Dec 2022: Sarah Wu won the 2022 Fall MRS Graduate Student Award, Gold Award!
Dec 2022: Prof. Zhao was selected as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher 2022. Congratulations!
Nov 2022: Chonghe Wang was selected among Forbes 30 under 30 2023 in the category of Science. Chonghe was selected based on the invention of bioadhesive ultrasound capable of long-term continuous imaging of deep organs. Congratulations!
Nov 2022: Dr. Yoonho Kim won the inaugural 2022 SVINnovator from the Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology! Robotically controlled microwires navigated their way to the $10k first prize. Congratulations!
Oct 2022: Dr. Xiaoyu Chen won the 2022 Baxter Young Investigator Award. Congratulations!
Sep 2022: Jingjing was selected to join the Rising Stars in Soft and Biological Matter Symposium 2022 at the University of Chicago! Congratulations!
Jul 2022: Chonghe, Xiaoyu, Liu, Tao, and collaborators’ paper on Bioadhesive ultrasound for long-term continuous imaging of diverse organs was published in Science. Science Perspective, Altmetric score, MIT News, MIT Spotlight, Summary Video.
May 2022: Chase won the Teaser Talk award at the NEW.Mech2022! Congratulations!
May 2022: Sarah was awarded the Den Hartog Travel Award from MechE! Congratulations!
Apr 2022: Yoonho successfully defended his Ph.D.! Congratulations!
Apr 2022: Yoonho, Emily, Jaehun, and collaborators’ paper on Telerobotic neurovascular interventions with magnetic manipulation was published in Science Robotics. MIT News Summary Video.
Feb 2022: Jingjing, Hyunwoo, and collaborators’ paper on An off-the-shelf bioadhesive patch for sutureless repair of gastrointestinal defects was published in Science Translational Medicine. MIT News.
Feb 2022: Yoonho and Prof. Zhao’s review paper on Magnetic Soft Materials and Robots was published in Chemical Reviews.
Dec 2021: Xinyue successfully defended her thesis to become a Ph.D. Congratulations!
Nov 2021: Yoonho, Prof. Zhao, and collaborators' comment article on Shaping the future of robotics through materials innovation was published in Nature Materials.
Nov 2021: Prof. Zhao was named a Highly Cited Researcher 2021 by ClarivateAG. Congratulations!
Nov 2021: Both Sarah and Jingjing were named First-tier Winners to receive Baxter Young Investigator Awards for 2021. Congratulations!
Aug 2021: Shaoting and collaborators' paper on A soft neuroprosthetic hand providing simultaneous myoelectric control and tactile feedback was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. MIT News. MIT Spotlight.
Aug 2021: Hyunwoo, Jingjing, Xinyu and collaborators' paper on Rapid and coagulation-independent haemostatic sealing by a paste inspired by barnacle glue was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. MIT News. MIT Spotlight.
Apr 2021: Xinyue, Yueying, and collaborators' paper on Magnetic Living Hydrogels for Intestinal Localization, Retention, and Diagnosis was published in Advanced Functional Materials .
Apr 2021: Jiahua, Shaoting, and collaborators' paper on Strong fatigue-resistant nanofibrous hydrogels inspired by lobster underbelly was published in Matter.
Apr 2021: Prof. Zhao, Xiaoyu, Hyunwoo, Shaoting, Xinyue, and German's review paper on Soft Materials by Design: Unconventional Polymer Networks Give Extreme Properties was published in Chemical Reviews.
Mar 2021: Xinyue, Hyunwoo, and collaborators' work on Hydrogel-based biocontainment of bacteria for continuous sensing and computation was published in Nature Chemical Biology.
Mar 2021: Sarah, Heather and James won the NSF GRFP fellowship. Congratulations!
Feb 2021: Heejung won the Peebles Award in 2021 Annual Meeting of The Adhesion Society. Congratulations!
Feb 2021: Zhao Lab welcomes a new graduate student, Jaehun Choe. Welcome!
Feb 2021: Sarah, Hyunwoo, Jingjing and collaborators' paper on A Multifunctional Origami Patch for Minimally Invasive Tissue Sealing was published in Advanced Materials. MIT News. Video.
Dec 2020: Xinyue won the 2020 MRS Graduate Student Silver Award. Congratulations!
Nov 2020: Sarah and Heejung won the BMES Medtronic Design Award 1st Prize. Congratulations!
Nov 2020: Shaoting's paper on Fracture of polymer networks with diverse topological defects was published in Physcial Review E.
Sep 2020: Both Yoonho and Hyunwoo have been named graduate finalists in the 2020 Collegiate Inventors Competition (CIC), Yoonho for his invention “Robo-thread" and Hyunwoo for his invention “SanaHeal". Congratulations!
Sep 2020: Jue, Hyunwoo, Jingjing, Xiaoyu, and collaborators' paper on Electrical bioadhesive interface for bioelectronics was published in Nature Materials.
Sep 2020: Shaoting and collaborators' paper on Dynamic intermolecular interactions through hydrogen bonding of water promote heat conduction in hydrogels was published in Material Horizons.
Sep 2020: German, Yan, Yueying , and collaborators' paper on Ultrathin and Robust Hydrogel Coatings on Cardiovascular Medical Devices to Mitigate Thromboembolic and Infectious Complications was published in Advanced Healthcare Materials.
Jun 2020: Xiaoyu, Hyunwoo, and Jingjing's paper on Instant tough bioadhesive with triggerable benign detachment was published online in PNAS.
Jun 2020: Liu and Yoonho's paper on Hard-magnetic elastica was published in JMPS.
Apr 2020: Xinyue has been listed in Forbes 30-Under-30 Asia Healthcare & Science 2020. Congratulations!
Mar 2020: Aki, Hyunwoo and Baoyang’s paper on Strong adhesion of wet conducting polymers on diverse substrates was published in Science Advances. MIT News.
Feb 2020: Ji, Shaoting, Xinyue, and collaborators' paper on Fatigue-resistant adhesion of hydrogels was published in Nature Communications.
Feb 2020: Xinyue and Shaoting's review paper on Hydrogel machines was published in Materials Today.
Jan 2020: Xinyu and Hyunwoo's paper on Hydration and swelling of dry polymers for wet adhesion was published in JMPS.
Oct 2019: Prof. Zhao and Yoonho's News & Views article on Soft microbes programmed by nanomagnets was published in Nature.
Oct 2019: Hyunwoo, Xinyu, and collaborators' paper on Dry double-sided tape for adhesion of wet tissues and devices was published in Nature. MIT News, MIT Spotlight, STM Editor's Choice.
Aug 2019: Yoonho, German, and Shengduo's paper on Ferromagnetic soft continuum robots was published in Science Robotics. MIT News, MIT Spotlight, Nature Research Highlight (Web), Nature Research Highlight (Paper), Media Reports.
May 2019: Shaoting, Ji and Xinyue' paper on Muscle-like fatigue-resistant hydrogels by mechanical training was published in PNAS.
March 2019: Baoyang, Hyunwoo, Shaoting and collaborators' paper on Pure PEDOT:PSS hydrogels was published in Nature Communications.
January 2019: Shaoting and group members’ work on Anti-fatigue-fracture hydrogels was published in Science Advances. We showed that designing anti-fatigue-fracture hydrogels requires making the fatigue crack encounter and fracture objects with energies per unit area much higher than that for fracturing a single layer of polymer chains.
December 2018: Prof. Zhao was named as a Highly Cited Researcher in 2018 by Web of Science.
December 2018: Hyunwoo and Baoyang's review paper on Hydrogel bioelectronics was published in Chemical Society Reviews. We systematically revealed the design principles for bioelectronics and discussed hydrogels' merits and potential in bioelectronics.
December 2018: Guoying, Ruike and collaborators' work on Soft wall-climbing robot was published in Science Robotics.
October 2018: Ruike and collaborators' work on Controlled crack propagation for atomic precision handling of wafer-scale two-dimensional materials was published in Science. We developed a model to quantitatively guide the crack propagation in layered 2D materials. MIT News.
July 2018: Yoonho, Hyunwoo and Ruike’s work on Printing ferromagnetic domains for untethered fast-transforming soft materials was published in Nature. MIT Video. Nature Video. MIT report. Nature News. Media report. MIT Spotlight.
July 2018: Vivas, Ruike and German's work on Folding artificial mucosa with cell-laden hydrogels guided by mechanics models was published in PNAS.
December 2017: Xinyue, Hyunwoo, Shaoting and collaborators from Lu group developed high-resolution (30um) large-scale (3 cm) 3D printing of living materials guided by predictive models in Advanced Materials. MIT report. MIT Spotlight. News. Video Abstract. Advanced Materials front cover.
October 2017: Our IP on elastomer-hydrogel hybrid (M.I.T. Case No. 18522) has been licensed.
October 2017: Prof Zhao's explained how to design toughness and strength for soft materials on PNAS.
October 2017: German, Hyunwoo and Xinyue made hydrogels “impermeable", a property that has been regarded as impossible for hydrogels. Advanced Healthcare Materials. MIT report. MIT Spotlight. MIT MechE Front page. Boston.
August 2017: SAMs Lab's paper on separating viscoelasticity and poroelasticity of gels won 2016 AMS Best Paper Award.
July 2017: SAMs Lab and collaborators' paper on design and modeling of hygroscopic bio-hybrid actuators and devices published in Science Advances. MIT News. Video. MIT Frontpage.
June 2017: Shaoting and Yunwei's paper on fringe, fingering and cavitation instabilities accepted in JMPS.
May 2017: Prof. Zhao has been granted tenure by MIT. Congratulations! MIT News.
May 2017: SAMs Lab and collaborators' paper on design and modeling of hygroscopic bio-hybrid actuators and devices accepted in Science Advances. Congratulations!
February 2017: Shaoting and collaborators' paper on constitutive modeling of viscoelastic hydrogels accepted in JMPS. Congratulations!
February 2017: Shaoting and coauthors' paper on strong, tough, stretchable and self-adhesive protein hydrogels accepted in Advanced Materials. Congratulations!
2016/11: Shaoting, Teng, Hyunwoo and collaborators discovered a new mode of fringe instability that has significant implications for soft adhesives and joints and published in Soft Matter. Congratulations!
2016/09: Xinyue, Hyunwoo and collaborators developed the world's first stretchable hydrogel optical fiber published in Advanced Materials. The work was reported by MIT spotlight, MIT News, Fox News. Congratulations!
2016/06: SAMs Lab team, Hyunwoo, Teng, German and Xinyue's work on “Tough Synthetic Skin" published in Nature Communications and reported by MIT spotlight,MIT News, Boston Magazine, CCTV! Congratulations!
2015/12: SAMs Lab team Shaoting, Hyunwoo, Teng, German and Hyunwoo's paper on “Stretchable Hydrogel Electronics and Devices" was accepted for publication on Advanced Materials! Congratulations! The work was featured as MIT Spotlight and selected as the front page of MIT website, and reported by NBC News, Boston Herald, NY City News. Technology Review higlighted our work on Stretchable Hydrogel Electronics.
2015/12: SAMs Lab team Hyunwoo, Teng, Shaoting and German's paper on “Tong bonding of hydrogels to diverse nonporous surfaces" was accepted for publication on Nature Materials! Congratulations! The work was reported by Forbes, Vice.
2015/12: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao was named the recipient of the 2015 Extreme Mechanics Letters (EML) Young Investigator Award for a paper entitled, “Predicting fracture energies and crack-tip fields of soft tough materials“.
2015/11: Prof. Zhao co-authored a paper on “Void-forming hydrogels" accepted for publication on Nature Materials!
2015/11: Shaoting Lin was selected to receive the Den Hartog Travel Award in Mechanics from Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT! Congratulations, Shaoting!
2015/07: Prof. Zhao was appointed as the Robert N. Noyce Career Development Professor at MIT.
2015:07: Prof. Zhao was appointed to be an Associate Editor-in-Chief for Acta Mechanica Sinica (AMS).
2015/07: Prof. Zhao was invited to join the editorial board of Nature Scientific Reports.
2015/06: Qiming Wang, a former PhD and postdoc fellow of SAMs Lab, will join CEE USC as an assistant professor in Aug 2015. Congratulations, Prof. Wang! Teng Zhang, a postdoc fellow of SAMs Lab, will join MAE Syracuse as an assistant professor in Jan 2016. Congratulations, Prof. Zhang! SAMs Lab are so proud of you guys!
2015/04: Dr. Teng Zhang won the the NSF McMat2015 Travel Award. The award will support Teng to present his results at ASME McMat2015. Congratulations Teng!
2015/04: SAMs Lab Team, Teng Zhang, Shaoting Lin and Hyunwoo Yuk gave an invited graduate student seminar at UConn! Enjoy the road trip, guys!
2015/01: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao was selected to receive the Journal of Applied Mechanics Award in 2015 for his paper with Dr. Qiming Wang “Phase Diagrams of Instabilities in Compressed Film-Substrate Systems“.
2015/01: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao's paper “Multi-scale Multi-mechanism Design of Tough Hydrogels: Building Dissipation into Stretchy Networks" is among the 2014's most accessed Soft Matter articles.
2014/12: Dr. Qiming Wang won the Silver MRS graduate student award at the Fall 2014 Materials Research Society meeting. The title of his award presentation is “Cephalopod-inspired Design of Electro-mechano-chemically Responsive Elastomers for On-demand Fluorescent Patterning“.
2014/12: Dr. Jianfeng Zang won the Best Poster Award at the Fall 2014 Materials Research Society meeting. The title of his winning poster is “Self-Organizesd Origami of Large-Area Graphene and Graphene Papers Enables On-Demand Multifunctionalities".
2014/10: Dr. Qiming Wang published “Cephalopod-inspired Design of Electro-mechano-chemically Responsive Elastomers for On-demand Fluorescent Patterning" on Nature Communications. The work was reported by Nature News, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, The Slate, MIT Featured News, MIT Today's Spotlight.
2014/08: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao was awarded the d'Arbeloff Career Development Chair from MIT.
2014/07: Qiming Wang successfully defended his PhD thesis entitled “active surfaces and interfaces of soft materials". The committee were greatly impressed by the depth and breadth of Qiming's thesis and his extraordinary publication and award records. Qiming will join MIT as a postdoctoral fellow. Congratulations, Dr. Wang!
2014/06: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao has published a new paper entitled “Ultrasound-triggered disruption and self-healing of reversibly-crosslinked hydrogels for drug delivery and enhanced chemotherapy" on Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
2014/05: Dr Changyong Cao has won the Best Poster Award at the The 6th Annual Triangle Soft Matter Workshop! Changyong is also the Best Poster Award winner at The 5th Annual Triangle Soft Matter Workshop in 2013. Good job, Changyong!
2014/04: Mr. Ben Hightower has won the Stanford Graduate Fellowship with admission into the PhD program in Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University. Ben was an REU student at SMAs Lab in summars of 2012 and 2013. Congratulations, Ben!
2014/04: Dr Jianfeng Zang has won the the Kewaunee Postdoctoral Achievement Award from Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering (CBTE). Congratulations, Jianfeng!
2014/03: Dr Changyong Cao's paper “Harnessing Localized Ridges for High-Aspect-Ratio Hierarchical Patterns with Dynamic Tunability and Multifunctionality" has been selected as Cover of Advanced Materials. Congratulations, Changyong!
2013/12: Dr Xuanhe Zhao's paper “Composite three-dimensional woven scaffolds with interpenetrating network hydrogels to create functional synthetic articular cartilage" has been selected as Cover of Advanced Functional Materials, and peported by Duke Today, Pratt News, R&D Magazine, PhysOrg.
2013/11: Dr Changyong Cao won the 2013 Mahato Memorial Image Contest first place with his impressive image of Morphology of Crumpled Graphene Paper! Congratulations, Changyong!
2013/10: Mr Qiming Wang won the Haythornthwaite Foundation Student Travel Award from ASME Applied Mechanics Division. The award will support Qiming to present his research results at ASME 2013 International Mechanical Engineering Congress & Exposition in San Diego, California. Good job, Qiming!
2013/09: Dr Changyong Cao received the Best Visualization & Images of Poster Award at 2013 MEMS retreat. Congratulations Changyong!
2013/07: Dr Xuanhe Zhao gave an invited talk entiltled “Harnessing Instabilities on Hard/Soft Active Material Interfaces" at the 2013 Gordon Research Conference on Science of Adhesion. Congratulations, Xuanhe!
2013/05: Mr. Changyong Cao has won the Best Poster Award (2nd place) at 5th Annual Triangle Soft Matter Workshop. Congratulations, Changyong!
2013/04: Mr. Changyong Cao has won the Travel Award for participating The 12th U.S. National Congress on Computational Mechanics. Congratulations, Changyong!
2013/04: Mr Qiming Wang has won the the Kewaunee Student Achievement Award from Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering (CBTE). Good job, Qiming!
2013/03: Mr Qiming Wang has won the NSF-PACAM fellowship to support his travel to 2013 PACAM conference. Congratulations, Qiming!
2013/01: Dr Jianfeng Zang has published a paper entitled “Multifunctionality and Control of the Crumpling and Unfolding of Large-Area Graphene" on Nature Materials. The work has been Selected as Top 10 Uses for the World's Strongest Material by Discovery News. Congratulations, Jianfeng!
2013/01: Mr Qiming Wang has published a paper entitled “Bioinspired Surfaces with Dynamic Topography for Active Control of Biofouling" on Advanced Materials.
2012/11: Dr Xuanhe Zhao has won the Early Career Researchers Award from AVS Biomaterial Interfaces Division.
2012/10: Mr Qiming Wang has published a paper entitled “Bursting Drops in Solid Dielectrics Caused by High Voltages" on Nature Communications. The work has been reported by MRS Materials 360 and Physics Today. Congratulations, Qiming!
2012/04: Mr Qiming Wang has published a paper entitled “Dynamic Electrostatic Lithography: Multiscale On-demand Patterning on Large-Area Curved Surfaces" Advanced Materials. The work has been selected as Advanced Materials Frontispiece and reported by BBC Focus Magzine and MRS Materials 360.
2011/11: Dr Xuanhe Zhao has been elected to be the secretary of ASME Technical Committee on Soft Materials.
2011/11: Mr Lin Zhang published a paper entitled “Mechanical Constraints Enhance Electrical Energy Densities of Soft Dielectrics" on Applied Physics Letters. The work has been reported by NSF News, Duke Today, Science Daily, PhysOrg, EScience and Pratt News.
2011/11: Mr Qiming Wang has been selected by the Executive Committee of the ASME Applied Mechanics Division as the winner of the Second Place in the 2010 ASME AMD Student Paper Competition. Congratulations, Qiming!
2011/11: Dr Xuanhe Zhao has been selected by the Executive Committee of the ASME Applied Mechanics Division to receive the Haythornthwaite Research Initiation Grant. The co-recipients are Dr Dennis Kochmann from the California Institute of Technology and Dr Christian Franck from Brown University.
2011/10: Mr Qiming Wang has been selected to receive the IMECE 2011 Student travel award to present his work at ASME 2011 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition. Congratulations, Qiming!
2011/10: Mr Qiming Wang has been selected to receive the Best graduate student poster awards 1st Prize at Duke MEMS Graduate Student Retreat. Congratulations, Qiming!
2011/10: Mr Qing Tu has been selected to give one of the four student podium presentations at Duke MEMS Graduate Student Retreat. Qing is a first year PhD student at SAMs Lab. Congratulations, Qing!
2011/08: Mr Anirudh Mohan wins the Donald Alstadt Fund Award to support his research at Duke SMIF and SAMs Lab. Congratulations, Ani! The Donald Alstadt Fund will provide Ani $500 per month for the utility fee of Duke SMIF.
2011/03: Mr Qiming Wang published a paper entitled “Creasing to Cratering instability in polymers under ultrahigh electric fields" on Physical Review Letters. The paper has been reported by Science Daily, PhysOrg, R&D Magzine, ECNmag, Duke News, and Pratt News. Congratulations, Qiming!
2010/01: Mr Qiming Wang, a first-year PhDstudent, was invited to give a presentation at the MEMS Graduate Student Seminar, which is usually given by graduate students at their third or fourth year. Congratulations, Qiming!
2010/12: Dr Xuanhe Zhao has published a paper entitled “Active Scaffolds for On-demand Drug and Cell Delivery" on PNAS. The paper has been selected as Research highlightby Nature, Research highlght by PNAS, Report in R&D Magzine, Report in PhysOrg, Report in Nanowerk, Report in ECNmag, Report in Harvard Gazette, Report in Harvard SEAS News, Report in Duke Pratt News, and Report in Duke MEMS News. Congratulations, Xuanhe!


In an effort to assist in reviewing the precautions that have been taken to safeguard investors, the chairman of a congressional subcommittee reached out to the CEO of Binance.US and requested that certain papers be produced.
A letter from the federal government was sent to Binance.US, where Brian Shroder serves as president and CEO. The letter requested immediate disclosure of official papers that demonstrate the exchange’s compliance with a variety of investor-centric safety standards. The request was submitted by Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, who serves as the chairman of the House Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy (which is part of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform) in the United States House of Representatives.
In the letter that was delivered to Shroder, Krishnamoorthi highlighted the lack of cooperation by cryptocurrency exchanges in assisting the United States government reduce financial fraud and safeguard investors, noting as follows:
“The escalation of fraud and consumer exploitation worries me. As a worried cryptocurrency user, I am likewise troubled by cryptocurrency exchanges’ apparent inaction to safeguard their users’ transactions.”
Krishnamoorthi was worried about the increased risk for investors because to the “little or no screening” that occurs before tokens are listed on cryptocurrency exchanges. The committee has requested many papers from Binance.US, a wholly owned subsidiary of Binance, in an effort to further examine its concerns.
Binance.US has fewer than two weeks (Sept. 12) to deliver all papers sought dating back to the beginning of its activities.
In the letter, Krishnamoorthi restates his belief that crypto exchanges should take preventative actions to protect its users “by creating audit procedures, demanding specific disclosures, delisting, and adopting other safety mechanisms.”
Shroder has also been requested to provide the exchange’s anti-fraud and anti-scam technologies and methods.
The current crypto winter has resulted in “worse than anticipated” returns for 46% of adult crypto users in the United States, according to a recent poll.
In search of a “new approach to invest,” the clear majority of respondents gave cryptocurrency trading a try, perceiving it to be an “excellent way to earn money.”


Fosun Group to partner the Vienna Boys Choir in Philanthropic Endeavours in China and Europe
Ping Gong, Executive Director and Senior Vice President of international conglomerate Fosun and Professor
Gerald Wirth, President and Artistic Director of the Vienna Boys Choir signed a Letter of Intent in Beijing earlier this month:
Fosun is to help fund the creation of music kindergarten programmes in China, to support the Choir's philanthropic projects
in China and Europe, as well as its research into the effects of music on the development of the brain
The Choir's relationship with China began during their first visit to Beijing in 1991. The boys were back in 1999; since 2001, they have toured China regularly. The Vienna Boys Choir performs in the large cities, but also in cities off the tourist routes. In 2008, the Choir even travelled along China's Silk Road to Dunhuang and the Gobi desert – for a feature film by New York-based director Curt Faudon. The boys are set to return to China for another major film later this year; this time to perform with Chinese choirs.
They have their own Chinese fan club, the „Friends of the Vienna Boys Choir in China“. Every year, Chinese choirs travel to Vienna to take part in the „World Peace Choral Festival“ - an international festival hosted by the Vienna Boys Choir. Every year, the „Friends“ organise VBC workshops in China for choirs, choirmasters, conductors, and singers of all ages – all designed to give people access to the choir's methods. „The workshops are extremely popular,“, says Professor Wirth, „But there is a limit to how many workshops you can do, and a workshop is only ever an incentive, nothing permanent.“
So 2017 saw the foundation of the „Friends of the Vienna Boys Choir“ Kingergarten in Shanghai; and it is hoped that there will be more in future years.
The benefits of early music education for the brain are enormous; and not just in intellectual terms. Singing has been scientifically shown to improve the concentration span; it trains in particular the ear, and it also trains people to think strategically, to better plan. It boosts social skills – choral singing is a huge team-building exercise. For any society, it is essential that its children, regardless of their background, have access to music and music making.
Says Professor Wirth, „The more children, the more people sing together, the better. Not only for the individual, but also for society as a whole. Just think: If all world leaders were choir singers – we would have a very peaceful society.“
Ping Gong and Professor Wirth agree: „Singing in particular is an important part of human culture; someting we all do, something we all have in common. Singing brings people together, and peoples.“


- PARCC is your state’s homegrown assessment. PARCC is not a testing company – it’s a group of states working together to build better assessments. Your state’s educators and state education leaders actively participated in the design, field testing, and implementation of the new assessments. Your state’s education commissioner or superintendent is one of the PARCC Governing Board members making the decisions about the PARCC assessments. Your state is not buying a test from a vendor. Your state is in charge of your state’s tests.
- The field test last spring was very successful, and provided lessons for the first full administration next spring. More than a million students at 16,000 schools in 14 states plus the District of Columbia took the field test this past spring and with the exception of some minor glitches, as PARCC anticipated, the tryout was a huge success. PARCC has received lots of feedback from teachers, coordinators, students and others. PARCC is compiling the survey results and making adjustments. For example: PARCC is making the test manuals more concise and is working to improve the equation editor that students use to build equations for the math tests. Student feedback was generally positive. As one student said: “I like this test so much more than [the state test] because it makes you think.”
PARCC has been sharing results from the surveys in its newsletter updates. PARCC will release a full report in September with more details. PARCC will also be sharing some research studies later this fall. Stay tuned.
- Paper-based tests are available for schools that are not yet ready for the technology. The goal is for all students to benefit from computer-enhanced features. Though the majority of schools will be using the computer-based version, paper forms are available for schools that need them. However, computer-based assessments provide a faster turn-around of results to give teachers information they can use, and give students engaging real world features.
Part of the field testing research, which will be completed late this fall, looks at whether results can be compared between students who take the tests on laptop vs. tablet, desktop or paper-and-pencil.
- Teachers in your state are playing an important role in developing the assessments. Ask around – some of your colleagues have been involved in the development of the PARCC assessments, contributing to the design, reviewing test items, and reviewing reading passages.
To read the rest go to: http://www.parcconline.org/ten-things-know-about-parcc


We are happy to announce our participation in the European Space Agency (ESA) “Living Planet Symposium” (LPS) which will take place in Milan, Italy between 13th and 17th of May 2019. The Symposium is organised with the support of the Italian Space Agency.
The event, organized by ESA every three years, is among the biggest Earth observation conferences in the world.
“For decades now Earth observation has played a fundamental role in advancing our understanding of how our planet works and how it is being affected by climate change. While the need to continue to advance our knowledge and monitor global change remains paramount, Earth observation has entered a new era where it is playing a key role in a myriad of everyday applications to improve daily lives and is also becoming increasingly relevant for the competitive business sector.” – LPS 2019
This year’s edition promises to be wider ranging than ever before, as the symposium will not only see scientists present their latest findings on Earth’s environment and climate derived from satellite data, but will also focus on Earth observation’s role in building a sustainable future and a resilient society.
You can find us in the:
- Scientific Programme – “Big EO Data Architecture” section – Poster Presentation “TAO – Beyond EO Toolboxes” (South Hall – Floor 0)
- Agora Programme – “ESA SNAP Toolbox live demo” and “CAP Monitoring – 1st experiences”
- Throughout the whole event, together with CS Systemes d’Information, at its presentation booth (location to be announced).
More news regarding our involvement in the Living Planet Symposium 2019 will be posted closer to the event date.
For further information on the event and its objectives please go here.


When fuel prices are competitive, drivers of flex fuel vehicles (FFV) will fill up with high-ethanol blends such as E85 according to a new article published in Energy Policy. Authors Sébastien Pouliot and Bruce A. Babcock, both rsearchers with BIC and faculty in Iowa State University’s Dept. of Economics, also found that the recently finalized RFS requirement for 2017 for 15 gallons of conventional biofuels is in fact achievable with current infrastructure and vehicles. Read the article in AgWired
Bruce Babcock, BIC director, recently supported and co-sponsored the Eighth Annual Berkeley Bioeconomy Conference, held April 1-2, 2015, at U.C. Berkeley, CA.
Babcock, who is the leader of the Iowa NSF EPSCoR Energy Policy effort, saw this year’s conference as an opportunity to ensure bioeconomy research in Iowa continues even after the Iowa NSF EPSCoR grant is finished. “I thought one way to make the EPSCoR programs in energy policy sustainable was to pick the brains of smart people about what future key research topics were in the area of biofuels, bioenergy, and biorenewables policy,” Babcock said.
He tailored speaker invitations with an eye for encouraging future collaborations and projects. Babcock is the Cargill Endowed Chair of Energy Economics and professor of economics at Iowa State University.
The Bioeconomy’s Past, Present, and Future
The conference presented analyses of the biofuel sector and other renewables’ past performance and future prospects. Attendees also discussed biofuels and forestry, the global bioeconomy, and biotechnology regulation. During the sessions, Babcock presented “Land Use Changes at the Intensive and Extensive Margins” and Iowa NSF EPSCoR energy policy researcher Sebastien Pouliot presented “Willingness to Pay for E85: Evidence from Revealed and State Preferences.” Presentations and a full agenda are available on the conference website.
After seven years, the Berkeley Bioeconomy Conference lost significant funding. Fortunately Babcock provided enough support from Iowa NSF EPSCoR to give the conference one last year. “It was like a swan song for the program,” Babcock said. “They needed the support money, and I was able to tailor the invitations to meet my needs.”
As director of BIC, one of Babcock’s needs is to gather unique perspectives in order to create the best research agenda possible. “The viability of keeping research funding going at Iowa State depends on us coming up with new, innovative, and cutting-edge research proposals, projects and ideas,” Babcock said. “I put out a request for proposals (RFP) for the Biobased Industry Center for the 2015 research projects that reflected the ideas that were presented at the conference. The RFP does contain a lot richer set of ideas and projects than I would have thought of, so it did meet its objective.”
The conference was co-sponsored by Iowa NSF EPSCoR, the Giannini Foundation, the Energy Biosciences Institute, and the College of Natural Resources at U.C. Berkeley.
Article by Sara Parks. Reprinted from Iowa NSF EPSCoR
Remarks by Bruce Babcock, Biobased Industry Center director, lead the article, “Save $270M! (and Make Biofuels Feedstocks, er, Feasible, er, Now),” published recently in Biofuels Digest. “The future of cellulosic biofuels in the United States hinges on whether three under-construction plants are successful,” Babcock said. Read the article in Biofuels Digest
The US ethanol industry faces numerous challenges over the next two years. The 2012 drought sharply increased corn prices, so profit margins will be low until least the 2013 corn crops are harvested. A saturated ethanol market means that ethanol mandates that are scheduled to be implemented in the next two years can possibly be met only if ethanol prices are heavily discounted. Thus, profit margins will continue to be low even if production costs fall after the next crop is harvested. In addition, buyers of ethanol can draw on blending credits they have accumulated over the last few years in lieu of ethanol to meet their obligations under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). These banked credits are called RINs (Renewable Identification Numbers) and allow the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) track how much renewable fuels are being used. When domestic consumption of ethanol exceeds mandated levels, the surplus RINs can be banked to meet future mandates.
This policy brief by BIC Director Bruce Babcock provides insights into how the next two years will unfold in the ethanol market by focusing on whether the supply of banked RINs will be used in 2013 to help offset current high production costs or in 2014 to help offset low ethanol prices. The guiding principle of the analysis is that owners of banked RINs will use them when they have the greatest value. This principle implies that RINs will be used in 2013 until their 2013 value is equal to their expected value in 2014. The analysis indicates that because of the E10 blend wall and high ethanol production costs, a significant portion of banked RINs will be used in 2013. If, as seems likely, imported sugarcane ethanol is used to meet the portion of the advanced biofuels mandate that is not met by biodiesel meeting its own mandate, then almost all the banked RINs should be used in 2013. This result assumes that corn yields return to trend-line levels in 2014. If sugarcane ethanol is not imported to meet the advanced mandate, then fewer banked RINs will be needed in 2013 to offset heavily discounted ethanol prices. Whether sugarcane ethanol is used or not, the fundamental market forces indicate that RIN prices will be low in both 2013 and 2014.
The ability to use banked RINs increases the feasibility of meeting the 2013 and 2014 mandates and is what keeps expected RIN prices low in both years. Low future prices are why conventional biofuel RIN prices are so low today. This result, though, depends on the assumption that heavily discounted ethanol will incentivize significant amounts of additional ethanol consumption from owners of flex fuel vehicles or by an unexpectedly large and rapid movement to use of E15. If this additional consumption does not materialize, then it seems that EPA will have no choice but to waive conventional ethanol mandates in 2014 because mandated consumption will exceed the ability of consumers to use ethanol as a fuel. Such a waiver, were it to occur, would also validate current low RIN prices.Read the entire policy brief the Center for Agricultural and Rural Development Web site.
This report, along with two related publications, Updated Assessment of the Drought’s Impacts on Crop Prices and Biofuel Production and Preliminary Assessment of the Drought’s Impacts on Crop Prices and Biofuel Production, have been downloaded over 8,000 times in the period between Oct. 2012 and Jan. 2013.
Bruce Babcock, director of the Biobased Industry Center and an agricultural economist at Iowa State University, recently appeared on The Colbert Report to answer questions on how the drought will affect the price of foods around the country. The Colbert Report is a satirical late night television program with a large following. Watch the video


FENS and ENCODS 2022 in Paris
Tuesday, 19 July, 2022
Tags: News Conference
After a long hiatus, we finally had the chance to participate in an international conference abroad.
Ferenc, Aletta, Eszter and Sándor took part in the FENS Forum 2022 in Paris in July. Our group presented three posters, heard fantastic lectures and visited the beautiful city of Paris.
Aletta also presented her work at the ENCODS 2022 conference before the official FENS meeting. Furthermore, Ferenc attended the Cognitive thalamus symposium.
See you next time in Vienna!


Central Bank of India Recruitment 2023 date extended
central bank of India sub staff recruitment 2024- The Central Bank of India has announced recruitment for the position of Sub Staff cum Safai Karmachari for the year 2023, offering 484 posts. Interested candidates can apply for this government job with just a 10th pass qualification. The last date for Central Bank of India Recruitment 2023 has already passed, which was yesterday, on January 9, 2024. However, there is good news as the Central Bank of India has issued a new notification extending the application deadline to January 16, 2024. Eligible candidates can submit their applications through the online portal on the Central Bank of India’s career page.


Since e-cigarettes are still fairly new, their long-term success rate is yet to be determined. These unknown statistics help keep the debate relevant for both sides. However, the latest research does seem to suggest that there is a link between stopping smoking and the e-cig. Supporters hope that more evidence will surface to back the usefulness of these items.
The most recent data seems to be coming in from a periodic study being conducted in England. The Smoking Toolkit Study conducts polls and utilizes that information to track success rates in smokers who are trying to quit. In 2016, the success rate was at 23%, up from 14% in 2011. This shows a definite increase and interestingly enough, there was no rate of increase from the previous period of 2007 to 2011. Thus, it seems that real results are starting to be noticed and experienced; a positive step for the ecig industry.
There have been and continue to be multiple products on the market to help aid individuals in their effort to stop smoking. Various forms of nicotine replacement therapies, as well as nicotine patches and gum, have been helpful for some. However, there has never been any notable change in smoking cessation rates until recently. This makes it difficult to argue that the rise in e-cigarette usage is not contributing to that increase.
It seems that documented success rates began to rise in 2011. The ecig was still very new at this time and not very popular. Around this time, about 30% of surveyed participants were using other products for cessation. By 2015, near 40% of participants were using e-cigarettes for assistance. Only 10% were utilizing other forms of nicotine replacement therapy.
Experts on both sides of the ecig debate have come out to voice their opinions on the usage and long-term effects of the device. Some try to simply explain the results as nothing more than a fluke, a well-timed coincidence. While others are working hard to prove the validity and importance of the smoking cessation results.
A vocal ecig advocate, Dr. Michael Siegel is a professor at Boston University with the School of Public Health. He fully agrees with all the evidence that is being provided that suggests these products have a major impact in the fight against smoking. Smoking has gone down remarkably for the past five years in England. His support has caused others to take notice and begin to encourage other studies around the world. Research involving the short term and long term side effects of these products is also becoming more prevalent.
Whether or not it is true that e-cigarettes can positively impact smoking cessation is yet to be determined. While many people may choose this device in their efforts to quit smoking, others find them beneficial for various reasons. For instance, multiple public locations have banned traditional smoking but allow ecig use due to the vapor byproduct instead of smoke. Individuals also enjoy the vast selection of flavored “e-juice” available to use in the ecig itself. Unlike the basic flavors of traditional tobacco, e-juice comes in options such as vanilla, cotton candy, banana smoothie among many others. Opponents say that these fun and alluring flavors appeal to a younger crowd, creating smokers out of individuals who may not have been otherwise. Lastly, some smokers find that ecigs may not ultimately deter them from their regular cigarettes but do help them cut back.


Women municipal politicians in election news
The news media’s fascination with which party is ahead in the polls — otherwise known as the horse race — has raised questions about how well informed voters are about their choices on the ballot box. A preoccupation with campaign strategies, gaffes, and photo-ops leaves journalists with less time to report on issues and platforms. Some scholars argue women are particularly handicapped by horse-race coverage because it can lead to negative evaluations of their electoral viability and because the masculine language used in this type of coverage could depict them as inappropriately aggressive and therefore transgressing traditional gender norms. But this study on newspaper coverage of municipal elections in one Canadian province reveals that journalists treat regular council contests more as a marathon than a horse race. The nature of municipal election coverage suggests journalists treat candidates as a mass group of runners, doing little to distinguish them from each other and rarely speculating on their electoral chances. The real problem for women and men council candidates is not media bias but media invisibility—getting the coverage they need to build a public profile so voters will support them.
Women politicians; horse-race journalism; municipal politics; Canada
Wagner, A. (2014) Women municipal politicians in election news, en Communication Papers, 3, 5, 35-48.


Kirsten “KK” Deans isn’t going to stick around Morgantown to find out who WVU’s new women’s basketball coach will be. A source familiar with the situation told WV Sports Now that Deans has indeed entered the transfer portal.
Deans is no longer listed on WVU’s online roster.
The junior guard confirmed her intent to leave the Mountaineers in an Instagram post, saying: “As graduation approaches, I am flooded with so many mixed emotions. My heartfelt thanks go to Mountaineer Nation as your support of WVU athletes is priceless… I have played with some amazing teammates that I can truly call friends and the lessons learned during this season of my life will forever be a part of me.”
Deans played in just 18 games this season before a knee injury sidelined her for the remainder of the year. But she started in every one of those games, and when the season ended she was still the Mountaineers’ leading scorer at 14.5 points per-game. For her efforts, Deans was named as an honorable mention on the All-Big 12 team.
A 5-foot-8 native of Greensboro, North Carolina, Deans was also an All-Big 12 selection as a sophomore and freshman, garnering another honorable mention nod and a spot on the All-Rookie team.
Tabbed as a five-star prospect in the 2019 class, she was ranked as the 51st-best recruit in the country by ESPN. She also had offers from East Carolina, Charlotte, Elon, Wisconsin and Georgia State, among others.
Deans was having a her best collegiate season before her injury, as her points per-game were a career-high.
Across her career at West Virginia – 74 games, 46 starts – Deans averaged 10.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per-game while shooting 41% from the floor, 34.8% from three-point range, and 82.6% from the charity stripe.
Deans had arguably her best game of her career as a sophomore when she tallied 30 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in a win at Texas.
The latest WVU player in the transfer portal, Deans joins Kari Niblack and Jeanna Cunningham as players leaving Morgantown early.
West Virginia is still in its search for a new head women’s basketball coach, following Mike Carey’s retirement last week.
Deans has two years of eligibility left.


TerraStryke’s founder, Kent Armstrong, has been invited to present at Environmental Workshops (EnviroWorkshops) – the largest training organization for environmental professionals worldwide. Attendees to their workshops learn about the latest soil, groundwater and air emission technologies.
Kent will be speaking about effectively minimizing the impact of remediation while maximizing the solution.
He’ll be speaking at these upcoming workshops:
- Baltimore MD, February 18
- Philadelphia PA, February 19
- Edison NJ, February 20
- Denver CO, March 18
- Salt Lake City UT, March 19
- Detroit MI, June 2
- Cleveland OH, June 3
- Pittsburgh PA, June 4
For more information about EnviroWorkshops, or to attend, please visit the Enviro Workshops website.


EMCORE Receives AURP's Innovation Award for High-Efficiency Multi-Junction Solar Cells
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Sept. 27, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EMCORE Corporation (Nasdaq:EMKR), a leading provider of compound semiconductor-based components and subsystems for the fiber optics and solar power markets, announced today that it has received the Association of University Research Parks' (AURP) Innovation Award for its pioneering work in the development and commercialization of high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells for space and terrestrial solar power applications. The award was presented to EMCORE's President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Hong Q. Hou on September 26, 2013 at the AURP's International Conference Awards Luncheon.
Annually, the AURP presents Awards of Excellence in several categories including the Innovation Award presented to EMCORE and the Outstanding Research/Science Park Award presented to Sandia Science & Technology Park in 2008.
EMCORE started its efforts to design and manufacture radiation-hardened, high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells for satellite and space power applications at the Sandia Science & Technology Park (SS&TP) in early 1998. The research and development team led by Dr. Hong Hou, who had come to EMCORE from Sandia National Laboratories, licensed background intellectual properties related to multi-junction solar cells from Sandia, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. From there EMCORE formed its Photovoltaics division in Albuquerque, New Mexico and built its 160,000 square foot state-of-the-art semiconductor wafer fabrication facility. Today that facility is one of the largest multi-junction solar cell manufacturing plants in the world.
EMCORE's high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells have led the way in the transformation of the space solar power industry over the past 15 years. EMCORE's entry into the industry has advanced solar cell efficiency from 17%, the standard for silicon-based technology prior to 1998, to a 37% conversion efficiency for its latest generation Inverted Metamorphic Multi-Junction (IMM) solar cells that are currently being introduced to volume production. With the success of the commercialization of high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells for space power applications, EMCORE relocated its corporate headquarters from New Jersey to the SS&TP in Albuquerque in 2006.
"We are very pleased and honored to receive the AURP's Innovation Award for our work in multi-junction solar cell technology development and commercialization," said Dr. Hong Hou, President and Chief Executive Officer for EMCORE. "I would also like to thank the Sandia National Laboratories and the SS&TP for their superb resources and support of our efforts from the very beginning. And, I would especially like to thank our employees in the photovoltaics division for their dedication and innovative work all these years, paving the way for EMCORE's success in the industry."
"EMCORE is more than deserving of the AURP's Innovation Award," said Jackie Kerby Moore, Executive Director of the SS&TP. "They are creating products used in the global marketplace, and they are doing most of that right here in the Sandia Science &Technology Park."
EMCORE Corporation offers a broad portfolio of compound semiconductor-based products for the fiber optics and solar power markets. EMCORE's Fiber Optics business segment provides optical components, subsystems and systems for high-speed telecommunications, Cable Television (CATV) and Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) networks, as well as products for satellite communications, video transport and specialty photonics technologies for defense and homeland security applications. EMCORE's Solar Photovoltaics business segment provides products for space power applications including high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells, Covered Interconnect Cells (CICs) and complete satellite solar panels. For further information about EMCORE, visit http://www.emcore.com.
About the Sandia Science & Technology Park
Internationally recognized, master-planned, and strategically located, Albuquerque's Sandia Science & Technology Park (SS&TP) is home to companies, engineers, and researchers involved in advancing new technologies. Currently 33 companies and organizations and more than 2,000 employees reside in the SS&TP's 340-acre high-tech campus. For more information on the SS&TP, visit http://www.sstp.org/.
About the Association of University Research Parks
The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) was formed in 1986 when a handful of farsighted research, technology and science park directors, recognizing that the concept of research-institute related parks was taking hold in boardrooms around the world, organized the first international conference in the United States to discuss the future of research, science and tech parks. It is a non-profit international organization that represents the leadership of technology developments, which are designed to promote research institute industry relations that foster innovation and facilitate the transfer of technology from such institutions to the private sector. For more information on the AURP, visit http://www.aurp.net/.
The information provided herein may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements include statements regarding EMCORE's expectations, goals or intentions, including, but not limited to, financial performance, production schedules, expected customer sales, product features and their benefits, product quality and product performance. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about EMCORE and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could cause EMCORE's actual results to differ from those set forth in any forward-looking statement are discussed in more detail in EMCORE's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and EMCORE undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
CONTACT: EMCORE Corporation Navid Fatemi Vice President, Business Development (505) 332-5000 email@example.com Investor TTC Group Victor Allgeier (646) 290-6400 firstname.lastname@example.org


Reinbolt Assists With Ohio's First Commercial Ethanol Project
POET Energy LLC, a South Dakota ethanol producer, began production at Ohio's first commercial ethanol facility. On January 10, 2008 more than 3,000 people attended POET's grand opening in Leipsic, Ohio (southwest of Toledo). The new ethanol facility will employ up to 40 people and requires approximately 22 million bushels of corn for its annual ethanol production.
POET is building additional commercial ethanol facilities in Fostoria, Ohio and Marion, Ohio. Most of the corn used at the POET ethanol facilities comes from farms within a 90 mile radius of the facility. These three POET Energy facilities represent approximately $360,000,000 of new capital investment in Ohio.
Firm member, Steven D. Reinbolt worked with POET to complete negotiations of POET's real estate tax abatement agreements with the local governments. Successful real estate tax abatement was critical to POET's decision to invest in these Ohio facilities.
POET Energy is a world leader in ethanol production. More information on POET Energy as well as ethanol production can be found on POET's web site, www.poetenergy.com.
Mr. Reinbolt's principal areas of practice include property acquisitions, sales and leasing, public and private real estate financing, land use planning and business law. Mr. Reinbolt published an article in LawTrends, the Firm's newsletter, regarding tax real estate abatements which can be viewed on our web site.
For more information on real estate tax abatements or other commercial real estate issues, please contact Mr. Reinbolt at our Toledo office (419-241-6000).


October 10, 2021
In 1877, the prestigious Wimbledon Championships held their inaugural event in the London suburbs. Rumor has it the illustrious cricket club held the event to foot the bill to repair the club's pony roller, used to maintain the croquet lawns. Nevertheless, well over 100 years later Wimbledon continues as one of the premier events in tennis.
The first tournament happened so long ago that the prize came in guineas, a defunct United Kingdom currency traditionally used for luxury goods. Today, all across the world millions of people watch Wimbledon every year and enjoy the many quintessentially British aspects of the event. Here are the early days of Wimbledon brought to life in color.
The First Wimbledon Event
The inceptive Wimbledon Championships fell well short of the massive world event that it has become today. In 1877, just 22 men paid the one guinea registration fee to play at the All England Club. As the announcement read in sporting magazine “The Field,” “The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon, propose [sic] to hold a lawn tennis meeting open to all amateurs, on Monday, July 9, and following days. Entrance fee, one pound, one shilling."


The Jeep Renegade, the smallest SUV in the brand`s line-up, gets a sharper look and three new petrol options
The Jeep Renegade has received a refreshed look and new engines by way of a facelift for 2018, and the updated version of Jeep`s smallest offering will be on sale in the UK by the end of the year.
Revealed tentatively at the Turin Motor Show, Jeep promises full details will arrive later this month.
From looking at the images, the Renegade`s chunky proportions appear to have been refined with a series of minor design revisions. On the sporty Limited trim model, the changes inject a more upmarket image into the firm`s Nissan Qashqai rival.
At the front end we can spot new headlights with what looks like new LED daytime running signatures, while the bumper has been redesigned with a more aggressive front apron and repositioned fog lights. New taillights are the highlight around the back.
We`ve yet to see in the cabin, but we`d be surprised to see significant changes, or indeed changes at all. Only last year the Renegade received new infotainment, while the switchgear beneath it on the centre console was also altered.
However, the Renegade gets a trio of new petrol engines. A three-cylinder 1.0-litre develops 118bhp, while a more potent 1.3-litre four-cylinder arrives too, with either 148bhp or 178bhp. Diesel engines will continue to be offered unchanged, meaning a 1.6-litre unit with 118bhp sitting underneath a 2.0-litre, 168bhp car equipped with all-wheel-drive.


BEIJING, June 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — For people around the world who are keen on grasping the gist of Chinese modernization in rural revitalization, Zhengding, a county in North China’s Hebei Province where President Xi Jinping worked for three years in the early 1980s, can provide crucial insights into the Chinese leader’s vision for Chinese modernization, which emphasizes all-round development through a people-centric philosophy.
Full of curiosity about Xi’s policies in the early days when he served as deputy Party chief and Party chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC) committee of Zhengding county from March 1982 to May 1985, a group of African diplomats and scholars embarked on a journey to explore the secrets of Chinese modernization in mid-May.
They told the Global Times that the county represents a microcosm of the miracle of Chinese rural modernization, and provides inspiration for the agriculture-dominated African region.
Starting with Zhengding, Xi deepened his thinking on economic work day by day and continuously put his ideas into practice. He conducted in-depth investigations and research, gave full play to Zhengding’s comparative advantages, and creatively put forward the idea of a “semi-suburban economic model” to promote the coordinated development of urban and rural areas.
In 2013, during his visit back to Tayuanzhuang village in Zhengding, Xi urged the village to industrialize agriculture, commercialize elderly care, and standardize tourism, in order to achieve a well-off village ahead of schedule nationwide.
In 2021, the Tayuanzhuang village’s collective economic income reached 32 million yuan, and the per capita income of villagers reached 30,000 yuan, achieving a perfect transformation from poverty and underdevelopment to comprehensive prosperity.
Entering Tayuanzhuang village is like stepping into a concentrated modern town characterized by modern agricultural planting, leisure tourism, a farmer training hub, and cultural and performing arts park all in one package.
What excited the African representatives the most was the Tongfu Smart Farm which redefined the concept of plant growth. In the farm, various fruits and vegetables does not require sunlight or soil. Under the rows of LED light panels, green leafy vegetables grow lushly on racks.
The smart farm guide told the Global Times that relying on such kind of artificial light planting can increase yields and reduce labor demand.
“We witnessed modern farming to address food insecurity. I carried this idea back home as a model of smart farms that can transform some of Africa’s poor villages,” Peter Kagwanja, President of the Africa Policy Institute in Kenya told the Global Times, told the Global Times delightedly.
“It was an eye-opener; a deep dive into the inside of a modernizing China. The lesson is that leadership matters for any nation to modernize and rise from poverty to relative prosperity. Xi’s leadership has turned Tayuanzhuang village into one of the most ultra-modern villages in China,” Kagwanja said.
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-times-african-diplomats-scholars-explore-secrets-of-chinese-modernization-in-zhengding-for-development-inspiration-301864429.html


For as long as Kirsty Hoey can remember she has always wanted to worth with or alongside those that help animals. Seeing the joy in the faces of owners and the faces of their pets when they go home from hospital brings a joy she just can’t describe.
The most memorable patient Kirsty has seen at Perth Vet Emergency was Molly an overweight Pug who was a victim of a vicious dog attack. Unfortunately, it was such a severe attack that it left her needing one of her legs amputated. Molly was adopted by one of our vets who nursed her back to health and is now a valued member of our Perth Vet Emergency family. Kirsty says the team is now supporting Molly in her weight loss journey.
For anyone who is wanting to work at Perth Vet Emergency, Kirsty says to go for it! “Our team is the most supportive, caring and kind bunch of people I have ever met. I left my previous job for Perth Vet Emergency and I do not regret it”, she says.
When Kirsty Hoey isn’t working you can find her and her pup Lilly at one of their local dog beaches, and playing with her children Ryan and Hannah.


South Carolina once again showed a strong presence as three of our lifters competed at the USAPL MIlitary Nationals on March 14th, 2015. Donald Bigham continued his strong lifting just a week after performing well at the Arnold Classic by breaking his own squat and deadlift records. Donny continues to make personal strides, getting stronger and stronger with each platform appearance.
Mike Cantrell also broke records in the squat and the total in the 60-64 age division. Ron Doiron, a newcomer to lifting with the USAPL, broke a three year old record by breaking the benchpress record in the 45-49 age division. Fantastic lifting!


GOV. ABDULRAZAQ RELAXES CURFEW IN ILORIN
By: Akpan Sunday
The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed on the state.
Recall Titanic Media had earlier reported that the Kwara state government declared the curfew on the state metropolis following violent attacks and looting of both public and private concerns on Friday by hoodlums masquerading as #EndSARS protesters.
In a statement titled, “A review of the situation in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, suggested a relative calm” issued the governor’s spokesperson, Rafiu Ajakaye, said that curfew is now 6pm and 8am daily.
According to Ajakaye, the decision was reached after a meeting with heads of security agencies in the state.
Part of the statement read, “The meeting observed that the objective of the curfew has largely been achieved as the misguided elements, who looted and vandalised public and private properties have been pushed back and normalcy restored.
“Consequently, the security council resolved to relax the curfew from 24 hours to between 6p.m. and 8 a.m. daily until further notice. This means members of the public can move around between 8 a.m. and 6p.m daily within the metropolis.”
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Business investment is picking up especially in emerging market economies including India, notwithstanding a bleak economic outlook, says a survey by Grant Thornton.
According to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), 45 per cent of businesses in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) plan to increase investment in research and development over the next year, compared to just 18 per cent in the G7.
Similarly, 47 per cent of BRIC businesses plan to increase investment in plant and machinery over the next 12 months, compared to 37 per cent in the G7.
“The results indicate an interesting trend, while businesses in developed economies are sitting on their cash, their emerging market counterparts are investing in their future,” Grant Thornton India LLP Partner Munesh Khanna said.
This focus is apparent in some of the fastest growing markets globally: Compared to three months ago, 15 per cent more businesses in China are now looking to increase investment in research and development.
If this investment trend continues, developed economies could find their competitiveness eroding as against emerging economies, Khanna believes.
Overall the proportion of businesses looking to increase investment in new buildings has risen from 15 per cent to 21 per cent over the past 18 months, and in plant & machinery from 35 per cent to 38 per cent.
Moreover, businesses are also investing more in their employees — 68 per cent plan to offer pay rises over the next 12 months, compared with 51 per cent in 2010.
“Global economic uncertainty is weighing on short-term business growth prospects. However, it is encouraging to see dynamic businesses willing to adopt bolder, long-term growth plans,” Khanna added.
This strategy is not about immediate returns in terms of revenues and profits, but rather investing in their long-term growth and competitiveness.
“Even in tough times, businesses need to be forward thinking, keep pace with their competitors and invest in the future of their companies,” Khanna said


Women of Western Balkans Mark the Start of 16 Days of Activism Campaign2. December 2014 - 9:07 — Dejan Georgievski
Organisations for women human rights from the region of Western Balkans again joined the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence campaign. The start of the campaign, which is implemented from November 25, the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women to December 10, the Human Rights Day, was marked with actions organized by women organisations, activist groups and coalitions in all countries of the region.
The CURE Foundation organized the “Anonymous Club” street performance act in Sarajevo. The performance had women sit in a circle and reading the testimonies of women that suffered from violence in their relationships. Special emphasis was placed on jealousy, to show that it is not about love, but about violence.
The CURE Foundation also used the occasion to announce other planned activities during the 16 Days of Activism campaign. They also distributed leaflets with information on what is violence and how to recognize it and report it.
The activists of Belgrade-based women organisations Atina, ASTRA – Anti-Human Trafficking Action, the “Daje” Roma Centre for Women and Children, “Of the Belgrade Circle – organisation for protection of rights and support for disabled women, and the Autonomous Women Centre, organized a street action to mark the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women.
The action aimed to contribute to raise public awareness about the problem of male violence against women, the involvement of citizens in the active dealing with this problem, and to send a message of support to women victims of violence. They asked the citizens to sign the Solidarity Flag, and among the signatories were many public and political figures.
The action lasted for two hours, with participation of close to 200 citizens, activists and representatives of the media.
Under the auspices of its campaign “Remember Ask Disturb” and the start of the 16 Days Campaign, on November 25, Anima Kotor organized the “We are all Targets” performance on the Republic Square in Podgorica. Anima’s activists stood in place for an hour to protest the violence suffered by women’s rights activists. Women from Bijelo Polje, Nikšić, Kotor, Herceg Novi, Podgorica, Cetinje, Bar, associates of ANIMA and Women’s NGOs from Montenegro took part in the action.
The Women’s Room – Centre for Sexual Rights marked the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women several days earlier, on November 22, 2014, with a public action in Zagreb. The action was held under the motto “Exercise your right to a violence-free life”.
Members of Women’s Room, together with their volunteers, distributed information leaflets and brochures to the citizens. The citizens were given an opportunity to write strong positive messages and thoughts against violence against women. Activists also offered information on support and assistance offered by civil society organizations and competent state institutions.
The National network against violence against women and domestic violence in Macedonia organized a protest rally in front of the offices of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies. The National Network announced that it will hold its protest every 25th of the month until they get answers to important questions – was it possible to prevent the murders of women in the country? and how many women need to suffer and die for institutions to take action and stop tolerating the violence against women that goes on in front of their very eyes.
The Network believes that the existing four shelters for women victims of violence in the country are not enough and demands from the Ministry to establish new shelters in all regions of the country, a free SOS line in the languages of all communities in the country, crisis centres for victims of rape and sexual violence, expert and state support to ensure the sustainability of those services.
The “Today for the Future” Network of Community Development Centres, in cooperation with “Polis” University and a group of young volunteers, marked the start of the Orange Campaign in Skender Bey Square in Tirana. Dozens of citizens left their messages of condemnation of gender-based violence. The event was organized under the auspices of the national campaign “Violence is not a solution. Make a choice: be promoters and activists for gender equality”, implemented with support from UNDP and UN Women and the Government of Sweden.
The OSCE Mission to Kosovo announced, on November 26, 2014, the start of campaign against domestic violence under the motto “Real men never hit women”. The promotional campaign, which includes TV ads and posters in Albanian and Serbian language, supports the efforts of the Office for Advocacy and Protection of Victims of Violence to prevent domestic violence and calls on citizens to report domestic violence on the SOS Line 0800 11 11 2.
Two professional fighters, the boxer Armend Xhixhaj and kick-boxer Marko Božović are the public faces of the campaign as men who use force as a part of their jobs, but who would never use force against women.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign aims to galvanize action aimed at prevention and elimination of violence against women in the whole world. The theme of this year’s campaign is “From Peace at Home to Peace in the World: Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women!”
- "The ICT sector should be driving global discussion about respect for human rights in the private sector"
- “The African Declaration on Internet Rights and Freedoms is just an instrument, but quite an important one"
- APC condemns brutal state attacks on Oaxacan civil society
- The role of private actors regarding freedom of expression in the digital age: APC welcomes UN Special Rapporteur's report
- Job posting: APC seeks an Africa communications and research officer
- Dan vidljivosti transrodnih osoba
- Vlasti peru ruke od ženskih problema


Chronic back pain is the top cause of disability in the world, affecting millions of people. Solutions, however, are elusive.
Doctors often rely on medications and injections, but those only mask the pain.
It can also frustrate individuals trying to fight pain with healthy activities like biking, yoga, or other physical fitness activities.
The result: A vicious cycle of treating symptoms while the underlying condition grows worse.
Medication gives relief, but overuse can lead to serious complications.
Painkillers mask pain, rather than address the source.
Moreover, opioid painkillers are the culprit behind an epidemic of addiction and crime that has torn families and entire communities apart.
Many individuals with back pain and other painful spinal conditions seek relief from Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, Motrin, or Tylenol.
However, according to a study in the British Medical Journal, these types of drugs can have serious effects, not just for extended users but after just one use.
In the study, 6 percent of patients prescribed NSAIDs by primary care physicians returned with side effects of heart attacks, stroke, or bleeding problems within two months.
This may seem a low number, but when 15 million people are prescribed NSAIDs in England each year, the accumulative numbers are stunning: As high as 900,000 preventable events.
Most people who have experienced headaches, neck and/or back pain for more than three months on a regular basis are considered chronic suffers.
These individuals tend to rely on pain meds or anti-inflammatory drugs to stop the nightmare of pain.
However, they may also be at risk for serious side effects.
“They should not resort to extended use of NSAID or OPIOID usage without talking to their doctor first because of the potential threat to health” says Scoliosis Center of Utah Dr. John Ratliff.
“Heart attacks, strokes, liver failure, and addiction are some of the severe problems linked to abuse of medications to control pain.
Rather than masking the pain, attempting to uncover the source of the problem and eliminating it may be a better course of action.”
Chronic Pain and Posture
Poor posture and spinal misalignment may lead to recurring bouts of pain, or even constant pain because of stress on sensitive spinal tissues.
About 90 percent of all lower back pain is generated in either the disc or the facet joints found on either side of the disc.
Many times, muscles react to damage in the joints of the spine by tightening or going into painful spasm.
Poor posture can perpetuate damage to soft tissues of the spine by sustaining pressure on structures that prevent healing and lead to chronic pain.
The Solution: Posture Restoration
The Scoliosis Center of Utah uses the latest technology and proven techniques to pinpoint the source of pain.
Our team of doctors analyze the spine for abnormal alignment of curves using digital X-ray imaging software, giving us the ability to identify problem areas where discs and spinal nerves produce recurring pain.
Then, our team creates a rehabilitative program to isolate and strengthen weakened spinal muscles, providing pain relief. In severe cases, a 3D brace is prescribed.
In many cases, this can mitigate, improve, or eliminate pain, providing long-term health benefits.


In the United Kingdom, a new law on domestic violence that criminalises “coercive control” could exclude women with disabilities, who are particularly vulnerable to such abuse, say campaigners.
The new legislation, part of the Serious Crime Bill, will make it illegal for someone to exercise psychological, emotional or financial control over their partner. The law has been welcomed by women’s groups, who have long called for coercive control, which they say is often a prelude to violence, to be a crime.
Male carers in the UK who can prove they are acting in their partners’ interests would escape punishment under ‘coercive control’ legislation.
However, a fresh amendment introduced by the government earlier this month will allow a defence for carers who say they believe they are acting in their partners’ “best interests”. A court would then decide if such behaviour was reasonable.
Women’s Aid fear the changes could exclude women with disabilities, who they say are particularly vulnerable to crimes of domestic abuse.
The defence is unnecessary and too subjective, they say and are calling for safeguards to ensure perpetrators who are carers do not escape justice.
Source: The Guardian 29 Jan 2015


Independent artists need to generate 5 million streams annually to make US minimum wage, new report finds
Spotify, Apple, YouTube, and Amazon generate 96 percent of income for independent artists.
Image: Wachiwit / Getty Images
A new report has found that independent musicians need to generate five million streams annually to make the US federal minimum wage.
The data has been uncovered in the annual 2023 Music Economics Report for Independent Artists from music financing platform, Duetti. The report focuses on streaming income as a primary revenue source, providing key insights and perspectives for artists and their teams.
- READ MORE: Teenage Engineering OP-1 tops Reverb’s best-selling electronic gear list for fifth year running
Elsewhere in its annual study, Duetti found that earnings per stream are down by two percent in 2023, despite price increases by the streaming platforms. Independent artists are said to make $2.95 per 1,000 streams.
The decline is driven by Spotify, due to expansion in lower-cost markets, reliance on discounted plans (Family or Duo plans), and proliferation of Discovery Mode, according to Duetti. Spotify’s payout rate decline outweighs the contribution of subscription price increases in 2022 and 2023, which lead to increased payout rates by Apple, YouTube and Amazon.
These top four platforms generate 96 percent of income for independent artists but, interestingly, income varies greatly by genre. Spotify’s genre-based wallet share varies from as low as 38 percent for country artists to as high as 66 percent for rock. Meanwhile, Apple over-indexes in jazz, country, R&B, hip-hop, and Christian, while YouTube over-indexes in Latin, hip-hop and R&B.
One particular tool for sharing music which has boomed in recent years is TikTok. A number of both new and established artists have found their stream numbers rocketing by having a song go viral on the app. With that said, 1,000 TikTok video creations generate just 50 cents for independent artists, almost 13 times less than 1,000 streams on Apple Music.
Overall, YouTube and Apple Music have grown their wallet share for independent artists, but Spotify remains the most important platform in terms of wallet share (by far) with 55 percent.
Earlier this month it was revealed that Spotify’s CFO, Paul Vogel, cashed out shares worth $9.377 million, just 24 hours after the company announced that 17 percent of its workforce were to be laid off in a “hard but crucial step.” Vogel is due to leave the company in on 31 March 2024 as part of a “new phase” for the streaming giant.
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Khondrion — a spin-out from Nijmegen Radboudumc — was recently awarded the prestigious H2020 SME Instrument European grant for the testing of a potential new medicine for mitochondrial disorders [ed. metabolic diseases]. CEO Jan Smeitink tells us about the latest developments.
There are approximately 250 known genetic deviations that lead to problems with energy metabolism. This can lead to a number of serious health issues. Khondrion is currently testing a group of patients who, because of a certain DNA deviation, suffer from issues with their cognition, and hearing from diabetes and strokes.
Tests in three countries
The medicine has been given the generic name Sonlicromanol by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In an earlier phase of testing, it was examined whether people could tolerate the drug, whether it was safe to use and if it has an effect. To all three questions the answer was: yes. Especially cognitively patients really noticed an improvement.
“We are currently working on the final preparations for the launch of a multicentre trial, a trial in which we will test patients in three different medical centres in Nijmegen, Netherlands, Munich, Germany and Newcastle, UK. We will test a group of 27 patients to see what the best dosage for Sonlicromanol is, and we are going to check whether we can confirm earlier positive findings”, says Smeitink.
We want to do things as efficiently as possible, but we obviously also need to guarantee the highest quality.
If everything goes well, the medicine could be on the market by 2023. It’s an important step for people who suffer from these serious conditions.
Partly because of the support from the EFRO programme, Khondrion will soon also be able to test the medicine for children: “When it comes to mitochondrial disorders, you want to be able to intervene as quickly as possible to prevent or even undo consequences.” Among children with mitochondrial diseases, the Leigh syndrome is prevalent — this is a progressive disease that takes the lives of 70% of children before the age of 10.
Apart from Sonlicromanol, Khondrion is working on the development of new and possibly even better treatments to tackle this group of diseases. The company is also expanding its organisation. “You need professionalisation in this global market, in order to be future-proof”, Smeitink feels. By now, Khondrion has started collaborating with over thirty partners all around the world. These are companies as well as universities.


The Prize: Who’s in Charge of Americas Schools
by Dale Russakoff 2016
About the Author
Dale Russakoff is a veteran reporter who spent twenty-eight years at the Washington Post covering presidential campaigns, education, the economy, and other breaking topics.
About the Book
This New York Times bestseller chronicles how Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Christie, and Cory Booker tried—and failed—to reform education in Newark, NJ.
In September of 2010, billionaire Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg went on Oprah to announce a pledge of $100 million to transform the downtrodden schools of Newark, New Jersey. There by his side were the city’s Democratic mayor, Cory Booker, and the state’s Republican governor, Chris Christie. Together, they vowed to make Newark “a symbol of educational excellence for the whole nation.” But this trio of power players had no idea what they were in for.
The tumultuous changes planned by reformers and their highly paid consultants spark a fiery grass-roots opposition stoked by local politicians and union leaders. At the center of the fight was Newark’s billion-dollar-a-year education budget: a prize that, for generations, had enriched seemingly everyone, except Newark’s children. In The Prize, Dale Russakoff presents a dramatic narrative encompassing the rise of celebrity politics, big philanthropy, extreme economic inequality, the charter school movement, and the struggles and triumphs of schools in one of the nation’s poorest cities.
“One of the most important books on education to come along in years.”—The New York Times
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Access this book for online reading or download for offline reading. Subscribers can access more than 100 books:
biography, economics, history, philosophy, religion, & science. New titles added frequently.
“This is of one the most disturbing and powerful books I’ve read in years. The point of this story is not that the well intentioned Mark Zuckerberg and his wife gave $100 million to help those less fortunate. The point is they gave it to the wrong people. This deeply researched story left me cheering for teachers, crying for schoolchildren, and raging at politicians. With The Prize, Dale Russakoff demonstrates why she is one of the great nonfiction voices of our time.” —James McBride, author of The Color of Water


It gives us great pleasure to highlight the exceptional contribution of our esteemed colleague Jiri Remr, who made a remarkable impact at the 2023 Transforming Care Conference in Sheffield, UK, this June. Jiri’s groundbreaking presentation “Unmet Needs of Informal Caregivers” garnered significant attention and recognition from attendees.
In his presentation, Jiri delved deeply into the critical issue of unmet needs among informal caregivers. He passionately explored pathways to reduce disparities in the availability and affordability of social services, focusing on improving caregivers’ quality of life by addressing their unique needs. Jiri’s commitment to ensuring dignity in aging was evident as he discussed strategies to improve the engagement of both seniors and caregivers in the care process.
The insights Jiri shared at the conference have ignited a spark of change in the caregiving community. His dedication to creating a more inclusive and compassionate care environment is truly inspiring. Join our efforts, and let us work together for a better future for caregivers and seniors.


BizAvIndia’ – connecting the business aviation community
Founded in 1964, SP Guide Publications has been setting a trail-blazing path.
In yet another first in the realm of defence and aerospace publishing in India, SP Guide Publications is partnering with the Business Aircraft Operators’ Association (BAOA), to keep the business aviation industry informed and connected.
The partnership has seen the birth of ‘BizAvIndia’, a quarterly magazine which will be a supplement of SP’s Aviation. ‘BizAvIndia’ was launched on the eve of Aero India 2015 by the Joint Secretary of Civil Aviation, G.Asok Kumar in the presence of the Chairman and Managing Director of SP Guide Publications, Jayant Baranwal; the President of BAOA, Rohit Kapur; the President and CEO of General Aircraft Manufacturers’ Association (GAMA), Peter Bunce and the Director General of International Business Aviation Council, Kurt Edwards.
‘BizAvIndia’ features articles written by industry experts, journalists and senior officials. These articles are informative and analytical.
‘BizAvIndia’ will reflect current industry trends, discuss issues, connect the industry as to help achieve the fullest potential of the fast-growing business aviation sector in India.
The feedback for the inaugural issue of ‘BizAvIndia’ has been very positive and we will be building upon that to be an effective platform for the nascent sector.


International Medical Alliance of Tennessee worked in New Orleans, volunteering and running a Primary Care Medical Clinic to provide medical care to a population that was left without healthcare in the aftermath of of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, one of the hardest hit areas of New Orleans. International Medical Alliance of Tennessee volunteers provided medical care for more than 64,000 people and dispensed over 80,000 prescriptions free of charge.
Operation Blessing funded a partnership with IMA to open the free clinic to offer primary care for those residents that were without health care. Operation Blessing provided the clinic buildings and the entire infrastructure to open the clinic and keep it operating. International Medical Alliance of Tennessee provided the medical staff and oversight for the enormous response from medical volunteers that came to New Orleans to volunteer with IMA and Operation Blessing. The extraordinary work and faithfulness of Operation Blessing made this long-term relief effort possible.The medications to fill the prescriptions were made possible from a grant provided by the Salvation Army. IMA will be forever grateful to Operation Blessing and the Salvation Army for all that they made possible.
IMA receives honor from MAYO CLINIC DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE
In October of 2007, Dale Betterton MD and Dorothy Davison FNP of IMA were honored by the MAYO CLINIC when they received the Humanitarian Award from the MAYO DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY MEDICINE. The award was presented during a dinner held in their honor at the MAYO CLINIC on October 23rd, 2007.


In recent years, the landscape of sports broadcasting has undergone a revolutionary transformation, propelled by the rapid advancement of streaming technology. Among the various sports leagues embracing this digital shift, the National Basketball Association (NBA) stands at the forefront, leveraging streaming platforms to redefine fan engagement and elevate the viewing experience to unprecedented heights. This article delves into the burgeoning phenomenon of streaming in the NBA, exploring its impact on fans, players, and the league as a whole.
The Evolution of NBA Broadcasting:
Traditionally, fans relied on television networks to catch live NBA games, constrained by fixed schedules and geographic limitations. However, with the advent of streaming services, such as NBA League Pass, ESPN+, and Hulu + Live TV, fans now have unparalleled access to a vast array of games, highlights, and exclusive content. This shift has democratized NBA viewing, empowering fans to tailor their experience according to their preferences, whether it be watching live games, accessing on-demand replays, or enjoying behind-the-scenes footage.
Enhanced Accessibility and Global Reach:
One of the most significant advantages of streaming in the NBA is its ability to transcend geographical boundaries, fostering a global community of basketball enthusiasts. Unlike traditional broadcasting, which often catered primarily to domestic audiences, streaming platforms offer a borderless viewing experience, enabling fans from around the world to connect and engage with their favorite teams and players in real-time. This global reach not only expands the NBA’s fan base but also cultivates a diverse and inclusive environment that celebrates the sport’s universal appeal.
Interactive Features and Immersive Experiences:
Streaming platforms have revolutionized the way fans interact with NBA content, introducing a plethora of interactive features and immersive experiences. From live chats and social media integrations to customizable viewing options and alternate camera angles, streaming services empower fans to personalize their engagement and delve deeper into the game. Furthermore, advancements in virtual reality (VR) technology promise to transport fans courtside, offering an unparalleled sense of immersion and proximity to the action.
Empowering Next-Generation Fans:
In an era characterized by digital natives and tech-savvy consumers, streaming has become synonymous with the modern fan experience. For younger generations accustomed to on-demand content and multiscreen engagement, traditional broadcasting often feels outdated and restrictive. By embracing streaming platforms, the NBA not only caters to the evolving preferences of its audience but also cultivates a new generation of passionate fans who are actively involved in shaping the future of the sport.
Monetization Opportunities and Revenue Growth:
Beyond its benefits for fans, streaming presents lucrative monetization opportunities for the NBA and its stakeholders. Through subscription-based models, pay-per-view options, and targeted advertising, streaming platforms generate substantial revenue streams that complement traditional broadcasting deals. Moreover, the direct-to-consumer nature of streaming enables the NBA to forge deeper connections with its audience, gather valuable data insights, and tailor personalized offerings that enhance both engagement and profitability.
Challenges and Considerations:
While streaming has undoubtedly transformed the NBA viewing experience, it also poses certain challenges and considerations for the league and its partners. Issues such as piracy, digital rights management, and the balance between exclusive and accessible content require careful navigation to ensure the integrity of the sport and the satisfaction of fans. Additionally, the proliferation of streaming platforms has led to fragmentation within the market, raising questions about subscription fatigue and the sustainability of multiple services.
The Future of Streaming in the NBA:
As technology continues to evolve and consumer preferences evolve, the future of streaming in the NBA holds boundless possibilities. From augmented reality (AR) overlays and interactive gaming experiences to personalized content recommendations and social viewing features, the convergence of digital innovation and basketball promises to reshape the landscape of sports entertainment in unprecedented ways. By embracing these advancements and staying at the forefront of technological innovation, the NBA is poised to cement its position as a global leader in the digital age.
The rise of streaming in the NBA represents a transformative shift in the way fans engage with the sport, transcending traditional boundaries and unlocking new avenues for interaction and immersion. By harnessing the power of streaming platforms, the NBA has not only expanded its global reach but also enriched the fan experience through interactivity, accessibility, and innovation. As technology continues to evolve and consumer behaviors evolve, the future of streaming in the NBA holds immense potential to redefine sports entertainment and inspire the next generation of basketball enthusiasts worldwide.


Welcome to KSPEN 2022 homepage!
Dear Colleagues and Members of the Korean Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (KSPEN),
We are pleased to announce the 21st Annual Congress of Korean Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (KSPEN 2022), the second international congress which will be held both online and offline in a hybrid form from June 10th (Fri) to 11th (Sat) for two days.
The homepage is now open to explore the details of the Congress and see new updates!
If you have any questions, please contact the secretariat firstname.lastname@example.org.
Save the dates
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Researchers put the predictive power of whole genome sequencing to the test.
By Cristina Luiggi.
Although the price of genome sequencing is rapidly becoming more affordable to the general population, to what extent these tests will impact a person’s lifestyle and medical treatment choices remains unclear. By analyzing life-long data collected from thousands of twins, researchers led by renowned Johns Hopkins oncologist Bert Vogelstein tested how well whole genome sequencing could predict an individual’s risk of developing 24 common diseases.
Their analysis, published today (April 2) in Science Translational Medicine, showed that most people are likely to get negative results for the majority of the diseases studied, thus failing to provide any actionable information. For example, while sequencing tests are effective at predicting cancer risks in people with hereditary cancers, they are not as informative for people who lack a family history of the disease.
“In families with strong histories of cancer, whole genome sequencing can still be very informative for identifying inherited genes that increase cancer risk,” Victor Velculescu, a professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins, said in a press release. “But hereditary cancers are rare. Most cancers arise from mutations acquired through environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, and random mistakes in genes that occur when cells divide.”
The results suggest that genome sequencing is not likely to displace other preventive measures any time soon. “We need other strategies,” Vogelstein said today at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting in Chicago. “My favorite is early detection.”


On January 31, 1944 a OS2N-1 Kingfisher scout plane from the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40) was performing gunfire spotting duties over Ebeye Island. At approximately 3:22pm the plane was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire, mortally wounding the pilot, LT Forney Fuqua. Fuqua instructed his radioman, Aviation Radioman 2nd Class Harrison ‘Dub’ Miller, to bail out. Miller refused, and although lacking in previous flight training, used the emergency control stick in the rear cockpit to attempt a water landing in an effort to save the pilot’s life.
On landing, a wingtip float was torn off the plane and it capsized. Miller dove beneath the surface of the water multiple times in an effort to get the pilot unstrapped and out of the cockpit, persisting in his efforts until exhausted. Miller then spent approximately an hour floating in the lagoon, clinging to his capsized plane while being shelled by enemy shore batteries.
A minesweeper, the USS YMS-383, was operating in the lagoon not far from where Miller and the Kingfisher floated. Arriving at the downed plane, crewmen Louis “Ted” Sonner and Burl Sousa rescued Miller, then attached a towline to the plane, intending to tow the plane out of range of enemy shore batteries so that the pilot’s body could be recovered from the cockpit. But after only a short distance the towline snapped and the plane sank to the bottom of the lagoon, taking LT Fuqua with it.
Miller, Sonner, and Sousa survived the war. Sonner and Sousa visited Kwajalein in January 2014 for the 70th anniversary of the battle, and are in good health today. Miller passed away in July 2014. All three have provided information that has narrowed down the search area for the plane, and the Kwajalein MIA Project draws steadily closer to finding it.


Arena Scientific has announced a new Tab-X 9.7 Retina Tablet. The tablet features a 9.7 inch LED screen with resolution 2048-by-1536 at 264 pixels per inch. The tablet also features Dual-core Cortex A9 CPU with quad-core Mali 400 graphics. The tablet will come with 32GB of storage and 2MP dual camera. The Tab-X will cost US$239 when it is released in the near future.
via Arena Scientific


“Bristling at Health Plan to Cover Early Retirees” (“The Work-Up” series, news article, Sept. 9) pegs health care coverage for early retirees as exclusively a labor issue. In fact, this is an issue for all Americans.
Small Business Majority, a national nonprofit, is working for America’s 27 million small businesses and small-business owners.
Today, small businesses provide 75 percent of all net new jobs and employ 52 percent of the private-sector work force. What hurts small businesses hurts America’s economy. Not only are the majority of small-business owners between 55 and 64 years old — a precarious window for personal health care coverage — but they also face skyrocketing health care costs, which is hindering their ability to provide high-quality coverage to their employees.
Our research has shown that an average of 86 percent of small-business owners cite affordability as the reason they do not offer health care to their employees, while an average of 68 percent of small-business owners believe that health care reform is needed to help fix the economy.
The biggest problem facing America’s small businesses and America’s economy is unavailable, unaffordable health care. Emphasis on health care coverage for people between 55 and 64 is not just good for labor, it’s good for the economy.


In order to make E's appointment in time Wednesday morning, I woke her at o-dark thirty. Amazingly, she managed to get dressed and ready without much prodding. Much to my surprise, traffic heading downtown was decent; so, we arrived at the kidney doctor's office with a good 15 minutes to spare.
Good news: pre-visit tests showed nothing worse than a vitamin D deficiency, easily remedied with a short therapeutic course of vitamin D for the next few months.
Unsettling news: the doctor reminded us about findings from a work-up done before last year's aneurysm surgery. Now that E's on the mend and doing really well, he said, it's time to investigate those findings further to determine whether or not surgical intervention makes sense.
More later as we take time to process what this means.