMICALS 4.A INTRODUCTION 4.B SOURCE REDUCTION 4.B.1 Importance of Minimizing Chemical Orders 4.B.2 Strategies to Minimize Hazardous Waste Generation 4.B.2.1 Microscale Work 4.B.2.2 Step-by-Step Planning for Minimization 4.B.2.3 Substitution of Materials 4.B.3 Strategies to Avoid Multihazardous Waste Generation 4.C ACQUISITION OF CHEMICALS 4.C.1 Ordering Chemicals 4.C.2 Receiving Chemicals 4.C.3 Responsibilities for Chemicals Being Shipped or Transported 4.D INVENTORY AND TRACKING OF CHEMICALS 4.D.1 General Considerations 4.D.2 Exchange or Transfer of Chemicals 4.D.3 Labeling Commercially Packaged Chemicals 4.D.4 Labeling Other Chemical Containers 4.D.5 Labeling Experimental Materials 4.D.6 Use of Inventory and Tracking Systems in Emergency Planning 4.E STORAGE OF CHEMICALS IN STOCKROOMS AND LABORATORIES. 4.E.1 General Considerations 4.E.2 Containers and Equipment 4.E.3 Storing Flammable and Combustible Liquids 4.E.4 Storing Gas Cylinders 4.E.5 Storing Highly Reactive Substances 4.E.6 Storing Toxic Substances 4.F RECYCLING OF CHEMICALS, CONTAINERS, AND PACKAGING 4.F.1 General Considerations 4.F.2 Solvent Recycling 4.F.3 Mercury Recycling 4.F.4 Reclamation of Heavy Metals 5 WORKING WITH CHEMICALS 5.A INTRODUCTION 5.B PRUDENT PLANNING 5.C GENERAL PROCEDURES FOR WORKING WITH HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS 5.C.1 Personal Behavior 5.C.2 Minimizing Exposure to Chemicals 5.C.2.1 Avoiding Eye Injury 5.C.2.2 Avoiding Ingestion of Hazardous Chemicals 5.C.2.3 Avoiding Inhalation of Hazardous Chemicals 5.C.2.4 Avoiding Injection of Hazardous Chemicals 5.C.2.5 Minimizing Skin Contact 5.C.2.6 Clothing and Protective Apparel 5.C.3 Housekeeping 5.C.4 Transport of Chemicals 5.C.5 Storage of Chemicals 5.C.6 Disposal of Chemicals 5.C.7 Use and Maintenance of Equipment and Glassware 5.C.8 Handling Flammable Substances 5.C.9 Working with Scaled-up Reactions 5.C.10 Responsibility for Unattended Experiments and Working Alone 5.C.11 Responding to Accidents and Emergencies 5.C.11.1 General Preparation for Emergencies 5.C.11.2 Handling the Accidental Release of Hazardous Substances 5.C.11.3 Notification of Personnel in the Area 5.C.11.4 Treatment of Injured and Contaminated Personnel 5.C.11.5 Spill Containment 5.C.11.6 Spill Cleanup 5.C.11.7 Handling Leaking Gas Cylinders 5.C.11.8 Handling Spills of Elemental Mercury 5.C.11.9 Responding to Fires 5.D WORKING WITH SUBSTANCES OF HIGH TOXICITY 5.D.1 Planning 5.D.2 Experiment Protocols Involving Highly Toxic Chemicals 5.D.3 Designated Areas 5.D.4 Access Control. 5.D.5 Special Precautions for Minimizing Exposure to Highly Toxic Chemicals 5.D.6 Preventing Accidents and Spills with Substances of High Toxicity 5.D.7 Storage and Waste Disposal 5.D.8 Multihazardous Materials 5.E WORKING WITH BIOHAZARDOUS AND RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS 5.E.1 Biohazardous Materials 5.E.2 Radioactive Materials 5.F WORKING WITH FLAMMABLE CHEMICALS 5.F.1 Flammable Materials 5.F.2 Flammable Liquids 5.F.3 Flammable Gases 5.F.4 Catalyst Ignition of Flammable Materials 5.G WORKING WITH HIGHLY REACTIVE OR EXPLOSIVE CHEMICALS 5.G.1 Overview 5.G.2 Reactive or Explosive Compounds 5.G.2.1 Personal Protective Apparel 5.G.2.2 Protective Devices 5.G.2.3 Evaluating Potentially Reactive Materials 5.G.2.4 Determining Reaction Quantities 5.G.2.5 Conducting Reaction Operations 5.G.3 Organic Peroxides 5.G.3.1 Peroxide Detection Tests 5.G.3.2 Disposal of Peroxides 5.G.4 Explosive Gases and Liquefied Gases 5.G.5 Hydrogenation Reactions 5.G.6 Reactive or Explosive Materials Requiring Special Attention 5.G.7 Chemical Hazards of Incompatible Chemicals 5.H WORKING WITH COMPRESSED GASES 5.H.1 Chemical Hazards of Compressed Gases 5.H.2 Specific Chemical Hazards of Select Gases 6 WORKING WITH LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 6.A INTRODUCTION 6.B WORKING WITH WATER-COOLED EQUIPMENT 6.C WORKING WITH ELECTRICALLY POWERED LABORATORY EQUIPMENT 6.C.1 General Principles 6.C.1.1 Outlet Receptacles 6.C.1.2 Wiring 6.C.1.3 General Precautions for Working with Electrical Equipment 6.C.1.4 Personal Safety Techniques for Use with Electrical Equipment 6.C.1.5 Additional Safety Techniques for Equipment Using High Current or High Voltage 6.C.2 Vacuum Pumps 6.C.3 Refrigerators and Freezers 6.C.4 Stirring and Mixing Devices 6.C.5 Heating Devices 6.C.5.1 Ovens. 6.C.5.2 Hot Plates. - Notes: - Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources. - Local notes: - Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2021. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries. - Other format: - Print version: Staff, National Research Council Prudent Practices in the Laboratory - ISBN: - 9780309560733 9780309052290 - OCLC:

https://franklin.library.upenn.edu/catalog/FRANKLIN_9977920950903681

24.0815 Storage—-General requirements. Before being distributed or used, all imported hazardous materials shall be stored in a way that will protect against the unintentional release of the materials to the environment. Where storage is defined as 10% of the reportable quantity or 55 gallons or greater, protective measures shall include: (1) Segregation of incompatible materials including segregation of all unregulated incompatible materials stored in the same area; (2) Protection from exposure to weather through storage in an indoor area, including adequate roofs, walls, and floors to prevent rain from reaching PCB’s; (3) Location in an area that if flooded would pose no risk to populated areas or the water supply; (4) Protection from all sources of heat, fire hazards, and adequate ventilation; (5) Bilingual warning signs, in both English and Samoan, indicating the type of substances stored and their hazards shall be posted outside the storage area; (6) Adequate security, including fences, barriers or other means of preventing unauthorized access, and adequate lighting to promote discovery of spills at night and to prevent spills caused by vandalism; (7) Containers used to store materials shall be in good condition, shall be compatible with the items being stored, and shall be closed at all times while in storage. Containers used to store materials shall be handled in a way that does not cause the containers to rupture or leak; (8) Inspections. All storage areas shall be inspected weekly to detect leaking or deteriorating containers and to ensure that all emergency equipment is functioning. All leaking containers and their contents shall be transferred immediately to properly marked non-leaking containers, and spilled or leaked materials cleaned up immediately using absorbents or other adequate means. Inspections shall be conducted by facility personnel whose training has been documented and verified in compliance with sections 24.0811. Inspections shall be documented and records kept on the premises for at least one year. (9) Labeling in accordance with requirements of USDOT regulations set forth in 49 CFR part 172, which are hereby incorporated by reference. (10) Facility requirements as follows: (A) All facilities where hazardous substances are accumulated or staged shall be off-limits to unauthorized personnel, and appropriate steps shall be taken to protect the public health and safety; (B) All facilities where hazardous substances are accumulated or staged, where pollution control devices are operating, or where treatment facilities are located shall have the following devices and equipment for personnel protection: (i) Eyewash station; (ii) Shower; (iii) Emergency communication equipment; (iv) Fire protection as approved by the fire chief; (v) Personal protection suits, gloves and boots; (vi) Spill response equipment appropriate for the amounts and types of materials handled at the facility. (C) Spill prevention equipment. All facilities that accumulate or stage material characterized as hazardous and having the potential to become hazardous waste if released into the environment shall have appropriate containment and spill-prevention controls for preventing a release. Containment devices shall be capable of holding the content of the largest container or 10 percent of all material accumulated or staged in the area, whichever is greater. Such facilities shall be equipped with weather-protection devices that are sufficient for preventing rain or runoff from entering the facility. (11) A sign or signs bearing the legend “Danger: Unauthorized Personnel Keep Out” shall be posted at each entrance or active part of a facility and at other locations in numbers sufficient to be seen from any approach. The legend shall be written in English and Samoan and shall be legible from a distance of at least 50 feet. Signs in Samoan and English warning of hazards (e.g., “No Smoking”) also shall be posted.History: Rule 02-01, eff 30 Aug 01.

https://new.asbar.org/regulation/24-0815-storage-general-requirements/

Workplace fire safety By following these simple steps you can reduce the likelihood of adding to the UAE's fire statistics. By following these simple steps you can reduce the likelihood of adding to the statistics, but if fire does occur, keep the impact to the absolute minimum. Glen Sumber, senior fire consultant and Dean McGrail, director, WSP Fire, explain. Fires in the workplace are all too common and have resulted in the loss to many businesses, both in the UAE and internationally. Loss from a fire can be measured in physical injury to yourself, employees and anyone visiting or near the premises; in damage to the premises and its contents and financially through loss of business, reputation and on occasion through court action. But statistics show that by taking some simple steps, the majority could be prevented from happening or at least reduce the consequences. A relatively small fire, lasting no longer than the average lunch break could easily cause the type of injury and damage that may leave long term physical effects and the closure of a business. So what can facilities managers do to reduce the risk of fire and minimise losses? There are a number of simple steps FMs can take to reduce the risk of fire occurring in the workplace and any subsequent effects on you, the employees and the business. Instruction Make sure all employees receive suitable fire training on a regular basis. The training should include: 1. A simple explanation of what fire is, how it occurs and the likely causes; 2. Fire reduction methods all employees can take; 3. The emergency plan - how you are notified of a fire in the office, what to do if you hear the alarm and how to contact the emergency services; 4. Basic fire fighting methods; 5. The escape routes out of the building and the location of the assembly point; 6. What to do after a fire has occurred, including any business recovery plans; 7. Specialist training where required, e.g. fire wardens and evacuation marshalling. Escape routes In the event of a fire, it is the escape routes that will get everyone in the workplace out of the building in the shortest possible time. For this reason they must remain usable at all times. Remember to consider: 1. A general rule of thumb says that escape routes should be a minimum of 1.1 metres wide; 2. Escape routes should not be used as storage areas. Small levels of storage can take place but items must be in a fire proof cabinet which must not obstruct the route; 3. Ensure escape doors are working correctly - the automatic closer operates, double doors align with each other when closed and smoke seals are not damaged; 4. Do not fix items to escape doors that have not been approved by the manufacturer - you will affect its performance in a fire; 5. Implement a system for checking the escape routes daily and one that controls changes to the routes either due to construction or maintenance; 6. Ensure escape signage is clearly visible from all locations in your workplace; 7. Affix escape notices adjacent to final escape doors. Housekeeping Poor housekeeping creates the right environment for a fire to take place, providing both a place where ignition can occur together with a ready source of fuel. It may also create obstructions to the escape routes. That said, it is perhaps one of the easiest risks to control: 1. Ensure outer clothing is hung up and not allowed to become piled in an escape route or on a heater; 2. In an office, a clear desk policy will help keep paper and other flammable materials to a minimum; 3. Use metal bins and ensure employees do not allow waste to build up on or near their work areas; 4. Waste storage should be in a dedicated area, away from escape routes and regularly emptied; 5. Take care when disposing of oily rags as they can self-ignite; 6. Set a good housekeeping example - if you keep your area clear other workers will be more inclined to follow suit. Storage Most workplaces have storage and it is likely that the stored items will be flammable. This is particularly the case where large quantities of paper records are stored, especially if they are not kept in a metal cabinet. Storage of the more risky, highly flammable substances such as solvents and gasses, should be kept to an absolute minimum. If incorrectly stored even small quantities of a highly flammable substance may greatly enhance the size of fire and any effects. Storage considerations should therefore include: 1. Store sensibly and consider adjacent heat sources - large quantities of photocopier paper stored behind the copier provide a fuel for the heat from the copier to ignite; 2. Only store sufficient quantities of substances for your immediate needs - consider off-site storage for items that are not required daily; 3. Remove highly flammable substances altogether or where this is not possible reduce the amount stored in the workplace. Follow the more stringent legislation (like the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002), to control highly flammable substances; 4. No naked flames adjacent to storage areas containing flammable substances. Electrical safety The majority of fires in workplaces are caused by faulty electrical appliances and leads (Fire Statistics Monitor. Issues 01/08, 02 May 2008 - Communities and Local Government). Steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of fire will include: 1. Ensuring all electrical equipment is not damaged and working correctly - look for fraying cables, exposed electrical connections and cracked and ‘sooty' marking on casings; 2. All fixed electrical equipment, e.g. photocopiers, should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines or industry standards. This should be carried out by a competent person; 3. Portable electrical equipment, e.g. drills, should be tested at a period suitable for the equipment. This may take the form of a portable appliance test (PAT), but may also be achieved through inspection by a competent electrical engineer; 4. Check the equipment and ensure the correct fuse has been installed. If you do not feel confident doing this, get a competent electrical engineer to help; 5. Do not overload sockets. Multi-point plug adaptors can overheat and create a source of ignition. Likewise, multi-point extension leads can also become overloaded and catch fire; 6. Do not store flammable materials against items of electrical equipment. The equipment may not catch fire but the heat generated may create the ignition source for the stored flammable materials to ignite. Gases and flammable liquids Gases and flammable liquids in workplaces will probably be used and stored in small quantities. But bulk purchasing of substances, aerosols and solvents, for example, may create a larger risk. Steps to be implemented to ensure safe use and storage include: 1. Store and use only sufficient quantities for day to day activities; 2. Keep all gases and flammable liquids in a proprietary metal cabinet with suitable hazard labels clearly placed on the front; 3. Ensure all gases and flammable liquids are used for the purpose they are designed; 4. Leaks and spillages should be cleaned up immediately; 5. Ensure there are no naked flames in the vicinity of stored substances or where they are being used. Fire safety Poorly maintained or inoperative fire safety equipment, such as fire detection and alarm systems and emergency lighting installations, could put employees in danger if a fire were to occur. They are designed to both detect a fire in its early stages and provide adequate warning to all occupants so that safe escape can be achieved. Maintenance requirements are stipulated by both the US and European standards (the fire and life safety codes adopted in the UAE) and should be undertaken by suitably qualified persons. The person in control of the workplace should assure themselves that all such systems are fully working and maintained and tested in accordance with the relevant standard. Considerations to follow to ensure systems operate correctly include: 1. Know and understand the systems your building has; 2. Employ a competent contractor to undertake all maintenance and testing of fire safety systems; 3. Regularly test the fire alarms to ensure they work and employees know where to go; 4. Request confirmation of all work undertaken and keep copies of the test certificates; 5. Do not cover or paint-over smoke detectors; 6. Ensure manual call points (break glass units) are accessible at all times; 7. Portable fire extinguishers should be maintained at least once each year; 8. Check the main fire alarm panel for fault indicator lights. The panel will usually be located in the main entrance to the building. If a fault light is indicated contact your maintenance contractor. General maintenance activities Maintenance activities can also be the cause of a fire in your workplace. Many maintenance activities create heat, sparks or use naked flames. Activities may also impact the fire safety systems or obstruct escape routes. It is imperative that suitable controls are implemented that should consider: 1. A check and approval system for all maintenance activities in your workplace so all risks can be assessed before work starts; 2. Permits to work such as for hot working, isolation of fire systems and interruption to sprinkler supplies; 3. Ensuring the maintenance workers fully understand how they will interface with the rest of the building and the employees; 4. Where an isolation or interruption to a fire safety system occurs, ensure suitable alternative measures are implemented; 5. Ensure additional portable fire extinguishers are provided within the maintenance site. Arson Whilst arson is uncommon in the UAE at present, to reduce its possibility the following measures should be considered: 1. Ensure the workplace is secure at all times - remove areas where trespassers can gain access unobserved and keep fences maintained; 2. External bins should be kept away from the building - at least six metres; 3. Install security cameras in prominent locations - they double as a visible deterrent; 4. Investigate frequent, small fires within the workplace considering the possibility of in-house arson; 5. Ensure all doors are kept shut and locked (but remember if they are an escape door they must be easily opened from the direction of escape); 6. Check all doors are firmly locked shut when your employees leave at night. Use of unauthorised equipment Equipment that has been brought in from home or elsewhere may not have received the same level of maintenance and testing as your equipment. It may also be unsuitable for the particular work environments at your workplace. 1. Do not allow equipment to be brought in and used without first ensuring it is maintained and fit for purpose in the environment; 2. Unwanted (false) alarms where no cause can be found, may sometimes be the result of home equipment such as toasters; 3. Canvass your employees to ascertain what equipment they require - this may prevent equipment being brought in.

https://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-3301-workplace-fire-safety

N-Benzyl-4-Piperidone Formal Name: 1-(phenylmethyl)-4-piperidinone CAS Number:3612-20-2 Synonyms: 1-Benzyl-4-piperidone: NSC 77933 Molecular Formula: C12H15NO Formula Weight: 189.3 Purity: ≥98% 4-Piperidone Monohydrate usage: Pharmaceutical Intermediates Appearance & Physical State: clear to yellow oilyliquid Density: 1.069 Boiling Point: 114-116ºC (0.4 mmHg) Flash Point: 71ºC Refractive Index: 1.539-1.54 Water Solubility: 12 g/L (20 ºC) Stability: Stable under normal temperatures and pressures. Storage Condition: Keep away from heat, sparks, and flame. Keep away from sources of ignition. Store in a tightly closed container. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible substances Factory showing Visiting Factory Exhibition High Purity Piperidone CAS NO.3612-20-2 chemical name 1-Benzyl-4-piperidone date analysis Our products are divided into three parts : food &Feed Additives,pharmaceutical intermediates and oilfield auxiliaries. the feed additives devotes to the research and production of Betaine Hcl, Anhydrous Betaine , Compound Betaine,DMT, DMPT , tRIMETHYLAMINE n-OXIDE( Tmao ) , And on going technology updates , the technology in a leading position . Pharmaceutical intermediates and oilfield anuxiliaries include piperidone series , anthracene series, glycerol derivatives.

https://www.sdefine.com/piperidone/54706295.html

Homes and offices alike typically hold a number of chemical products. This could range from cleaning and maintenance supplies, to bathroom products, medicines, renovation materials, and more. Most people tend to just stick the various bottles in a closet or cabinet and forget about them. However, if chemical products are not stored safely, they could leak, cause corrosion, and even explode. It is even more dangerous if there are small children or pets around. Since most chemical products are fatally toxic, they could cause severe illness and death if consumed. This guide will help you learn how to store chemical products correctly so that they do not cause any harm. Before starting to store chemical products correctly, it is necessary to identify all of them. For this, you would need to go through each room and make a list of all the chemical products that are kept there. Check their labels to find out what hazards they pose. The most common types are corrosive, flammable, explosive (or reactive), and toxic. By knowing the potential hazards, it is easier to group, sort, and store the products. - Make sure that all products are in their original containers, and that the container is still in good condition. It should not be rusty, broken, cracked, or leaking. - All products should still have the original labels on them. If the label is worn away, create a new label, with the hazard information or symbols on it. If the label has disappeared entirely, it is best to discard the product to avoid future confusion. - If you have children or pets at home, always keep chemical products locked or securely out of their reach. - When arranging and storing chemical products, use a pair of durable gloves in case any containers are leaking. - In general, group like products together. It helps further to use a storage bin so that they do not fall over easily. - For flammable materials, find a safe, cool place to store them. This should ideally be away from any heat sources and out of direct sunlight as well. - Medicinal products should always bear their original labels or the prescription. Never empty medicines into other bottles. - Pressurized containers should not be left in areas that are prone to dampness, dripping or leaking water, or any other type of wetness. This could cause the containers to rust, and leak the contents. - For liquid chemical products, it is a good idea to keep a spare bag of sand or kitty litter close by. If there is ever a leak, simply spread the sand or cat litter on the floor to soak up the chemical leak as quickly as possible. - Keep fuels and additional flammable materials, such as paint thinner, in the shed or the garage. They should always be stored in proper containers that are meant to hold such materials. Make sure that the garage has sufficient ventilation. - Pesticides are best stored in the garage as well. However, if you live in a cold area, do be aware that very cold temperatures cause a separation of materials in the pesticide. Only buy and store the amounts that you will be using. - Do a general check of your chemical products at least once per year. In this way, you can get rid of any old or unwanted items, and check that other containers are still in good condition. - If you keep chemical products on a shelving unit, first make sure that it is solid. It should not be unstable or in weak condition. Additional Resources - Chemical Storage Tips (PDF) – Follow these guidelines for additional tips on how to safely store chemicals to avoid any hazards. - Household Chemicals – Be aware of the surprising number of household products that are flammable, toxic, explosive, or dangerous in other ways. - Chemical handling practices when dealing with chemicals can keep you and your family safe. - Storing Chemicals the Right Way – Chemicals should always be labeled correctly and kept in original containers. - Swimming Pool Chemicals (PDF) – Home pool owners should be careful to keep pool maintenance products completely dry. - Buy Storage Buildings (PDF) – Home pool owners should be careful to keep pool maintenance products completely dry. - Keeping and Disposing of Chemicals (PDF) – Watch a slideshow on the proper procedures for storing and discarding chemicals. - Storing Flammable Chemicals – Review important information on flammable chemical hazard classifications and how to store them appropriately. - Hazardous Materials – Find out how to sort hazardous materials and then store them in the safest way possible.

https://alansfactoryoutlet.com/storage-buildings-chemical-storage-safety-tips/

Working with Flammables and Reactives in the Laboratory Course Description: This course covers lab safety as it relates to the safe handling of flammables and reactives in the lab. Workplace fires and explosions are not only common—but also deadly. By virtue of the type of work conducted in laboratories—including working with hazardous chemicals, mixing chemicals, high heat, and intense pressure—the risk of fire or explosion can be high. It is essential that lab workers know how to identify these hazards; how to properly handle flammable, reactive, and combustible materials to avoid fire and explosions; and how to respond should one occur. By the end of this session, trainees will be able to: - Identify flammable and reactive hazards in the laboratory; - Define flammables, reactives, and combustibles; - Outline safe handling and storage for these materials; - Discuss methods of prevention; and - Discuss emergency response measures, safety equipment, and evacuation procedures. Why “Working with Flammables and Reactives in the Laboratory” Matters: There are a variety of regulations and guidelines that govern the use, handling, and storage of flammable and reactive materials in the lab. Some are specific to the laboratory and others are not, but all are relevant to lab safety regarding fires and explosions. - Emergency action plans and fire prevention plans are required by federal rules under 29 CFR 1910.33 to 1910.39. - OSHA’s Flammable and Combustible Liquids Standard (29 CFR 1910.106) explains what these substances are, how to store and use them safely, and how to prevent contact between these liquids and ignition sources. Key Points: The key points from this course include: - Most chemicals in the lab are flammable and/or reactive. Follow labels, but when in doubt, assume flammability. - Always store and handle flammables and reactives according to guidelines. - Common sense and good housekeeping can avoid triggers for fires and explosions. A clean, organized lab goes a long way toward reducing hazards. - Quick response and knowledge of procedures are critical in an emergency. Know your lab and the chemicals being used there. Test yourself on knowing what the signs and labels mean. Practice on emergency equipment and participate in drills. - No Smoking! This is the number one rule to follow around flammables and reactives.

https://simplifytraining.com/course/working-with-flammables-and-reactives-in-the-laboratory/

Distance Units: Distance Units Standard Metric Skip Data Menu Key Info Identification Protective Equipment / Clothing Protective Distance Fire Fighting Procedures Reactivities / Incompatibilities Treatment Overview Basic CAS Registry Number EPA Hazardous Waste No. Major Uses Molecular Formula Shipment Methods / Regulations Shipping Name / Number Storage Conditions Substance Categories Synonyms Properties Property Summary Boiling Point Color / Form Density / Specific Gravity Flash Point Ionization Potential Melting Point Molecular Formula Molecular Weight Odor Odor Threshold Other Properties Polymerization Solubilities Vapor Pressure Viscosity Hazmat DOT Emergency Guidelines Protective Distance NFPA Hazard Classification GHS Classification Chemical Reactivity Fire Potential Fire Fighting Procedures Protective Equip. / Clothing Explosive Limits / Potential Reactivities / Incompatibilities Other Fire Fighting Hazards Cleanup Methods Disposal Methods Medical Treatment Overview Health Effects AEGL Threshold Limit Values NIOSH Recommendations OSHA Standards Skin / Eye / Resp. Irritants Other Preventive Measures Range of Toxicity Laboratory Environment Exposure Summary Environmental Fate CERCLA Quantities Non-Human Toxicity Values Ecotoxicity Values Soil Adsorption / Mobility Volatilization Propargyl Alcohol CAS RN: 107-19-7 DOT Emergency Guidelines GUIDE 131 F LAMMABLE LIQUIDS - TOXIC POTENTIAL HAZARDS HEALTH · TOXIC; may be fatal if inhaled, ingested or absorbed through skin. · Inhalation or contact with some of these materials will irritate or burn skin and eyes. · Fire will produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. · Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation. · Runoff from fire control or dilution water may cause pollution. FIRE OR EXPLOSION · HIGHLY FLAMMABLE: Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. · Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air. · Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. · Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). · Vapor explosion and poison hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. · Those substances designated with a (P) may polymerize explosively when heated or involved in a fire. · Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. · Containers may explode when heated. · Many liquids are lighter than water. PUBLIC SAFETY · CALL EMERGENCY RESPONSE Telephone Number on Shipping Paper first. If Shipping Paper not available or no answer, refer to appropriate telephone number listed on the inside back cover. · As an immediate precautionary measure, isolate spill or leak area for at least 50 meters (150 feet) in all directions. · Keep unauthorized personnel away. · Stay upwind, uphill and/or upstream. · Ventilate closed spaces before entering. PROTECTIVE CLOTHING · Wear positive pressure self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). · Wear chemical protective clothing that is specifically recommended by the manufacturer. It may provide little or no thermal protection. · Structural firefighters' protective clothing provides limited protection in fire situations ONLY; it is not effective in spill situations where direct contact with the substance is possible. EVACUATION Spill · See the Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distances for highlighted materials. For non-highlighted materials, increase, in the downwind direction, as necessary, the isolation distance shown under " PUBLIC SAFETY ". Fire · If tank, rail car or tank truck is involved in a fire, ISOLATE for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions; also, consider initial evacuation for 800 meters (1/2 mile) in all directions. In Canada, an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) may be required for this product. Please consult the shipping document and/or the Canada and United States National Response Centers reference document. EMERGENCY RESPONSE FIRE CAUTION: All these products have a very low flash point: Use of water spray when fighting fire may be inefficient. Small Fire · Dry chemical, CO 2 , water spray or alcohol-resistant foam. Large Fire · Water spray, fog or alcohol-resistant foam. · Move containers from fire area if you can do it without risk. · Dike fire-control water for later disposal; do not scatter the material. · Use water spray or fog; do not use straight streams. Fire involving Tanks or Car/Trailer Loads · Fight fire from maximum distance or use unmanned hose holders or monitor nozzles. · Cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well after fire is out. · Withdraw immediately in case of rising sound from venting safety devices or discoloration of tank. · ALWAYS stay away from tanks engulfed in fire. · For massive fire, use unmanned hose holders or monitor nozzles; if this is impossible, withdraw from area and let fire burn. SPILL OR LEAK · Fully encapsulating, vapor-protective clothing should be worn for spills and leaks with no fire. · ELIMINATE all ignition sources (no smoking, flares, sparks or flames in immediate area). · All equipment used when handling the product must be grounded. · Do not touch or walk through spilled material. · Stop leak if you can do it without risk. · Prevent entry into waterways, sewers, basements or confined areas. · A vapor-suppressing foam may be used to reduce vapors. Small Spill · Absorb with earth, sand or other non-combustible material and transfer to containers for later disposal. · Use clean, non-sparking tools to collect absorbed material. Large Spill · Dike far ahead of liquid spill for later disposal. · Water spray may reduce vapor, but may not prevent ignition in closed spaces. FIRST AID · Ensure that medical personnel are aware of the material(s) involved and take precautions to protect themselves. · Move victim to fresh air. · Call 911 or emergency medical service. · Give artificial respiration if victim is not breathing. · Do not use mouth-to-mouth method if victim ingested or inhaled the substance; give artificial respiration with the aid of a pocket mask equipped with a one-way valve or other proper respiratory medical device. · Administer oxygen if breathing is difficult. · Remove and isolate contaminated clothing and shoes. · In case of contact with substance, immediately flush skin or eyes with running water for at least 20 minutes. · Wash skin with soap and water. · In case of burns, immediately cool affected skin for as long as possible with cold water. Do not remove clothing if adhering to skin. · Keep victim calm and warm. · Effects of exposure (inhalation, ingestion or skin contact) to substance may be delayed. ERG 2016 Find more information on this substance at: Hazardous Substances Data Bank , TOXNET , PubMed PDF documents can be viewed with the free Adobe® Reader Copyright , Privacy , Accessibility U.S. National Library of Medicine , 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health ,

https://webwiser.nlm.nih.gov/getSubstanceData.do?substanceId=146&displaySubstanceName=1-Propyne-3-ol&STCCID=&UNNAID=&selectedDataMenuItemID=46&catId=54

For optimum performance, mix Borchi® A-111 EU into resin before the addition of other formulation components. This process prevents bubble formation during compounding and application processes. 0.1 – 0.5 % additive by weight (as supplied) based on total formulation. Storage Please consult Borchi® A-111 EU product label for storage and handling instructions. Store locked up. Keep away from heat, sparks and open flame. Prevent electrostatic charge build-up by using common bonding and grounding techniques. Store in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Store in tightly closed container. Store in a well-ventilated place. Keep in an area equipped with sprinklers. Store away from incompatible materials (see Section 10 of the SDS). Safety Please refer to our safety data sheet for information relating to product safety SAFETY DATA SHEET - Availability : Americas , Asia , EMEA - Media : Solvent-based Registration :

https://www.borchers.com/product/borchi-a-111-eu/

Mixing incompatible materials together can result in explosions, fires and severe injuries. An article in Lab Manager Magazine reports that improper storage of chemicals accounts for 25 percent of all chemical accidents in labs. The article describes the following examples of two serious lab incidents, both involving nitric acid: - Nitric acid mixed with an organic solvent exploded in a university lab. - Someone put nitric acid into a container previously used for methanol. Over the next 12 to 16 hours, the nitric acid reacted with the residual methanol. This created carbon dioxide and caused pressure to build up. Eventually, the container exploded. Mixing incompatible chemicals can cause serious injuries and damage to property. Learn how safe hazardous chemical storage helps avoid such consequences. Chemical Storage Guidelines: Understand the Chemical SDS A Safety Data Sheet (SDS) comes with every chemical. All SDS follow a standard format governed by OSHA through their Hazard Communication Standard (HCS). Each SDS has 16 sections, detailed below. [Note: Sections 12 – 15 must be included on a SDS to be consistent with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). But, OSHA only mandates the headers. All content in these sections fall under other agencies’ jurisdictions.] |Section||Name||Description||Status| |1||Identification||Product or chemical name, including contact details for manufacturer||Mandatory| |2||Hazard(s) Identification||Classes of hazards and appropriate warnings – includes labelling pictograms||Mandatory| |3||Composition||Ingredients of compounds and mixtures and chemical identity||Mandatory| |4||First-Aid Measures||Initial first-aid care instructions after exposure||Mandatory| |5||Fire-Fighting Measures||Methods to extinguish a fire||Mandatory| |6||Accidental Release Measures||Response measures for spills, leaks and releases||Mandatory| |7||Handling and Storage||Guidance for handling and storage, including container compatibility issues||Mandatory| |8||Exposure Controls / PPE||Measures to limit exposure and appropriate PPE for the specific chemical product||Mandatory| |9||Physical and Chemical Properties||List of relevant properties, including appearance, odor, flammability, etc.||Mandatory| |10||Stability and Reactivity||Descriptions of reactivity, chemical stability and indications of possible hazardous reactions||Mandatory| |11||Toxicological Information||Description of toxicological and health effects of exposure||Mandatory| |12||Ecological Information||Description of impact on environment in the case of release||Non-mandatory| |13||Disposal Considerations||Advises on methods of disposal, recycling and reclamation of chemicals and containers||Non-mandatory| |14||Transport Information||Classification information for transporting by road, air, rail or sea||Non-mandatory| |15||Regulatory Information||Description of any relevant regulations specific to the product||Non-mandatory| |16||Other Information||Revision history of SDS and other useful information||Mandatory| Helpful Tip Justrite supplies optional document storage boxes for safe SDS storage. Easily install boxes onto safety cabinet doors or side walls to protect important papers from moisture and dirt. Chemical Storage Guidelines: Learn the Compatibility Issues Across Chemical Groups It may seem obvious to store chemicals in alphabetic order for ease of use. But, this could result in storing incompatible chemicals right next to each other. Copper (II) sulfide reacts explosively with cadmium chlorate. A vigorous reaction occurs when hydrogen peroxide and iron (II) sulfide mix. Chemical groups also react with other groups. Oxidizers are not directly flammable. But, they release oxygen, a key component of the fire triangle. It is risky storing them alongside flammable materials. Safety experts suggest a systematic approach to categorizing and storing chemicals. Unfortunately, OSHA and the HCS requirements fail to provide one single method for chemical segregation and grouping. Many organizations have developed their own methods. Some of these are very complex. For instance, the U.S. Coast Guard uses 43 separate chemical groups to segregate chemicals for storage. But, simpler classifications exist that are comprehensive enough for most applications. Sciencelab, a leading chemical and laboratory equipment company, suggests these seven chemical groups: - Flammables - Oxidizers - Acids - Bases - Highly reactives - Extreme toxics / regulated materials - Low hazard The University of Iowa uses a similar breakdown with nine chemical groups: - Flammable liquids - Volatile poisons - Oxidizing acids - Organic and mineral acids - Liquid bases - Liquid oxidizers - Non-volatile poisons - Reactives - Solids No matter what organizational method is used for segregation, it is important to understand how these chemical groups react with one another and the associated risks. Chemical Storage Guidelines: Tips for Safe Storage in a Safety Cabinet - Don’t store chemicals in alphabetic order. - Use shelf dividers and clear labeling for organization. Simple housekeeping and order goes a long way toward preventing human error, such as placing the wrong chemical in the wrong place. - Only store hazardous chemicals in an approved flammable safety cabinet. Look for FM and UL approvals. These certify the cabinet meets OSHA and NFPA standards. - Never store cardboard boxes in a flammable safety cabinet. Cardboard and paper may get saturated with flammable materials from spills and leaks. This creates a major fire risk. - Always store flammable materials in a flammable storage cabinet, even if the chemical has other hazards. For example, aldehydes are both flammable and toxic. But, flammability trumps toxicity. Store aldehydes in a flammable storage cabinet. Secure it to prevent unauthorized access. - Use clear signage on safety storage cabinets to identify its contents. Justrite safety cabinets feature exclusive Haz-Alert™ warning labels that inform all workers and first responders of its main chemical hazard – FLAMMABLE, ACID or HAZARDOUS. Justrite safety cabinets also come with a pack of 10 standard labels to identify specific contents. - Never keep bottles of chemicals in a fume hood. Vapors from unsealed bottles could react with other chemicals in the fume hood, causing an explosion. Use Justrite under fume hood safety cabinets instead – both flammable and corrosive options available. - Store non-flammable corrosive chemicals in polyethylene cabinets, such as a Justrite Polyethylene Corrosive and Acid Cabinet. These have no metal parts, since even corrosive fumes cause rust and reduce the life of your cabinet. Wooden laminate cabinets with a laminate finish are also suitable when storing corrosives. Contact Justrite for Safe Hazardous Chemical Storage Solutions Justrite specializes in flammable and hazardous chemical storage solutions. We offer a wide range of products for laboratory environments, including cabinets for corrosives and hazardous materials as well as safety containers for dispensing and HPLC disposal. All products meet and exceed codes and regulations. Browse all our safety cabinets or contact us to discuss your chemical segregation and storage needs.

https://www.justrite.com/news/cat/storage/post/chemical-storage-guidelines-for-safety-cabinets/

Stability: Stable. Incompatible with phosphorus, sulphur, zinc, ammonia, finely powdered metals, strong reducing agents, acids, organic materials. Storage Condition: Keep away from heat, sparks, and flame. Do not store near combustible materials. Store in a tightly closed container. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible substances. Description: Sodium chlorite (NaClO2) is a chemical compound used in the manufacturing of paper and as a disinfectant.

http://sparrowchemical.com/product_show.asp?id=1798

What is the law in terms of the storage of hazardous substances? In many work places across the country, there are a vast amount of hazardous substances that, if not stored correctly can cause serious harm. Knowing how to correctly and safely store them is not only something that employers must follow to keep their staff safe but, it is also the law. Hazardous substances can vary in type, hazard and severity as well as the conditions in which they are under by which they present a risk. Factors such as the amount of hazardous substance there is and how it is stored are points that must be considered when thinking about storing them safely. There are a number of regulations in place to ensure the safe storage of hazardous substances such as the Health and Safety at work Act 1974 which includes a general duty requiring arrangements for the storage of substances to ensure the safety of those in the workplace. Other regulations such as COSHH also require an employer to carry out a risk assessment including a consideration of how substances should be stored in order to keep everyone safe. Employers must provide adequate enough information, instruction and training for any employees who may use hazardous substances so that they are in accordance with a range of health and safety regulations. As an employer, you must make sure that all substances are returned to their storage places when finished with, ensure all substances are stored safely in the first place and co-operate with their employees so that they comply with The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. With substance types covering a wide range such as; flammable, oxidizing, lead, explosive, radioactive, oil, pesticides and substances hazardous to health, knowing the legislations for each is very important. Factors to consider when safely storing hazardous substances include correctly labeling and packaging the components so that they can be correctly identified as well as taking into consideration; procedures for emergencies, the hazard presented by the substance, the amount of hazardous substance, the containers and how they will be stored. Knowing how best to store your hazardous substances can really make all the difference when it comes to people safety. Storing dangerous materials correctly reduces the chance of accidents making working environments safer all around. Examples as to how best to store hazardous substances are as follows. Gases should be stored in a safe, dry place on a flat surface and away from vehicles. Incompatibles such as acids should never be stored together and should be kept away from other substances. Highly flammable liquids and gases are best stored in closed tanks or cylinders and have security measures so that only authorised people can have access. Oil can be stored in tanks both above or under ground with one container not holding more than 200 litres in order to avoid water pollution. Training for in the event of an emergency is always best practice when working with hazardous substances. Knowing that you have followed all correct health and safety procedures will ultimately keep everyone as safe as possible.

https://risk-assessment-products.co.uk/blog/what-is-the-law-in-terms-of-the-storage-of-hazardous-substances/

: R36/38- Irritating to eyes and skin. immediately with plenty of water and seek S28- After contact with skin, wash immediately S37/39- Wear suitable gloves and eye/face S45- In case of accident or if you feel unwell, seek medical advice immediately (show the S61- Avoid release to the environment. Refer to special instructions/safety data sheet. 1-tetradecanamine, n,n-dimethyl-, n-oxide Other ingredients, determined not to be hazardous according to Safe Work Australia criteria, and not dangerous according to the ADG Code, make up the product concentration to 100%. Other ingredients, determined not to be hazardous according to Safe Work Australia criteria, and not dangerous according to the ADG Code, make up the product concentration to 100%. : No specific treatment. Treat symptomatically. apparatus (SCBA) with a full face-piece operated in positive pressure mode. : Immediately contact emergency personnel. contact with soil, waterways, drains and sewers. spill area. Approach the release from upwind. section 1 for emergency contact information Note: see section 8 for personal protective equipment and section 13 for waste disposal. equipment (see Section 8). Eating, drinking and smoking should be prohibited in areas where this material is handled, stored and processed. Workers should wash hands and face before contaminated clothing and protective equipment before entering eating areas. Do not ingest. Avoid breathing vapour or mist. Keep in the original container or an approved alternative made from a compatible material, kept tightly closed when not in use. Keep away from acids. Empty containers retain product residue and can be hazardous. Do not reuse container. Safe Work Australia (Australia, 8/2005). : Use chemical-resistant, impervious gloves. as necessary to prevent skin contact. eating, smoking and using the lavatory and at the end of the working period. Appropriate techniques should be used to remove potentially contaminated clothing. Wash contaminated clothing before reusing. Ensure that eyewash stations and safety showers are close to the workstation location. Product does not support combustion. : The product is stable. : Highly reactive or incompatible with the following materials: acids. Reactive or incompatible with the following materials: metals. : Under normal conditions of storage and use, hazardous reactions will not occur. : Exposure to decomposition products may cause Product is sold ready to use. Xi - IrritantR36/38- Irritating to eyes and skin. : All substances are listed on AICS or exempt. CONTINUING ACCURACY OF THIS INFORMATION.

http://medicpdf.com/i/inhospitality.com.au1.html

PERSONAL PROTECTION : Must wear eye protection glasses, mask, gloves and boots while handling the material. FIRE FIGHTING METHODS : Use dry chemical, CO2, sand, dolomite, etc. Water or halogenated extinguishing medium are NOT to be used. HAZARD INFORMATION : Avoid dust clouds formation, which may present a dust explosion hazard in the presence of a source of ignition. HANDLING : Keep away from heat, sparks and open flame. Containers to be kept closed tightly. This product will oxidize slowly if exposed to air. PACKAGING : MS Drums with double poly-lined bags inside. Silica gels inside the drums and inside the bags (optional). STORAGE : Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place and away from fire, sparks and incompatible substances. SHELF LIFE : Zinc Dust is sensitive to moisture. Unsealing the container and leaving exposed to open air or storing in humid areas will reduce the shelf life.

https://www.uniquesc.in/zinc.php

Calcium bromide powder can be used to formulate the drilling, completion and workover fluids. Technical Index Appearance White powder Assay, %min 96.0 pH (5% solution) 6.5-9.5 Cl-, %max 0.5 SO42-, %max 0.05 Density of 52% water solution @20℃, g/cm3 1.70min Water insoluble, %max 0.3 Moisture, %max 3.0 Heavy metal (Pb), ppm max 50 Recommended Handling All personnel handling this material must handle it as an industrial chemical, wearing protective equipment and observing the precautions as described in the Material Safety Data Sheet. Packaging and Storage Packed in 25kg PP woven bag or 1 MT bulk bags. Store in dry, well-ventilated area. Keep container closed. Keep away from heat, sparks and flames. Store away from incompatibles. Follow safe warehousing practices regarding palletizing, banding, shrink-wrapping and /or stacking.

http://uzhuchem.com/product/calcium-bromide-powder.html

Product Name: Name: Octane,1-chloro- (Related Reference) EINECS: 203-915-5 Molecular Formula: C8H17Cl CAS Registry Number: 111-85-3 Synonyms: 1-Octyl chloride; Capryl chloride; NSC 5406; Octyl chloride; n-Octyl chloride; n-Octyl chlorid; InChI: InChI=1/C8H17Cl/c1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9/h2-8H2,1H3 HS Code: 29031980 Molecular Structure: This structure is also available as a 2d Mol file Chemical Properties Appearance: Clear liquid Molecular Weight: 148.67 Density: 0.874 Boiling Point: 183℃ Melting Point: -61℃ Flash Point: 68℃ Storage Temperature: Keep away from heat, sparks, and flame. Keep away from sources of ignition. Keep container closed when not in use. Store in a tightly closed container. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from incompatible substances. Refractive index: 1.4288-1.4308 Solubility: Insoluble Stability: Stable under normal temperatures and pressures. Usage: Barchlor(R) 8S is used as chemical intermediate. Safety Data of 111-85-3 Risk Codes: R52/53 Safety Statements:

http://www.chuanghuachem.com/product/showproduct.php?lang=en&id=458

Hazardous Materials3 min read Hazardous materials (hazmat) are any material that has properties that may result in risk or injury to health and/or destruction of life or facilities. Many hazardous materials (hazmat) do not have a taste or an odor. Some can be detected because they cause physical reactions such as watering eyes or nausea. Some Hazardous Materials exist beneath the surface of the ground and have an oil or foam-like appearance. The substance can be identified from placards, labels or markings on the transporters. Hazardous Material can be: Corrosive Hazmat Materials: are strong enough to eat away at steel drums or human skin. Because they can eat through the containers they are carried in, they are of special concern during transportation. Example: car battery acids Ignitable Hazmat Materials: present a fire hazard because they are flammable at relatively low temperatures. This causes a risk of explosion and the spreading of toxic gas over an area, as well as fire and smoke. Examples: paint removers, the chemical Benzene Reactive Materials: can explode or release deadly fumes by mixing with water or reacting to heat or pressure. Examples: old weapons and ammunition, sodium metal, stannic chloride Radioactive Materials: include materials with both high and low radioactivity that can lead to dangerous side effects for thousands of years. Most of these materials are produced at nuclear power plants and by research facilities. Toxic Hazardous Materials: consist of poisonous chemicals. People and animals exposed to these types of materials can develop severe health problems. Examples: lead, arsenic, mercury Infectious Materials: These materials are also toxic wastes, but are in a separate category. They consist of materials infected with some type of germ, bacteria, or virus that could cause disease in humans or animals. These types of materials often come from hospitals. Examples: hypodermic needles, human and animal waste. Classification of Hazardous Materials: The DOT has broad authority to regulate hazardous materials that are in transport, including the discretion to determine which materials shall be classified as “hazardous”. These materials are placed in one of nine categories, based on their chemical and physical properties. Based on the classification of the material, the DOT is also responsible for determining the appropriate packaging materials for shipping or transport. Finally, also based on the material classification, strict guidelines are furnished for proper labeling/marking of packages of hazardous materials offered for transport, and for placarding of transport vehicles. Class 1: Explosives Division 1.1 – Articles and substances having a mass explosion hazard Division 1.2 – Articles and substances having a projection hazard, but not a mass explosion hazard Division 1.3 – Articles and substances having a fire hazard, a minor blast hazard, and/or a minor projection hazard, but not a mass explosion hazard Division 1.4 – Articles and substances presenting no significant hazard (explosion limited to package) Division 1.5 – Very insensitive substances having a mass explosion hazard Division 1.6 – Extremely insensitive articles which do not have a mass explosion hazard Class 2 Gas Division 2.1 – Flammable Gas Division 2.2 – Non-flammable, non-toxic gas (under pressure, inert, etc.) Division 2.3 – Toxic Gas Class 3 Flammable Liquids (100 Degrees F or less closed cup): Flammable Gas Combustible Class 4 Other Flammable Substances: Division 4.1 – Flammable Solid Division 4.2 – Substances liable to spontaneous combustion Division 4.3 – Substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases Class 5 Oxidizing Substances and Organic Peroxides: Division 5.1 – Oxidizers Division 5.2 – Organic Peroxides Class 6 Toxic (Poisonous) and Infectious Substances: Division 6.1 – Toxic Substances Division 6.2 – Infectious Substances Class 7 Radioactive Material: Division 7 – Radioactive Material Class 8 Corrosives:

https://hsseworld.com/hazardous-materials/

- Stability:Stable, but may form peroxides in storage if in contact with air. Highly flammable. Incompatible with oxidizing agents. - CAS DataBase Reference628-81-9(CAS DataBase Reference) - EPA Substance Registry SystemButane, 1-ethoxy- (628-81-9) - Language:EnglishProvider:SigmaAldrich - Language:EnglishProvider:ACROS - Language:EnglishProvider:ALFA Butyl ethyl ether Usage And Synthesis - Chemical Propertiescolourless liquid - Chemical PropertiesEthyl butyl ether is a colorless liquid - UsesExtraction solvent, inert reaction medium. - Synthesis Reference(s)The Journal of Organic Chemistry, 39, p. 3050, 1974 DOI: 10.1021/jo00934a027 - General DescriptionA clear colorless liquid with an ethereal odor. Flash point 40°F. Less dense than water. Vapors heavier than air. - Air & Water ReactionsHighly flammable. Slightly soluble in water. Oxidizes readily in air to form unstable peroxides that may explode spontaneously [Bretherick 1979. p.151-154, 164]. A mixture of liquid air and diethyl ether exploded spontaneously [MCA Case History 616. 1960]. - Reactivity ProfileEthers, such as Butyl ethyl ether, can act as bases. They form salts with strong acids and addition complexes with Lewis acids. The complex between diethyl ether and boron trifluoride is an example. Ethers may react violently with strong oxidizing agents. In other reactions, which typically involve the breaking of the carbon-oxygen bond, ethers are relatively inert. - HazardFlammable, dangerous fire risk. - Health HazardInhalation or contact with material may irritate or burn skin and eyes. Fire may produce irritating, corrosive and/or toxic gases. Vapors may cause dizziness or suffocation. Runoff from fire control may cause pollution. - Fire HazardHIGHLY FLAMMABLE: Will be easily ignited by heat, sparks or flames. Vapors may form explosive mixtures with air. Vapors may travel to source of ignition and flash back. Most vapors are heavier than air. They will spread along ground and collect in low or confined areas (sewers, basements, tanks). Vapor explosion hazard indoors, outdoors or in sewers. Runoff to sewer may create fire or explosion hazard. Containers may explode when heated. Many liquids are lighter than water. - Safety ProfileModerately toxic by ingestion. A skin and eye irritant. A very dangerous fire hazard when exposed to heat or flame; can react vigorously with oxidizing materials. Keep away from heat and open flame. To fight fire, use alcohol foam, CO2, dry chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes. See also ETHERS. - Potential ExposureUsed as a solvent for extraction and in making other chemicals - ShippingUN1179 Ethyl butyl ether, Hazard Class: 3; Labels: 3-Flammable liquid. - Purification MethodsPurify by drying with CaSO4, by passage through a column of activated alumina (to remove peroxides), followed by prolonged refluxing with Na and then fractional distillation. [Beilstein 4 IV 1518.] - IncompatibilitiesMay form explosive mixture with air. Heat or prolonged storage may cause the formation of unstable peroxides. Incompatible with oxidizers (chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.); contact may cause fires or explosions. Keep away from alkaline materials, strong bases, strong acids, oxoacids, and epoxides. Attacks some plastics, rubber and coatings. May accumulate static electrical charges, and may cause ignition of its vapors. - Waste DisposalDissolve or mix the material with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator equipped with an afterburner and scrubber. All federal, state, and local environmental regulations must be observed. Consult with environmental regulatory agencies for guidance on acceptable disposal practices. Generators of waste containing this contaminant (≥100 kg/mo) must conform with EPA regulations governing storage, transportation, treatment, and waste disposal. - DL-Ethyl 2-bromobutyrate Diethyl 1,1-cyclopropanedicarboxylate ETHYL 4-CHLOROBUTYRATE Ethyl Succinyl Chloride 3-(2-FLUORO-PHENYL)-3-OXO-PROPIONIC ACID ETHYL ESTER Ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoroacetoacetate Heptafluorobutyric anhydride 4-Bromobutyl acetate Ethyl 2-bromohexanoate Ethyl 2-bromovalerate Ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate ETHYL HEPTAFLUOROBUTYRATE Ethyl 2-bromoheptanoate Ethyl 6-bromohexanoate ETHYL 1-METHYLCYCLOPROPANE-1-CARBOXYLATE Ethyl cyclopropanecarboxylate 7-CHLOROCARBONYL-HEPTANOIC ACID ETHYL ESTER Ethyl 5-bromovalerate Butyl ethyl etherSupplierMore - Company Name:J & K SCIENTIFIC LTD. - Tel:400-666-7788 010-82848833- - Email:jkinfo@jkchemical.com;market6@jkchemical.com - Company Name:Alfa Aesar - Tel:400-610-6006 - Email:saleschina@alfa-asia.com - Company Name:TCI (Shanghai) Development Co., Ltd.

https://m.chemicalbook.com/ProductChemicalPropertiesCB3854031_EN.htm

Ocean Power Delivery’s (OPD) Pelamis wave energy converter is to undergo feasibility trials off the Scottish coast this summer. The work is to take place at the Marine Energy Test Centre in Orkney and is to be carried out by OPD under a memorandum of understanding with AMEC and ScottishPower. The aim is to test the commercial and technical viability of the first full-scale device, construction of which was completed earlier this year. The Pelamis generator is made up of four 24m canisters, aligned perpendicular to incoming waves. Energy is generated from the relative motion at the joints between each of the canisters. The maximum capacity of each device is 750kW.

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/news/newssummer-tests-scheduled-for-pelamis-machine/

By Ahmed A. Shabana Dynamics of Multibody platforms introduces multibody dynamics, with an emphasis on versatile physique dynamics. Many universal mechanisms resembling cars, house constructions, robots, and micro machines have mechanical and structural structures that include interconnected inflexible and deformable elements. The dynamics of those large-scale, multibody platforms are hugely nonlinear, featuring advanced difficulties that during so much circumstances can purely be solved with computer-based strategies. The e-book starts with a assessment of the fundamental principles of kinematics and the dynamics of inflexible and deformable our bodies sooner than relocating directly to extra complicated issues and computing device implementation. This re-creation contains vital new advancements in relation to the matter of enormous deformations and numerical algorithms as utilized to versatile multibody platforms. The book's wealth of examples and useful purposes may be priceless to graduate scholars, researchers, and training engineers engaged on a wide selection of versatile multibody structures. Read Online or Download Dynamics of multibody systems PDF Similar dynamics books IUTAM Symposium on Nonlinear Stochastic Dynamics and Control: Proceedings of the IUTAM Symposium held in Hangzhou, China, May 10-14, 2010 Non-linear stochastic platforms are on the middle of many engineering disciplines and growth in theoretical study had resulted in a greater realizing of non-linear phenomena. This e-book offers info on new primary effects and their functions that are commencing to seem around the whole spectrum of mechanics. Not like different books in this topic, which are inclined to be aware of 2-D dynamics, this article makes a speciality of the appliance of Newton-Euler how to advanced, real-life 3D dynamics difficulties. it's therefore perfect for non-obligatory classes in intermediate dynamics. This ebook includes the lectures given on the moment convention on Dynamics and Randomness held on the Centro de Modelamiento Matem? tico of the Universidad de Chile, from December 9-13, 2003. This assembly introduced jointly mathematicians, theoretical physicists, theoretical computing device scientists, and graduate scholars attracted to fields with regards to likelihood conception, ergodic thought, symbolic and topological dynamics. Nonequilibrium Carrier Dynamics in Semiconductors: Proceedings of the 14th International Conference, July 25–29, 2005, Chicago, USA Foreign specialists assemble each years at this demonstrated convention to debate contemporary advancements in concept and test in non-equilibrium shipping phenomena. those advancements were the driver in the back of the brilliant advances in semiconductor physics and units during the last few a long time. - Gas Dynamics of Thin Bodies - Future Cities: Dynamics and Sustainability - Nonlinear dynamics : from lasers to butterflies : selected lectures from the 15th Canberra International Physics Summer School, Australian National University, 21 January-1 February 2002 - Dynamics AX: A Guide to Microsoft Axapta - Space Robotics: Dynamics and Control Additional resources for Dynamics of multibody systems Sample text These kinematic constraints can be formulated by using a set of algebraic equations that imply that the relative translation between the two bodies along two axes perpendicular to the joint axis as well as the relative rotations between the two bodies must be zero. Similarly, the revolute joint, shown in Fig. 16(b), allows only relative rotation between the two bodies about an axis called the revolute joint axis. One requires five constraint equations: three equations that constrain the relative translation between the two bodies, and two equations that constrain the relative rotation between the two bodies to be only about the joint axis of rotation. 1) r, as shown in Fig. 2) where the vector b1 is drawn perpendicular to the plane OC Q¯ and thus has a direction (v × r¯ ), where v is a unit vector along the axis of rotation OC. The magnitude of the vector b1 is given by |b1 | = a sin θ From Fig. 3) The vector b2 in Eq. 2 has a magnitude given by θ 2 The vector b2 is perpendicular to v and also perpendicular to DQ, whose direction is the same as the unit vector (v × r¯ )/a. Therefore, b2 is the vector |b2 | = a − a cos θ = (1 − cos θ) a = 2a sin2 θ v × (v × r¯ ) θ · = 2[v × (v × r¯ )]sin2 2 a 2 Using Eqs. However, as previously pointed out, the floating frame of reference formulation was mainly used in solving large reference displacement and small deformation problems. In Chapter 7 of this book, a conceptually different formulation called the absolute nodal coordinate formulation is presented. This formulation can be used efficiently for large deformation problems in flexible multibody system applications. 8 OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF THIS BOOK This book is designed to introduce the elements that are basic for formulating the dynamic equations of motion of rigid and deformable bodies.

http://realitat.com/index.php/pdf/dynamics-of-multibody-systems

The Egyptian Tortoise Testudo kleinmanni (Critically Endangered) is, unlike its slow movement, declining fast. One of the world’s smallest tortoises, it occurs in the Mediterranean region and faces intense pressures. But regional cooperation gives it a gleam of hope. The natural habitat of the Egyptian Tortoise is the desert and shrublands close to the coastal zone bordering Mediterranean Sea, where it has been recorded in Libya and Egypt. Nowadays, only small patches of territory are founded in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the eastern coastal region of Libya, where it disappeared from much of its former range (and possibly a tiny population clings on in Zaranik Protected Area, Egypt). Habitat loss, mainly due to agriculture, development, and other human activities, including the illegal trade, are the main reasons behind tortoise’s declines. Coastal development in the northern coastal region of Egypt degraded its natural habitat. Moreover, the political situation in Libya after the Libyan revolution in 2011 burdened the local communities and deteriorated the economic situation, while lack of stability and security on the Egyptian-Libyan border encouraged smugglers to enter the Libyan desert and collect tortoises to be sold in lucrative Egyptian pet markets. In Egyptian culture, this slow and peaceful creature is a symbol of luck and emblem of longevity and stability in life, making Egypt a good market for the tortoise. The market demand in Egypt caused their population to be harvested to local extinction, causing larger demand from its range in Libya. Mature tortoises are more subjected to smuggling as a larger sized tortoise is more expensive, and unhealthy conditions during smuggling may causes serious infectious diseases among tortoises. Moreover, border guards were not aware that releasing the smuggled tortoises in the desert may cause the death of this peaceful creature. Image credit: Egyptian Tortoise in Libya – © Al Hayat Organization To overcome this transboundary issue and ensure the continuation of this species, conservation efforts must be taken at a regional level. Therefore, BirdLife (through its role as Regional Implementation Team for the Mediterranean Hotspot of the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF)) provided small grants to two civil society organizations to assess Egyptian Tortoise populations in Eastern Libya and Western Egypt: Al Hayat Organization to Protect Wildlife and Marine Organisms (Libya) and Hemaya Company for Environmental Consultancies and Services (Egypt). Through these projects, remaining populations will be conserved in their original habitats in Libya and suitable habitats will be identified in Egypt for future reintroduction. This involves working together to identify in detail the main threats affecting the survival of the Egyptian Tortoise and assessing their ecological requirements. “For more than 30 years, funding agencies did not provide any support to conserve this species”, says Basem Rabia, Egyptian Tortoise researcher. “Now, CEPF support and this fruitful cooperation gives me a hope that my dream will come true one day: of restoring the natural habitats of this wonderful small creature along the Mediterranean coast.” “For more than 30 years, funding agencies did not provide any support to conserve this species. Now, CEPF support and this fruitful cooperation gives me a hope that my dream will come true one day: of restoring the natural habitats of this wonderful small creature along the Mediterranean coast.” Basem Rabia, Egyptian Tortoise researcher In Egypt, the team recorded some tortoises in tiny patches of territory within and around the Zaranik Protected Area. Studying the ecological requirements of this species is a must to ensure its survival, and so this remnant population gave researchers a good opportunity to study this species and its habitat. Meanwhile, in Libya, not many studies have been conducted on this species although it considered its natural habitat. Hemaya Company conducted a survey in the northwestern Egypt to reassess the vegetation cover along the coast and identify the best sites for reintroduction. Seventy sites were assessed using on-ground site assessment and spatial modelling aimed at addressing the conservation needs for this species. Researchers thought that coastal development along the northern coast of Egypt caused an irreversible damage in the natural habitat, but healthy habitats, from 5 to 20 km south to the coast, showed they were wrong. Al Hayat Organization, in turn, conducted a similar survey benefiting from the Egyptian experience at the Zaranik Protected Area to assess the vegetation cover and density that is necessary to the survival of the Egyptian Tortoise. These surveys, along with various awareness raising sessions about the importance of Egyptian Tortoise to the ecosystem balance and the disadvantages of smuggling this species, showed local communities’ willingness to conserve this species. Moreover, a local community in Libya reported a tortoise smuggling attempt in 2021. As a result, the two grantees worked together with the Libyan Ministry of Environment to save 250 smuggled tortoises. After receiving these tortoises, Al Hayat Organization’s team sorted, classified, and marked them to help in tracing the turtles in the future. Later they released the tortoises in their natural habitat in Libya. Through this cooperation, the two organizations will work in partnership to develop a joint action plan for future conservation of the Egyptian tortoise. “Raising awareness about Egyptian tortoise and its smuggling is a critical issue in ensuring the sustainability of this species. This cooperation is a building block for future projects aiming at conserving Egyptian tortoises at larger scale.” Murad Buijlayyil, Chairman of the Scientific Committee at Al Hayat Organization *The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, and the World Bank. Additional funding has been provided by the MAVA Foundation. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation. CEPF is more than just a funding providerA dedicated Regional Implementation Team (RIT) (expert officers on the ground) guide funding to the most important areas and to even the smallest of organisations; building civil society capacities, improving conservation outcomes, strengthening networks and sharing best practices. In the Mediterranean Basin Biodiversity Hotspot, the RIT is entrusted to BirdLife International and its Partners: LPO (BirdLife France), DOPPS (BirdLife Slovenia) and BPSSS (BirdLife Serbia).Find out more at www.birdlife.org/cepf-med Related news Fishes, snails, plants, subterranean salamanders and more, the Mediterranean Basin Hotspot is globally important for its freshwater biodiversity. This vital habitat is of course vital for human life too, and as the demand for water increases, so can pressures on biodiversity. We hear from four female conservation pioneers who have broken through gender stereotypes to pursue the careers they love – and benefit the whole community. Bycatch from fishing is killing Europe’s seabirds in huge and unsustainable numbers. Jeremy Herry exposes the scale of the problem and sheds lights on the simple solutions that could turn things around – with enough political will. Stay up to date Our monthly newsletter curates the most fascinating articles across BLI’s work to save birds everywhere.

https://www.birdlife.org/news/2021/06/08/libyan-and-egyptian-conservationists-work-across-border-to-save-critically-endangered-tortoise/

The boreal felt lichen (Erioderma pedicellatum) is considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Although the species has suffered major reductions in parts of its range, new findings in Alaska, Russia, and Newfoundland have significantly increased the estimated population and geographic range. The Newfoundland population is particularly interesting because some areas are showing rapid declines while other areas are either showing increase or relatively stable populations. We sampled populations of the boreal felt lichen in plots systematically placed along transects in a ribbed moraine landscape. Our intent was to capture as much of the ecological variation in order to better understand the population structure of this species in different habitats and to develop a predictive habitat model to assist with strategic land-use planning. We found 668 thalli on 375 trees. The vast majority of the boreal felt lichen thalli were on balsam fir trees between 1 and 2 m in height. The number of thalli per tree varied between 1 and 19. We observed several factors that are likely to have an influence on the dynamics of the boreal felt lichen populations including competition from chlorolichens, mortality of the phorophyte, and physical damage from falling trees. This information combined with a detailed ecosystem mapping project will help in the development of a predictive habitat model. We will discuss further the dynamics of the boreal felt lichen populations in the context of a changing forest ecosystem and the management implications for an endangered species in a managed landscape.

https://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/publications?id=36316

Kelly Fitzgerald-HollandSenior Wildlife Biologist & Regulatory Specialist Kelly is a Certified Wildlife Biologist, senior wildlife biologist and environmental compliance expert. She has over 20 years of experience in ecological research, program management, environmental regulation and compliance, and terrestrial ecosystem monitoring in the western U.S. She has served as senior wildlife biologist or task lead manager for a large number of projects that require endangered species permitting and biological analysis for CEQA/NEPA compliance. Kelly specializes in evaluating impacts on threatened and endangered wildlife species and their habitats, coordinating with resource agency staff to ensure compliance with the Federal and State Endangered Species Acts, including completing Section 7 consultation, and assisting clients with developing compensatory habitat mitigation and planning for long-term management of the habitat. Prior to her position at GEI, she spent 4 years conducting ESA consultations as a USFWS biologist, reviewing projects to assess impacts on listed species, providing technical assistance to minimize impacts on listed species, and preparing biological opinions for projects that impacted federally listed species and designated critical habitat. While at USFWS, Kelly garnered extensive knowledge of the federally threatened giant garter snake, assisting with conservation and recovery planning for this species through research consolidation, technical oversight and coordination with species experts. In addition to having worked for USFWS, as well as the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Peace Corps, Kelly has worked extensively with state and federal agencies to assist clients with compliance with CESA/ESA, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and CEQA/NEPA. Kelly has a M.S. in Environmental Science from Washington State University – Pullman and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California – Santa Cruz.

https://www.geiconsultants.com/?team=kelly-fitzgerald-holland

This is a case study that's a part of the 2021 REIT Industry ESG Report, an annual report detailing the REIT industry's environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance details in the publicly traded U.S. REIT industry. Featured case studies showcase REIT leadership and ESG innovation from a variety of sectors and serve as a practical tool for stakeholders to assess the scale and impact of the REIT industry's ESG commitments and initiatives. Equity LifeStyle Properties' (ELS) portfolio spans over 39,000 acres— encompassing 32 threatened and endangered species in critical habitats, about 8,000 forested acres, and over 2,200 acres of wetlands. As such, environmental topics including Water Consumption and Conservation, Energy Consumption and Efficiency, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, and Biodiversity are of material importance to ELS—and have therefore inspired a number of environmental projects. In particular, the De Anza Santa Cruz Restoration Project at a 198-site manufactured home community on the shores of the Pacific Ocean serves as an illustrative example of ELS' environmental commitments. "My favorite part of the De Anza Santa Cruz Restoration Project is that now we see so many more birds from the bridge. I was involved in the annual Audubon Christmas bird count for my area of De Anza Santa Cruz, particularly around the ponds. We spotted 31 species in two hours, which is truly phenomenal for a place this small." Jenny Anderson, three-year resident of the De Anza Santa Cruz community ELS completed a large-scale, multi-phase ecological and environmental conservation and restoration project at the property, working closely with the California Coastal Commission, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California Department of Housing and Community Development. The wide-ranging scope of the project included: - Improvements to the community's stormwater infrastructure - Restoration of the plant habitat surrounding the community ponds - Removal of invasive species - Creation of new habitats designed to attract native wildlife and endangered species - Development of dedicated spaces—such as vista overlooks, gardens, and pathways—that provide peaceful outdoor areas for residents along wildlife habitats - Incorporation of locally sourced native plants to help reduce the project's carbon footprint The project has been particularly appreciated by residents of the community who enjoy seeing the growth in biodiversity. By pursuing additional environmental stewardship projects in the future, ELS is well positioned to continue maintaining biodiversity across its portfolio, creating assets that are connected to their local and natural environments, and providing places where residents and guests can enjoy and unite with nature. Equity LifeStyle Properties is a leading owner and operator of manufactured home communities, RV resorts and campgrounds, and marinas in North America.

https://www.reit.com/news/blog/nareit-developments/equity-lifestyle-properties-maintaining-biodiversity-and-benefiting

The Market Strategy Senior Consultant role within New Business Innovation's Hybrid Business Design team is responsible for contributing to the execution of market analyses that inform hybrid business cases and investment decisions. This position will work with teammates to deliver services, including testing key hypotheses in-market, evaluating competitive landscapes, and ultimately making actionable recommendations that will shape net-new or early-stage hybrid business ideas. The position requires capabilities at both the strategy and execution levels. The candidate will be expected to maintain expertise in current market analyses trends and techniques, including: market fit analysis, market sizing, competitive scanning, pricing validation, partnering analyses, voice of the customer insight synthesis, and interview techniques (both internal and external). Additionally, the candidate should be able to think beyond the data collected to distill and present meaningful insights that can be translated to action-oriented recommendations for senior executive leadership within Deloitte. The candidate will also have the opportunity to work with other team members across Pricing and Ecosystem partnerships to expand their skills and better understand implications to business decisions Deloitte is making. Specific essential functions of this role include: Execute day-to-day development of multiple market assessments at once Collaborate with technical and non-technical stakeholders at varying levels to deeply understand the market size and demand, competitive landscape, and partnering opportunities for high-growth, hybrid business cases and investment decisions Support leaders as they develop key hypotheses to iteratively test through secondary and primary research Identify and understand competitive offerings, including key capabilities Perform market sizing estimation and detailed competitive analyses to validate or evolve Network stakeholders' point of view, including lead and/ or support Total Addressable Market (TAM) analysis Analyze key industry trends to develop a strategic point of view on where a market is in the context of specific offerings Maintain an informed point of view on new and emerging business models Maintain an informed point of view on emerging technologies and related services Prepare and conduct external interviews with both target clients and key competitors (both at the executive level) to test key assumptions on clients' business challenges, perceived value drivers, and critical buying factors as well as competitors' differentiation Synthesize large amounts of secondary research and interview data to develop key insights that can inform investment decisions for technical assets Prepare and lead executive level analysis output and presentations Act as POC for respective area on a project-by-project basis The Team: Hybrid Business Design The Hybrid Business Design team within Deloitte Consulting is primarily responsible for enabling new hybrid businesses by architecting and orchestrating offerings that pioneer differentiated business models for Deloitte Consulting. We are looking for individuals who can help test, identify, and recommend the highest potential business ideas by collaborating with the Network, ecosystem alliances, and other enabling groups to shape the partnership component of these new concepts. The group is part of Deloitte Consulting's New Business Innovation team, which focuses on scaling Consulting's asset-based agenda to deliver tangible results in the near-term and a sustainable competitive advantage for the firm in years to come. Qualifications Required: Bachelor's Degree in Business, Finance, Marketing, Economics or a related field 4+ years of experience in business strategy and business case development, including market analysis, interviewing skills, and data distillation to insights preferred 2+ year experience with asset-enabled business, including development software business cases and / or delivering technology-based projects Preferred: Ability to support and conduct internal and external interviews with executive-level experts, including synthesizing interview notes to develop key insights Experience in developing business cases for technology-based solutions, including analyses like: market sizing, competitor landscape, voice of the customer, pricing, cross-offering portfolio opportunities, and technical build recommendations. Experience in applying standard methods for establishing and testing addressable market size estimates Proven ability to successfully partner with internal senior stakeholders from various parts of the organization, with varying degrees of technical aptitude, and drive successful outcomes cross-functionally Ability to develop high-quality deliverables with limited input from executive sponsors Strong verbal and written communication skills Ability to juggle many competing priorities/ deadlines Understanding of Deloitte Consulting's organization, including matrixed nature and Offering Portfolios *Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future. The wage range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. The disclosed range estimate has not been adjusted for the applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. At Deloitte, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is $85,000 to $155,000. You may also be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance. #NBI22 #Product22 #LI-XL1 #LI-Remote All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

https://jobsus.deloitte.com/tampa-fl/sr-market-strategy-consultant-nbi_us/439A5B37C6734E5FA47BE0FCD764F19D/job/?vs=28

Source The photograph that has become known as "Migrant Mother" is one of a series of photographs that Dorothea Lange made in February or March of in Nipomo, California. InLange gave this account of the experience: I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet. Onset of depression more complex than a brain chemical imbalance Updated: April 11, Published: June, It's often said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that figure of speech doesn't capture how complex the disease is. Research suggests that depression doesn't spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It's believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression. To be sure, chemicals are involved in this process, but it is not a simple matter of one chemical being too low and another too high. Rather, many chemicals are involved, working both inside and outside nerve cells. There are millions, even billions, of chemical reactions that make up the dynamic system that is responsible for your mood, perceptions, and how you experience life. With this level of complexity, you can see how two people might have similar symptoms of depression, but the problem on the inside, and therefore what treatments will work best, may be entirely different. Researchers have learned much about the biology of depression. They've identified genes that make individuals more vulnerable to low moods and influence how an individual responds to drug therapy. One day, these discoveries should lead to better, more individualized treatment see "From the lab to your medicine cabinet"but that is likely to be years away. And while researchers know more now than ever before about how the brain regulates mood, their understanding of the biology of depression is far from complete. What follows is an overview of the current understanding of the major factors believed to play a role in depression. The brain's impact on depression Popular lore has it that emotions reside in the heart. Science, though, tracks the seat of your emotions to the brain. Certain areas of the brain help regulate mood. Researchers believe that — more important than levels of specific brain chemicals — nerve cell connections, nerve cell growth, and the functioning of nerve circuits have a major impact on depression. Still, their understanding of the neurological underpinnings of mood is incomplete. Regions that affect mood Increasingly sophisticated forms of brain imaging — such as positron emission tomography PETsingle-photon emission computed tomography SPECTand functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI — permit a much closer look at the working brain than was possible in the past. An fMRI scan, for example, can track changes that take place when a region of the brain responds during various tasks. Use of this technology has led to a better understanding of which brain regions regulate mood and how other functions, such as memory, may be affected by depression. Areas that play a significant role in depression are the amygdala, the thalamus, and the hippocampus see Figure 1. Research shows that the hippocampus is smaller in some depressed people. For example, in one fMRI study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, investigators studied 24 women who had a history of depression. The more bouts of depression a woman had, the smaller the hippocampus. Stress, which plays a role in depression, may be a key factor here, since experts believe stress can suppress the production of new neurons nerve cells in the hippocampus. Researchers are exploring possible links between sluggish production of new neurons in the hippocampus and low moods. An interesting fact about antidepressants supports this theory. These medications immediately boost the concentration of chemical messengers in the brain neurotransmitters. Yet people typically don't begin to feel better for several weeks or longer. Experts have long wondered why, if depression were primarily the result of low levels of neurotransmitters, people don't feel better as soon as levels of neurotransmitters increase. The answer may be that mood only improves as nerves grow and form new connections, a process that takes weeks. In fact, animal studies have shown that antidepressants do spur the growth and enhanced branching of nerve cells in the hippocampus. So, the theory holds, the real value of these medications may be in generating new neurons a process called neurogenesisstrengthening nerve cell connections, and improving the exchange of information between nerve circuits. If that's the case, medications could be developed that specifically promote neurogenesis, with the hope that patients would see quicker results than with current treatments. Areas of the brain affected by depression Amygdala: The amygdala is part of the limbic system, a group of structures deep in the brain that's associated with emotions such as anger, pleasure, sorrow, fear, and sexual arousal. The amygdala is activated when a person recalls emotionally charged memories, such as a frightening situation. Activity in the amygdala is higher when a person is sad or clinically depressed. This increased activity continues even after recovery from depression. The thalamus receives most sensory information and relays it to the appropriate part of the cerebral cortex, which directs high-level functions such as speech, behavioral reactions, movement, thinking, and learning.How your immune system causes depression. Chapter 1 Introduction. In I wrote a speculative biomedical paper suggesting that the immune system is the key to understanding a broad range of mental illnesses, including depression, schizophrenia, hyperactivity, anxiety and manic-depressive disorder. 1 The basic idea was this: the . The causes of stress in modern life emerge from the many obligations we have to handle everyday to the modern way of negative thinking. We have all experienced stress periods in our life. This is something normal. Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression [Johann Hari] on yunusemremert.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. From the New York Times bestselling author of Chasing the Scream, a radically new way of thinking about depression and anxiety What really causes depression and anxiety - and how can we really solve them? Award-winning journalist Johann Hari suffered from depression. Psychotherapy. There is a wide number of effective therapeutic approaches utilized for the treatment of depression today. These range from cognitive behavioral therapy, to behavioral therapy (e.g. The causes of the Great Depression in the early 20th century have been extensively discussed by economists and remain a matter of active debate. They are part of the larger debate about economic yunusemremert.com specific economic events that took place during the Great Depression are well established. There was an initial stock market crash that . Poems About Depression and Suicide offers heartfelt poetry on a wide range of topics ranging from melancholy to suicide.

https://mowuhab.yunusemremert.com/the-different-causes-of-depression-in-modern-world-12819bf.html

The Science Of First Impressions: Emotions Influence Social Parts Of The Brain To Work Differently Do you remember the first time you met your best friend, or saw the love of your life? A new study, published in the journal ELife, pulls the veil back on the brain to demonstrate how we process those initial encounters into memories. Researchers from the University of Haifa in Israel examined the emotional impact of the first impression, revealing it to be a key player in creating memories. “It turns out that different emotions cause the brain to work differently and on distinct frequencies,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Shlomo Wagner, a neuroscientist at U-Haifa, in a press release. “We found a connection between the feeling of excitement, rhythmical activity in specific brain areas, and the cognitive process of memory formation. In essence, this finding explains why people tend to remember in particular their first encounter with a future friend or partner.” In the first stage of the experiment, Wagner and his research team studied rats and traced the areas of the brain that lit up as they socialized with other rats. While rats' brains lit up with excitement when they encountered other rats for the first, researchers were surprised to see the memory-forming part of their brain lit up simultaneously. When the rats met for a second time, the brain activity in the two areas declined. Comparing the two different encounters, researchers found the brain initially worked “intensely” under a unique communication system in order to coordinate the two areas of the brain. But as the animals got to know each other better, the brain’s emotional connectivity weakened. It turns out the carefully calibrated synchronized system of electrical signals is dictated by those first emotions. The rat stranger elicited high levels of excitement in the rat’s brain, ultimately facilitating the formation of social memory. But to test their emotions, researchers frightened the rats with other rats, and saw that the brain worked under a different communication system. When a negative emotion like fear is the initial reaction instead of excitement, the brain turns on different electrical signals synchronized with memory formation. It scientifically validates the idea you never get a second chance to make a first impression. "It seems that when the emotion is social and positive, the brain tells the different areas to work according to one communication protocol," Wagner said. Earlier this year, a team of researchers at New York University’s psychology department discovered the brain’s ability to retrieve memories was improved when associated with emotions. They also found different regions in the brain were influenced by different emotions and that overtime, memories were strengthened. The emotional impact of memories and new experiences may explain why certain emotions progressively develop in the brain. “We will need to conduct additional studies in the future in order to understand the precise ramifications of each emotion on memory,” Wagner said. “But in broad terms the implication is clear. Different emotions cause the brain to work differently, including in terms of cognitive processes such as learning and memory.” Source: Wagner S and Tendler A. Different types of theta rhythmicity are induced by social and fearful stimuli in a network associated with social memory. eLife. 2015.

https://www.medicaldaily.com/science-first-impressions-emotions-influence-social-parts-brain-work-differently-346846

We are all dealing with this pandemic in our own way as we grapple through unchartered territory. Now, more than ever, in the midst of extreme uncertainty and anxiety, we need to find ways to put in practice what we have always known – that the answer to our quest for happiness lies within ourselves. At a time when most of our coping mechanisms (such as meeting friends over a meal, shopping, going to the gym or talking a long walk) are not available, it becomes doubly difficult to not be angry, irritable and frustrated, leave alone feel contentment or happiness. But more than in normal times, it is imperative for the well-being of our loved ones and ourselves that we find a way to manage our feelings and consciously make an effort to increase our happy and feel-good hormones. Our feelings, whether they are of well-being, joy and peace or whether they are of grief, depression and anger – are all regulated by hormones and neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that communicate information between the brain and body. They relay signals between the neurons or nerve cells. These important chemicals interact with receptors located throughout the brain and the body to regulate a wide variety of processes including emotions, fear, pleasure, joy, anger, mood and the perception of pain. Emotional intelligence lies in our ability to become aware of our inner state and understand how to make our emotions work for us, rather than allowing them to rule over our minds. There are many chemicals that influence our feelings but they can be narrowed down to four main neurotransmitters which play an important role in feeling a sense of well-being or happiness: Dopamine – drives our brains reward system and its production is increased when we seek out ways to find pleasure or when we achieve an objective or goal.

https://www.magzter.com/article/Lifestyle/GlobalSpa/Keep-up-the-HAPPY-HORMONES-in-this-unprecedented-time

Can you see better when you exercise? Participants rode stationary bikes while wearing a wireless heart rate monitor and an EEG cap. Intrigued by recent findings that neuron firing rates in the regions of mouse and fly brains associated with visual processing increase during physical activity, UC Santa Barbara psychologists Barry Giesbrecht and Tom Bullock wanted to know if the same might be true for the human brain. To find out, they designed an experiment using behavioral measures and neuroimaging techniques to explore the ways in which brief bouts of physical exercise impact human performance and underlying neural activity. The researchers found that low-intensity exercise boosted activation in the visual cortex, the part of the cerebral cortex that plays an important role in processing visual information. Their results appear in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience. “We show that the increased activation — what we call arousal — changes how information is represented, and it’s much more selective,” said co-author Giesbrecht, a professor in UC Santa Barbara’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. “That’s important to understand because how that information then gets used could potentially be different. To investigate how exercise affects different aspects of cognitive function, the investigators enlisted 18 volunteers. Each of them wore a wireless heart rate monitor and an EEG (electroencephalogram) cap containing 64 scalp electrodes. While on a stationary bicycle, participants performed a simple orientation discrimination task using high-contrast stimuli composed of alternating black and white bars presented at one of nine spatial orientations. The tasks were performed while at rest and during bouts of both low- and high-intensity exercise. The scientists then fed the recorded brain data into a computational model that allowed them to estimate the responses of the neurons in the visual cortex activated by the visual stimuli. They analyzed the responses while participants were at rest and then during low- and high-intensity exercise. This approach allowed them to reconstruct what large populations of neurons in the visual cortex were doing in relation to each of the different stimulus orientations. The researchers were able to generate a “tuning curve,” which estimates how well the neurons are representing the different stimulus orientations. Giesbrecht noted that they don’t know the mechanism by which this is occurring. “There are some hints that it may be driven by specific neurotransmitters that increase global cortical excitability and that can account for the change in the gain and the increase in the peak response of these tuning profiles,” he said. From a broader perspective, this work underscores the importance of exercise. “In fact, the benefits of brief bouts of exercise might provide a better and more tractable way to influence information processing — versus, say, brain training games or meditation — and in a way that’s not tied to a particular task,” Giesbrecht concluded.

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/can-you-see-better-when-you-exercise

Exciting advances in neuroscience have taken place during the past decade. A number of them relate to a better understanding of neuropsychiatric diseases. Equally important progress is also being made in our knowledge of the neurobiology of positive states and traits including well-being, resilience, and wisdom. Based on neuroimaging, genetic, and animal studies, specific brain regions and neurotransmitters have been identified as being critical to the development of these characteristics. In foreseeable future, it may become possible to use behavioral and biological techniques to enhance positive traits and states in people suffering from specific neuropsychiatric disorders.

https://www.cbr.iisc.ac.in/lectures-01.htm

Multiple things can contribute to depression. These include stressful situations, a lack of support, and life events like losing a loved one or a job. Additionally, some individuals suffer from depression owing to specific medical conditions. Depression is more prevalent among individuals with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease, or other conditions. Additionally, alcohol and recreational substances can exacerbate sadness. Lastly, individuals who are easily overwhelmed may also suffer from depression. Changes in hormone levels produce mood swings. Due to these changes, which may occur during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, your mood may fluctuate. An underlying mental health disorder could also cause mood swings. If you have regular mood fluctuations, you should consult a physician. You might be able to manage these symptoms with the help of other therapy and mood stabilizers. Those affected by these challenges who wish to develop more robust coping mechanisms can benefit of psychotherapy. It is recognized that stress, traumatic experiences, and hormonal changes can all produce mood swings. Mood swings can have a negative influence on relationships and workplace efficiency, and they might be an indicator of a mental health issue. This article will examine the causes and various therapies for mood swings. Many people regularly endure mood fluctuations. Although this is typical, mood fluctuations that interfere with daily life may signal a more severe condition. If your mood fluctuations are too frequent or interfere with your everyday activities, you should visit a physician. If you or someone you care about has sustained a brain injury, you should consult a mental health expert. Those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are significantly more prone than those who have not acquired depression. There are numerous solutions to this problem, which is fortunate. The most frequent head injury is a concussion, which occurs when the brain is jolted and strikes the skull. Depending on the cause, the severity of trauma can range from moderate to severe. They may also be induced by a strike to a different body part. Other head injuries include intracranial hematomas, bleeding inside the skull, contusions, or bruises on the brain. Call 911 immediately if you have sustained a head injury. Even if there are no apparent symptoms, moving a person with an injury may exacerbate their condition. The Glasgow Coma Scale, a 15-point scale used to determine injury severity, is utilized by medical workers trained to transport injured patients with care. Although scientists are unaware of how chemical imbalances in brain produce depression, they are confident that certain antidepressants effectively treat the illness in some patients. However, even though these medications enhance serotonin levels in the brain, it is debatable whether they benefit everyone. In truth, numerous individuals benefit from drugs with distinct mechanisms of action. Although there is no single cause of depression, several factors enhance the risk. For instance, a vitamin C shortage and persistent inflammation might contribute to depression. On the other hand, a diet rich in vitamins C and E can aid in the prevention of depressive symptoms due to their association with hormonal imbalances. Studies have connected depression to additional molecular brain pathways. Examples include the opioid, glutaminergic, and cholinergic systems. In addition, studies have found that the relative amounts of these neurotransmitters in various brain regions can influence depression. SAD is a prevalent condition that causes people to experience seasonal depression and irritability. All ages are impacted. However, adolescents and women are afflicted more severely than men. Although the exact cause is unknown, fewer daylight hours are believed to be responsible. In addition, some individuals inherit genes that raise their likelihood of having this illness. SAD is treatable with both psychotherapy and medicine. Leaving the house helps alleviate SAD symptoms. You can increase the natural light entering your home by opening your drapes and trimming neighboring trees. To avoid feeling lonely and angry, make an effort to be physically and socially active; schedule fun activities. Various treatments exist for SAD, including medication and light therapy. However, only brief alleviation is provided by these procedures. Most patients begin treatment within two weeks. However, it may take longer in some cases. Light therapy should ideally start as soon as a person rises in the morning. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an alternative treatment for SAD. It helps patients to monitor their emotions and exercise self-control, which may lessen the severity of their SAD symptoms during their most severe episodes.

https://6283768275a38.site123.me/blog/the-leading-four-causes-of-depression-are-as-follows

1) It is recommended that a veterinarian or licensed veterinary technician supervise the patient admissions. a) A properly trained nonprofessional can be quite capable of handling this process but we recommend that a licensed professional be available to assist this individual should questions or concerns arise. 2) The patient’s medical record should be reviewed for completeness. 3) A pre-surgical review of the patient’s history should be performed prior to admission. An admission checklist or questionnaire can be a valuable tool to insure a thorough assessment of the patient. An example questionnaire is included at the end of this reference. a) Food should be withheld for 12 hours prior to admission in normal cats and dogs over age 4 months. i) For cats and dogs under 4 months of age, hypoglycemia is a significant concern. (1) Withholding food for only 4 hours prior to anesthesia helps to minimize this concern. (2) Offering food within 2 or 3 hours of recovery is also recommended. b) Any medications or supplements given in the prior 7 days should be recorded and reviewed with a doctor. c) Any new health concerns should be recorded and reviewed with a doctor. d) Any previous anesthetic “problems” should be reviewed with owner, recorded and reviewed with a doctor. e) Pets with histories of excessive stress when kenneled, chewing at stitches or bandages, difficulty restricting activity, or difficulty maintaining pet in clean, dry area during recovery should be noted. f) Water should not be withheld prior to admission. 4) Smaller growths should be marked for easy identification. a) The owner should show the admitting staff member where the growths are, and the staff member should mark them with the owner present. i) Hair can be clipped at the site or a marker used to identify the site. 5) An accurate Estimate and Surgical Release Form should be reviewed with, and signed by, the owner. a) Please be vigilant for owners who may not understand the form or, in fact, may not be able to read the form. i) A resistance to sign the form may be one indication of this. |Return to top of page| |Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to DRSTEIN@VASG.ORG . | Copyright © 2003 ASAH. All rights reserved. Last modified: April 9, 2011 .

https://vasg.org/admissions.htm

5 Frequently Asked Questions At The Hospital 1. Does my indoor cat need vaccines? It seems counter-intuitive, doesn’t it? If my cat does not go outside and does not encounter disease, then why does he need vaccines every year? Here are a half-dozen good reasons your veterinarian wants to keep your cat up-to-date on vaccines. If you are unsure if your cat is up-to-date on vaccines, contact your veterinarian today to find out. - Your cat could accidentally get outdoors. They are curious about that big exciting world outside their windows and will not hesitate to go exploring. It only takes a few hours outside for an indoor cat to come in contact with a stray cat or wild animal carrying disease. - If your cat ends up at a shelter, he or she could be exposed to sick cats. We all hope that this never happens, but as mentioned before, cats can and do escape from their home. If your cat is found but does not have any identity, such as a collar or microchip, the next stop is the local animal shelter. The stress of being taken to the shelter along with crowded shelter conditions can make cats more susceptible to disease. - You cat may have a lifestyle change. When you bring that adorable kitten home, you are most likely expecting to have him or her for life. However, sometimes life brings changes beyond our control, such as divorce, death in the family, or a move, which can all affect your cat’s lifestyle. There are numerous cats that start out as indoor kittens but later become outdoor cats. - Stress can cause latent disease to flare-up. Cats are often exposed to the feline herpes virus early on in life, especially if they come from a shelter or contracted the disease in-utero. Cats without up-to-date vaccinations can more easily contract respiratory infections or other disease that can cause latent or dormant disease to flare up in an already sick cat. - Viruses such as Calicivirus and Feline Herpesvirus can be spread by inanimate objects. A “fomite” is any inanimate object that can carry an infectious organism. Grooming supplies and even shoes and clothing can act as a fomite bringing disease into your home. 2. How can I help my pet’s dental health at home? You have noticed recently that Buddy’s breath is less than fresh and you are wondering how to help him? Maybe you have noticed that Buddy does not like to chew on toys or dry kibble that he used to love? Depending on the stage of Buddy’s dental disease, there are some good home care remedies that help to keep tartar and gingivitis at bay. A. Teeth Brushing: If your pet allows it, brushing their teeth daily with a pet toothpaste (NOT human toothpaste) is the gold-standard for treating dental disease. It’s more work but definitely helps the most. B. Dental diet: We recommend Hill’s Science Diet T/D dental diet. The T/D diet is a complete, balanced diet that can be fed on a daily basis and has been proven to clinically reduce dental disease. The T/D diet can be fed as treats as well, but less frequent use decreases the positive results. T/D is available at Dupont Veterinary Clinic. C. Chew Products: OraVet Oral Chews (by the makers of Heartgard and Nexgard) are daily oral chews that reduce both halitosisand tartar accumulation. CET Rawhide Chews are rawhide treats coated with enzymes to help inhibit plaque and tartar. Blue Buffalo Dental Bones are another simple option to help reduce tartar. All are available at our hospital. D. Food Additives: We recommend Clenz-a-dent Food Additive as another easy aid in slowing down plaque and tartar accumulation. Here is an image displaying the 4 stages of dental disease. Make an appointment with your veterinarian at Dupont Veterinary Clinic to determine if your pet needs a professional cleaning and polishing. Some pets, especially those in stages 3 and 4, can start to lose teeth if your veterinarian does not step in to help your pet. 3. Is my pet overweight? Obesity in pets is on a steady incline in the United States. Overweight pets are at a much higher risk for developing arthritis, orthopedic disease, cancer, diabetes, and other illnesses. It is important to first determine if your pet is overweight and then determine what his or her ideal weight would be. Click on the following link to be directed to a resource that will walk you through these steps. This article will show you a body fat index risk chart to determine how overweight your pet truly is, then on the second page it will determine what your pet’s ideal weight should be. Feel free to stop by Dupont Veterinary Clinic at any time to put your pet on the scale for a more accurate weight, especially while they are losing weight. There are diseases, such as hypothyroidism, that can lead to weight loss because of a decreased metabolism. If you are concerned about your pet’s weight, contact your veterinarian to have them help you develop a diet plan or recommend a diet for your pet and look for any illness that may be preventing your pet from losing weight. 4. What food should I be feeding my pet? There are numerous foods on the store shelves and it can be overwhelming when trying to select the appropriate one for your pet. For puppies, make sure to get a food that is labeled for puppies as this provides better overall nutrition for their growing bodies. If you have a large or giant breed puppy, make sure to get a large breed puppy food because this helps provide better nutrition for their large, rapidly growing joints. Hill’s Science Diet has a great large breed puppy, toy breed puppy, or even puppy food (for those puppies of average size) for those youngsters at home. If your pet is between the ages of 1 to 7 and does not have any other dietary restrictions, we recommend selecting a diet labeled for adult dogs. If your pet is 8 years or older, we recommend a senior diet because this type of diet provides less calories for our less active pets as well as added nutrients to support joint health. We do not recommend selecting a diet that is listed for “all life stages” (this label is often listed on the back of the label) as this type of diet provides the same nutrients and calories that would be appropriate for a lactating mother or puppy as it would for a less active senior pet! Just like humans, pets have different nutritional needs at different stages of their life and we need to change their diets accordingly. If you are unsure of the food that you are feeding your pet, feel free to bring the food bag into your vet to have them give you a better nutritional assessment. 5. How do I remove a tick from my pet? With the warm weather upon us we are seeing an increasing number of ticks on our pets. Here is a link to a short video that can help walk you through safe removal of a tick from your pet and signs and symptoms to look out for after the tick is removed. If you are concerned about removing a tick from your pet, you can schedule an appointment with the technicians at Dupont Veterinary Clinic to have them help you remove the tick. It is important, especially if you are noticing ticks on your pet, to put your pet on a tick preventative. If you are not sure if the monthly preventative your pet is on works against ticks, call your veterinarian to have them help you pick out the best product for your pet. By Ashley Dawes, DVM 5 Ways To Keep Pets Active This Winter Are your pets getting cabin fever? Here are 5 quick tips on how to keep you and your pets active this winter. - Hide and Seek Position your dog in a different room in the house, preferably with a staircase or a couple rooms between you and them. Then call your pet to come and find you and reward him with a treat when he finds you. Each time your dog (or cat!) finds one family member, the other person changes location so your dog has to seek them out again. - The Searching Game Hide your pet’s favorite toys with treats inside or even just treats around the house and then prompt your dog to go search to find them. Here is a short video on how to train your pet to search for treats. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSa3JMjq5EI ) - Teach Your Pet New Tricks Keeping pets mentally stimulated is very helpful in beating the winter doldrums. There are endless tricks and training sessions that you can do from home. Start with simple tricks, such as “stay” or “shake,” then move on to more complicated tricks like “roll over” or “high five.” Keep training sessions to about 15 minutes so it is fun for everyone. Teaching your pet new tricks helps encourage good behavior and helps you bond with your pet. - Make Mealtime Fun Pets like to scavenge to look for their food. Try offering his meals in a feeding toy rather than just in a food bowl. They will not eat as quickly and it will help to keep them busy. - Create an Indoor Agility Course Build obstacles for your pet to navigate, like an agility course, with household items. You can use chairs as weave poles to navigate around, place a blanket over the tops of chairs to create a tunnel for your dog to run under, or a hula hoop in your hands for your pet to jump through. Train your pet to run through the course with a hand target and use a lot of treats and praise as a reward. These obstacles encourage your pet to be more active and help you bond with your pet too. We at Dupont Veterinary Clinic want to encourage healthy relationships between pets and their owners. Cold weather and short days make it easy for us and our pets to become a bit lazy in the wintertime. We hope these 5 tips help you and your pets stay busy this winter. By Ashley Dawes, DVM February Is Dental Month! February is dental health month, which means it’s time for your pet to open wide for a dental examination! Just like in people, if plaque and tartar build up and are left untreated it can progress to painful periodontal disease. Dupont Veterinary Clinic offers a discount for dental exams during the month of February to honor dental health month. Be sure to schedule your pet a dental exam soon because spaces do fill up quickly! Signs of oral and dental disease in pets - Bad breath - Loose teeth or teeth that are discolored or covered in tartar - Your pet avoiding having his or her mouth touched - Drooling or dropping food from the mouth - Loss of appetite or loss of weight - This combination can be due to many different diseases and it is important to have an examination by a veterinarian right away. Here are five tips on how to keep your pet’s teeth and gums healthy: - Bad Breath If you cannot stand your pet’s breath, do not ignore it! Bad breath in pets is a warning sign for periodontal disease. The tartar and bacteria that build up cause this foul odor and it is important to remove the bacteria sooner rather than later. The bacteria eat away at the gum line and work their way into the blood stream, showering your pet’s body with a lot of bacteria! Here is a before and after image of a pet with significant tartar and periodontal disease (notice the red and inflamed gum line at the base of the teeth on the before image). - Brush Your Pet’s Teeth It may be difficult at first to start this routine, but with enough patience and tasty treats, you can gradually train your pet to accept the tooth brush and pet toothpaste. Start by letting your pet smell the toothbrush and the toothpaste, then gradually work your way to brushing for 30 seconds on each side of the mouth at least every other day. Caution: Human toothpaste is not safe for pets! Be sure to use a pet approved product. - Consider Dental Toys, Treats, and Food There are treats, toys, and food specifically designed to promote oral health; however, they are not as effective as brushing your pet’s teeth. Be sure to look for the Seal of Acceptance from the Veterinary Oral Health Council to make sure that the product meets the standards for effective plaque and tartar control. Stop in to see your veterinarian at Dupont Veterinary Clinic to ask them about the prescription diet specifically designed to promote oral health. - Dental Exam Pets need to have their teeth and gums checked regularly by a veterinarian, just like humans do. A cursory exam can be performed by your vet without sedation, but for a complete dental evaluation your pet will have to be placed under anesthesia. During the dental exam the veterinarian will check the head and neck for any abnormalities, look for any broken or cracked teeth, stage your pet’s dental disease (the severity of tartar, gum disease, redness and inflammation), and look for any other abnormalities in the oral cavity, such as cancerous lumps or bumps. - Don’t let Anesthesia Stop you From Getting a Dental Cleaning In order to perform a thorough examination of your pet’s teeth and gums, remove the plaque and tartar, and really clean your pet’s pearly whites, anesthesia is required. Placing your pet under anesthesia sounds scary, but in fact, the procedure has never been safer or more comfortable for your pet. Before the anesthesia even begins, we perform pre-screening blood tests to ensure that your pet is healthy enough for the procedure. There are numerous benefits of dental cleaning that outweigh the risks of anesthesia. We at Dupont Veterinary Clinic will keep you informed throughout the procedure. There will be a meeting at the time of drop off with a veterinary technician; after the bloodwork is performed, if any health conditions are encountered, you will be contacted prior to anesthesia. After your pet’s teeth are examined and cleaned you will again be contacted when your dog or cat has recovered from anesthesia. We at Dupont Veterinary Clinic aim to provide the best possible care for your pet, which includes regular dental examination and cleaning. Contact your veterinarian with any questions regarding dental cleaning and to schedule your pet’s dental exam today! By Ashley Dawes, DVM Choosing a Pet Food – Where Do I Start? How Do I Choose The Best Food For My Pet?! Walking into a store to choose a pet food for your dog or cat can at times be overwhelming because of the wide variety of brands and options. Feeding a high-quality, well-balanced diet is one of the best things that you as a pet owner can do for the health and well-being of your pet. The right food will help keep your pet’s coat shiny, strengthen their immune system, and keep his digestive system in good health. If your pet has any health concerns, please contact your veterinarian at Dupont Veterinary Clinic for advice on what diet would be most appropriate for your pet. We hope to help you sift through all of the brands and advertising to find the perfect food for your loved one. What do I look for? Knowing what ingredients make up the best dog food is a key first step before selecting a diet. The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has created guidelines for regulators to manage claims a pet food company can make on its label. Looking for the AAFCO label on a pet food brand certifies that the pet food has followed regulations and has to exceed certain expectations prior to being packaged and being put on a shelf. Ensuring that the food you are feeding is complete and balanced for a particular life stage, such as puppy, adult maintenance, or mature senior, is also important because this indicates that your pet is getting more of the ingredients vital for their stage of life. What’s in a name? Under AAFCO guidelines, if a food is labeled to contain a single ingredient it must contain at least 95% of that ingredient, excluding water. If the food advertises a combination of ingredients, that combination has to make up at least 95% of that food. For example, if that food claims to include only chicken, then under AAFCO guidelines chicken must make up 95% of the food. Under AAFCO guidelines a food label containing the words dinner, platter, or entrée means that the food must contain 25% of the named ingredient. If the name states “with” a specific ingredient, such as “with rice,” only 3% of the named ingredient is required. In addition if a product is advertised to contain specific “flavors” the food only needs to contain a detectable amount of the ingredient. Reading the food label Deciphering a pet food label can be almost as confusing as picking the appropriate food off of the shelf! Look at the list of ingredients and keep in mind that the ingredients are listed by weight. Ingredients that contain a lot of moisture, such as beef, poultry, chicken, or fish, are more likely to be at the top of the list. Nutrients that are further down the list may be just as important; however, they may weigh less because the water has been removed for a dry pet food. Is grain or gluten bad for my pet? Unless your pet has been diagnosed with a food allergy, these ingredients do not need to be avoided. Grains are contained in numerous pet foods and are an excellent source of carbohydrates. Grains are easily digested and used as an energy source. Some pets are allergic to grains; however, allergies to meats (protein) are much more common than to grains. Gluten allergies in people are fairly common and is known as Celiac’s disease, fortunately, gluten allergies are very rare in dogs. There are a very select few Irish Setters or Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers that are sensitive to gluten, luckily these cases are very few and far between. Ask your vet’s advice We hope this article helps you to sift through all of the different brands of pet food and gives you a better understanding of what to look for in a food for your pet. If you are unsure of how to decipher a pet food label or if you are uncertain if a pet food is appropriate for your pet, call Dupont Veterinary Clinic at 260-637-7676 to speak with your veterinarian. We want to help you choose the best food possible for your pets so they can live a long, happy, and healthy life.

https://www.dupontvet.com/blog/tag/food/

There are many steps that a veterinarian takes in preparation for surgery. Not all situations or procedures are the same, and your pet may require different care than what is outlined in this article. Whatever the case, your veterinarian will follow procedures that are established to keep your pet safe during surgery. Bloodwork will be performed on your pet prior to surgery, sometimes on the day of surgery. It is considered the standard of care to perform necessary tests to evaluate the condition of the kidneys, liver, blood sugar, hydration status and red blood cell count. If the bloodwork is within normal reference limits, your veterinarian will proceed with preparing for the surgery. However, if there are abnormalities, surgery may be delayed for the safety of your pet, or the veterinarian may make procedural and anesthetic protocol changes to decrease the risk to your pet. Each individual patient is different, and your veterinarian will choose the most appropriate diagnostic tests. The day before the surgery, the veterinarian will recommend withholding food from four to 24 hours prior to the surgery depending on the age, species and breed of your pet, what underlying medical conditions are present and the type of procedure to be performed, so that it has an empty stomach for surgery. Sometimes recommendations regarding water intake may also be provided. This helps to reduce the potential for vomiting during or after surgery. When your pet is recovering from surgery/anesthesia and not fully awake, they do not have a normal gag reflex. If your pet was to vomit during this recovery period, the inhalation of food, called aspiration, could occur, which can cause pneumonia or, in severe cases, make it impossible for your pet to breathe. There are certain instances (e.g., diabetic and very young patients) when your pet’s doctor may have you feed them prior to a surgery; however, this decision will be made on a case-by-case basis. The day of scheduled surgery, your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination on your pet. This will include: (1) listening to your pet’s chest to check the heart for murmurs or irregular beats, (2) listening to the lungs to ensure they are clear and air is passing through them easily, and (3) checking the eyes, skin, muscles and haircoat and palpating the abdomen. This examination will not take long, and you may not realize that the veterinarian is doing all of these things because they may be talking to you about the surgery. Now it is time for the patient to be prepared for surgery. A small area, typically of the front leg, will be shaved to allow for placement of an intravenous (IV) catheter. This catheter is crucial to allow for administration of medications and fluids during surgery. Depending on the patient’s situation, various injections will be given, such as those to prevent vomiting, reduce pain, provide calming sedation or increase a slow heart rate. Next, an injection of a short-acting anesthetic is given into the IV catheter. Your pet relaxes so an endotracheal tubespecific type of tracheal tube that is nearly always inserted through the mouth or nose can be placed in the tracheathe windpipe; a tube that connects the pharynx and larynx to the lungs to protect the airway. The tube is tied in place to the upper jaw or secured behind the head. The gas anesthetic machine is attached to the endotracheal tube, allowing your pet to breathe oxygen and regulating the amount of anesthetic gas to be administered, which a technician monitors. The surgical area is then aseptically (sterile) prepared. The fur is shaved over where the incision will be to prevent fur from entering the surgical site and to allow for adequate cleaning. Your pet is now ready for surgery. When surgery is completed, the gas anesthetic is turned off, and your pet is taken off of the anesthetic machine and the monitoring machines. When your pet is awake enough to swallow, the endotracheal tube is removed. A technician now watches your pet until it is fully awake and ensures that it is warm. Additional pain medications and sedatives will be given depending on the procedure and sometimes antibiotics as well. There are risks involved in any surgery or anesthetic event, but they are few and will always be discussed with you prior to the procedure. It’s important to ask your veterinarian any questions you have regarding surgery or anesthesia prior to the big day; education is a big part of veterinary medicine. Veterinarians and veterinary staff closely monitor your pet throughout the surgical process and are vigilant about keeping your pet safe. Follow your veterinarian’s directions before and following the surgery to help minimize your pet’s risk of complications. Stan Blackwell, DVM, MBA, is a graduate of Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine who resides in the oldest town in Texas—Nacogdoches. He works as a federal government employee as a veterinarian.

https://www.texvetpets.org/article/veterinarians-monitor-pets-safety-surgery/

Ohana Veterinary Dentistry provides specialty dentistry and oral surgery services to pets on Oahu and neighbor islands. We have partnered with Waipahu Waikele Pet Hospital, a large, modern, 24-hour hospital with a dedicated dental suite. We work together with your family veterinarian from the time of initial referral until the time of your pet's last visit with us in order to ensure continuity of care. During the initial consultation with you and your pet, we will review the medical records from your family veterinarian, speak with you about your pet's overall health and the reason for your visit and perform a physical examination and detailed oral examination. If a procedure is recommended, we will review the details of the treatment plan, discuss general anesthesia, and provide an estimate of costs. The procedure is scheduled for a future date. A copy of the oral healthcare consultation including the treatment plan is emailed to your family veterinarian, followed by the complete record and follow-up recommendations once the procedure has been completed. Please give our office a call at 808-671-7387 to schedule a consultation appointment. We generally schedule consultation appointments on Mondays. Procedures are scheduled on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We always accommodate urgent cases so please let the receptionist know if you need to be seen before the next available consultation appointment and one of our technicians will give you a call. The consultation will last 30-45 minutes.

http://www.ohanavetdentistry.com/clients

Administers medications, assist with surgery, treatments and aftercare of canine and feline patients. Assist the Veterinarian with the assessment and processing of shelter animals, including vaccination boosters, medication administration, testing and care of special needs patients. Communicates with kennel and adoption staff, volunteers, and adopters with questions regarding veterinary care. Inputting medical information in to Companion Connect database. • Assists veterinarian with daily rounds; performing blood draws, testing, and stetting up medications. • Responsible for the daily observation of animal health and welfare of animals in the vet clinic and throughout the shelter. • Responsible for ordering, maintaining and stocking inventory for clinic. • Reports injuries and/or irregular behavior of animals to Behavior Manager, Shelter Manager and Veterinarian. • Maintains animal health records, treatment records, medication records with all medications filled, surgeries performed, vaccines administered and treatments given. Coordinates and inputs all info with adoption database. • Assists with medical procedures and proper restraint of pet as needed. • Assists veterinarian with all surgeries. Including anesthesia administration, recording controlled substances, intubation of animals, surgical site preparation, and observation under anesthesia and recovery. • Clean all surgical instruments daily, wrap packs, run autoclave as needed, clean surgery table and scale, restock medical supplies for the week. • Administers vaccines and boosters and performs physical examinations on new animals. • Performs pet care services including nail trims, suture removal as advised by doctor, microchipping, booster vaccines, sedation and obtaining radiographs with minimal supervision. • Carries out duties and job assignments as delegated by the appropriate supervisor, manager or director. Employee is required to stand for long periods of time, can physically manage large animals by lifting or restraining safely, and manage fractious animals keeping employees and animals safe. Rabies exposure is a potential and employee is strongly recommended to be vaccinated. Operational flexibility is required to meet sudden and unpredictable needs. Potential exposure to zoonotic diseases, dangerous and fractious animals, and high noise levels may be present. Work schedule and hours may vary due to the need of the shelter medicine service during large adoption events, transports or hoarding cases. • Willingness to work a rotating shift and rotate work tasks. • Ability and willingness to work weekends, evenings and holidays, during all climatic conditions.

https://vetmedcareers.com/jobs/shelter-veterinary-technician/

What to Expect on the Day of Surgery The process begins when you make an appointment with our front desk staff. You will choose a time between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m to have your pet admitted to the hospital for the day. During the admittance process, you will be asked some general questions regarding our pets current health status, presented with an treatment plan, or estimate, for the scheduled procedure, and you will be required to make some decisions regarding preoperative blood testing and some other optional diagnostic testing. After you approve the treatment plan and sign the informed consent form, your pet will be taken into the hospital to begin the process. First, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will take our pet’s vital signs. Then, if you elected to have preoperative blood testing, which we highly recommend, your pet will have its blood drawn and tested using our in-house laboratory equipment. Next, your pet will be taken to its kennel to await the results of the blood test or to continue on to the next step of the procedure which will usually be a preoperative injection. If the blood work results are abnormal, the veterinarian will call you to discuss your options. If the blood test results are normal, the preoperative injection will be administered either subcutaneously or intramuscularly to help him/her relax and become drowsy. Next, an IV catheter will be placed, usually in one of your pet’s front legs. Remember that the pre-anesthetic injection has made the pet nice and sleepy so this process is not traumatic. Next, anesthesia is administered IV using a safe and fast-acting medication called Propofol. As soon as the pet is asleep, an endotracheal tube is inserted in its airway and gas anesthesia is initiated and this is the method which is used to keep the pet asleep for the duration of the procedure. A blood pressure monitor, pulse oximeter, temperature and EKG monitors are hooked up and also used throughout the procedure. Next, the pet is shaved, prepped, and taken to the surgical suite for surgery. When surgery is complete, the gas anesthesia is turned off and the pet is allowed to breathe oxygen until it begins to awaken. When the pet is awake enough to swallow, the endotrachael tube is removed and the pet is taken to its recovery kennel, where it will be kept warm and comfortable. At this point, the doctor will usually call you to let you know that surgery is over. He or she will also let you know when we expect your pet to be able to go home. In some cases, a discharge appointment will be made so the doctor can discuss home-care instructions with you. In most cases, you will be given a window of time in which you can come pick up your pet and a technician will go over the home-care instructions with you. We are Hiring! We have openings for a Veterinary Technician and a Client Care team member. Please see details on our Employment page, or email a cover letter and resume to Kim at admin@petkareclinic.com.

https://petkareclinic.com/what-to-expect-on-the-day-of-surgery/

How Do You Know When to Put a Dog Down? I had the best dog. She saw me through veterinary school, marriage, and the birth of my first child. We grew up together. But by the time she was 14 years old, Veena was suffering from painful arthritis in her hips and back, along with GI problems, and was having difficulty seeing. As a veterinarian, I knew that there were many options for her, including hospice and palliative care, but as a pet parent, I could only see the difficult, heart-wrenching decision in front of me. Like all my clients, I wished that when things got too hard for her, my dog would pass away painlessly in her sleep. I wanted to be spared the heartache of having to make that choice for her. Unfortunately, nature seldom provides this luxury, so it’s up to us to do this for our pets. When Veena suddenly got much sicker and was in constant pain, I had to make that very personal decision of what was right for my pet. I had to humanely end her suffering by putting her down. This type of decision is difficult, and you should talk with your veterinarian to determine what’s best for you and your pet. To help you prepare for when that time comes, here’s what you need to know about putting a pet down. When Is It Time to Put a Dog Down? When your dog is suffering, euthanasia is a gift. It may be very difficult to think of it this way, but it is the kindest thing you can do for your pet. But how do you know when it’s the right time to say goodbye? Have an open and honest discussion with your veterinarian about your dog’s health and quality of life. They are uniquely qualified to offer some objective guidance based on their knowledge of your pet’s condition. Here are some questions you can ask yourself and your veterinarian: - Does my dog have a good quality of life? Are they eating and drinking? Are they able to urinate/defecate? Do they enjoy human interaction? - Does my dog have more good days than bad? - Is it possible for my dog to recover with a treatment plan that I can commit to both financially and personally? Your veterinarian may be able to provide you with medications, treatment options, and changes that you can make at home that may help improve your dog's quality of life. However, it may be that there are no additional medical or home interventions that will cause enough improvement to bring your dog back to an acceptable level of comfort. If that is the case and you answer “no” to one or more of these questions, it’s time to talk about euthanasia with your veterinarian. Dog Quality of Life Scale To make the process easier on pet parents and to provide a clear structure for how to evaluate your dog’s current life experience, veterinary oncologist Dr. Alice Villalobos created a Quality of Life scale. Her scale is also called the HHHHHMM or H5M2 scale. These letters stand for categories that you can use to assess your pet’s quality of life. Each section is to be given points on a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being ideal. If the total is less than 35, it may mean that your dog’s quality of life is suffering. HHHHHMM includes: - Hurt – This relates to a pet's ability to breathe easily without distress and assesses whether their overall pain is well-controlled. - Hunger – Is your pet able to safely and comfortably take in adequate nutrition to maintain their body condition? - Hydration – Can your dog take in enough water on their own or with help from subcutaneous fluids to maintain their hydration? - Hygiene – Can your dog be kept clean without getting sores from lying in one place too long? - Happiness – This is more than just guessing whether your dog seems happy. Are they engaging with people and toys that they have enjoyed in the past, or do they seem withdrawn, sad, less social, or depressed? - Mobility – Is your dog able to get up and move about freely on their own, are they at risk of stumbling or harming themselves when walking? - More good days than bad – Does your dog have more overall good days than bad (keeping a calendar or diary can help you answer this question). Lap of Love, a nationwide network of veterinarians dedicated to end-of-life care, also has several important resources that can help you determine your pet’s quality of life: Quality of Life Assessment Tool Quality of Life Daily Assessment Calendar Who Provides Dog Euthanasia Services? Veterinarians are the only providers of euthanasia services. Your veterinarian will help you to finalize any decisions that are left to be made and will walk you through the process to try to make this time as peaceful for you and your pup as possible. You can elect in-home pet euthanasia services, or you may bring your pet to the vet’s office. Alternatively, your local ASPCA/Humane Society may offer low-cost euthanasia options. The cost of euthanasia varies widely depending on the size of your pet, your location, the services provided, including aftercare, and where the procedure is performed. Deciding What’s Right for Your Dog With the integration of hospice care into veterinary medicine, we now have dedicated ways to provide supportive care geared toward maintaining a dog's quality of life above all else. Hospice care focuses on maintaining a dog's comfort and quality of life when they are approaching the end of their life, but it also provides emotional support for their human caregivers. Palliative care is very similar to hospice care, but with palliative care, direct medical care is still given to address your dog's medical condition. Part of hospice and palliative care is having a plan to say goodbye when the time comes to ensure that your dog has a peaceful passing. How you choose to spend the last moments with your pet and memorialize them afterward is a very personal decision. If you have questions or concerns about your pet’s quality of life and how to improve it, or about the euthanasia process or aftercare, let your veterinarian know, as they are there to help. Featured Image: iStock.com/AnnaStills Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful?

https://www.petmd.com/dog/care/when-to-put-dog-down

Our state of the art surgery suite allows us to care for your pet on the highest level. We utilize multi-parameter monitors, blankets to regulate body temperature, and intubation to protect the airways during all general anesthesia procedures. We provide individual assessments and protocols for each pet after a physical examination and pre-surgical blood work. Let us provide surgical services as a part of overall care for your pet. All aspects of soft tissue surgery, as well as spays and neuters, are performed at Ironwood Animal Hospital.

https://ironwoodanimalhospital.com/services/surgery

When a veterinarian is presented with your pet s/he has a process that is followed to help determine a diagnosis. One of those processes, that many vets follow, is called SOAP. This is a way they look at the “problem” that is being presented. Subjective Objective Assessment Plan Subjective is what the client and vet can see looking at your pet. Is your pet panting, lethargic, frantic, scratching? Is the haircoat shiny, dull, flaky, is there alopecia? When you tell the vet what you’ve been seeing lately that makes you believe some thing is wrong, not eating, crying during urination, pacing, sleeping all day, these are all a part of the subjective information. This is the information gathering stage. Objective is the information gathered from diagnostics such as radiographs, blood work, even taking of the temperature. The objective assists the vet in assessment. Assessment is reading the the results of tests and other diagnostics so that they may rule out or confirm a diagnosis. S/He may find that more information is required as they have only come up with a differential diagnosis, meaning there are more than one possible diagnosis bases on the information. This leads to the next step. Plan is what the veterinarian is going to do about what they have diagnosed. Treatment plan, prognosis and if s/he came up with a differential diagnosis what further tests may need to be done. Communication with the client is also a part of the plan. This is just one way that a veterinarian approaches your pets health issues. By no means is it the only way.

http://mobilevetdoctor.com/services/internal-medicine-eye-and-ear-complains-skin-problems

“I had a plan with another pet insurance company and decided to switch to ASPCA Pet Health Insurance. When I took my 9-year-old cat, Midnight, to the vet for dental work and a checkup, the vet discovered a growth on his belly. I was worried it might be cancer. My veterinarian did a thorough checkup, with lab tests and blood work, plus the dental cleaning, which also meant anesthesia and an IV. I knew this was not going to be cheap. The bill was $1,368.75. I submitted my claim, expecting the level of reimbursements I had been used to with my previous pet insurance plan. But my ASPCA Pet Health Insurance plan covered about 90% of the claim! I was delighted!

https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/blog/2014/june/15/customer-story-midnights-cancer-scare/

Policies and practices, by species and breed type, related to physical alterations and the use of anaesthetic Symrise is not involved in animal husbandry, nor do we slaughter any animals ourselves (regarding the supply chain, see 414-2). The dogs and cats held by our Nutrition segment are primarily experts in sensory and behavioral assessment of pet food and care, while fish and shrimp in the Diana Aqua segment are used to assess product performance. Our dogs and cats receive only treatment for care; no invasive measures are taken. There are no breeding activities. In order to manage our animal population, dogs and cats are castrated or sterilized. The operation is carried out by a veterinarian in accordance with generally accepted practical recommendations regarding anesthesia and analgesic protocols. If one of the animals must undergo a surgical procedure, a painful examination or medical treatment, the attending veterinarian supplies the appropriate narcotic and analgesic treatment. When a product test is completed, fish and shrimp used for product testing in the Diana Aqua business unit are treated as legally required and in accordance with the ethical guidelines of our testing procedures.

https://cr2019.symrise.com/node/607

The start of the school season is almost upon us! It’s time for parents and caregivers to consider some of the health and wellness issues that will arise when kids return to the classroom. Returning to School and COVID-19 While returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic will be different for your child, it is important to reassure them that simple precautions can help keep them safe. Inquire with your child’s school for information about specific precautions they plan to take and prepare your child accordingly. Here are key points to discuss using terms that are age-appropriate.: • COVID-19 is still new to everyone, so many people may become ill around the same time. • Social distancing may be required so remind your child not to hug classmates. • Washing hands frequently helps keep everyone safer from COVID-19 and other contagious diseases such as the seasonal influenza virus. • Wearing a mask can help protect your child and others from COVID-19 and other viruses. In addition to studying hard and staying safe, here are 10 back-to-school tips to consider: 1. Talk to Your Child During this Transition Period It’s important to talk to your child about what to expect and what they’re experiencing. Remember to empathize with their feelings and be mindful that worrying or feeling overwhelmed may be completely normal experiences. 2. Make Sure Kids Are Up-To-Date on Medical Care Starting at the age of 3, it’s recommended that every child undergo an annual physical exam. This allows your child’s pediatrician to address any health problems and screen for potential future issues. Children also typically receive vaccines before the start of kindergarten, seventh grade and college. 3. Start Each Morning with a Healthy Breakfast Did you know that studies show children who consume a nutritious breakfast each morning have increased energy and better concentration in school? Consider transitioning into better eating habits as the school year starts. That means avoiding sugary cereals and greasy fast food. 4. Plan Ahead for School Lunches and Snacks Kids who eat healthy foods during the school day feel more energetic and focused. Remember to plan ahead and monitor what your children are eating. 5. Seek out a Well-Fitting and Age-Appropriate Backpack Choosing a backpack can be an exciting part of preparing for the school year. Make sure to look for straps that are wide and padded, and a bag with a padded back. A proper-fitting backpack sits at the level of your child’s waist and is best worn with a strap on each shoulder to avoid muscle strain. 6. Prepare for a Safe Year of Sports School sports are an excellent way for kids to engage in physical activity, build character and enjoy healthy social interactions. Before school sports begin, help your child choose sports they’re interested in. Consider the timing of each sport season and aim for a balance throughout the year. 7. Don’t Forget the Importance of Sleep Children and teenagers need 8 to 12 hours of sleep each night. The most realistic way to ensure your child gets enough sleep for school is to practice good sleep hygiene throughout the year. Surprisingly, preparing for a good night’s sleep begins during the daytime. Make sure your kids avoid caffeinated beverages, including tea, dark colas or coffee drinks. Lots of physical activity and limiting screen use throughout the day also are keys to a good night’s rest. 8. Create a Homework-Friendly Environment Homework is an extension of school. A home environment that best mimics a school environment is ideal for helping your child concentrate at the end of the day. Provide a dedicated quiet place in your home where your child has a flat desk or table to sit at and study. 9. Limit Screen Time Before and After School Screen time has become an ongoing battle in many households, starting from a very early age. While screens may provide a small amount of educational opportunities, for the most part, the negative effects far outweigh the benefits. Children’s screen time always should be supervised. Use any parental controls and privacy settings available, and closely monitor any social media sites or apps used by your child. 10. Remember to Celebrate After you’re done preparing for a new school year, try to enjoy the moment! Plan a celebratory dinner, enjoy some music together or sit down and have everyone list their goals and hopes for the year. Whatever your ritual, we hope your family has a safe, healthy and successful school year.

https://www.orangeobserver.com/sponsored-article/10-ways-ensure-your-kids-are-ready-school-year

We’ve all heard discussion around the potential negative consequences of remote learning, including: - Social disconnection - Academic loss - Socio-emotional & developmental regressions But what about the complications that no one is talking about? The ones that may be preventable? The ones that we as parents can actually do something about? Since we went into lockdown and remote learning began in March 2020, I’ve seen some surprising trends in my patients’ physical & mental health – some predictable, some not. These are based solely on my observations in my practice and may not be indicative of larger trends. But I would guess others are noting these, too. At least for my kids, and many of the kids in my practice – there are no plans to go back to school in person any time soon. There are many things out of our control as parents during this time, so let’s take back control over the things we can. Remember, knowledge is power. And the first step in recognizing a problem is knowing to actually look for it. Some of your kids are back in school, and some are not yet. Even for those kids back in school in-person, many are in a hybrid model with a continuing significant amount of online asynchronous learning. The following are the top PREVENTABLE complications of online learning that I’m seeing, their potential causes, and the solutions that you can implement now no matter what your child’s school looks like now and in the future.. Problem: Functional/Postural Scoliosis Functional or postural scoliosis results from a temporary cause and is different from structural scoliosis in children, which is often genetic of undetermined etiology. The type of scoliosis I am encountering more during the pandemic is functional scoliosis. Addressing this now can prevent long term posture problems, back pain and headaches. CAUSE: - Sitting in front of a screen for prolonged periods with back hunched, belly pooched out, shoulders slouched, neck and head strained forward - Or WORSE, on screens while leaning sideways on one arm over your desk, slumped on the couch, or laying on your stomach on your bed or the floor SOLUTION: - Sit with feet on the floor, tummy muscles engaged, back straight, shoulders up but relaxed, head level with screen at eye level Problem: Weak Core I’m seeing kids who can barely sit upright for a few seconds before they have to slouch because their abdominal muscles have become so weak. Weak core muscles can lead to back pain, balance problems, and difficulty doing pretty much any activity that kids enjoy (like riding a bicycle or playing sports). Weak abdominal muscles also make it harder to sit still, which may cause your kids to fidget even more in their seats than they already are. CAUSE: - Pretty much the same cause as functional scoliosis SOLUTION: - Sit with tummy muscles engaged, back straight, shoulders back, head level - Consider a “wobble cushion” to engage core muscles while sitting - Keep back straight and tummy tucked in even when standing - Get up and MOVE during breaks. High-knees marching in place will get blood pumping and core working Problem: Weight Gain Between pandemic baking, pandemic boredom, and pandemic snacking coupled with a lack of movement, unhealthy weight gain is a real problem for many kids and adults. Obesity and diabetes are among the leading risk factors for serious COVID-19 illness. We do NOT want to come out of quarantine less healthy than when we started! CAUSE: - Not enough movement - Easy access to snacking all day long SOLUTION: - Get up and MOVE! Make exercise a family priority! - Cut the sugar and the snacking - Make every bite count – focus on nutrient-dense, healthy snacks filled with protein and healthy fats (not sugar!) - Stay hydrated – hunger can sometimes be confused with thirst - Teach kids to recognize their hunger and satiety signals, so that they don’t snack out of boredom or stress Problem: Myopia (nearsightedness) Cool glasses may be fun to wear, but rapidly progressive nearsightedness is nothing to laugh at. Eye strain is a significant problem for your child’s long-term vision and eye health. CAUSE: - Staring at a screen for prolonged periods (for school and for fun), causing strain to vision muscles. SOLUTION: - Give your eyes a break! Use the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes while on screens for school or fun, STOP and look at something at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. - DO NOT immediately use school Zoom breaks to text, FaceTime, game, or go on social media. Problem: Flat Feet While there is controversy as to whether barefoot walking is better for your feet than wearing shoes, one thing that I, and some of my podiatrist colleagues, are noticing is an increase in children with flat feet, ankle pronation and bunion formation which may lead to long-term foot pain that may require orthotics or surgical correction. CAUSE: - Walking around barefoot all day long SOLUTION: - Wear household slippers or sandals with arch support (like FitFlop or Vionic for older kids and adults, and OluKai for all ages) - Exercise those arches with a tennis/golf ball roll. While sitting with a straight spine, roll a tennis or golf ball back and forth under one foot, focusing on where your arch is. Do this for a few minutes and then switch to the opposite foot. Problem: Cavities Many routines have fallen by the wayside – including regular brushing (at least for some kids, and ahem – adults). Some parents are shocked to find that their kids have multiple cavities at their first visit back to the dentist since quarantine. CAUSE: - Getting out of your daily flossing/brushing routine – because who cares about your breath when you’re at home? SOLUTION: - Floss & Brush – EVERY DAY! Pay attention especially to your nighttime dental routine Problem: Sleep Issues Quality, restorative sleep is important any time – but especially now to help mitigate the stress of the pandemic and support memory and attention/focus while our kids are remote learning. Bedtimes have creeped later and later for many kids, especially for our teens who may be up until the wee hours of the night on Discord or FaceTime with friends. I totally get that our kids are on screens more during the pandemic, as a necessity to stay in touch with their friends and maintain social connection. And I am more forgiving in screen time limits now for my own kids and the kids in my practice than pre-pandemic. As long as: - Screen time does NOT take the place of the daily essentials – like quality sleep, schoolwork, exercise, outdoor time, and family time - Screen time ends at least 1 hour before bedtime; and - Phones/devices are kept OUT of the bedroom. A study of 234 children between 8-17 years of age found that devices used at bedtime reduced the quality AND the quantity of sleep. Kids who watched TV or played video games before bedtime slept an average of 30 minutes less than kids who did not. And if kids used their phones or computers before bed, they slept a WHOLE HOUR LESS. Not only that, the use of any technology at bedtime was associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) in kids with a higher risk for obesity and pre-diabetes. And what was startling (at least to me!) was that the use of any type of technology (TV, video game, cell phone, computer) before bedtime, resulted in a much higher likelihood that kids would WAKE UP in the middle of the night to use their cell phone (like waking up to text someone!). CAUSE: - Erratic sleep/wake times - Screen time too close to bedtime - Blue light from screens that: - Blocks melatonin production - Changes our sleep patterns with - 1) less deep restorative sleep - 2) less REM sleep for memory & processing the day’s events SOLUTION: - Consistent sleep/wake times - Turn off screens 1-2 hours before bedtime - No phones/devices in bedroom - Blue-light blocking glasses day and night - Nightlight mode on all screens Problem: Brain Imbalance Digital devices are changing our children’s brains – and not necessarily for the better. Several studies have identified the link between excessive screen time and changes in brain function. Our children’s brains are actively creating new connections (synapses), and just as actively pruning (getting rid of) connections that are less frequently used. During these critical periods of brain development in our children and teens, we want to ensure a rich diversity of offline and online experiences to create new, useful connections while getting rid of connections that aren’t needed or useful. We don’t want our children’s future brain architecture to be molded solely by screen use. We want our kids’ brains to make and keep the connections they need to be successful and thriving adults. CAUSE: - The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study has found that screen time can cause parts of the brain to shrink (cortical thinning), and also lower scores on thinking and language tests - Screen time can change the neurotransmitters that affect mood/anxiety/sleep (serotonin) & focus/attention/motivation (dopamine) – leading to screen addiction and the physiological, psychological and socio-emotional harm that any addiction can cause - Screen time can increase anxiety/depression & suicidal thoughts in kids/teens. Not surprisingly, the single most protective factor for our teens was IN-PERSON social interaction – something we’re all sorely lacking these days - Screen time can lower connectivity in the regions of the brain related to language and cognitive control. On the flip side, reading was correlated with higher connectivity in these same regions SOLUTION: - Educate your kids about the potential consequences of excessive screen time – without judgment - Help your kids plan screen-free activities - Read an actual book - Play online games WITH your children. While playing, help them think about what they’re seeing and doing on screen - Plan safe in-person social time with friends - Have screen-free family time (meals, car rides, exercise, games, etc.) - No devices in bedroom overnight - Model the behavior you want in your kids While this is not an exhaustive list of the negative consequences of remote learning, it’s a start. And I’ll be here with you to the end. We’re all in this together.

https://healthykidshappykids.com/2021/03/16/preventable-complications-of-remote-learning/

Breaking up regular sitting time is important – even small breaks from prolonged sitting are good for health. - Break up sitting time for at least a few minutes every hour (preferably more). - Limiting the time spent in front of a screen gives more time for physical activity. At work/study Height-adjustable tables allow for changing between sitting and standing. - Break up long periods of sitting by standing regularly to stretch or take phone calls. - Stand during meetings or when reading. - Walk to colleagues instead of phone, texting or emailing them. - Take regular standing breaks while driving. Travelling - Replace regular car journeys with public transport or active transport where possible. - Try walking, cycling or scooting short trips. - Reduce sitting time during travel by standing on buses, trains and ferries. - Get off the bus/train one stop earlier and walk the rest of the way. - Take regular breaks when travelling in a car or on a motorbike. Leisure - Limit TV, computer use or other seated activities when at home. - During leisure time, turn off the TV/computer/tablet and go for a walk. - Stand up and stretch when the ad breaks come on TV. - Stand up while fishing, preparing kai, checking emails or making phone calls. Seated activities Seated activities that use a lot of energy, like waka ama/oe vaka, wheelchair sports, rowing and cycling, are all excellent ways to get moving and can reduce your risk of poor health. Seated activities can help to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and being overweight or obese. Lower limb movements can also offset the negative health effects of prolonged sitting. People with physical disabilities If you have a health condition that means you can’t stand (like if you use a wheelchair or have limited mobility), focus on doing regular chair-based activities like: - ‘Sit and Be Fit’ or ‘Chairobics’ - arm cranking - wheelchair circuits - wheeling with friends - wheelchair sports. These activities increase the heart rate and breathing as well as strengthening muscles. Find out more from the Ministry The Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults have more information on the benefits of sitting less.

https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/healthy-living/food-activity-and-sleep/physical-activity/sit-less-move-more

Poor posture is a problem that we tend to talk about in relation to adults. We know that sitting at a desk all day and not moving around enough can lead to serious posture issues. But most people don’t consider bad posture in their children. The thing is, it’s becoming an increasing problem as kids are less active and they spend more time on laptops and phones. If your child develops poor posture from a young age, it’s much harder to correct later on and it can lead to a range of health issues. If you are concerned about your child’s posture, here’s how you can keep them healthy. Start During Pregnancy Did you know that pregnancy and childbirth can impact your child’s spine and posture? If your own body is misaligned, this can have a knock-on effect on your child. A pregnancy chiropractor can help you align your spine and reduce pressure on your pelvis. So, when your child is born, they are less likely to have issues with their posture. Naturally, this doesn’t always apply, but if you are planning on having more children in the future, you should consider chiropractic care. Limit Their Screen Time We all know that screen time is bad for our children, but it’s not just because they’re sitting in front of a screen for hours on end. It’s also because the posture they adopt when using screens is often poor. The best way to combat this is to limit their screen time. This isn’t always easy, but you can make sure they have plenty of breaks and that they take regular screen-free days. You can also get them involved in other activities, like sports or arts and crafts. As a parent, it’s vital that you teach your child about safe technology use, and learning how to manage their posture is part of that. When they are using screens, encourage them to hold their phone in front of their face instead of looking down at it because this is better for their neck and spine. Encourage Them To Stay Active A sedentary lifestyle is bad for everyone, but it’s especially bad for children. It leads to them gaining weight and weakens their bones. It can also impact their posture because they’re not using all of their muscles enough. This causes misalignment in the spine that leads to poor posture. So, you should encourage your child to be active as much as possible. If they do spend time on screens or playing video games, make sure they are doing plenty of other activities too. They need at least an hour of physical activity every day – this could be anything from sports and dance classes to hiking and biking with the family. Do Some Stretches Together Regular stretching is a good way to improve your child’s posture. You can do this together at home, and it’s a great way for you to stay healthy too. There are some basic stretches that you can do to target the neck, back, and shoulders. You don’t need any special equipment, and you can do them anywhere. If you’re not sure where to start, there are plenty of online resources that can help. Posture is becoming an increasing health issue for children, but you can make sure that it doesn’t affect your child by following these tips. This post was submitted by Simone Devonshire.

https://www.notinjersey.com/2021/12/how-to-avoid-poor-posture-in-your-children.html

Fit despite sitting in front of the computer for hours. Long periods of sitting and highly concentrated work in front of a computer can lead to tension, poor posture and chronic back pain. In addition, lack of movement has a negative effect on the entire human body. Thereby, these negative side effects of sedentary human work can be prevented by simple means. Too much sitting: Volkskrankheit Bewegungsmangel Many of us spend a large part of the day in front of the computer and then in the vast majority of cases sitting. Since our bodies are actually designed for regular physical activity and constant movement, this lack of movement can make us sick. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 42% of the population in Germany suffers from a lack of exercise. This makes Germany one of the countries most affected. The consequences can be manifold. Lack of exercise can result in chronic back pain as well as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, metabolic diseases and diabetes mellitus. Lack of exercise can also promote obesity and chronic pain. In addition, lack of exercise weakens the whole organism, leading to a weak immune system, increased colds and more and more allergies. Grade in winter, when it is cold outside and instead of biking or walking to the supermarket, we prefer to take the car after all, or in times of COVID-19 and a changed social life, when we can't do team sports or other social sports, lack of exercise can become a growing problem. Sedentary activities dominate our daily lives, but to still engage in regular physical activity and stay healthy, even small changes can help. Children and young people are particularly affected by a lack of exercise. That's why it's important at any age to incorporate at least 60 minutes of physical exertion into the daily routine. A walk at a moderate pace can already be enough. What does ergonomicsmean? The term ergonomics is composed of the Greek words ergon,work, and nomos, rule or law. Ergonomics is thus concerned with the regularity of human work. Ergonomic findings related to sitting in front of a computer for hours are, for example, that a straight back and the computer screen at eye level are good working positions that can prevent back pain. Ergonomic workstation design can prevent disease early and is supported by many employers. To limit sedentary work in general and incorporate more movement at the computer, you can work standing at a desk, for example, and always incorporate small breaks with stretching exercises and walks into your daily routine. How healthy are sitting balls. For a long time, beanballs were traded as an alternative to the office chair, however, experts now say that sitting too long on beanballs in the office can cause fatigue, as it permanently stresses the deep muscles and can overstrain the muscles. This then leads to tension and back pain, exactly the opposite of what the bean ball was supposed to achieve. These tensions can result in poor posture, further exacerbating the problems. Set balls, on which you have to keep your balance and thus constantly change position, strengthen your back muscles. So while you shouldn't bounce around on a rubber ball all day, 30 minutes a day is definitely recommended. Sitting back-friendly. By back-friendly sitting is broadly understood a straight sitting posture, which is based on the natural posture of the spine and back. Accordingly, the seat should be horizontal to the floor, the feet should be flat on the floor, the knees should be bent at right angles, and the forearms should rest on the table, comfortably reaching the computer keyboard. It is especially common for computer work to cause neck strain because you have to twist your head to look at the screen. Therefore, the monitor should be in a straight line of vision with the head tilted slightly downward while the shoulders are relaxed. The posture of sitting backwards may be the natural one for the spine, but anyone who constantly remains rigidly in it will also develop back problems in the long run. In addition to the correct posture, it is especially important to equip the workplace in a way that promotes constant movement and change in the sitting posture. Ddynamic sitting. Dynamic sitting is the constant change of sitting posture. The aim of dynamic sitting is to encourage as frequent and varied movements as possible, in order to maintain the natural mobility of the joints and stimulate muscular metabolism even when sitting. To do this, you need a support (i.e. a desk chair, for example) that ideally does not allow static sitting without movement. By slightly shifting and tilting the backrest or the seat area, a continuous change in posture is brought about and thus tension is prevented. Exercises for more movement in everyday office life. Some examples of physical movements that can be easily incorporated into everyday office life and won't scare away an incoming visitor include shoulder and neck stretching exercises. For example, you can touch your shoulder on the same side with your fingertips and then move your elbows in a circular motion, or you can make circular motions with your head to relieve tension in your neck. Another simple exercise is done by placing the hand to the opposite ear and then pulling the elbow down. The important thing to remember with all these exercises is that you should not overdo the stretching and cause further damage to the muscles, frequent gentle exercises are more effective than infrequent extreme ones. Also, it is important to perform the same exercise on both sides at a time to strengthen the balance of the spine. Also during work is helpful in light forward and backward bending, as well as stretching exercises of the feet. Shoes should be removed for this purpose. Two particularly effective exercises are stretching the chest area by spreading the arms wide and then stretching them backward. This opens up the chest and heart area and has also been shown to change mood and social openness. The other exercise is done by bringing the hands together in front of the chest and interlacing the fingers. Then you put your arms through with your palms facing forward. With an exhale, one then pulls the folded arms over the head and back as far as possible. This exercise not only helps train a straight posture, but especially relaxes the shoulders and neck. Checklist of an ergonomic desk chair. - Seating surface and padding . - Individually adjustable seat height . - Front edge of seat rounded and slightly sloped down - Sliding seat to adjust the office chair to your thigh length . - Suspension when sitting down - Tiltable seat - Synchronous mechanism or mechanism for dynamic sitting . - Backrest - Anatomical shape - movable - Height adjustable - Tilt of at least 15 degrees - Recline extends to the shoulder blades - Lean pressure adjustable to body weight . - optionally with head or neck support . - Arm rests - Ergonomic armrest with 20 centimeters length and at least 5 centimeters width .

https://haeps.de/en/blogs/news/sport-am-arbeitsplatz

The start of the school season is upon us! It’s time for parents and caregivers to consider some of the health and wellness issues that arise when kids return to the classroom. By going over a checklist ahead of time, families are more likely to prevent problems rather than having to tackle them later. Returning to School and COVID-19 While returning to school during the COVID-19 pandemic will be different for your child, it is important to reassure them that simple precautions can help keep them safe. Inquire with your child’s school for information about specific precautions they plan to take and prepare your child accordingly. Talk to your child using terms and information that are age-appropriate. For young children, it may be sufficient to remind them to wash hands frequently and cover their mouth with their arm when coughing. Older children may have significant concerns about whether they will be safe in school. Here are key points to discuss: - COVID-19 is still new to everyone, so many people may become ill around the same time. - Social distancing may be required when returning to school. Remind your child not to hug classmates. - Hand hygiene is the single most-important factor in reducing transmission of most viruses. Washing hands frequently helps keep everyone safer from COVID-19 and other contagious diseases such as the seasonal influenza virus. - Wearing a mask can help protect your child and others from COVID-19 and other viruses circulating in the community. If you or your child has questions or concerns, call your pediatrician to discuss plans for returning to school safely. In addition to studying hard and staying safe, here are 10 back-to-school tips to consider: 1. Talk to Your Child During this Transition Period Every school year comes with new challenges and experiences. This is particularly true during major transitions, such as graduating or moving to a new school. It’s important to talk to your child about what to expect and what they’re experiencing. Frequent and open communication is the best way to gauge how they’re handling change. Remember to empathize with their feelings and be mindful that worrying or feeling overwhelmed may be completely normal experiences. After all, major transitions are difficult for people of all ages! Before life turns hectic with school, take time to evaluate your home environment. Are there any possible stressors, such as family conflict, loss of a loved one, trauma, financial difficulties, mental health or substance abuse issues? All of these may have a significant effect on your child’s mental and emotional well-being and should be addressed immediately. 2. Make Sure Kids Are Up-To-Date on Medical Care Starting at the age of 3, it’s recommended that every child undergo an annual physical exam. This allows your child’s pediatrician to address any health problems and screen for potential future issues. Children also typically receive vaccinesbefore the start of kindergarten, seventh grade and college. Additionally, we encourage children to receive a flu vaccine each year. Through this preventive approach, parents and medical professionals can work together to achieve each child’s maximum potential. 3. Start Each Morning with a Healthy Breakfast Did you know that studies show children who consume a nutritious breakfast each morning have increased energy and better concentration in school? If you’re trying to start your family on a healthier breakfast routine, consider transitioning into better eating habits as the school year starts. That means avoiding sugary cereals and greasy fast food. Instead, a healthy breakfast should include a protein, vegetable and/or fruit, and a small portion of carbohydrates. Check with your child’s school to see if a healthy school breakfast option is available there. 4. Plan Ahead for School Lunches and Snacks Kids who eat healthy foods during the school day feel more energetic and focused. Remember to plan ahead and monitor what your children are eating. A healthy lunch includes a meat or plant-based protein, vegetables, fruit and a small portion of carbohydrates. Keep in mind that foods are in their most nutritious form when eaten whole, which means avoiding processed foods when possible. 5. Seek out a Well-Fitting and Age-Appropriate Backpack Choosing a backpack can be an exciting part of preparing for the school year. Make sure to look for straps that are wide and padded, and a bag with a padded back. A proper-fitting backpack sits at the level of your child’s waist and is best worn with a strap on each shoulder to avoid muscle strain. Try to involve your child in selecting a backpack that is fun and personal to their style too! 6. Prepare for a Safe Year of Sports School sports are an excellent way for kids to engage in physical activity, build character and enjoy healthy social interactions. Before school sports begin, help your child choose sports they’re interested in. Consider the timing of each sport season and aim for a balance throughout the year. It’s also best to research what sort of conditioning is required. In the interest of safety, encourage your child to participate in preseason conditioning through the school or individually. 7. Don’t Forget the Importance of Sleep Children and teenagers need 8 to 12 hours of sleep each night. The most realistic way to ensure your child gets enough sleep for school is to practice good sleep hygiene throughout the year. Surprisingly, preparing for a good night’s sleep begins during the daytime. Make sure your kids avoid caffeinated beverages, including tea, dark colas or coffee drinks. Lots of physical activity and limiting screen use throughout the day also are keys to a good night’s rest. Lastly, the use of all electronic devices should be discontinued at least two hours before bedtime. Devices also should be stored in a place where children can’t access them overnight. 8. Create a Homework-Friendly Environment Homework is an extension of school. A home environment that best mimics a school environment is ideal for helping your child concentrate at the end of the day. Provide a dedicated quiet place in your home where your child has a flat desk or table to sit at and study. This is preferred over their bed or a couch where they may feel too relaxed to remain alert and focused. 9. Limit Screen Time Before and After School Screen time has become an ongoing battle in many households, starting from a very early age. Know that you’re not alone. If you’re thinking about limiting screen time, you’re already headed in the right direction. While screens may provide a small amount of educational opportunities, for the most part, the negative effects far outweigh the benefits. Children’s screen time always should be supervised. Use any parental controls and privacy settings available, and closely monitor any social media sites or apps used by your child. As with other healthy habits, implementation is most successful when started early. When posting back-to-school photos of your child, do not include any personal identifying information. Avoid any information that may help someone to locate your child or steal their identity. This includes the middle and last name, date of birth, school and class or teacher’s name. Assume that anything you post can be hacked or seen by the public. Teach your kids to be careful about what information they share as well. 10. Remember to Celebrate After you’re done preparing for a new school year, try to enjoy the moment! Plan a celebratory dinner, enjoy some music together or sit down and have everyone list their goals and hopes for the year. Whatever your ritual, we hope your family has a safe, healthy and successful school year.

https://financialgroup.com/2021/08/05/10-ways-to-ensure-your-kids-are-ready-for-the-school-year/

It was all over the news when a Sabahan girl stayed up a tree for better internet access, just so that she could do her online exams. What is the deal with online learning? The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has made online learning the primary source of teaching and learning for undergraduate students. The implementation of physical distancing has made it impossible to learn in a traditional environment, hence, online learning being crucial at this time to ensure continuity of education. In order for online learning to be carried out effectively, the needs of having good internet connection, lecturers’ skills in conducting online teaching effectively and efficiently are essential. Ineffective online teaching can cause boredom among students, making them uninterested to access or attend classes. High levels of frustration emerge when a course is poorly organised. Thus, it is of utmost importance for the lecturers to organise the online classes well in order for knowledge to be delivered effectively. Instructions should be given clearly, and clear expectations should be set. Passages of text and videos should be kept concise, as concentration declines very quickly online, particularly with the distractions of social media being close at hand. To retain students’ attention, a variety of modes of presentation, i.e. synchronous and asynchronous (examples: pre-recorded video lessons, online forums and discussion boards) should be used. Lecturers can make the learning sessions engaging by giving out quizzes via some free, game-based learning platform that makes learning fun. Asynchronous teaching, would be of great benefit to students living in different time zones. It would allow them to have a more flexible learning experience and would not interrupt their activities of daily living. From the students’ perspective, self-regulation and motivation are two critical factors that may affect the success of online learning . Long duration of time spent on screen and lack of engagement between lecturers and students will cause the motivation level to reduce among students, leading to difficulty in concentrating to learn. In addition, lack of direct human interaction when doing assignments and group works may lead to their inability to complete tasks efficiently. These factors can contribute to a lower motivation level and poorer quality of work being produced. When students are involved in a long-term course of online learning, they are predisposed to having a sedentary lifestyle. Not having to walk around the campus to attend classes, the cafeteria or the library, would lead to a lack of physical activity, which in turn, could lead to weight gain. This is justified by a recent article on how the obesity rate has increased in Malaysia during this Movement Control Order (MCO) period, which was not only contributed by lack of physical activity, but also the type of diet consumed. To avoid being sedentary altogether, some form of physical activity should be incorporated in their daily lives. It could be something as simple as walking, or to perform a few at-home exercises. Various forms of workout videos can be accessed online, and to motivate themselves to keep them active, students can always video call their friends and workout together. Students should also eat healthy. They should start their day with breakfast to help them study better. As for having snacks during or in between classes, healthy snacks like nuts and fruits instead of junk food are recommended. Spending a long time looking at gadgets could take a toll on the eyes, causing dry eyes and eye irritation. Having long hours of classes could also mean a long duration of sitting in front of the laptop. Poor posture could lead to back pain for many, contributing to the discomfort that students are already facing due to the change of learning mode. To prevent any computer-related vision problems, students should take sufficient breaks in between online classes or when they’re working on their assignment using their laptop. A simple method to follow would be the 20-20-20 rule. Look away from the screen every 20 minutes and look at something 20 feet away, for about 20 seconds. They should not forget to blink in order to keep the eyes moist. A good sitting posture should be practised to prevent back pain. They should not slouch, but sit upright, with the shoulders relaxed and the body supported against the back of the chair. A pillow or a rolled towel can be put between the lower back and the seat, and their feet should be flat on the floor. Apart from maintaining a good posture, students could perform stretch exercises for their back to prevent or reduce backaches. Social interaction is strongly related to online learning enjoyment and effectiveness of learning online. Learning online at home could result in a lack of physical interaction. When they face difficulties in doing assignments or to understand certain topics, it will be harder for them to reach out to friends compared to being in the campus, where it is much easier to find friends to talk to - this may make them feel isolated. Being involved in online learning in the long run may also expose undergraduate students to the risk of developing depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. On top of that, sedentary behaviour was linked to 25% higher likelihood of depression . Some students may have problems with their family, making them more prone to be in a depressive state. Lecturers should foster a sense of community through collaborative assignments, frequent discussions, and the use of technology to facilitate alternative channels of communication. It would be helpful to give regular small assignments that permit students to work together, and video conferences for students to participate in discussion with peers and lecturers. As much as students’ can do to take care of their mental health, the respective institutions should play their role too. They should provide a platform for the students to seek help if needed, as simple as providing a counsellor when they need someone for emotional support. A comfortable workspace with good ventilation and sufficient natural daylight is important for students to feel fresh and focus in online classes. Another way to focus better during online classes would be to take care of sleep hygiene, which would also be a benefit to their mental health. Students should limit their screen time before bed by avoiding intensive work before bed. They should avoid working on the bed too. It would be helpful for students to stick to a well-planned schedule to avoid procrastination. To sum up, despite the challenges of online learning that have been discussed, and many more that may not be listed, it is imperative that online learning should be as effective as face-to-face teaching, as we are in the midst of adapting to the new norm. Until online learning can be fully utilised by all students without compromising their health, we can never say we are prepared for the next pandemic. Prepared by : Final year medical students of Group 5A Community Project Posting (Suja a/p Mogan @ Mohan, Lee Yee Sin, Nursyahida binti Zulkarnain , Tan Zhi Boon, Thanmidraaj Kaur a/p Balraj Singh, Khor Pei Yi, Nurdini Amani Kamaruddin, Muhammad Danial bin Putra) and supervisor, Professor Dr Moy Foong Ming Department of Social & Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya References: 1. Brocato, Bonanno & Ulbig (2015) Student perceptions and instructional evaluations: A multivariate analysis of online and face-to-face classroom settings. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271630371 2. Matuga, J. M. (2009). Self-regulation, goal orientation, and academic achievement of secondary students in online university courses. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 12(3), 4-n/a. 3. Zhai, L., Zhang, Y., & Zhang, D. (2015). Sedentary behaviour and the risk of depression: a meta-analysis. British journal of sports medicine, 49(11), 705–709. Link: https://www.sinchew.com.

https://medicine.um.edu.my/news/online-learning-among-undergraduates-challenges-and-suggestions-for-optimal-health

After several weeks of lockdown, working from home without a proper desk and the lack of movement can impact our posture and cause back and neck pain. We asked physiotherapist Patrick Roberts to provide useful tips on how to take care of our bodies and our employees while working from home. 1. Best practices when working remotely What are the best practices for working from home when it comes to physical health? What is the best posture to adopt when working at home during the day? Best practice would be to have a dedicated workstation/office place at home, with an appropriate ergonomic setup. Ideally using a screen that is positioned as such that the users eyes are in line with the top third of the screen, where the backrest of the chair is upright and perpendicular to the seat pan, and where the keyboard and mouse are in close proximity, so that the user is not overreaching, this will enable a suitable postural setup whilst seated. If possible, working in standing is another option, however the individual would require a suitable counter/desk where the screen can be positioned appropriately (with the users eyes aligned with the top third of the screen). However, having poor posture is not an indicator of musculoskeletal pain (that affects the muscles, ligaments and tendons, and bones), what is most important is maintaining activity levels whilst working from home. It is important to take regular breaks from sitting at a desk every 30-45 minutes. What would you recommend to people at home who don’t necessarily have a proper desk or chair like in a normal office? Try to replicate a workstation in the home environment, as it would be in the workplace. Use a dining room table and chair to enable a more suitable ergonomic setup at home. Work in standing if possible. Avoid working in bed or lying on a sofa. How do you think employers can support their employees in an efficient and effective way to stay fit? Promote daily outdoor exercise that coincides with the government advice during lockdown. Perform home-based exercise through interactive webinars/video calls led by a personal trainer or healthcare professional. 2. Examples of postural exercises What can you do in terms of back, shoulders and neck pain? There are endless exercises that can be performed in sitting, in standing, or whilst lying down. No equipment is required. Here are a few that can be performed in the home environment: - knee rolls/back rotations - gluteal/shoulder bridging - thoracic rotations in squatting position/in side lying - prone swimmers for shoulders/upper back/neck - desk-based back stretches - desk based active range of motion exercises for the shoulders and neck. What are the best and easiest exercises to stay active regularly at home while not spending too much money on equipment? Body weight exercises that require no equipment: - jogging on spot/skipping - lunges press ups - sit ups - plank exercises - star jumps - mountain climbers - squats - squat thrusts - burpees. Other forms of exercise that do not require equipment such as pilates and yoga will also be beneficial. Physical health changes How will working from home impact people’s physical health? In general, working from home will reduce people's activity levels. This includes commuting and activity levels while in the workplace. With that said, a reduction in the level and frequency of activity will have a detrimental impact on one's physical and mental health. In your experience, are people exercising more or less than before lockdown started? Overall, people are exercising less. However from a physiotherapy perspective, I have noticed the type of exercises that people are performing has changed. We are seeing a lot more people taking up running – people who would not ordinarily run. Subsequently we are seeing more lower limb, running related musculoskeletal pain and injuries. Does diet impact physical health when at home 24/7? What are your recommendations? Diet and nutritional consumption advice and guidance would be more appropriate for a dietician. However the short answer would be yes. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. If you are performing less exercise than you normally do, and eating the same amount, then there will be some impact on health. Try to maintain a daily exercise routine and be mindful of the caloric intake to match that of the activity/exercise output.

https://www.ioshmagazine.com/2020/04/24/qa-how-stay-healthy-during-lockdown

Last updated on Jun 21st, 2021 at 12:18 pm We’re into the second year of the pandemic, facing the winter months ahead and worrying about a possible COVID third wave. For parenting and childhood development experts, the global crisis has provoked deep concerns about the multiple impacts on our children, one of which is how indoor confinement has led to the inevitable increase in screen time. In many ways, our screens have been our friends. They’ve enabled us to work remotely and provided educational continuity for our school-aged and student kids. They’ve provided much-needed entertainment when so few leisure options have been available. Most importantly, screens have given us a lifeline by enabling us to keep in touch with our loved ones and friends. However, despite these benefits, the adverse impacts of screen time on health and well-being, especially on early child development, remain a cause for concern and have triggered a greater need for physical activity and play. Alarming stats about increased screen time during lockdown Numerous international studies undertaken during the initial global lockdown in 2020 have revealed alarming stats about increased screen time and related health concerns. One US study of 3000 parents found that screen time for their kids had increased by 500%, while another study published in Jama Ophthalmology reported the prevalence of short-sightedness in children from too much screen use. Closer to home, an SA study conducted last year found that parents in both urban and rural settings exceeded the global and national guidelines for screen time, and the majority of the respondents didn’t think screen time could impact negatively on their little ones. Negative effects of screen time According to Occupational Therapist, Tracey Stockdale, a lot of parents simply lack the knowledge of how screen time can negatively affect their child’s development and milestones. “I also find that some parents do not know how to play with their children and so it’s much easier to allow the child to engage in screen time,” says Stockdale. South Africa’s national guidelines for children and screen time are aligned to the World Health Organisation’s guidelines. In a nutshell, screen time is not recommended for infants under one year, while children from two to five years of age should not experience more than one hour of screen time a day. Covid has wreaked havoc on physical play and sensory development Of course, COVID has caused havoc when it comes to making sure toddlers are getting all-round stimulation. Some playschools are yet to re-open, and many parents have limited social interactions to keep the family safe. However, increasing toddler screen time is not a solution. Leanne Gordon-Myers, CEO of Pollywiggles, a local toy distributor specialising in educational toys that focus on developmental play and stimulation, says that more practical and physical alternatives to screen time are needed. Pre-schoolers should have a bare minimum of three hours of physical activity spread across the day, with at least 60 minutes of movement that is moderate to vigorous. “We have no idea how long this pandemic will last, so parents need to get creative in getting their kids moving. Think blanket forts, dance fun, indoor obstacle courses, and toys that promote physical activity, says Gordon-Myers. Indoor play As a solution to the indoor dilemma parents face during COVID, the toy distributor has bought in a compact light-weight indoor play gym that can be assembled for indoor play, and then easily folded and stored after use. ‘The Lil’ Monkey toddler gym’ not only keeps kids busy indoors, but it builds strength and offers all the sensory stimulation required to improve gross and fine motor skills, which is so important during those critical years of ages 1-5 years,” says Gordon-Myers. According to Stockdale, climbing toys like the Lil Monkey toddler gym are great for sensory input to a toddler’s muscles and joints, which builds the motor skills needed for eventual classroom abilities such as holding a pencil and handwriting. By being encouraged to use both sides of the body, play gyms also assist with the physical competence to ride a bike or use scissors. Long-term impacts of Covid and increased screen use on childhood development Stockdale is one of many in the childhood well-being community that believe the increase in screen use and time spent indoors during lockdown could harm a child’s development long-term. A child’s brain needs to be fed sensory-rich experiences to learn, which is important for learning appropriate social and emotional responses and language development. “Covid has raised some interesting concerns and debates, such as how the mask-wearing of caregivers can reduce an infant’s ability to learn social cues, and how lack of active play hinders motor skills development. We can’t rule out the possible implications the lockdown will have on children’s development.” “They could be at risk for learning difficulties, have a harder time dealing with their emotions, and could develop behaviour problems both at home and at school. Delayed language abilities and poor motor planning skills are also a concern. It’s hard to say right now what the long-term consequences are as more research will need to be done, but parents should consider how they can keep their children moving, especially now as we approach winter and a possible third COVID wave.” READ MORE Squish Launches New 200ml Bigger Pouch for Toddlers The range includes three yoghurt flavours and three 100% fruit puree flavours packaged in the convenient new, bigger 200ml pouch. Snack like a little superstar The convenient Squish pouches are well-loved amongst mommies and are perfect for babies from the first introduction of solids. Meet Toni Braxton’s handsome boys Toni Braxton is a mom to two handsome boys she shares with ex-husband, Keri Lewis. 3 Lessons from Gen Z on how to change the world It’s clear that we could all learn a thing or two from them, and join the movement to make a real difference in the world. Teens & hair removal – when is a good time to start?

https://www.all4women.co.za/2223672/parenting/parenting-articles/winter-tips-how-to-facilitate-more-active-play-less-screen-time

On Thursday, 19 November 2020, the students had an opportunity to meet the College psychologist Chloë GOETINCK and get useful advice on managing stress, a topic that is especially relevant in the upcoming examination period. In case you missed the meeting, here is a short summary of the most important topics we discussed. We first talked about the importance of biorhythm. Our everyday life is very monotonous, we spend too much time indoors and go to bed late. Daily walks to the canteen are often the only exercise for many students. Our rooms have become multifunctional spaces: we study, eat, socialize and sleep there. This lack of boundaries is confusing for our brain and can lead to negative associations, for example: if we spent the day studying on our bed, we might struggle to fall asleep at night as our brain "learned" to associate the bed with work. It is true that our rooms are not huge (with the exception of some very lucky students), but one simple tip is to set micro-boundaries: sleep in bed and work only at your desk. It is also very important to be active to help us to stay motivated and energized. Our options may be limited, but we can always go for a walk or cycle around Bruges, even on a grey and rainy day. Moreover, we shouldn’t always take the same paths. There are so many nice places in Bruges, so we can always find a new route. Have you tried a different route from your residence to the canteen? This can help break the monotonous pattern a little bit. Time management can be a challenge these days. It can be beneficial to create a daily timetable, not only for our activities during the day, but also for rest and going to bed. Our exams are taking place in the morning, so even if we are night owls, we should try to schedule going to bed early enough to wake up and be fresh and focused for the exams. We all know that is impossible to study without breaks, but what is a healthy break? Checking emails or messages on WhatsApp or Facebook is not the best option as we need regular screen breaks. A good alternative would be to take a quick walk, talk to a friend, maybe do a few exercises or mediation. It is also important to listen to our body, so if we feel tired, it is better to take a break and resume studying afterwards when we are more productive. What to do if we are feel very worried and anxious? In cognitive therapy it is recommended to consider our thoughts. We are often not aware of our thoughts, but they still influence our performance. If we are aware of a thought, we can try to modify it. For every negative thought, we should come up with an alternative one that is still credible. For example, for a thought like “Everyone at the College is smarter than me”, a good alternative would be “I was accepted because of my achievements so far; I have the capacity to study.” We need to try to challenge our negative thoughts in order to change them. Additionally, it can be useful to schedule 'worrying time' and write down our worries to limit the time we spend ruminating. Furthermore, a good night's sleep is very important. For students who struggle falling asleep, it is important to have a routine before going to bed to give our brain a chance to prepare for sleep. Darkness is necessary to produce melatonin, so screen time is not advisable, but we should at least use blue light on our screens via the Night Shift setting on our phones. If you want to talk to the College psychologist, please feel free to contact her via email, phone or even WhatsApp. Meetings can take place online or in person. Lastly, be kind to yourself. This is a stressful time for students, but to use the wise words of an academic assistant, we will all meet at the other side of the tunnel soon enough.

https://www.coleurope.eu/meeting-college-psychologist

This Accountability Note describes and explains a set of principles for social accountability that emerged out of the struggles of some of the most marginalized people in India. Although firmly rooted in the experience of local resistance, the Bhilwara Framework of Social Accountability speaks directly to national and global struggles for accountability. The essential elements of the Bhilwara Framework were first framed by Dalit activists fighting discrimination and structural injustice, who reflected on and theorized about the causes of their marginalization. These elements were then accepted, developed further, and disseminated by activists and social movements. This Note discusses the social origins of the Bhilwara Framework and explains how each of the six principles was derived and applied. The principles include: - Access to meaningful and usable information; - The formal registration of citizen grievances; - The need for time-bound inquiry processes; - Platforms for citizen participation; - Protection of complainants against reprisal; and - Public and collective spaces in which citizens can dialogue with their state. This Note also describes how the Framework was refined and expanded, and how it was consequently institutionalized within the state. Unlike most activists’ agendas, the Bhilwara Framework has made the transition from concept to policy. India’s Supreme Audit Institution and Comptroller and Auditor General used the Bhilwara Framework to develop a set of minimum standards for social audits. The Framework has also been used to frame state and national policies on accountability for social justice and security for Dalits, rights holders accessing their entitlements under the right to work, food security, education, etc., urban poor workers, and other marginalized groups. It also informs an ongoing attempt to draft a legal framework for accountability by the Rajasthan State Government, a fitting tribute to where the struggle for these principles began. The Framework has helped define and develop the practice of ‘independent facilitation,’ which refers to the efforts made by the State to provide institutionalized platforms, institutions, and processes for enabling citizens to hold the State to account, that are independent of the latter’s control and interests. Similar breakthroughs have been made in contemporary grievance redress reforms. Recognizing that complainants will face difficulty and perhaps intimidation while registering a grievance at the very office that is the cause of the grievance, the Bihar Public Grievance Redress Law mandates Information and Facilitation Centers to provide single window support centers for information, to register grievances and track their status, an independent officer to hear appeals, and a wide scope in the definition of a complaint. The Framework served as the point of reference for State and civil society jointly building the country’s first web portal for mandatory disclosure of information (the Jan Soochna Portal). It has played an instrumental role in forming the basis of wider conceptions of social audits in tribal autonomous regions, labor welfare schemes and corrective or rehabilitation institutions run by the State. These interconnected efforts have emerged from concerted grassroots struggles and refined by social movements and ordinary citizens and users of India’s various rights-based legislation. These essential struggles deepen social accountability strategies, rooting them firmly in social justice and participatory democracy.

https://accountabilityresearch.org/publication/from-peoples-struggles-to-public-policy-the-institutionalization-of-the-bhilwara-framework-of-social-accountability-in-india/

What do I need to know about aged care services? There are in-home aged care services to assist you to stay at home and residential aged care services if you can no longer remain at home. The type of services available to you depend on what is available in your local area, and how well resourced these services are. For more information, go to My Aged Care. Since January 2019 Seniors Rights Service has participated in the Aged Care Systems Navigation trials. The Navigators provide information and personal assistance to people who do not have the knowledge, skills or resources to navigate the aged care system, and who need additional support to understand, choose and access age care services. Find out more here. If you are caring for an older person at home, short-term respite care is available so you can have a break. For more information, go to My Aged Care. The Commonwealth Government’s My Aged Care website and hotline provide comprehensive information on aged care. You can phone them on 1800 200 422, Monday to Friday 8.00am – 8.00pm and Saturday 8.00am to 2.00pm. For questions about pensions and personal income contact a Centrelink Financial Information Service Officer. Phone 132 300 Monday to Friday 8am – 5pm. For issues with social security rights, entitlements or obligations contact the Welfare Rights Centre on 1800 226 028.

https://seniorsrightsservice.org.au/what-we-do/aged-care-advocacy/what-do-i-need-to-know-about-aged-care-services/

The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating existing inequalities and disrupting access to vital health and support services. However, it has also accelerated the use of digital health and tools. This provides an opportunity, especially for children and adolescents under 18 who account for an estimated 1 in 3 internet users worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Special Research Programme HRP present some of the ways in which digital health solutions are playing a role in promoting girls’ empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights. Trusting young people, learning from them and paying them for their work When it comes to their health, the technologies they use, and how they access information, young people are well-placed to articulate their needs and contribute to finding solutions as equal and valuable partners. However, they still encounter considerable resistance to meaningful collaboration when it comes to programmes, strategies, policies, funding mechanisms and organizations that directly affect their lives. Youth-centred digital health interventions, is a framework developed by WHO, HRP, UNESCO, UNICEF and UNFPA in 2021. It affirms that to design effective digital health solutions for young people, young people should lead and make decisions. It also includes a list of “do’s and don’ts” for engaging young people in the process of digital health design and delivery. Online resources can enable girls to seek care Recent WHO data on violence against women shows that nearly 1 in 4 (24%) of adolescent girls who have been in a relationship experience physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Young women are at highest risk of recent violence (that is, they have experienced violence in the past 12 months). Interventions with adolescents and young people to foster gender equality and gender-equitable attitudes are vital for effective prevention. The rates of violence and reported rise during COVID-19 pose a great threat and are harmful to women, children and families. Targeted investment in sustainable and effective evidence-based prevention strategies at local, national, regional and global levels is essential for preventing violence – in all its forms – against women and girls in future. WHO has developed a number of new resources on addressing violence against women and girls in the context of COVID-19. Digital media can contribute to the delivery of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Technology cannot replace the support and guidance of adults in a child’s or young person’s life, but there are many ways that it can be leveraged to support education, counselling and care related to sexuality, sexual identity, and sexual relationships. WHO recently collaborated with partners, including HRP, to develop guidance for out-of-school CSE programmes that are appropriate and safe for different groups of children and young people. This complements the guidance developed by the United Nations on school-based sexuality education. Both these guidance documents assess the appropriateness of using digital media as a delivery mechanism for CSE. Both reiterate that sexual activity is part of normal and healthy living, as is giving and receiving sexual pleasure. Access to information highlights disparities, but disaggregated data also empowers Data show that adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa bear the highest burden of adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes, when compared to adolescents in other parts of the world. These and other glaring inequalities need urgent attention. Equity is a critical consideration in adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Ensuring that adolescents and young people have the same access to contraceptive information and quality services, and can make decisions about their fertility, is key to promoting their health and human rights. In recognition of the considerable challenges faced by adolescents to their sexual and reproductive health and rights, WHO has published a series of “country profiles” that summarize data on ten different areas of adolescent SRH. Such disaggregated data is crucial for unmasking “pockets” of poor health outcomes hidden in national averages, and improving decision making to truly drive health for all adolescents. Driving change for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all their diversity It is more than 25 years since the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing the health rights of women and girls. At the recent Generation Equality Forum marking the anniversary of this landmark global policy framework, WHO committed to investing in the evidence base for sexual and reproductive health and rights, including delivering CSE outside school settings, supporting 25 countries in increasing adolescents’ access to and use of contraception, and building knowledge among adolescents of their entitlements and ability to advocate for their needs. While there are no digital quick fixes for young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, there are many reasons to be optimistic.

https://www.nationaltribune.com.au/international-day-of-girl-child/

Yet, for millions of people throughout the world, the full enjoyment of the right to health still remains a distant goal. Poverty remains one of the driving forces behind ill health, a lack of access to healthcare and medicines and consistent underdevelopment. The World Development Indicators show that 700 million fewer people lived in conditions of extreme poverty in 2010 than in 1990 and that extreme poverty rates have also fallen across developing regions. However, the Global South is still struggling. Every day thousands of children, women and men die silently from easily preventable diseases associated with poverty – starvation, diarrhoea, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and death in childbirth. The United Nations acknowledges these issues as it continues to produce a stream of further guidance in the form of General Comments, such as the General Comment 14, while sponsoring global Declarations and Commissions on Social Determinants of Health. Human Rights Day observed by the international community on 10 December since 1950 acts as a reminder of the importance of recognition and advancement of rights and the human right to health. But the current high-level focus on health by the international community while recognising the strong relationship between poverty and health, in practice, has been quite conservative in turning the rhetoric into practice. Translating normative principles into politics of compliance and practices for policy implementation remains uneven across the wide spectrum of human rights issues, acknowledging and thus affecting bearers of rights in different ways. As argued by William Easterly (2009) ‘which rights to health are realised is a political battle’ contingent on a political and economic reality that profits on the margins of (poor) health. For instance, diseases like HIV, malaria and tuberculosis account for over 90 per cent of the global disease burden, while the other more ‘neglected diseases’ like dengue, leishmaniasis, Chagas and more recently Chikungunya in South America also add to the increasing toll of human life. Yet HIV/Aids accounted for 57 per cent of World Bank projects on communicable diseases from 1997 to 2006, compared with 3 per cent for malaria and 2 per cent for TB. Other big killers of the poor – such as pneumonia, measles and diarrheal diseases, which together accounted for more than 5 million deaths in 2008 – also received little attention. Similarly, think of a funder – whether the Gates Foundation, Welcome Trust, private charity or government programme – their agenda may well spend a great deal of resources (financial and human) on dealing with one disease. Or programmes, such as those advanced by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Fund, or the Gates Foundation to eradicate polio and malaria, despite having the best intentions, they may be guided by their own (world) views, agendas and objectives. It is then not naïve to argue, as some some human rights and health activists have flagged up, that there are serious risks discussing equity from a perspective of ‘targeting’, either diseases or populations, when actions targeted to the poorest of the poor ignore the social factors that cause poverty and exclusion. In other words, according to Armando De Negri Filho’s (2013; A human rights approach to quality of life and health: Applications to public health programming), tackling equity through social policies risks discriminating positively, normalising and even reproducing inequities. Specific disease protection and prevention mechanisms are systemically developing, with advances made in reducing rates of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis. Despite these efforts, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has provided evidence of how poverty, marginalisation and health are closely associated. It has undoubtedly presented a case for the global health community to refocus global anti-poverty efforts, ensuring systematic attention to social disadvantage, vulnerability and discrimination. Current efforts to reduce the effects of poverty on health are limited. Limitations on resources, funding and capacity constrain attempts to address socio-economic imbalances, hindering access to healthcare and medicines. Perhaps also limited in the way global health issues, and global health diplomacy, are framed. Limitations to provision of healthcare and poverty reduction are further constrained by political and economic environments. There is thus much work to be done in clarifying the allocation of the (international) duties in relation to the right to health, bringing the international community, including wealthy countries, and drug companies, to accept and act upon them. In this task, regional organisations can be key engines in the development of progressive social policies and advocacy of rights and the right to health. For example, the Economic Community of West African States has established a regional court of justice adjudicating on national labour rights, while the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) is now driving initiatives to expand entitlements to health care and social security; it is shaping policies around disability all over the world. While globally the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPF) adopted in 2009 is a fundamental tool to provide universal health-care, and guarantee services and transfers paying particular attention to vulnerable groups, comprehensive regional social funds and regional social rights can mainstream and support national Social Protection Floor strategies. Regional organisations that were built for other reasons are now becoming much more important for health and will be particularly important if we look at the Post-2015 Agenda. They have a key role to play because they are close to their populations and have the power and skills to develop efficient public health policies that may help to reduce health disparities by changing the distribution of the social determinants of health. Regional cooperation, unlike disease-led interventions, is about giving technical cooperation, building infrastructure and strengthening capacity. The current health challenges related to the Ebola Virus Disease in West Africa could have been different had there been robust and more efficient collaborative tools such as effective early warning systems shared between the member states of the region. The realisation of people’s rights, entitlements, and obligations, is largely determined by the nature of the state, and its capacity to respond to internal public demands, interests, and pressures of a globalised world. But regional organisations also play a role in this regard, as they have the capacity to effectuate change through regional social policy, and become pivotal actors in contending (global) politics by means of providing a complementary normative framework and rescaling practices in support of rights-based approaches to health and social development. Renewed focus on pro-poor access to healthcare and medicines and sustained poverty reduction efforts will ensure that health, as a basic human right, will remain a priority for the development community, ensuring a better quality of life for those in need. Only then can we genuinely discuss Sustainable Development Goals.

https://saiia.org.za/research/health-for-all-a-pro-poor-human-rights-approach/

World Health Organisation (WHO) is seeking to fill the role of Human Resources Assistant. The primary role of WHO is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. Responsibilities - Implement and monitor the HR strategy for the clusters - Maintain business relationship with the cluster management and staff through provision of advice and support in the interpretation and application of human resources policies - Perform all actions related to recruitment and selection processes - Calculate entitlements applicable to various statutory allowances and grants - Prepare and compile summaries of unusual cases/exceptions for reference purposes, and verify reporting forms and related supporting documents for new staff members to determine entitlements - Brief staff members (new or current) on their entitlements with respect to remuneration and related allowances, social security and statutory travel - Provide advice on position descriptions and ensure all positions are updated and properly classified in the Global Management System (GSM) - Generate and prepare statistical reports on HR-related issues for the operations officer’s review - Liaise with the staff development team in the follow-up of performance appraisal and take appropriate action in problematic cases - Perform any other related duties/responsibilities as required Requirements - Secondary school education or equivalent and training in Personnel or Human Resources Management - Ten years, minimum, of experience in administrative positions, preferably in WHO - In -depth knowledge of WHO rules and regulations, WHO manual, and experience or knowledge of staff entitlements (highly desirable) To apply and for more information, click here.

https://www.developmentdiaries.com/2021/09/apply-who-human-resources-assistant-3/

U.S. accession to UNCLOS would greatly enhance capacity of US coast guard to safeguard borders and ocean resources The Coast Guard needs a comprehensive legal framework that addresses activities on, over, and under the world’s oceans to further its statutory missions. We also need a solid legal framework that customary international law cannot provide as it remains subject to change based on state practice— whether at the local, regional or global level. The Convention is this certain framework. The Convention was, and still is, a resounding success for U.S. diplomacy. Acceding to the Convention will strengthen the Coast Guard’s ability to protect U.S. maritime interests. The Convention is widely accepted; there are currently 162 parties. Of the eight Arctic nations, only the U.S. is not a party to the Convention. I can see no downside to the Coast Guard in the United States acceding to the Law of the Sea Convention. To the contrary, joining the Law of the Sea Convention will immensely enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to address emerging threats that challenge our Nation and safeguard the American people, our environment, and ocean resources that benefit all Americans. Quicktabs: Evidence Arguments Related argument(s) where this quote is used. - U.S. ratification of UNCLOS would bolster homeland security efforts in two significant ways. First, it would provide a stable legal basis for U.S. freedom of navigation rights, preserving the right of the U.S. military to use the world’s oceans to meet national security requirements. Secondly, it would provide stronger legal basis for the U.S. to conduct necessary counter-terrorism interdiction operations and challenge excessive claims.Related Quotes: Parent Arguments:

https://www.unclosdebate.org/evidence/445/us-accession-unclos-would-greatly-enhance-capacity-us-coast-guard-safeguard-borders-and

You need to narrow it down to a specific focus within Early Childhood Education. Online Writing Lab Thesis Statements A thesis statement is one of the most important elements of any successful essay. A thesis statement should be easily identifiable by a reader and should be clear and not ambiguous. This is attributed to the fact prospective employees must be qualified adequately to perform various tasks effectively. Industries entail resources that are sufficiently equipped with the modern technology to suit the needs and wants of the society. Classroom management strategies for an early childhood classroom? This translates to poor health and poor eating habits. Most developing countries have a low life expectancy compared to developed countries. Individuals in the society acquire new approaches in life that build opinions on the economical and social life. Improving literacy levels in marginalised societies will go a long way in improving human living standards. This is because education offers a setting in which culture and values of a society are developed. A good thesis statement contains a topic, a focus and an opinion. You have a rather broad topic for a paper. This opens doors of opportunities enables individual to achieve better prospects in career growth. It is through education that Technological advancement has been realized enabling communication and production of cost effective products and services to the society at large. The foundation of the society is based on education since it brings economic and social prosperity. It is important to create a thesis statement before writing the paper, but this type of thesis is generally referred to as a working thesis and may change along with the contents of the essay. An essay that lacks a strong thesis will be inadequate and often lacking in focus. A thesis statement generally comes toward the end of the introduction. A thesis statement should assert something about the essay. Make sure that the thesis stands out and can be easily interpreted. In view of that, it is evident that education serves as the driving force for innovation of new products and services. This can be attributed to high illiteracy levels present in developing countries. It is important that a writer uses the thesis to direct the creation of the essay, but it is also important that the writer is open to changing the thesis as necessary. Our goal Our aim is to help students worldwide get better grades for their academic assignments. Just as the contents of the essay may change during the writing process, so, too, may the thesis statement. We do our best to generate interesting and helpful ideas that would show our visitors a way to higher GPA. Educated workers exchange ideas in the work place and come up with new ideas that help in the growth of the economy. Career wise, education is the foundation of developing individuals by providing knowledge regarding humanity the worldover. Education has played a major role in the modern life to all individuals in the society. It has enabled societies to prosper both socially and economically by enabling them to develop common culture and values. Employment in the contemporary world is based on education, as employees must possess the required skills that correspond with the current technology to perform their tasks. Education serves to create room for technological advancements in the field of medicine and agriculture. You already have your topic--now you need to find your focus. Formal education involves institutionalized learning based on a curriculum. Education helps to increase economic security, create income opportunities and improve livelihoods of the economical disadvantaged by providing sustainable environmental management mechanisms. Home Importance of Education in the Modern World Education is an important tool that is applied in the contemporary world to succeed, as it mitigates the challenges which are faced in life. The current advancement in technology has been enhanced largely by education, as individuals are able to apply the skills acquired in real life leading to innovations. One can acquire these skills through technical and vocational training. A thesis statement should identify a specific purpose, a specific way to accomplish the purpose, and oftentimes a specific audience depending on the type of essay. Prospective employees must be equipped with skill for them to cope with ever advancing technology in all industrial and agricultural sectors. A highly educated labour force further stimulates economic growth.How can I write a thesis statement about education? Update Cancel. ad by Grammarly. Your writing, at its best. How can I write a thesis statement about the successes of the Supreme Court? Any tips? How can I write a thesis statement for why the story about segregation is important today? Importance of Education Education is a process that involves the transfer of knowledge, habits and skills from one generation to another through teaching, research and training. It can be in a formal or informal setting. Education is a right, not a privilege and everyone should have access to at least a basic education. Increased accessibility to education can improve a country and lift people out of poverty. Over the years, education has improved in many ways throughout the country. The level of literacy has also increased. Thesis Statement Against Pre-school alone does not provide readiness of children for entrance into primary schools as a plethora of external factors like the child-parent relationship, the socio-economic status of the parents, the importance the family and the community place on education, and genetic influences must be taken into consideration. Thesis statement on why education is important. Shape your education like this "By important important interpretations of the monster in Mary Shellys Frankenstein, it becomes clear that Shelly intended to create a cautionary tale about why ed ucation with science and playing god, thesis statement.

http://zitizekasivaqow.billsimas.com/thesis-statement-about-the-importance-of-education-6346663466.html

When investment managers launch a new systematic fund, they often show hypothetical performance data in the marketing literature. Here, we find evidence that this data can be significantly over-optimistic compared to subsequent realised performance. We therefore conclude that hypothetical performance data should be approached with caution, and not deemed comparable to a real track record. Hypothetical performance comes in various guises: backtests, simulations, or pre-inception performance data. Various rules exist regarding its use, and when published it tends to be followed by disclaimers highlighting the fact that the results are not the product of actual trading . But even so, hypothetical performance is hard to totally ignore when it contains relevant information for evaluating an investment strategy. The task of navigating hypothetical track records is not restricted to the potential clients of investment managers, but also the “quants” that are tasked with designing investment systems. Researching strategies, or building a portfolio, will usually involve backtesting a system on historical data to evaluate and estimate its performance. There are many reasons why such results can be misleading: A previous study analysed performance data within the context of the ETF industry , and found clear evidence that, on average, hypothetical performance of new indices (which the ETFs were designed to track) was optimistic and misleading. The study found that 370 indices had an average annualised outperformance of 10.3% pre-inception relative to the MSCI US Broad Market Index, but would go on to underperform by 0.9% per annum after launch. Here, we focus on CTA hypothetical track records, and we find evidence that these also display unrealistic levels of outperformance relative to a common CTA benchmark. We start by outlining our dataset and methodology, we then present our results, and conclude with a discussion. We collect hypothetical track records and live performance from marketing literature and reports for over 40 funds. We only use funds with at least six months of both pre-inception and live performance data, up to and including June 2013, and claim to be following a trend-following strategy on futures markets for a significant part of their portfolio. We verify this by insisting that they have a correlation of at least 50% to the Barclay BTOP50 Index. This reduces our dataset to 18 funds. For each of these, we use data from five years before inception up to two years after, as availability dictates. Most of our data is for relatively new funds ‒ only half have more than two years of live data. In Figure 1, we align the fund returns at their inception dates, and plot the cumulative of the individual track records, as well as the average. The inception date marks the point when the track records switch from hypothetical to actual returns. Here we can already see a propensity for the pre-inception data to outperform the live data. Although the CTA industry is aiming for absolute returns, it is important to compare the track records to a benchmark to account for changes in performance over time that are not due to any of the issues already discussed in the introduction. We compare the track records to the Barclay BTOP50 Index. This widely used industry benchmark is an equally weighted portfolio of the largest CTAs, which between them account for at least 50% of the industry assets, with 20 constituents in 2013. We estimate the average volatility of the constituents to be 11.5% annualised, based on data from the Barclay Hedge database for the past 10 years. Note that the volatility of the index will be lower than this, due to the diversification effect of adding the funds' returns together. When comparing the performance of a single fund to this index, it is the average volatility of the constituents which we should match, hence we have risk-adjusted the individual track records to have annualised volatilities of 11.5%. The performance of the benchmark is shown in Figure 2. The average return for the Barclay BTOP50 Index for the 20-year period July 1993 to June 2013 is 5.9%, annualised. As Figure 2 shows, the performance of this benchmark has decreased over time, with an average annualised return of 0.2% over the past five years, which is consistent with other studies into the performance of trend-following strategies over time . Figure 1 shows an average annualised return of 16.9% pre-inception, but only 3.8% in the live period. But, as Figure 2 shows, trend-following industry performance has not been consistent over time. To remove this effect from our data, we subtract benchmark returns from fund returns and average the outperformance in Figure 3. We find that the optimistic outperformance of 11.5% falls to 1.5% in live trading, and that only 12 out of 16 funds continue to outperform. We assess the significance of this result in two ways. First we consider whether the pre-inception and live results are consistent with each other. That is, what are the chances of a 10% performance difference between a five and two-year period, if the true underlying average return is the same in both parts of the data? We use Welch's t-test to evaluate this probability, and we find the difference of 10% has a t-statistic of 5.3, giving a p-value of less than one in a million. Second, we use a Monte Carlo simulation to help us assess the significance of our result. We generate random data with similar properties to our 18 funds, but with no expected outperformance. For each fund we take the benchmark for the corresponding time-period, and generate random normal returns with an expected correlation of 50% to the benchmark, the same returns and the same expected annualised volatility. We then subtract the benchmark from these random returns and average over the resulting 18 outperformance series. We repeat this process 1,000 times and plot the simulated results against our actual result in Figure 3. We find that the pre-inception data is inconsistent with zero outperformance, with none of our 1,000 simulations experiencing such a high level of outperformance. Contrary to this, the live data appears perfectly consistent with these simulations. Therefore we conclude that the pre-inception data is not consistent with the live data. We have seen that the hypothetical data appears to have different properties to the actual results. We perform several further checks to ensure the robustness of this result. We extend the series, where available, to use 10 years of pre-inception and 5 years of live data. We find that that the results remain as significant; the average annual benchmark outperformance is 10.7% pre-inception over 10 years, and 4.1% live over 5 years, with a t-statistic of 4.7 for the difference (p-value less than 1 in 100,000). We also check the robustness of our result by selecting only 10 funds at random (from the 18, without replacement) and repeating the analysis comparing their performance to the BTOP50 using five years of pre-inception and two years of live data. Performing 100 such random selections, we find the average pre-inception performance is always better than the live performance, and the difference has t-statistics in the range of 2.4 to 5.4, averaging around 3.8 which has a p-value less than 1in 10,000. Bias can seep into hypothetical track records in many ways. Some of its sources are obvious, whilst others are more subtle . The CTA track records in this study show there is significant evidence of optimism in the hypothetical results, whilst actual performance is very much in line with average industry returns. We have not provided details of the funds for which we were able to obtain hypothetical data, because the purpose of this study is not to suggest that specific industry participants have set out to mislead investors. Rather we believe this is evidence of an endemic problem, an opinion that is backed up by the Vanguard study into exchange-traded funds . There is value to being able to produce a hypothetical track record to understand how a strategy might have performed historically. However, its interpretation should be treated with caution, especially if the assumptions behind it are unclear. Without a full understanding of how a retrospective set of investment decisions were taken, it is safe to assume that any such results will contain a large dose of optimism. After all, it is unlikely anyone would advertise a fund that appears to underperform the industry average in the past, but half of funds will do just that in the future. NFA Manual, Interpretive Notices, 9025, www.nfa.futures.org/rulebook/rules.aspx J. M. Dickson, S. Padmawar, S. Hammer, Joined at the hip: ETF and index development, Vanguard research, 2012. Winton Research, Historical Performance of Trend Following, 2013. Winton Research, Blinded by Optimism, 2013 This article contains simulated or hypothetical performance results that have certain inherent limitations. Unlike the results shown in an actual performance record, these results do not represent actual trading. Also, because these trades have not actually been executed, these results may have under- or over-compensated for the impact, if any, of certain market factors, such as lack of liquidity and cannot completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. There are numerous other factors related to the markets in general or to the implementation of any specific trading program which cannot be fully accounted for in the preparation of hypothetical performance results and all of which can adversely affect actual trading results. Simulated or hypothetical trading programs in general are also subject to the fact that they are designed with the benefit of hindsight. No representation is being made that any investment will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those being shown.

https://www.winton.com/research/hypothetical-performance-of-ctas

Setting up a finance department is perhaps the most significant steps to starting an organization. In this article, we will look at 1) what exactly a finance department is, 2) the main objectives of this department, 3) the functions it carries out, 4) the elements comprising this department, 5) positions required to run this department, and lastly 6) the importance of knowing information technology when running the finances of an organization. WHAT IS A FINANCE DEPARTMENT? As the name suggests, a finance department is that imperative and highly significant component of a business which is responsible for managing and organizing the flow of cash and all things related to it. This department can be considered the sole and core crux of a company’s growth and development. How well a finance department functions shows how well the company performs. This department is responsible for all activities related to finance which include: - Organizing finances - Managing them - Auditing them - Controlling and distributing them - Planning them - And accounting them MAIN OBJECTIVES OF A FINANCE DEPARTMENT The main and perhaps the most significant objective of the finance department is to ensure the control and management of all finance related topics. In turn, the department ensures that those finance topics are delivered and utilized in such a manner that the highest aims of the organization are achieved (e.g. profit maximization). With a well-functioning and a smoothly running finance department, the company is given the opportunity to be able to make well-informed decisions. These decisions hold great significance and oftentimes have a direct impact on the growth of the company and the received profit. The finance department, therefore, is held responsible for being able to maintain records over a long period. This helps the managers and decision makers of the company to be able to see the impact of the finance on the company, and thus decide better for all future prospects. This department aims at diligently keeping a track record of all financial transactions for future references. It also carries out audits with the help of professional auditors to ensure and calculate where from and how the company went into a loss or gained a profit. While a CEO is an individual who is responsible for running a company, there is a CFO role of a person who manages the finances of this company. For CEO and management of the company it is essential to know how well or how poorly the finances are being received. The reason for that is that all decisions for the better performance of any company are solely sprung from the finances. Therefore, the members of the finance department are desired to keep thorough and continuous communication with the managerial people. The track records kept over the years also help them for example to decide whether they want to continue working with a particular client or not. Thus, it is safe to say that any company or organization cannot run or perform smoothly without a well-functioning finance department. The aims this department aspires towards are significantly essential to result in the expansion of the company. FUNCTIONS CARRIED OUT BY A FINANCE DEPARTMENT The finance department has the very delicate responsibility of keeping the financial records under check so that when the time comes for example to make payments or assess records, everything is available in an updated form. If necessary, companies go into a debt or take a loan from a bank to make sure they get back on track. At times like these the manager or one sole individual does not take up the responsibility of tracing when the loan is taken and returned. Nor do independent partners of the business run these services themselves. This is the function of the financial department always to be aware of where payments need to be made and where payments need to come from and when. If the finance department does not carry its functions with regularity then, a company can very easily be sued due to an unpaid debt and even go into an irrecoverable loss. Following are some of the key functions carried out by finance departments all over the world. The preparation and creation of all financial records This involves the thorough preparation of ultimately creating concrete financial records based on where they are being sent and where the finances are being received from. They also keep bi-monthly to annual records of all the profitable investments and losses made by the company. Thus, they maintain the data in order to ensure that all future decisions are well-informed and based on previous profits. It is the responsibility of the finance to keep track of all departments using up the finances of the company. They also then in turn need to provide records that show where the money was spent and for what purpose. Prepare and plan internal financial information Every company needs a budget according to which they function. Without a budget, a company cannot function wisely. This is another responsibility of the finance department; to provide the decision makers with a rough budget they can base their decisions off of. Analyze current financial performance The finance department is responsible for reviewing financial performance throughout the year and analyzing how fast funds are being spent, how quickly revenue is being generated, and anticipate financial trends for the year. Pay creditors The finance department needs to make sure creditors are kept track of and payments are made in time. They generally keep track of larger loans and investments that need regular monitoring, or make a larger impact on the business. Pay employees wages and salaries Most significantly, when it comes to the paychecks and the salaries to be given to the workers and the employees, it is this department’s job to do so. Therefore as it can be seen above, all delicate matters of finance, payments and salaries are the core functions of the finance department. They ensure a smooth flowing system at the back-end so the company can function seamlessly. SETTING UP A FINANCE DEPARTMENT The development of a finance department involves a lot of research over a period of time. Here are the elements that need to be kept in mind. Financial Reporting These are the reports on the basis of which the manager and other members of the finance department can track and anticipate the extent on which they are achieving their aims. It is with the formation of these reports that the organization is governed, monitored and to an extent controlled. These reports include the culmination of information and data in black and white from all sub departments; taxation, auditing, sale, purchase and others. These reports provide to the company a written proof of how well or how poorly they performed allowing them to improve their stance for the future. Accounting Records and Source Documentation As the name suggests, this involves the documentation of the position of the finances in terms of how they are being used by the organization in sale and in purchase. The documentation of this progress allows the department to make well-informed decisions in the future. Internal Control The individuals at the managerial position in the finance department hold the responsibility to ensure that the system is under control. They manage and maintain the internal control of the system by keeping a check on the employees, the assistants and the accountants to ensure they perform their job well. By doing so they are able to implement policies when need be and carry out certain positions if they feel the job is not being done as it should. The sole purpose of ensuring that all members within the department perform their individual duties ultimately ensures a profitable future for the organization. Thus to maintain an internal control, the managerial members of the department sustain the environment of the work area. They make sure that the accounting system is updated at all times and has been reviewed. Lastly, they also take control of all managerial to minuscule procedures to ensure nothing goes out of hand. Cash Management Any running organization is always dealing with finances at various levels. This is why it is essential for them to secure the management of their cash flux allowing the guarantee that the company has a record of all the cash leaving and being received by them, to have definitive records of this cash flow and always remain aware of who they need to pay and who needs to pay them. HIERARCHY OF FINANCE DEPARTMENT There is a team of several people that ultimately make up the financial department in every company. While setting one up, following are the members that must be appointed to ensure a smooth performance of the system. Financial director The responsibilities of the individual in this position are perhaps the most significant as this particular figure makes all the financial decisions. It is the financial director’s job to ensure that the performance of the company does not falter; the management and assessment of all finances, the approval and disapproval of budgeting and above all directing and assessing other members of the department is done flawlessly. Chartered accountant This particular individual working as a chartered accountant holds the responsibility towards preparing tax statements for the smooth running of the company and its accounting system. By carefully scrutinizing the accounting records of the past, the accountant reviews current records as well. The Chartered Accountant must run audits by meeting with the clients in their own businesses to ensure and keep a check on the financial position of their organization. Some accountants work in the tax area of the finance department and some in the auditing; both with independent responsibilities ensuring there is no hindrance in the way of the company’s financial growth. Financial manager for account The basic responsibilities of a financial manager in the finance department are to manage and analyze the funds. This particular individual manages a record of all the funds and allows their flow in and out of the company. On the basis and assessment of this information the manager then creates a budget for the company to provide it with the closest most profitable strategic plan and direction. Thus, this particular individual possesses a great degree of responsibility not just in the department but in the company as a whole. Manager for financial services The function of the manager of services is simple; to keep track of the law changes that may be announced in finance legislation. It is the job of the manager of services to ensure that what the company plans on doing is in coherence with what the law allows. In order to ensure nothing hinders this growth they keep harmonious relationships with all bankers, auditors and other organizations. Accountant The purpose of an accountant is to perform several minuscule tasks such as analyzing and collecting the data later required by the manager. This individual is required to analyze the trends and the requirements of a company to review and produce budgets and accounts for a project in the near future. Thus they serve several financial tasks. Finance assistance for sale and purchase The finance assistant for sale is required to formulate a budget plan for the organization to keep a thorough record of all the sales made. This includes everything from paying the employees, financing adverts to promote the company and paying off debtors and all else. Their job is to ensure that all the money leaving the company is being recorded for a better sale in the next year. Similarly the job of a finance assistant for purchase is to keep an efficient record of all items that have been bought or purchased to ensure which profited the organization and which did not. These are the members that make up a smoothly functioning and well-performing finance department. IMPORTANCE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN FINANCE The running of a finance department always includes several records of significance and demands constant documentation of these records, all of which cannot be run without the help of a software. It simplifies the lengthy task of maintaining records, renewing them, updating them and then saving them. Hence the software being used holds a great significance in the smooth functioning of a company’s finance department. Here are some benefits of financial software. - Automation: Everything is automated: a change made in one record is immediately updated in all other files. - Reporting: It helps in reporting; it helps in the quick formation of reports following the formal business language. - Function: It helps in functioning. Any data that ever needs to be transferred from one department to another can easily be done so by the click of a button. Transactions can be allowed or prohibited even when the bank itself is out of service so the organization suffers no halt. - Convenience: It allows quick and hassle free deposits and transactions alongside receipts for future records. Everything needed to know about all employees can be stored in one place and looked at whenever. All record can be updated without any time wastage. - Budgeting and bookkeeping: It helps in budgeting. A system provides a quick review of all past budgets allowing it to be easier for them to formulate and anticipate budgets for the future. Therefore the significance of a finance department in an organization is colossal. Without a well-functioning and a smoothly running finance department, no organization can anticipate succeeding in the market. The ability to succeed and anticipate things before time are all instigated by the performance of this department, allowing the organization to make well-informed decisions and be able to control and maintain its overall performance.

https://www.cleverism.com/setting-up-finance-department/

Background: The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services financially penalizes providers who fail to meet expected quality of care measures. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the factors that predict failure to meet PQRS measures for carotid endarterectomy (CEA). Methods: PQRS measure 260 (discharge by postoperative day 2 following CEA in asymptomatic patients) and 346 (rate of postoperative stroke or death following CEA in asymptomatic patients) were evaluated using hospital records from the state of Florida from 2008 to 2012. The impact of demographics, comorbidities, hospital factors, admission variables, and individual practitioner data upon timely discharge, and postoperative stroke and death. Odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and significance (P < 0.05) were determined through the development of a logistic regression model. Surgeons were identified by national provider identifier number, and practitioner data obtained from the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. Results: A total of 34,235 patient records and 701 providers were identified over the 5-year period. Significant negative predictors for PQRS measure 260 included weekend admission (odds ratio [OR], 2.9), Medicaid (OR, 2.4), surgeon historical postoperative stroke rate >2.0% (OR, 1.7), African-American race (OR, 2.0), and female gender (OR, 1.3). The presence of any of these factors was associated with a 13.5% rate of failure. The most significant negative predictor for PQRS measure 346 was surgeon postoperative stroke rate >2.0% (OR, 6.2 for stroke and OR, 29.0 for death). Surgeons in this underperforming group had worse outcomes compared to their peers despite having patients with fewer risk factors for poor outcomes. Surgeon specialty, board certification, and case volume do not impact either PQRS measures. Conclusions: Selected groups of patients and surgeons with a disproportionately high rate of postoperative stroke are at risk of failing to meet PQRS pay for performance quality measures. Awareness of these risk factors may help mitigate and minimize the risk of adversely impacting the value stream. Further evaluation of the causative factors that lead to surgeon underperformance could help to improve the quality of care.

https://utsouthwestern.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/factors-that-predict-failure-to-meet-merit-based-incentive-paymen

Aging behaviours are significantly different in females and males, e.g., the former have a longer life expectancy, but consistently a weaker muscle force. Our purpose is to analyse possible gender-differential declines of skeletal muscle performance. The method to find out the decline of performances with aging is based on a parametric analysis of the World Records of Master athletes in different Track and Field events. The analysis is a transformation (normalization) of sports results into dimensionless parameters ranging from the maximum value of 1 (for the absolute world record) to decreasing values with decreasing performances. Master athletes compete in age groups of 5 years till the age of 100 years, thus their World Records are lists of up to 16 data. Results of the normalization procedure are trend-lines indicating that the decline starts not later than the age of thirty years for both women and women. The decline with aging of the muscle performances indicates only minor gender differences in the aging process and all trend-lines tend to zero at about the age of 110 years. The approach, making use of a homogeneous cohort of testers, gets rid of the main confounding factors biasing other kind of studies of the muscle performance decline with aging, in particular clinical studies. Comparing normalized female and male World Records of Master athletes, a surprise emerged: aging decline is very similar, if not identical, the unique exception to the general rule of gender differences in sports activities. The substantial identity of decline trends among females and males suggests that neuro-hormonal differences among genders poorly influence the aging decline, being conceivably related to fundamental cell bioregulators, such as those of cellular energy metabolism and/or their epigenetic regulatory mechanisms.

https://www.pagepressjournals.org/index.php/bam/article/view/8327

The human resource department (HR) is central to any organization. As an HR manager, you coordinate the staff and ensure effective workflow for better productivity. In addition, you bridge the gap between the administration and the team. Human resource management can be overwhelming and require tools to help you keep records, share information with staff and collect their feedback. Since the portable format is the most convenient filing system for many businesses, your company must invest in a good PDF editor. It helps you edit files, send them to your staff and merge PDF documents for effective workflow. This article outlines the challenges HR managers face in file documentation and how PDF software is an effective HR management tool in the organization. Read on and find out more. Difficulties in HR management workflow Human resource managers face many difficulties while executing their duties. As an HR manager, you must accommodate workers with different backgrounds whose technical knowledge differs. This can affect or slow down the workflow. Here are the common problems in HR workflow. 1. Adopting New Technology Technological advancement simplifies your work and increases productivity. File management software can help you organize files and analyze data with a click. This enables you to serve more clients, prepare employees’ payroll on time and keep data secure. However, transitioning from an old system and adopting new technology is challenging. Your staff can resist change due to a lack of technical knowledge. Therefore, you have to invest your time in sensitizing them about recent advancements and their benefits, which can be overwhelming. 2. Adopting Dynamic Business Policies Business policies change over time, and adopting changes requires time. For example, your staff must adapt to changes in the employee code of conduct or dress code policy. It requires time to communicate the changes and allow time for implementation. You need a file management tool to share information with your staff, respond to their queries, and get their feedback. This simplifies your sensitization process and enables you to reach your team without the hassle of moving from one department to another. 3. Workforce Diversity Your staff comprises people from different backgrounds, of different gender whose ideologies differ. You have to accommodate their differences and ensure harmony in their diversity. Team collaboration and online meetings such as teleconferencing can improve cohesion among workers. In addition, you can create an interactive atmosphere when assigning tasks where everyone contributes ideas. 4. Inaccuracy in Data Processing Human resource management prepares employee remuneration records and the company payroll. You can make mistakes if you have a big staff, especially if you use a manual data storage system. This can affect workflow and cost you time to rectify the error. 5. Change in Management Although we have company policies that guide daily operations in an organization, new administrators often come with unique ideologies. This can interfere with workflow before employees adapt to the new management. As a human resource manager, you should be flexible to embrace new changes and communicate them to your staff, although you may face resistance. Documentation problems Organizing files from different departments, clients and employees is cumbersome. Human resource management has to ensure there is a good filing in place. Documentation problems, however, are part of the process. They include: - Data security: You handle sensitive and confidential data about your company. Using a paper filing system, you can lose data through accidents and other unforeseen events. Furthermore, retrieving data from paper files wastes time and is expensive. - Record keeping in compliance with government regulations. In addition to keeping employee records, payrolls, company schedules, and policies, HR personnel should comply with government laws. This is challenging since you have to classify documents according to time, nature of data, and employee category. - Data sharing. You have to present data to the business management, staff, and clients. A paper filing system is costly and difficult to share files since you have to create hard copies and deliver them physically. - Incomplete data records. Financial accountability starts with complete data records, while incomplete ones are difficult to analyze. It is easier to evaluate your business’s financial history and progress with complete financial data. Furthermore, if you update records, the company may lose finances in double payments and unsettled debt if your records are incomplete. How Does Professional PDF Software Help in HR Management Organization Installing portable document readers in your file management program can help you execute your responsibilities and enhance workflow through: - Files management. You deal with different files, including managerial, employee data, financial, and register. You can group the files according to data and adopt a file folder organization for easy retrieval. - Keep your data secure. Professional PDF editors store data in the cloud. In addition, your audience can only access the data with your permission. This ensures management files’ safety and accessibility to relevant parties. - Robust record update. You can update data in your files through the annotation PDF feature, which automatically syncs to your system. - Easy record keeping. With PDF software in your system, you can use machine learning and AI to update all company records remotely in the office. - Data analysis. Your document reader can help you analyze unstructured data through file storage optimization. This helps gauge your staff performance and evaluate its productivity. - Filing system compliance. PDF file management tools have a data clustering functionality to help you keep records according to government regulations. In addition, you can customize your reader to merge PDFs containing related data in compliance with the law. Key Takeaways Human resource managers play a pivotal role in your organization. Having useful tools to help you manage data for an effective workflow is crucial. Although document management is cumbersome, professional PDF software comes in handy, especially when dealing with many files. When choosing the ideal HR tool or set of HR tools for your business, consider the features and functionalities you want them to have You need a legal files document management system in your company to comply with government regulations. This system is customized to save data in different categories as the government requires.

https://www.beverlyhillsmagazine.com/useful-tools-for-hr-management/

I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the Olympics this summer. Of course, this is due in no small part to Great Britain’s success, coming fourth in the medal table – the highest for 100 years. As well as being glued to the cycling, I’ve also been fascinated by the medical and science stories this two-week celebration of human performance has thrown up. For example, did you know that American man-machine Michael Phelps might have subclinical Marfan syndrome, a nasty connective tissue disorder that could be responsible for his giant armspan? Or that a high prevalence of gene mutation that affects the performance of fast-twitch muscles could have helped the Jamaicans clean up in the sprinting events? How about the suggestion that the high number of world records broken in swimming at this Olympics could be thanks to the depth and breadth of the pool at the Bejing Water Cube? Or that the records broken on track and field are because athletes have trained to use oxygen more efficiently? And it seems that we’ll never know how old the Chinese gymnasts are thanks to the lack of biomarkers to accurately identify age, although the clever hacking that caught them out in the first place is certainly pretty damning. Although only five athletes were disqualified this time, sadly doping is still going on at the games, but the methods – and ways of catching the cheats – are becoming more complicated, including microdosing techniques and possibly elaborate genetic and growth factor approaches in the future. So congratulations to Beijing for hosting a successful games and to the athletes for for showing us what the human body is truly capable of. See you in 2012 – I’ll be at the velodrome!

http://www.helenjaques.co.uk/blog/tag/great-britain/

> Search Results: Petersen, L. Welcome! Guest, Login | Register Search: any field title author abstract keyword year fulltext Search Tips :: Advanced Search Sort by: latest first year title asc. desc. Display results: 10 results 25 results 50 results 100 results View: Brief Thumbnail Detail MARCXML HIMALDOC 2 records found Search took 0.01 seconds. Unraveling the Hydrology of a Himalayan Catchment through Integration of High Resolution in Situ Data and Remote Sensing with an Advanced Simulation Model Ragettli, S. ; Pellicciotti, F. ; Immerzeel, W. W. ; Miles, E. S. ; Petersen, L. ; Heynen, M. ; Shea, J. M. ; Stumm, D. ; Joshi, S. ; Shrestha, A. Year: 2015 The hydrology of high-elevation watersheds of the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region (HKH) is poorly known . The correct representation of internal states and process dynamics in glacio-hydrological models can often not be verified due to missing in situ measurements. We use a new set of detailed ground data from the upper Langtang valley in Nepal to systematically guide a state-of-the art glacio-hydrological model through a parameter assigning process with the aim to understand the hydrology of the catchment and contribution of snow and ice processes to runoff. 14 parameters are directly calculated on the basis of local data, and 13 parameters are calibrated against 5 different datasets of in situ or remote sensing data. Spatial fields of debris thickness are reconstructed through a novel approach that employs data from an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), energy balance modeling and statistical techniques. The model is validated against measured catchment runoff (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency 0.87) and modeled snow cover is compared to Landsat snow cover. The advanced representation of processes allowed assessing the role played by avalanching for runoff for the first time for a Himalayan catchment (5% of annual water inputs to the hydrological system are due to snow redistribution) and to quantify the hydrological significance of sub-debris ice melt (9% of annual water inputs). Snowmelt is the most important contributor to total runoff during the hydrological year 2012/2013 (representing 40% of all sources), followed by rainfall (34%) and ice melt (26%). A sensitivity analysis is used to assess the efficiency of the monitoring network and identify the timing and location of field measurements that constrain model uncertainty. The methodology to set up a glacio-hydrological model in high-elevation regions presented in this study can be regarded as a benchmark for modelers in the HKH seeking to evaluate their calibration approach, their experimental setup and thus to reduce the predictive model uncertainty Read More Detailed record - Similar records The Importance of Observed Gradients of Air Temperature and Precipitation for Modeling Runoff from a Glacierized Watershed in the Nepalese Himalayas Immerzeel, W. W. ; Petersen, L. ; Ragettli, S. ; Pellicciotti, F. Year: 2014 The performance of glaciohydrological models which simulate catchment response to climate variability depends to a large degree on the data used to force the models . The forcing data become increasingly important in high-elevation, glacierized catchments where the interplay between extreme topography, climate, and the cryosphere is complex. It is challenging to generate a reliable forcing data set that captures this spatial heterogeneity. In this paper, we analyze the results of a 1 year field campaign focusing on air temperature and precipitation observations in the Langtang valley in the Nepalese Himalayas. We use the observed time series to characterize both temperature lapse rates (LRs) and precipitation gradients (PGs). We study their spatial and temporal variability, and we attempt to identify possible controlling factors. We show that very clear LRs exist in the valley and that there are strong seasonal differences related to the water vapor content in the atmosphere. Results also show that the LRs are generally shallower than the commonly used environmental lapse rates. The analysis of the precipitation observations reveals that there is great variability in precipitation over short horizontal distances. A uniform valley wide PG cannot be established, and several scale-dependent mechanisms may explain our observations. We complete our analysis by showing the impact of the observed LRs and PGs on the outputs of the TOPKAPI-ETH glaciohydrological model. We conclude that LRs and PGs have a very large impact on the water balance composition and that short-term monitoring campaigns have the potential to improve model quality considerably Read More Detailed record - Similar records HIMALDOC 2 records found Search took 0.01 seconds. email alert or subscribe to the RSS feed . Haven't found what you were looking for? Try your search on other servers:

http://lib.icimod.org/search?f=author&p=Petersen%2C%20L.&ln=en

HIPAA Audits on the Rise HIPAA is a living, breathing document. It changes and adjusts for the needs of the healthcare community. While the adjustments are needed, they can sometimes be confusing for individuals and how it effects their roles. Staying current on HIPAA updates helps the patients as well as any organization as a whole. In 2016, HIPAA audits rose. As pointed out in a recent article on HIPAA audit impact, “Both HIPAA-covered entities and Business Associates should keep their eyes open since Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has been under particular pressure to address issues around privacy and security, as well as inconsistent enforcement of existing rules.” OCR is looking for consistency for the industry and the patients that it serves. This is something that is going to affect many aspects of the industry as a whole. In order to ensure that you are protected and know what is required for your role, you need to ensure you understand the changes and how a potential audit could affect all employees. Why is there a Need for a HIPAA Audit? The changes in HIPAA seemed to focus mainly in the communication and record keeping portion. Since advancements can occur quickly, the adjustments made are reflective of that. The audits are work to ensure everyone is up to date with procedure. Protection of patient records are vital to healthcare organizations. For example, with recent technological advancements, patients could potentially transfer information from their cell phones to a clinic. How does a clinic accept that information? Should they accept it? Is it HIPAA compliant? These questions must be taken into consideration. What Will the Audit Do? As with most audits, a HIPAA audit can benefit from keeping proper records and documentation. These audits began in 2014, the 2016 audits will be the last phase. The 2016 audits will review the communication lines as well as items such as encryption. The audit will change the way many people in healthcare are behaving. It may change the way certain roles are defined and how patients are served. Documentation, compliance and transparency will all help any healthcare organization be successful during an audit situation. If you are interested in developing a deeper understanding of the HIPAA audit process, you may want to consider pursuing a degree in healthcare administration.

https://www.careersinhealthadministration.com/resources/blog/hipaa-audit-means/

The importance of reading, organizing, analyzing, and evaluating your child’s school records cannot be overemphasized. The information in these records provides the basis upon which crucial decisions will be made concerning your child’s education. In this article, a step-by-step process for analyzing and revising/updating your child’s school records is described. Using the Four-Step Record Decoder process and accompanying form, you will become thoroughly familiar with your child as seen through the close up lens of her school records. When you’ve completed the process, you will know whether the information in your child’s file paints an accurate picture of her learning needs and strengths. The first article on school records explains how to obtain your child’s records from the school. When you have obtained your child’s school records, often a stack of documents an inch or more thick, what will you do with them? How can you begin to make sense of all this material written about your child? The four basic steps —Organize, Read, Analyze, and Evaluate — are described in detail below: You may also wish to download the Four Step Record Decoder (pdf), which is designed to help you record pertinent information as you organize, read, analyze, and evaluate your child’s school records. Step 1: Organize 1. After obtaining the complete set of records from the school system, separate the documents into two sets: - Records that describe your child (such as teacher reports, psychological evaluations, social history, IEPs, etc.) - Other documents or correspondence of an administrative nature (for example, the minutes of an eligibility committee meeting, consent forms, etc.). These administrative documents and correspondence help you keep track of your contacts with the school system. 2. Make an extra copy of the records. This way you will have an “original” that remains untouched, and a copy that you can mark, cut, paste, and use in whatever way is most helpful to you. 3. Arrange each set — descriptive reports and other documents — in chronological order. 4. Secure the pages in a folder with a clip or in a loose leaf notebook so that if you drop them you won’t have to back up three steps. 5. Number each report and make a chronological list that you can add to as new records are generated. The list might look like this: |Report||Date||Reporting Person| |1. Psychoeducational evaluation||5/3/04||Angelica Connor| |2. Teacher’s report||5/5/04||Cathy Porterman| |3. Social history reports||5/12/04||Patricia Roberts| |4. Psychiatric evaluation summary||6/8/04||Dr. Marcia Ortiz| |5. IEP||6/14/04||Dru Dunn| |6. Psychological evaluation summary||8/23/04||Dr. Ronald McPherson| |7. Teacher’s report||9/14/04||Dru Dunn| |8. Psychologist’s memorandum||9/14/04||Barbara Hager| Step 2: Read 1. Read through the entire record to get overall impressions and tones of the school’s view of your child. 2. In the margins of your working copy, put a question mark beside the statements or areas of the reports you do not understand or with which you disagree. Step 3: Analyze 1. Now reread the reports and underline the phrases or sentences you feel best describe your child’s strengths, those that describe your child’s problems, and those that describe the way she learns. As you underline, write in the margin of the report, opposite the passage you’ve underlined: - “S” for a description of your child’s learning strengths - “P” for a description of learning problems - “LS” for a description of the style or way your child learns. 2. Using the Four-Step Record Decoder or a similar chart you make, list the phrases or sentences about your child’s strengths (“S”) and problems (“P”) by the following developmental categories. Under the last category, “Learning Style,” you will list all of the “LS” phrases and sentences. - Movement - Communications - Social relationships - Self concept/independence - Perception/senses - Thinking skills - Learning Style 3. After each phrase or sentence describing your child’s strengths, problems, or style of learning, put the source of the information, and the date of the document in which the phrase or sentence appears. Often you will find trends beginning to emerge. The same observation, expressed in similar language, may occur in several reports, and/or over a period of time. 4. The last section of the Four-Step Record Analysis form is titled “Recommendations.” In this section, list any recommendations made by each evaluator or teacher. Recommendations might include services needed, preferred classroom environment, optimum class size, most desirable type of school setting; or recommendation for further testing, specific teaching materials, or equipment. Step 4: Evaluate Using the question mark notations you have made in the margins and your overall sense of the records from your analytical work with them, evaluate them to determine if they are: - Accurate. Do the reports and portions of the records correspond with your own feelings, perceptions, observations, and assessments of your child? - Complete. Are all the documents required by the school system for the eligibility, Individualized Education Program (IEP), and placement decisions available in the file? These can include a medical report, social history, psychological examination, educational report, and other documents that may be required by your local or state guidelines. - Bias-Free. Are the reports free from cultural or racial bias? Do they take into consideration the effect your child’s disability might have had upon the outcome of the results of the tests? - Non-judgmental. Do the reports reflect a respect for your child and your family? Do they avoid the use of language that judges rather than describes? Examples of judgmental statements include: “She is fickle.” “He is incorrigible.” Examples of descriptive statements include: “She is inconsistent in stating what she likes and dislikes.” “He will not respond to directions to stop disruptive behavior.” - Current. Are the dates on the records recent enough to give a report of your child’s present behavior and functioning? Records generated within the past three years are generally useful for making good decisions. Older ones should be used with caution. - Understandable. Is the language used meaningful, clear, and understandable to you? If technical terms (jargon) are used, have they been defined or made understandable to the non specialist? (Example of an unclear statement: “She appears to have a psychological learning disability, calling for treatment involving a moderation of the special focus on interpersonal sensitivity she has received so far.” What does that mean?) - Consistent. Is there consistency among the descriptions of your child given by each evaluator or teacher? Or do you find contradictions and differences of opinion? Considering the record as a whole, does it make sense and lead logically to the recommendations that are made? Correcting defects in your child’s evaluation reports You can select one of two paths to attempt to correct the defects you find in the evaluations. Informal Ask school officials to: - Remove the faulty information from the record, or - Undertake additional evaluations, or - Add materials you provide to the file, or - Possibly just clarify for you the deficiencies you see in the evaluation findings Formal Should the informal approach fail, you can seek to resolve your difficulties through a more formal approach. - If your problem involves earlier evaluations that are now part of your child’s official school file, you can seek to amend the records through the formal process for amending records, described in the previous article. - If your concern is the inadequacy of the school’s most recent evaluation, you can request that an independent evaluation of your child be made at public expense. Obtaining an independent evaluation Both federal and state law provide parents the opportunity to obtain an independent evaluation of their child when they believe the school’s evaluation is inadequate. An independent evaluation is one made by professionals not employed by the school system. Sometimes these evaluations may be conducted by county or state departments of health. The steps you should follow to secure an independent evaluation are outlined in your state regulations. But remember: an evaluation paid for at public expense must be conducted by an evaluator who meets the licensing criteria of the school system. School officials do not always agree to pay for an independent evaluation. Before they can deny your request, however, they must hold a due process hearing and must prove to the hearing officer the appropriateness of their evaluation. Otherwise, the school system cannot deny your request for an independent evaluation. Remember: You don’t have to prove that the school’s evaluation results are incorrect before asking for an independent evaluation—you are entitled to an independent evaluation if you merely believe that the school system’s findings are inadequate. If school professionals don’t wish to pay for the independent evaluation, they must initiate a hearing procedure to justify denying the request. An alternative to the independent evaluation at public expense is the independent evaluation at private expense. There are several reasons you might choose to pay for an evaluation out of your own pocket: - You can personally choose the professionals who will make the evaluation. This allows you to select the specialist most appropriate to work with your child, and often gives you greater confidence in the findings. - You can control who sees the results. When an independent evaluation is made at public expense, the findings must be considered by the school system in making educational decisions regarding your child. Further, the independent, publicly financed evaluation may be presented as evidence in a due process hearing. If you feel that the independent evaluation is also incorrect, you have no way to stop its being used by the school system or the hearing officer. Although there are benefits to paying for your child’s evaluation, you must weigh these benefits against several potential costs before you make your decision. - The dollar outlay. Complete educational evaluations may cost $1,500-2,000 or more. (When the evaluation confirms the school system’s findings, it may still be beneficial. It gives more reason to believe the initial testing results. But it’s an expensive way to secure such confirmation.) - Another cost occurs if you introduce findings from your own specialists, and these findings are given little or no significance by the school officials or hearing officer. If your school administrators take the attitude that parents can “shop around until they find a psychologist or other professional who will say exactly what they want to hear,” the benefits of the evaluation you pay for may not equal their costs. One last word about obtaining your own evaluations. Never have the evaluation results sent to school officials before you have examined them. You may discover that to do so works to your child’s disadvantage. Discuss the evaluation findings with the professionals who developed them first. Then, and only then, decide whether you want the results sent to the school system or the hearing officer.

https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/correct-your-childs-school-records/

Korean tech giant Samsung has acknowledged a threat to its smartphones but has downplayed the probability of hackers hijacking the devices. Earlier this week security researchers at NowSecure revealed as many as 600m Samsung mobile devices may be vulnerable to a serious bug that could allow hackers to spy on mobile users. The risk includes the recently released Galaxy S6 smartphone. However, while admitting the risk does exist, Samsung has downplayed the danger of phones being hacked. “The likelihood of making a successful attack, exploiting this vulnerability, is low. There have been no reported customer cases of Galaxy devices being compromised through these keyboard updates,” said a Samsung spokesperson. “But as the reports indicate, the risk does exist and Samsung will roll out a security policy update in the coming days. The risk comes from a pre-installed keyboard that allows an attacker to remotely execute code as a privileged (system) user. The researchers claimed hackers can exploit the flaw to access sensors and resources like GPS, camera and microphone as well as tamper with apps and install malware on the smartphones. “This vulnerability, as noted by the researchers, requires a very specific set of conditions for a hacker to be able to exploit a device this way. “This includes the user and the hacker physically being on the same unprotected network while downloading a language update. “Also, on a KNOX-protected device there are additional capabilities in place such as real-time kernel protection to prevent a malicious attack from being effective,” Samsung said.

https://www.siliconrepublic.com/enterprise/samsung-downplays-security-threat-to-600m-smartphones

If a virtual machine is hacked, what are the consequences? In our expert Q&A, information security threats expert Ed Skoudis explains how attackers can compromise a virtual machine. I know that we need to consider the security of each and every virtual host. What, though, are the risks and vulnerabilities... Continue Reading This Article Enjoy this article as well as all of our content, including E-Guides, news, tips and more. associated with the virtual machine itself, the application that runs on top of the operating system? What are the implications if the VM is hacked? Does the hacker then own all the VM hosts? First, let's start with the guests. If the attacker can compromise the virtual machines, they will likely have control of all of the guests, since the guests are merely subsets of the program itself. Also, most virtual machines run with very high privileges on the host because a virtual machine needs comprehensive access to the host's hardware so it can then map the real hardware into virtualized hardware for the guests. Thus, compromising the virtual machine means not only that the guests are goners, but the host is also likely lost. And such worries here are not merely theoretical. In December 2005, a widely publicized flaw in VMware sent shudders up some of our spines. A vulnerability in VMware's NAT service could have allowed remote attackers to execute malicious code by exploiting the VM itself. It should be noted that this issue, while a concern, was not really a VM escape. It was, instead, an exploitable buffer overflow vulnerability. A true VM escape, if such a thing is possible, involves running code in a guest that would allow an attacker to jump out and execute commands in the host operating system. There are no publicly available VM escape tools as of this writing. And, VMware thankfully patched the December buffer overflow quickly, and no major compromises associated with the problem were ever publicized. However, in the end, it's crucial to keep your VM software itself patched to minimize the chance of vulnerabilities there. Additionally, if you do not need all of the fancy services that virtual machine-enabling software offers and installs, don't install them. For example, if you don't need to share files among guests and hosts, drag and drop features, shared clipboards, and so forth, consider not installing these tools. And, as always, any software without a defined business need should be left off of systems, as its introduction could expose you to vulnerabilities. Virtual machine tools are no exception. - Learn the security risks associated with virtual PCs. - Use VMware to reduce patch testing costs. Dig Deeper on Application attacks (buffer overflows, cross-site scripting) Related Q&A from Ed Skoudis How to combat the top 5 enterprise social media risks in business Learn how social networking sites compound the insider threat risk, and explore how to mitigate the threat with policy, training and technology. Continue Reading Can a hacker actually post malicious scripts to any server using a drop-down list? By viewing a page's HTML source code and writing malicious scripts to a drop-down list, hackers may be able to re-post the malicous page to the ... Continue Reading What tools can a hacker use to crack a laptop password?

https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/answer/If-a-virtual-machine-is-hacked-what-are-the-consequences

Its time to upgrade your device software for protecting your device from a critical vulnerability which is integrated on the hardware itself. This vulnerability affects on android smartphone with version 4.3 or earlier where the software packeges are maintailed by the company Qualcomm, a renowned mobile chipmaker. The issue is first discovered on the year 2011. In that year, Qualcomm introduce a new set of API to manage networking for Android Open Source Project. To provide the additional functionality for networking on the smartphone Qualcomm modifies the netd demon. The hacker can exploit this vulnerability to gain physical access to your device or download other malicious content to hack your device. The newer device are installed with patch for this vulnerability. So it better to upgrade your device to latest android version ( higher than 4.3 ) or get a new device.

https://manfredinfotech.com/blog-details/another-security-vulnerability-on-android-device-integrated-in-its-own-hardware

A potentially critical vulnerability has been found in Cisco Systems' Secure Access Control Server (ACS) for Windows servers, which is used to control devices such as routers in large networks. The buffer overflow glitch may allow an attacker to seize control of the Cisco service, when running on Windows. The Unix variant is not affected. Exploitation of the flaw could result in a malicious hacker gaining full control of a target company's security infrastructure, leaving them completely exposed, should they be using ACS to control it. The ACS system is used to control routers, firewalls, VPNs, VoIP systems, wireless networks, as well as to provision access policies to users. "Exploitation of this vulnerability results in a denial of service, and can potentially result in system administrator access. Cisco is providing repaired software, and customers are recommended to install patches or upgrade at their earliest opportunity," Cisco said in an advisory released on Wednesday. The advisory contains patches for fixing the bug. An exploit for the vulnerability is not known to be circulating, and ACS servers are usually deployed on network segments with limited physical access. The flaw was found by researchers at China-based NSFOCUS. The group is yet to release an advisory of its own. Administrators of ACS systems can block TCP port 2002 until they can deploy Cisco's fix. "Customers with contracts should obtain upgraded software through their regular update channels. For most customers, this means that upgrades should be obtained through the Software Center on Cisco's worldwide Web site," the advisory states.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/cisco-flaw-affects-windows-servers/

Two new security vulnerabilities have been disclosed in Rockwell Automation’s programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and engineering workstation software that could be exploited by an attacker to inject malicious code into affected systems and stealthily modify processes automation. The flaws have the potential to disrupt industrial operations and cause physical damage to factories in a manner similar to that of Stuxnet and Rogue7 attacks, said operational technology security firm Claroty. “Programmable logic and predefined variables drive these [automation] process, and changes to either will alter the normal operation of the PLC and the process it handles,” Claroty’s Sharon Brizinov noted in an article published Thursday. The list of the two faults is below – - CVE-2022-1161 (CVSS Score: 10.0) – A remotely exploitable flaw that allows a malicious actor to write human-readable “text-based” program code into a separate memory location from executed compiled code (aka bytecode). The problem lies with the PLC firmware running on Rockwell’s ControlLogix, CompactLogix, and GuardLogix control systems. - CVE-2022-1159 (CVSS score: 7.7) – An attacker with administrative access to a workstation running the Studio 5000 Logix Designer application can intercept the compilation process and inject code into the user program without the knowledge of the user. ‘user. Successful exploitation of flaws could allow an attacker to modify user programs and upload malicious code to the controller, thereby altering the normal operation of the PLC and allowing malicious commands to be sent to physical devices controlled by the system industrial. “The end result of exploiting both vulnerabilities is the same: the engineer thinks benign code is running on the PLC; meanwhile, completely different and potentially malicious code is running on the PLC” , Brizinov explained. The severity of the flaws also prompted an advisory from the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that outlines mitigations that users of affected hardware and software can take for a “comprehensive defense-in-depth strategy”.

https://inmotion-pcs.com/critical-bugs-in-rockwell-plc-could-allow-hackers-to-plant-malicious-code/

hand in Hand: The Beauty of God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice Randy Alcorn, author of over twenty books and founder of Eternal Perspective Ministries (EPM), asks, “Is it possible to reconcile God’s sovereignty with human choice? This is one of the most perplexing and personal theological questions. I believe the traditional approach to this debate has often diminished our trust in God and his purposes. Instead of making a one-sided argument from select verses, I’ve sought to examine the question in light of all Scripture” (personal letter to the reviewer). This is not just another book on Calvinism and Arminianism and the related arguments that have existed for centuries, but instead offers a fresh and well-researched approach to the difficulties surrounding the differing views. It is fair, readable, and encouraging. While God’s sovereignty and a person’s meaningful choice seem paradoxical, “a paradox is an apparent contradiction, not an actual one” (p. 4). A paradox in Scripture often takes two seemingly different views and creates something new that only faith can comprehend. Alcorn does a superb job in illustrating that these two important theological doctrines can coexist. Alcorn quips, “How many Calvinists does it take to change a light bulb? None. Only God can change a light bulb. Since he has ordained the darkness and predestinated the lights will come on, stay seated and trust him.” He counters with, “How many Arminians does it take to change a light bulb? Only one. But first the bulb must want to be changed” (p. 9). This light-hearted approach is soon set aside for the serious discussion that follows. Chapter 2 is devoted to those who do not know the differences between the Calvinist and the Arminian. Three helpful charts are provided that aid the reader in seeing the differences as well as the complementary agreement between these two systems of theology. Alcorn feels that opinions are often formed on what others say about each system, rather than reading for one’s own edification. He says, “Reflect on God’s Word more than on what I have to say about it. Be quick to measure my words by Scripture” (p. 33). This is key for Alcorn. Chapters three and four take up the doctrines of “The Sovereignty of God,” and “Free Will and Meaningful Choice.” “God’s sovereignty is affirmed emphatically, yet it doesn’t swallow up our ability to choose or our responsibility for the choices we make” (p. 51). “Call it free will, meaningful choice, or anything else; it is God-given and real. If it isn’t, then our decisions and our lives are merely illusions, and calling upon ourselves or others to make any choices at all would be senseless” (p. 74). Alcorn states, “while this book will not end the theological controversy surrounding the relationship between divine sovereignty and human freedom,” chapter 5, presents the “main views of sovereignty and choice [that] should shed some light on various approaches to this issue” (p. 77). Three positions are presented: libertarianism, determinism, and compatibilism (sometimes referred to as ‘soft determinism’)” (p. 77). With the aid of valuable charts, Alcorn quotes numerous sources in defining the terms: “Libertarianism means the freedom to make contrary choices;” “determinism means God’s free choices are at work in his creatures’ choices;” “compatibilism affirms that free will and determinism can coexist” (pp. 78-83). He also discusses the pros and cons of Molinism, named after Luis de Molina, and the theological concept of “middle knowledge,” or that “God has arranged the world knowing what will be freely chosen by everyone when placed in any particular circumstance . . . God foreknows the future and chooses accordingly, allowing him to accomplish his purpose as fully as if he’d predetermined every aspect” (p. 91). A helpful comparative chart is given on pages 94-96. Chapter six asks, “Does open theism resolve the sovereignty/choice paradox?” (p. 107). Answering the claims of open theists Clark Pinnock and Gregory Boyd, and with the aid of four charts and biblical and logical discussion, Alcorn shows the fallacy of this approach to God’s sovereignty and man’s free choice. Alcorn shows the absurdity of trying to use this theology as a means of comforting the suffering believer. Chapter seven is an extremely useful chapter and deals with the “interplay of God’s sovereignty and human choice.” Quoting J. I. Packer who says, “divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not enemies. They are not uneasy neighbors; they are not in an endless state of cold war with each other. They are friends, and they work together” (p. 127), Alcorn’s valuable interaction provides comparative charts in support of this statement. He concludes: “The God of the Scriptures is so big, wise, and powerful that he can grant truly meaningful and real choices to angels and humans alike, in a way that allows them to act freely, within their finite limits, without inhibiting his sovereign plan in any way—and indeed using their meaningful choices, even their disobedience, in a significant way to fulfill his sovereign plan. . . Choice is a bittersweet gift. Those in Heaven will always be grateful they had it and will have it always, with no fear of sin or condemnation; those in Hell will always regret that they didn’t exercise it differently” (p.149). Chapter eight is entitled, “Meaningful Human Choice and Divine Sovereignty Working hand in Hand” (p. 151, “hand” is purposely in the lower case). Discussion and charts include such subjects as comparison of God’s freedom and ours to an oceangoing ship; God’s choices intermingling with ours; the Scriptural basis for human choice; God’s freedom of choice; the consistency of human responsibility with God’s sovereignty; and that “God’s ‘Come to me’ invitation is genuine” (pp. 152-65). However, Alcorn makes it clear that the philosophy of fatalism is not the biblical worldview. The Scripture clearly shows that God is at work in a broken world determining the “times and places of people and nations” (p. 170). Our perspective of human choice and divine sovereignty is finite, a paradox, mysterious, while God’s perspective is infinite and “multi-dimensional” (p. 172; see charts): “God sees and works in other dimensions we don’t even comprehend” (p 173). Chapter nine presents the thoughts of men from the past holding differing views that are often found to be complimentary. C. S. Lewis, A. H. Strong, Samuel Fisk, Alexander Maclaren, A. W. Pink, A. W. Tozer, Charles Simeon, John Wesley, John Whitefield, and, of course, Charles Spurgeon quoted. Speaking of the seemingly paradoxical doctrines of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty, Spurgeon said, “They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not . . . These two truths, I do not believe, can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity” (quoted on p. 181). Chapter ten begins with a short story of a friend of the Alcorn’s who was raped and proceeds to tackle the questions surrounding undeserved, unexplained suffering, pain and disability. Alcorn has always held a strong biblical view of the bigger questions surrounding why God allows evil and suffering. This excellent chapter is a succinct and compressed answer to these questions, expanded in Alcorn’s book, If God is Good. Alcorn offers discussions on such topics as: God using evil to bring about good; the use of evil spirits to accomplish his purpose; God’s use of evil without being evil; God and Satan using pain for different objectives; and the coexistence of God’s permission and his control (pp. 193-99). He writes, “I deliberately focus here on God’s permission rather than God’s decrees, because it’s common ground for different theological persuasions. But I want to make the rarely understood point that divine permission is not passive and weak, but active and strong. The more power someone has, the more significant his permission becomes” (p. 200). Alcorn concludes, “Everything that comes into the life of God’s child is Father-filtered” (p. 204). The last chapter offers concluding thoughts on the previous discussions. He ends by stating, “Regardless of our different understanding of the interworking of sovereignty and meaningful choice, all who love Jesus and are saved by his sovereign grace alone can walk hand in Hand with our God and with each other, united in praise for him” (p. 218). The reader is encouraged to “carefully examine the different views on this issue in order to gain a deeper understanding of God and of God’s design in providing us the freedom of meaningful choice. Only then can we better understand what we cannot fully understand, and learn how to communicate about the issue in a clear and compassionate way” (personal letter to the reviewer). hand in Hand is to be applauded as one of the most valuable books available on the subject of man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty. It is easily understood, inundated with helpful charts, pointed illustrations, and biblical quotations, making it extremely suitable for students, professors, pastors, and believers worldwide. I highly recommend this book to our readers.

https://voice.dts.edu/review/hand-in-hand-the-beauty-of-gods-sovereignty-and-meaningful-human-choice-alcorn-randy/

The Five “Rs” of Oil Spills Five years ago, I didn’t know much about oil spills. I worked for an environmental nonprofit in coastal Alabama, where I could literally see natural gas rigs pumping in the distance when I stood on the beach. But I didn’t think much about what a big spill could mean for my community until the worst-case scenario showed up on my doorstep. Now, on the eve of the five-year memorial of the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion that took the lives of 11 men and led to the largest environmental disaster in U.S. history, I know a great deal more about oil spills and the toll they can take on communities. Here are the five most important lessons I’ve learned in the last five years. Risk When you drill for oil offshore, the risk of a spill can be minimized, but it’s never completely eliminated. Drilling in the Gulf of Mexico is not going away anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do everything in our power to minimize the risk of another disaster. In January 2011, the national commission charged with investigating the BP oil disaster made a number of recommendations about improving the safety of offshore energy production nationwide, but many of those recommendations haven’t been implemented. It’s not just the Gulf at risk of the next big spill. As drilling moves into deeper and deeper water, and into harsher (Arctic?) and new (Atlantic?) areas, it’s a question of when, not whether, the next spill will happen. Response One of the important lessons of the BP oil disaster was how unprepared we were to respond to a spill of that magnitude. BP’s response plan indicated it had the ability and resources to respond to an offshore blowout of up to 250,000 barrels per day. That didn’t turn out to be the case. We also learned quickly that the Area Contingency Plans, which lay out how the federal government will respond to a disaster like an oil spill, were woefully incomplete. The U.S. Coast Guard has made significant progress in updating those plans, but it is still unclear how local officials and community leaders can be incorporated into the Incident Command response structure and bring their local expertise to bear for the next oil spill response effort. Lastly, response technology is stuck in the 1960s, while drilling technology continues in leaps and bounds. Skimming, burning, containing and dispersing oil are still pretty much the only options when it comes to a marine spill. The Department of Interior introduced new drilling regulations this week to strengthen response capabilities, but it doesn’t go far enough. And the closest that Congress has come to making any regulatory change is calling a hearing on the “Macondo incident.” Oil companies need to invest in research and development of new response technology as part of doing business in the offshore environment. Recovery Understanding the baseline health of an ecosystem like the Gulf is critical in knowing whether it is thriving or merely surviving. Under the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process, BP is responsible for paying for restoration activities to return the Gulf ecosystem back to the baseline conditions of April 19, 2010 (the day before the explosion). This is a difficult task though, because research in the Gulf has been historically underfunded, and so we lack the information that tells us what we need to know about the health of the Gulf and how the ecosystem changes over time. In order to address impacts from the BP disaster and be more prepared in the future, we need to invest significantly in long-term monitoring in the Gulf. Long-term science and data collection should be a requirement for any areas under consideration for new offshore drilling. Restoration When an oil spill impacts your environment and the wildlife that depends on it, they can recover more easily if they were healthy to begin with. The Gulf is a vast ecosystem with an incredible capacity to adapt to harsh conditions, but that doesn’t mean we can ignore the overall health of our natural resources indefinitely. Protecting critical habitats and resources, restoring functionality to impaired natural processes such as how water flows and reducing stresses on resources should be an ongoing and concerted effort if we are serious about maintaining our way of life on the Gulf Coast. We shouldn’t wait for an oil spill to put an entire ecosystem in peril before we spend money on shoring up the resources we rely on for food, recreation and jobs. Resilience Resilience has become a buzzword lately, but in its most traditional sense, resilience means the ability to “bounce back” from something. Hurricanes, floods, oil spills… these disasters are becoming increasingly common on the Gulf Coast and around the world. How exhausting if we are supposed to continually rebuild and “bounce back” to where we were before. You never make progress that way. LaDon Swann with Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant once suggested that resilience should mean “bouncing forward”. In order to do that, we have to think hard about what we need to do to adapt to life in a changing world, especially on the coast. Want to learn more about the BP oil disaster and share your thoughts? Join our tweet chat on April 17 at 1pm CST. Send questions to Ocean Conservancy’s staff by using the hashtag #OurGulf.

https://oceanconservancy.org/blog/2015/04/16/the-five-rs-of-oil-spills/

When predicting fire behavior in the field, it is desirable to be able to obtain the required input information with a minimum of special equipment. This article tells how to estimate slope (percent) using materials in a belt weather kit. This method... Alaska Reference Database The Alaska Reference Database originated as the standalone Alaska Fire Effects Reference Database, a ProCite reference database maintained by former BLM-Alaska Fire Service Fire Ecologist Randi Jandt. It was expanded under a Joint Fire Science Program grant for the FIREHouse project (The Northwest and Alaska Fire Research Clearinghouse). It is now maintained by the Alaska Fire Science Consortium and FRAMES, and is hosted through the FRAMES Resource Catalog. The database provides a listing of fire research publications relevant to Alaska and a venue for sharing unpublished agency reports and works in progress that are not normally found in the published literature. [From the website] Since 2002, The Firewise USA program has empowered neighbors to work together in reducing their wildfire risk. Research has shown that both the house and the adjacent landscape play a critical role in the home surviving a wildfire.... The large mediatic coverage of recent massive wildfires across the world has emphasized the vulnerability of freshwater resources. The extensive hydrogeomorphic effects from a wildfire can impair the ability of watersheds to provide safe drinking water... Climate change has increased the occurrence, severity, and impact of disturbances on forested ecosystems worldwide, resulting in a need to identify factors that contribute to an ecosystem's resilience or capacity to recover from disturbance.... Recent growth in the frequency and severity of US wildfires has led to more wildfire smoke and increased public exposure to harmful air pollutants. Populations exposed to wildfire smoke experience a variety of negative health impacts, imposing economic... While past research has studied forest succession on decadal timescales, ecosystem responses to rapid shifts in nutrient dynamics within the first months to years of succession after fire (e.g., carbon (C) burn-off, a pulse in inorganic nitrogen (N),... The present work addresses the problem of how wind should be taken into account in fire spread simulations. The study was based on the software system FireStation, which incorporates a surface fire spread model and a solver for the fluid flow (Navier-... Soil fungal communities perform many functions that help plants meet their nutritional demands. However, overall trends for fungal response to fire, which can be especially critical in a post-fire context, have been difficult to elucidate. We used meta... Hydrologic recovery after wildfire is critical for restoring the ecosystem services of protecting of human lives and infrastructure from hazards and delivering water supply of sufficient quality and quantity. Recovery of soil-hydraulic properties, such... Introduction: Wildland fires degrade air quality and adversely affect human health. A growing body of epidemiology literature reports increased rates of emergency departments, hospital admissions and premature deaths from wildfire smoke exposure....

https://www.frames.gov/afsc/resources/reference-database?f%5B0%5D=field_source%3A34187

Software resilience testing method aims to ensure the smooth running of applications under real or exceptional conditions. In other words, it tests the flexibility of the application or its ability to withstand stressful or challenging events. Like conformance, stress, load, and recovery testing, resilience testing is part of non-functional software testing. This type of test is sometimes referred to as IT resilience, application resilience testing, or chaos engineering. Since it is impossible to prevent failure completely, resilience testing ensures that the software continues to provide essential functionality and avoids data loss even under stress. Constantly increasing customer expectations and business damage from business interruptions are reminders of the importance of minimizing disruptions and preparing for undesirable scenarios. Resilience testing can be considered as part of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP). Use of flexibility tests Flexibility testing is part of the software development cycle. It all starts with an application for the test. Then a customized environment is prepared for the tests. Flexibility testing typically includes the following steps: - Determine metrics: Developers must choose the metrics that should be measured to accurately reflect software performance, such as in/out throughput, throughput, recovery time, response time, and metric relationships. - Determine benchmark performance: You must then compile a performance benchmark that corresponds to the maximum load that the software can support without degrading performance. This makes it easy to distinguish normal deviation from performance and the indicator can be used to compare measurements during testing. - Introducing and measuring disturbances: At this point we will try to bring down the system. There are many ways to do this: one can break communication with external dependencies, inject malicious code as input, deal with traffic control, limit bandwidth, shut down interface systems, remove data sources, and consume system resources. For each scenario, indicators are measured and observed according to the impacts on performance. - Evaluate and process the results: Finally, the results are used to initiate discussions, correct the program, and evaluate the development teams’ practices. Additionally, these teams should optimize subsequent test scenarios in light of these findings. The importance of flexibility testing Resiliency testing helps reduce failures and security issues when the going gets tough, including protection against power or system outages, service outages, and natural disasters. In addition, they allow assessment of compliance with standards, best practices, confidentiality, as well as scalability. These tests are especially important in multi-tiered infrastructures and environments. To reduce the risk of internal system downtime, a solution consists of migrating the software to the cloud and thus enhancing its resilience: if the cloud encounters disruptions, providers generally have complex recovery systems. reliability or flexibility In software, reliability and flexibility are often confused. Resilience is the ability to return to an ideal state or recover quickly from a problem. Reliability is the goal of developers, any system that works perfectly or without interruption. In the elasticity test, reliability is the expected result. The concept of resilience is also known as recoverability.

https://varicoseveinsmedi.com/2022/06/07/what-is-software-resilience-testing/

It is theorized that the resilience of natural ecosystems – their ability to resist and recover from external perturbations – can be estimated from their natural variability. We test this hypothesis using a global set of recovery rates from large disturbances derived from satellite vegetation data, and find that the expected theoretical relationships between these empirical recovery rates and the lag-1 autocorrelation and variance indeed hold approximately. The spatial pattern of global vegetation resilience reveals a strong link to both precipitation availability and variability, implying that water plays a first-order role in controlling the resilience of global vegetation. The resilience of vegetation is not, however, static – global changes in temperature, precipitation, and anthropogenic influence will all impact the ability of ecosystems to adapt to and recover from disturbances. We investigate the global spatial and temporal patterns of changes in resilience using the empirically confirmed metrics – lag-1 autocorrelation and variance – and find spatially heterogeneous long-term (1980s-) trends; recent trends (2000s-) in vegetation resilience are strongly negative across land-cover types and climate zones. How to cite: Smith, T., Boers, N., and Traxl, D.: Global-scale Changes in Vegetation Resilience Mapped with Satellite Data, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-7029, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-7029, 2022.

https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU22/EGU22-7029.html

You are here: You are here Home » IMIS log in IMIS Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps [ report an error in this record ] basket (0): add | show What is a healthy ecosystem ? Costanza, R.; Mageau, M. (1999). What is a healthy ecosystem ? Aquat. Ecol. 33(1) : 105-115 In: Aquatic Ecology. Springer: Dordrecht; London; Boston. ISSN 1386-2588; e-ISSN 1573-5125, more Available in Authors VLIZ [ request ] Authors Top Costanza, R. Mageau, M. Abstract Rapid deterioration of the world's major ecosystems has intensified the need for effective environmental monitoring and the development of operational indicators of ecosystem health. Ecosystem health represents a desired endpoint of environmental management, but it requires adaptive, ongoing definition and assessment. We propose that a healthy ecosystem is one that is sustainable-that is, it has the ability to maintain its structure (organization) and function (vigor) over time in the face of external stress (resilience). Various methods to quantify these three ecosystem attributes (vigor, organization, and resilience) are discussed. These attributes are then folded into a comprehensive assessment of ecosystem health. A network analysis based ecosystem health assessment is developed and tested using trophic exchange networks representing several different aquatic ecosystems. Results indicate the potential of such an ecosystem health assessment for evaluating the relative health of similar ecosystems, and quantifying the effects of natural or anthropogenic stress on the health of a particular ecosystem over time.

https://www.vliz.be/en/imis?module=ref&refid=26

D'Odorico, P. and Bhattachan, A. 2012. Hydrologic variability in dryland regions: impacts on ecosystem dynamics and food security. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 367: 3145-3157. Background The authors write that "dryland ecosystems are particularly affected by relatively intense hydroclimatic fluctuations," citing Reynolds et al. (2007); and they say that "there is some concern that the interannual variability of precipitation in dryland regions might increase in the future thereby enhancing the occurrence of severe water stress conditions in ecosystems and societies." What was done To further explore what might initially have been expected in the way of negative ecosystem consequences due to greater interannual variability of precipitation in dryland ecosystems, D'Odorico and Bhattachan studied "some of the current patterns of hydrologic variability in drylands around the world," reviewing "the major effects of hydrologic fluctuations on ecosystem resilience, maintenance of biodiversity and food security." And what did they find were the real consequences of enhanced hydrologic fluctuations? What was learned The two U.S. researchers report that the preponderance of the investigations they reviewed indicated that random hydrologic fluctuations may actually enhance the resilience of dryland ecosystems by obliterating threshold-like responses to external drivers, and that "by increasing biodiversity and the associated ecosystem redundancy, hydrologic variability can indirectly enhance post-disturbance recovery, i.e., ecosystem resilience." What it means In the concluding words of D'Odorico and Bhattachan, they re-emphasize that dryland ecosystem resilience is "enhanced by environmental variability through the maintenance of relatively high levels of biodiversity, which may allow dryland ecosystems to recover after severe disturbances, including those induced by extreme hydroclimatic events." Reference Reynolds, J.F., Smith, S.D.M., Lambin, E.F., Turner II, B.L., Mortimore, M., Batterbury, S.P.J., Downing, T.E., Dowlatabadi, H., Fernandez, R.J., Herrick, J.E., Huber-Sannwald, E., Jiang, H., Leemans, R., Lynam, T., Maestre, F.T., Ayarza, M. and Walker, B. 2007. Global desertification: building a science for dryland development. Science 316: 847-851.

http://www.co2science.org/articles/V16/N13/B2.php

1. | |Identifying drivers of forest resilience in long-term records from the Neotropics| |Adolf, Carole (autora) ; Tovar, Carolina (autora) ; Kühn, Nicola (autora) ; Behling, Hermann (autor) ; Berrio, Juan Carlos (autor) ; Domínguez Vázquez, Gabriela (autora) ; Figueroa Rangel, Blanca Lorena (autora) ; Gonzalez Carranza, Zaire (autora) ; Islebe, Gerald A. (autor) ; Hooghiemstra, Henry (autor) ; Neff, H. (autor) ; Olvera Vargas, Miguel (autor) ; Whitney, Bronwen (autora) ; Wooller, Matthew J. (autor) ; Willis, Katherine Jane (autora) ;| |Disponible en línea| |Contenido en: Biology Letters Vol. 16, no. 4 (March 2020), p. 1-7 ISSN: 1469-6711| Here, we use 30 long-term, high-resolution palaeoecological records from Mexico, Central and South America to address two hypotheses regarding possible drivers of resilience in tropical forests as measured in terms of recovery rates from previous disturbances. First, we hypothesize that faster recovery rates are associated with regions of higher biodiversity, as suggested by the insurance hypothesis. And second, that resilience is due to intrinsic abiotic factors that are location specific, thus regions presently displaying resilience in terms of persistence to current climatic disturbances should also show higher recovery rates in the past. To test these hypotheses, we applied a threshold approach to identify past disturbances to forests within each sequence. We then compared the recovery rates to these events with pollen richness before the event. We also compared recovery rates of each site with a measure of present resilience in the region as demonstrated by measuring global vegetation persistence to climatic perturbations using satellite imagery. Preliminary results indeed show a positive relationship between pre-disturbance taxonomic richness and faster recovery rates. However, there is less evidence to support the concept that resilience is intrinsic to a region; patterns of resilience apparent in ecosystems presently are not necessarily conservative through time. | 2. | |*Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| |Adaptive capacity and social-ecological resilience of coastal areas: a systematic review| |Ferro Azcona, Hakna ; Espinoza Tenorio, Alejandro (coaut.) ; Calderón Contreras, Rafael (coaut.) ; Ramenzoni, Victoria C. (coaut.) ; Gómez País, Gloria de Las Mercedes (coaut.) ; Mesa Jurado, María Azahara (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Ocean and Coastal Management Vol. 173 (May de 2019), p. 36-51 ISSN: 0964-5691| |Nota:||Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| Establishing protected areas constitutes one of the main strategies for the conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems. Increasing risks associated with environmental change along with highly degraded coastal ecosystems encompass complex management challenges for the long-term sustainability of these landscapes. This article aims to explore the role of protected areas in past and ongoing community adaptation to the compounded effects of climatic and anthropogenic change. A literature review of published articles is conducted through systematic queries of the bibliographic database Web of Sciences, and by comparing adaptation and socialecological resilience processes within and out of coastal protected areas. Findings underscore the absence of specific studies that target these topics inside protected areas, highlighting a geographic bias towards research largely carried out in developed countries. Results also indicate the current need for management practices within protected areas to adopt more participatory, comprehensive, and flexible approaches. Protected areas not only promote the conservation and provision of ecosystem services but are also key in building coastal communities' adaptive capacity and resilience in face of future scenarios. | 3. | |*Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| |Patterns of flow, leaf litter and shredder abundance in a tropical stream| |Wootton, Allen ; Pearson, Richard G. (coaut.) ; Boyero, Luz (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Hydrobiologia Vol. 826, no. 1 (January 2019), p. 353-365 ISSN: 1573-5117| |Nota:||Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| The seasonal dynamics of leaf litter and associated consumers (“shredders”) in tropical streams are not well documented. We investigated the occurrence of litter (density and age composition) and shredders through late dry, wet and early dry seasons in an Australian rainforest stream. Leaf litter packs of varying density and leaf age covered most of the stream bed in the late dry season, but a one-in-one-year flood removed a substantial proportion of the sparse packs and much of the intermediate-aged litter, with green litter becoming more prevalent. Shredder abundances declined accordingly, but recovery was rapid, demonstrating substantial resilience to the disturbance. In a 36-day field experiment using fine- and coarse-mesh bags, green litter was decomposed more rapidly than intermediate and aged litter by both microbes and shredders, an unexpected and important result, given the abundance of green litter in the study stream. The resilience of shredders to moderate flood, their ability to process green leaves and their continued presence across seasons contribute to seasonal consistency in detrital-based food webs in the study stream except, perhaps, after extreme floods. This study demonstrates the need to consider the temporal changes in litter composition and decomposition in determining the nature of trophic processes in streams. | 4. | |Resiliencia y sucesión ecológica de un arrecife de coral afectado por un encallamiento / Isael Victoria Salazar| |Victoria Salazar, Isael ; Hernández Arana, Héctor Abuid (tutor principal) ; Meave, Jorge A. (cotutor) ; Carricart Ganivet, Juan P. (tutor) ;| |Ciudad de México, México : Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Facultad de Ciencias. Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas , 2018| |Clasificación: TE/577.789097267 / V5| | | Bibliotecas: Chetumal Cerrar SIBE ChetumalECO030008720 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 | 5. | |*Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| |Did the community structure of a coral reef patch affected by a ship grounding recover after 15 years? Merging historical and recent data sets| |Victoria Salazar, Isael ; Hernández Arana, Héctor Abuid (coaut.) ; Meave, Jorge A. (coaut.) ; Ruíz Zárate, Miguel Ángel (coaut.) ; Vega Zepeda, Alejandro (coaut.) ; Carricart Ganivet, Juan P. (coaut.) ; López Adame, Haydée (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Ocean & Coastal Management Vol. 144, (July 2017), p. 59–70 ISSN: 1532-2416| |Nota:||Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| Shifts in dominance from coral to other benthic groups in coral reefs have raised concerns about the persistence of coral reefs and their ability to provide ecosystem services. Acute disturbances such as ship groundings offer the opportunity to examine the dynamics of successional processes in coral reefs, since understanding them is a prerequisite for their proper management. In this study, we investigated whether a ship grounding area in a reef located in a marine protected area in Cancún, Mexico, showed signs of recovery 15 years after the incident. We evaluated the reef's composition and structure by taking samples at three different scales (reef scale, 1 m², and 0.01 m²). In these samples, we analysed coral density and recruitment, the abundance of five functional algal groups, and the abundance of the grazer sea urchin Diadema antillarum. If recovery had already occurred, we expected the impacted sector to have a community composition and structure similar to that of a contiguous, non-impacted sector. Using historical information, we found indications of a long-term phase shift, with Porites astreoides being the dominant coral species some time ago and at all scales of analysis; this species also showed intense recruitment. In agreement with previous studies of Caribbean reefs, architectural complexity was low. The algal cover was similar in impacted and non-impacted sectors though the density of sea urchins differed between them. Fifteen years after the ship grounding and despite the enforcement of the prohibition of tourism and fishing activities at the site, the impacted sector does not show signs of recovery. On the contrary, like other reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the non-impacted sector is becoming degraded due to the loss of reef builder key species and the increase of the algae-covered area, mirroring the path observed in the impacted sector. | 6. | |Assessment of hammocks (petenes) resilience to sea level rise due to climate change in Mexico| |Hernández Montilla, Mariana Carolina ; Martínez Morales, Miguel Ángel (coaut.) (-2020) ; Posada Vanegas, Gregorio (coaut.) ; De Jong, Bernardus Hendricus Jozeph (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Plos One Vol. 11, no. 9, e0162637 (September 2016), p. 1-20 ISSN: 1932-6203| There is a pressing need to assess resilience of coastal ecosystems against sea level rise. To develop appropriate response strategies against future climate disturbances, it is important to estimate the magnitude of disturbances that these ecosystems can absorb and to better understand their underlying processes. Hammocks (petenes) coastal ecosystems are highly vulnerable to sea level rise linked to climate change; their vulnerability is mainly due to its close relation with the sea through underground drainage in predominantly karstic soils. Hammocks are biologically importantbecause of their high diversity and restricted distribution. This study proposes a strategy to assess resilience of this coastal ecosystem when high-precision data are scarce. Approaches and methods used to derive ecological resilience maps of hammocks are described and assessed. Resilience models were built by incorporating and weighting appropriate indicators of persistence to assess hammocks resilience against flooding due to climate change at “Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve”, in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. According to the analysis, 25% of the study area is highly resilient (hot spots), whereas 51% has low resilience (cold spots). The most significant hot spot clusters of resilience were located in areas distant to the coastal zone, with indirect tidal influence, and consisted mostly of hammocks surrounded by basin mangrove and floodplain forest. This study revealed thatmulti-criteria analysis and the use of GIS for qualitative, semi-quantitative and statistical spatial analyses constitute a powerful tool to develop ecological resilience maps of coastal ecosystems that are highly vulnerable to sea level rise, even when high-precision data are not available. This method can be applied in other sites to help develop resilience analyses and decision-making processes for management and conservation of coastal areas worldwide. | 7. | |Evaluación de la resiliencia de Los Petenes en México al aumento del nivel del mar por el cambio climático / Mariana C. Hernández Montilla| |Hernández Montilla, Mariana Carolina (autora) ; Martínez Morales, Miguel Ángel (tutor) (-2020) ; Posada Vanegas, Gregorio (asesor) ; De Jong, Bernardus Hendricus Jozeph (asesor) ;| |Lerma, Campeche, México : El Colegio de la Frontera Sur , 2015| |Disponible en línea| |Clasificación: TE/577.52097264 / H4| | | Bibliotecas: Campeche , Chetumal , San Cristóbal , Tapachula , Villahermosa Cerrar SIBE CampecheECO040006055 (Disponible) , 54858 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 2 Cerrar SIBE ChetumalECO030008303 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Cerrar SIBE San CristóbalECO010017958 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Cerrar SIBE TapachulaECO020013304 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Cerrar SIBE VillahermosaECO050005888 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Existe una necesidad creciente de evaluar la resiliencia de las zonas costeras en México a las futuras perturbaciones climáticas y de comprender sus procesos subyacentes con el fin de formular estrategias de respuesta más apropiadas. En este estudio se propone que es posible evaluar la capacidad de resiliencia de los ecosistemas costeros al aumento del nivel del mar debido al cambio climático tomando como base los Petenes ubicados en la Reserva de Biósfera Los Petenes en la Península de Yucatán, México. Con este fin, se diseñó un método de análisis multicriterio donde se ponderaron cuantitavemente indicadores de vulnerabilidad y persistencia para entender el impacto (exposición al riesgo) de un fenómeno meteorológico concreto, “aumento del nivel del mar”, y su respuesta (sensibilidad) a este evento. Estos indicadores y sus criterios se integraron en una matriz compleja para explicar la resiliencia espacial y temporal de los petenes al cambio climático. Esta investigación reveló que el 18,5% del área de estudio es altamente resiliente, mientras que el 38,6% tiene baja resiliencia. Las zonas resilientes más significativas se encontraron alejadas de la zona costera, con la influencia indirecta de las mareas y consistió principalmente en zonas con petenes rodeados de manglares de cuenca y bosque inundables. Este estudio demostró que el análisis multi-criterio y el uso de los SIG para el análisis espacial cualitativo, semi-cuantitativo y estadístico son una poderosa herramienta para derivar mapas ecológicos de resiliencia de los ecosistemas costeros que son altamente vulnerables al aumento del nivel del mar. Éste método podría ser utilizado en otros sitios de México y otros países, para el análisis y toma de decisiones relacionados a los procesos de gestión y conservación de las zonas costeras. Resumen Capítulo I I. Introducción Capítulo II I. Abstract II. Introduction III. Methods IV. Results V. Discussion VI. Acknowledgments VII. References Capítulo III I. Conclusiones Literatura Citada Anexos | 8. | |La adaptación como atributo esencial en el fomento de sistemas agropecuarios resilientes ante las perturbaciones| |Nahed Toral, José ; Palma García, José Manuel (coaut.) ; González García, Eliel (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Avances en Investigación Agropecuaria Vol. 18, no. 3 (septiembre-diciembre 2014), p. 7-34 ISSN: 0188-7890| | | Bibliotecas: San Cristóbal Cerrar SIBE San Cristóbal9576-30 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo documentar algunos fundamentos teóricos del enfoque de sistemas y de la adaptación como atributo primordial para conseguir sistemas agropecuarios resilientes y sostenibles. Con un enfoque aplicado y dinámico, en la primera parte se analizan algunas estrategias de integración y adaptación que permitirían aumentar la resiliencia y reducir la vulnerabilidad de los sistemas. En la segunda parte, se presentan y desarrollan tres casos de sistemas ganaderos con resultados positivos en diferentes regiones (dos en México y uno en Cuba). Con tales estudios de caso se ilustra la aplicación de los conceptos teóricos y estrategias prácticas de intervención o mecanismos de regulación apropiados que se discuten, y que estarían orientados a potencializar las capacidades de adaptación de los sistemas. La valorización a todos los niveles de tales mecanismos de regulación (homeostasis, teleoforesis) representa la piedra angular en el fomento de sistemas constituidos por componentes robustos, capaces de rendir respuestas adaptativas consistentes, ante las perturbaciones internas y externas en el tiempo y en el espacio. Con ello se contribuye, entonces, a crear un compromiso sólido entre los objetivos de productividad y de utilización racional de los recursos naturales y locales para, de esta manera, lograr sistemas perdurables; sostenibles desde varios puntos de vista: económico, ambiental y socialmente aceptables. This study aimed to document some theoretical foundations of adaptation and systems approach as the primary attribute for resilient and sustainable farming systems. They are presented as essential attributes when looking for the achievement of goals of the overall resilience and farming systems’ sustainability. In the first part, with an applied and context-dynamic perspective, some hierarchical concepts and strategies of integration and adaptation are analyzed, leading to reduce the vulnerability of the systems. In the second part, three successful farming systems’ case studies (two from Mexico and one from Cuba) are described. The last to illustrate with real practical experiences, the integrated application of some of such theoretical concepts, practical strategies of intervention, and mechanisms of regulation that are previously discussed, and that would be oriented to promote the long-term adaptive capacities of the farming systems. The valuation at all levels of these regulatory mechanisms (homeostasis, teleoforesis) represents the cornerstone in the building of robust components capable of consistent adaptive responses in the face of internal and external strain in time and space. Meanwhile, with the application of such effective strategies, we would be in better conditions for helping to create a solid commitment between productivity and the objectives for the rational use of the natural and local resources. Finally, this change in the philosophy of the farming systems management would help create a sound compromise between the objectives of productivity and rational use of natural and local resources, thus achieving the required sustainability of farming systems from the economic, environmental and social points of view. | 9. | |*Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| |Coffe, disasters and social-ecological resilience in Guatemala and Chiapas, México| |Eakin, Hallie ; Morales, Helda Eleonora de Guadalupe (coaut.) (1964-) ; Castellanos, Edwin (coaut.) ; Cruz Bello, Gustavo M. (coaut.) ; Barrera, Juan F. (coaut.) ;| |Contenido en: Natural disasters and adaptation to climate changeedited Cambridge, England : Cambridge University Press, 2013 p. 174-180 ISBN:978-110-7010-16-1| | | Bibliotecas: San Cristóbal Cerrar SIBE San Cristóbal179-20 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 |Nota:||Solicítelo con su bibliotecario/a| | 10. | |Natural disasters and adaptation to climate change / edited by Sarah Boulter, Jean Palutikof, David John Karoly, Daniela Guitart| |Boulter, Sarah (ed.) (1970-) ; Palutikof, Jean P. (coed.) ; Karoly, David John (coed.) (1955-) ; Guitart, Daniela (coed.) (1988-) ;| |Cambridge, England : Cambridge University Press , 2013| |Clasificación: 363.34 / N3| | | Bibliotecas: Campeche , San Cristóbal , Villahermosa Cerrar SIBE CampecheECO040005886 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Cerrar SIBE San CristóbalECO010017655 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 Cerrar SIBE VillahermosaECO050006140 (Disponible) Disponibles para prestamo: 1 This volume presents eighteen case studies of natural disasters from Australia, Europe, North America and developing countries. By comparing the impacts, it seeks to identify what moves people to adapt, which adaptive activities succeed and which fail, and the underlying reasons, and the factors that determine when adaptation is required and when simply bearing the impact may be the more appropriate response. Much has been written about the theory of adaptation, and high-level, especially international, policy responses to climate change. This book aims to inform actual adaptation practice - what works, what does not, and why. It explores some of the lessons we can learn from past disasters and the adaptation that takes place after the event in preparation for the next. This volume will be especially useful for researchers and decision makers in policy and government concerned with climate change adaptation, emergency management, disaster risk reduction, environmental policy and planning.

https://bibliotecasibe.ecosur.mx/sibe/resultados?sb%5Bcod%5D%5B%5D=WSU&sb%5Breq%5D%5B%5D=Resiliencia+ecol%C3%B3gica

The perceived fairness of decision-making procedures is a key concern for organizations, particularly when evaluating employees and determining personnel outcomes. Algorithms have created opportunities for increasing fairness by overcoming biases commonly displayed by human decision makers. However, while HR algorithms may remove human bias in decision making, we argue that those being evaluated may perceive the process as reductionistic, leading them to think that certain qualitative information or contextualization is not being taken into account. We argue that this can undermine their beliefs about the procedural fairness of using HR algorithms to evaluate performance by promoting the assumption that decisions made by algorithms are based on less accurate information than identical decisions made by humans. Results from four laboratory experiments (N = 798) and a large-scale randomized experiment in an organizational setting (N = 1654) confirm this hypothesis. Theoretical and practical implications for organizations using algorithms and data analytics are discussed. Highlights • Algorithmic decisions are perceived as less fair than identical decisions by humans. • Perceptions of reductionism mediate the adverse effect of algorithms on fairness. • Algorithmic reductionism comes in two forms: quantification and decontextualization. • Employees voice lower organizational commitment when evaluated by algorithms. • Perceptions of unfairness mediate the adverse effect of algorithms on commitment. Conclusion Perceived unfairness notwithstanding, algorithms continue to gain increasing influence in human affairs, not only in organizational settings but throughout our social and personal lives. How this influence plays out against our sense of fairness remains to be seen but should undoubtedly be of central interest to justice scholars in the years ahead. Will the compilers of analytics and writers of algorithms adapt their methods to comport with intuitive notions of morality? Or will our understanding of fairness adjust to the changing times, becoming inured to dehumanization in an ever more impersonal world? Questions such as these will be asked more and more frequently as technology reshapes modes of interaction and organization that have held sway for generations. We have sought to contribute answers to these questions, and we hope that our work will encourage others to continue studying these and related topics.

https://www.ethicalpsychology.com/2020/10/when-eliminating-bias-isnt-fair.html

Earlier this month, Secretary Napolitano traveled to Australia where she led the Presidential delegation at the 70th Anniversary Commemoration of the Battle of the Coral Sea. While the Secretary was there, she met bilaterally with Australian counterparts to discuss a variety of issues including information sharing, trusted traveler programs, cybersecurity, countering violent extremism, combating transnational crime, and global supply chain security. Following up on these recent discussions, Australian Attorney-General Nicola Roxon yesterday traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with Secretary Napolitano and sign a Statement of Cybersecurity Intent to enhance global cybersecurity and cyber incident response capabilities. This statement of intent will help enhance situational awareness and information sharing on cybersecurity issues, increase collaboration and sharing of cybersecurity best practices, and create opportunities for training and cooperation in cyber exercises. Yesterday’s statement follows four other joint statements signed between the United States and the Australian Governments, during Secretary Napolitano’s visit, that will increase and strengthen intelligence sharing to combat transnational crime and terrorism, facilitate travel between Australia and the United States and ensure a more safe, secure and resilient global supply chain.

http://wwww.infosecisland.com/blogview/21374-US-Enhances-Cybersecurity-Collaboration-with-Australia.html

A Roadmap to Cybersecurity Maturity, Part 2: Am I Mature? A new report from CrowdStrike® Services titled “Achieving Security Maturity: A Roadmap to Building a Robust Cybersecurity Capability” addresses the three questions organizations must answer if they are serious about improving their security programs: “Am I breached? Am I mature? Am I ready?” In Part 1 of this three-part series, I covered the first step — determining if a breach has occurred. In Part 2 — “Am I mature?” — I discuss the criteria that will help you arrive at a comprehensive and accurate picture of your current cybersecurity maturity, so you can begin planning your way forward. Assessing and Improving Cybersecurity Maturity If you discover you haven’t been breached, consider yourself lucky. However, it doesn’t mean there are no areas for improvement. The second phase, assessing your cybersecurity maturity and learning how you can mature and enhance your defenses, is a critical next step. Even organizations with the most mature cybersecurity capabilities are constantly evolving and looking for ways to improve. It’s also important that your cybersecurity maturity goals align with your company’s profile, based on both threat information and risk — for example, who is likely to be targeting your industry, and what are the types of data and assets you need to protect? As the threat landscape shifts, so should your cybersecurity goals. CrowdStrike categorizes a cybersecurity program according to six key areas: - Security foundations - Prevention - Detection - Response - Governance - Threat intelligence Together, these categories support each other, but each is also important in its own right. The following offers a summary of each area, including what they involve and how you can accurately assess your organization’s capabilities in each. In Part 3, I’ll cover how simulation exercises and hands-on training sessions allow you to test the maturity of these capabilities, which is the key to answering the third question, “Am I ready?” Security Foundations To assess an organization’s security foundations, it’s important to delineate between cybersecurity and information security — terms that are often used interchangeably even though the concepts are quite different. Information security covers anything that protects information, spanning both the physical and cyber worlds. Cybersecurity, on the other hand, is more specific. Functions such as updating obsolete and end-of-life systems, installing patches and managing outdated devices are all part of an organization’s broader information security program. However, you will need to do these basics of information security well in order to build a successful foundation for your cybersecurity program with the capabilities described below. Prevention, Detection and Response Beyond having a strong security foundation, cybersecurity revolves around the core capabilities of prevention, detection and response. Assessing your capabilities in these areas involves accurately evaluating your organization’s ability to prevent breaches, while knowing that you’ll be unable to prevent every breach, and also understanding how well you can detect and respond to a breach that slips through. Today’s adversaries are continuously evolving their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), and prevention alone isn’t an adequate defense. To counteract the sophistication of today’s adversaries, it’s essential to invest in prevention, detection and response capabilities at three levels: people, process and technology. - People: Even if you have the right tools, without the right staffing, those tools become “shelfware.” - Process: Without processes that are consistent and repeatable, your organization won’t be prepared to take the necessary steps at the moment they are needed. - Technology: Without the right tools, you’re potentially bringing a knife to a gunfight. These elements work together to arm your organization with the flexibility and expertise needed to counteract a cyberattack, although your level of proficiency is based on maturity. Too often, we see organizations refuse to invest in human capital, because they’ve already spent significant funds on tools. Unfortunately, that’s often a losing proposition: Without the appropriate monitoring and management, tools are much less effective. It’s also important to realize the role that time and practice play. Cyber “muscle memory” must be trained and exercised to ensure that your prevention, detection and response capabilities can function at an optimal level on a continuous basis. Governance One of the quickest ways for a cybersecurity program to fail is for it to operate without the support of others in the organization, especially those in leadership positions. With today’s constant barrage of headlines about cyber breaches, cyber risk is often at the top of a board’s agenda. However, when this heightened awareness is combined with a limited understanding of cybersecurity requirements, it can lead to a well-intentioned but poorly executed program. Unfortunately, we sometimes see organizations establish cybersecurity improvement programs, only to fail to follow through with the full implementation due to the lack of leadership support and necessary resources — leaving the risk unaddressed. Threat Intelligence The decision to invest in cybersecurity should be driven not only by what you think is valuable within your organization, but also by understanding how your data and information may be valued by potential adversaries. To achieve this perspective, CrowdStrike looks at an organization’s threat intelligence capability as the final element of an effective security program. In short, threat intelligence can be used to enhance prevention, detection and response capabilities, inform a robust governance model and ensure that basic security foundations are being addressed in a meaningful way. While it’s uncommon to find a mature threat intelligence capability in most organizations, companies mature enough to focus on anticipating threats typically leverage intelligence to give themselves an edge. Part 3 of this blog series on cybersecurity maturity will address the question, “Am I ready?” Additional Resources - Download the white paper: “Achieving Security Maturity: A Roadmap to Building a Robust Cybersecurity Capability.” - Learn observations and insights from the experts who investigated breaches throughout 2019 — download the CrowdStrike Services 2019 Cyber Front Lines Report. - Read Part 1 of this blog series: Am I Breached? - Learn why CrowdStrike Services was named a “Leader” in the “Forrester WaveTM: Cybersecurity Incident Response Services, Q1 2019” report. - Learn about CrowdStrike Incident Response Services by visiting the webpage. - Get a full-featured free trial of CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent™ and learn how true next-generation AV performs against today’s most sophisticated threats.

https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/a-roadmap-to-cybersecurity-maturity-part-2-am-i-mature/

In light of another year of numerous high profile cybersecurity breaches in 2014, RSA set out to get a clear understanding as to why organizations continue to struggle with breach readiness and how they can improve their preparation in the future. This week RSA announced the results of a global breach readiness survey of more than 170 respondents from 30 countries, which were compared to the responses of the Security for Business Innovation Council (SBIC), a group of top security leaders from Global 1000 enterprises. The survey covered four key areas of breach readiness with which many organizations struggle today: Incident Response, Threat Intelligence, Analytic Intelligence, and Content Intelligence. When comparing the best practices of SBIC members to the broader population, it’s clear that many organizations are struggling to address even basic requirements for success in defending themselves from advanced threats. Recognizing that security teams have numerous responsibilities and priorities with limited budgets and resources, the results reveal that it takes organizations too long to make breach readiness improvements and add missing capabilities. They are gambling with their organizations’ security. There are definite signs, however, that many organizations are beginning to take the necessary steps forward on the maturity journey. Before we look at some of the good news, it gives me pause that 57% of respondents miss the critical early step of reviewing and updating their incident response plans; never mind testing and exercising these plans. Whilst a security operations team is likely exercising their part of the plan almost daily, there is much to be gained from regularly conducting table top exercises of the plan with business and executive players – this is a vital preparedness and education tool. On a positive note, nearly half of the general population surveyed has implemented a capability to centralize and correlate their logs, use asset criticality to focus their incident management and have a process to identify and reduce false positives. Only 43% harness the value of external threat information by integrating it with that centralized data, leaving many without the protection of leveraging known indicators against their aggregated data. Although this step can’t protect you from the unknown, leveraging the larger ecosystem and its broader experience is a critical step to decreasing the likelihood that existing threats are operating within the environment. A great threat feed can go a long way to giving early indication of malicious activity. Most organizations (70%) are reporting that they have the ability to perform a live host analysis, but less than half have the ability to perform live network analysis. This is a critical step to be able complete the picture of activity on a network, either to match network traffic to host activity or to identify traffic from an unmanaged host. As organizations continue the breach readiness journey, the SBIC offers valuable prescriptive advice on which capabilities are most important, and the features that must be prioritized to more successfully prepare for breaches. An effective program will combine a dedicated team – either in-house or through a managed security services provider – with excellence in response process and analytic capability; it will also have a high degree of visibility into data, application, host and network activity, prioritized with asset criticality and informed by external threat information. For more information about the survey results, check out the e-Book, Closing the Gap on Breach Readiness.

https://www.delltechnologies.com/en-us/blog/how-to-close-the-gap-on-it-security-breach-readiness/

The programs are organized into 3 main age groups: - Ages 4-7 - Ages 8-11 - Ages 12 and up The University of Manitoba campuses are located on original lands of Anishinaabeg, Cree, Oji-Cree, Dakota, and Dene peoples, and on the homeland of the Métis Nation. More University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, R3T 2N2 As part of the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management, Mini U is a department contributing to the community engagement goals of the University of Manitoba. The programs are organized into 3 main age groups: Each age group contains a wide range of program options that are organized in 5 main categories: The department also offers services available to participants of all ages, such as: Understanding why we do what we do is critical to our success. Together, we strive to develop the leadership and physical activity capacity of others. To be recognized locally and nationally as a leader in providing evidence-based programs while actively collaborating in the creation and dissemination of physical activity knowledge. Mini U Programs develops excellent, innovative leaders and provides stimulating, quality programs for children and youth that reflect the values of inclusiveness, fair play and healthy development. Intended learning outcomes for each leadership skill have been developed and are built into lesson plans, practice plans and every day recreational activities. |L.B.1*||Children will gain the skills and confidence to develop one new meaningful relationship/friendship with another participant.| |L.B.2*||Children will demonstrate motivating and encouraging behaviour towards others within their group.| |L.B.3||Children will understand the meaning of respect.| |L.B.1*||Children will identify and understand the root of a problem and the steps they can take to find a solution.| |L.B.2*||Children will understand that each problem is unique and there are multiple pathways to finding solutions.| |L.B.3||Children will demonstrate the ability to work within a group to solve a problem.| |L.B.4||Children will demonstrate the ability to solve a problem and compare/create multiple solutions independently.| |L.B.5||Children will demonstrate confidence with their decisions while remaining receptive to others’ ideas.| |L.B.1*||Children communicate with others non-verbally and verbally in a way that is appropriate for the promotion of physical activity.| |L.B.2*||Children will be provided opportunities to gain confidence and competence in the expression of their own ideas, thoughts and perspectives related to a topic that interests them.| |L.B.3||Children will be given the opportunity to demonstrate the understanding of a topic to the group.| |L.B.4||Children will appreciate the importance of being positive and constructive with communication.| |L.B.1*||Children will understand that everyone has unique strengths and abilities that can be used in a team setting to accomplish a common goal.| |L.B.2*||Children will engage others around them to take part in activities.| |L.B.3||Children will understand the importance of creating an inclusive environment (i.e. a respectful and equitable environment).| |L.B.4||Children will be able to identify individual strengths and abilities in others while participating in activities.| |L.B.1*||Children will identify how their leadership affects others in positive and negative ways.| |L.B.2*||Children will recognize and respect that others may have different perspectives and experiences which can help accomplish a goal.| |L.B.3||Children will share how they felt during an activity and what emotions were present.| |L.B.4||Children will identify what actions helped them succeed at a task.| |L.B.5||Children will apply knowledge to accomplish a task.| To engage children and youth in leadership through: Leadership focused programs are offered to children aged 5 to 16 in areas such as classroom-based programs, outdoor education and wellness. All program curriculums have a leadership component as part of the program experience. Our goal is to provide children with the opportunity to discover leadership through their individual interests (sports, special interest or recreation). We want to catch participants leading. Throughout each day, leaders recognize participants with a leadership card when they demonstrate an effort to be a leader or a leadership skill. We hope to help participants understand the skills that make leaders who they are, recognize when they are demonstrating leadership skills and inspire them to continue to become a leader among their peers. Collect a card for all five leadership skills and receive something special, recognizing participants as a leaders in our community. Programs with a recreational activity component will experience our leadership low organized games designed to expose children to leadership focused games. Our team is focused on delivering positive experiences and programs. In order to be at our best, we strive to execute at a high level while continuing to develop our skills in the following areas: We want to ensure we are reaching our goals. We review our impact annually and establish new goals to ensure we are continually delivering programs and experiences in the way we intend. Customer satisfaction = 84%, 92% plan to register again Employee satisfaction = 92%, 95% intend to return as an employee Number of participants = 16,267 annually, a record-breaking number of participants attended summer camps (previous record 2018). Operation rate = 94% full (number of participants registered/maximum number of participants) Programs are designed to introduce participants to new subjects and skills. Our program coordinators design unique curriculums that include subject-specific learning outcomes, leadership learning outcomes and physical activity development. Led by program supervisors, our student leaders create engaging lesson plans designed for participants to learn through play. Lessons are created each year to ensure daily activities are fresh from year to year. The Mini U Programs team is built with honest, forward-thinking, competent and inspiring leaders We have a passion to support children and experience in leadership settings. All leaders of the program are required to submit criminal record, child abuse registry checks as well as be certified in emergency first aid and CPR level C annually. Additional lifesaving and swim instructor certifications are required for aquatics staff. Standard First Aid and CPR C will be re-certified annually. Our team facilitates the coordination and supervision of programs, leadership and management of employees as well as the administration and customer service of the unit. Together we serve children, parents and guardians, employees, community partners and collaborate with University of Manitoba employees. The leadership team plans, prepares, executes and evaluates all aspects of the Mini U experience. We are responsible for modelling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the work of the individuals on our team. As front-line staff, supervisors, leaders and head guards provide leadership to and supervise participants, provide customer service to families and support the administration of the unit. Supervisors and leaders bring our program experience to life by creating activities and engaging participants by creating safe and inclusive environments. They inspire participants to develop as leaders within specific interest areas. Our goal is to create a positive experience for participants and their families. We understand the optimal experience may not be achieved for everyone at all times. We believe all problems can be resolved through understanding, collaboration and the opportunity to learn and adapt. We are committed to being responsive to concerns as they are brought to our attention. We are committed to providing customer service with kindness, professionalism, fairness and respect. We expect the same from you when working through concerns together. If you have a concern you would like share with us, our team would be happy to assist you. Connect with us.

https://umanitoba.ca/mini-u/mini-u-experience/team-values

We are reaching out to you now to discuss our commitments in response to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people before them. Like many of you, these events have forced us to reflect upon the systems of oppression that led to these acts and on our role in fighting for racial justice within our communities. Following the Call to Action of our parent organization, NCSEA, issued jointly with CASE and SEI, we are beginning to better understand this role. As structural engineering professionals, we have not only the ability but also the obligation to shape the built environment around us with intention and to influence long-term change of access, equity, and inclusion within our profession. SE3 believes that actions speak louder than words. Though we have actively advocated for positive change in the profession for years, we have also intentionally focused on gender more than racial equality. Now, more than ever, we believe it is in the best interest of our members and our community to focus even more intently on the issues facing people of color within our profession. Towards this goal, the SE3 Committee will: - Collaborate with NCSEA Leadership to implement our organization’s initiatives and engage in joint ventures with CASE and SEI. - Conduct research specifically on racial inequity within the structural engineering profession using data from the 2020 SE3 survey. With this research, we seek to better understand the common challenges experienced by people of color in our profession and to actively remove barriers within our work environments. - At the 2020 NCSEA Summit and in other forums, host dedicated programs, sessions, or panel discussions on racial inequity, discrimination, harassment, and challenges to career progression or retention. - Work with local SE3 chapters and with partner organizations to implement these programs at the local community level. In particular, we will build on the initial recommendations put forth by SEAONC SE3, our founding chapter, linked below. - Collect and share resources, case studies, and ideas for actions that our members and advocates can take to influence change at the individual, firm, and community level. As a volunteer organization composed of practicing structural engineers, we don’t profess to have all the answers. We do, however, have the collective experience of many who have fought for change within the AEC industry. We are a group of passionate individuals dedicated to a better future for our profession. The SE3 Committee stands committed to justice and equality for all through collective, sustained actions. If you are passionate about this too, please join us in this call to action for a more inclusive, fair, and equitable future. Sincerely, NCSEA SE3 Leadership Sabrina Duk, Rose McClure, Nick Sherrow-Groves, Angie Sommer, Zahraa Saiyed, and Natalie Tse We are proud to feature the recommendations of SEAONC SE3 here:

https://www.se3committee.com/commitmenttoaction

Position Summary: The QA Analyst will be responsible for creation, execution and maintenance of manual and automated testing scripts using best of breed automation tools/plug-ins or products as acquired. The analyst will collaborate with developers, business system analysts, product owners, and stakeholders on high performing delivery teams to understand testing goals, and to create the most efficient testing methodology. This position tests software as part of a SDLC (software development life-cycle). This includes testing integrations, new software implementations, and enhancements to current systems. Great critical thinking skills and ability to write detailed testing scenarios and scripts are essential. Essential Functions: - Review functional and design specifications to ensure full understanding of individual deliverables. - Perform backend database testing in Microsoft SQL environment including validating stored procedures, jobs and triggers. - Identify test requirements from specifications and map test case requirements, and design test coverage plan. - Develop, document and maintain functional test cases and other test artifacts such as the test data, data validation, harness scripts and automated scripts. - Execute and evaluate manual or automated test cases and report test results. - Hold and facilitate test plan/case reviews with cross-functional team members. - Identify any potential quality issues and escalate to QA Lead. - Ensure that QA deliverables meet the functional and design specifications and requirements. Isolate, replicate, and report defects and verify defect fixes as necessary. - Responsible for analyzing the requirements and planning, creating and executing all test cases & test scripts for the project and complete progress status reporting. - Write Test Cases & Test Scripts, and review with peers. - Perform Data Driven development, test-environment configuration, and test-script configuration management (if necessary). - Test Traceability Matrix (tracing the test-procedures to the test requirements) as needed. - Test-process implementation and test execution plan, overall system reliability, performance and quality. - Ensure that test-product documentation is completed, and assist in the test analysis for projects with automation. - Provide solid and well documented automation & testing. - Display a commitment to deliver systems in a timely matter according to business need. - Provide support as needed to production systems ensuring that both internal and external client’s needs are met. - Aggressively work to provide solutions to challenges. - Possess a positive and constructive attitude. - Actively work to improve tech skills using available methods (books, seminars, etc.). - Communicate effectively with team members and senior engineering staff as necessary. - Other duties as assigned. Requirements: Education & Experience - Bachelor’s Degree in IT or related field, or equivalent experience. - 5 plus years of experience or an equivalent of education and experience. - 5 plus years performing in a QA role in support of web and analytics development. - 1-3 years’ experience with automation and/or a combination of course work & hands-on. - Certifications ( CSQA, CSTE) or equivalent relevant experience, desired. - Familiar with agile methodologies. - Strong working knowledge of system testing and software quality assurance best practices and methodologies. - Experience with testing tools such as LambdaTest, QTest etc. - Experience with Cross-Browser Testing tools e.g. BrowserStack, Litmus. - Familiarity with Salesforce CRM and Marketing Cloud and associated data structures. - Very strong SQL abilities (MSQL). - Understanding of software engineering and web development, the full SDLC. - Strong organizational and excellent written and verbal communication skills. - Experience in higher education preferred. - All skills, abilities and education will be considered for minimum qualifications. - Knowledge of Google's suite of data tools-Google Analytics, (both Universal Analytics & GA4 Property Types), Google Tag, Manager, preferred. - Ability to participate as an active team member of the team and organization and work toward a common goal. Contributes fully to the team effort and plays an integral part in the smooth running of teams without necessarily taking the lead. - Accepts personal accountability, proactively seeks resolution for personal limitations head-on; and supports honesty and respect towards others, the company and oneself. - Actively seeks to influence, build effective relationships and gain alignment with peers, functional partners and/or external partners to accomplish business objectives. - Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes. Ability to generate and/or recognize imaginative or creative solutions that generate successful outcomes. - Working knowledge, principles and practices of office management/systems within a higher education environment, preferred. Demonstrates an understanding of underlying organizational issues. - Intermediate use of computers and Microsoft Office Suite Applications such as Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook. - Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple projects, deadlines and frequently changing priorities. - Ability to drive towards achieving measurable and challenging goals to support organizational success. Demonstrates the ability to focus on achieving results consistent with the organization’s objectives. As a leader, develops goals based on the organization’s vision, mission, strategic goals and objectives. - Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate with a wide range of individual of constituencies in a diverse community. - Work independently and foster a cooperative spirit within a large and/or small team of diverse cultures, while working in a fast-paced environment with multiple deadlines and frequently changing priorities. The National University System is committed to maintaining a high-quality, diverse workforce representative of the populations we serve. As a network of nonprofit educational institutions, the System employs more than 3,300 faculty and staff and serves over 41,000 students. We are united in our mission to meet the global education demands of the 21st Century and are dedicated to creating a supportive academic and work environment that allows for students, faculty and staff to develop their interests and talents while experiencing a sense of community and a commitment to diversity. With programs available both online and at our many campus locations, the National University System is a leader in creating innovative solutions to education and meeting the needs of our diverse student population, including adult learners and working professionals. National University offers an opportunity to work in an innovative environment that supports diversity. National University (NU) is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate against any employee or applicant for employee per applicable federal, state and local laws. At NU, a diverse mix of highly talented, innovative and creative people come together to make the impact of a lifetime for each of our student learners. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment, education, and admission at National University. We are focused on equality and believe deeply in diversity of race, color, ancestry, age, family care status, veteran status, marital status, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, national origin, and other legally protected group status.

https://jobs.chronicle.com/job/37332467/it-quality-assurance-analyst-/

In 2002 and 2003, Eagle Pointe Elementary school developed a mission and vision statement unique to the Eagle Pointe community. Although we share common aims with other District 202 schools, as individual schools our mission, roles, and programs may vary. The first step in developing our mission and vision was to align our aim to the mission and vision of Plainfield CCSD #202. It is through this process that we decreased random acts of improvement and increased aligned acts of improvement that resulted in extraordinary student achievement. Consider the graphical representation of this concept below: Without having a constancy of purpose, i.e., a clearly defined mission statement and a plan to implement it, schools are often driven by reactions to immediate concerns and have the tendency to move in wayward directions in order to satisfy immediate needs. Schools do not exist for teachers to teach, but for students to learn. A school that develops this constancy of purpose through alignment knows where they are headed. They have a clear view at a very fundamental level of what the basic goals and academic integrity of the school are and a map to guide them on their way. Consider the graphical representation of this concept below: To become effective, Eagle Pointe Elementary School developed a vision, mission, and goals that were enthusiastically endorsed by all administrators, teachers, support staff, parents, and community. The staff dedicated its 2002-2003 institute day activities to designing our core beliefs. On May 5, 2003 the faculty at Eagle Pointe agreed to support the following beliefs. We Believe Everyone is capable of learning and achieving individual success Everyone needs to feel valued and respected Learning is a lifelong process Teaching and Learning is a responsibility shared by students, family, staff and community Effective teaching and learning require a meaningful purpose. Teaching is most effective when it: maximizes individual growth, progress and potential differentiates to meet students' diverse abilities, needs and learning styles utilizes measurable results to drive instruction involves setting high expectations and taking risks promotes creativity and inquiry is interactive and relates to the real world. The staff dedicated its institute day activities for 2003-2004 to the final development of the Eagle Pointe mission statement. In June 2004, the Eagle Pointe faculty agreed to support the following mission statement: Who: Eagle Pointe Niche: A community of collaborative and innovative learners committed to continual improvement and growth. Purpose: To develop well-rounded citizens who create and contribute productively now and in the future. Function: By creating a foundation for success By creating a safe and supportive environment By applying our beliefs about effective teaching By incorporating and utilizing all available resources By holding high expectations for students, staff, and community By identifying, modeling, practicing, and celebrating positive character traits In September 2017, Eagle Pointe's staff refined and focused our mission statement to read the following: Our fundamental purpose at Eagle Pointe is to… "Ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to their success as ongoing learners."

https://epes.psd202.org/page/mission

As we embark on a new cycle with a new calendar year, we, at Matriarch Movement, are looking ahead with self-love, a collective and personal commitment to growth, and excitement about where the year may lead us. We’re seizing the energy of the new year and leaning into habits, old and new, that welcome good things into our lives. We recognize that through individual healing we can become better people in our personal relationships and more invested community members. Our team includes four Indigenous women, each of us on our own unique path yet coming together to hold space for Indigenous people to reclaim and thrive. We’re energized by creating change in our communities and recognize that can only be achieved when we practice and demonstrate the wellness that we advocate for. We hope that by sharing our goals publicly we will not only inspire others to reflect on their own intentions in the coming year but we will also be more accountable to ourselves and the greater community to actively change our lives for the better. Holliston “This year I will be prioritizing my relationship with myself and what brings me joy: as someone who finds happiness and fulfillment in offering whatever I can, whenever I can, to support those around me, I find that I often forget to share that same love, attention, and unconditional investment with myself. In 2021 I said good-bye to a friendship I was deeply invested in, and following that loss I struggled to refind my balance. Through the love and support of kin, I have been reminded of my brilliance and want to spend 2022 more actively and intentionally investing in and prioritizing myself to create dedicated time for things that bring me joy and happiness, and to continue to create space for my personal growth and healing.” Letting go of people and practices that we once held in importance is hard for all of us. In the past 2 years, the entire world has undergone lessons in letting go of an old way of life. Refinding ourselves and the things that bring us joy is something that we’re collectively facing. Joy is integral to building a meaningful life and surprisingly so many of us aren’t actively doing the things that bring us regular happiness. In the past on the blog we’ve talked about the healing nature of joy and laughter, and we recognize that these things are essential for personal and collective healing. There is no better feeling than when we return to our best selves and we love this goal for 2022. Denita “My goal is to get back into mental health through running and meditation. I notice my goals are easily met when I'm in alignment . When I wake up I meditate and have no phone activity whatsoever. I write down what needs to be done for the day, go for a run and boost my dopamine levels for an overall energized day, then I go to work. I notice I get a lot done by doing these rituals.” We know thet physical and mental health are connected. Denita's goal to return to a previous routine that once served her wholistic health is an important reminder that we don’t have to start from scratch when we're setting goals. The self-awareness of knowing what works is a powerful tool for improving our lives. In a world that moves so quickly, we can get caught up in trendy new workouts and the latest health practices. Denita has laid out a routine that she knows works for her, including practices she knows are manageable and rewarding. Finding activities that support wholistic alignment is a great way to nourish the self on multiple levels for greater all-around health Shayla “My wellness goal is to be mindful of my own capacity and to be willing to say “no” more often if something is not in alignment with my mind + body + spirit.” When we talk about goals, there tends to be an emphasis on using positive language and committing to saying “Yes,” to new experiences. The self-reflective power of saying “no,” honours our own limits whether physical, spiritual, mental, etc. We’re moving away from ideas that support unhealthy narratives about productivity that cause us to spread ourselves thin trying to achieve an unachievable and unhealthy lifestyle in which we give more than we’re able. Rest is integral to wellbeing,and alignment is the ultimate health goal. Saying “no” is an act of reclamation. When we place boundaries on where we chose to place our energies and vocalize our limits we can reclaim voice, body, and spirit. Rebekah This year I will to live more truthfully and honour the voice within. I intend to unlearn habits that have grown out of response to expectations placed on me by outside forces and seek to understand myself better. I pray for a year of self-discovery and self-love so that I can show up better in my relationships. Since quitting my day job in early 2021, I've been actively seeking deeper self-knowing so that I may shed the practices I do on autopilot that aren't in alignment with my growth. I have been consistently reflecting on the authenticity of my choices as being my own or a direct response to the expectations I feel society has placed on me. This year I aim to act accordingly and move through life with healed self-love and intention. It's been said that 75% of life is just showing up and I want to show up better than ever before. ------------------- Looking ahead with excitement, we as a team commit to new habits and rituals of self-care that keep us healthy, so that we may honour ourselves in the ways our ancestors fought and prayed for. We know that when we heal ourselves we can heal our families and communities. Each of us are leaning into the practices that energize us and honour our wellbeing. In 2022, we aim to shine and instill light into the world around us. We hope you’ll join us in creating positive change this year and doing our best to support one another.

https://www.matriarchmovement.ca/blogs/wellness/wellness-wednesday-our-2022-goals