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Meet with a lawyer, and discuss the outcome regarding property, assets, children, and custody. Fill out the correct forms, have them reviewed by a lawyer, then file them. Have someone give the papers and a Declaration of Disclosure to your spouse. Write an agreement with your spouse, fill out the final forms, then receive your judgment.
Steps Part 1Getting Ready to File for Divorce 1 Figure out where to file.Most states have a minimum residency requirement for people who want to file for divorce. If you've lived in the same place for six months or longer, you can probably file for divorce in your county, even if your spouse does not live there. If you haven't lived in the same place for long, you may have to first file for separation and then file for divorce after you've met the residency requirements of your state. In most cases you must file in the state where you live, even if you got married in a different state. Exceptions may be made for same-sex couples who got married in a state other than their state of residency for legal reasons. 2 Decide what outcome you want to have.Divorce can take many forms. In some cases it is amicable and relatively easy to bring about, but it can also get very complicated. What kind of divorce will bring about the results you want? Consider the following variables: Do you own property or other assets with your spouse that you plan to divide? Do you have children with your spouse, and will you be seeking custody? If you are seeking custody, will you also seek child support from your spouse? Consider creating a divorce mission statement so that you can clearly outline your goals and desires. 3 Gather information.In advance of meeting with a lawyer for a consultation, you'll need a concrete picture of what you and your spouse will be dividing. Organize documentation on both your assets and your debts, including the following: Real estate, bank accounts, and valuable personal property. Mortgages, loans, and credit card balances. 4 Meet with a lawyer.Schedule a consultation with an experienced divorce lawyer. Even seemingly straightforward divorces can end up getting complicated, and a divorce lawyer can answer specific questions about your circumstances. Even if you end up representing yourself, a one-hour consultation with a lawyer will help you get the ball rolling. Be prepared to talk about your goals and desired outcome. Bring the documentation you gathered on your assets and debts. Have a list of questions that are specific to your situation ready to ask the lawyer. Have the lawyer help you create a filing plan according to the laws that apply in your county. Part 2Filing Divorce Papers 1 Fill out the correct court forms.Go to the county courthouse or visit their website online to obtain the forms you need to fill out to start your divorce case. The spouse filing is known as the "Petitioner" and the receiver of the petition is known as the "Respondent". The most common reason for filing is "irreconcilable differences" for a no-fault divorce. In most cases you will fill out a Family Law Petition, giving the court information about your marriage and the orders you want the court to make. You'll fill out a Summons, which describes important information about the divorce process in your county, including standard restrictions regarding handling your assets and debts during the proceedings. If you have property in question you'll fill out a Property Declaration form. If you have children under 18 with your spouse, you'll fill out forms regarding child custody and visitation. 2 Have the forms reviewed.In order for the divorce petition to be processed smoothly, it's important that the forms be filled out correctly with accurate information. Ask you lawyer to review the forms and make recommendations. If you don't wish to work with a lawyer, ask for help from the court's family law facilitator or self help center. 3 File the forms.Once everything is properly filled out, return the forms to the court to officially file them. Make two copies of the forms, so that you and your spouse both have one. File the original with the court. You'll have to pay a filing fee, which varies from state to state. The fee can amount to several hundred dollars; if you can't afford it, ask for a fee waiver. 4 Have your spouse served with the divorce papers.This is the legal process of notifying your spouse that a petition for divorce has been filed, and the court cannot proceed until the papers have been served. Find or hire a "server" to give the papers to your spouse. You can't do it yourself, but you can ask a friend or relative over age 18, hire a professional process server, or use the sheriff. Have the server serve the correct papers either in person or in some cases by mail, if this arrangement has been agreed upon. Have the server fill out a Proof of Service form. Have your lawyer or a member of the court staff make sure it is filled out correctly. Make a copy of the Proof of Service form, then file it with the | 1.160645 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
court clerk. Part 3Filing Financial Disclosure Forms 1 Make a Declaration of Disclosure after filing your petition.In order for your petition to proceed, you and your spouse must both disclose your financial information and file it with the court. According to your circumstances, fill out either a Declaration of Disclosure and the accompanying forms, or the more simplified financial statement form. Talk to your lawyer about which one makes sense for you. In most cases you will have to attach your tax returns from the past two years. 2 Have your spouse served with the financial disclosure forms.Your spouse should also have you served with financial disclosure forms, so that you are in agreement about which assets and debts you'll be dividing. Make sure you save a few copies of the forms. These forms will not be filed with the court, so it's important that you have them filed with your personal records. If there is a change in your financial situation after filing the preliminary disclosure forms, you will have to fill out a second set of forms and go through the declaration procedure again. Part 4Completing the Divorce 1 Write up an agreement with your spouse.If your spouse has cooperated throughout the process, the next step is to write up an agreement regarding assets, debts, and child custody. Have a lawyer help you write the agreement to make sure it is legally sound. Have the agreement notarized. If your spouse did not respond to your petition for divorce or your Declaration of Disclosure after 30 days, you will fill out your final forms without first writing up an agreement. 2 Fill out the final forms.Fill out a series of final forms regarding your assets and debts, child custody, child support, and other specifics regarding your situation. Have your lawyer or a member of the court staff review your forms to make sure they are correctly filled out. Make copies of the forms and file them with the court. 3 Receive your judgement.After reviewing the final forms, the court will send you a judgement notice notifying you of the outcome of your divorce and any further steps you must take to finalize it. If your spouse contests the divorce, you may have to attend a court hearing. The judge will look over the and may make changes to agreements pertaining to assets, alimony, child Support, custody, and any other anything the judge may consider amending. Community Q&A If I was wrongly married to someone, how do I file for divorce?wikiHow ContributorContact an attorney specializing in divorce in your area for assistance. How do I file for divorce if I no longer know where my spouse lives?wikiHow ContributorRun an ad in the newspaper serving the area of your spouse's last known address for one month declaring your intention to divorce. If you ask the court for an "Order of Notice by Publication" they should be able to give you precise instructions. How can I keep my kids full custody?wikiHow ContributorYou would have to do this in court. Talk to your lawyer about the steps you need to do this. Video Tips Look up your state's court website for specific information about how you should pursue a divorce. Warnings The procedure for filing for divorce is different in each state. Article Info
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 83,236 times. began to cling to it as a drowning person clutches a lifesaver without a lot of conscious thought. I even wore a rosary around my neck in an almost literal hope that it would keep me from sinking.
Little did I know that those beads held a transforming power. Little did I know that I was reaching out for the ultimate human intercessor. Mary, like any devoted prayer partner, would stand in the gap that loomed between God and me. And because "the prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective" (James 5:16), Mary, so devoted and so close to her son, must surely have his ear. Like so many who pray the rosary, I will never be able to explain it fully. I only know my own experience and the experiences of others I have learned about along the way, and I am honored to share them with you. God's nature is mysterious. Not mysterious as in a puzzle to be solved, but in how he embraces us in our uniqueness. His mystery allows us to be still and rest assured that while we do not have all the answers, there is one who is greater than we are who does. In this way, the mysteries of the rosary have not been a source of befuddlement or estrangement or shame over my own inadequacy as much as a source of comfort, a place whereby I can measure my rightful place in the universe. That too is a mystery. Scripture tells me that I am simultaneously dust (Genesis 3:19) and the apple of my Father's eye (Deuteronomy 32:10). In that knowledge I can rest in peaceful awe and clarity, the goal of any meditation. | 1.472413 | 1,022 | 1,020 |
At about 1PM this afternoon—a piece of an old Russian-built weather satellite sped by the International Space Station, dangerously close to the station. It’s the fourth time that astronauts aboard the ISS have “sheltered” because of space junk.
As NASA explained this morning in a short blog post about the move, the crew aboard the ISS were asked to take shelter in the Russian Soyuz vehicle currently docked on the station. NASA called the move “a precaution due to an anticipated close approach of a piece of space debris to the orbiting complex,” since these vehicles are the safest place to be in the event that the ISS is damaged.
Normally, the spacecraft would simply move out of the way of the debris if it had been spotted soon enough—though sheltering has taken place four times before, including in 2012 and 2011, but manoeuvring around debris is more common. Thankfully, the crew was given the all-clear minutes after the debris passed. But it’s another reminder that space junk is becoming more of a problem every year.
Explaining why we don’t yet have a system for clean up isn’t easy—it’s a mixture of complex technological and geopolitical issues. Last year, io9’s Mark Strauss talked to Theresa Hitchens, who directs the UN Institute for Disarmament Research, about the growing problem with space debris. Hitchens gave us a glimpse into the incredibly complicated world of space junk removal—which involves not only massive resource investment, but delicate political issues, sticky space laws, and the possibility that a space debris removal system could have a dual-use as a satellite-destroying weapon:
In a future era where everyone is armed to the teeth with anti-satellite capabilities, the likelihood of a debris strike being mistaken as a deliberate strike by an enemy skyrockets. It would be a very unstable situation, prone to miscalculation and crisis escalation. In my humble opinion, this is why the development and deployment of overt anti-satellite weapons systems would be a mistake.
In fact, earlier this month we got an update from the Swiss École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne’s Center for Space Engineering, which is developing a satellite specifically to remove an existing Swiss satellite currently in orbit.
Called CleanSpace One, the hoover-sat is designed to use a net to capture the existing satellite and bring it down into the Earth’s atmosphere to destroy it. CleanSpace One is an ongoing project—the centre estimates a 2018 launch—and there’s no guarantee it will work.
The danger from the debris passed earlier this morning, and everyone on the ISS is safe. But the efforts by Switzerland and national space agencies illustrate how difficult the task of cleaning up after yourself in space can be just as expensive and complex as getting there—and proof that the space debris problem isn’t going away anytime soon.
Top image: The Soyuz TMA-15M docked to the ISS in May; NASA.The comparison of the anatomy of many different species provides evidence of evolution. This morphology can be considered on the basis of the comparison of mature organism’s structure in terms of homologous, analogous and vestigial structures. However, comparative embryology can provide further evidence of evolution.
Homologous structures are structures that are common to a group of organisms that derive from a common ancestor. Homologous structures have a similar basic anatomy but may serve different functions due to the way they have evolved in different organisms over time. Homologous structures provide evidence of divergent evolution. This can be observed for example through the comparison of forelimbs of different mammals.
Analogous structures refer to structures that have evolved independently to have different functions. These structures have evolved like this due to being subjected to similar selective pressures. Analogous structures demonstrate convergent evolution. An example of an analogous structure includes a bat wing and an insect wing.
Vestigial structures are structures found in some organism that are functionless or have reduced in size due to a lack of selection pressure for their maintenance. These structures continue to remain in an organism’s anatomy despite not having a useful purpose, as there is not enough selective pressure to result in its complete removal.
Examples of these structures include the pelvis and skeleton remnants of hind limbs found in whales and snakes.
Observations of different species embryos demonstrates that certain structures that appear in modern day species embryos once existed in early ancestral species. Based on these observations it can be presumed that these modern day species evolved from a common ancestor. Examples of similarities in embryos include tails present of tails in human, pig, salamander and fowl embryos.
Want to suggest an edit? Have some questions? General comments? Let us know how we can make this resource more useful to you. | 1.475684 | 968 | 966 |
Olney City Council discussed the fiscal year 2013-2014 General Corporate budget, including a proposal to buy nearly $200,000 in equipment for street work, during its regular meeting on Monday.
The budget is projected to be a little more than a half-million dollars in the red, with projected income at $5,982,633 and projected expenses being $6,495,587, leaving a shortfall of $512,954.
However, this is projected to be covered by anticipated use of existing funds to pay for $513,400 in budgeted expenses. A few of the more expensive items on this list include $199,800 from reserves for a Boone Street drainage project, $215,000 from a restricted fund for Pacific Cycle roof work, and $50,000 from reserves for a Van Sandt water retention pond project near East Richland Middle School.
In the street department's budget, there is a proposal to spend $195,500 for equipment for street work. This includes an asphalt zipper, a vibratory roller and a pulverizer attachment.
City Treasurer Chuck Sanders said the city could finance the project through Motor Fuel Tax funds by purchasing the equipment through the General Fund, then renting the equipment and labor to the street department, which would then qualify it for MFT money. He said it could be paid for in four or five years using MFT money.
Councilman Bob Ferguson noted this would also reduce the amount the city could annually spend from MFT.
Sanders said the other scenario would be to finance the equipment through a local bank and use MFT money for principal interest payment.
In General Corporate, Police Department income is projected at $155,095, while expenses are projected at $1,457,230; Fire Department income is projected at $277,790 while expenses are estimated at $610,931; Street Department income is estimated to be $623,008 while expenses are estimated at $1,657,465; the recycling program is expected to essentially break even, with income at $21,701 and expenses at $21,075; and the Administrative department is showing a projected income of $4,079,864, while expenses are $571,264. There are also several other funds reflected in General Corp.
Councilman Brad Brown said he was not entirely sold on this proposal, but was willing to listen.
Street Department Supervisor Marty Nuss said the equipment would pay for itself in around five years and that it would reduce the amount of manpower needed and the cost of hiring portions of the work.
Regarding training employees to use the equipment, he said, "It's just not that hard."
He added that the city would be getting the equipment at a much lower rate that it would if it were new.
Councilman Gary Foster was in favor of the purchase, saying the city would not get nice roads until it had better equipment.
Councilwoman Barb Thomas was also in favor of the purchase.
"If we can do more for less and get our money back, I think that's a good thing," she said.
In the Parks and Cemeteries fund, Parks Department Supervisor Frank Bradley said he was concerned about the amount budgeted for cemetery road work. There was $13,000 budgeted for Maple Dale Cemetery and $13,000 for Memorial Gardens.
Councilman Bob Ferguson asked if $13,000 was not enough.
Bradley recommended cutting the $10,000 budgeted for security cameras at the city park and putting it toward the road work.
Because Maple Dale road work was thought to be a priority at this time, the council voted to take the $13,000 budgeted for Memorial Gardens and put it toward Maple Dale.
The city's budget will have to be passed before May.An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a procedure that measures theelectrical impulses in the brain. An EEG is done by placing small sensors(electrodes) on a person's scalp to detect the electrical impulses movingthrough the brain.
An EEG is often used to help determine the presence and cause ofseizures. The amount and pattern of electrical activity is important indiagnosing seizure disorders.
Medical Review:Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine & Colin Chalk, MD, CM, FRCPC - Neurology
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content. | 1.562992 | 1,012 | 1,010 |
The seeds of whole grains have three distinctive components called the endosperm, germ and bran. When these are intact, whole grains offer you higher nutrient value. Foods that derive from whole grains, such as pasta, have this same effect, while refined grains do not. The refining process takes away part of the bran, germ or endosperm, which devalues the nutrient content. If you are on the fence whether to switch to whole-grain pasta or not, let its multiple benefits make your decision for you.
Lasting Energy
Carbohydrates are known as macronutrients, which the body needs in high amounts. They function to give you energy and support the brain and nervous system. Simple carbs occur naturally in milk, milk derivatives and fruits, but they are also prominent in cakes, cookies, candy, sweet drinks and sugary cereals. When consumed, simple carbs give you a fast spike of energy, but it wears off quickly. White pasta is technically a complex carb, but it is refined and starchy. This makes it act like a simple carb in the body. Consistent intake of simple carbs can promote weight gain and hinder weight loss efforts. Complex carbs, on the other hand, are digested at a slow pace and give you lasting energy levels. Whole-grain pasta is a good source of complex carbs. The recommended daily intake of carbs is 130 grams. A 2-ounce serving of whole-grain angel hair pasta has 41 grams of carbs.
Improved Digestive Health
Fiber is a nondigestible form of carbohydrate that brings numerous benefits to the body. It comes in the form of soluble or insoluble. Insoluble fiber is the type found in whole grains and derivatives like pasta. This type creates softer stool that is easier to pass through the digestive system, which, in turn, prevents constipation and reduces the risk of developing intestinal conditions like diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is a painful condition where small pouches on the intestinal wall become inflamed. Whole-grain pasta generally has at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. In contrast, regular pasta generally has 2 grams or less. The recommended amount of fiber per day is 30 to 38 grams for men and 21 to 25 grams for women. Oat bran is a form of soluble fiber, which helps reduce cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar levels. Look for oat bran pasta in your local grocery store to reap these benefits as well.
Muscle Recovery and Tissue Repair
Protein is another macronutrient that has different responsibilities in the body than carbs. It helps repair cells and tissue, rebuilds muscle and strengthens hair, nails and skin. The recommended amount of protein per day is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Whole-grain pasta has a moderate amount of protein, and a higher amount than regular pasta. Two ounces of penne for example, contains 6 grams. Regular pasta generally has half this amount or less.
Improved Functional Capacity
Iron is important for oxygen transportation to the muscles and rest of the body. This, in turn, gives you the ability to do daily functions optimally. Iron also helps with immune function and neurotransmitter production in the brain. Meats and fish tend to have a high amount of this mineral, but whole grains have moderate amounts as well. Whole-grain spaghetti has 8 percent of the recommended daily value in 2 ounces. Have your pasta with turkey or lean beef meatballs to add more iron to your meal. Spinach also has a moderate amount of iron, and would pair well as a side salad with your meal.
Stronger Bones and Immunity
Whole-grain pasta contains generous amounts of phosphorus, manganese, magnesium and selenium, while refined pasta has only negligible amounts. Each one of these minerals has a specific function in the system. Phosphorus, which is stored in the bones, helps with energy production, reduces muscle soreness from intense workouts and aids cell and tissue repair. Manganese helps with sex hormone production, blood clotting and it also contributes to strong connective tissue. Magnesium is essential for heart rhythm, strong bones, nerve function and blood sugar regulation. Selenium is an antioxidant that boosts immunity and promotes thyroid function.
Photo Credits whole wheat pasta on spoon image by samantha grandy from Fotolia.com | 1.179619 | 891 | 890 |
The mind is an endless space of possibilities that people usually take for granted. But this was definitely not the case for Temple Grandin. Despite her learning disability, Temple discovered her own exceptional way of thinking. The movie shows us all the different examples in which Temple uses her unique mind for the better. By describing Temple’s appearance and persona, we can try to better understand how looks and character of a person won’t change their intellect. Through discussion of her distinctive ways of learning, I will be able to relate them to my own learning styles which are similar to Temple’s.
The movie “Temple Grandin,” begins with Temple on her way to visit her aunt for the summer where she will be working with the horses and cows in their ranch. Since the beginning, the film had been showing Temple’s interest in animals. While observing the ranch, she notices a machine that hugs the cows and calms their nerves. Then, one day Temple had a panic attack; Temple thinks of the “hugging device” and places herself in the machine.
To her surprise, it instantly calms her. Since she was young, she always felt uncomfortable with any human contact, including her own mother’s touch and affection. From there on out, the device substitutes as a human “hug” for Temple. After that summer, It was time for Temple to go to college, in which she hesitantly and nervously agreed to her mother’s request. When Temple arrived at her dorm, she had another panic attack. Her mother immediately knew that she had to give her some space and so she went outside. A recollection appeared, revealing Temple’s diagnosis of autism when she was younger. During the diagnosis at the doctor’s office, the mother was in disbelief when the doctor explained that it was her cold and distant actions towards Temple which caused her to be this way.
The doctor also suggested placing Temple in a mental institution, which enraged the mother even more and decided to take care of Temple herself which led to where they were now. Temple decided to stay in college despite her anxiety. She remembers the device that calmed her back at the ranch and decided to build one for herself. With the machine at hand, Temple was able to cope with the stresses of college life. Even with all the benefits it gave Temple, the school forced her to get rid of it. For some reason, the school board thought it was used for a sexual purpose. After a short break from school, her aunt decided to help her persuade the school to let her keep the machine. To prove the real usage of her machine, Temple surveyed several students.
She asked them to try out the machine and tell her how they felt using it. Temple did eventually prove that the machine was and is only used for personal calming purposes; the school then allowed her to keep it in her dorm. With that, Temple is now able to function well in school. Afterward, the film shows Temple’s old high school where she didn’t really seem to fit in. Just when most of the teachers felt hopeless for Temple, a teacher named Dr. Carlock saw something in Temple and decided to help her. Little by little, Dr. Carlock discovers Temple’s unique abilities and notices her strong interest in science. With encouragement from Dr. Carlock and her family, Temple finally graduated from college and started working at a ranch. She notices all the pros and cons of the ranch’s current routine working with the cattle.
With Temple’s unique mind, she tries to change the slaughterhouse so that it would be more efficient and humane. During her efforts in doing so, she receives several gender discriminations from her fellow ranchers. Such as banning her from the ranch, spoiling her vehicle with cattle meat, and even just ignoring her altogether. But, with her strong will, she chose to ignore these nuisances and kept trying until someone notices. Some men finally studied her plans and considered her intentions. All her efforts paid off when they built one of her blueprints and tried it with the cattle.
The success of the experiment opened up more opportunities to her, like being in a well-known local magazine and soon, being known in the whole ranch/cattle world as well. By the end of the movie, Temple and her mother attends a gathering of all the people who are affected by autism. Temple tells people how she overcame her own difficulties with school and with life in general. Everyone was so amazed by her situation that they coached her into talking in front of the whole audience.
Temple Grandin is definitely not just your average cowgirl. She certainly shows a higher way of thinking than most of us could even imagine. Striking people with her average appearance, nobody would even have a clue of what her mind is really capable of. Temple has thick, curly, reddish-brown hair which goes fine with her well-structured and all American facial structure. She is also average in height, which might be between the lines of 5’3 to 5’6. As far as clothing goes, Temple has her own interesting sense | 1.849174 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
of style.
She definitely carries the cowboy shirt, tie, and a pair of the typical blue jeans very well. This regular outfit of hers definitely goes with her relaxed and cowboy persona; this ended up being her signature look as well. Temple is a very sweet and well-mannered girl. Although, she did not like being touched, even by her own mother, she shows how she cares for others by talking in her relaxed and reassuring tone. Another admiring trait that she has is her strong sense of will. She trained herself to be good at something and worked really hard at it. Her goal is to sell her work, rather than selling herself. Temple’s imaginative and detail-oriented mind allowed her to think of things other people would not.
Being a visual thinker that she is, she sorts things into different specific categories, so this allows her to see each and every detail that would and would not work logically for a specific system. An example of this would be the times in the movie where she tries to feel and experience what cattle are going through. One amazing power that Temple’s mind possesses is the ability to remember every single detail of every single thing she encounters every single day. Basically, Temple doesn’t think how most of us usually do; we mostly overgeneralize, which is thinking top to bottom. Temple, on the other hand, thinks from the bottom to the top. Temple Grandin’s appearance never hindered her descriptive ability when it comes to learning and working with animals. A descriptive portrayal of a person, in this case, of Temple Grandin, can never outweigh a person’s capabilities and outlook of his/her life.
The themes of the movie are very distinct. Since the beginning of the film, we notice Temple’s anxieties from one thing to another. Starting with her fear of new places and situations, such as the time when she first got to her aunt’s ranch, the first time she got to her college dorm, and opening doors to new and unfamiliar places. Fear is a big part of Temple’s story because it shows the different ways she overcame them. At first, she thought of change negatively. She assumed that new things would inflict more stress and anxiety in her.
Due to this, she created the “hugging machine” that she once observed being used in her aunt’s ranch. Meeting Dr. Carlock dramatically changed Temple’s view of new things. He taught her that every door opens to new opportunities and that she just had to go through them. Ever since then, Temple built up all the courage she could gain and did as
she was told. As a result, she went through a number of doors which led her to amazing opportunities such as meeting people who had connections to slaughterhouse owners and the beginning of her long-awaited future. Another factor that led Temple to endure and overcome her fears is the amount of perseverance she had within her.
Her determination to get things done is unbelievable. It almost seemed like giving up was never the choice for Temple. Even at times, where she didn’t have a choice she made ways. For instance, Temple was cruelly discriminated for being a female working in a “male environment” by spoiling her truck with bull testicles and eventually banning her from entering the ranch. However, with Temple’s brilliant mind she came up with the best ideas to make the ranch allow her back in. She observed all the people that were allowed in that particular ranch and noticed that they only permitted the stereotypical “ranch men” and “special personnel” to come inside.
With that in mind, she traded her car with a pickup truck, in which she purposely ruined, changed her wardrobe into a more male-friendly style and convinced the local newspaper to give her a badge. To her surprise, the ranch let her in without the slightest suspicion that she was actually a female. Another example would be the time where she needed a blueprint made, but the draftsman was very busy and she didn’t have time to wait. As determined as she was, Temple knew what her mind can do so she observed the draftsman working on other blueprints. She watched closely as he carefully drew them with great precision. Soon after that, she found herself making her own blueprints accurately enough that later on, a meeting of slaughterhouse officials gathered around her self-made blueprints and were practically stunned with what she had in store for them. Temple’s ways of overcoming her fears and willpower despite her autism only broadened my admiration for her.
With her unique way of thinking, Temple discovered a new way of learning despite her condition. She discovered that visual thinking is what works best for her. Thinking of my own learning experiences, I realized that Temple and I have a number of similarities when it comes to learning. For me, I always knew that visual learning is the most effective way, as well. Since I was young, colors and movement catches my attention every time; while reading and listening always seemed to bore me after a certain amount of time. This is probably why English isn’t really my forte. Among my family, I am | 2.052588 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Development & Calibration of New 3-D Vector VSP Imaging Technology, Vinton Salt Dome
DE-FC26-01BC15353
Program
This project was selected in response to DOE's Oil Exploration and Production solicitation DE-PS26-01NT41048 (focus area: Critical Upstream Advanced Diagnostics and Imaging Technology). The goal of the solicitation is to continue critical upstream cross-cutting, interdisciplinary research for the development of advanced and innovative technologies for imaging and quantifying reservoir rock and fluid properties for improved oil recovery.
Project Goal
This research addresses both improvement in processing of subsurface data and development of technology to increase resolution of reservoir compartmentalization, reservoir geometries, and prediction of fluids. Specifically, researchers aim to extract information that will aid in predicting hydrocarbons, improve the velocity/depth model, and improve subsurface resolution using a unique 3-D vector vertical seismic profile (VSP) collected in conjunction with 3-D surface data over a 100-year-old field associated with the Vinton, LA, Salt Dome.
Performer
University of Houston
Houston, TX
Project Results
The project achieved its goals by adapting new technology developed for vector ocean-bottom-cable seismic analysis to the vector VSP geometry. Researchers calibrated these new algorithms through 2-D numerical elastic models and a 3-D elastic physical model. They further calibrated this new technology to Output Exploration LLC's (OPEX) Vinton Dome property, using two recently acquired, permanently installed 3-D vector VSP data sets against extensive well control, check shots, and production data. Finally, researchers will test the vector VSP predictions with OPEX's drillbit.
Benefits
There is potential for a significant scientific breakthrough that will allow domestic producers to more accurately locate, inventory, and produce remaining hydrocarbon resources. This new technology will have direct application for identification of reservoir compartmentalization in mature domestic fields. For Texas onshore salt-dome related fields alone, this potentially affects mature and super-mature fields that have a cumulative production 5.3 billion barrels of oil.
Background
Vinton Dome is of one of OPEX's prime properties, with plans for 2001 that include more than 10 new wells and a concomitant investment in complete suites of well logs. OPEX's preliminary results from combining standard 3-D seismic and downhole VSP data show significant increase in seismic information content and potential for greatly improved reservoir imaging and amplitude-vs.-offset analysis of rock and fluid properties. The results of the proposed University of Houston-OPEX project will form part of OPEX's Vinton Dome reservoir characterization and management program, thereby becoming a real-time research effort to enhance domestic oil and gas production.
Project Summary
Tasks performed include:
Numerical and physical modeling-used OPEX well control and 3-D surface seismic to build multiple 2-D numerical and one 3-D 1:10,000 scale physical model to simulate vector VSP data with a known solution.
Algorithm development-developed prototype vector processing, velocity analysis, and imaging algorithms.
Algorithm calibration-calibrated vector VSP algorithms with the aid of the numerical and physical model data sets researchers developed.
Algorithm application to Vinton Dome-applied vector VSP algorithms using OPEX's two 3-D vector VSP data sets.
Data integration-integrated 3-D vector VSP images with existing 3-D surface seismic image. Evaluated improvements in illumination, resolution, and hydrocarbon prediction.
Current Status
Project is complete.
Project Start: September 25, 2001
Project End: August 31, 2004
Anticipated DOE Contribution: $776,678
Performer Contribution: $435,000 (35% of total)
Contact Information
NETL - Purna Halder (purna.halder@netl.doe.gov or 918-699-2084
U. Houston - Kurt Marfurt (kmarfurt@uh.edu or 713-743-9119 | 1.627655 | 862 | 861 |
How the Russian Spies Hid Secret Messages in Public, Online Pictures
These weren’t snapshots of covert meetings or secret handshakes, but–more likely–the quotidian: kittens and ice cream cones. They weren’t hidden in some obscure drop location, but viewable to the public, online. The pictures’ real importance was tucked inside, in encoded messages detailing secret meetings.
We aren’t talking
Magic Eye–no mater how long you cross your eyes, staring at these pictures wouldn’t tell you where to drop off money or who to call. The alleged spies reportedly encoded the messages at the pixel level.
Every color on your computer screen is a combination of red, blue, and green–digitally represented as three numeric values. By making subtle changes to these numbers, the Russians hid binary code that someone–with the right software–could recombine into a message.
Applying special software, the government says, they coaxed words from the innocuous imagery, a text file. Moscow was calling. A secret meeting in a suburban New York train station was proposed: … “A and R meet in lower part of staircase, in dead zone. R hands over and A gets pack w/money (A’s BN [Barnes and Noble] bag stays in your hands, A hides pack w/money into his tote).” [Washington Post]
It’s an example of steganography, a field distinct from its better-known cousin cryptography. If cryptography is a hermit, steganography is overly social–to appear like an average (and unimportant) guy. Tal Malkin, an assistant professor in Columbia University’s cryptography laboratory, explains:
“The point of standard encryption is to hide the content of the message…. But even if you are detected sending a message no one can read, you will still be suspected by the authorities for sending a coded message. With steganography, you try to hide the fact that communication is going on at all.” [Live Science]
But hold on a second. Russian spies? Living in New Jersey? Apparently, though the Cold War is long over, there is still a lot of spying going on. According to
New York Times op-ed contributor and espionage expert David Wise, Russia likes to send over “illegals”–Russian citizens posing as living or dead Americans to keep tabs on what’s happening. The FBI used the messages hidden in the photos to intertwine American agents into the Russian group’s workings. They arrested the Russians after one of the illegals caught on.
The criminal complaint reveals that on Saturday, a Russian-speaking F.B.I. undercover agent met with Anna Chapman, one of the illegals, and instructed her to hand a fake passport to another supposed illegal the next day, using this password exchange: “Excuse me, but haven’t we met in California last summer?”; “No, I think it was the Hamptons.” (The Hamptons!) But Anna Chapman, it seems, smelled a rat. [New York Times]
But if Russian espionage seems old school, steganography is older still. Legend has it that some princes shaved their servants’ heads and tattooed notes on their scalps, and sent the servants off once their hair had grown back to conceal their messages.
Fortunately for the FBI, the Russians themselves used a relatively old version of steganography. Though no one’s head got inked, the version of the software the Russians used, according to
IEEE Spectrum, left traces of the hidden messages. New versions–called network steganography–can erase any signs of wrongdoing after the receiver gets her message. The Russians used a 1990s version of the software, and the experts aren’t too impressed.
According to Chet Hosmer, the chief scientist at digital forensics outfit WetStone Technology, the number of steganography programs has risen from a handful in the late nineties to about 250 today. More importantly, using them to hide information is not some elite hacker skillset. In fact, Warsaw University of Technology professor Krzysztof Szczypiorski says it’s more akin to using Microsoft Word. [IEEE Spectrum]
Image: flickr / Steven Depolo
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Early years is a dynamic and vitally important sector that needs highly qualified staff to improve outcomes for children
High quality early years provision can have a significant impact on children's development, performance at school and their future life chances, but if all children are to benefit, the early years workforce must be professional, well trained, highly qualified, and dedicated to their role.
The government is committed to raising the proportion of the early years workforce with relevant and appropriate qualifications to work with babies, toddlers and young children, in order to improve outcomes for children. Their aim is to have a graduate led early years workforce. This encompasses the aim to have an early years teacher in every family centre full daycare setting (two in full daycare settings that are located in the 30% most disadvantaged areas).
Training programme
Our training programme offers all childcare and early years staff flexible continuous professional development courses and accredited training. Our training directory is developed annually and includes all mandatory training that is provided to the early years workforce throughout the year. These courses include safeguarding, inclusion, SENCO training, food hygiene, first aid, and health and safety. Training and support in relation to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is also available.
Find and book a course If you're a childminder: you can view and book all our courses on CPD Manager. If you need to print the full range of courses, you can print our Early Years Directory.
Check out our latest childcare training newsletter for more information.
Early years teachers
In response to Professor Cathy Nutbrown’s report, ‘Foundations for Quality’, published in June 2012, the government introduced early years teachers from September 2013. Early years teachers are specialists in early childhood development and trained to work with babies and young children from birth to five. They are graduate leaders, responsible for organising and leading high quality practice in early years settings. The aim of this initiative was to move away from the idea that teaching pre-school children is somehow less important than teaching school age children.
Early years professionals have had a positive impact on the quality of early education and care for pre-school children. The introduction of early years teachers built on the EYPS programme to raise the status of the early years workforce. The change will give one title of ‘teacher’ across early years and schools. Early years teachers are able to work in all private and voluntary sector settings.
Existing early years professionals are seen as the equivalent of early years teachers. Early years professionals will, therefore, not need to obtain QTS to increase their status, although routes are already available to QTS if they wish to take them. All providers offering the Early Years Teacher Programme will offer the Pathways from September 2013.
Entry requirements: GCSE C or above in English, mathematics and science Competence in written and spoken English The right to work and study in the UK Degree and experience required for the specific pathwayResearchers from the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) have uncovered a new therapy to help those living with chronic back and leg pain to finally obtain relief.
There are many options to help relieve back and leg pain but many of them don’t have the lasting power. Chronic pain affects 23 to 26 percent of the population and so finding lasting treatments is necessary. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy offers greater and longer-lasting relief for those who suffer from chronic back pain and leg pain.
“This is the first long-term study to compare the safety and effectiveness of high frequency and traditional SCS therapy for back and leg pain,” said lead study author Leonardo Kapural.
SCS therapy sends electrical pulses to the spinal cord using a device which is implanted beneath the skin.
The new therapy is called HF10™ and it uses high frequency pulses. Typically, SCS frequency pulses ranges between 40 to 60 Hz, but with HF10™ the pulses are up to 10,000 Hz.
For the study 171 patients with chronic pain were implanted at 10 pain treatment centers. Ninety patients received HF10™ and the others received typical SCS therapy.
After three months 85 percent of back pain sufferers and 83 percent with leg pain who received the HF10™ treatment experienced a 50 percent reduction in pain or more. In the typical SCS group, only 44 percent with back pain and 56 with leg pain experienced over 50 percent reduction in pain. Over the 12 month study period, those who received HF10™ had lasting effects and reported being “very satisfied” with the treatment.
The findings were published in
Anesthesiology. | 1.480935 | 956 | 954 |
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Features/Advantages: Supports skin and coat health Contains B vitamins, minerals and antioxidants Great liver flavor Garlic may assist as a flea deterrent Guaranteed Analysis per Chewable: Crude Protein: 20% Crude Fat: 3% Crude Fiber (max): 10% Moisture (max): 10% Iron: 1mg Copper: 110mcg Manganese: 220mcg Zinc: 1.65mg Thiamine: 220mcg Riboflavin: 220mcg Pantothenic Acid: 440mcg Niacin: 550mcg Pyridoxine: 20mcg Folic Acid: 9mcg Vitamin B12: 0.09mcg Biotin: Needed for a healthy skin and coat. It also plays an important part in metabolizing energy and aids in cell growth, fatty acid production and utilization of other B vitamins and proteins. Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B12: Function as co-enzymes to help maintain normal cell function and promote health. Zinc, Copper and Manganese: Assist enzymes that have antioxidant effects and have been shown to enhance immune function in animals. Inactive Ingredients: Brewers Dried Yeast, Maltodextrin, Dried Whey, Stearic Acid, Garlic Powder, Cellulose, Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate, Ferrous Gluconate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, Manganese Sulfate, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement. Directions for Use: One (1) chewable per 20 pounds of body weight. Contents: 500 Chewables
Brand Nutri-Vet Manufacturer Part Number 99900-4 Animal DogPlease boost your Plan to download papers
convincing that the same sex adoption morally RIGHT
Essay
Philosophy
Pages 4 (1004 words)
Same Sex Adoption is Morally Right With the United States Supreme Court caught in the legal battle over the definition of marriage and the legality of same sex marriages, one cannot help but wonder as to what kind of outcome the results of this debate may have for children adopted by same sex couples…
Introduction
Having children is a dream come true for most couples, who are we to say that it is wrong for the same sex couples to want the same thing? In some ways, maybe same sex adoption has benefits that will prove it to be a morally right set up for those children looking for loving homes to belong to. After all, it is never morally wrong to want to give a child a place to live where he is loved unconditionally right? Let's admit it, not all heterosexual parents chose to become parents. Some of them became parents by accident. Such situations result in unwanted children whose existence is sometimes only slightly better than living in hell. On the other hand, same sex couples choose to become parents. It is because of this motivation that we can be assured that they will always be morally responsible for their actions when it comes to their children. According to experts like Abby Goldberg (As cited in Pappas, 2012), gay parents are usually more motivated than their heterosexual counterparts because they made the choice to become parents. As such the perception that same sex couples only want to have “designer babies” is based upon misinformation. The same sex couples have a full understanding of their responsibilities as parents and what to expect when they have children. They have a much deeper understanding and commitment to the life of the child that they will be raising than most heterosexual couples do. ... Download paper
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Squiers Linda L a RTI International , Washington , District of Columbia , - - 2014
As obesity/overweight has increased in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009 ), studies have found that Americans' perceptions of their own weight often are not aligned with their actual body mass index (BMI; Brener et al., 2004 ; Christakis, 2003; Johnson-Taylor et al., 2008 ). Taylor, ...
Frankenfeld C L CL 0000000223180791 Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, - - 2014
Background/objectives:Studies have observed associations between the gut microbiome and obesity. O-desmethylangolensin (ODMA) and equol are gut bacterial metabolites of daidzein, a compound found in high amounts in soy foods. Approximately 80-95% and 25-60% of individuals harbor gut microbial communities capable of producing ODMA or equol, respectively. Given that other phenotypes ...
Ogden Cynthia L CL National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, - - 2014
More than one-third of adults and 17% of youth in the United States are obese, although the prevalence remained stable between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010. To provide the most recent national estimates of childhood obesity, analyze trends in childhood obesity between 2003 and 2012, and provide detailed obesity trend analyses among ...
Sivaraman Jayaraman J Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, National Institute of Technology; Tiruchirappalli-India. - - 2014
The present study was designed to derive the normal limits of a new ECG lead system aimed at enhancing the amplitude of atrial potentials through the use of bipolar chest leads. Sixty healthy male subjects, mean age 38.85±8.76 years (range 25 to 58 years) were included in this study.In addition ...
Grootveld Laura R LR aDepartment of Public Health bDepartment of Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam cPublic Health Service, Amsterdam (GGD Amsterdam), The - - 2014
To investigate the role of body composition (body weight, fat distribution and weight change over time) in ethnic differences in the incidence of hypertension in an ethnic Dutch, South Asian Surinamese and African Surinamese background population living in the Netherlands. We included 361 participants without hypertension at baseline (147 ethnic ...
van de Laar A W AW Department Bariatric Surgery, Slotervaartziekenhuis, Louwesweg 6, 1066 EC, Amsterdam, Netherlands, - - 2014
Percentage alterable weight loss (AWL) is the only known weight loss metric independent of the initial body mass index (BMI), a unique feature ideal for use in weight loss research. AWL was not yet validated. The aim of the study is to validate the AWL metric and to confirm advantages ...
Etemadi Arash A Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, - - 2014
We conducted this study to examine life-course body size and physical activity in relation to total and cause-specific mortality, which has not previously been studied in the low and middle-income countries in Asia. The Golestan Cohort Study is a population-based cohort in northeastern Iran in which 50,045 people above the ...
Sufficiently and Insufficiently Active Lesbian, Bisexual, and Questioning Female College Students: Sociodemographic ...
McElroy Jane A JA Family and Community Medicine Department, University of Missouri-Columbia, Missouri. Electronic address: - - 2014
As rates of inactivity in the United States increase, the proportion of adults who are overweight in the United States continues to grow with concurrent increases in risk of weight-related morbidity and mortality. Sparse data are available on physical activity and weight in college-age sexual minority females, and none examine ...
Williams Emily D ED International Centre for Circulatory Health, Imperial College London, London, - - 2014
Weight and health behaviours are known to affect physical disability; however the evidence exploring the impact of changes to these lifestyle factors over the life course on disability is inconsistent. We aimed to explore the roles of weight and activity change between mid and later life on physical disability. | 1.293588 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Baseline ...
Skrobo Darko D Emergency Department, Cork University Hospital, Cork, - - 2014
In a resuscitation situation involving a child (age 1-15 years) it is crucial to obtain a weight as most interventions and management depend on it. The APLS formula, '2×(age+4)', is taught via the APLS course and is widely used in Irish hospitals. As the prevalence of obesity is increasing the ...
Yackobovitch-Gavan M M Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel; Institute for Endocrinology and Diabetes, National Center of Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel, Petah Tiqwa, - - 2014
Attrition is a major limitation of most weight management intervention programmes. The present study aimed to conduct an extensive investigation of personal, sociodemographic and treatment-related factors associated with attrition at different stages of a 10-week group weight-loss programme. The present study is part of a longitudinal, clinical intervention study comparing ...
Helmsmüller Daniela D Small Animal Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, - - 2014
Weight support patterns vary widely among mammals. Differences in how much of the body weight is supported by the fore- versus the hind-limbs are well documented among and within species. Intraindividual variation due to ontogenetic processes has been studied in several hindlimb-dominated species and consistently showed a caudal shift in ...
Lee Jenny S W JS The S. H. Ho Center for Gerontology and Geriatrics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Electronic address: - - 2014
Weight loss has been considered predictive of early mortality in nursing home residents. Lower body mass index, irrespective of weight loss, has also been considered detrimental for survival in community-dwelling older persons. We examined which of the 2 is more important for survival in nursing home residents and at what ...
Idris Nikmah S NS University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The - - 2014
Physical activity has long been proposed as an important modifiable cardiovascular risk factor in adults. We assessed whether physical activity already has an effect on childhood vasculature. In the Wheezing-Illnesses-Study-in-Leidsche-Rijn birth cohort, we performed vascular ultrasound to measure carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and functional properties (distensibility, elastic modulus) at 5 ...
Glavin Kari - - 2014
Identifying important ages for the development of overweight is essential for optimizing preventive efforts. The purpose of the study was to explore early growth characteristics in children who become overweight or obese at the age of 8 years to identify important ages for the onset of overweight and obesity. Data ...
Wijnhoven Hanneke A H HA Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. - - 2014
Weight loss is associated with a higher mortality risk in old age, but the underlying cause may impact this association. We examined associations between causes of intentional and unintentional weight loss and weight gain and mortality. We used data of five triannual examination rounds of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam ...
Brown David S DS Cardiff School of Biosciences, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Cardiff University, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, - - 2014
Prevalence and intensity of parasitic infections is often higher in male than in female vertebrates. This bias may represent either differences between host sex in exposure or susceptibility to parasites. The former may be due to sex-specific behaviour of the host, including differential habitat use or diet. Differences in susceptibility ...
Rodd Celia - - 2014
For ages 5-19 years, the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes reference charts based on 'core data' from the US National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), collected from 1963-75 on 22,917 US children. To promote the use of body mass index in older children, weight-for-age was omitted after age 10. Health ...
Bovey K E KE University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G - - 2014
Selection for high prolificacy has resulted in litters comprised of a large number of low-birth-weight (LBW) piglets. Given their presence in over 75% of litters, and increased mortality rate, it is clear that a greater understanding of LBW piglet management is required for both | 1.3653 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
animal welfare and productivity. In this ...
Advanced intrauterine growth restriction is associated with reduced excretion of asymmetric dimethylarginine.
Bassareo P P PP Department of Medical Sciences "M. Aresu", University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy. Electronic address: - - 2014
High blood levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) are associated with future development of adverse cardiovascular events. The ADMA/symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) ratio is a marker of ADMA catabolism, with a high ADMA/SDMA ratio being suggestive of reduced ADMA excretion. This study aimed a) to verify the presence of a statistically significant ...
Onbasilar E E EE Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Science, Ankara University, Ankara 06110, - - 2014
The current study was carried out to investigate the effects of breeder age on egg composition, changes of embryo, yolk sac, and yolk minerals during incubation and hatchability in Pekin ducks. A total of 495 freshly laid eggs were obtained from the same flock of Pekin ducks, aged 28, 34, ...
Bonny Andrea E AE Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA; The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA; The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, USA. Electronic address: - - 2014
To explore the relationship between medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) pharmacokinetic (PK) parameter estimates and weight gain. Prospective study of adolescents (N=40; age 12-21 years) initiating DMPA. PK parameters were calculated: maximum MPA concentration (Cmax, ng/mL), time to Cmax (Tmax, days) and elimination rate constant (ng/mL/day). Optimal PK cut points were determined ...
Correia Luciano Lima - - 2014
To analyze the evolution in the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition in children in the semiarid region of Brazil. Data were collected from two cross-sectional population-based household surveys that used the same methodology. Clustering sampling was used to collect data from 8,000 families in Ceará, Northeastern Brazil, for the years ...
Hilas Olga O St. John's University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Queens, New - - 2014
Changes in body weight can affect the overall health of an older patient and should not be considered a normal part of the aging process. In particular, weight loss can lead to numerous adverse health outcomes affecting daily activities, loss of functional status, and increased mortality. Approximately 15% to 20% ...
Cunningham Solveig A SA From the Hubert Department of Global Health (S.A.C., K.M.V.N.) and the Department of Epidemiology (M.R.K.), Emory University, - - 2014
Although the increased prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States has been documented, little is known about its incidence. We report here on the national incidence of obesity among elementary-school children. We evaluated data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999, a representative prospective cohort of ...
Kang D D Department of Endocrinology, Qianfoshan Hospital of Shandong University, No. 16766 Jingshi Road, Jinan, 250014, China, - - 2014
Osteoporosis and obesity are severe public health problems in an aging society, and as we all know, bone mineral density (BMD) is closely related to fat mass (FM) and fat distribution. However, studies have long focused on pre- or post-menopausal women, and its presence in men has been underestimated. To ...
Zhang Kai Yu - - 2014
The meniscus has an important role in force transmission across the knee, but a detailed three-dimensional (3D) morphometric shape analysis of the lateral meniscus to elucidate subject-specific function has not been conducted. The aim of this study was to perform 3D morphometric analyses of the lateral meniscus in order to ...
Zhang W-J WJ Department of Hematology, Center Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China, Department of Hematology, Center Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, - - 2014
Our objective was to examine associations of adult weight gain and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Cross-sectional interview data from 844 residents in Wan Song Community from October 2009 to April | 1.150611 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
2010 were analyzed in multivariate logistic regression models to examine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) between ...
Li Nan N Tianjin Women's and Children's Health Center, Tianjin, China; Chronic Disease Epidemiology Laboratory, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, - - 2014
To investigate the association between different levels of birth weight and the risk of overweight and obesity in children aged 3 years and under. Between 2009 and 2011, health care records of 55,925 children had been collected, and body weight and length had been measured from birth to 3 years ...
Robertson Annaleise A School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. Electronic address: - - 2014
While rates of obesity continue to increase, weight-loss interventions to date have not been hugely successful. The purpose of this study was to explore the specific factors that are relevant to weight control in overweight and obese young adults compared to older adults, within the context of the theory of ...
Raffa Lina H LH Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology/Ophthalmology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Ophthalmology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi - - 2014
The purpose was to characterize normal growth patterns of ocular and optical components and to relate them to auxological data in a sample of Swedish children aged 4-15 years. A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out in 143 Swedish children with a mean age of 9.8 years. Variables including gestational age (GA), ...
Lacerte G G Centre de recherche clinique Etienne-LeBel, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, - - 2014
The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of weight gain and changes in adiposity distribution on insulin resistance and circulating adiponectin variations over 4 years in free-living normal weight young adults. In this prospective observational cohort (n=42 women, 18 men), anthropometric measurements and blood samples were collected ...
12-year weight change, waist circumference change and incident obesity: The Australian Diabetes, ...
Tanamas Stephanie K SK Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, - - 2014
Objective This study aimed to describe changes in weight and waist circumference (WC), examine the incidence of obesity as defined by body mass index (BMI) and WC, and describe changes in the prevalence of obesity over 12 years. Design and methods In 1999/2000, 11,247 adults aged ≥25 years were recruited ...
Kotzampassi Katerina K 1 Department of Surgery, Aristotle's University of Thessaloniki , Thessaloniki, Greece - - 2014
Abstract Background: Weight loss by means of an intragastric balloon is an advantageous procedure, as usage of such a balloon is minimally invasive and of minimal operational risk. Nevertheless, despite the encouraging results referred in to large population studies, its success rate as a treatment option is still questionable. The ...
Epperson Anna E AE Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, Health Promotion and Behavioral Science, University of Texas Prevention Research Center, University of Texas School of Public Health, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA Division of General Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital and Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical - - 2014
Little is known about influences on weight loss attempts, yet about one-half report making such attempts during adolescence. The aim was to examine the relationships among weight loss attempts, body size, and body perception in racially/ethnically diverse young adolescents. 3954 African American, Latino, and White 5th-graders completed the Self-Perception Profile-Physical ...
Breij Laura M LM Department of Pediatrics, Subdivision of Endocrinology, Erasmus MC/Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, the - - 2014
Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the hepatic metabolic syndrome. Some studies demonstrated an association between small size at birth and NAFLD. Rapid catch-up in weight often follows small birth size and has been associated with metabolic syndrome, but its association with NAFLD remained unknown. Patients and Methods: ...
Wen Li Ming LM Sydney School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Australia; Health Promotion Service, South Western Sydney & Sydney Local Health Districts, New South Wales, - - 2014
Objective: We sought to determine early life factors that predict body mass index (BMI) and overweight/obesity of children aged 2 years. Design and Methods: | 1.266726 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
A longitudinal and prospective analysis was conducted with 330 first-time mothers and their newborns. Children's weight and length were measured at two years. Main factors of ...
Song Mi-Young MY Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju, - - 2014
Gut microbiota is regarded as one of the major factors involved in the control of body weight. The antiobesity effects of ginseng and its main constituents have been demonstrated, but the effects on gut microbiota are still unknown. To investigate the effect of ginseng on gut microbiota, 10 obese middle-aged ...
Mazkereth Ram R Department of Neonatology, The Edmond and Lili Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, - - 2014
Abstract Objective: To evaluate and compare growth parameters (weight, length and head circumference) of discordant preterm twins during the first year of life. Methods: Retrospective data were collected on 78 pairs of >10% discordant preterm twins. Data regarding short-term neonatal outcome was recorded. Growth parameters were recorded at birth and ...
Arabshahi S S 1] Department of Medicine, Southern Clinical School, Monash Medical Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia [2] Queensland Institute of Medical Research, Cancer and Population Studies, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Brisbane, - - 2014
Background/Objectives:This study examines which socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics are associated with weight and waist circumference (WC) change in a cohort of Australian adults over a 15-year period (1992-2007). Further, it tests the effect of period of birth (birth cohort) on mean weight and WC at two time points, 15 years ...
Meng Nai-Hsin NH Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, - - 2014
The present population-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in communities in Taichung, Taiwan, to identify the prevalence of and the factors associated with sarcopenia, using the diagnostic criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, which requires the presence of low muscle mass and low muscle function. ...
Mack L A LA Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN - - 2014
In many mammalian species, prenatal stress masculinizes female and feminizes male offspring impairing their reproductive capacity. Regrouping gestating sows is a common, stressful production practice, but its impact on the sow's developing pigs is not fully known. This study examined the effects of regrouping gestating sows and the administration of ...
Gebel Klaus K Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention, School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Cairns, Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: - - 2014
To examine prospectively whether higher proportions of vigorous physical activity (VPA), independent of total activity volume, are associated with better outcomes in weight maintenance and physical function. We used three-year longitudinal data (2006/07-2009/10) of adults 45 and older (n=32,087; 59.5±9.3 years) from New South Wales, Australia. Logistic regression models examined ...
Tao Hung-Lin HL Department of Economics, Soochow University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: - - 2014
Using a data set of Taiwanese female graduates in 2006, this study finds that height and earnings are positively correlated for full-time workers. However, it is not because tall individuals went to better colleges or received better grades (cognitive ability), not because they are gifted with superior physical strength or ...
Milder Ivon E J IE Centre for Nutrition, Prevention and Health Services, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, , Bilthoven, The - - 2014
The cross-sectional association between obesity and a lower health-related quality of life (HRQL) is clear. However, less is known about the association between changes in weight and HRQL. We examined the association between weight changes and changes in HRQL in a population-based sample of 2005 men and 2130 women aged ...
Kim Nam Hoon NH Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, - - 2014
The course of NAFLD (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease) and associated factors | 1.227441 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
in nonobese subjects are not well established. We investigated contributing factors for the development and regression of NAFLD in nonobese Koreans, and whether they would differ from those of obese subjects METHODS: 2,307 adults aged over 18 years participated ...
Peeters Anna A Department of Obesity and Population Health, Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, - - 2014
To assess in a single cohort whether annual weight and waist circumference (WC) change has varied over time. Longitudinal cohort study with three surveys (1) 1999/2000; (2) 2004/2005 and (3) 2011/2012. Generalised linear mixed models with random effects were used to compare annualised weight and WC change between surveys 1 ...
Talaie-Zanjani A A Department of Health and Nutrition, Islamic Azad University of Arak, Arak, - - 2014
The prevalence of obesity and overweight in children and adolescents is increasing world-wide. Obesity in children and adolescents is a major risk factor for diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, and cancer in adulthood. The aim of the study was to compare the nutritional status and food-stuffs among high-school girls in Arak, ...
Pursey Kirrilly K Faculty of Health and Medicine, Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, - - 2014
Web-based approaches are an effective and convenient medium to deliver eHealth interventions. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate the accuracy of online self-reported weight, and only one has assessed the accuracy of online self-reported height and body mass index (BMI). This study aimed to validate online self-reported height, weight, ...
Miska Agata - - 2014
The common vole is one ofthe most numerous rodents in Europe and Asia but its reproductive biology is not fully described. It is thought that females reach reproductive abilities at a very young age, however, there is no data concerning male sexual maturation. The aim of the present study was ...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >Category: Sex
When we hear about testosterone, it is often because we catch whiff of a scandal involving some athlete or celebrity who has been caught juicing (the use of performance enhancing drugs). If we think a little closer to home, a more realistic way of hearing about testosterone levels is when we start to see the signs […]Read
We’ve talked we talked about sex and stress before on this blog. So today it seems like a good idea to give you a meditative, stress-relieving exercise that you can do with a partner. It’s meant to be relaxing and it also puts focus on closeness, harmony within oneself, relaxation, intimacy, and a feeling of […]Read
As a clinical psychologist, with expertise in health and illness, I am frequently asked to shed light on the concept of body image. I often begin by pointing out that body image is a multidimensional concept that consists of self-perceptions, cognitions, emotions, and behaviors related to one’s physical characteristics. By and large, the research contains […]Read
When you are in the heat of intimacy, but have to stop because it hurts, you may be experiencing vulvar pain. Women describe vulvar pain as burning, feeling raw, sharp, or painful to the touch. It can be severe enough to prevent women from wearing jeans, riding a bicycle, using a tampon, or having sex. […]Read
Guys, if you’re reading this article there is a good chance you are doing so on a laptop. And that said laptop is sitting on your lap. Before we begin, take this off your lap and place it on a table, or a pillow, or lap desk. This is one of the many things men […]Read
Do you feel pressure or heaviness between your legs? Have you ever had the strange sensation that something is falling out of your vagina? Does your vagina look or feel different since having a baby? Have you changed the way you urinate or have bowel movements to complete one?Read
What’s worse than dealing with a pain in the ass? Dealing with pelvic pain! You’re not alone. Chronic pelvic pain, also known as vaginal pain, perineal pain, ‘pain down there’, or pelvic floor muscle pain, is a common problem. It affects approximately one in seven women. In one study of reproductive-aged women in primary care […]Read
We’ve been talking about sex quite a bit lately at the YinOva Center, with our director Jill Blakeway’s recent release of her second book Sex Again. In her comprehensive look at libido, Jill writes about how to rebuild the connection with our sexuality and desire from within ourselves and our relationship. Since this week brings […]Read | 1.551677 | 1,018 | 1,016 |
MarketReportsOnline.com adds "The U.S. Rent-To-Own (RTO) Market: Trends and Opportunities (2014-2019)" report to its research store.
The report titled “The U.S. Rent-To-Own (RTO) Market: Trends & Opportunities (2014-2019)” provides an in-depth analysis of the US rent-to-own market with detailed analysis of market sizing and growth, market share and economic impact of the industry. The U.S. rent-to-own market is highly fragmented with a large number of small companies holding one-third of the market share. The U.S. rent-to-own market has low penetration rate, presenting big growth opportunities for the small players. Detailed rent-to-own consumer behavior analysis has been presented in this report.
The report also assesses the key opportunities in the market and outlines the factors that are and will be driving the growth of the rent-to-own industry. Growth of the overall U.S. rent-to-own industry has also been forecasted for the period 2014-2019, taking into consideration the previous growth patterns, the growth drivers and the current and future trends.
Complete report available at http://www.marketreportsonline.com/406481.html.
Competition in The U.S. rent-to-own market is stiff and dominated by the big players like Rent-A-Center and Aaron’s Inc. Further, key players of the U.S. rent-to-own industry like Rent-A-Center, Aaron’s Inc. and Easyhome Limited are also profiled with their financial information and respective business strategies.
The rent-to-own (RTO) industry concept was introduced in the 1960’s and now RTO has grown into an important sector of the retailing industry. Rent-to-own business offer the facility of long-term leasing to consumers for using goods such as furniture, appliances and various electronic products. The rent-to-own industry has grown over 8,600 stores in the U.S., annually providing service to over four million consumers.
The core of the RTO arrangement is consumers gain instant access to new or used merchandise - most commonly appliances, electronics or furniture-with neither a credit check nor down payment in exchange for a number of fixed rental payments due either weekly, biweekly, or monthly. A consumer who respects the terms of the contract and pays all rents before acquiring the good leased, generally pays, in total, twice even three times the actual value of the good. Low Income population group because of the low disposable income are expected to rely on the rent-to-own business activities. And the needs of the low-income population will be met by the increased penetration and transparency of the rent-to-own market.
Purchase a copy of this research report at USD 800 (Single User License) http://www.marketreportsonline.com/contacts/purchase.php?name=406481.
The high growth in online penetration is attributed to the proliferation of virtual rent-to-own business activity. As suppliers look for more efficient means of distribution, their participation in the virtual rent-to-own market has increased. With Aaron’s largest investment to date in 2014, which it paid for Progressive Financials, a leading virtual RTO provider, the virtual rent to own market has certainly got a new fillip. Progressive is not the only virtual rent-to-own provider, as Rent-A-Center created Acceptance NOW in 2010.
Few points from List of Tables & Figures (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/406481-toc.html) are listed below:
Table 1: Profit Margin of the U.S. Industry
Table 2: Return on Equity of the U.S. Industry Table 3: The U.S. Rent-to-Own Market: Revenue of Key Players Table 4: The U.S. Rent-to-Own Market Key Players Business Portfolio Table 5: Rent-A-Center Segment Details Table 6: Overview of Easyhome Ltd. Business Segments Other Related Reports on Consumner Goods Market: Global Smokeless Tobacco Market Report: 2015 Edition (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/404225.html) Smokeless tobacco is tobacco that is not burned. It is also known as chewing tobacco, oral tobacco, spit or spitting tobacco, dip, chew, and snuff. Most people chew or suck (dip) the tobacco in their mouth and spit out the tobacco juices that build up, although “spitless” smokeless tobacco has also been developed. Global Luxury Goods Market Report: 2015 Edition (http://www.marketreportsonline.com/404147.html) Luxury goods refer to products which are commonly characterized by their premium quality, craftsmanship, recognizability, exclusivity and reputation. These high-end goods tend to satisfy socio-psychological needs in greater form | 1.326349 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
The next big break through in surgery might not be a sophisticated new tool or imaging device; instead, it may be a simple checklist that the surgical team has to run through before making the first incision. In a pilot study, researchers found that using the checklist cut the death rate following surgery by 47 percent, while the complication rate decreased by 36 percent. The procedure is simple: Surgeons and nurses run through a series of basic safety checks before each operation, similar to those made by pilots before take-off. The checks include asking: Is this the right patient? Is this the right limb? Has the patient had the right drugs? [
The Independent]
The checklist is composed of 19 fairly obvious items, but lead researcher Atul Gawande says that even a small change, like having surgical team members take a moment to say who they are and what they do before scalpel touches skin, can have important consequences later on should one of them develop a concern during the operation. Earlier studies have shown that communication problems are fairly common in operating rooms, with junior members of the team sometimes hesitant to speak up. “Giving them a chance to say their names allows them to speak up later,” Dr. Gawande said [
The New York Times].
The pilot study was an initiative of the World Health Organization. The research team tested their simple idea with often dubious and unhappy surgical teams operating on more than 7,500 surgical patients in eight hospitals in Toronto, Seattle, London, New Delhi, Amman, Auckland, Manila and Ifakara in Tanzania [Reuters]. Interestingly, the hospitals in both developed and developing world countries saw about the same reduction in post-surgical complications. Based on the checklist’s unambiguous benefits, which were reported in the
New England Journal of Medicine, Britain’s health agency announced that all surgeons in England and Wales must start using the checklist by February 2010.
Some surgeons may resist integrating the checklist into their routine, says Peter Walsh, of the medical watchdog group Action against Medical Accidents. “Some surgeons say that checklists de-professionalise them, turning them into automatons who don’t think” [
The Independent], he says. Other surgeons argue that they already ask all the questions listed on the checklist, and don’t need a piece of paper to remind them how to do their jobs. But the research team maintains that the checklist ensures consistency in surgical procedures, and also promotes teamwork and communication. Those simple factors can save a lot of lives and prevent a lot of pain, says Donald Berwick, the president of the US Institute for Healthcare Improvement. “I cannot recall a clinical care innovation in the past 30 years that has shown results of the magnitude demonstrated by the surgical checklist” [ The Independent], he says.
Related Content:
80beats: California Hospitals Confess Their Errors 80beats: When Surgery Is Over, Anesthetics Actually Increase Pain Image: iStockphotoERIC Number:ED184627 Record Type:Non-Journal Publication Date:1980-Feb Pages:12 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:N/A ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
Distribution of Grades and Current GPRs Earned: Community Colleges, Fall 1979.
Hawaii Univ., Honolulu.
The grades earned by all students registered for credit classes in the seven Hawaii community colleges were analyzed to determine student grade point averages by college program and the distribution of grades in courses offered by the colleges. This analysis revealed that: (1) the credits-earned rate was 71%; (2) these rates were higher for vocational courses (74%) than for general education courses (69%); and (3) they ranged from 67% in natural sciences courses to 83% in health science courses. Of the grades assigned, 24% were A's, 23% were B's, 10% were W's, 11% were N's, and although two colleges did not assign F grades, 5% were F's. The grade point average (GPA) for the community college system was 2.76, which was higher than the Fall 1978 GPA of 2.74, but lower than the Fall 1975 GPA of 2.87. For the first time, vocational education majors earned a higher GPA (2.75) than liberal arts majors (2.73), though unclassified students continued to earn the highest GPA (2.96). The report includes tables illustrating grade point averages and grade distributions by college and by program area. (JP)
Publication Type:Numerical/Quantitative Data; Reports - Research Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Identifiers - Location:Hawaii | 1.417404 | 994 | 992 |
Uranium producer
The mining giant will take up its full share of the 12-for-7 entitlement offer and will sub-underwrite any shortfall among retail investors.
Rio’s stake will almost certainly rise from 68.4 per cent, possibly to more than 80 per cent, leaving the minorities with less sway.
Operational problems in the past two years at ERA’s Ranger mine in the Northern Territory have contributed to a slump in production and a broad sell-off of its shares.
It is facing a hefty capital spending program over the next few years for $270 million of water treatment facilities, a $120 million exploration decline for a potential underground project, mine studies and expanded exploration. At the same time there is uncertainty about future production from Ranger, ERA’s only source of production, as the existing pit nears the end of its operational life.
The accelerated renounceable entitlement offer, which JPMorgan is underwriting, is priced at $1.53 a share, a 30 per cent discount to the ex-rights price and 53 per cent below the close on Tuesday of $3.29.
The stock, which was halted from trading yesterday, has more than halved in the past 12 months.
ERA advised in August it was studying funding options but some analysts expected it to use debt guaranteed by Rio rather than equity because of the risks the Ranger 3 Deeps project will not proceed.
The pit at Ranger will be depleted next year, setting the operation on a terminal decline unless the underground project goes ahead.
Chief executive
“With our reducing production over the next couple of years and our heavy focus on exploration, the board decided we really weren’t in a position to take on a large amount of debt," he said.
Mr Atkinson said ERA’s investments in water management and its importance to the Northern Territory should give investors confidence about the outlook for the underground project. “The case for approval is quite compelling," he said. “I don’t for one moment take away that it has got risk but I think there is a tremendous amount of upside."
UBS mining analyst Glyn Lawcock, who has a “sell" on ERA, said the uncertainty meant investors would be taking a “big leap of faith".
“The biggest concern for an investor looking to participate in the raising is that you won’t know for three years whether the [underground] project is economic or whether they are going to get the support of the traditional owners to develop it," he said.
Rio does not require such consent but Mr Lawcock believes Rio would not go ahead without it.
Rio’s stake in ERA could rise to 82 per cent. Should it exceed 75 per cent, the mining company would be able to control the passing of special resolutions of ERA shareholders.
The Australian Financial Review agents find information in an increasingly dense and complex store of health information on the web for:
Physician decision support bring condition-specific information to consumers support health science research and finding medical images
This certainly makes sense for healthcare where complex ontologies and taxonomies exist and transforming the technical into lay language is essential.Share this:
August 22, 2007
On Dr. Dobbs there is a 3 part podcast on the Future of Ideas with Lawrence Lessig with Carl Malamud, Tim O’Reilly, and David P. Reed. Interesting listening on architecture and design of the Internet, policy, devices and more. Quote: “What wins is the innovation on the edges of the network, not from the center of the network.”Share this:
August 21, 2007
Just a quick note about a post on The Patient Advocate on a futuristic vision of virtual reality to visit doctors and specialist about a health condition. He suggests using: Semacodes, MyVu goggles, d’fusion (3-D viewing). All of this could potentially enable a Second Life visit to multiple providers. Interesting concept.Share this:
August 21, 2007
Thanks to Clinical Cases author Ves Dimov for pointing out the growing number of podcasts for major medical journals. New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, JAMA, BMJ, Annals of Internal Medicine. In addition he notes the capability of putting these on your cell phone, no just iPod, MP3 player. He also reminds us of text-to-speech tools which can potentially make any journal article or blog a podcast.
My next project is to test this out. Watch for the results in a future post.Share this: | 2.009094 | 930 | 928 |
Bitcoin ushered in and empowers the golden age of cybercrime. The Dark Net, the Dark Web are real networks of cybercrime where using Bitcoin you can transact your purchase; ransomware, malware, stolen credit card numbers, bank accounts, financial data, and intellectual property. Terrorists troll the Dark Net to associate, communicate, plan and execute attacks both physical and cyber. The Dark Web is an easy place to get to using “TOR.” Google and Microsoft Internet Explorer log browser activity. Honest citizens of the world use TOR to escape network surveillance.
Cybercrime is increasing and ever changing, smart, intrusive, profitable via Bitcoin, ruinous to companies and individuals with no target too small or too large. Cybercriminals invade computing infrastructures and morph seamlessly into administrative status. They grant themselves administrative accounts and privileged accounts, validated and almost undetectable. With the DBA account comprised, ransomware is enabled and the hacker owns the data. “Get your decryption key. Send payment to the Bitcoin link.”
The World is at War, the CyberWar, the cyber enemy; unknown, nameless, stateless and rogue state funded. Cybercriminals sneak and assimilate into company networks. They wait and steal and attack company assets. Cybercriminals have nothing to defend. Cybercriminals hit without fear or concern of retaliation.
For Security in the Cyber-World companies identify their assets, implement prevention and detection, plan internal response and reactive policies and procedures and they purchase cyber insurance. The best defense is a good offense, not when it comes to cybersecurity.
The United States and Israel apparently launched a cyber-attack known as Stuxnet against Iran’s nuclear program. Alleged state funded hacking to safe guard countries and citizens and national security.
As Cybersecurity evolves, the cybercriminal adjusts, frequently steps ahead. Requirements for cybersecurity call for a radically different approach to engage cybersecurity companies to provide software for proactive pre-emptive strikes, retaliation against known cybercriminals to destroy their criminal cyber assets? The tenor of cybersecurity is high profile; even CNN does cyber-attack stories.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is now the chairman of cybersecurity and crisis management at the law firm of Greenberg Traurig. Retired US Air Force Lt General and Former Director of the NSA Ken Minihan is a Managing Director at Paladin Capital Group with a laser focus on Security in the CyberWorld. The best defense is a good offense.
Image Credit: CC by Perspecsys PhotosAttic Insulation in Adamsville, AL
Attic insulation in Adamsville, AL is crucial for homeowners who want to stay comfortable in their homes year round while saving money at the same time. It is very important that you get your Adamsville attic insulated if it is not already, as it can make a huge difference when it comes to making the internal temperature of your house much more comfortable throughout each year. If you want to start saving a significant amount of money on your energy bills, you will definitely need to hire professionals to install attic insulation in Adamsville, AL.
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By paying for professional Adamsville attic insulation services, you will get exactly what you need to keep your house comfortable and energy-efficient at the same time. The attic is a very common place for air infiltration in almost every home, so you will therefore have to make certain that it is properly insulated with the right type of insulation. A lot of homeowners choose spray foam insulation in Adamsville, AL because it is so effective at preventing air infiltration and lasts an extremely long time. Whatever type of insulation you end up selecting, it will be necessary to hire local professionals to install attic insulation in Adamsville, AL.
Last updated:09/05/2016 Western Drywall8890 Sharit Dairy Rd Gardendale, AL 35071 S & W Drywall111 Schwaiger Rd Cullman, AL 35055 Alstar Insulation700 Westwood Rd Mt Olive, AL 35071 U. S. Drywall And Accoustical, Inc.7670 Birmingport Rd Mulga, AL 35118 GARDENDALE ELECTRIC & AIRCONDITIONGGardendale, AL 35071 C & C INSULATION INC2081 JETT TOWN RD Mulga, AL 35118 | 2.104446 | 969 | 967 |
Courtesy of Huffington Post:
A nearly 13-year-old skin cancer drug rapidly alleviates molecular signs of Alzheimer’s disease and improves brain function, according to the results of a new mouse study being hailed as extremely promising. Early-stage human clinical trials could begin within months.
In the study, published online February 9 by
Science , researchers from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and colleagues used mice genetically engineered to exhibit some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s. Most notably, the mice produced amyloid beta peptides—toxic protein fragments that gum up neurons and lead to cell death—and showed signs of forgetfulness.
Amyloid beta (
red areas) peptides clear from the brain of an Alzheimer’s mouse after three days of treatment with a cancer drug ( right image). Source: AAAS/Science
The Case Western team, led by Gary Landreth, decided to try the drug bexarotene (Targretin), approved in 1999 for cutaneous T cell lymphomas. The team chose this drug because of its long experience working with proteins in the nucleus of brain cells that can induce biochemical processes that affect amyloid beta.
Landreth and his colleagues fed bexarotene to the demented mice, and with just a single dose it lowered the most toxic form of the amyloid beta peptide by 25 percent within six hours, an effect that lasted for up to three days. Mice that were cognitively impaired by the amyloid buildup resumed normal behaviors after 72 hours: They began to crinkle toilet paper placed nearby to make nests, a skill lost as amyloid increased in their brains.
“We have successfully reversed all of the known pathological features and behavioral deficits found in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease,” Landreth says. “Never before has anyone observed clearance of amyloid plaques with such speed in mouse models.”
Other Alzheimer’s researchers hail the work. “I think this is extremely promising,” says Samuel Gandy, a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and associate director of the hospital’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. “One of the drugs that has been on our wish list for 25 years is a drug that would clear existing amyloid deposits.”
“Landreth’s paper is impressive,” adds Kenneth Kosik, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “The effects in mice, including some restoration of cognitive abilities, are dramatic.”
Neural sanitation In a field littered with drug failures, the study offers hope that the strategy of clearing the brain of the toxic peptide can work. Bexarotene does not do so directly, however; instead, it activates retinoid receptors on brain cells that increase production of a fat-protein complex, apolipoprotein E, that helps rid excess amyloid in the fluid-filled space between neurons. It also appears to enhance another cleanup process, called phagocytosis.
Bexarotene functions differently than an amyloid-clearance approach using monoclonal antibodies, which are further down the drug development pipeline. These antibodies bind directly to amyloid and then remove it, but they have sometimes caused fluid to fill brain tissue. Bexarotene may be less likely to cause such swelling. “I think the fact that we’re inducing a natural process by turning on these receptors doesn’t lend itself to water on the brain,” says Paige Cramer, Landreth’s graduate student who performed much of the research. Unlike bexarotene, which is taken orally, monoclonals are more troublesome to administer, because they must be delivered intravenously, and if they receive U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval, they would likely be significantly more expensive.
The study also provides the most compelling evidence to date of how the biggest risk factor for Alzheimer’s later in life–having the so-called
Apolipoprotein E ( APOE) gene, identified in the early 1990s–might yield a strategy for new therapies. The gene for apolipoprotein E comes in three versions, one of which, the e4 variant, confers a significantly higher risk of getting the disease–a roughly 60 percent chance at age 80 for those who carry a copy from both their mother and father, as against a less than 10 percent overall risk at that age in the general population. The gene variant, known informally as the Alzheimer’s gene, is common: about 20 percent of the U.S. population has at least one copy. The e4 carriers may be vulnerable to Alzheimer’s because they have a diminished ability to clear amyloid, a hypothesis that seems to be reinforced by this Case Western study. Jumping the gun? That idea, though, is not universally endorsed. Some experiments have shown that the e4 version may also impair the brain in other ways, perhaps by bollixing the biochemical functioning at the synapses, the connection points between neurons, or by producing toxic fragments of the lipop | 1.311908 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
rotein that damage neurons. If so, increasing the production of this form of apolipoprotein E could actually worsen the pathology of the disease and would complicate greatly bexarotene’s development.
This potential hurdle does not dissuade one researcher experienced in Alzheimer’s clinical trials. “I am not particularly concerned” about potential toxic effects of extra
e4 production, says Paul Aisen of the University of California, San Diego, who heads the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study, which organizes clinical trials for drugs to combat the illness. “If it significantly enhances amyloid clearance and reduces the burden of brain amyloid, there is a good chance it will succeed.” David Holtzman, a prominent Alzheimer’s researcher from Washington University in Saint Louis, echoes the sentiment about bexarotene’s prospects: “I do think it is promising to go into humans.”
Landreth and Cramer certainly think so. They have formed a company called ReXceptor Therapeutics that intends to begin a preliminary trial in humans in the next few months to determine whether the drug crosses the blood-brain barrier and clears amyloid, as it does in mice. If those processes occur, clinical trials on the drug’s effectiveness in humans could begin even this year, and they would probably last from 18 months to three years. The drug loses patent protection for cancer this year, but Case Western has filed for patents for its use in Alzheimer’s.
Many unknowns Despite their optimism, scientists say it’s important not to overplay the progress. After all, drugs that work in mice do not necessarily help humans. Moreover, the genetically engineered version of mice used in this study do not recapitulate every aspect of the human disease. For instance, the mice do not experience the effects of dying neurons (despite having impaired cognition), and they do not go on to develop a hallmark characteristic of a later disease stage in humans–namely, the accretion of so-called tau proteins that seem to abet the killing of nerve cells. “Transgenic mouse experiments have not reliably predicted therapeutic effects in humans,” Aisen says, “so caution is essential until human studies confirm target engagement,” that is, the removal of amyloid plaques.
And bexarotene does not come without risk: it raises levels of triglycerides, blood fats implicated in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The Case Western mouse work suggests that Alzheimer’s patients may benefit with doses lower than those ingested for cancer treatment, which might produce less of an effect on fat levels. Whether the drug remains effective over time is another question. The levels of amyloid plaques–although not the apparently more toxic soluble form of the peptide–rose after 90 days, a suggestion that the drug may be metabolized differently after ingestion over long periods.
The enthusiasm generated for a mouse study stems from the desperation for new ideas as the number of Alzheimer’s cases, now at 5.4 million in the U.S., is expected to more than double by the year 2050 as the nation’s demographic profile continues to gray. A better understanding of the disease process–the knowledge that pathology begins 10 or 20 years before the first symptom–has shifted focus toward earlier drug trials. New technologies that combine brain imaging and spinal fluid tests might identify at-risk patients and test new drugs. A relatively inexpensive drug that can be ingested orally, such as bexarotene, could then be prescribed to at-risk but symptom-free patients, who would take them over the course of their lifetimes, like a cholesterol-lowering drug.
As ReXceptor moves forward with its clinical trial plans, it will inevitably have to contend with the demands of the families of Alzheimer’s patients. Landreth emphasizes that calling your physician after reading an article like this one is a bad idea. “Don’t try this at home,” he cautions, “because we don’t know we what dose to give, we don’t know how frequently to give it, and there are a few nuances to its administration. So one shouldn’t be prescribing it off-label.” It is also unclear whether a drug like bexarotene would work at a middle or advanced stage of the disease, when neurodegenerative processes have already set in.
Bexarotene’s genesis as an Alzheimer’s treatment comes as an outgrowth of Landreth’s long-time fundamental work on cell receptors. If it succeeds, it will demonstrate that new ideas for treating this seemingly intractable disease may come from beyond the sometimes narrowly focused strategies of large pharmaceutical companies. of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.
If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com. | 1.511594 | 1,020 | 1,018 |
History of the bed
Ever wondered how we came to sleep on the beds we commonly use today?
Take a trip back in time with Bensons for Beds and discover how where we sleep has evolved through the ages. From simple feathers and fur to technologically advanced iGel… it's a journey that will help you appreciate your bed at home that little bit more.
The history of the bed is a story that began thousands of years ago, and it’s one that’s still developing today. Read on to find out more.
Fascinating facts on the
history of the bed revealed What inspired the phrase 'night night, sleep tight' What made Queen Elizabeth I’s four-poster bed the most decadent of all How an early incarnation of the modern waterbed involved a vinyl sack and jelly An amazing mattress that cools you when it’s hot and warms you when it’s cold! But essentially, you slept where you lay
In fact, it wasn’t until a few thousand years later that the first example of what you would consider a standard bed set-up (bed base, mattress and blanket) was discovered. In 1850, a great storm battered Orkney in Scotland, UK and unearthed a Neolithic village of eight dwellings named Skara Brae, inhabited sometime between 3200BC and 2200BC. In each dwelling sat a large stone slab bed, which would then have been topped with soft fern and animal skins.
If the first European beds were basic, elsewhere they were anything but. Between 3,000 and 1,000BC the Egyptians were building elaborate beds for the Pharaohs.
Ornate wooden bed frames were carved then covered with gold sheathes. Woven mats were placed on top to provide stability, then topped with a wooden slat mattress. And wool cushions would be added, along with sheets fashioned from linen. Meanwhile, around 1580BC, the Persians started filling sewn-up goatskins with water in what is considered to be the first example of a waterbed.
Yet these early experiments in bed technology were reserved purely for people in the higher reaches of society. If you were poor, it would be after the turn of the century before you had something you could call an actual bed.
In medieval times, for example, most people would doss down on the floors of the hall in which they lived. Their bed consisted of a “mattress” fashioned from wooden boards covered with an animal fur. It’s actually from this set up that we get the phrase “bed and board”.
If you were a Saxon, you’d probably have a kind of bunk bed, usually placed up against a wall. You’d sleep on a rough mattress of sackcloth and straw, which was placed on top of boards. Curtains would be suspended from above and drawn round the bed. This served two purposes: letting draughts and light out and keeping warmth and sicknesses in.
If you were a servant, you would probably sleep underneath your master’s bed. But that was a rare luxury. Typically you had no bed at all – you slept where you worked. If you were a laundry maid, you slept on piles of laundry (which doesn’t sound too bad at all, actually), or if you were the cook, you slept on the floor in front of the fire. The most important thing was to keep warm, so people slept together in groups, with the oldest sleeping closest to any source of heat.
It was perfectly normal for the lady of the house to entertain guests in her bedroom. Warm, cosy and inviting, the bedroom became the typical reception room of the average Tudor house. It may also have been the inspiration for the creation of the “day bed”– where one could recline and receive guests in comfort.
Eventually, the rope straps would be replaced with bed strings, an intricate criss-crossing of ropes, threaded up and down and from side to side across the bed frame. Over time these strings would sag and require tightening. The phrase 'night, night sleep tight' comes from this process.
The concept of the portable bed was born around this time too. In some instances, particularly if the nobleman and his lady travelled a lot, bed frames were designed so that they could be dismantled and then rebuilt quickly and easily. Though these would not be nearly as ornate, usually no more than a wooden box on legs that could be carried fairly easily by a group of servants. Meanwhile in the richest houses, beds began to be regarded as more than a piece of furniture. Magnificently ornate bed frames were built, complete with ornate canopies, carved wooden bed frames, rich embroidery and soft mattresses filled with feathers, a new luxury imported from across the Channel in France.
Now the bed wasn’t just a place to lay your head at the end of the day: it was a symbol of your wealth and status.
Beds as a status symbol
The bed most synonymous with | 1.663499 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
wealth, and the social standing of its owner, is the four-poster. It was first introduced into the UK by the Tudors. Tudor noblemen and women would compete with one another to see who could make theirs the most elaborate. Solid oak, intricately engraved pillars up to 18 inches round, fine velvet drapes, woollen curtains, heavily embroidered hangings bearing the coat of arms, resplendent colours and vibrant designs, lavish canopy to offer protection from twigs and feathers falling from the roof… the list of adornments went on and on.
Naturally the person with the most decadent bed of all was the most noble woman of all, The Queen. Of all The Tudors, Queen Elizabeth I had the winning bed. A receipt dating from 1581 details her requirements as ‘walnut, richly carved, painted, and gild… valance of silver cloth, figured with velvet, lined with a changeable taffetta, and deeply fringed with Venice gold, silver, and silk.’And that was just the bedstead.
There were also curtains cut from extravagant tapestry with each seam bordered with gold and silver lace, a headboard of scarlet satin, edged with silk, and plumes of ostrich feathers garnished with gold leaf. If the decoration on the bed was lavish, the mattress was still of a fairly basic standard. But over the next few years, this would start to change dramatically.
The development of the mattress
By the turn of the 17th century, people had begun to appreciate the benefits of sleeping on feathers, and this had become a more common mattress filling. Yet it was still something of a luxury. A feather bed was a prized possession, often handed down from one generation to the next. If you were a maid working in the kitchen of a large manor house, you might be permitted to keep the feathers from the birds you roasted as a kind of dowry towards your own marital bed – such was their value.
If you couldn’t afford feathers you were probably still sleeping on a sack filled with something soft, usually straw but sometimes wool, and this continued until well into the 18th century.
It was during this time however that a much wider range of materials became available for bedding. Pillows and mattresses stuffed with wool, horsehair or coconut fibre began to be sold. And cotton sheets, the vast majority of which were produced in the mills of Manchester, began to dress the beds of the common man up and down the country.
Indeed bedding became as much a display of wealth as the ornate beds of the era. A typical bed would be dressed in sheets, including a top sheet, blankets and an eiderdown – basically, the more bedding you had, and the longer it took your servant to make your bed, the better.
Realising the limitations of the standard wood frame and rope strap set-up, many tradesmen began constructing iron or steel bedframes. These offered two advantages: firstly durability, and secondly protection from disease. This was a period when tuberculosis was rife, and while wooden bed frames would often harbour lice, metal bedframes were practically sterile by comparison.
Meanwhile, several bed manufacturers began to use steel coils to support the mattress and in 1865, a man named Samuel Kettle patented what is now recognised as being the first ever open spring mattress. It was a huge success and the combination of a metal bedframe and a coil-sprung mattress would become the norm for decades to come.
What the coil-sprung mattress offered was comfort. The springs spread the weight of the person sleeping on the mattress more evenly, easing pressure and ensuring a more peaceful sleep.
In 1900 however, James Marshall, an English engineer living in Canada went one better, patenting the first ever pocket-sprung mattress.
What made Marshall’s invention unique was it contained lots of individual springs sealed into fabric pockets. Each spring provided support independently of its neighbours. Put together, they provided a support system that adapted to the individual contours of a person’s body. It was a revolutionary idea: a mattress that offered unparalleled support and comfort, no matter what your size, shape or weight.
Meanwhile, across the border, an American by the name of William L. Murphy was writing his own name into the history of the bed. Having moved to San Francisco to seek his fortune, he found himself frustrated at the lack of space within his tiny studio apartment. He didn’t like the way his bed intruded into the space where he wanted to entertain guests. His solution to the problem involved several experiments with a doorjamb and the hinges of his wardrobe. The result was what is now know as the fold-away bed, pull-down bed or, as he would probably have preferred it to remain, the Murphy Bed.
Natural, hypoallergenic, and extremely supportive, latex mattresses became very popular, particularly amongst people with back troubles. By 1939, over 30,000 had been sold in the | 1.739495 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
UK alone. But then during the Second World War the supply of latex was cut off by the Japanese, and they became more and more expensive, in some cases only available if prescribed by a doctor. Sprung mattresses began to enjoy a resurgence and would remain popular until a new mattress fad arrived in the late 1960s.
In 1968, San Francisco State University students Charles Hall, Paul Heckel and Evan Fawkes were attempting to build the ultimate comfortable chair. Their plan was to fill a vinyl bag with warmed cornflour, though this proved unsuccessful, as did a subsequent attempt using jelly as the filling. Pondering the problem one evening, Hall decided that the elaborate shape of a chair meant that using a malleable filling inside was not workable – it just wasn’t supportive enough. So instead he decided to focus on creating the ultimate bed. This time he filled the vinyl bag with warmed water and even fitted a temperature control device designed to match the water temperature with the sleeper’s body heat – the waterbed as we know it was born.
Over the next 20 years waterbeds became hugely popular, but not really for the reasons Hall had hoped. While he saw his invention as a bed designed to ease pressure points and provide warming relief from aches and pains, everyone else saw the waterbed as something else entirely.
The waterbed became synonymous with the sexual revolution. Hugh Heffner boasted of having one in the Playboy Mansion. An advertisement ran with the slogan, ‘Two things are better on a waterbed. One is sleep.’
They were massively popular and by 1986 waterbeds accounted for 20% of the bed market. But it couldn’t last and it wasn’t long before it was replaced by something infinitely more sophisticated. Memory foam was developed by NASA in the 1960s to make the seats on aircraft more comfortable for the pilots.They created a kind of solid foam that was heat sensitive. When it came into contact with bodyheat it would soften, then firm up again when it cooled. This meant that it could mould to an individual’s bodyshape and offered unrivalled, personalised support.
The benefits to the sleeper were obvious, though it wasn’t until the early 1980s that NASA released the technology to the public, and even then it was incredibly expensive. But by the early 1990s, memory foam was the mattress of choice for people determined to have the best night’s sleep possible.
Memory foam was not without its drawbacks. Because it is basically a solid mass product, it doesn’t “breathe” like a coil based mattress might. Therefore when it’s warm outside, during the summer months for example, memory foam mattresses can feel warm, maybe even too warm for some.
What was needed was a mattress that could cool you in the summer and warm you in the winter. And that dream became a reality in 2013, following the launch of the iGel mattress range.
While traditional memory foam mattresses can leave you too warm and uncomfortable in the night, iGel mattresses adjust with your body temperature to ensure you’re never too hot or cold.
Each mattress contains thousands of tiny gel support beads that conduct heat away from your body and prevent you from getting too hot. When it’s cold, these beads first store then release heat throughout the night so you don’t wake up because you are too cold.
References
Dr Lucy Worsley BA Hons (Oxon), DPhil (Sussex) – English historian and curator – presented Tales from the Royal Bedchamber on BBC4 – author of If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the HomeI ran into this quote going through an old EconTalk the other day, and thought it interesting:
As economists, we’re specialists in prudence only.
… That, as you say, is not what Adam Smith recommended. Not at all. I and a number of other people would like to get back to a Smithian economics, which although it didn’t throw away the very numerous insights that we get from thinking of people as maximizers — maximizers in this narrow sense — acknowledges that temperence and justice and love and courage and hope and faith can change the way the economy works.
I’m trying to decide if I agree with it or not. I would certainly agree that economics basically only looks at certain prudential concerns, it doesn’t consider humanistic or theological questions. However, I’m not sure if economics
should acknowledge those concerns, or if it is more the case that economists (and others dealing with the field) should clearly acknowledge that there is much more to any question than the question of what is most economically efficient. with children and infants and is involved in studies that examine how these age groups hear in complex listening environments. Her research interests also include finding ways to improve listening performance in children with hearing loss.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders | 1.717938 | 1,017 | 1,014 |
Great news for those of us whose mouths are not constantly in a state of upturned bliss: finally, there is a cure for chronic bitchy resting face.
The Lipt (that’s lip + lift) is being touted as the latest plastic surgery craze in plastic surgery-crazed South Korea. The procedure pulls the corners of your lips upward by slicing and rearranging the muscles that want to pull them down, leaving you with a permanent "smiling impression." As with all plastic surgeries, internal happiness is not guaranteed.
Originally touted as a means to combat the gravity of age, the
Wall Street Journal reports that the procedure is increasingly being sought out by younger and younger people who are "concerned about facing criticism at work because of their expressionless miens."
Faced with hurtful remarks about sagging mouth corners, the impetus behind getting this surgery – especially in notoriously appearance-conscious South Korea – isn't entirely incomprehensible. An informational video created by South Korean clinic Aone Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery deftly explains that the Lipt is important because frowny faces make us look mean and are likely to scare away small children, while smiley faces make us look "bright and gentle," and, therefore, appealing regardless of the inner existential turmoil we constantly face as sentient human beings (is that just me?).
Nearly all of the patients shown in Aone's video are female, which is unsurprising given that women frequently have to deal with comments about our perceived level of happiness based on mouth orientation. "Show me a smile" is a pretty standard commandment of street harrassers, and the cultural expectation that women should be nice, agreeable, or friendly is well-established; if we're not perennial rays of sunshine in public, we're likely to be branded as bitchy or stuck up (remember that
New York Times profile that basically called January Jones a stone cold ice queen?). This surgery is just another reminder that our presence must always be a pleasant one, lest we forget we are not emotional beings ourselves but rather incidental characters in others' lives.
Personally, I'd rather retain the ability to express a full range of emotions than project a false air of serenity, but to each his or her own. And don’t worry if you can’t afford the Lipt. There is one other way to get a permanent smile:Earlier studies which found evidence of the existence of the noctcaelador construct (Kelly, 2003; Kelly & Kelly, 2003) used measures
other than the NI which examined different aspects of night-sky watching.
The ballot measure
was proposed by the League of Women Voter of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Motivated by dissatisfaction with the official poverty measure
, which many scholars and practitioners share, we propose the use of sequential costs of poverty to enrich the poverty measure
so that it might capture more closely the life-experiences of low-income families.
The presented method gives the possibility to measure
mean values of the dimension of a sidewall, as well as a tread at a defined position given by a laser trace.
VTM stands for "viscosity, transition, and modulus," the three critical phases of polymer measurement, and this instrument can measure
dynamic mechanical properties through all of these phases, from melt through transition to solid state.
A global benchmarking tool designed to measure
results begins by asking: "How are we doing, and what kind of progress are we making versus our competitors?
90): This measure
assessed students' awareness of how U.
These authors reported on the development of a career self-efficacy measure
for Chinese high school students in Hong Kong.
If, in baseball, we need to divide performance measures
by the number of opportunities, then in the corporate domain we likewise need to divide commonly-used performance measures
by a suitable measure
of the risk taken to achieve that performance.
Using this tool, measure
the relative fairness of the published or broadcast story in terms of its benefit or detriment to Xcel Energy's brand image.
Outcomes research instruments may measure
general health (Short Form-36 [SF-36]) or specific diseases (e.
Others have advocated a Low Income Measure
(LIM) which calculates poverty as being half the median income of individuals and families.
Ultrasonic velocity testing, which measures
velocity by sending and receiving sound waves as they travel through a section of a casting, is a proven method for checking the nodularity of ductile irons.
We have developed a new type of field-expansion spectrometer to measure
the neutron beta decay correlations (a, b, B, and A).
Travel by land to the north was prohibited, a measure
that was facilitated by the lack of major roads to the area. | 2.200187 | 978 | 976 |
Some happy news is always a good way to kick off the weekend.
Fairfield County officials gathered at the county treasurer’s office Jan. 15 to meet with representatives of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Plant – and receive a check for $23.4 million.If my local nuclear facility wanted to hand mea few million dollars, that would be a-ok, but this actually speaks to one of the major benefits of having a power plant in the neighborhood. “We are very pleased that V.C. Summer Nuclear Station continues to be a major contributor to the local economy through property taxes that support schools, roads, and critical public services for the residents of Fairfield County,” said Dan Gatlin, vice president of Nuclear Operations at V.C. Summer.The article doesn’t say, but I wager Summer is one of the larger employers in Fairfield County, so it has value beyond paying property taxes. And beyond property taxes and employment opportunities, Summer also provides a economic root system for all kinds of offshoot businesses in Fairfield and neighboring South Carolina counties – and I don’t just mean nuclear parts manufacturing. Think eateries and office supplies and businesses that cater to a larger, more diverse population. Fairfield County Superintendent of Schools J.R. Green was on hand for the ceremony since a large portion of the tax dollars — $12,878,000 — funds education in the county. Just over $20,000 is allocated to the towns of Ridgeway and Winnsboro, combined. Just over $7.7 million goes into the county general fund. Other funding supports the county EMS, fire department and county library.That $20,000 for two towns could use a little more explanation – seems stingy – but it may be that the county handles most of the general needs for those towns. And if the country improves its infrastructure with increased property taxes, it improves its appeal to other companies that might want to come out their way and set up shop. That nuclear power facility is a good in itself, but it also helps the human ecosystem of an area.
The story skirts around it a bit, but the financial and employment opportunities are only going to get better, as SCANA builds two more reactors at Summer (Nuclear Street has some nice pictures of the construction). That’s a lot of building employment up front and then staffing afterward. So Fairfield County did well in 2012 – but that’s nothing compared to the rest of this decade and beyond.
We’ve made this argument before about nuclear energy plants – that they can represent economic bonanzas for their communities – but it’s really nice to see this demonstrated in a local newspaper – in this case, the Herald Independent, which covers the whole county.
When people want to change direction in energy policy – say, from coal to wind or away from nuclear energy – they do it without thinking of the actual human consequence. But there
isconsequence – and in a place like Fairfield County, but really anywhere, it would be severe.Modern Meterology Radar
What is a radiosonde?
The idea of using balloons to aid in the study of the atmosphere was first explored by the French when, in 1784, a hot air balloon was used for this purpose. It took a long time, however, before the practice came into common use. More commonly thought of as a “weather balloon,” radiosondes (“sonde” is French for “probe”) are collections of weather-detecting instruments attached to a balloon that is released into the upper atmosphere. They were first used in Europe during the 1920s and 1930s. Radiosondes typically measure temperature, moisture, and wind speeds, and they often include small, battery-powered motors. More modern radiosondes—called “rawinsondes”—include a radar reflector so they can be more easily tracked.
Radiosondes reach elevations that can take them into the stratosphere. Once it reaches its maximum height, the balloon will burst and the instrument package will be carried safely down on a parachute. Another way to deploy a radiosonde is by dropping it from an airplane. When this is done, the device is called a dropsonde. Rocketsondes—weather probes mounted on rockets, as one might guess—may also be used on occasion. There are over 800 radiosonde launch sites around the world, with the probes being launched at midnight and noon. Data is generally shared by meteorologists around the world. | 1.708036 | 921 | 919 |
Title
Allozyme Diversity in Populations of Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) from Central Asia: Evidence for Founder Effects in Native Populations at the Edge of the Species’ Geographic Distribution
Document Type
Student Presentation
Presentation Date
4-15-2013
Faculty Sponsor
Stephen Novak
Abstract
Bromus tectorum (cheatgrass) is an annual, self-fertilizing grass with an enormous native range across much of Eurasia. The grass has been introduced into many regions around the globe, and it invasive in the western United States (US) causing degradation and loss of sagebrush steppe habitats. Here we determined the genetic diversity of 13 populations of cheatgrass from Central Asia: 12 populations from Xinjiang Province, China, and one population from Kazakhstan. These populations are located at the northwestern edge of the plants’ native range, and allow us to explore the pattern of genetic diversity of this broadly distributed species. Genetic diversity of these populations was assessed using enzyme electrophoresis (allozymes), and the 15 enzymes employed in this analysis were coded for by 25 putative loci. Across all 13 populations, 30 alleles were detected at these 25 loci (1.2 alleles/locus) and five loci (20%) were polymorphic. On average, these populations display 1.02 alleles per locus (A), 1.85 percent polymorphic loci per population (%P), and an expected mean heterozygosity (Hexp) value of 0.005. Heterozygotes, which have been rarely detected for cheatgrass, were not detected in this analysis. The genetic diversity across and within the 13 Central Asian populations in our study is very low compared with that previously reported for native Eurasian populations, especially populations from the Mediterranean region. The populations analyzed here exhibit a reduction in genetic diversity due to “founder effects” during range expansion of cheatgrass from its center of diversity in the Mediterranean to the edge of its distribution in Central Asia. The genetic diversity of Central Asian populations is similar to that of invasive populations from North America previously reported.
This document is currently not available here.As a new homeowner, it can be challenging not to be overwhelmed by all your new responsibilities. Houses require near-constant maintenance, for example, and getting settled in to your new home requires considerable energy—not to mention money—as you discover any number of unanticipated needs. But buying your own home is also an investment in financial stability and security. Which brings us to some more practical aspects of security. As a new homeowner, it’s important to take steps to secure your property. You might think that doors, windows and locks are all that’s required to secure your home. But burglars would beg to differ. A burglary occurs something like every 10 seconds in the United States, and the majority of such intrusions happen to residential properties. Surprisingly, a majority of those incidents involved access gained through an unlocked door or window. Here are some examples of mistakes not to make: 1) Don’t bother to lock your doors and windows. Clearly, safety begins with locking your doors and windows. Don’t make it easy for criminals. Invest in quality locks, with top-tier strike plates, and remember to use locks whenever possible, even when home. Criminals are opportunistic. They’ll grab any opportunity that presents itself. The trick is to make your house more difficult to breach. 2) Don’t hide your valuables. Leaving high-value items in plain sight is asking for trouble. Research suggests that once inside, criminals typically head for the master bedroom, where they’ll look for lightweight, portable items such as jewelry, expensive electronics, or cash. Leaving these items out in plain view is playing with fire. 3) Don’t have visible security. Just the sight of a camera on your property is likely to deter criminal activity. If a potential burglar evaluates homes in your neighborhood for vulnerabilities, and sees that your neighbor has a surveillance system, but you don’t, guess which property he’ll choose to steal from—and which he’ll avoid. 4) Don’t trim back any thick shrubs around the perimeter of your home. Low, especially thorny shrubs can discourage criminals from lurking beneath windows. But large, dense shrubs, or other landscaping elements, could simply provide cover. Strike a logical balance between these two extremes. Keep landscaping in check, so criminals have nowhere to hide. 5) Do rely on a single security system. It takes more than just motion detectors to deter crime. Consider installing a variety of security systems for the best possible protection. Alarms, motion detectors, motion-activated cameras (programmed to begin recording when triggered), and night vision for those cameras are all important elements of a comprehensive system of security systems.
Posted on | 1.378348 | 1,007 | 1,005 |
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Health
Friday, 25 January, 2002, 12:13 GMT
Alcohol 'could reduce dementia risk'
Small amounts of alcohol could reduce the risk of dementia in older people regardless of the type of alcoholic drink consumed, research suggests.
It is known that light-to-moderate consumption lessens the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke, but Dutch scientists think it could be good for mental health.
The team at Erasmus University Medical School in Rotterdam compared the risk of developing dementia between individuals who regularly consumed alcohol with those who did not consume alcohol.
Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption (one to three drinks a day) was associated with a 42% risk reduction of all dementia and about a 70% reduction in risk of vascular dementia (dementia caused by a series of small strokes).
The team suggests alcohol may have a direct effect on brain activity by stimulating the release of the chemical acetylcholine in the hippocampus area of the brain.
Acetylcholine is known to facilitate memory and learning processes, however high alcohol intake inhibits acetylcholine production.
Monique Breteler, who led the research, said: "In recent years, evidence has been accumulating that vascular factors may be involved in the cause of dementia, both vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
"Our findings lend further support to the vascular hypothesis of dementia.
"We saw some indication for a stronger relation with alcohol in persons with a genetically determined susceptibility for Alzheimer's disease.
"Our findings can help focus research into the specific mechanisms that underlie the development of dementing illnesses."
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 50% of all cases.
Vascular dementia accounts for about 20% of cases.
The Alzheimer's Society has welcomed the survey findings.
The society's research director Dr Richard Harvey said: "This interesting new study confirms the results of previous research which has suggested that light to moderate alcoholic consumption is actually good for our health.
"It is particularly impressive that just 1-3 drinks per day can reduce the risk of vascular dementia.
"Clearly, however, excessive alcohol consumption is not good for our long term health and increases the risk of serious diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver.
"It is very much the case of a little of what you fancy appears to do you good."
All those taking part in the research were aged 55+ and did not have dementia at the start of the study.
See also:
17 Apr 01 | Health
Alcohol 'protects old against heart failure'
01 Feb 01 | Health
£6bn bill for alcohol abuse
06 Dec 00 | Health
Alcohol 'improves IQ'
15 Apr 01 | Health
Why alcohol affects women more
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Alcohol 'cuts strokes in women'
18 Dec 00 | Health
Beer 'keeps cataracts away'
30 Oct 00 | Health
Alcoholic liver disease linked to genes
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© MMIII | News Sources | Privacy crossbills. It is a startling fact that in the 20th century, ancient semi-natural woodland in public hands had a higher probability of being felled and replanted as regiments of sitka than if it was in private hands.
The carbon fetish is not just distracting us from real conservation problems; it is actually making some worse. In the name of supposedly fixing the climate at some imaginary equilibrium, we are dashing for biomass. On current plans, by 2020 Britain will be burning 60 million tonnes of wood in power stations, 10 per cent of our transport fuel will be biofuel and large areas of the countryside will be producing crops of anaerobic digesters to make gas for electricity.
Much of this biomass will be imported. The land required to grow it will not be available to grow food, which will be displaced on to other land cleared from forests, which as the University of Leicester found in a recent study will ‘actually increase emissions relative to petroleum fuels’. So we will be increasing our dependence on imports, driving up energy bills, driving up food prices for the world’s poor, cutting down precious rain forests
and increasing carbon emissions. Quintuple whammy: good work, lads.
Subscribe to The Spectator today for a quality of argument not found in any other publication. Get more Spectator for less –
just £12 for 12 issues. | 1.367937 | 1,014 | 1,012 |
Manhattan KS (SPX) Jan 17, 2011
At any given time between 10 and 20 percent of cattle in the United States are afflicted with lameness, making it one of the most common ailments affecting feedlot and stocker calves.
That's why a Kansas State University research team is working to reduce the percentage of cattle affected by bovine lameness.
Three researchers - David Anderson, professor of clinical sciences; Brad White, associate professor of clinical sciences; and Johann Coetzee, associate professor of clinical sciences - are involved with bovine pain and welfare assessment at K-State's College of Veterinary Medicine. Because of their efforts to understand and treat lameness in cattle, they are becoming leaders in this critically important bovine research.
"K-State is one of the few universities in the country with a farm animal surgery program," Anderson said. "Because of the research we're doing here, we're getting national and international attention about these programs."
The team is developing a model to assess lameness and identify possible ways to treat it. Lameness can be excruciatingly painful for cattle and is caused by a variety of factors, including nutrition, environment and infectious organisms, Anderson said. When damage to the hoof and sole results in ulcers, abscesses or infection of the deep tissue of the foot, it causes severe pain during weight bearing.
The goal of their research is to identify risk factors for the prevention of lameness, validate tools for early detection, develop recommendations for effective treatment, and ultimately improve the health and welfare of cattle. Each researcher is focusing on a different area of the project.
Anderson is working on pressure map technology, which is a way of measuring the weight bearing and method of stride. White is working on accelerometry, which involves using monitors to measure the behavioral responses of animals. White can monitor an animal for 24 hours to determine how much time it spends lying down, moving around or standing still.
Coetzee, a pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic specialist, is working to analyze indicators of pain in the blood and analyzing drugs to determine the dosage to reduce pain.
So far the researchers have developed ways to assess lameness. They are now looking at therapeutic models and identifying drugs - such as flunixin and meloxicam - that could help ameliorate pain and lameness.
The researchers recently published work on sodium salicylate in the Journal of Dairy Science and will have an upcoming article about flunixin in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, expected sometime in 2011.
Anderson spoke at the 2010 World Buiatrics Congress in Santiago, Chile, about farm animal surgery and has been invited to speak at the 2012 World Buiatrics Congress in Portugal.
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Michael Blaivas, J Ultrasound Med 2012; 31:823–826 |www.aium.org
During the last 20 years, ultrasound has been shown to be highly effective in evaluating a range of pathologic pulmonary conditions. One of the most widely studied and practiced applications is the evaluation of pneumonia with ultrasound. Ultrasound interrogation of the thorax for detection of pneumonia has been explored most in critical care and emergency department settings. However, recently, the application has spread to general practice and even prehospital settings. A number of scanning approaches exist, ranging from highly involved research scanning tools to rapid and focused surveillance scans. The most widely accepted protocol is performed rapidly and easily and has proved to be sensitive and specific in adult and pediatric patients. Multiple studies have shown lung ultrasound imaging to be more accurate than chest radiography and in some cases rivals the accuracy of computed tomography (CT), such as in the diagnosis of lung abscesses. This article reviews clinical scenarios in which the lung ultrasound examination is useful in suspected pneumonia, describes pathologic findings, and presents a commonly accepted scanning protocol.
Overview and Clinical Problem
The diagnosis of pneumonia, once thought to be accomplished simply by physical examination, history taking, and specific auscultatory findings, has recently become highly dependent on imaging. There is, in general, a method behind this apparent clinical madness. Despite a long-held belief that physical examination findings and proper auscultation are sufficient to rule in, or out, the presence of pneumonia, multiple pressures in clinical practice have driven increased use of chest radiography and occasionally CT. The physical examination has proved to be unreliable for detection of pneumonia, even in expert hands.1 Studies comparing examinations by expert physicians to chest radiography have verified the failure of auscultation as a diagnostic method in evaluation of pneumonia, yet physicians are under an increasing burden to be more accurate, and missing pneumonia is seen as a substantial liability. Additionally, the common approach in general private practice of prescribing antibiotics to any patient presenting with a cough and fever contributes to increasing antibiotic resistance and is actively combated by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When faced with a patient with any combination of fever, cough, shortness of breath, and hypoxia, clinicians think they have little option but to obtain an imaging study or empirically prescribe antibiotics. In hospital settings, patients may receive chest radiography routinely, not only for most presentations to the emergency department with a cough but also in hospital wards and intensive care units. In the latter two locations, chest radiography may be a daily occurrence for some patients. However, one of the most clinically frustrating aspects of searching for pneumonia with chest radiography is the relatively low accuracy of this traditional imaging standby. Clinicians frequently discover pneumonia on CT that was not seen on chest radiography while searching for other pathologic conditions such as pulmonary embolisms. Additionally, common chest radiography is associated with considerable practical delays in most settings where a trained technologist obtains an image and then processes it, both frequently away from the immediate clinical setting. Point-of-care ultrasound imaging, performed at the patient’s bedside, decreases the delays of chest radiography in diagnosis of pneumonia. Studies showing the efficacy of lung ultrasound in detecting and ruling out pneumonia date back approximately 20 years. Originally unrecognized by most in the medical community, ultrasound imaging has proved superior to chest radiography in almost every setting ranging from intensive care units to emergency departments and outpatient clinics.2,3 The term “lung ultrasound” is the most widely accepted one but is effectively equivalent to “thoracic ultrasound” and “pleural ultrasound,” both of which have occasionally been used in the literature.
Ultrasound Use
Performing the examination is easy and can be accomplished after focused training. The original descriptions used a micro-convex ultrasound transducer in the 5-MHz range. Little or no image postprocessing was available at the time, and much of the science of lung ultrasound was built on artifacts noted when the ultrasonic waves hit the pleural surface. In recent years, a variety of ultrasound transducer types have been used to image the lung. The most common, in addition to the micro-convex type, are linear and phased array cardiac transducers, typically ranging from 10 to 5 and 5 to 2.5 MHz, respectively. The linear arrays, much like a curved linear abdominal probe, have difficulty getting in between ribs, substantially limiting imaging in some patients. However, the pleura and near-pleural abnormalities are seen much better than with the micro-convex and phased array transducers, which are probably best suited for general lung applications such as pneumonia screening in most patients. In the adult patient, the field depth is typically set at 16 to 18 cm, commonly found on most machine presets. Image postprocessing settings such as tissue harmonics and multibeam functions are best turned off if possible. Such settings may eliminate artifacts and could impede diagnosis. The ultrasound transducer is moved until a rib inters | 1.657672 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
pace is located. The probe is then panned horizontally and vertically to the extent possible to allow the broadest sweep through the area being imaged. The transducer indicator is pointed cephalad and then to the patient’s right, allowing for the best ultrasound penetration between ribs. Holding the transducer perpendicular to the chest wall and panning of the beam are accomplished with subtle movements and angle variations. For the most consistent and accurate results, the operator should use a methodical scan to map out the entire thorax. The micro-convex and phased array transducers are ideal for manipulating the ultrasonic beam in the rib interspaces. One exception is the young pediatric patient, for whom linear array or high-resolution micro-convex transducers are best suited to the small body size.
Figure 1.
The scanning position for the lateral chest is shown. A phased array cardiac transducer was used for this 8-point pneumonia survey.
When evaluating for pneumonia, the ultrasound transducer is typically applied to 4 different windows on each hemithorax. In a reclined or semireclined patient, the 8 regions include the upper and lower regions of the anterior hemithorax and upper and lower regions of the lateral hemithorax (Figure 1). An entire region is surveyed by angling and sliding the ultrasound transducer as needed. The pleural surface of the lung acts as an acoustic reflector, reflecting nearly 80% of the ultrasonic beam it encounters. As seen with other anatomic structures with high impedance, horizontal reverberation artifacts are readily created and are known as A-lines in the lung ultrasound lexicon (Figure 2). The healthy, well-aerated, and inflated lung has a density of approximately 0.32 g/mL and is not acoustically penetrated by medical ultrasound to an appreciable degree.4 When the fluid content of the lung increases, substantial impedance differences are encountered in close proximity, leading to generation of additional artifacts termed B-lines, which are frequently seen in pulmonary edema. These artifacts are classically described as discrete laser-like vertical hyperechoic entities, which appear to arise at the pleural line and extend to the bottom of the ultrasound image without fading. Debate still exists about their exact source.
Figure 2.
Arrows show multiple bright repeating horizontal lines, known as A-lines.
The key to ultrasound visualization of pneumonia in the lungs is relative loss of aeration of a portion of the lung and a concomitant increase in the fluid content, which is seen in lung consolidation. Once this consolidation reaches the pleura, it can be seen with ultrasound. Although some very early pneumonias must be so localized as to not abut the lung pleura, most make contact at some point inside the chest in clinically symptomatic patients and can thus be imaged with ultrasound. Current literature suggests that most pneumonias in critically ill patients (up to 98%) will contact the pleura.5 On a standard ultrasound examination, lung consolidation from pneumonia is often described as having a tissue-like pattern and is referred to as “hepatization” to illustrate its gray scale density and general appearance (Figure 3). Boundaries of a consolidated lung segment are defined by the pleural line, the adjacent aerated lung, and any effusion that may be present. The boundary created by adjacent aerated lung will naturally appear irregular. An exception is when an entire lobe is affected, in which case the boundary will be regular and well defined. A dendrite-like air bronchogram and a large number scatter artifacts from air are frequently traceable up to the pleura (Figure 4). In real time, air can be seen moving through bronchi, and this finding is known as a dynamic air bronchogram (Video 1). On color or power Doppler imaging, vascular flow in cases of pneumonia is seen as a classic branching pattern in the infected/consolidated lung. Table 1 summarizes the typical ultrasound findings associated with pneumonia.
Figure 3.
This image shows a solid organ–appearing structure in the near field. In actuality, the scan was performed through the lateral thorax. The lung is consolidated in a case of pneumonia and has an echo texture similar to that of the liver (Lung). Adjacent to it, the heart is shown, which is not possible through healthy lung. Several vessels are shown near the heart with a great vessel (GV).
Figure 4.
This image shows air bronchograms. The liver is shown on the right side of the screen with the diaphragm just to the left. The content of the thorax above the diaphragm is easily visualized (Lung) and appears to have a liver-like echo texture. Arrows point to bright branching signals within the consolidated lung, which represent the air bronchograms.
The sensitivity of B-mode ultrasound imaging is about 90%.5 Consolidation and dynamic air bronchograms have the highest specificity for pneumonia. Several studies showed that ultrasound imaging outperformed | 1.66247 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
chest radiography with CT of the chest as a reference standard.2,6–10 Interestingly, lung ultrasound has grown to such an extent that an evidence-based consensus conference was held in 2010 and 2011, grading supporting evidence and bringing together dozens of published experts from multiple countries around the world.11 The consensus conference found lung ultrasound to have broad utility in evaluating patients for pneumonia, lung contusions, pneumothorax, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolisms, and other pathologic conditions. In general, ultrasound imaging performed better than plain radiography.
Table 1.
Most Common Ultrasound Findings Associated With Pneumonia
Discussion
Lung ultrasound imaging for the detection of pneumonia is highly accurate but like most diagnostic tests is not perfect. It is important for the sonologist to realize that lung consolidation can result from several different pathologic conditions. These include not only pneumonia but also acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), lung contusions, and atelectasis. Although differentiating between pneumonia and atelectasis is probably the most difficult on the basis of clinical grounds, it is easily accomplished with ultrasound. Atelectatic lung segments (clinically the most commonly encountered mimickers) will show the absence of regional blood flow in the affected area of the lung on color or power Doppler interrogation. Patients with ARDS and lung contusions are often obviously clinically but will show the presence of blood flow on Doppler imaging. Lung contusions are typically encountered in patients with blunt trauma and will show abolishment of lung sliding; in some cases, they have even been mistaken for pneumothorax. However, contusions will also show localized signs of pulmonary edema and asymmetry between the left and right lungs, which can help differentiate them from pneumonia. On the other hand, ARDS will almost always show pleural line irregularities and will frequently show subpleural consolidation. These signs can allow clinicians to distinguish between major causes of lung consolidation on ultrasound imaging. As with any ultra-sound application, operator competency is critical, and error can occur if the operator is not properly trained and experienced. Fortunately, it appears that lung ultrasound imaging has a favorable learning curve. However, misdiagnosis of pneumonia or, worse, failing to detect pneumonia could negatively affect the patient.
The use of lung ultrasound in the evaluation of pneumonia is growing rapidly and in each clinical setting shows increased efficiency as accurate bedside diagnosis is made possible. Although many traditional imaging applications are still indicated and will be used indefinitely for patients with possible pneumonia, lung ultrasound can substantially decrease the practical delays associated with plain chest radiography and in some cases can obviate the need for chest CT when a definitive diagnosis is obtained on ultrasound imaging, avoiding a large radiation dose. In many cases when pneumonia is in the differential diagnosis, lung ultrasound should come first.
Footnotes
The Sound Judgment Series consists of invited articles highlighting the clinical value of using ultrasound first in specific clinical diagnoses where ultrasound has shown comparative or superior value. The series is meant to serve as an educational tool for medical and sonography students and clinical practitioners and may help integrate ultrasound into clinical practice.Loading the player...
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Speaker(s): Adam Brett, Deborah Doane, Julia Clark, Robin Murray
Chair: Professor Jude Howell
Recorded on 1 March 2011 at New Theatre, East Building
In this discussion event, a range of speakers look back over 15 years of the Fairtrade Mark and consider whether the movement for a fairer trading system has been ambitious enough. Is Fairtrade catalysing broader social change? Should Fairtrade be working with big corporates and retailers? Is Fairtrade moving producers up the value chain? Is it time to make the rules harder? Adam Brett co-founded Tropical Wholefoods, and is a director of Fullwell Mill, and the Out of this World UK healthfood retailing chain. He has been a self employed entrepreneur since 1990, working on the development of fair trade food businesses in Uganda, Burkina Faso, Pakistan, Zanzibar and Zambia. Deborah Doane is Director of the World Development Movement, which campaigns for justice and equality for the world's poor. Deborah was a founder and trustee of AntiApathy, and has recently joined the Board of the Fairtrade Foundation. Julia Clark is a consultant. As Head of Marketing at Tate & Lyle Sugars, she led the switch of the company's entire retail sugar range to Fairtrade in 2008. At the time this was the largest ever commitment to Fairtrade by any major UK food or drink brand. Robin Murray is an industrial economist and a co-founder and board member of Twin Trading. Twin has established a number of pioneering producer-owned Fairtrade companies, notably Cafédirect, Divine Chocolate, Agrofair UK and Liberation Nuts.
Event posting
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Clinical Features and Outcomes of Spinal Cord Arteriovenous Malformations Comparison Between Nidus and Fistulous Types Jump to Abstract Background and Purpose—As a result of the rarity of spinal cord arteriovenous malformations (AVM), there are only a few series available that describe clinical features, outcome after treatment, and natural history of these lesions. In this article, we aim to describe our experience with both nidus- and fistulous-type spinal cord AVMs. Methods—Forty-four consecutive patients with spinal cord AVMs were retrospectively reviewed. There were 26 patients with a nidus-type and 18 patients with a fistulous-type AVM. Treatments were performed with embolization (n=23), surgery (n=13), combined embolization–surgery (n=3), or conservative management (n=5). Clinical features, radiological findings, treatment results, and clinical outcomes were assessed. Results—Patients with nidus-type AVMs were younger at presentation and more often presented with hemorrhage, with a higher proportion of hematomyelia than fistulous-type AVMs ( P<0.05). Progression of clinical presentation from hemorrhage to congestive myelopathy during follow-up was noted in 5 patients, all of which had AVMs of the nidus type. Complete obliteration could be achieved more often in the fistulous type (72%) than in the nidus type (27%). Improved or stable clinical status at last follow-up was noted in 100% of fistulous-type and 77% of nidus-type patients. Long-term clinical deterioration was noted in 6 of 26 patients with nidus-type (23%) AVMs and was related to recurrent bleeding (n=3) or progressive venous congestion (n=3). Overall rebleed rate after presentation with hemorrhage was 7 in 145.5 patient-years (4.8%/y) if the lesion was not treated, 3 in 102 patient-years (2.9%/y) after partial treatment, and 0 in 47.5 patient-years (0%) after complete treatment. Conclusions—Nidus and fistulous spinal cord AVMs have different clinical features and obliteration rates, which may affect their long-term prognosis. Introduction
A variety of classifications of spinal vascular malformations have been proposed.
1,2 The Bicetre group suggested a classification based on genetic and hereditary perspectives that divided conditions into 3 main groups: genetic hereditary lesions, genetic nonhereditary lesions, and single lesions that may reflect an incomplete expression of a genetic condition. 3,4 The vast majority of spinal vascular malformations fall into this third group.
Spinal cord arteriovenus malformations comprise ≈20% to 30% of all spinal vascular malformations.
5,6 The angioarchitecture at the transition from artery into vein can be either through a network (the nidus) or direct (ie, fistulous). 2,3 Fistulous AVMs are located superficially and only rarely possess intramedullary compartments and are therefore usually called perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas. 7 Their cranial counterpart would be the pial arteriovenous fistulas that are typically also superficial lesions present in the subpial space. Nidus-type AVMs, however, may be considered as the counterpart of brain AVMs. The nidus is located in the spinal cord parenchyma; however, a superficial compartment can also be exposed to the subpial space.
Clinical presentations of spinal cord AVMs can involve either progressive myelopathy or acute hemorrhage (subarachnoid or intramedullary).
8–11 Nonhemorrhagic acute neurological deficits can be present because of acute thrombosis of venous pouches with mass effect and disturbance of venous outflow. Fistulous AVMs have been reported to present more frequently with progressive myelopathy, whereas the nidus types have been associated with an increased risk of hemorrhage. 12,13 However, given the rarity of these diseases, there are few larger patient series that evaluated clinical findings, treatment modalities, and long-term outcome of these lesions. Therefore, in this article, we report our single-center experience with treatment of spinal cord AVMs and describe the relationship of the types of angioarchitecture (nidus versus fistulous type) with their respective clinical features and long-term outcomes. Methods Patients
We retrospectively reviewed 44 consecutive patients with spinal cord AVMs who were managed at the Toronto Western Hospital between January 2000 and October 2013 and who were entered prospectively into our institutional database. The study was approved by our institutional review board. The following inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for this study: purely | 1.130002 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
intradural, nonradicular, nonmetameric spinal vascular malformations, that is, we excluded patients with paravertebral, epidural, dural, or radicular AVMs and cases that involved both the intra- and extradural spaces (eg, juvenile AVMs or Cobb syndrome). The study group consisted of 16 men and 28 women with a mean age at first presentation of 32.0 years (range, 8–77 years). The clinical follow-up was performed by neurosurgical and interventional neuroradiology staffs and fellows during our weekly AVM outpatient clinic, whereas angiographic imaging follow-up was performed by endovascular staff; neither clinical nor imaging follow-up was necessarily done by the treating physician. Mean clinical follow-up from the onset was 9.6 years (range, 1–36 years; median 5.0 years).
Radiological Evaluation
Pretreatment spinal MRI was available in 43 patients, and contrast-enhanced spinal MR angiography was available in 33 of these patients. MRI was evaluated with respect to presence of congestive edema or hemorrhage, as well as type of hemorrhage. Congestive myelopathy was suspected based on clinical examination and MRI demonstrating enlargement of the spinal cord with central confluent, focal, or extensive T2 hyperintensity over multiple segments, with or without patchy contrast enhancement.
14,15 Spinal catheter angiography with complete evaluation of all possible feeding arteries was performed in all patients, and a confirmative diagnosis was made on the basis of spinal angiograms. Angioarchitecture, locations, and types of the vascular malformation were evaluated by spinal angiography. Regarding the type of lesions, spinal cord vascular malformations were divided into nidus and fistulous types according to the initial opinion about existence of intervening nidus on spinal angiogram made by the interventional neuroradiologists (K.G.T. and T.K.) and reread by the first author who was blinded to the initial evaluation. The angioarchitecture was evaluated regarding arterial feeder multiplicity, venous drainage (anterior spinal vein, posterior perimedullary veins, and radicular veins), and existence of focal area of weakness such as intranidal aneurysms or venous outpouchings. The lesion locations were classified into cervical cord, upper thoracic cord (from T1 to T7), lower thoracic cord (from T8 to L1), and filum terminale (below the conus meduallaris). Treatment
Spinal cord AVMs were treated with embolization in 23, surgery in 13, combined embolization–surgery in 3, or conservative management in 5 patients. In all cases of patients treated by an endovascular approach, glue (N-butyl cyanoacrylate) was used as the sole embolizing agent after superselective microcatheterization using, in all cases, a Magic 0.12 microcatheter (Balt, Montmorency, France) aided by a 0.07 microguidewire (Mirage, Microvention, Hybrid, Balt). The microcatheter was introduced coaxially through a 5F Cobra-2 catheter (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN) placed in the segmental artery that supplied the AVM under roadmap conditions. Working projections were chosen in recent years after 3-dimensional rotational angiography. Superselective series were obtained during slow advancement of the catheter to the nidus. Embolizations were performed only when we can reach the feeder far enough to avoid accidental embolization of anterior spinal artery. Surgery was indicated when the embolization was not feasible, failed, or was perceived to be too dangerous. The surgical approach and the intraoperative technique used varied according to lesion location, type, and clinical status. In general, after laminectomy at the predetermined level, surgical resection of AVM was performed with a microsurgical technique under the guidance of microscope. Although dorsal deep lesions were typically approached through the dorsal nerve root entry zone, ventral lesions were approached after cutting of the dentate ligaments and gentle rotation of the cord. In selected cases, monitoring of evoked potential, intraoperative conventional angiography, and, more recently, intraoperative indocyanine green video angiography were used. Conservative management was proposed when embolization or surgery was deemed too dangerous while symptoms were benign (ie, incidental finding or mild congestion only) and stable. We classified the results of treatment as complete obliteration or partial obliteration according to the angiographic results immediately after surgery or at 2 to 4 months after embolization. The latter date was chosen because determining the obliteration rate at the end of embolization session may lead to an overestimation of true obliteration: Directly after an embolization, there may be local vasospasm that can | 1.437963 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
obscure residual flow into an AVM. In addition, if glue has not penetrated through the nidus into the proximal feeding vein (so-called ligation embolization), belated reopening of the AVM through local collaterals may occur and therefore also lead to false-positive occlusions. Complete obliteration was defined as an angiographically negative status, regardless of treatment modalities. Partial obliteration was defined if any residual arteriovenous shunting remained visible on the angiogram. In the present series, follow-up angiography later than the 2 to 4 months control was only performed if the patient’s clinical status deteriorated.
Clinical Evaluation
Pretreatment and further clinical status were evaluated according to the Aminoff and Logue scale collected based on the medical record: (0) normal, (I) leg weakness/abnormal gait but no restriction of activity, (II) restrictive activity, (III) requiring 1 stick to walk, (IV) requiring 2 sticks/crutches to walk, and (V) wheelchair-bound.
16 Severe neurological impairment at onset was defined by an Aminoff and Logue scale of IV or V, whereas a scale value of 0, I, II, or III was not considered to be severe. Clinical outcomes were evaluated at short-term (within 1 month after treatment) and at last available clinical follow-up. Short-term and long-term outcomes were rated according to Aminoff and Logue scale as improved, stable, or deteriorated. Statistical Analysis
A Student
t test was used for the mean age comparison, and a Fisher exact test was used to compare incidences among the 2 groups. χ 2 goodness-of-fit test was used for sex ratio. Statistical significance was defined as a value of P<0.05. Results
The pretreatment clinical data and angiographic findings are summarized in Table 1. Nidus-type AVMs were found in 26 patients, whereas fistulous-type AVMs were found in 18 patients, including 7 patients with filum terminale arteriovenous fistulas. Patients with nidus-type AVM were younger at first presentation compared with patients with fistulous-type AVM (24.2 versus 43.2 years;
P=0.0002). A slight but nonsignificant predominance in female patients was observed in both nidus (65%) and fistulous types (61%). First clinical presentation was hemorrhage in 25 patients (57%) and myelopathy in 16 patients (36%), whereas in 3 patients the AVMs were found incidentally (7%). Hemorrhagic presentation including subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) or hematomyelia was more frequent in nidus-type AVMs than fistulous-type AVMs (81% versus 22%; P=0.0002), whereas progressive myelopathic presentation was more frequent in the fistulous-type AVMs than nidus-type AVMs (61% versus 19%; P=0.01). Among the patients with hemorrhagic presentation, hematomyelia (n=19) was found more often in nidus-type patients than fistulous-type patients (18 versus 1; P=0.03), whereas SAH (n=6) was similar in both types (3 versus 3; Table 2). Severe neurological impairment at onset was found in 6 of 19 patients with hematomyelia (32%) and in 1 of 6 patients with SAH (17%). Recurrent hemorrhage before treatment was noted in 7 of 25 patients with hemorrhagic presentation (28%). Recurrent hemorrhage with hematomyelia occurred in 4 patients with nidus-type AVM (who bled, respectively, after 3, 4, 5, and 16 years after the first hematomyelia). Recurrent hemorrhage with SAH occurred in 2 patients with nidus-type AVM (who bled 11 and 16 years after first SAH, respectively) and in 1 patient with fistulous-type AVM (who bled 1 month after first SAH). Relatively long conservative management periods before rebleeding in 6 of these 7 patients were related to belated referral or good clinical recovery with clinically stable conditions.
Although patients with myelopathic presentation did not experience hemorrhage during follow-up, progression toward congestive myelopathy during follow-up was found in 5 of 25 patients with initial hemorrhagic presentation (20%). These 5 patients had nidus-type AVMs in the lower thoracic region and had initially presented with hematomyelia. The progression occurred during conservative management before active treatment in 3 patients and occurred after partial embolization in 2 patients. The range of time before progression was 4 to | 1.162644 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
34 years (mean, 12 years; median, 5 years). In 2 patients, spontaneous thrombosis of the draining vein was suggested on MRI during conservative management before treatment was initiated; both patients improved after partial embolization or complete surgical removal (Figure 1).
Multiple feeders were found in 22 of 26 nidus-type AVMs (85%) and 11 of 18 fistulous-type AVMs (61%). Absence of regional radicular venous outflow was noted in 16 of 25 patients with hemorrhagic presentation (64%) and 15 of 16 patients with myelopathic presentation (94%). The single patient who presented with myelopathy despite the presence of radicular venous outflow harbored a high-flow shunt. Focal areas of weakness were found in 11 of 25 patients with hemorrhagic presentation (44%) and 3 of 19 patients with nonhemorrhagic presentation (16%).
Treatment Results
Of the 26 patients with nidus-type AVMs, 18 patients underwent embolization, 4 surgery, 2 combined embolization–surgery, or 2 conservative management (with 26 patient-year follow-up; Table 3). Of the 18 patients with fistulous-type AVMs, 5 patients underwent embolization, 9 surgery, 1 combined embolization–surgery, or 3 conservative management. The 3 patients who were managed conservatively had a total follow-up of 7 patient-years. Complete angiographic obliteration could be achieved more often in the fistulous type (72%, 13 of 18) than in the nidus type (27%; 7 of 26; Table 3). Complete obliteration could be achieved with embolization in 3 of 18 nidus-type AVMs (17%; Figure 2) and in 5 of 5 fistulous-type AVMs (100%). Complete obliteration after surgery (including combined embolization–surgery) was noted in 4 of 6 nidus-type AVMs (67%) and 8 of 10 fistulous-type AVMs (80%).
When a focal area of weakness (aneurysm) was deemed to be the cause of hemorrhage (n=11), this component could be excluded by embolization in 8 patients or by surgery in 3 patients. Of these 11 patients who underwent partial (targeted) treatment for a presumed area of weakness, recurrent hemorrhage occurred in 2 patients (after 8 and 9 years, respectively).
Overall rebleed rate after presentation with hemorrhage was 7 in 145.5 patient-years (4.8%/y) if the lesion was not treated. This rebleed rate was 3 in 102 patient-years (2.9%/y) after partial treatment and 0 in 47.5 patient-years (0%) after complete treatment.
In 2 patients, belated reconstitution of shunting after initial angiographic obliteration was noted. One occurred in a nidus-type patient with myelopathic presentation 1 year after embolization. The other occurred in a fistulous-type patient with myelopathic presentation 2 years after surgery. At the last follow-up, the former had clinically deteriorated, whereas the latter was stable.
In 5 patients (4 nidus-type and 1 fistulous-type AVM), the attempt to embolize failed, because a safe position of the microcatheter tip in the anterior spinal artery branch supplying the lesion could not be obtained. Three of them (2 nidus-type and 1 fistulous-type AVMs) underwent surgical resection, whereas the other 2 patients with nidus-type AVM did not undergo surgery because of the perceived surgical risk, no demonstrable area of weakness on angiography, and their benign clinical course. Except for these 2 patients who underwent no further treatment despite embolization failure, all partial treatments were effective in achieving treatment goals (ie, resolution of the current clinical presentation by elimination of areas of weakness or reduction of venous congestion).
Clinical Outcome
Short-term outcome results showed that 2 patients deteriorated in the immediate post-treatment period because of postprocedural complications. One was a patient with nidus-type AVM, who presented with hematomyelia. Although no focal area of weakness was identified on the spinal angiogram, partial embolization was performed and an SAH occurred several hours after the treatment. This was presumed to be related to flow redirection toward an area of weakness not demonstrated at initial angiography because of the presence of the hematoma. This patient made a significant clinical improvement 1 month after treatment. The other patient who deteriorated after treatment | 1.140767 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
had a fistulous AVM and presented with myelopathic signs. One week after complete embolization, he deteriorated and MR showed new T2 hyperintensity in the spinal cord, which was presumably related to progressive thrombosis of the draining vein (Figure 3). This patient became stable with partial clinical recovery 6 months after treatment.
Long-term outcome (mean, 13.8 years; median, 12.5 years) of patients with nidus-type AVMs showed improved clinical status in 8 patients (31%), clinical stability in 12 patients (46%), and worsening in 6 patients (23%). Long-term clinical deterioration was related to recurrent hemorrhage after treatment in 3, recurrent myelopathy after treatment in 2, and progression from hemorrhage to myelopathy in 1 patient.
Long-term outcome (mean, 3.2 years; median, 2 years) of patients with fistulous-type AVMs showed improved clinical status in 8 patients (44%) and stability in 10 patients (56%).
Discussion
Clinical manifestations and age at first presentation differed according to the type of spinal cord vascular malformation. Patients with nidus-type AVMs were younger at first presentation and more often presented with hemorrhage, in particular hematomyelia, compared with patients with fistulous-type AVMs. Nidus-type AVMs had lower complete obliteration rate that might lead to delayed rebleeding, clinical progression from hemorrhage to myelopathy, and tendency to long-term deterioration. Lesion location or clinical status at onset did not show significant difference between the nidus and fistulous types. The retrospective design and the sample volume in our study limit the evaluation of superiority of a certain treatment modality, which would require a randomized prospective design. In our opinion, treatment has to be individualized in relation to the AVM angioarchitecture, the clinical status, and the expertise of the local treatment team.
The most frequent clinical presentation was different between the 2 types of vascular malformations in this study. Fistulous types were more often associated with congestive myelopathy, whereas nidus types were more commonly associated with hemorrhage. One may argue that the larger arteriovenous shunt present in the fistulous malformations should induce more profound arterialization resulting in higher venous pressure, leading to increased cord congestion, reduced tissue perfusion, and therefore venous cord ischemia. However, the nidus-type AVM might be more fragile, which could lead to more frequent rupture.
The difference in the mean age at first presentation may be related to the preferential clinical manifestations because progressive myelopathy manifests itself if there is significant radicular venous outflow obstruction that occurs later in life.
17 The mean age at first presentation was younger in nidus-type patients than in fistulous-type patients, which is not consistent with results from Lv et al 9 and Cho et al, 12 which indicated that the mean age at presentation was younger in the fistulous type. However, the age of patients with nidus-type AVMs in our study (mean age, 24.2 years) is comparable with a recent meta-analysis of 293 nidus-type AVMs where they reported a mean age at presentation of 29.1 years. 13
A higher rate of complete obliteration could be achieved with the fistulous-type AVMs. This may explain the difference in the mean follow-up period between the 2 types because the completely obliterated lesions did not undergo further follow-up. Treatment options for fistulous types are determined by the size of the vessels.
18 Microsurgery may be preferred if the feeding artery is too small for microcatheter navigation although the ventrally located fistulas are still challenging. Embolization is the first line of treatment in our institution in most other cases. For nidus-type AVMs, with conditions such as multiple feeders or a high risk of anterior spinal arterial compromise, treatment may be challenging or result in incomplete obliteration. However, treatment does have role in these patients if one can demonstrate reduction in bleeding rate after partial embolization. In a recent meta-analysis, 13 a hemorrhage risk of nidus-type AVMs before treatment was 4%/y in unruptured AVMs and 10% for AVMs with previous hemorrhage. In this meta-analysis, it was stated that the hemorrhage rate decreased significantly even after partial obliteration. Therefore, we propose that the goal of treatment of nidus-type AVMs presenting with hemorrhage should be the identification and elimination of focal areas of weakness such as aneurysms. In patients presenting with hemorrhage, we found a probable cause for the hemorrhage in 11 patients, which could be eliminated by embolization in all cases. The hemorrhagic rate in partially treated patients was 2.9%/y (ie | 1.399196 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
, 3 hemorrhages in 102 patient-years of follow-up), which is significantly lower than the reported annual rupture rate of previously ruptured AVMs according to the aforementioned meta-analysis. 13 In those patients who rebled several years after treatment, we found a change in the angioarchitecture. Because belated recurrences occurred in 2 of our patients after initial angiographic complete obliteration, we are now advocating to perform the belated angiography at 12 months rather than 2 to 4 months to determine the success of the embolization
Regardless of the AVM type, patients who presented with congestive myelopathy did not experience hemorrhage during follow-up. However, clinical presentation that progressed from hemorrhage to congestive myelopathy was noted in 5 patients. These results may suggest that the long-term prognosis of patients with congestive myelopathic presentation may differ from the patients who present with hemorrhage. The patients who experienced progression from hemorrhage to congestive myelopathy were all nidus-type patients who initially presented with intramedullary hemorrhage.
In conclusion, clinical features and long-term prognosis of actively treated spinal cord AVMs differ according to their types, nidus versus fistulous. This in turn may be related to a lower complete obliteration rate after treatment in nidus-type AVMs as well as different inherent hemodynamics between the 2 types.
Acknowledgments
We thank the members of the Toronto Vascular Malformation Study Group for many fruitful discussions and critical review of the article.
Disclosures
None.
Received May 9, 2014. Accepted June 24, 2014. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc. References 1.↵ 2.↵ 3.↵ 4.↵ 5.↵ 6.↵ 7.↵ 8.↵ Rodesch G, Hurth M, Alvarez H, Ducot B, Tadie M, Lasjaunias P 9.↵ 10.↵ 11.↵ 12.↵ 13.↵ 14.↵ Gilbertson JR, Miller GM, Goldman MS, Marsh WR 15.↵ 16.↵ Aminoff MJ, Logue V 17.↵ 18.↵ Ducruet AF, Crowley RW, McDougall CG, Albuquerque FC. As with most studies of this sort to date, this work focused primarily on AAA prevention, rather than looking at efficacy in existing aneurysms.
Historically, the murine angiotensin II AAA model has been used in most studies that examine the therapeutic potential of microRNAs in AAA. This model has some limitations and features somewhat unique pathophysiology, including mural disruption and hematoma formation, with aneurysms positioned primarily in the suprarenal abdominal aorta (although human AAA disease is primarily infrarenal). Therefore, translational applicability to human use needs to be viewed with caution. However, the current work of Kim et al
8 represents an important step toward the eventual goal of defusing these vascular threats. Sources of Funding
Research in the Tsao laboratory is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health (HL101388, HL105299, and HL122939) and the Veterans Administration Office of Research and Development. The Maegdefessel laboratory is supported by the Karolinska Institute Cardiovascular Program Career Development Grant and the Swedish Heart-Lung-Foundation (20120615).
Disclosures
None.
© 2014 American Heart Association, Inc. References 1.↵ Go AS, Mozaffarian D, Roger VL, et al 2.↵ 3.↵ 4.↵ Maegdefessel L, Azuma J, Toh R, Deng A, Merk DR, Raiesdana A, Leeper NJ, Raaz U, Schoelmerich AM, McConnell MV, Dalman RL, Spin JM, Tsao PS 5.↵ Boon RA, Seeger T, Heydt S, Fischer A, Hergenreider E, Horrevoets AJ, Vinciguerra M, Rosenthal N, Sciacca S, Pilato M, van Heijningen P, Essers J, Brandes RP, Zeiher AM, Dimmeler S 6.↵ 7.↵ Hsu SD, Tseng YT, Shrestha S, et al 8.↵ Kim CW, Kumar S, Son DJ, Jang IH, Griendling KK, Jo H | 1.373687 | 969 | 967 |
To Serve & Protect Compared to the typical entrepreneur, Jay Sorensen seems an unlikely candidate for success. A few jobs didn't work out, his career was foundering... ...and then he got his big break--his divine inspiration--from a drive-through window and a tumbling cup of hot coffee.
(FORTUNE Small Business) – As "eureka!" moments go, the precise instant of Jay Sorensen's Big Idea is closer to a Sad Sack comic than an Edison-style epiphany. One morning in the spring of 1991, Sorensen dropped his daughter off at school and then headed to a restaurant drive-through, where he promptly dumped 12 ounces of scalding coffee into his lap. The thin paper cup was way too hot to hold. He wasn't burned, but that kind of thing had happened to him before, and, after the usual stream of curses and a wad of sodden napkins, Sorensen set out to find a solution.
That quest led to a lot of experimenting and, ultimately, one very successful product: the Java Jacket, an insulating cardboard sleeve that wraps around a takeout coffee cup and allows people to drink their morning brew without risking a trip to the burn center. Admittedly, that invention may not put Sorensen in the same league as Louis Pasteur or Jonas Salk, but it should gain him some recognition among hard-core coffee hounds for finally separating pain from pleasure. It has also made him a successful business owner. Sorensen launched Java Jacket Inc. on less than $20,000 in 1993; this year his four-person operation (including wife Colleen) will take in revenue of nearly $8 million and crank out more than 250 million sleeves. Equally impressive, Sorensen has successfully fought off Starbucks. The coffee colossus claimed early interest in his product, strung him along for months, and then turned him away. Soon after, Starbucks tried to infringe on his patent with its own sleeve, but the Java Jacket remained the category leader.
It's the kind of thing that seems like it can't happen anymore--a moment of insight leads to an oddball product that becomes a runaway success. Given how much the business world is dominated by massive corporations and MBA-wielding market researchers, how did someone like Sorensen find such a specific niche to conquer? Not through the usual methods, like years of industry experience or professional connections or a bulletproof business plan. No, in Sorensen's case--and he'd be the first to admit this--it was more like dumb luck.
Like many success stories, this one begins with failure. In the 1980s Sorensen had been laboring quite happily in the family business, a service station in Portland, Ore., until Shell Oil abruptly terminated the lease. That bumped Sorensen out of a steady job and into selling real estate, a pursuit that sorely tested his drive, or lack thereof. "I was bad at it," he concedes. "I was pretty pathetic, really." Designing a new coffee cup seemed noble by comparison.
The Java Jacket began with the makings of a rainy-day crafts project--Sorensen at his kitchen table with corrugated paper and scissors, trying to make an insulated cup. He eventually put a prototype together, but realized that insulated cups wouldn't stack easily and thus couldn't be shipped efficiently. That led him to design a folding cardboard sleeve--like producing clothes for the doll rather than the doll itself. Sorensen made the sleeve but found that regular cardboard didn't insulate well. To that end, he sought inspiration from higher sources. "I started looking at toilet paper and paper towels," he recalls.
What made those products intriguing to Sorensen was their embossed look and feel. To give the Java Jacket those qualities, he paid a "converter"--a manufacturer that turns raw paper into customized products--$15,000 to make him 100,000 sleeves with a waffled, embossed texture. Now all Sorensen had to do was find somebody to buy them.
In the spring of 1993 he did the logical thing, knocking on the door at Starbucks. "They liked it. They wanted an exclusive," he says. Initially that was fine with him. "I was broke. I needed to make a buck." But the partnership never happened. For eight months, Sorensen says, the company repeatedly asked for changes and then tried to play hardball on price. He refused, and Starbucks dropped him with no deal.
Bedraggled and nearly impoverished, Sor-ensen then approached the opposition: Coffee People, a Portland chain founded in the anti-Starbucks mold. At Coffee People, Sorensen met the founder, who took one look at the Java Jacket | 1.572119 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
and said, "I'll take 10,000." The next week Sorensen spent his last $1,000 on a booth at a trade show, Coffee Fest Seattle, where he received 100 orders. Six months later Java Jacket was in the black to stay.
all along, Sorensen had been interested in protecting his idea. He filed for a patent in 1994, and the following year he was granted patent No. 5425497. That proved timely, as soon after--big surprise--Starbucks began test-marketing its own version of a coffee sleeve. "It was a direct infringement of ours," says Sorensen, no longer speaking like a gas pump jockey but like a man suddenly able to engage legal counsel. "We filed a cease-and-desist order." Starbucks complied and then designed its way around Sorensen's patents, eventually coming up with a similarly alliterative product, the Coffee Clutch (which is also patented). A Starbucks spokeswoman acknowledges "some conversations" with Sorensen but says, "We were also researching other options. In the end we elected to develop our own sleeve."
The Java Jacket and the Coffee Clutch look similar but are made from different materials. The Coffee Clutch uses corrugated paper, while the Java Jacket uses chipboard (paper containing wood chips) that has been run through an embosser to give it better insulating value. In fact, nine of the 16 claims on Sor-ensen's patent relate to the waffling. What requires so much elaboration? "Spacing. Depth. All sorts of things," Sorensen offers, then fesses up. "Basically the attorneys write a bunch of b.s. and hope they bore the patent examiner to death and he'll approve it."
Meanwhile, the origins of the Coffee Clutch are also a bit vague. Starbucks developed it in concert with LBP Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Chicago-based Terrace Paper. Matt Cook, LBP's president, says he approached Starbucks after it started running afoul of the environmental police over using two cups ("double cupping" in industry lingo). Cook also claims that the Java Jacket and the Coffee Clutch evolved independently during the same time frame. Sorensen scoffs at that account. "It was a minimum of three years after we talked to Starbucks before the LBP product was used by them," he says. (For more on patent disputes, see "Small Business Rip-Off" on page 50.)
Cook and Sorensen profess to know little of each other, and it shows in their penchant for backhanded compliments. "He [Sorensen] has gone at this more entrepreneurially, while we've done it from a manufacturing standpoint," says Cook. Translation: We're the pros; he's the flake from Oregon. LBP will not disclose numbers other than to say that "billions" of Coffee Clutches have been sold, with billions more on the way.
Verbal sparring aside, the two say they do their best to stay out of each other's way, and to date they appear to have skillfully carved up a hot, recession-resistant market. Sorensen's customers include more specialty outlets, while LBP focuses on larger chains and convenience stores. (The Coffee Clutch gets licensed out to Starbucks and other companies.) Both men seem happy with what they have. Sorensen thinks every Coffee Clutch used actually reinforces his brand identity. Cook, just back from a week in Japan, talks enthusiastically about how gourmet coffee is now growing globally, and he's happy to serve as camp follower to Starbucks on its march toward world domination.
What is really brilliant about the idea of a coffee sleeve, though--and Sorensen does seem to deserve full credit for the idea--is not just its trivial utility but its microeconomic elegance. It's a near-perfect product. Consider: The main alternative to the Java Jacket is a second paper cup, which costs the retailer twice what a jacket costs--roughly 6 cents vs. 3 cents. Moreover, the second cup exudes a let-them-suck-ozone attitude when it comes to the environment. "Double cupping" promises as much PR upside as Joe Camel. On top of that, only about 35% of drinks at a typical coffee shop go out the door too hot to handle. The balance are either iced drinks or lattes, "which cool off much faster," says Sorensen. Thus, the jacket lets retailers insulate only those cups that truly threaten bodily harm.
Sorensen declines to disclose margins or profits, but allows that a probable downside to this article will be 20 unsolicited calls from brokers seeking to mismanage his money. All in all, it's a good life. He has two manufacturers producing jackets. He has major national food distributors like Sys | 1.74257 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Nymox Announces New Positive Results at 54 Months in Long Term Study of NX-1207 for Benign Prostatic HyperplasiaHASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 30, 2008 - Nymox Pharmaceutical Corporation (NASDAQ: NYMX) today announced new positive results from a long term outcome study of NX-1207 for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The study evaluated symptomatic progress of U.S. patients involved in the Company's two Phase 1-2 studies initiated in 2003. Patients treated with NX-1207 were followed-up on an unselected and as available basis and assessed for symptomatic improvement, treatment outcomes, and durability of efficacy 54 months after NX-1207 treatment. These subjects were last assessed at 42 months after treatment.
Overall, 75% of the patients in the new outcome study treated with NX-1207 reported no current drug treatment for their BPH and had a mean improvement of 11.1 points in AUA Symptom Score. In addition, 38% of the patients reported no other approved treatments at any time for their BPH since their original treatment with NX-1207, with a mean improvement of 9.8 points. This sustained improvement in BPH symptom score after NX-1207 treatment compares favorably to the 3.5 to 5 points reported in published studies of currently approved BPH drugs, which, unlike NX-1207 treatment, require uninterrupted, daily administration to be effective.
Paul Averback, CEO of Nymox, said, "This new data on NX-1207 showing sustained symptomatic improvement after 54 months provides further evidence of enduring benefits from NX-1207 treatment for BPH. NX-1207 thus far has had none of the well known sexual and other bothersome side effects of other BPH treatments."
In the NX-1207 studies, subjects received a one-time single dose of NX-1207 administered by intraprostatic injection by a urologist in an office setting. The entire procedure lasted on average 5-10 minutes, with the injection taking 1-2 minutes, and did not require anesthesia or catheterization. There have been no significant side effects from NX-1207 in the trials to date.
Overall, subjects in the most recent study's Intent-to-Treat group who received 2.5 mg of NX-1207 reported a mean improvement in total AUA BPH Symptom Score of 9.71 points after 90 days as compared to the mean improvement of 4.13 points for subjects randomized to finasteride, an approved drug treatment for BPH. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The AUA BPH Symptom Score measures self-assessed severity of BPH symptoms in 7 areas: 1) sensation of incomplete emptying of the bladder; 2) need to urinate frequently; 3) stopping and starting during urination; 4) urgent need to urinate; 5) weakness of urinary stream; 6) need to push or strain during urination; and 7) urination during sleep (nocturia). Published studies of currently approved drugs for BPH show AUA BPH Symptom Score improvement typically in the 3.5 to 5 point range.
The results of the blinded clinical trials to date have shown that men treated with NX-1207 reported statistically significant improvement in BPH symptoms 3 months after a single NX-1207 treatment. In two multi-center Phase 2 U.S. prospective randomized blinded clinical trials, the aggregated mean improvement in the Primary Endpoint of BPH Symptom Score for 2.5 mg NX-1207 was 10.3 points or a 44% improvement in Symptom Score. To date, subjects treated with NX-1207 have reported no serious side effects from the treatment, including no (0%) significant sexual side effects.
BPH treatment represents a growing market with more than 100 million men worldwide being estimated to suffer from BPH symptoms. The disorder is a common affliction of older men, affecting approximately half of men over age 50 and close to 90% of men by age 80, and is associated with growth in prostate size as men age. BPH causes difficulties with urination associated with aging, such as urination at night, urge to void frequently, hesitancy, weak stream, and other problems, and can cause acute urinary retention requiring immediate medical attention.
More information about Nymox is available at www.nymox.com, email: info@nymox.com, or 800 | 1.067742 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Why chaplaincy? Subject: Chaplains (Services)
Chaplains (Analysis)
Author: Fair, David J. Pub Date: 09/22/2009 Publication: Name: Annals of the American Psychotherapy Association Publisher: American Psychotherapy Association Audience: Academic; Professional Format: Magazine/Journal Subject: Psychology and mental health Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 American Psychotherapy Association ISSN: 1535-4075 Issue: Date: Fall, 2009 Source Volume: 12 Source Issue: 3 Topic: Event Code: 360 Services information Geographic: Geographic Scope: United States Geographic Code: 1USA United States Accession Number: 208639919 Full Text: I'm often asked that question.
Our country today operates with basic spiritual underpinnings. Regardless of the faith tradition one follows, our country was founded with spiritual roots.
America has become a melting pot of cultures and religions, all bringing with them various rituals and customs. No matter what the setting, there is a need to provide chaplain services to all, regardless of faith, tradition, or venue.
Some fear the word chaplain because of its negative connotations. People often get the mental picture of a Bible-thumping preacher spouting fire and brimstone. But nothing could be further from the truth. A chaplain is a person who is there to offer practical assistance in most any situation.
The first tenet of chaplaincy is to do no further harm. It is often said, "A preacher does not necessarily a good chaplain make." Unfortunately, well-meaning members of the clergy from all faith traditions can do more harm than good.
A minister is free to preach the party line from the pulpit, but when he or she walks out the door and puts on his or her chaplain's hat, it becomes a whole new ball game.
The main thing chaplains are taught to remember is that it should always be about the person; it should never be about the chaplain. If they keep that in mind, they will be a good chaplain.
I'm a Protestant with a Jewish heritage. I remember my peers not understanding why I obtained a certification from the National Islamic Chaplain College. My explanation was simple: to be able to know enough about the religion to facilitate for Muslims in the hospital or law enforcement agency where I served.
I am reminded of a story I once heard about a patient in a hospital. When a nurse walked in the room, she was horrified to see a person with a bloody chicken near the patient. She called for hospital security. Fortunately, someone called the knowledgeable hospital chaplain. He discovered the patient had called for a Santeria Priest and the chaplain was able to facilitate taking the patient to an unused operating room. Here, the priest could conduct the ritual and the room could easily be sanitized when finished.
People fear what they don't understand. There are some ministers who fear they are compromising their own faith if they perform services for someone of another denomination or religion. But the fact is that most clergymen are not that insecure.
Chaplains who have a combination of good education, training, and experience do an outstanding job whereever they serve; they perform a much needed service.
In hospitals, for example, they assist families and staff in dealing with end-of-life issues, often helping to bring family members to one accord on difficult decisions.
In law enforcement, chaplains can bring comfort to the family who has lost a child or the officer going through a divorce.
While serving in the workplace, the chaplain may assist a worker with an anger issue or help the management to institute a wellness program.
It is hard to think of a venue where chaplains don't serve. While their primary jobs were once only in hospitals or battlefields, chaplains are now found in schools, universities, nursing homes, wellness centers, and just about anywhere an encouraging word will be of benefit.
No longer do chaplains just do marriages and funerals; they are found doing many practical jobs in virtually any venue.
As a chaplain, we don't have to say a lot; it is just being there that counts. This is why it is called "The Ministry of Presence."
David J. Fair, PhD, CHS-IV, ACMC-III
David J. Fair, PhD, CHS-IV, ACMC-III holds a PhD in Pastoral Counseling and Psychology from Bethel Bible College and Seminary.
Dr. Fair is President of the American Association of Police Officers and CEO of Homeland Crisis Institute. He is Certified in Homeland Security Level Four (CHS-IV) and Certified by the Academy of Certified Chaplains Level Three (ACMC-III).As a member of the Academy of Certified Chaplains Advisory Board, he also serves on the curriculum committee of the American Board for Certification in Homeland Security as well as the editorial advisory board for Inside Homeland | 1.462908 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Sat 8 Mar 2014
Lent has begun and here in this old house, we are focusing in our daily readings on the battle between the good that we want to do and don’t, and the bad we don’t want to do and do. Even the weather is in a tug-of-war between winter one day, spring the next, and back to snow the following day.
On the first Sunday in Lent, the Church begins with the Gospel reading focusing on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. Living here in Colorado, wilderness is a lovely thing. We fight to protect our wilderness areas that are often breathtakingly beautiful: mountains, streams, forests. It wasn’t until about 15 years ago when I first saw the Judean wilderness in Israel that I understood the Biblical concept of wilderness. The Judean wilderness is stark, barren, monochromatic (except for a short time after the spring rains), desolate, deadly. The Dead Sea is in the heart of it and symbolizes the lifeless feeling of the area. The thought of spending forty days and nights in that place by myself with no provision or protection gave me a whole new appreciation for Jesus’ strength that came through his fasting as well as his ability to say no to rocks-turned-into-bread. I wonder if Satan made those rocks smell like a local bakery, heightening the hunger pangs Jesus was experiencing by then.
It took me a long time to not be afraid of the wilderness near my house, one that interfaces pretty closely with the urban environment but still has elements of wildness about it. I was raised to be afraid of the woods. My grandparents had a farm in Illinois and a small child lost in those immense cornfields is a dangerous situation. Children have died of dehydration before being found in the immensity of those tall, close together stocks. Unfortunately, I was kept from dashing into them to explore by frightening me with the idea of snakes in there (which there were but I don’t think I had ever even seen at that young age). This is a fear I have not fully overcome in my adult life. It used to be I couldn’t even see a picture of a snake in a book without a violent, visceral response but I am better now.
One of two times in 30 years that I have called my husband at work and demanded he come home immediately was when what I thought there was a small rattlesnake wedged between the screen and hardware cloth in our lower front door. By the time he drove the two miles home, I was starting to pack to move out. Because this old house has no foundation, I was sure there was a nest of rattlesnakes down in our dirt-walled crawl space.
It turned out to be a bull snake.
I learned to appreciate bull snakes, even as I didn’t want to see them or have them close to the house, because if you have bull snakes, you will not have rattlesnakes. Bull snakes kill rattlers. Rattlers don’t have to be as fast as they are poisonous and so a faster bull snake can kill a rattlesnake. I have never seen it happen, nor do I care to, but I would always rescue the bull snakes from the cats. I would spray the cat in the face with water so it would drop the snake, letting it escape to freedom, if a bit worse for the wear.
With that history, learning to walk in the woods everyday behind my house for exercise was an act of sheer will. I made myself go farther and farther until I had a 3 1/4 mile exercise loop. There are still days when I am up there with few to no other hikers around that I feel a bit spooked, more now by an awareness of mountain lions. I sing or call “here, kitty, kitty” just to let them and any bears, especially mothers with cubs, know that I am in the area. And it seems like once a year, I come across a huge bull snake in the path. They still freak me out. I must be quite a sight hopping up and down and yelling at the snake to move, which it never seems to be in a hurry to do.
But compared to what Jesus must have encountered in that wilderness in Judea, a five-foot bull snake seems pretty minor. | 1.776141 | 888 | 887 |
New Ways to Dismantle a Ticking Time Bomb MicroRNA 712/205 and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Development
Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are permanent dilations (>3 cm) of the abdominal aorta that are typically asymptomatic, and the discovery of these potentially deadly vascular lesions is almost always incidental. The most feared clinical consequence of AAA progression is acute rupture, which carries a mortality of 80%, and the number of deaths attributed to AAA rupture is ≈15 000 annually in the United States.
1 However, this number is likely an underestimate because death from AAA rupture may not be readily identified without an autopsy. Sixty percent of patients with AAAs die of other cardiovascular causes, such as myocardial infarction or stroke, suggesting a relationship between AAAs and atherosclerosis. Predictors of AAA growth include diameter of the aorta at diagnosis, advanced age (>65 years), and active smoking. 2 Currently, the only available effective treatment option is surgical repair, either via the traditional open approach or, more commonly, endovascular stenting. Furthermore, neither procedure is used in the early stages of the disease, and both carry potential operative risks. Although AAA disease is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in our aging society, it remains a somewhat understudied disease, with a paucity of information available regarding defined mechanisms of initiation and expansion. Importantly, no pharmacological treatment option has been found to prevent the formation of AAAs or effectively slow the growth of these ticking time bombs.
See accompanying article on page 1412
In this dismaying scenario, the discovery of an entirely new method of epigenetic regulation of AAA biology through microRNAs and their recent validation as potential markers and modulators of pathological conditions provides new hope for innovative AAA therapy and identification. Inhibition or overexpression of a single microRNA can regulate numerous target genes involved in the coordination of complex pathophysiological processes and disease phenotypes in a wide variety of diseases. Many studies are now beginning to examine the potential of microRNAs as therapeutic and diagnostic entities.
The pathology of AAAs is characterized by progressive aortic dilation, promoted by an imbalance of vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis versus proliferation, as well as extracellular matrix degradation versus synthesis. This disruption of vessel wall homeostasis is related in large part to localized transmural inflammation.
3 Although previous studies on microRNA regulation in AAA disease have mostly focused on their role in smooth muscle cell apoptosis 4 and protective profibrotic mechanisms in matrix remodeling, 5,6 the article by Kim et al 8 that appears in the current issue of ATVB identifies a novel and crucial role for microRNA 712 and its human homolog microRNA 205 in the aortic wall. They demonstrate that the angiotensin II–sensitive microRNAs 712/205 target the genes tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 ( Timp3) and reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs ( Reck), which they confirm as important contributors in murine AAA development by controlling aortic metalloproteinase activity and triggering a proinflammatory response through downstream extracellular matrix degradation in the vessel wall (Figure).
Of importance, they were able to correlate the findings of their experimental animal studies to alterations in microRNA expression in human AAA samples when compared with nonaneurysmal control tissue. Although the authors concentrated primarily on the upregulation of microRNA 712/205 in endothelial cells, there were also significant alterations in the medial layer. In addition, both angiotensin II and microRNA 712/205 manipulation affected circulating leukocyte adhesiveness, further highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway and implying other mechanisms at play. Notably, the in silico predicted target
Lrp1 was not altered by microRNA 712/205 manipulation in the murine model, a common pitfall in microRNA studies. Future studies looking at microRNA 205 in human tissue will need to verify target regulation, including validated targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor A and connective tissue growth factor (which might well affect AAA biology) 7 and will need to clarify potential interactions with more comprehensive patient clinical characteristics.
Treatment-directed studies using antagomirs against microRNA 712 in the angiotensin II–induced AAA model revealed therapeutic potential for anti-microRNA 712, limiting AAA development by derepressing expression levels of
Timp3 and Reck. As with other anti-microRNA treatments for cardiovascular disease, potential off-target effects in organ systems that assimilate systemically administered microRNA modulators to a much higher degree (eg, liver, kidney) would need to be taken into account when developing future therapeutic strategies for AAAs in humans | 1.366641 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Walk into a dark room and flip a light switch on.
This simple action connected an electrical circuit and caused a light to illuminate the room. That switch is a mechanical relay. Relays are fundamental building blocks that allow circuits to be operated and are found in every day products. At GE Global Research, we miniaturized the relay using MEMS technology to create ultra small switches (about the width of a single hair strand) that are able to turn electrical systems, such as a light bulb, on and off. Historically, MEMS devices have been made to sense or control signals. Our MEMS microswitch is able to switch and control power; not just signal power but hundreds of watts, even kilowatts of power.
Now MEMS switches are nothing new, people have been researching and developing this technology for well over a decade. What we have done at Global Research is develop the materials, the designs and the fabrication techniques that extend this miniature switching technology’s power handling capability by nearly 2 orders of magnitude. This enables our MEMS microswitch devices to serve a wide range of applications from handheld electronics such as cell phones, to relays that control lighting and even electrical protection devices such as circuit breakers.
Last week we gave you a glimpse into how we make these metal MEMS devices in a cleanroom. We fabricate these metal MEMS switches on silicon wafers for applications that require higher power (relays) and we fabricate these switches on quartz wafers for applications that require higher signal frequency (RF communications). On a single small chip we are able to pack hundreds of microscopic relays together that work in unison to switch up to 500V and control a few amperes of current. Also, because we miniaturized the relay to be smaller than a human hair it is 1000 times faster than traditional mechanical relays while still retaining the low on state resistance of a mechanical relay.
Imagine what you can do with ultra small switches . . . where can they go? . . . what can they control?. . . We are doing just that every day in our labs at GE Global Research. Now, we are investigating how to apply this technology to improve energy, healthcare and infrastructure challenges facing today’s world.
In following video, we take you inside our lab to show you how these relays are so small, yet so powerful. Take a look and let us know what you think. Where would you use switches like these?Are you taking full advantage of your call tracking platform?
Thousands of businesses employ the data that call tracking offers to optimize their marketing strategy and improve ROI.
In previous posts, we’ve provided guidance on the best places to put call tracking numbers.
Today, we will be examining some of the top ways to use the data extracted with call tracking technology.
A basic overview of call tracking data can be generated through reports with your provider. Marketers use these reports to gather and analyze the information that is associated with these numbers.
The primary purpose of these reports is to tell marketers which ads, campaigns and sources are generating phone calls. The reports can also reveal more detailed information such as the timing, duration and geographic location of these calls.
How many phone calls are being generated through Google searches? How many of them come through from other channels? Call tracking numbers can tie specific phone calls to the specific referring sources that produced them.
Call tracking numbers are often used to identify phone calls from specific URLs. These URLs can be associated with a variety of things such as PPC ads and directory listings. This type of data makes it possible for marketers to distinguish between the URLs that are generating phone calls and those that are not.
Marketers that use session-based or keyword call tracking are able to determine the organic keywords that lead to a phone call. This is accomplished by having a unique phone number displayed to each individual website visitor and then associating that number with the keywords used to find the webpage.
This type of DNI call tracking can be advantageous in the right circumstances. If you’d like to learn more about keyword call tracking then you can check out this blog post.
Many of our clients use call tracking numbers for the purpose of collecting data from the calls themselves rather than the events that led to the call.
At Convirza, every phone call that is generated through one of our call tracking numbers is recorded. Some companies also use Convirza’s call tracking platform to record outbound calls.
In addition to using call tracking numbers for recording call content, some clients take utilize our platform to extract critical metrics from the phone calls.
Calls can be scored and graded on a wide range of criteria or to extract a few key metrics requested by the client.
If you are interested in finding out what your sales team’s close rate is then call tracking numbers are an option. Using call scoring to keep track of close rates can be an effective sales training tool.
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1. It has been established that athletes and bodybuilders need more protein to insure fast recovery and new muscle growth. This leads to the need of a good intake of protein. Before we further delve into the topic, let’s take a look at what proteins are.
Proteins are one of three macronutrients used by the body for energy. These macronutrients include protein, carbs and fats.
In addition to its muscle building properties, protein also provides the following benefits:
It keeps a balanced PH level in the blood.
It preserves muscle tissues during dieting or cuts.
It helps in building and maintaining proper hormone levels.
It is necessary for chemical reactions to take place.
It keeps the body’s immune system functioning properly.
It helps in regulating the body’s fluid balance.
While working out at the gym, your muscles are depleted of glycogen leading to damage that requires repair. Protein then plays a vital role in muscle recovery. A steady stream of protein ensures a proper nitrogen balance. A positive nitrogen balance allows your body to be in muscle repair mode. The faster your muscles repair, the faster you recover. Conversely, under-eating protein foods create a negative nitrogen balance. In this state, it will take longer to recover. Extra protein is essential, especially for athletes who have frequent workouts, or for athletes who are cutting fat.
Typical protein food sources include: eggs, cheese, milk, chicken, seafood, fish, poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, soy, nuts and legumes. Small amounts of protein can also be found in fatty and starchy foods. Because protein levels in these foods are minimal, they are generally overlooked by bodybuilders and athletes when a protein diet is structured.
Protein supplement foods have grown in popularity over the last 30 years because of several factors. They are convenient, and require no cooking time. Protein supplements are also cost effective, and can provide an average serving cost far below that of typical protein foods. These are utilized to assist bodybuilders and athletes to achieve their desired daily protein intake requirements. Types of protein supplements include protein powders, protein bars, weight gainers and meal replacements.
Below is a sample Protein Supplementation Plan:
The following is a list of suggested times for various protein supplements. It is not recommended that you eat only protein supplement foods. Protein variety is essential for good health and muscle mass.
Morning – Protein shake, whey/casein protein powder blend.
Mid-Morning – Protein Bar
Lunch – Protein shake, slow digesting protein source such as casein or egg protein.
Mid-Afternoon – Protein Bar
Pre-Workout – Whey protein shake, fast digesting protein source. Waxy maize.
Workout - Whey protein and waxy maize.
Post-workout - Protein shake, whey/casein protein powder blend. Waxy maize.
Before Bed - Protein shake, slow digesting protein source such as casein or egg protein.
We hope our comprehensive guide on proteins was useful to you. Visit www.vitaminplanet.in/protein to learn about our best offerings on protein supplements.Issues Blog Library Events Media About Donate
Posted August 15, 2013 by Andrew Ranallo
As two of the largest free trade agreements (TTIP and TPP) in history are being negotiated, free trade agreements like these will become more entrenched in our lives than ever before. Unfortunately, the tangle of rules and regulations—mostly design to keep intact and strengthen corporate interests—can create serious roadblocks for real, earnest work to improve sustainability on the national, state and even local levels. Yes, as local governments work to build policy that includes sustainability standards, they may be on the wrong side of international trade law.
A new IATP report,
Sustainability Criteria, Biofuel Policy and Trade Rules makes very clear that if we hope to change policy in any arena—pushing for lower GHG emissions, reducing pollution, producing cleaner energy, or enabling local sourcing—understanding international trade law is an absolutely required first step.
Report author and trade lawyer Eric Gillman uses the state of biofuels policy as a backdrop—including real examples of current biofuel sustainability efforts—to set the stage for examining the larger implications of WTO trade law on all sorts of policy development:
If we are to construct the type of policies needed to address the multiple environmental, social and economic crises that we face, understanding how these policies interact with international trade rules is absolutely required. This paper is a first attempt—within the context of biofuel policy—to raise some of these questions and address necessary changes.
Download IATP’s new report,
Sustainability Criteria, Biofuel Policy and Trade Rules. | 1.742289 | 954 | 952 |
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The successful generalist must know more than HR; Well-rounded business skills are in demand.
Human resource practitioners have traditionally earned their credentials from the school of hard knocks—layoffs, lawsuits and labor disputes. But today’s leaner, more talent-focused companies are in search of generalists who have mastered a deeper strata of business skills along with a keen understanding of the HR spectrum. They want seasoned professionals who can steer the ship.
“Fifteen years ago, an HR professional was simply anointed a generalist by virtue of having had experience in a few different components of the job,” says Bob Gatti, president of Gatti & Associates, a Boston-based HR search and placement firm. “Now companies are looking for true generalists who have done an array of apprenticeships and have much more depth and all-around expertise.”
The challenge for ambitious generalists is to separate themselves from traditionally defined transactional roles, says Mike Bergen, managing partner for executive search firm Bergen Briller Group LLC in Newtown, Pa. “They need to move away from being seen as the ‘HR police,’ tactical and reactive. The new definition of a progressive generalist is business leader, having a keen sense of the company’s marketplace and an understanding of HR’s return on investment,” he says.
What must an HR generalist do to succeed? Experts agree that you must have a command of basic HR skills along with a grasp of some key functional specialties, the ability to benchmark HR’s effectiveness against other corporate business functions, an understanding of how employment and staffing programs fit into your company’s business goals, knowledge of key business principles and the ability to become a partner to your organization’s decision makers, the drive to continue your professional development and education as needed to keep up with changes in the profession, and an understanding of electronic HR and its benefits to your department and the company.
The Exceptional Generalist
What are the most basic skill sets for generalists working in traditional HR organizations? They should have some understanding of employee relations and employment law, as well as deeper knowledge of one or two functional specialties, such as recruiting, compensation or benefits. The generalist, at minimum, should also display good interpersonal and communications skills.
But is that enough?
“That might get you a job in the personnel office at ABC Trucking Co.,” Bergen says. “But forget about Dupont or GE.”
Bergen’s executive search firm places HR executives into such major corporations worldwide. Up front, his clients ask candidates to explain how they have helped make an organization more talent-driven.
This ability to demonstrate and articulate a direct connection between HR activities and business results is exactly what Libby Sartain, SPHR, would want in a generalist for her team at Yahoo! Inc. “When interviewing a candidate I’d first look for a solid work history with a good-sized company having a strong HR brand. Then, drilling down, I’d make sure he or she is strategic, able to assess conditions within a company and also outside of it—like the economy or the labor market—and really develop an agenda that meets the needs of the organization,” says the senior vice president for HR and chief people Yahoo at the Sunnyvale, Calif., Internet company.
She asks HR candidates “lots of questions about how they made decisions, how they determined which activities are most important and what specific value they added to the company. A lot get the first part right—how they created an agenda—but they can’t demonstrate the connection to the organization’s overall success. They may have indeed added value, but haven’t taken that thought process all the way,” says the 2001 chair of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM).
Yvonne Evans of Gaithersburg, Md., has had some recent experience on the other side of the interview desk. The compensation specialist for the Rockville, Md., regional office of the Whole Foods Market grocery chain is looking for a generalist position. She is preparing for her career leap by working toward her master’s degree in HR at the University of Maryland and by constantly seeking out new experiences on the job.
“I’m always looking for special projects to work on,” she says. “I’ve learned a lot, but I know I need to continue to build my management and leadership skills.”
Companies she’s interviewed with ask her how she has contributed to the bottom line, Evans says. She answers by providing examples. “For instance, I created an online training program in [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] regulations for Whole Foods’ HR staff around the country. They were able to learn from their own offices, thus saving the company travel expenses and lost HR productivity time | 1.790401 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
.”
Brian Teerlinck has heard the same questions on his interview rounds since Velocity Express in Milwaukee laid him off from his HR management position at the shipping and logistics provider. “A credible generalist will be able to demonstrate through metrics how he contributes to the company,” he says. “In my case, I can make the link from my workers’ comp experience to reduced turnover and increased revenues. I also spend a lot of time and energy analyzing trends, which is key to the generalist’s role.”
Keeping up with those trends can be challenging given today’s rapid pace of business and societal change. Business concepts that were considered innovative just five years ago have become outmoded and demand an updated perspective, according to Wayne Brockbank, a business professor at the University of Michigan who is collaborating with SHRM on a new Internet-based HR competency self-assessment tool and guidebook. (See “Test Your HR Aptitude,” right.)
“Change management is an old competency; the new competency is fast change,” Brockbank says. “HR professionals in high-performing companies have combined all the tools of speed enhancement with change management, because change only makes a difference if it is done ahead of the competition.”
The ‘Talent Scientist’
Demands on HR professionals have changed, agrees John W. Boudreau, professor of human resource studies at the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. “In general, much of the profession is still organized around practices and processes, and textbooks and curricula are still oriented around separate functions of HR,” he says. “But today, better companies are not benchmarking against HR practices, but against other professional business practices that exert greater power within organizations, like finance and marketing.”
These core functions exert such influence because their focus is on decisions, Boudreau says. “Finance is a decision science about money. Marketing is a decision science about customers,” he says. “HR must move toward becoming a decision science about talent.”
Being a 21st-century “talent scientist” requires much more than simply knowing how to conduct an effective recruitment and retention program. Beyond these standard HR functions is a universe of know-how that ranges from the technical to the purely instinctive.
Talent Acquisition and Development
An HR generalist’s recruitment and development programs can have a tangible impact on the company’s bottom line if the practitioner has the clout and skills to define positions, influence the compensation package and forge novel strategies for attracting top candidates, says Chuck Niles, president of The Human Resources Department Ltd., a Cleveland-based HR project management and consulting firm.
“Those who excel in this are those with highly developed communications skills, a talent for negotiation and the ability to build a great rapport with hiring managers,” Niles says.
As HR practices and programs become more sophisticated, they require deeper engagement and involvement of managers and employees. For example, managers are using technology to guide employees’ career decisions, enhance performance, determine rewards and recognitions, and handle employee relations, Boudreau says. The same technology enables employees to make more informed choices about career development and benefits.
An effective HR generalist will coach the managerial staff and employees in skills traditionally reserved for HR, such as understanding employee learning and motivation, Boudreau says.
“Companies are looking for staff at every level who can lead by example, aren’t afraid to take command of difficult projects, don’t hesitate to stand up and deliver the bad news, and demonstrate other leadership capabilities,” Gatti says.
Executive and managerial coaching is the fastest-growing outsourced HR service, so an HR professional who can take on this role can have a significant impact on the bottom line, Gatti says.
Business Insight and Foresight
In the 2002 edition of Gatti & Associates’ annual survey, “Top Five Competencies for Human Resources Professionals,” the business acumen category led the list for the first time and, in fact, far surpassed other entries.
“The ability to think and act strategically is key to the generalist’s job,” Gatti says. “The best people are looking far ahead, actively researching and making decisions about where the company should be in three years, five years or longer, and how HR will be an active player in that.”
Brockbank goes even further. It is HR’s role “to be so focused and knowledgeable about the business that they are able to challenge the intellectual rigor among the senior executive group,” he says. “At the senior level, one of the most difficult tasks is raising the level of strategic thinking among top executives. In the best-managed companies, that is the responsibility of HR. This is such a huge change that if you think about it long enough, it will blow your mind.”
Niles agrees that clients want generalists who understand their business. “If the company has a major initiative to launch four new products by 2005, the generalist should be pondering ways to double the college recruitment program next year,” he says.
Effective generalists will have experienced a number of | 1.923988 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
complex business transformations and can demonstrate their involvement as a change agent within the process. Battle scars from a merger/acquisition, a major downsizing, significant company growth or organized labor challenges set them apart from newly minted MBAs.
These front-line experiences are increasingly critical for the HR generalist, because in today’s business environment, constant change is standard operating procedure.
Traditionally, companies hired management consultants to handle significant business upheaval, such as dropping a product line or developing a new one, or mergers and acquisitions, and HR was left out, Gatti says. The HR industry finally realized that it should develop the ability to handle the workforce aspects of those changes.
But what of those generalists whose portfolios are light on trials-by-fire? “I encourage HR people at mid-level to step up and volunteer for the difficult assignments,” Gatti says. “Don’t just sit back and observe and take notes. Take charge of your career experiences instead.”
Career Development
Among other interpersonal skills, experience in a global environment is an attractive bonus for a generalist. Fluency in a second language is beneficial, of course, as is taking an international recruiting trip, key involvement in an overseas acquisition/merger or contact with overseas employees or contractors.
While developing those career-enhancing skills, don’t overlook formal education. “The value of pedigree and credentials never goes away,” says Bergen. Consequently, a degree from one of the top HR programs can increase your marketability.
What if you lack the appropriate sheepskin? You can demonstrate your commitment to staying on top of your profession by reading industry journals, taking professional development courses and seeking certification.
But expect competition from MBAs, many more of whom have entered HR in the past five years, Gatti says, adding that his clients often request candidates with that credential. HR generalists should make up for what they lack in formal education with real-world management experience.
You’re the Boss
Having management experience outside of HR is extremely valuable, notes Niles. “It gives you credibility with employees, and you become a better problem solver.”
A temporary management gig worked for Craig LaTorre, a graduate of the Cornell master’s program. A major global corporation recently recruited the senior-level generalist as vice president of HR. His new employers were particularly intrigued by his year-long stint as a warehouse distribution manager for PepsiCo Inc. in Roanoke, Va., he says. “That helped me understand on a very real level what my clients—our managers—were up against, running a 24/7 operation. I think it ultimately made me a better HR person.”
Teerlinck had a similar experience as temporary operations manager at one Velocity Express location. “My understanding of the nuts and bolts of that operation helped me make better HR decisions and I can now build off that.”
If such an assignment is not possible, educate yourself about every aspect of the company’s business by observing processes, reading the balance sheet and studying business texts, Bergen says. And try to acquire experience in managing external relationships—working closely with players such as executive search firms, HR outsourcers, advertising agencies, university career offices, professional associations, the local business community and health care providers. Such experience develops strategic skills, Bergen says.
Master Technology, Metrics
These days, technology and HR are partners, and generalists must learn to effectively use HR systems and the Internet.
Mastering HR analytics—No. 4 on the Gatti survey’s top five—enables generalists to collect and analyze data that can help executives and managers make better decisions. “Everything today is about scorecards and measurement of business impact,” says Bergen.
“Today’s generalist should be able to offer real-time data on the effect of a particular benefit on turnover, on the company’s success in recruiting from certain universities or the impact of specific rewards on retention—and be able to put that information on the desktop of every manager,” he says.
Find Your Style
Employers want smart, flexible HR people with short learning curves and a willingness to adapt. So decide early in your career to diversify: Spread yourself around complex, global organizations with a multitude of business operations that use the most progressive tools, systems and mentors.
LaTorre exemplifies the well-rounded generalist. After Pepsi came a period with a startup technical services company, where he built a staff from zero to 500 network engineers.
“My startup experience was very different from the corporate, but it made sense from a career standpoint,” he says. “I was able to apply what I had learned from both my graduate work and my professional experience, and apply it in a clean-slate environment with no legacy of processes and systems.”
The best HR pros exude personal panache, confidence and persuasive powers. “This business will always be relationship-driven,” says Bergen. Your personality is a factor, but those skills “can be acquired through years of rich experience at a forward-thinking HR organization,” he says.
An HR generalist with varied experience, a mix of critical skills, up-to-date credentials and | 2.023227 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Contaminant inputs from wastewater discharge, a major source of contamination to Santa Monica Bay (SMB), have declined drastically during the last three decades as a result of improved treatment processes and better source control. To assess the concomitant temporal changes in the SMB sediments, a study was initiated in June 1997, in which 25 box cores were collected using a stratified random sampling design. Five sediment strata corresponding to the time intervals of 1890-1920, 1932-1963, 1965-1979, 1979-1989, and 1989-1997 were identified using 210Pb dating techniques. Samples from each stratum were analyzed for metals, 1,1,1-Trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane (DDT) and its metabolites (DDTs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and total organic carbon (TOC). Samples from the 1965-1979, 1979-1989, and 1989-1997 strata were also analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs). Sediment metal concentrations increased from 1890-1979 and were similar during the time intervals of 1965-1979, 1979-1989, and 1989-1997, although the mass emissions of trace metals from sewage inputs declined substantially during the same time period. Trace organic contamination in SMB was generally highest in sediments corresponding to deposition during the years of 1965-1979 or 1979-1989 and showed a decline in concentration in the 1989-1997 stratum. Temporal trends of contamination were greatest in sediments collected from areas near the Hyperion Treatment Plant (HTP) outfall system and on the slope of Redondo Canyon. The highest contaminant concentrations were present in sediments near the HTP 7-mile outfall in the 1965-1979 stratum. Elevated trace metal and organic concentrations were still present in the 1989-1997 stratum of most stations, suggesting that sediment contaminants have moved vertically in the sediment column since sludge discharges from the 7-mile outfall (a dominant source of contamination to the bay) ceased in 1987. The widespread distributions of DDTs and PCBs in SMB and highly confined distribution of LABs around the HTP outfall system were indicative of a dispersal mechanism remobilizing historically deposited contaminants to areas relatively remote from the point of discharge. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Title:
Temporal and spatial distributions of contaminants in sediments of Santa Monica Bay, CaliforniaAnti-counterfeiting 3D barcodes could be molded into products
Although barcodes are currently utilized mainly to keep track of merchandise, they may soon also be used to detect counterfeit goods. We're not talking about ordinary barcode labels, however. Instead, British scientists at Sofmat Ltd and the University of Bradford have devised a new 3D barcode that's actually molded into plastic or composite items.
The system utilizes tiny pins that are integrated into the mold from which the product is made. Each pin can be set to different heights via micro actuators, with each 0.4-micron increment in height corresponding to a specific letter or numeral (0 - 9). The current prototype consists of a four-pin array, allowing for over 1.7 million unique configurations.
The resulting indentations in the finished item are difficult to see and impossible to feel, yet can be read using a white light interferometer or a laser-scanning confocal microscope – a compact laser scanner is in the works, which could wirelessly transmit readings to a smartphone or tablet.
Unlike the case with existing barcode labels, it is believed that counterfeiters would have great difficulty copying the 3D barcodes. They would also need to know the genuine product's 3D barcode in the first place, which would require one of the specialized scanners. Additionally, multiple codes could be included on each item, and the pins could even have unique patterns etched into their heads, which would be transferred onto the product.
The technology could also be applied to non-molded materials, with the patterns being stamped or embossed into their surface. It is hoped that the barcodes could eventually be used on everything from cars to smartphones to pharmaceuticals.
Source: University of Bradford | 1.177382 | 1,018 | 1,016 |
Excerpted from The Seeker's Guide to the Rosary by Liz Kelly. Used with permission.
I came to this task of writing about the rosary with some degree of trepidation. I'm hardly an example of prayerful piety-the course of my rosary devotion has been about as focused as the travels of a housefly: fit to short bursts of buzzing here and there and everywhere, at no one place for too long. On the other hand, my experience is hardly unique. And I can testify that rosary meditation is a powerful spiritual tool-even for someone with a scattered and inconsistent devotional past.
In my family, rosary devotion was practiced primarily by my mother, whose name, appropriately enough, is Mary. On Christmas Eve, she would gather us all together in front of the enormous Nativity scene my father had built out of scraps of barn wood. Before we opened our presents (which were abundant with nine people in our family) my father would lead us all in the rosary. This moment, one of the most peaceful in our house all year long, is a fond memory for me. The whole family was together, preparing for this great celebration by recalling the joyful mysteries and remembering first and foremost the reason for Christmas. I must admit, however, that while I was praying my thoughts would wander toward the presents waiting under the tree. Although I was fond of the rosary, I wasn't exactly a skilled meditator at the time.
My rosary devotion came and went through the years as I dipped into other religions, agnosticism, and radical feminism and experienced a variety of dark nights of the soul. I left my rosary devotion behind in my first year of college, when I lived next door to two southern "Bible-Belters" who convinced me with their dazzling recall of Scripture that I was surely no Christian because I was Catholic. They would look at the crucifix around my neck and say, "Haven't you heard? He rose from the dead-he's not on the cross anymore." Slowly but surely, out of my own ignorance and deficient religious training, I began to drop my devotion to all things Catholic.
For several years I faithfully attended Protestant churches and Bible studies, where I learned to pray the Scriptures. I knew the rosary to be a Scripture-based meditation, but I did not pray it during this period. The problem was that all of my prayers seemed fruitless. I couldn't quiet myself enough to pray. I lacked and longed for clarity of thought. I couldn't seem to penetrate my emotional-intellectual-spiritual fog long enough to reach those quiet, contemplative places where God had really spoken to me in the past. I ached in my heart for the simplicity of the times when I walked with and talked to the holy family while picking flowers behind my house.
I briefly picked up the rosary again following a pilgrimage I made during my first year of graduate school. But for the most part I only had fond, ever-dimming memories of saying the rosary with my family as a child. I had no real understanding of what the rosary was or what it could do for me.
Meanwhile, I spiraled downwards emotionally. I was ignoring much pain-pain from past abuses and past relationships, pain from my frustrations and anxieties in the present-and trying to forget. Most significant, I wanted to forget that I had been raped a number of years earlier and had never told anyone. It was as though my mind had flipped on a switch to a neon light that kept flashing through my brain, "That didn't happen." But what my mind tried desperately to forget, my body and spirit could not. I felt crushed, confused, soulless.
I couldn't pray in familiar ways. I couldn't write, which had always been my first form of prayer. So at first I just came to the chapel and sat and looked around. At the back of the sanctuary was a statue of Mary with candles at her feet to be lit as reminders of special intentions. Something about that little nook struck me, drew me in. I was comfortable there, in the warmth of those candles, in the gentle invitation of Mary's outstretched arms.
Then I started to pray the rosary--it was the only prayer associated with Mary that I remembered. It was easy and restful because I'd memorized the prayers, and that meant that I didn't have to think too much. In the beginning, I didn't concern myself too deeply with the meditations on the mysteries. Instead, I simply announced them and moved into the prayers of the decade. I was relieved by the rosary's simplicity and uniformity. As a former runner, I found the repetition of the prayers comforting. Something in that simple repetition lent itself to transcendence. It was like the runner's high I'd felt during long, hard workouts, when my brain could rest and my body could absorb itself in its strenuous task. The rosary silenced the craziness in my head and heart. I | 1.769083 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
At a time when driving the dairy industry forward has never been so crucial, Elanco Animal Health is delivering educational support.Its latest commitment to this cause sees Elanco providing platinum sponsorship once again to the Large Herd Seminar in Gloucestershire on the 24th – 26th of June. Among the acclaimed national and international speakers addressing topics under the theme ‘Total Dairy’, will be Elanco’s very own experts kicking-off and closing proceedings with two seminars that delegates can really sink their teeth into. This year’s Large Herd Seminar is very much back with a vengeance, with the plethora of lectures, workshops and on-farm demonstrations promising both theoretical and practical material which can be applied directly to managing the modern dairy herd. In an exclusive pre-seminar Elanco’s Ruminant Technical Consultant, Mike Christian, will be getting straight down to the nitty-gritty, discussing key ways to defeat one of the biggest challenges faced by the dairy industry - ketosis. The seminar will look at the risk factors, monitoring opportunities and how to manage that all-important negative energy balance, providing an ideal starting point for the rest of the week’s events.Mike explains, “Of all the metabolic diseases affecting our dairy cows, ketosis is one of the most complex and it can be tough to know which measures will be most successful in conquering it. As knowledge and solutions are continually evolving, it’s never been more important to keep on the cutting edge when it comes to ketosis.” With extensive experience in this field, Mike’s presentation promises to provide vets and producers with the means to help minimise ketosis and maximise productivity. In a post-seminar workshop entitled ‘Practical ketosis monitoring and prevention’, the Elanco team will round-up the week’s activities in an interactive session looking at proactive steps that vets and their clients can take to keep track of ketosis in large herds. Ways to effectively and easily measure true herd prevalence along with options for positive interventions will take centre stage, being put into context by both a leading vet and producer who will be on hand to share their invaluable experiences of ketosis investigation and management.Nigel Underwood, Ruminant Business Unit Manager for Elanco, is thrilled to be able to go that extra mile to provide support to the industry, “At Elanco we pride ourselves on creating more than just animal health solutions – we provide knowledge solutions. By educating our customers we see a much greater impact on cattle health, welfare and productivity, which makes events like this so essential.”For the past eight years the Large Herd Seminar has been a highlight for many in the dairy industry and this year it promises to be bigger and better than ever. To avoid missing out on world-class expertise and the invaluable opportunity to meet others in the industry, those dealing with large dairy herds should visit http://largeherds.com/ to book their place now.
0 Comment Includes: Face Mask Gloves Goggles Sharps Disposal Container Fluid Control Solidifier Personal Safety Equipment Cleaning Pads
29How to Reduce Your Risk Don’t Recap Needles Clean up when kids get sick. Wear gloves when dealing with all body fluids and wastes.
30Needles and other sharps must be discarded in rigid, leak-proof, puncture resistance containers How to Reduce Your Risk
31Lift and carry the trash bag away from your body
32Do not eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or handle contact lenses in areas where there is the possibility of exposure to BBP, such as in UWM labs How to Reduce Your Risk
33Personal Protective Equipment Gloves, masks, eye protection, CPR microshields
34
35Get Spill Kit from Janitorial Closet Put on gloves. Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
36If splashing is anticipated, wear protective eyewear and mask Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
37Remove visible material with absorbent towels Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
38Area should be decontaminated for 10 minutes Once the area has been disinfected, dry area with absorbent towels and dispose of towels in regular trash Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
39Glove removal and disposal technique Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
40Glove Removal and Disposal Grip one glove near the cuff and peel it down until it comes off inside out. Cup it in the palm of your gloved hand. Place two fingers of your bare hand inside the cuff of the remaining glove.
41Glove Removal and Disposal Peel that glove down so that it also comes off inside out and over the first glove. Properly dispose of the gloves.
42Wash hands well. Body Fluid Cleanup Procedures
43Vaccination Very low risk vaccine Three doses over 6 months Must receive all three doses >79% effective Free to employees May decline vaccine (but must sign waiver) May receive vaccine later
44Accident/Injury Report Complete report as soon as possible after incident Turn in to your supervisor Form is submitted to Workers Compensation | 1.63893 | 1,015 | 1,013 |
When I learned that Helen Tartar, editor of Fordham University Press, had died in a tragic car accident, the first thing I thought of was the fact that my school’s (Drew University) annual Transdisciplinary Theological Colloquium was only a matter of weeks away. I go to this conference every year, and I found it impossible for me to imagine the TTC without Helen in the audience, patiently knitting and listening while she sat through the extremely long and intense weekend conversation. I still remember the first time that I attended the TTC, as a new PhD student, in 2009. I saw this elegant woman in the crowd, quite obviously attuned to the intellectual discourse, yet simultaneously knitting this incredible and intricate lace garment. I found it oddly empowering. I was unsurprised to learn, over the course of time, what a subtle, elegant, and intricate critical imagination Helen had—as a thinker, and an editor. In a certain sense—though she was extremely kind, deeply unpretentious, and totally unassuming—you might say that she almost wore this on her sleeve. As an editor, she did so much to broadcast the kind of intellectual work that was being done at Drew. She started a series, to publish the annual proceedings of the TTC, and the kind of feminism that’s emerged from the ecosystem that is Drew University (deeply informed by thinkers like my advisor Catherine Keller, by Virginia Burrus, by Laurel Kearns, as well as former administrators like Maxine Beach and Anne Yardley) came through so well in powerfully simple things like the covers of these books. But over the past couple of days, I’ve been trying to articulate what it was that I found so oddly empowering when I saw Helen knitting in the midst of an academic conference.
On some levels, it’s obvious. I grew up in a family of women who sew. My great grandmother was skilled at making lace crochet. By the time I knew her, she had lost much of her hearing and much of her eyesight. But the home of my grandparents, and my own home, were graced with curtains she’d made decades earlier. The lace was thick, but the patterns she wove were large enough to filter the sun into speckled streams. My mother and I were both a little heartbroken when our crazy beagle, Teddy, chewed off the corner of one of these curtains so that he would have a small porthole to stick his head through, to stare out the window. I think either my mother or I might have cried. But who can really blame a dog for wanting a better view? My grandmother used to make these fantastic dresses for herself, and for her grandaughters. Living in an immigrant family (with seven children), who’d come to the U.S. after living in a displaced persons camp, my grandmother never had much money. But she worked as a seamstress and had enough to buy, periodically, some beautiful silky fabric for an elegant dress. And enough to keep a little bottle of Chanel No.5 on her vanity, for special occasions. She was glamorous, and I was in awe of her. One year, for Christmas, she made my cousins and I these velvety dresses in different shades of red. I felt like we were royalty. My mother went through a period in her hippy youth where she made all of her own clothes. And we still own some of the intricate and embroidered little garments that she made for me as a small child. I used her old sewing machine until I was in college, and I cried when it broke down. I did. I had to call her, thinking that I should ask for permission before I got a new one. She laughed, because it’s just a machine. But for me, there were histories bound up in the machine: ties to my past, to the women of my family who’d passed away and left me with their skills and sensibilities.
It’s weird, I know, for me to write about this at a place like AUFS. Even though I’ve written about things like Barbie before, I kind of feel like this is one of those places where I go to be a little bit more of a dude. But I’ve seen this blog billed as an “anomalous” space. So I’m just going to go ahead and anomalize a bit. Say what I want.
This past weekend, at the TTC, we ended up making a quilt for Helen. We were brainstorming ways to dedicate our thought and attention to her in this space, where she was going to be deeply missed. I thought it would be a good way to evoke her presence, when she wasn’t there. What better way to carry her in our memory than to sit and sew, in the space where she did the same thing? Knitting would have been more difficult. It’s a skill that’s not particularly easy to learn. It takes time and requires patience. But in recent years, I’ve been making these Alabama Chanin style hand sew | 1.895875 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
n cotton garments. Cotton seemed like an easy fabric to work with, and the hand sewn stitches are simple repetitions. Last weekend my mother happened to be visiting, so I dragged her to Mood Fabric, in midtown Manhattan (for those of you who’ve watched “Project Runway”). We picked out some cotton, made some stencils, and painted the fabric in gold. There were about 20 squares to sew, at the conference, and people made them beautiful. Men were sewing. Clayton Crocket actually learned how to sew for the first time, because he’d known Helen, and wanted to contribute.
I’ve written about fabric on academic platforms before. But it’s not an object that I’ve been driven to theorize about. In the late 1980s weaving became, for a time, a metaphor deployed in feminist circles (Judith Plaskow and Carol Christ, for instance, published
Weaving the Visions: New Patterns in Feminist Spirituality.) It was meant to be a metaphor to describe a feminized mode of religious or theological engagement and made reference back to ancient myths, like the myth of Penelope. Unsurprisingly, the metaphor began to face critique as a kind of cultural feminist essentialization of women’s experience. In a 1990s debate in the Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion, Miriam Peskowitz acknowledged that weaving was intended to be a feminist disruption of male intellectual culture, but critiqued the extent to which it roped women back into a cultural framework in which they’re asked to spiritualize aspects of their constrained, domesticated labor.
Yes, I sew. And I do think that it’s actually liberated me from a certain set of capital constraints. I feel a bit less bound by some of the superficial pressures on professional women (at least financially), because I can transform a garment that’s destined for the landfill into something wearable and current. I remember when I taught a friend to sew by altering a dress she’d bought. I told her to just go ahead and cut into it (from the hem to the neck) and she said, “that feels kind of liberating.” It’s a certain kind of creative destruction. But I also acknowledge the history of constraint this skill can be traced back to. I’m inclined to agree with Peskowitz that weaving isn’t a particularly liberatory metaphor. In fact, I don’t think metaphor is what I’m looking for, here.
I think what always inspired me about Helen’s knitting was that it was a performance, after a fashion. She was engaged in a physical activity, transforming some otherwise brute material into a work of art. It was sensual, in the sense that it was tactile. But it wasn’t particularly sexy, and so not subject to a certain kind of capture and neutralization. It was surprising because it disturbed the gendered norms of academic conferences—skewed toward the button-up, blazered professionalism that still pilfers off of an exclusively male academic moment. And what I appreciated was precisely that surprise, the performance of something that subtly created dissonance. What I discovered this year, while sewing, was how soothing it felt. Delightful as it may be to spend days on end with colleagues, talking intensely about ideas, no one can deny that (like the act of writing) it’s physically punishing. Sitting stiffly in chairs for hours on end gets really old. This is one reason why so many people can’t wait for the [wine/open bar] reception at the end of a conference. There was something really meditative about creating these stitches, while I listened. I felt like I was moving, and paying attention to my body in space in a way that I don’t typically, at a conference. I’m grateful that the TTC is a conference that was so ripe to be influenced and transformed by Helen’s art and craft. focus on just your body. Many yoga poses and movement phrases require you to stand on one leg or hold a position for quite awhile. Not just yoga but all forms of dance can add more balance to your lifestyle habits.
When you stop to consider how integral flexibility, strength, endurance, and balance are to any lifestyle, contemplate how dancing can offer all four of those key components to your being. For you, maybe it's just turning on your favorite cd and letting your body guide you for each step? Maybe your favorite show is “Dancing With the Stars” and you want to try ballroom dancing? Perhaps, your cultural background has dances and traditions that peak your interest? It doesn't matter what you choose, but choose to improve your lifestyle by adding dance to your schedule. And, if you happen to be at the grocery store waiting in line at the deli, join me in an impromptu tap dance, and I promise I'll stay out of the long aisles and leave my leaping at the dance studio.
By Alison Moss Read More | 2.173028 | 1,005 | 1,003 |
Whitetail hunters have two huge strikes against them for the next 1-1/2 weeks, and here’s why:
• All the hunting pressure during opening week pushes deer into more nocturnal patterns by this second week coming up, when these wily creatures hunker in thickets in daylight and wait until night to move. • This surreptitious behavior increases until mid-month when breeding hits full blast from Nov. 13-15 through Nov. 23-25. In short, the vast majority of does start procreating at the middle or end of next week, and this heavy activity lasts 10 days. It moves deer around plenty in daylight, so hunters are more apt to see them.
Folks often call this 10-day period “the rut,” a misleading term. Bucks are in rut much longer and can breed from October through early December and, indeed, they do just that. Older does may breed in October and young females in early December, but it’s a minority of does for sure. Most mating occurs in the month’s third week.
This coming week, weather will play a role in the harvest. If temperatures drop well below normal and west winds prevail, deer will be moving but it’ll be nothing like next week. However, swirling winds and unseasonably warm weather will devastate the success ratio this week.
What can deer hunters do to increase their success odds right now?
First, serious hunters pay attention to detail and take precautions to eliminate human odor by dressing in clean clothes washed with unscented soap and also applying lures or scent-killers on clothes and body. These steps enable hunters to get closer for a shot, because they have fooled deer into thinking the interloper may be farther away — say 100 yards instead of 50 yards. Whitetails may loiter a tad longer before fleeing the danger.
In addition to washing and using unscented soap, hunters can use a liberal sprinkling of baking soda on the underarms, crotch and feet to lessen malodor.
Also, when hunting around apple orchards, frugal hunters put fresh, sweet cider in a small spray bottle and squirt it onto the bottom of boots and on a hat. (I use a bottle originally designed for sample hairspray.) If corn ranks as the forage of the day, rub a husked ear of corn on the boots and hat.
This cider-corn topic brings up a quick digression. Fifteen years ago, I often freelanced for a national deer magazine and mentioned these tips about scents in an article. This earned me a quick, curt phone call from the editor, who said, “Allen, we’re trying to sell our advertisers’ products here.”
Two common deer-hunting questions really pop up this week.
• Do we forget taking a stand when deer seldom move in daylight? • Should we carefully still-hunt through bedding areas — those lowland black-growth or side-hill thickets where deer lie through the day?
My advice sounds like a politician’s answer: Do both. In weather conditions that encourage deer to move, I still-hunt in known bedding areas, taking two steps and waiting one to five minutes before taking two more. With the two-step routine without sitting down once, it may take a half-day to go the length of two or three football fields. It’s important with this tactic to see lots of tracks and droppings to keep the concentration level high.
That’s when doing both still-hunting and taking a stand helps. It truly is tiring to walk ultra slowly, placing the foot down without making a sound. It’s so fatiguing that when attention lags and leg muscles tire, hunters should occasionally take a stand in a comfortable spot and rest a while before taking up the slow walk again.
Here’s a quick point, too. Sometimes, dry leaves cover the ground, so each step sounds like walking in Corn Flakes on a hardwood floor. When that happens, remember that deer also sound loud in such conditions. So, continue the two-step stroll, trying not to break ground twigs and branches. In short, an experienced hunter sounds like a walking deer.
And never forget another point. Other hunters may be poking around the area, and they’ll kick up a deer that might run by. In dry weather a careful hunter will hear it coming and be ready. It has happened to all of us.
I’ve shot plenty of deer on days with bad hunting conditions, after someone else has inadvertently bumped a deer by me. Twice, it has really angered them, but most of them appeared to be happy for me. Often I hadn’t seen them in years, so it was a reunion with an old friend or acquaintance.
Lady luck helps for sure, and that’s what we’ll rely on this week. We’ll pay attention to hunting details and spend as much time as possible in the woods, knowing that skill and perseverance often generate luck. (And we also know the last quarter on Nov. 6 | 2.220845 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Archive for August, 2007
August 30, 2007
A short but worthwhile podcast by Gartner on Web 2.0 in the enterprise to promote an upcoming conference. They admit that it may be difficult to find the right balance of implementing Web 2.0. Too much control can kill the initiatives. I agree. A gradual start in deploying blogs and wikis while not trying to replace enterprise applications or trying to create enterprise data stores that are more appropriately in more secure systems. Although they don’t address this, anonymous postings should not be allow within a business on blogs and wikis because it opens the door to abuse. IMHO.Share this:
August 30, 2007
The Electronic Medical Record Committee of HL7 has produced this model for comment until the middle of September. It is encouraging to see this technical standard released. It’s interesting that even consumers have had input on this. The proposed standards include sections to: Manage Historical Clinical Data And Current State Data, Wellness, Preventive Medicine, and Self Care, Manage Health Education, Account Holder Decision Support, Personal Health, Manage Encounters with Providers.Share this:
August 30, 2007
Found an blog focused on Healthcare IT with this unique title for two posts. It looks at the exponential and disruptive growth of health care information on the internet and how it is a trusted source for most consumers. He also points to this Senario Thinking portal with much broader ideas than healthcare. Looks like senario thinking can be compared to futurist thinking but on a shorter time horizon.Share this:
August 29, 2007
This Canadian conference in October has some interesting topics. Choice quotes and titles:
“opportunities for ICTs [information and communication technologies] not only to empower consumers, but also to re-vitalize their relationship with health professionals and to meet needs that go beyond those that could be addressed through face-to-face interactions.” Using Web Based Tools to Help Patients Achieve Optimal Clinical Outcomes “The greatest opportunities for improving health and health care lie in enabling information exchange between the three dimensions ( patient care, population health, and personal health) of the national health information infrastructure. The full potential of PHR systems will not be realized until they are capable of widespread exchange of information with EHRs and other sources of personal and other health data.” The Chronic Need for Connectivity: Helping today’s aging healthcare consumers help themselves
I don’t think I’ll be able to attend, but I hope some podcasts or papers will come out of this meeting which will further the discussion on consumer health from a perspective other than consumer-directed healthcare.Share this:
August 28, 2007
In an article in Health Data Management, the question is asked, “Should Payers Push PHRs?” The answer is yes and no. While a given patient may have many providers, they often have one payer, so a payer-based PHR gives the advantage, using claims data, to consolidate pre-populated health information in a PHR from many providers. Disadvantages include the fact that in some families, each spouse may have their own payer and the family may have information in two places. Claims data may also be delayed in posting compared to provider EHRs. Also, an employer may change payors or the employee may change jobs and payors. Would most people be more likely to stay faithful to a provider therefore making provider-based PHRs more advantageous? Certainly the surveys show that consumers prefer the PHRs in the provider’s hands. Another criticism from the article is that payor records lack detail. Could over-coding by providers and hospitals also make claims data look more alarming to the patient prompting more phone calls to the provider rather than having the records and secure messaging integrated with the provider?
Opinions welcomed.Share this:
August 28, 2007
Came across this new website which explains in lay language the meaning of cancer biopsy reports by cancer type. Presented by the College of American Pathologists, the site covers 22 cell types with microscope photos, how the diagnosis is made and treatments for each. This fills a gap in the cancer information available on the internet which is extensive. I hope many sites will now link to this resource.
Perhaps in the future the information could be RSS or web service enabled so that it could be incorporated into provider websites more easily.Share this:
August 23, 2007
Is the semantic web or Web 3.0 coming to health care? In this blog on Government Health IT, there is a good explanation of the semantic web and some of the potential uses for healthcare.
“The equivalent Semantic Web technology is Resource Description Framework (RDF). Whereas HTML defines the location of data, RDF describes what that data is. Along with other technologies such as Web Ontology Language, RDF can be used to ascribe meaning to data depending on the context in which it is used.”
The potential uses are having intelligent | 1.979221 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Presentation on theme: "Bloodborne Pathogens are microorganisms (such as viruses) transmitted through blood, or other potentially infectious material such as certain bodily fluids."— Presentation transcript:
1
2Bloodborne Pathogens are microorganisms (such as viruses) transmitted through blood, or other potentially infectious material such as certain bodily fluids (semen, breast milk, etc.) or tissues. Bloodborne Pathogens
3Bodily fluids, especially those visibly contaminated with blood, are capable of causing disease. Pathogens can enter your body through a cut in the skin, through your eyes or mouth. Can also be transmitted sexually Main diseases of concern are Hepatitis B (and C) virus, and HIV (AIDS virus). Bloodborne Pathogens
4HIV attacks your body’s ability to protect itself against disease Initially no visible signs of having the virus Most people with HIV develop AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) There is no vaccination for HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
5HIV Virus lives outside the body only a few hours 4 modes of transfer: blood semen vaginal secretions breast milk
6HIV virus particles per ml of blood
7Aids Statistics from CDC
8
9
10Up to 100 times easier to catch than HIV Unlike HIV, can live outside of body for several days Hepatitis B Virus Hepatitis B (and C)
11Concentration of Hepatitis B Virus in Various Body Fluids
12Hepatitis B 1,000, ,000,000,000 virus particles per ml of blood Virus can live outside the body for several days
13HIV vs. Hepatitis B
14Hepatitis C 3-4 million carriers Disease can incubate for decades By 2010 may affect more Americans each year than AIDS HCV not related to the viruses that cause HBA and HBV
15Hepatitis C
16Risk Factors: o Long-term kidney dialysis o Sex with multiple partners o Tattooing or body piercing with shared needles or unsterilized equipment o Intranasal cocaine use with shared straws Pamela Anderson claims her infection came from a tattoo needle
17Hepatitis B (and C) There is no cure for Hepatitis B or C… but unlike HIV, there is a vaccination for Hepatitis B. (There is no vaccination for Hepatitis C)
18HBV and HCV Liver is located behind the lower ribs on the right side of your abdomen Weighs about 3 pounds and is roughly the size of a football. If infected with HBV, the liver often becomes tender and enlarged
19Some signs and symptoms of HBV and HBC include: Flu-like symptoms fatigue jaundice severe pain in joints lung disease inflammation of liver inflammation on and ulcers of the colon may be asymptomatic (i.e. no symptoms indicated) normal Yellow from jaundice
20Hepatitis Acute : 6-8 weeks, 90% 30-40% with acute HBV have no idea how or when they became infected 5-15% of infected carry virus for longer than 6 months (carriers) Chronic: Life, 10% Hepatitis B carriers are people infected with HBV and never fully recover. They carry the virus and can infect others for the rest of their lives Approximately one million people in the US carry HBV
21Acute Viral Hepatitis by Type
22Risk Factors for Acute Hepatitis B
23Hepatitis B “The risk of contracting Hepatitis B from a single needlestick contaminated with blood from a person with known Hepatitis B ranges from 6% to 30%.” “Approximately 10% of those infected become chronic carriers who can infect their families and friends. They have up to 300 times greater than normal risk of developing liver cancer.” “Every year, approximately 5,000 Americans, die of HBV or its complications.
24“…1 in 300 infected with HIV” Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel, July 7, 1996 “one in 20 people has or has had Hepatitis ” Statistics from Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel
25How Bloodborne Pathogens Spread on the Job When you touch a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes, nose, mouth, or open wounds or inflamed skin When a contaminated object touches inflamed skin, acne, skin abrasions
26UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS/ STANDARD PRECAUTIONS: A system of infection control which assumes that all human blood and certain body fluids are treated as if known to be infectious. How to Reduce Your Risk
27Wash hands after changing diapers. Wear gloves for diaper changing, wiping noses, cleaning up after cuts, and injuries. How to Reduce Your Risk
28Use Spill Kit for Clean-up Kit | 1.342018 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Pound for pound, it’s possible that covering your face in gold leaf is a more cost-effective way to protect it than most modern-day grooming products.
But with a little savvy (and help from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable names) you can stop pouring money down the drain every time you use that wallet-bruising facial scrub.
1. Less Is More
Using twice as much moisturiser isn’t twice as effective. But it is doubly expensive. “Around 90 per cent of people use too much product,” says Steven O’Neill, co-founder of thegroomingclinic.com. “A pea-sized amount of moisturiser will perfectly hydrate the skin. And the same amount of face wash will clean it.”
Overdosing can damage more than your bank balance. Fistfuls of styling product leaves even the best barnet looking like you’ve been for a dip next to the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. And using too much shampoo to get rid of it strips hair of its natural oils.
“You don’t need to wash you hair as much as you think you do,” says Adam Brady, trend expert at London barbers Ruffians. “Unless you’re putting products in every morning, then you can leave it three or four days between washes.”
Fragrance goes further if you spray, rather than dab. The traditional pulse points are warmer, so disperse your scent quicker. Which is why you need to top up at lunch. Spritz under clothes instead – or even on hair – to delay evaporation and make sure that Christmas gift lasts until your next stocking.
2. Utility Player
A big chunk of a product’s price tag pays for what it’s housed in. One that doubles up as something else reduces costs because you’re only paying for one set of packaging, says Michael Kontos, artistic director of the London School of Barbering for Fudge Professional. “It’s one of the easiest ways to make your grooming regime more affordable.”
Look for products that negate the next step in your morning regime. “A good facial cleanser will thoroughly cleanse without stripping or drying,” says Andrew Goetz, co-founder of Malin+Goetz. “It should leave your skin completely balanced, so there’s no need to go back over with a toner to remove residue or dirt.” Because time is money.
Investing in proper products can also mean less money spent in the long run. “Get yourself a shaving brush and look after it,” Nick Gibbens, grooming expert at The Bluebeards Revenge. “Not only will the bristles exfoliate your skin, diminishing the need for pricey facial scrubs, but they also help you to whip up a handsome lather.” Which gives a lower cost-per-shave than aerosols.
Try products like Erno Laszlo’s cleansing soap, which can be lathered up into a shave foam, and Fudge’s Professional Dry Shampoo, which is not only an instant refresher but also works as a texture amplifier.
3. Make Do And Don’t Spend
When faced with a pump squirting air and a not-soon-enough payday, head to the kitchen, not the chemist. “Coconut oil isn’t just good for cooking and smoothies,” says grooming expert Mark Smith. It makes a great cleanser, is an excellent pre-shave, and in summer it hydrates your skin like a body moisturiser.”
Don’t be tempted by extra products that promise to tackle product build-up, says Brady. “Mix a bit of clothes detergent in with your shampoo, it will cut through the grease and oil.” Just pick a scent-free one, unless you want to smell like dishes.
4. Don’t Judge A Product By Its Cover
It’s not just big brands that offer sizeable results. “Focus on ingredients, not price,” says O’Neill, whose grooming arsenal blends high street and high spec products.
If a product you like is out of your price range, compare its ingredients with more affordable options. If that budget moisturiser also packs in co-enzyme Q10, the mark-up for the top shelf version is largely for the brand name on the box.
To get the most bang for less buck, research your skin type and shop accordingly. Expensive products for the wrong complexion are an expensive error. Based "Education".
These are used so that all children can be indoctrinated and inculcated with the government propaganda, like "majority rules", and "pay your fair share". WHERE are the words "fair share" in the Constitution, Bill of Rights or the Internal Revenue Code (Title 26)?? NO WHERE is "fair share" even suggested !! The philosophical concept of "fair share" comes from the Communist maxim, "From each according to their ability, to each according to their need! This concept is pure socialism.
See more on Obama's "Tax Cuts" which are merely welfare and redistribution on wealth. Socialism. Communism. Enemies to free market. | 1.973332 | 1,021 | 1,019 |
Assistant Professor
Research Description
Dysfunction at the synapse is a common theme in neurological disease and following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Our lab focuses on examining changes that occur at mammalian synapses during development, with disease, and following TBI. We exploit micro-scale technology and microfluidics to overcome traditional challenges in working with cultured neurons. Our novel approaches are particularly relevant given the emerging use of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) to model disease. Human iPSCs are stem cells derived from patients’ skin cells that can be generated into functional neurons and then studied in culture; this model system allows us to investigate how human synapses are altered in disease. We use devices that allow access to distinct cellular compartments to investigate localized changes at synapses and signaling from synapse-to-nucleus. We also exploit the scalability of these approaches—a unique advantage given low-throughput approaches of traditional techniques in neuroscience.
Selected Publications Taylor, A.M.*, Wu, J.R., Tai, H.C. & Schuman, E.M.* Axonal translation of β-catenin regulates synaptic vesicle dynamics. 2013. 33(13): 5584-9. PMID: 23536073 *co-corresponding authors J Neurosci,
**highlighted in “This Week in the Journal”
Taylor, A.M., Dieterich, D.C., Ito, H. T., Kim, S.A. & Schuman, E.M. Microfluidic local perfusion chambers for the visualization and manipulation of synapses. , 2010. 66, 57-68, PMID: 20399729 Neuron Taylor, A.M. & Jeon, N.L. Micro-scale and microfluidic devices for neurobiology. , 2010. 20(5), 640-7. PMID: 20739175 Curr Opin Neurobiol Taylor, A.M., Berchtold, N.C., Perreau, V.M., Tu, C.H., Jeon, N.L. & Cotman, C.W. Axonal mRNA in uninjured and regenerating cortical mammalian axons. , 2009. 29: p. 4697-4707. PMID: 19369540 J Neurosci
**highlighted in “This Week in the Journal”
Taylor, A.M., M. Blurton-Jones, S.W. Rhee, D.H. Cribbs, C.W. Cotman, and N.L. Jeon, A microfluidic culture platform for CNS axonal injury, regeneration and transport. , 2005. Nat Methods 2(8): p. 599-605. PMID: 16094385
** cover illustration
Contact Information
Office: (919) 843-8156
Lab: (919) 843-9324After one teenage trainee sustained horrific injuries in a mincing machine incident, the sixteen year old boy has filed a work accident claim.
The trainee, who had requested that his identity not be made public, nearly lost his arm after it became trapped in a mincing machine according to his accident claim. The incident occurred at the Brighton-based meat processing firm Malpass Direct when the teenage trainee worker made an attempt to clear a blockage in the machine whilst preparing it for a sausage mix.
The young man’s injury claims described a significant loss of muscle and substantial bone damage in his left forearm. The trainee’s injuries were so severe he now only has movement in three of his fingers on that hand.
The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation shortly after the incident only to discover that the trainee had no proper supervision when he was operating the machine. Moreover HSE investigators found that factory staff disabled a safety interlock located on the lid of the mincer on a regular basis in order to speed up the sausage mixture preparation process.
Malpass Direct Ltd. of Brighton Meat Market, located in Brighton’s Hollingdean Road admitted to being in breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act during a hearing at Brighton Magistrates’ Court. For their part in the young man’s injury, the firm was given a fine of £5,000.
In the wake of the hearing, one HSE inspector commented that the company had provided an unacceptable level of supervision. Moreover the HSE inspector stated that the meat processing firm could have easily found a way to make modifications to the mincer that didn’t necessitate the safety interlock being tampered with.
No further details were available in regards to any personal injury compensation the injured worker may be entitled to due to the damage done to his arm. | 1.458006 | 1,018 | 1,016 |
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles in the shoulder and upper arm. The muscles help to move the arm at the shoulder and also help to stabilize the joint. The muscles are connected to the shoulder bone by tendons, which are strong, flexible cords. Tendons may become damaged from long term overuse or from injury.
A rotator cuff repair is a surgery to repair damage to the rotator cuff.
Rotator Cuff Tear
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Your doctor may recommend this surgery for:
Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have this repair, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:
Factors that may increase the risk of complications include:
Your doctor may do the following:
Leading up to the procedure:
General anesthesia
is typically used.
You will be asleep.
There are two methods used to perform a rotator cuff repair:
The doctor will make a large cut in the skin over the shoulder. The torn tendon will be repaired and reattached and/or anchored with stitches. The incision will then be closed with stitches or staples.
A few small incisions will be made in the shoulder. A narrow tool called an arthroscope will be inserted through the incision. The scope has a tiny camera to allow the doctor to see inside. Other small instruments will be inserted through the other incisions. The doctor will use these tools to repair the tendon.
After either procedure, the incisions will be bandaged. Your arm will be placed in a sling. The sling will prevent movement while you heal.
About 1-½ to 2 hours
Anesthesia prevents pain during the procedure. You may have some discomfort immediately after. Your doctor can give you medicine to help manage this.
You may be able to go home the same day. Some may need to stay in the hospital for one day.
When you return home, do the following to help ensure a smooth recovery:
The rotator cuff will take several months to heal. It may take some time before you can raise your arm above your shoulder. It may be up to one year before you can hold your arm above your head and do work with reasonable strength. An aggressive and consistent exercise program is the key to a faster recovery.
After arriving home, contact your doctor if any of the following occurs:
In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeonshttp://www.aaos.org/
The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicinehttp://www.aossm.org/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Orthopaedic Associationhttp://www.coa-aco.org/
Health Canadahttp://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php
References:
University of Iowa Health Care website. Available at: http://www.uihealthcare.com/ .
6/2/2011 DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance DynaMed's Systematic Literature Surveillance : Mills E, Eyawo O, Lockhart I, Kelly S, Wu P, Ebbert JO.Smoking cessation reduces postoperative complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2011;124(2):144-154.e8.By Phil Wennblom, Director of Standards Policy and Greg Slater, Director of Global Trade Policy By enabling products and technologies from different companies to interoperate, or work together, standards are fundamental to advancing innovation. Standards simplify product development, facilitate … Read more
Monthly Archives: October 2013
I was honored to share the stage last night with Walter Isaacson, Tom Friedman and Aneesh Chopra. The occasion was the Aspen Institute’s event “Harnessing the Power of Open Data to Fuel American Innovation”, which was part of Intel and … Read more
By Audrey Plonk, global security and Internet policy specialist at Intel Despite turmoil in Washington and a reduced US Government presence, the global cyber community will convene in Seoul, South Korea tomorrow at the third annual international conference on cyberspace … Read more
October 11 marks the second annual International Day of the Girl, a United Nations designated holiday to recognize girls’ and women’s rights around the world. In celebration of this year’s theme, “Innovating for Girls’ Education,” Intel recently announced She Will Connect, … Read more
Big Data refers to huge data sets that are orders of magnitude larger (volume), more diverse, including structured, semi-structured and unstructured data (variety) and arriving faster (velocity) than any organization has had to deal with before. This flood of data … Read more
Last week, the privacy community gathered in Warsaw, Poland, for the 35th International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners. I delivered a speech (view the text and the slides at the links below) at one of the plenary sessions, titled Privacy … Read more | 1.013572 | 1,017 | 1,015 |
Whether due to a forgotten birthday or a simple lack of time, it is likely that at some point you will need to purchase and deliver a child's gift within a matter of hours. With some research it will be possible to find an appropriate gift, whether you send that gift electronically or through a delivery service.
Other People Are Reading Gifts for Infants and Toddlers
Consider a combination gift where a company delivers a teddy bear or candy attached to bright, shiny balloons. Toddlers love balloons, and a bear to treasure may become a favourite keepsake for an infant. Another good choice would be an electronic gift token to a favourite activity or a popular kid-oriented restaurant. Options could include an arcade with a ball pit, a fast-food franchise with a play area or funds to buy a book after story time at the bookstore.
Gifts for Preschoolers
Search for gift baskets with colouring books and crayons, modelling clay or other creative activities. At this age, children soak up information, so consider gift baskets that include books or workbooks. Some gift baskets have sports themes, which active children would enjoy. Other options could include gift tokens to a toy store, a bookstore, a child-friendly gym or a movie. Zoo memberships allow preschoolers to burn excess energy while enjoying learning.
Gifts for School Age Children
Check for courses at a local community centre. A child who likes to entertain might appreciate a gift token for a theatre camp, while a history fan might enjoy activities at a museum. You might be able to find a course for a budding magician or a membership in a sports program. At this age, children are rapidly becoming proficient with computers, so consider a membership at a favourite website or tokens for an online game.
Gifts for Teenagers
Consider a certificate for a favourite store or activity. Teenagers are frequently committed to special causes, and might appreciate a donation to a related charity or organisation. Other options would include combination gifts of flowers and chocolates, subscriptions to online music programs or video game magazines, and memberships for an appropriate club. Teens usually appreciate tickets for concerts or movies. For the budding journalist or computer scientist, purchase a domain name so he can develop his own website.
Don't Miss 20 of the funniest online reviews ever 14 Biggest lies people tell in online dating sites Hilarious things Google thinks you're trying to search forSymptoms of Hard Drive Failure
Hard drive damage can occur without any prior symptoms, but in most cases, hard disks exhibit one or more warning signs before failing entirely. Because HDD failures often result in data loss, computer users should know the most common warning signs associated with common problems like read/write head failures, damaged controller boards and spindle bearing seizures.
Always take unusual noises seriously and turn off your hard drive as soon as possible to avoid media damage.
Failure symptoms vary depending on a hard drive's brand, model and operating system. Because all hard drives will eventually break down due to mechanical wear, you should back up your important files regularly to avoid data loss.
Some of the most common HDD failure symptoms include: Clicking, Whirring or Whining Noises Overheating Excessively Slow File Access Times Missing or Corrupted Files and Folders Boot or Mount Issues Crashes or Blue Screen Errors (BSOD)
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If you can still access data on a failing hard drive, you may be able to transfer small files to another storage device. However, you should not transfer large files or put excessive strain on the drive, as this can accelerate a serious physical failure. For the best possible chances of a complete data recovery, you should shut down your hard drive as soon as possible. Do not attempt to boot the drive after shutting it down and never use data recovery software to treat physical media issues.
When a hard drive displays warning signs of a physical failure, it needs fast treatment at a qualified data recovery laboratory. Secure Data Recovery Services offers high recovery rates for all hard drives, and we can often use specialized utilities and tools to safely clone failing drives without risking media damage. However, our recovery process varies from case to case.
To treat damaged hard disk drives, data recovery engineers need access to a certified Cleanroom. Failing hard disks often require read/write head replacements and other physical repairs, and a certified Cleanroom provides a safe environment for these repairs by removing potentially dangerous airborne contaminants. | 1.702947 | 950 | 948 |
Former Bear Stearns hedge-fund managers Matthew Tannin and Ralph Cioffi were arrested, and are expected to be indicted on securities fraud charges after a year-long federal investigation that looked into the collapse of their subprime-mortgage-investment-heavy fund.
Separately, after their arrest the Securities and Exchange Commission charged the pair with fraudulently misleading investors about the financial state of the firm’s two largest hedge funds and their exposure to subprime mortgage-backed securities before the collapse of the funds in June 2007. The SEC said the action was conducted through its Enforcement Division’s subprime working group, “which is aggressively investigating possible fraud, market manipulation, and breaches of fiduciary duty that may have contributed to the recent turmoil in the credit markets.”
The two were arrested at their homes, according to press reports, and NPR said the U.S. attorney’s office is expected to call a press conference today to discuss details. The NPR website said that the two are the highest-level Wall Street executives to be charged so far in connection with the mortgage crisis.
Prosecutors are expected to allege that the two told investors that two of their funds were doing well, while privately telling colleagues they were worried about the funds’ prospects, according to the reports. The key to the case will be a number of E-mails between the two men, in which they worried about the downturn in the mortgage market just four days before telling investors all was well, according to
The Wall Street Journal.
According to the paper, Tannin used his private account to E-mail his more senior colleague Cioffi that he feared the market for complex bond securities in which they had invested was “toast.”
NPR noted that when the two hedge funds collapsed, investors lost about $1.6 billion. According to the Associated Press, an attorney for Tannin said he was “was being made a scapegoat for a widespread market crisis,” and “looks forward to his acquittal.” The wire service said Cioffi’s attorney declined comment.
The SEC’s complaint alleges that when the hedge funds took increasing hits to the value of their portfolios during the first five months of 2007 and faced escalating redemptions and margin calls, Cioffi and Tannin deceived their own investors and certain institutional counterparties about the funds’ growing troubles until they collapsed and caused investor losses of approximately $1.8 billion.
The Commission is seeking permanent injunctive relief, disgorgement of all illegal profits plus prejudgment interest, and the imposition of civil monetary penalties.
“Hedge fund managers owe serious obligations to investors in their funds, and the Commission will be unyielding in its commitment to vigorous investor protection by enforcing the securities laws against them whenever warranted,” said SEC Chairman Christopher Cox. “Hedge funds are by no means unregulated when it comes to fraud. Those who commit fraud at the expense of investors will always be the target of a relentless SEC.”
Lawyers for Cioffi and Tannin did not immediately respond to requests by CFO.com for comment. However, according to the AP, Tannin attorney Susan Brune said her client “is innocent,” and added that he “is being made a scapegoat for a widespread market crisis. He looks forward to his acquittal.” The wire service said that Cioffi’s attorney had declined comment.You’ve no doubt heard about those towns in Maine that have declared food sovereignty. Well, here’s something at least a little bit in the same direction happening right here in that second rate socialist country, Canada! (Believe it or not, that’s what our Prime Minister is reported to have called it.)
“The City of Richmond is poised to join a growing number of B.C. municipalities that oppose the cultivation of genetically modified crops and plants within their boundaries.
A resolution has been working its way through city hall since June 2010, when Arzeena Hamir of the Richmond Food Security Society and April Reeves of GE Free B.C. pitched councillors on proposed wording that would keep Richmond free of genetically engineered trees, plants and crops.
“We got a call a few days ago from city staff saying they are finally ready to write the report,” said Hamir. “It’s been lost in the legal department for nearly two years, but the resolution is expected to come to council in May.”
Richmond councillor Harold Steves said staff were struggling with the question of how to deal with several farmers in Richmond already growing GE corn.
Opponents say crops such as canola that are engineered to survive pesticide applications lead to excessive use of chemical weed controls. They also worry that engineered genetic material will mix with conventional and organic crops and that foods made with the products of genetically engineered soy and corn may generate unforeseen allergic reactions in consumers.
If Richmond council passes a resolution opposing genetically engineered crops it would join a growing patchwork of B.C. municipal governments to have taken the step. | 1.441309 | 1,000 | 998 |
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There are many versions of a low fat-diet. Diets that get zero to 19% of their calories from fat are considered very low-fat diets. These include the Scarsdale Diet and the Hip and Thigh Diet. Diets that get 20-30% of their calories from fat are considered low-fat diets. These include Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, The Rice Diet, and the Three Hour Diet. Recommendations of these diets vary widely, and there is a continuing debate amongst various health professionals and groups as to how much fat is needed to maintain health and a healthy weight. However, there is general agreement that decreasing bad fats, such as trans fats, cholesterol, and saturated fats, and increasing good fats, such as Omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats, are important to good health and to weight control. In addition, current research is demonstrating that excessive calorie intake, and not just fat, is responsible for weight gain. Credible low-fat diets encourage a well balanced diet that includes unprocessed fruits, vegetables, 100% whole grains, low-fat dairy products, plant proteins (i.e. beans, tofu) and lean meats and fish. Because some fat in the diet is necessary for proper functioning of the body, good low-fat diets should encourage the use of healthy fats, such as those form olive oil and Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish and flax seed. They also restrict or eliminate foods high in saturated fats, trans fats, processed "white" grains that are not 100% whole grain, and sugar. Credible diets also do not promote or encourage rapid weight loss, generally considered more than one to two pounds per week. For the best chance of safely losing excessive weight and keeping it off, low-fat diets should also include components that address exercise and healthy lifestyle changes.
An extremely low-fat or no-fat diet is unhealthy and can be dangerous. Fats supply energy and essential fatty acids and promote the absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Current research has found that a deficiency in essential fatty acids can raise cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. Healthy low-fat diets should include unsaturated fats and minimize saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol. This helps to decrease the risk for a vascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, metabolic syndrome, and some forms of cancer. All diets have the potential to be harmful for some people, so consultation with a health care provider before starting a diet plan and exercise program is recommended.
Other diets similar to Low Fat Diet include:
Conditions associated with Low Fat Diet include:
The following foods may be restricted or excluded from Low Fat Diet:
The following foods may be focused on as part of Low Fat Diet:
The following are potential risks or complications of the diet (Low Fat Diet):
Search Specialists by State and City. As suggested in its common name, it’s a very early bloomer.
Windflowers (
Anemone blanda) also have noteworthy leaves—lacy, in this case. The flowers, opening in full sunlight and resembling pastel-colored daisies, have graced gardens and fields on both sides of the Atlantic for more than a hundred years.
Daffodils were grown by both the ancient Egyptians and Greeks and reached British gardens by the 13th century. But their popularity didn’t soar until the end of the 19th century when many new varieties began to be developed. Two old-fashioned daffodils worth considering today are the Poet’s narcissus (
Narcissus poeticus) and Lent lily ( Narcissus pseudonarcissus). Poet’s narcissus, dating back to the 17th century, sports snowy-white, fragrant blooms. Lent lily’s origin stretches back to the 13th century, but it also was popular during Colonial times. It has a narrow lemon-yellow trumpet and slightly lighter petals that sweep forward.
The daffodil is a fall-planted bulb that not only has been a longtime staple, but also, with very little attention, will propagate over the years. Plus, animals avoid it—an important consideration if you live in a rural area. For naturalized daffodils, don’t mow until the daffodil foliage has browned, at which point you’ll have a meadow, rather than a lawn, underfoot. In my opinion, there’s not a cheerier sight in spring than a crowd of flowering daffodils skipping down a hillside or a tulip border marching around a foundation.
Published in: Old-House Journal September/October 2008
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Editor's Note: We are republishing this new story from our February 1995 issue as part of our in-depth report on Science at the Movies.
The world was safe all along. Back in the 1950s, moviemakers regularly served up the spectacle of creatures from other planets attempting to take over our bucolic little orb. Heroic earthlings fought the aliens with dynamite, napalm, atomic torpedoes and bad acting. But had the heroes been better acquainted with life-history strategies -- the reproductive behaviors that determine patterns of population growth -- they might not have bothered.
“In general,” says May R. Berenbaum, professor of entomology at the University of Illinois, “none of [the aliens] exhibit the opportunistic sorts of reproductive traits or characteristics of organisms that successfully colonize.” Her findings help to explain why earthlings should be afraid of at least some contemporary invaders “such as zebra mussels, bark beetles, medflies and, perhaps, the sluglike aliens featured in one of last year’s movies, The Puppet Masters. Berenbaum’s first try at sharing her interest in cinematic biology was an abortive attempt to organize an insect film festival while she was a graduate student in entomology at Cornell University. “I thought it could be a way to attract a large audience to insect issues,” she recalls. Shortly after joining the faculty at Illinois, however, she teamed up with Richard J. Leskosky, assistant director of the university’s Unit for Cinema Studies, to get the bug film festival finally flying. The couple went on to produce several papers on insects in movies and cartoons, as well as a daughter -- the aficionado of entomology and the film buff were married in 1988. In 1991 Berenbaum was invited to lecture at the Midwest Population Biology Conference. “I thought it might be entertaining to look at population biology in the movies,” she says. “And a recurrent biological theme in films is the idea of invading organisms.” It seemed a testable hypothesis to see whether fictional invaders share the attributes that invading organisms in real biotic communities display. So Berenbaum and Leskosky looked at the life histories of aliens in science-fiction movies released in the 1950s, a time when movies were lousy with invading organisms. (Film historians attribute the obsession to the recent memory of Nazi aggression and to cold war paranoia.) The two used Keep Watching the Skies, an exhaustive compilation of science-fiction flicks, as their database. Their lecture -- a version of which was published in 1992 in the Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America -- ended with films from 1957, the last year the book covered. Of the 133 movies described in the text, 67 fulfilled Berenbaum’s requirement for inclusion in the study: they depicted an extraterrestrial species. Analysis showed that invading is a dicey lifestyle choice. “We determined that, collectively, alien beings in science-fiction films do suffer from high mortality,” Berenbaum and Leskosky wrote. Indeed, in only three of the movies do aliens survive to see the credits. They die at the hands of humans and through acts of God or the director -- earthquakes, volcanoes and avalanches all come to the rescue of humans. But heroic deeds or natural disasters were probably less threatening to the long-term survival of the invading species than their own poor fecundity. Opportunistic species, those good at colonizing new environments, exhibit so-called r-selection. “These species have a set of traits -- small body size, rapid growth, huge brood sizes,” Berenbaum explains. Those qualities lead to a high r, the intrinsic rate of increase, which can cause big problems in real life as well as in real bad movies. “European bark beetles, just reported in Illinois a year or two ago, almost shut down the entire Christmas tree industry,” Berenbaum notes. “A National Academy of Sciences study showed that introduced species have caused about $90 billion worth of economic damage. “On the other hand, those species marked by slow development, reproduction later in life and large body size -- traits of so-called K-selection -- are good at competing in a stable environment but poorer at colonizing a new one. Thus, California farmers find themselves fearing r medflies far more than K elephants. The typical 1950s alien invader, however, is far closer biologically to an elephant than to an insect. The aliens also suffer from overconfidence. Berenbaum and Leskosky found that 42 of the movies showcased either a lone invader or a pair. Only 21 films have the earth threatened by more than six intruders. The small initial invading force, combined with failure to go forth and multiply once they reach the planet, renders most movie aliens nothing more than short-term threats. The few invaders who do try to reproduce once they land make efforts | 1.646815 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
This course will examine natural disasters in the context of East Asian history, with the goal of teaching students the tools used by social scientists. Students will be asked to: (a) analyze historical and ethnographic data on natural disasters in East Asia; and (b) assess the influence of class, ethnicity, education, and power on the making and outcome of these natural disasters. The course ultimately hopes to encourage students to think of "natural" disasters as "social" phenomena that demand better social responses.
In recent years the world has witnessed an unprecedented level of destruction caused by a series of devastating natural disasters. They have leveled entire cities, taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, and displaced even more. These events have stoked the popular imagination with dramatic images, the global media has come to depict hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and most recently the tsunami that hit northeastern Japan as the work of an unpredictable, uncontrollable, and essentially chaotic force. Although true in some respects, this way of understanding earthquakes, tsunamis, and other events tends to obscure the social, political, and historical side of these so-called “natural” disasters. When, in fact, did we begin to regard these events as the work of “nature” as opposed to, say, God or some other supernatural agency? On what basis do we classify a certain event as a “natural” disaster? Can we ignore the influence of class, ethnicity, education, and power on the making and outcome of these disasters? This course will bring these and other questions to bear on the historical and comparative study of natural disasters in East Asia.
Course Requirements:
Readings include both primary material in translation and secondary scholarship. 1 quiz (map quiz, multiple choice, fill in the blanks), 3 response papers (2,000-2,500 words each), 1 peer-review paper (1,300-1,500 words), 1 reading journal, 1 in-class presentation, and participation.
Intended Audience:
All undergraduates, especially those who want to take more courses in Asian Studies. There are no prerequisites for this course, but some background in the history and culture of East Asia is recommended.
Class Format:
This course will meet twice a week. Each week will consist of two lectures and short in-class discussion. detailed responses to this motion, responses which amply illustrated that counsel was entirely aware of the legal and factual grounds for these proceedings. (Docs. 107, 108, and 111)*fn2
The Court then provided defense counsel a further opportunity to be heard on June 10, 2011, at a hearing conducted by the Court. (Doc. 116) Following this hearing, the Court allowed additional opportunities for factual submissions, (Doc. 117), and briefing of this matter by the parties. (Doc.136.) Indeed, when defense counsel requested further time to reply to aspects of this sanctions petition, (Doc. 182), we granted this request, providing defense counsel additional time to frame a response to this sanctions motions. (Doc. 183) It is only after months of litigation, and after affording defense counsel numerous opportunities to be heard on this matter, that we first learned that counsel believed that she had been denied due process.
We reject this claim. It is clear beyond any reasonable dispute that defense counsel had ample notice of this matter, and was afforded multiple opportunities to be heard. Defense counsel was also on notice from prior sanctions litigation, and from the plaintiff's's motion for sanctions, that financial sanctions of as much as $2,500 might be sought by the plaintiff in this case. Therefore, the due process requirements of notice and an opportunity to be heard were fully satisfied here, the due process claims belatedly advanced by counsel are meritless, and they will be denied.*fn3
Having addressed this threshold factual assertion, and having previously found sanctionable misconduct by defense counsel which warrants a financial penalty in the form of attorney's fees, see O'Donnell v. Department of Corrections, No. 09-1173, 2011 WL 3163230 (M.D. Pa. July 26, 2011), we now turn to the assessment of these fees.
1. Principles Governing Assessment of Fees ... | 1.455085 | 945 | 943 |
the politics of feminism, race and a new progressive movement.
Exclusive: Women of Color Push Boundaries on Reproductive Justice by Natalie Bell
Women of color increasingly feel empowered and emboldened to defend their rights to make healthy decisions about their bodies. This sentiment was in clear evidence at the fifth national membership meeting of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective in Washington, D.C. in early November, as participants not only talked the talk, but walked their talk straight to Capitol Hill.
SisterSong family -- Keely Roberts (l), Jonah, Lynn Roberts
Spirits were high as more than 400 women and a handful of men from 26 states assembled to raise the floor on the reproductive concerns of women. SisterSong, now in its 12th year, has a membership of individual members and more than 80 reproductive justice advocacy organizations across the country.
“The color of power has changed in the nation’s capital,” said Loretta Ross, National Coordinator of SisterSong. "SisterSong has been given unprecedented access to have a conversation with the Obama administration. But we shouldn't confuse access with influence. We need to be at the table -- or we might be on the menu."
Stepping Into Action
The coincidental timing of unfolding events in Washington gave SisterSong the impetus to step up its activities. No sooner had the conference gotten underway on Saturday, November 7, than word came that Congressional representatives were taking a rare weekend vote on an anti-abortion amendment and possibly on an anti-immigrant amendment to the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962), the health care reform legislation. SisterSong opposed both and conference planners quickly shifted gears, organizing state coalitions of members to head to the Capitol to rally U.S. representatives to vote against the amendments.
Luz Rodriguez, co-founder of SisterSong, explains the sudden shift in plans.
The decision to revamp the planned meetings occurred even as Caya B. Lewis, the high-ranking director of outreach in the new Office of Health Reform in President Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services, took the podium to tell SisterSong members how important health care reform is for women of color. People of color are disproportionately uninsured, she said, with women more likely to be uninsured than men. Medical costs cause 52 percent of women to delay needed health care, she said.
Lewis explained benefits of the legislation: co-pays would not be charged for mammograms or other important preventable services; insurers would not be able to label pregnancy or caesarean sections as pre-existing conditions. “We know there are nine states that even consider domestic violence to be a pre-existing condition. That will be stopped,” she added.
Looming immediately, however, was a vote on the Stupak-Pitts anti-abortion amendment, which would ban insurance companies from covering abortion if they wanted to sell any insurance in a new national exchange – virtually eliminating coverage for abortion services for women who will be required to buy their own insurance. Abortion is currently covered in 87 percent of private insurance plans, said SisterSong.
SisterSong participants quickly gathered in groups, created unified talking points, and left the conference hotel to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to explain how the anti-abortion amendment would affect the lives of poor women and women of color. Members used Twitter and Facebook to spread the word to networks around the country, urging friends and allies to take action.
Despite the passage of the Stupak-Pitts amendment in the house, “this fight is not over,” said Ross. "We have proven our power to mobilize our large base of members,” she said and urged continued activism in communities where representatives voted against the interests of low-income women and women of color.
Across Multiple Concerns, Women Take Charge
Public and private discussions with participants at the conference underscored their eagerness to press forward on topics ranging from the politics of sexuality to the impact of violence, oppression and the environment on women’s bodies and reproductive rights. SisterSong and its member organizations are committed to three core values: the right of every human being to have a child, not have a child, and to parent a child, said Ross.
A powerful bloc of women living with HIV attended the national meeting, including several attendees from SisterLove in Atlanta.
One woman with HIV spoke at a reception about recently giving birth to an HIV-negative baby. Already having one child born with the virus, she visited several doctors who refused to treat her with her second pregnancy, she said. “We have the right to have children, to be respected -- and to wear stilettos,” she beamed, gradually taking a stand in the middle of the room with her baby on her hip.
A woman who called herself “Tammy – That Girl” twirled around at the reception to declare that she had been living with HIV for more than 20 years, while a Philadelphia woman in attendance noted that HIV requires awareness. “It may | 1.775752 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
not be what you’re doing, but what your partner is doing,” she said. “Whatever you’re doing to advocate for reproductive justice -- HIV care must be integrated in that fold,” she said.
Dazon Dixon Diallo, executive director of SisterLove, said, "Whatever you?re doing to advocate for reproductive justice -- HIV care must be integrated in that fold."Ê She added, "Black women are under assault in our risk of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS." Women comprise 25 percent of HIV/AIDS cases in Georgia, and black women make up 84 percent of the women, she said. One incarcerated woman in Georgia living with HIV was denied medication until her condition had progressed to full-blown AIDS. Diallo lamented what she called the “multiple levels of oppression” to which women in the South are still subjected, resulting in not only high levels of HIV, but high infant mortality, maternal morbidity, teen pregnancy, syphilis, illiteracy and high school dropout rates.
Women from other parts of the country described differing concerns in similar language. “The South is just like Hawaii when you look beyond the hotel facade and the hula girl,” said Darlene Rodrigues, who is part of 3rd Path Movement for Reproductive Justice in Hawaii. Rodrigues described in an interview how she and other women are attempting to reform delivery of services for women who seek protection in domestic violence shelters. “We’re trying to change the way domestic violence is addressed. An analysis of race, class and religion should be included,” said Rodrigues.
“Most of the women who come into the shelters on Molekai (the island) are on welfare,” added Malia Kuoha, also of 3rd Path. Some women are forced to choose between living in the shelter or having their children taken away, she said.
Women from California’s Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice (ACRJ) described their work to organize Vietnamese nail salon workers in the San Francisco-Bay area around health and safety issues. The strong smell that one encounters upon walking into a nail salon is toxic, and can cause health problems, said Maria Nakae, of ACRJ. (Also see an article by Jacqui Patterson in this edition of
On The Issues Magazine.) Cupid Shuffle I came to cover the SisterSong National Meeting, as I had many public affairs events, prepared to take in the core message and record how it was played out in dialogue and action. As a journalist and educator, I had studied, experienced and written about women’s issues. But this was my first opportunity to witness a contemporary movement of hundreds of young women, fearlessly embracing the personal as political. What a powerful effect! These were beautiful women, inside and out, and they knew it. Yet there was no competition, envy or jealousy here. Each had come from different corners of the nation, small and large cities alike. They moved about the conference, speaking to one another, secure in themselves, in the issues they brought to the table, and with respect for the same of others. Their convergence on Washington, D.C. was a celebration in community-building around issues of health and sexuality. I was dazzled from the opening moments of the early-morning session by the power in their walk and talk, as it exploded into groups of women dancing to the “Cupid Shuffle” in the main conference ballroom as a soundtrack played. The sheer force of female energy took over the entire space. ~ Natalie Bell
Nakae said that many of the chemicals in personal care products used at home, as well as in nail and beauty salons, have been linked to persistent miscarriages and infertility in women. “It’s not the responsibility of workers, but of manufacturers in industry to make sure workers and consumers are not exposed to products or chemicals that are toxic,” said Nakae. While many workers experience health problems, such as respiratory, skin and reproductive ailments, they usually cannot take off from work and have no access to health insurance. ACRJ is focused on advancing chemical policy reform, specifically to protect nail salon workers and others who work in toxic industries.
Women in the Native American and indigenous populations need to understand that a woman’s right to govern her own body and take care of it in the way she chooses is a foundational principle of their culture, said Jessica Yee, founder of Native Youth Sexual Health Network, a coalition of 13 indigenous organizations. Education for her group involves teaching young people full cultural competency and to talk to elders about sexual and reproductive health.
“Life begins with women. Our bodies are powerful!” Yee announced like a high-spirited cheerleader during a presentation to the full membership, coaxing SisterSong conferees to get up out of their seats and wave their hands in the air with pride.
This rousing atmosphere is part of a building awareness by women of color of the multi-layered import of reproductive justice. Said Gabriela Valle of California Latinas for Reproductive Justice, “This is all about audacity. We | 1.950006 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
REAL ESTATE REPORTER
The sizzle has gone out of
Price reductions of $40,000 or $50,000 have become common, realtors say, and some top-end buyers have even tried to back out of deals after realizing they may have overpaid by hundreds of thousands of dollars.
It all adds up to a drastic change from this spring, when it was common to get 30 offers for a single property and homes in desirable areas were snapped up as soon as they were listed. The change, also being felt in Vancouver, is happening at a time when the national home market is treading water and cities such as Toronto and Montreal are seeing only modest price gains. “Anybody who thought it was going to continue forever was smoking something funny,” said John Riseborough, a 23-year veteran of the industry who owns Re/Max First in Calgary. “Bizarre,” is how Mr. Riseborough sums up the first half of the year in the Calgary market. “It was too much. It was a scary thing.” Sales of existing homes took a tumble last month in both Calgary and Vancouver, two of the country’s strongest markets. Numbers released yesterday by the Canadian Real Estate Association show that Calgary sales were down last month by almost 18 per cent over the same month last year, while listings were up by more than 50 per cent. Houses are sitting on the market for longer, and agents say many buyers are waiting on the sidelines, hoping asking prices will fall even more. In Vancouver, conditions also cooled. Sales volumes were down by 17 per cent in October and new listings increased by almost 19 per cent. Even with the slowdown, there is no indication that the Canadian market is heading for the drastic correction taking place in some parts of the United States. The average selling price of a Calgary home increased last month to $374,067, the second highest in the country behind Vancouver. And while Calgary and Vancouver are taking a breather, activity in Edmonton and Saskatoon is still at record levels. For the country as a whole, year-to-date sales remain the highest on record, according to figures released yesterday by the Canadian Real Estate Association. “We are expecting a gradual decrease,” said Gregory Klump, the association’s chief economist. “There is no bubble to burst.” Most in the industry see October’s flat markets as a sign of things to come. For the country as a whole, a seasonally adjusted total of 27,225 existing homes changed hands last month, an increase of just 0.1 per cent from September. Nationally, the average sale price of an existing home was $301,516 last month, a 9.6-per-cent increase from last year, but well off the double-digit jumps reported earlier in the year. New monthly price records were set in Calgary, Vancouver and Saskatoon. Don Lawby, Vancouver-based president of Century 21 Canada, said that with prices soaring by roughly 50 per cent in 12 months, Calgary buyers were bound to get sticker shock. “There gets to be a point where the consumer says, ‘I won’t pay that,’ “ he said. For the same reason, Mr. Lawby said, strong markets will continue in Edmonton and Saskatoon, where average prices are still well below the national average. “The Western economy is still very strong.” Indeed, some in Calgary already say they are seeing signs that the worst is behind them. Mindy Selby, a Calgary homeowner who listed her bungalow in Upper Scarboro, just southwest of downtown, two weeks ago, said yesterday that buyer interest is picking up. “All of a sudden, I’m getting more showings,” she said. Ms. Selby believes the market got out of whack in the summer because people put their houses up for sale to test what they could get. “They were asking nutty prices,” she said. “I think people started to get nervous.” Still, she said she plans to rent her existing home, rather than cut her price if no buyers materialize. Others also say the signs of a rebound are there. But opinion is divided on whether it will happen this month or early next year. “It just feels like there is something happening,” said Corinne Lyall, an associate broker at Royal LePage Benchmark in Calgary. Listings have gone down since the beginning of November, Ms. Lyall said. That could be a sign of increased buyer interest or an indication that people are taking properties off the market with the holiday season approaching. Either way, given the huge price gains the market has witnessed in the past 12 months, homeowners have no reason to cry. The shifting conditions just mean agents have had to “sharpen their pencils,” Ms. Lyall said. If a house is priced correctly, it will sell. Getting homeowners to understand that the price their neighbour’s house fetched in June may no longer be | 1.401564 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Being an oldest child in a medium large to very large family is often extremely precarious. You are often the family's second parent or in locos parentis. You often have no life of your own to speak about. Your childhood is often compared to the total hours of daylight in the winter solstice. You are usually on call to your parents and siblings 24/7/365.
You are seldom appreciated for what you do for your parents and siblings. In fact, you are expected to cheerfully look after your younger siblings at a moment's notice. Your situation is often compared to an indentured servant or worse. Even as an adult, you still continue to bear the brunt of the familial responsibilities such as caring for an aging parent and being the go to when a family crisis arises. If you are affluent, your younger siblings, if they are poorer, expect you to financially look after them. Describe your experiences of being the oldest sibling in a medium large to very large family? Did being the oldest in a medium large to very large family affect you positively or negatively?
I'm the oldest sibling in the family of six and some of this is true. I do spend a lot of timing watching my younger siblings. However, it is not completely torture either. As a family we help each other out and no one person carries all of the burden. True, I naturally was more responsible in taking care of my siblings, however it's not really comparable to and indentured servant.
Naturally, it is de rigueur in the lives of oldest children in medium large to very large families. Being the oldest in medium large to very large families is the most unglamorous and underappreciate position there is. Many oldest children in medium large to very large families actually detest their birth order position and their familial situation. While oldest children in small to medium sized families have more glamorous positions such as the cool, hip older sibling or the looked up to advisor and counselor, the oldest child in medium large to very large families have all the drudgery and none of the glamour! Their situation is analogous to being Cinderella.
by Grace Marguerite Williams3 months ago
I believe that the oldest child in a family have the toughest and roughest path to go. He/she was automatically dethroned upon the birth/births of a successive sibling/siblings. He/she is often held to...
by Grace Marguerite Williams2 years ago
(6 or more children per household) in the postmodern, 21st century United States, being fully cognizant of the fact that they will be subjecting their children to an extremely rudimentary and primitive socioeconomic...
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Elder children always have a feeling that they are avoided by their parents. What can parents do about it?
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After suffering a devastating miscarriage in December 2011, Michelle Duggar is trying to get pregnant again with her 20th child. The 19 Kids and Counting reality TV mom says she and husband Jim Bob Duggar are hoping to...
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Anyone here have a "large family"?What is considered large?I have ten.
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HubPages and Hubbers (authors) may earn revenue on this page based on affiliate relationships and advertisements with partners including Amazon, Google, and others.Search this blog if you want to read more about his expertise on gender. His latest book explains how men and women lead differently in business "so we can decide who is better at what in the business world," Forbes explains. I guess it's too hard to evaluate people as individuals.
Gurian says men and women act differently in the workplace, not because they're socialized differently, but because their brains are different. That's why it's hard for Clinton because she has to "compete like a man." Gurian adds: "A woman right now running for office is caught."
Here are a few suggestions for politics and business: Let's talk about the different ways people lead. But let's not assume that people can be categorized neatly, or that their differences are innate. Otherwise, people who act against the stereotype are seen as unnatural or inauthentic. | 1.716087 | 974 | 972 |
Two weeks ago, this column addressed the state of the New York City multifamily market, and most of the statistics discussed pertained to the entire city-wide market. I received many e-mails and a few calls asking for the data to be broken down on a submarket-by-submarket basis, so here it is.
It is particularly illustrative to look at the way the market has performed during the past nine quarters. From 2009 through the first quarter of 2011, the trends are very apparent.
It is clear, although no trends are without exception, that cap rates expanded in 2010 from 2009 levels as value hit its low point toward the end of last year. The 1Q11 results show that cap rate compression has returned to the multifamily marketplace and that an upward swing in value is occurring in nearly all submarkets.
Let’s see how each has performed.
Manhattan
The dollar volume of sales in the walk-up sector in the Manhattan submarket was nearly $90 million in 1Q11, putting the submarket on pace to be well ahead of the approximately $250 million totals in 2009 and 2010.
There were 22 buildings sold in the first quarter, containing 276 units total. Both of these numbers, if annualized, would be well ahead of the pace of the prior two years.
More important, we have seen cap rates and gross rent multiples stay approximately where they were in 2010, but the average price per unit has increased to well over $400,000 and the average price per square foot has risen to $592 from last year’s $525, a 13-percent increase. With caps and GRMs remaining relatively flat and price per square foot rising the way it did, it tells us that rent levels are rising.
Moving to the elevator sector, in 1Q11 the total dollar volume of sales was approximately $105 million, running at about half the pace of last year’s $832 million. In this submarket, there were only five buildings sold in 1Q11, containing a total of 230 units. Notably, the cap rate dropped from 2010’s 4.84 percent to 4.22 percent and the GRM average increased from 12.74 to 14.40.
The average price per unit increased from last year’s $419,000, to over $542,000. Additionally, the average price per square foot increased by 18 percent, from $438 last year to $518 in 1Q11.
Northern Manhattan
In 1Q11, in the walk-up sector, there were only $11.2 million in total sales. This pace, if annualized, is about one-third of last year’s total of about $130 million. Also in the walk-up sector, there were eight buildings sold in 1Q11, with a total of 114 units.
The average capitalization rate dropped from an average of 7.48 percent in 2010, to 6.62 percent this year. The average price per unit increased from approximately $104,000 to over $110,000 and the average price per square foot also increased last year, by 20 percent, from $164 to $196.
In the elevator sector, there was only one property sold, at a price of $2.8 million. The property contained 31 units. It is difficult to ascribe statistical significance to this one transaction as, clearly, the pace is significantly below the $319 million of total activity last year in this sector. footwork. He's round Matt, he's round Wenchy, he's bearing down on an open goal... but if I stretch and put in a sliding tackle, I can juuuuust put a toe on it... the ball careens off, Mendel goes flying, and ball and monk each take out a whole row of pea plants. Oh no! Decades of work ruined - who's going to be the father of modern genetics now? - and Mendel's gone off in a huff. Hey, don't look at me like that, it was a fair challenge.
Well, if you're going to be like that, I'm going home. And I'm taking my ball with me. Game over.
Rematch in December at The Inoculated Mind. | 1.550778 | 976 | 974 |
In the general elections of 1997 the people of Vieux Fort were asked to “give Vieux Fort a Prime Minister.” The propaganda promised that a vote for the SLP candidate and new party leader would transform Vieux Fort. The Vieux Fort MP was prime minister for close to fifteen years but such changes as have occurred in the town are hard to see. Even before 1997 Vieux Fort residents had dreamed of overtaking Castries, of becoming “the Miami of Saint Lucia”. What has become of that dream? Has Vieux-Fort been transformed for the better? Have the townspeople finally seen through the fakery and lies of 1997?
In 2016 the crucial question is: what can the failed prime minister deliver to Vieux Fort as an ordinary MP that he could not (would not?) as Prime Minister? The people were warned that unprincipled politicians who fought for nothing and stood for nothing were doomed to fail. Worse was to be expected from politicians with confusing communist/socialist notions. We were reminded that real men stood up for what’s right; real men were always ready to defend their beliefs. Such men of principle never run away from difficult political decisions!
Having experienced three election victories, how many times did the constituency’s parliamentary representative treat Vieux Fort to the awesome sight of the Governor General administering to her ministers the oath of office? Vieux Fortians had to wait for Prime Minister Allen Chastanet!
What the people of Vieux Fort saw as “a special honour” – the visit of the Governor General and her ministers within days of the June 6 general elections – the Vieux Fort MP saw as “rubbing salt in the wound”. He neglected to say who had been wounded, by whom, and why. Indeed it was the people of Vieux Fort who had been deeply wounded by years of neglect, VAT and other killer taxes.
Any political novice can see that the island’s economic future depends heavily on the development of Vieux Fort, specifically its air and seaports, its marina (proposed by John Compton in 1992 at Coco Dan), its medical/technical educational complex, and in harnessing its river for irrigation and fish. These development loci must be wisely planned and integrated if they are to produce maximum benefits for Vieux Fort . . . and Saint Lucia.
The scandalous neglect of Hewanorra Airport hurts everyone. The soi-disant best brains decided to remove an exit tax imposed by the King-led UWP government to assist in rebuilding and modernizing the aiport. Today, that exit tax would have realised at least EC$250 million. That tax only affected persons leaving the island on international air travel. The same fools who removed the airport tax added new ones on water, and more VAT on some local foods. Can you believe this? Hunter J. Francois, the deceased former Minister of Education, once said that if you send an ass to university, all you’ll get eventually is a qualified jackass. How right he was!
There are at least five elements to be developed if Vieux Fort is to prosper. First its airport: no other country in the Caribbean has the infrastructure the Americans left at Beane Field, now renamed Hewanorra International Airport. Visionary leadership demands that a government look at the entire HIA area with a view to locating a modern air terminal building and using all three runways. Runway ‘A’ is already in regular usage; Runway ‘C’—caca-beuf—needs strengthening and expanding to accommodate the largest aircraft; Runway ‘B’ would be expanded to link A and C and a new air terminal. The free zone would be relocated, while some of its structures would be used for air cargo business.
The present terminal ought to be upgraded for regional air travel, air charter and American and Canadian airlines. The new terminal should be designed to service air carriers from Europe, South and Central America, India, Japan, Taiwan and the Middle East. Then there is the marina at Coco Dan still waiting to be built. The land and sea area for this important marina in the south must be clearly delineated to allow rational use by investors in hotels, guesthouses and restaurants. A new bridge to replace the old wooden bridge that once linked the western part of the town to Coco Dan must form part of the development plans for the area west of the old river outlet.
Prime Minister Chastanet has already spoken on his vision for the Vieux Fort sea port, New Dock. A seaport serves no useful purpose without cargo and passengers. Besides a cruise ship terminal, port Vieux Fort should aim to become an active trans-shipment point. The possibilities are enormous, if we think global!
The fourth and crucial feature of the town of Vieux Fort needing attention is the Vieux Fort River. That river poses a significant threat to HIA during periods of heavy rainfall. It has been known to overspill its banks and damage the | 2.118747 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Savannas are grasslands covered with perennial plants including grasses and shrubs and are identified by the amount of tree cover they have. An area is designated a savanna if less than half of it is covered by trees. There are several types of savannas including grass; tree, such as an oak savanna, and shrub, and savannas are further classified into how they were formed, such as tropical, which occur in warm, humid climates; edaphic, which occur when the soil is thin and derived or man-made. Vegetation in savannas is determined by climate and region, so tree savannas found in different parts of the world will contain plants native to that region.
Grass Savannas
Grass savannas are found in eastern Africa, Australia and the Llanos in Venezuela and Colombia and both are considered tropical savannas, according to the University of California Museum of Paleontology. The shrubs found in Africa include forbs, small, flowering, broad-leafed plants that grow with the grass. Shrubs found in the Llanos savanna include melastomataceae, which are small flowering shrubs.
Tree Savannas
Examples of tree savannas include the cerrado savanna in Brazil, pine savannas in the Ozarks and oak savannas in the Midwestern United States. Shrubs found in the cerrado include several small flowering plants such as leguminosae, malpiphiaceae, myrtaceae, melastomaceae, rubiaceae and qualea grandiflora, which is used in folk remedies, according to "The Cerrado Biome in Central Brazil--Natural Ecology and Threats to its Diversity," by Nadja Schmidt. In the pine savannas of the American south, native shrubs such as titi thicket, buckwheat tree, gallberries and bayberries thrive.Shrubs found in the oak savannas of the Midwest include native plants such as wild plum, sand cherry, black cherry, smooth sumac and gray dogwood, according to OakSavannas.org.
Shrub Savanna
An example of a shrub savanna is found in Namibia, which is covered in thornbush, and several places in the United States including the Rio Grande Plains and the Balcones escarpment in Texas. Native shrubs on the Rio Grande plains include Mexican trixis, skeletonbush, Mexican caesalpinia, desert yaupon, low croton and yellow sophora, according to the NativePlantProject.com.In the Balcones, native shrubs such as sedges, bundleflowers, prairie clover, laurels and creepers, are prevalent, according to "Plants of the Balcones Preserve," by the Balcones Canyonlands Partners.Suggest treatment to improve muscle mass and tone
User rating for this question
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Posted Mon, 3 Feb 2014 in General Health
Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James 3 hours later
Brief Answer: increase your protein intake Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic Muscle is made up primarily of protein. This is the reason that body builders and individuals trying to increase muscle mass, tend to use more protein. If you have no history of kidney disease,then increasing your protein intake will improve your muscle mass and tone. This can be through animal (meats, fish, eggs, milk, cheese) or plant protein (if you are a vegetarian). There are also protein supplements. In addition , as you increase your protein use, you can decrease your carbohydrate use. Carbohydrates stimulate the body to release insulin. Insulin, in addition to reducing blood sugars , also stops the body from breaking down fat. If you reduce your carbohydrate intake ,there is less insulin released and more fat will break down. This means a reduction in sodas/fruit drinks/rice/pasta/breads/biscuits/potatoes Meals would mainly be the protein and vegetables /salads. You should replace any sodas and fruit drinks with a lot of water. I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
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The opinion of the court was delivered by: Magistrate Judge Carlson
I. Statement of Facts and of the Case
In this case we are now called upon to write the final chapter in the sad coda to a government service career spanning more than three decades. Currently pending before the Court is plaintiff Monica O'Donnell's third motion for sanctions against defendants and their counsel. (Doc. 103) This motion arises out of an extraordinary and troubling circumstance, the unilateral decision of government defense counsel to elect to take a European vacation in May 2011, at a time when counsel was scheduled for a pre-trial conference and trial before this Court, coupled with the wholesale failure of counsel to disclose this scheduling conflict to the Court, opposing counsel and her own supervisors for a span of almost five months.
We have already determined that this fundamental breach of counsel's professional obligations, which occurred after counsel had previously been cited in this case for other professional misconduct, see, O'Donnell v. Department of Corrections, No. 09-1173, 2011 WL 398399 (M.D. Pa. Feb. 4, 2011), warrants some sanction, in the form of an attorney's fee award. See O'Donnell v. Department of Corrections, No. 09-1173, 2011 WL 3163230 (M.D. Pa. July 26, 2011). Because the facts of this matter have been fully discussed, and are fully familiar to the parties, we will not re-state them at length in this opinion. We are compelled, however, to briefly address one belated factual assertion made by defense counsel in the latest filing in this case.
On September 19, 2011, defense counsel filed a brief in this matter which belatedly claimed that these sanctions proceedings were improper because defense counsel had been denied due process, by being denied notice and an opportunity to be heard. (Doc. 183) This is an extraordinary assertion. In fact, there is, perhaps, some unintended irony to this belated claim, since defense counsel provided the Court and the parties in this litigation absolutely no notice of her intention to forego the pre-trial conference and trial preparation in this case in May of 2011, but now complains that she received inadequate notice of these sanctions proceedings, proceedings which stemmed from her wholesale failure to provide any notice of material facts to the Court and opposing counsel.
In any event, this belated claim has no merit. While "the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment requires a federal court to provide notice and an opportunity to be heard before sanctions are imposed on a litigant or attorney," Martin v. Brown, 63 F.3d 1252, 1262 (3d Cir. 1995), it is clear that the requirements of due process are fully met when, "the party against whom sanctions are being considered [receives notice] of the legal rule on which the sanctions would be based, the reasons for the sanctions, and the form of the potential sanctions." In re Tu Tu Wells Contamination Litigation, 120 F.3d 368, 379 (3d Cir. 1995).*fn1
These due process requirements were fully met in this case. At the outset, counsel had ample notice of the her rights and responsibilities in connection with this sanctions matter, because this was, sadly, the second sanctions proceedings which the Court had been compelled to conduct in this case. See O'Donnell v. Department of Corrections, No. 09-1173, 2011 WL 398399 (M.D. Pa. Feb. 4, 2011). In any event, this Court's orders of May 10 and 12, 2011, plainly gave counsel notice of the basis for this sanctions hearing and an opportunity to be heard. (Docs. 98 and 101) Indeed, those orders set both briefing and hearing schedules for any sanctions motion, thereby ensuring both notice and a full opportunity to be heard for defense counsel. (Id.)
The plaintiff's sanctions motion then provided defense counsel with further notice of these proceedings, and specifically placed counsel on notice that the plaintiff was seeking sanctions both in the form of relief which would effect the outcome of this litigation, as well as financial penalties of up to $2,500. (Docs. 103 and 104)
In fact, the initial response of defense counsel to this sanctions motion utterly belies her current claim that she was denied notice of the allegations against her. Prior to the June 10, 2011, hearing conducted in this case, defense counsel filed several | 1.255183 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to re-introduce legislation that will amend the United States Constitution to force Congress to rein in spending by balancing the federal budget.
We have a spending addiction in Washington, D.C., and it has proven to be an addiction that Congress cannot control on its own and which is bringing dire consequences. We have gone in a few short years from a deficit of billions of dollars to a deficit of trillions of dollars. We are printing money at an unprecedented pace, which presents serious risks of massive inflation. Our national debt recently surpassed an astonishing $16 trillion and continues to rapidly increase, along with the waste associated with paying the interest on that debt.
Our first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, warned of the consequences of out-of-control debt when he wrote: "To preserve [the] independence [of the people,] we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude.'' Unfortunately, it increasingly appears that Congress has chosen the latter path.
Our current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, issued a similar warning when she recently declared: "I think that our rising debt levels [sic] poses a national security threat, and it poses a national security threat in two ways. It undermines our capacity to act in our own interest, and it does constrain us where constraint may be undesirable. And it also sends a message of weakness internationally.'' Despite these warnings, Congress has refused to address this crisis.
Congress' spending addiction is not a partisan one. It reaches across the aisle and afflicts both parties, which is why neither party has been able to master it. We need outside help. We need pressure from outside Congress to force Congress to rein in this out-of-control behavior. We need a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution.
That is why I am introducing this legislation--a commonsense, 3-part balanced budget Constitutional amendment which garnered the support of 133 bipartisan cosponsors last Congress. This bill would (1) amend the Constitution to require that total spending for any fiscal year not exceed total receipts; (2) require that bills to raise revenues pass each House of Congress by a 3/5 majority; and (3) establish an annual spending cap such that total federal spending could not exceed 1/5 of the economic output of the United States.
The bill would also require a 3/5 majority vote for any increases in the debt limit.
The legislation provides an exception in times of war and during military conflicts that pose imminent and serious military threats to national security.
Our federal government must be lean, efficient and responsible with the dollars that our nation's citizens worked so hard to earn. We must work to both eliminate every cent of waste and squeeze every cent of value out of each dollar our citizens entrust to us. Families all across our nation understand what it means to make tough decisions each day about what they can and cannot afford and government officials should be required to exercise similar restraint when spending the hard-earned dollars of our nation's citizens.
By amending the Constitution to require a balanced budget, establish measurable spending limits, and make it harder to raise taxes, we can force the Congress to control spending, paving the way for a return to surpluses and ultimately paying down the national debt, rather than allow big spenders to lead us further down the road of chronic deficits and in doing so leave our children and grandchildren saddled with debt that is not their own.
49 out of 50 states have a balanced budget requirement, and it is time that the federal government had one too.
Our nation faces many difficult decisions in the coming years, and Congress will face great pressure to spend beyond its means rather than to make the difficult decisions about spending priorities. Unless Congress is forced to make the decisions necessary to create a balanced budget, it will always have the all-too-tempting option of shirking this responsibility. A Constitutional balanced budget requirement, combined with the spending and tax limitations in this legislation, will set our nation's fiscal policies on the right path. This is a common sense approach to ensure that Congress is bound by the same fiscal principles that guide America's families each day. I urge support of this important legislation.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source: http://thomas.loc.gov Many express a fear of the mountains, lack of resources and infrastructure, a fear of shifting from the earthquake, a fear of another earthquake," she added.
"Here in Mansehra, we still receive aftershocks and bolt out of the building. In the mountains they are much stronger and still quite frightening."
A family sits in a truck awaiting a ride back to a village in Panjkot, Kashmir. The road was blocked by a landslide.
SPECIAL REPORT Quick Job Search | 1.474031 | 981 | 979 |
No, it’s not a typo. I’m not referring to the better known CSF in vision – Contrast Sensitivity Function. I’m referring to
Vermeulen’s notion of context sensitivity as being dysfunctional in autism. He writes (p. 37) that context is the set of elements within the perceiving person and of elements in the spatial and temporal environment of a stimulus that affect the perception of that stimulus and the meaning given to it. This influence can be direct, explicit, and conscious but is mainly indirect, implicit, and subconscious. Contextual sensitivity is the ability to discover contextually relevant information and ignore contextually unimportant information. Context sensitivity function can be considered as a relationship between the ability to select elements in context that are meaningful, and the appropriate or effective use of this information. Vermeulen asserts that in contrast to the autistic brain, the neurotypical human brain is inherently context sensitive.
There is an incredible amount of useful information that resonates in Vermeulen’s book, and most of what he writes is intriguing, powerful, and insightful. I want to highlight a particularly intriguing passage. Vermeulen writes (p. 369):
“Tommy just got new glasses. His previous glasses were no longer adequate. But Tommy refuses to wear the new glasses. Resistance to change, we conclude – typical for autism. But why does Tommy resist his new glasses? Is it only because the glasses look different than the previous ones? Luckily, Tommy gives us some insight. ‘The new glasses are no good’, he says. ‘I see too much with them’. From experience, I know that you have to get used to stronger glasses. But contrary to Tommy, I place the sharpness of the new glasses in a context: The previous glasses were not good enough any more, so what I see now is, in fact, what I should be seeing. Tommy does not see that context. For him, seeing more than what he saw with his old glasses is seeing too much. We clarify this for Tommy with a drawing.”
This is fascinating on so many levels. The point that Vermeulen makes about children with ASD being resistant to change is well taken. So often a new Rx change whether in lens power, lens form, or yoked prism may be a difficult transition to make. Even the feel of the frame may be a huge adjustment for a child with sensory sensitivities. Where we might part company with Vermeulen however is agreeing who has the reduced context sensitivity function here, Tommy or the author. After all, seeing more sharply isn’t necessarily the idealized outcome or end result of a change in lenses. Seeing more needn’t be equated with higher lens power. Ironically it appears that it’s Tommy who might be able to teach the adults a lesson here. There’s no need to condition him to wearing a stronger Rx by using communicative pictures that more or stronger is better. When Tommy says “I see too much”, he’s pointing out that his habitual Rx was comfortable. Was that merely because it was something he was used to, or because he functioned better in being more peripherally aware than in having his central or detailed vision primed. Paradoxically Tommy was trying to tell the author that he was better able to put together the whole with his old glasses, and the new ones were shining too strong of a spotlight on the parts. To this point, Vermeulen may be contextually blind or at least contextually insensitive. But there is so much else to love about his theories that we can forgive him for overlooking the impact of lenses on visual function. To decide if I’m taking what he wrote out of context, you’ll just have to read the book and decide for yourself. Gill (1996), Sherman (1925), Sibley & Ahlquist (1990a, 1990b), Sibley & Monroe (1990), Smith (1904), Stiles (1983, 1984), Sutton (1948), Tintle (1982), Tramontano (1964), Velásquez et al. (2000), Verner (1964, 1965, 1975, 1976), Waters (1964), Wiley & Wiley (1977), Williamson (1958), Young, B.E. et al. (1990), Young, C.G. (1925), Zack & Rabenold (1989), Zimmer et al. (2001). Lynx Edicions Publications Natural History Bookstore | 1.721211 | 971 | 969 |
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The practising of religion has no place in public schools. It’s troubling that some people don’t understand this.
When the Toronto Sun reported that Valley Park Middle School in Toronto was hosting Islamic services Friday afternoons it caused a national uproar. Rightly so.
But after the Ottawa Sun followed up on this story to see if there was anything similar happening in the Ottawa region I was dismayed with what reporters discovered. Since the 1990s around a dozen Ottawa schools have given Muslims time and space for prayers.
Unfortunately new Ottawa-Carleton District School Board director Jennifer Adams does not understand what equality means. “We have a responsibility and an obligation to accommodate all faiths,” she said to a reporter, adding some schools provide ‘multi-faith rooms’.
No you don’t, Ms. Adams. You have a responsibility to treat all students equally and to administer the same curriculum and standards to all students. Multi-faith rooms already exist; they’re called churches, mosques, etc. While a free society must allow freedom of worship in private life this does not extend to shared spaces, where diverse peoples come together on common ground.
Because religion is something that happens on private property no taxpayer has to feel like they are financing activities against their beliefs. But once the taxpayer –funded OCDSB takes on the ridiculous idea that they have to accommodate all religions they are in effect making taxpayers fund all religions. They’re also straying from their job: to educate.
Now do not think this argument is solely against Islam. If it were Catholic prayers, Buddhist ceremonies or Pagan rituals we should also be outraged.
We often forget that freedom of religion includes freedom from religion – the right to not support a religion different from yours or any at all in the case of the non-religious.
Don’t fall into the trap that ‘respect’ for others means a free pass for others. Respecting others just means you don’t persecute others. It means you don’t deny people housing or employment based on their religion. That’s called equal rights and it’s a wonderful thing. But it doesn’t mean religious persons receive the go-ahead anytime they wish to introduce their views into a public realm such as public education.
Neither should anyone fall for the always absurd argument that disallowing religious practice in public schools is somehow propagating hate. All it’s doing is demanding that the private sphere be kept separate from the public sphere.
Hate would be if you went to a place of worship on private property or to a person’s home that had a religious symbol and threw bricks in their window. That’s a crime and anyone who does that will be and should be prosecuted.
To agree with this argument you can be any religion – it doesn’t matter whether you love all religions or hate all religions. I’m sure (well I’m not sure, but I hope) there are imams out there who agree with me on the principle of my point.
However we also have to guarantee we don’t become thought police. Someone should be free to quietly pray before a meal in the school cafeteria. Religious jewellery is fine if it is discrete and can’t be used as a weapon.
The practising of Islamic prayers in Ottawa public schools must stop immediately. So should any other religious practice happening on school property, on school time and supported by school monies.
anthony.furey@sunmedia.ca Watch Friday Furey on Charles Adler on Sun News Network
By adding a comment on the site, you accept our terms and conditions.The somatosensory nervous system (providing touch and position sense) deteriorates with age, and is associated with the impairment of physical balance. James J Collins from Boston University, USA, and colleagues investigated whether stimulating the sensory system with vibrating insoles could improve postural control.
15 young people (average age 23 years) and 12 older people (average age 73 years) took part in the study. They received low-frequency subsensory (undetectable) mechanical stimulation via insoles, or no stimulation (the control measure), during a series of 30-second trials where participants had to stand quietly with their eyes closed.
The investigators measured the degree of sway from each participant during the trials; use of the vibrating insoles substantially improved balance (by a reduction in sway) among the elderly participants; younger participants also had reduced sway. The balance of younger people without stimulation was achieved by elderly participants when they had received stimulation from the vibrating insoles.
James J Collins comments: "Elderly people gain more in motor control performance than do young people with the application of noise to the feet. Noise-based devices, such as randomly vibrating shoe insoles, might be effective in enhancing the performance of dynamic balance activities (eg, walking), and could enable older adults to overcome postural instability caused by age-related sensory loss." | 1.624321 | 1,011 | 1,009 |
Funding boost for supported living in city
The City of Wolverhampton Council has secured funding totalling £207,000 to help more people with learning disabilities live independently in their own homes.
Outside Sunbeam, which provides a number of supported living properties Mark Bates, who enjoys supported living at Sunbeam Mark Bates shows off Telecare equipment Carole Butlin, Sunbeam resident who is supported by Lifeways Funding boost for supported living in city
It was successful in its bid to the Department of Health's Housing and Technology Capital Fund to put technology at the heart of the care and support provided to individuals.
The council will use the funding to increase people's independence through greater use of the latest technology, adapting existing supported accommodation living properties and working with developers who are establishing new services in the city.
Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE, the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: "There are around 4,500 adults with a learning disability in Wolverhampton, and we know that many of them will be able to live in a supported tenancy as long as they have the appropriate level of help.
"We have embarked upon a significant drive to increase the use of technology to help people live more independently for longer, and are supporting an increasing number of people with disabilities to move from residential care into their own homes, either on their own or with others.
"We have already seen the tremendous impact that supported living schemes such as the ones within the Sunbeam development in Wolverhampton city centre are having on the lives of people with a disability.
"We are grateful for this funding which will enable us to give more local residents the chance to benefit from the same opportunity, and to live their lives to the full in a safe and secure home."
The funding will be used in a variety of ways, including installing Telecare alarm systems in supported living accommodation. These will offer a range of appropriate sensors, such as door exit alarms, smoke, heat, flood and fall detectors and activity monitors which will alert the council's 24 hour control centre if there is a problem.
Technology such as automatic lighting, curtain controls and fingerprint controlled door locks will enhance the living environment, while smart systems will be able to help individuals carry out their daily routine, for instance identifying if someone hasn't taken their medication.
The council will work in partnership with independent care providers, supported living housing developers such as Sunbeam and service providers on the £207,000 project, which is expected to benefit around 60 people with learning disabilities.
Minister for Community Health and Care David Mowat said the allocation of the funding to 52 projects across England is a step towards achieving the Government's aim for safe, reliable and innovative alternatives to inpatient care for people with learning disabilities.
He added: "I want to offer my sincere congratulations to the successful projects.
"We had a fantastic response to our call for bids and I'm delighted that the innovative ideas put forward will now become a reality. I want to thank the bidders for their dedication to improving the lives of people with learning disabilities in their community and wish them all the best in bringing this important project to life."
released: Wednesday 4 January, 2017avings.Smoking cessation aids can help lessen or totally remove your cravings. I tried Zyban, a mild-antidepressant, last time and it worked well. This time, I’m trying a natural drug made from plantain, lobelia and alfalfa that actually makes you physically ill when you smoke. It’s also handy to brainstorming ways to distract yourself during a craving – which only lasts 2 minutes. Some of these coping techniques and alternative activities include deep breathing, exercising, writing, calling your support person, brushing your teeth, singing, dancing, etc. Bonus Tip: NEVER GIVE UP. If you slip up, it’s no biggie. First, forgive yourself. It won’t help to beat yourself up over spilled milk. And that’s all it is because you’re still a non-smoker. Think about what happened that made you want that smoke, learn from your mistakes and come up with a way to avoid it next time. The more time you spend smoke free, the more comfortable you will be with living this new lifestyle. Soon, smoking a cigarette will be the last thing on your mind in any situation – except maybe when you’re drunk (my kryptonite in nicotine addiction).
I believe these tips are the ultimate to kicking the cancer sticks. Today was my Freedom Day and I truly did not want to smoke all day. Until I came home and experienced stress. My Honey still smokes and they were right there! I didn’t even want it but I smoked it anyways. That’s ok, though, because I’m living the bonus trick. Tomorrow will be different and
! I will be smoke-free
So if you’ve successfully stopped smoking, what key tricks can you share with us? | 1.643017 | 1,013 | 1,011 |
Most Popular CRM Magazine,sponsoring an industry survey that analyzed productivity at call centers. "We got a lot of mileage out of that survey," said Lee Anne Wimberly, director of marketing at Knowlagent. "We did downloads of an abstract and downloads of a full survey. We turned the survey into infographics." The company also constructed a media push through a news release about the survey; created a related webinar; developed blog posts around the topic; promoted it through social media; and featured the facts in face-to-face presentations. "We really leveraged that dollar," said Mike Neumeier, principal at Arketi Group. "We're big fans of reusing things as much as we can. A lot of companies don't get it right in terms of how much that data can be used over and over to make the company look like the thought leader that they are and to advance the findings of the survey." Knowlagent also leveraged its executive roundtable sessions, creating content pieces from the regional sessions, which put productivity experts in the same room with clients. The company closely watched each element of the campaign as it unrolled. For example, it used Web analytics to fine-tune Web assets and track clicks-to-conversions, weighing the impact of about 170 media placements. Knowlagent also kept an eye on organic search. "We measure the branded organic search volume that is generating traffic for our site," Wolf said. "Theoretically, if we are building our brand, that number should increase. It's a nice, inexpensive way to measure your brand-building methods." The company has seen brand awareness and customer acquisition increase, Wolf said. "We're growing [annual contract revenue] in excess of 30%, and we can see that this strategy is working." The next step will be to find spokesmen among the company's new roster of clients. "Now that we've got a number of customers using the technology, we can do a results-driven campaign," Neumeier said. "When you are entering a new space, it has to be about thought leadership, because you don't have the customers. You don't have the results to deliver that ROI campaign. Now we think that would be feasible."A co-worker just informed me that he has Aids
Aug 24, 1998
A coworker of mine just told me that he has been living with AIDS for the past Ten years. I am informed on this issue so I know that I cannot contact through sharing food or anything, but I am still concerned that saliva might transmit it. For example, if we shared a cigarette would that cause transmission.
I also would like more information on AIDS itself i.e: History of disease, prognosis. I was under the assumption that once someone's status changed from HIV to AIDS that they did not have much longer to live???? Where can I get more info on this??
Response from Ms. Breuer
Your concern is one of the most common concerns American have about this disease: can saliva transmit HIV? Fortunately, the answer is that there is no evidence that saliva can transmit HIV. The only four fluids we are likely to contact that transmit HIV are blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. In fact, saliva contains an agent that inhibits HIV. It's called SLPI. There are no cases of HIV infection traced to saliva. I'll spare you my comments on what you could get, however, from the cigarette!
Your primary obligation to your co-worker is to maintain his confidentiality. There is no reason to share his diagnosis with anyone else, and there are lots of legal reasons why you cannot. Please be sure this is clear to you, and write again if you have more questions about confidentiality.
Nancy Breuer
** Please refer the second portion of your question to the Safe Sex and HIV Prevention Expert Forum.
Do nurses have the right to know?
I think I got aids from my boss!
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11. Repeat steps 8 and 9 if readjustmentoccurs.
12. Check for good breathing.
13. Loosen straps from top to bottom.Be gentle so as not to damage elasticity of straps.
14. Grasp respirator on bottom andremove upward over top of head.
15. Remove cartridges and dispose ofproperly.
Adapted from Performance Checklist developed by Gary Gustafson of Laborers-AGC | 1.723754 | 1,021 | 1,018 |
Mars’ Once Thick Atmosphere Now KaputIrene Klotz – Discovery News7/19/13 12:40pmFiled to: spacemarsmars rovermars science laboratorymslatmosphereastrometeorologyplanetary sciencesciencecuriosity333EditPromoteShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink At one time, Mars had a thick, protective atmosphere — possibly even cushier than Earth’s — but the bubble of gases mostly dissipated about 4 billion years ago and has never been replenished, new research shows. Advertisement The findings come from NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity, which has been moonlighting as an atmospheric probe as it scours planet’s surface for habitats that could have supported ancient microbial life. The rover landed inside a large impact basin called Gale Crater last August.Two instruments aboard Curiosity are providing scientists with unprecedented details about Mars’ present-day atmosphere. The data is then run through computer models as well as compared to analysis of trapped gases in ancient Mars meteorites that have been recovered on Earth. Advertisement The scientists look for telltale isotopes, which are atoms of elements that have different numbers of neutrons. Normal carbon, for example, is known as carbon-12 and contains six neutrons. Some carbon stragglers may have seven, or even eight, neutrons. What’s key is how the isotopic concentrations change over time.Across all the gases in Mars’ atmosphere — carbon dioxide, argon, nitrogen, oxygen and carbon monoxide — scientists found higher concentrations of isotopes, evidence that most of the atmospheric gas has escaped.“The overarching conclusion is that the Mars atmosphere hasn’t really changed a lot in 4 billion years,” said Chris Webster, manager of the Planetary Sciences Instruments Office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Sponsored Why the planet lost its atmosphere is a matter of debate, but scientists believe it stemmed from the loss of the planet’s magnetic field.“On Earth, our magnetic field protects us, it shields us from the solar wind particles. Without Earth’s magnetic field, we would have no atmosphere and there would be no life on this planet. Everything would be wiped out — especially when you go back 4 billion years. The solar wind was at least 100 times stronger then than it is today. It was a young sun with a very intense radiation, ” Webster told Discovery News. Advertisement Advertisement That might be exactly what happened on Mars, though whether life could have evolved and been preserved are key questions being addressed by Curiosity and the focus of follow-on missions now in the planning stages.“The jury is out on how long an earlier, heavy atmosphere might have persisted after the late heavy bombardment, when things were flying around,” said NASA’s Paul Mahaffy, lead scientist for Curiosity’s Sample Analysis at Mars suite of instruments.“Before that, the record is probably hard to find because things probably really got changed by all these impacts. But once things settled down a little bit, it’s a really important to understand what the climate conditions were,” Mahaffy told Discovery News. Advertisement “The isotopes in the atmosphere and the isotopes in very old materials that we might analyze as we proceed along with the Curiosity mission are solid data points that can go into theories. Hopefully, that will give us a better prediction, if there were friendly conditions, how long they really could have persisted on the surface,” he said.The research is published in this week’s Science.This post by Irene Klotz was originally published on Discovery News. It has been republished with permission.Gear from Kinja DealsA DualShock 4 Thumb Grip Sampler PackBestsellers: HGST Touro S 1TB 7200RPM Portable DriveSunday's Best Deals: Protein Sale, ThinkPad Yoga, Wireless Flash Drive, and MoreReply33 repliesLeave a replyVein opening is unlikely to help regenerate damaged myelin, which causes the movement difficulties, Dake said, but opening blocked veins looks like it may help alleviate fatigue, at least in people with relapsing-remitting MS. "It's a stretch to think opening up veins is going to deal with or reverse an injury that is due to demyelinating plaque, whereas the symptoms that are more general, such as fatigue and brain fog that are much more related to an obstruction in venous outflow from the brain -- those could potentially be reversed," he said.
The above comes from Dr. Dake himself fro, this article.
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/c ... 48915.html
So what about the people who claim to be able to throw their wheel chairs to the curb after receiving this procedure? According to Dr. Dake opening blocked veins is unlikely to help with movement difficulties so is Dr. Dake incorrect? | 1.458907 | 993 | 991 |
Many of us find it difficult to compose a sympathy message to a bereaved acquaintance. It can be especially difficult if you have never written out condolence cards before. There are many questions as to what you should say, or what would be considered appropriate.
When sending condolences it is important not to procrastinate. There are occasionally delays that cannot be helped, but in general it is a good idea to keep a supply of simple, dignified sympathy cards on hand so that your message can go out quickly.
If you are concerned about what you should say, keep in mind that brevity and simplicity are always appropriate. Don't overwhelm yourself searching for flowery, heart-rending phrases; they wouldn't be suitable anyway. Start with a salutation. Your salutation should be based on whether the card is going to a close friend or family, a business associate or employee, or an acquaintance.
Dear Susan and Family, Dear Mr. Willis, Dear Gloria, Bobby and Ruth, Dear Johnson Family, Dear Friends,
Even if the sympathy card you have already chosen has a printed sentiment, it would be a nice gesture to add a personal note below the printing. You can start by expressing your sympathy.
My/Our sincere (heartfelt/deepest) sympathy/condolences on the death (loss/passing) of your mother/husband (or use the deceased's first name).
If you knew the deceased well enough to make a more personal statement, you can do so with a few extra words.
I/We will always remember his bright smile and sunny temperament. I/We will miss her wise counsel. She/he will be sincerely missed and warmly remembered by so many of us.
Try to stay away from writing anything that presumes what the bereaved is thinking or feeling. Your sympathy cards really shouldn’t be the place to offer advice, counseling, platitudes, or your personal religious views. You may however, want to add one last thought letting the bereaved know of your concern.
You are in my thoughts and prayers. You and your family are in our thoughts.
Once you are finished composing your message, you may close, above your signature, with:
Sincerely, With sincere caring, In loving sympathy,
Remember to put your clearly legible name and address on the envelope. It will make it much easier for the bereaved to keep track of whom they received cards from.
Composing condolence cards doesn’t have to be a difficult process, even if you have never done it before. The bereaved will appreciate the sentiment, and you can rest assured that your card was both appropriate and comforting.This preview shows page 1. Sign up to view the full content. Unformatted text preview: arshall School of Computer and Information Law, Winter 2002, p.247 The free flow of information is the life-blood of democracy. Access to diverse opinions and perspectives enables Americans to participate effectively in our democracy. We depend on the media to provide us with such access and to hold public officials accountable for their policies and actions. James Madison wrote, "[a] popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both." n6 The Founding Fathers enshrined the idea of a free press in the First Amendment. The Constitution does not extend this measure of protection to any other segment of American industry. INFORMED CITIZENRY THEORY EMPHASIZES ROLE OF INFORMATION IN PUBLIC CONFIDENCE OF GOVERNMENT Frances H. Foster, Professor of Law at Washington University, "Information and the Problem of Democracy: The Russian Experience," AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE LAW, Spring 1996 The informed citizenry theory also emphasizes the role of information in "consolidation" and "stabilization" of a democratic government. It views full, truthful, and independent information as a prerequisite for public confidence in and support of a leadership and its policies. Its basic argument is that "knowledge unites people and increases the ranks of ... supporters, whereas ignorance disunites and alienates." The informed citizenry theory predicts a dire fate for a Russia without popular information - failure of the reform process, social "explosion," and eventual collapse of Russia's first "democratic" government. SLHS Value File Marketplace of Ideas BadMARKETPLACE OF IDEAS DOES NOT LEAD TO TRUTH Alberto Bernabe Riefkohl. "Articulo: Freedome of the Press and the Business of Journalism," Revista Juridica Universidad de Puerto Rico , 67 Rev. Jur. U.P.R. 447, 1998. It is not at all clear, however, that truth will always be the result of the operation of the marketplace of ideas. The Constitutional protection granted to the marketplace of ideas, then, cannot exist to guarantee a... View Full Document Fall '13 | 1.528874 | 1,004 | 1,002 |
INTRODUCTION
Most people I meet think that they are pretty healthy. But when I probe a little deeper into their diet, I quickly find out that they are eating a lot of “
health” foods you should never eat. I can’t blame them because of the confusion surrounding labels advertising companies use with buzz words like “sugar free,” “all-natural” and even “organic.” But just because something is organic doesn’t mean that it’s good for you.
Regardless of how it is labeled, be sure to steer clear from these 10 “health” foods because they are anything but beneficial for your body!
1. Fruit Juice
Most people are generally
shocked to learn that fruit juice (in abundance) is actually quite harmful for them. First off, most varieties you see at the store are pasteurized, which basically renders these products useless because they are stripped of much of their nutrition.
Heating juice denatures (or kills) the chemical makeup of vitamins and minerals and unless it is truly “raw,” it is little more than flavored fructose.
If you make it fresh at home, a glass of fruit juice here and there won’t hurt you; but when consumed every day it does a considerable amount of damage because it causes a major spike in blood glucose
Think of it in this way: When you sit down to drink an 8-ounce glass of orange juice, you’re consuming the juice of 4 medium-sized oranges in literally seconds or a few minutes at the most. Compare this to how long it would take to eat 4 oranges, and you can quickly see how eating fruit in its whole form is best.
How many people can even eat 4 oranges at once? It would take quite a while to comfortably consume this amount of fruit in one sitting. Just think about all the calories burned as you peel, chew and digest these 4 oranges. It might not seem like much, but it’s a lot more than simply slurping down a glass of OJ in 10 seconds!
So,
remember these key points about fruit juice before you make fruit juice part of your everyday breakfast experience: When you eat 4 oranges in one sitting, your blood sugar naturally (and gradually) climbs up and descends down like a bell curve – Nice and easy. When drinking the juice of 4 oranges in a short time, your glucose levels rise upimmediately and then suddenly drop downmaking you “crash,”which contributes to chronic fatigue and the desire for another boost. This sudden crash is called hypoglycemiaand, because our bodies aren’t designed to consume this amount of fructose in one sitting, normal insulin levels cannot handle the amount of sugar in our blood and it puts extreme stress on the body. (1) This is why drinking juice on a regular basis can lead to obesity. If the body cannot metabolize the excess fructose in the blood, where else is all that extra sugar going to get stored? And last of all, even if someone theoretically drinks their juice slowly and stretches it out for 30+ minutes, they’re still lacking the fiber. By design, fruit contains a considerable amount of soluble and insoluble fiber to help aid the digestion process, help us feel “full,” and to feed the probiotics in our gut. Regularly drinking juice robs the body of this vital nutrient and is oftentimes associated with diarrhea and other GI concerns. 2. Soy Protein
Contrary to popular belief,
soy products are not healthy for you; at least, that is, unfermented soy. Miso, Natto, tempeh, and tamari are one thing. But eating edamame, soy milk and soy protein is quite another.
First off, nearly 100% of all soy grown in the U.S. is genetically modified and is “Roundup ready,” which means that it has a chemical pesticide to “naturally” repel bugs.
Secondly, most people lack the enzymes necessary to digest unfermented soy, similarly to how many people are lactose intolerant. This causes indigestion, gas, bloating, and a whole slew of GI issues.
Third, it is generally accepted that long-term use of soy dietary supplements like soy protein is unsafe because it has been linked to the following: (2)
Allergic rhinitis (hay fever) Asthma Breast cancer Cystic fibrosis Endometrial cancer Hypothyroidism (under-active thyroid) Kidney disease Urinary bladder cancer And many more…
All of these reasons are great reasons why soy is definitely one of the “health” foods you should never eat.
3. Farmed Fish
Other
health foods you should never eat are farmed fish. I’ve written extensively on farmed fish and (in my opinion) eating tilapia is worse than eating bacon! Even salmon, touted for being the health fish of choice is virtually poison to consume if farmed. Why?
Because most are fed genetically modified feed and, according to the non-profit watch | 1.489387 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
dog organization
Environmental Working Group (EWG),
“
Seven of ten farmed salmon purchased at grocery stores in Washington DC, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon were contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at levels that raise health concerns, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group.” (3)
In other words, the farmed-fish in our grocery stores:
Most likely contain the highest PCB-contaminated protein source in the U.S. food supply. Contain up to 40 times more PCBs than other foods. Is 16 times more likely to contain the dioxin-like PCBs than wild-caught varieties, 4 times more than in beef, and 3.4 times more than in other seafood.
In addition, to PCB’s and GMO’s, farm-raised fish have been shown to contain these known neurotoxins and carcinogens:
Dioxins– Industrial byproducts from waste treatment plants. Toxaphene– Banned pesticide since 1982. Dieldrin– Another prohibited pesticide. 4. Microwaved Popcorn
Another one of my top “health” foods you should never eat
microwave popcorn. Filled with carcinogens, it is just not worth the convenience. Even if you were to find some organic varieties out there, it still wouldn’t be safe to eat because microwavable bags are coated with PFOAs, a chemical that is liked to cancer. (4)
Also, fake butter flavoring contains a compound called
diacetyl, which causes a serious lung disease when inhaled in large quantities. (5)
Next time you get that hankering for some popcorn, simply pop your own. Purchase plain, organic popcorn kernels at a natural foods store. Use coconut oil or organic butter and pour 3 tablespoons into a heavy stainless steel pan.
Put two kernels in the pan and wait until one pops, then pour 1/3 cup of popcorn in the pan and cover it. As it pops, make sure you shake the pan to allow the steam to escape and prevent the popcorn from burning. Remove from the pan when the popping stops and season as desired. Some great toppings include nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
5. Conventional Meat
5. Conventional Meat
Non-organic, genetically modified
meat products are absolute death foods and, absolutely foods that you should never eat. Even if it is “lean” with all the excess fat trimmed off, should never be part of anyone’s natural health regimen.
Essentially, YOU are what THEY eat and if the livestock that you’re grilling up for supper is force-fed pesticide-ridden, hormone-stuffed feed, then that’s what enters in your GI tract and literally gets stored in your fat cells.
Like everything, read and reread your labels and be sure that the meat you’re purchasing is safe. Even if it says “grass-fed,” still do your homework. The grass-fed vs. grain-fed debate still rages on and isn’t as clear-cut as once suspected. (6)
My recommendation is that you always purchase meat from a trusted local source. Get to know your food growers and ranchers. It’s worthwhile to become familiar with how your food is sourced and prepared.
6. Margarine
6. Margarine
You’d think that the “margarine myth” would have been put to bed years ago, but margarine is still being praised as a health food. (7) In the words of the Mayo clinic, the margarine vs.
butter race is all about fats and cholesterol: “Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also higher in “good” fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — than butter is. These types of fats help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol when substituted for saturated fat. Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high levels of saturated fat. (7)”
Unfortunately, it’s not that straight forward. Ever since it was created, margarine has been made out of trans fat, which are known to clog arteries and cause cardiovascular disease. Trans fat also increases someone’s risk of developing type II diabetes and several other severe health problems. (8)
A study in 1997 showed that margarine, with its high transfat content appeared to increase the incidence of coronary heart disease. (9) Saturated fats however have been found to increase good cholesterol and lower the bad. It just doesn’t add up!
And then there’s butter. From Time Magazine to the New York Times, the word is out, that
butter is back! The fat-soluble vitamins in butter far outrank margarine. Butter is loaded with Vitamins A, E, and K2 (which is higher in grass-fed dairy).
Vitamin K2 helps reduce the risk of | 1.59667 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
cardiovascular diseases, cancer and osteoporosis). (10, 11, 12) Butter also changes the structure of short chain LDL fatty acids (which are linked to heart disease) into more benign longer chain fatty acids.
So, to sum up, if
saturated fats are good, and margarine is low in saturated fats, then there is really no reason for us to consider it good for us! 7. Vegetable Oils
7. Vegetable Oils
Some more “
health” foods you should never eat are vegetable oils. Hand-in-hand with margarine, vegetable oils like canola are not healthy by any stretch of the imagination. They are usually genetically modified, are partially hydrogenated and have been linked to: (13, 14) Atherosclerosis Birth defects Bone and tendon problems Cancer Diabetes Digestive disorders Heart disease Immune system impairment Increased cholesterol levels Learning disabilities Liver problems Low birth weights Obesity Reduced growth Sexual dysfunction Skin reactions Sterility Vision reduction
I recommend pure,
cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil. When buying coconut oil you should make sure it smells like coconut when you buy it, otherwise it has been most likely pasteurized and is not as healthy for you. 8. Table Salt
8. Table Salt
Standard table salt definitely makes my list of top health foods you should never eat. Pretty much everyone has heard that white table salt causes hypertension, yet that hasn’t stopped more than 95% of restaurants in the nation from stocking it on every table and food bar! (15)
Originally produced from sea salt, refined table salt technically starts as a “real” food then quickly becomes fake. Manufacturers use harvesting methods that strip it of all its naturally-occurring minerals, and then use a number of additives (including aluminum) to dry it and heat it to temperatures of about 1,200 degrees.
Because it was destroyed, the naturally occurring iodine is then replaced with potassium iodide in potentially toxic amounts. The salt is then stabilized with dextrose, which turns it purple. Finally it is bleached white.
A much more suitable replacement is not even a replacement at all, but the original product! There are more than
10 significant health benefits of Celtic sea salt and Himalayan salt and I recommend that you start using either in your cooking. 9. Artificial Sweeteners
9. Artificial Sweeteners
Being “artificial,” you’d think
fake sweeteners would be used cautiously by people. Unfortunately, many doctors recommend them because they are supposedly safe for diabetics because they are low on the glycemic index (16).
Ironically, new research has shown that
artificial sweeteners causes a disturbance in gut flora and can actually cause diabetes! (17)
Adding insult to injury, sugar substitutes have been clinically linked to: (18)
Allergies Bladder cancer Brain tumors Breast cancer Headaches Hypertension Lymphomas/leukemia Phenylketonuria Seizures Weight gain/obesity 10. Conventional Milk
10. Conventional Milk
The last of the “
health” foods you should never eat is milk. Following suit with most items on this Top 10 List, the dangers of conventional milk lays hidden in the genetic modification of the cow feed and hormones administered to boost milk production.
These toxins get transferred to people when they drink milk or eat conventional dairy products, which have been linked to many of the issues discussed in this article.
Similar to fruit juice, when raw milk is pasteurized, it also loses its nutritional content and is pretty much useless. Because the enzyme lactase is destroyed in the heating process, people cannot properly digest the milk sugar, lactose.
This issue has become so common that the National Institute of Health reports that, “Approximately 65 percent of the human population has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy.” (19)
By far,
raw milk is healthier and can usually be found in cheese or yogurt forms in local health food stores.
So what’s the moral of the story?
Don’t believe everything you read. Regardless of the health trends, there is always something to be said for eating whole foods from non-processed, non-GMO sources. The more you choose to take in only food and beverages that bring life to your body, then the more you will enjoy life! Stay tuned to more of my DrAxe.com tips, and stay current on the information you need to protect your family and stay healthy! A quick note from our founder-
Over the past year, my friend Dave at PaleoHacks has been working on a secret cookbook with world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu chef Peter Servold.
Well, today this new this new incredible Paleo Cookbook is finally available to be shipped right to your door for FREE
That's right -- as a special launch promotion, we're offering our brand new Paleo fat loss cookbook to you for free (Chef Pete lost 60 lbs using these recipes!) -- All you | 1.674388 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
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Get your FREE copy of Paleo Eats Here. (Grab this today, because we only ordered a small batch of these cookbooks for this freebie promotion, and they will sell out FAST!)
Help us create more awareness! Please SHARE this article...
I bet you can’t guess which muscle in your body is the #1 muscle that eliminates joint and back pain, anxiety and looking fat.
This “
hidden survival muscle” in your body will boost your energy levels, immune system, sexual function, strength and athletic performance when unlocked.
If this “hidden” most powerful primal muscle is healthy, we are healthy.
Is it…
a) Abs b) Chest c) Glutes d) Hip Flexors
Take the quiz above and see if you got the correct answer!
P.S. Make sure you check out the next page to get to know the
10 simple moves that will bring vitality back into your life!
To begin, I apologize for the dark nature of today's email.
However I promise
what you'll discover today will be completely worth it.
Imagine a rotting corpse draped over your body from head to toe...
...suffocating tissue, restricting blood flow, damaging joints and infecting your healthy cells.
Shockingly,
that nightmare is a reality for most:
64% of women and 74% of men carry too much body fat according to the
National Institutes of Health.
It's choking their organs, assaulting their metabolism and sucking their energy dry.
But here's the worst part:
For most, this bodyfat has become "calorie-resistant":
It's
completely unaffected by even the strictest diets... and most intense exercises.
This zombie fat is essentially... "dead tissue".
That's important for those who have 10, 25 or 50 or more pounds to lose...
AND for those who aren't technically overweight, but
have what's called "pocket obesity"...
...unsightly patches of fat that cling to specific places, like:
just above your hips, lower belly, where your butt and legs meet... and even arms, neck and face.
However, there's good news:
Obesity researchers have now discovered a "metabolic jumper cable":
It jolts dead bodyfat back to life.
This allows your metabolism to burn it as calories and re-energize your entire body.
First though,
here's the #1 reason why bodyfat becomes calorie-resistant:
It lacks blood flow. This has 3 effects:
Not enough oxygen or nutrients reach fat cells, so they become unresponsive.. Released fat can't be sent to other tissues to be burned, so fat cells suck it back in... 3) Metabolic hormones carrying the "burn calories" message don't reach the fat cell...
All this means one thing:
Your body can't transform into energy, the 135,000+ of calories the average person stores as fat!
You become a metabolic zombie: NO energy to think. NO energy to move. NO energy to motivate.
Update: calorie-resistant bodyfat can be now removed...
The discovery of this "metabolic jumper cable" can now reverse this process:
It wakes up un-responsive bodyfat with a powerful calorie-burning hormonal jolt.... It pops open fat cells, sucks out the fat, sending it off before its yanked back in... It shuttles fat to your brain, heart, lungs, kidneys - even your bones - to be burned as energy.
Not only do those layers of "zombie fat" start coming off, but your entire body just works better.
Plus, as your whole body burns more calories, those patches of pocket obesity whittle away.
This "metabolic jumper cable" isn't any exercise, machine or pill.
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a little-known, calorie-burning hormone we all have... just waiting for the right spark to come alive.
It's not thyroid, leptin, ghrelin, insulin, adiponectin, HGH or any other "fat loss" hormone you may know.
And on this next page, you'll find out precisely how to unleash its calorie-burning power:
PS - Studies show that not only can healthy levels of this powerful calorie-burning hormone devour bodyfat and fortify soft muscle, but it can also
reduce your risk of diabetes by 53.7%, a heart attack by 83.3% and stroke by 51.4%. Here's more of the scientific proof...
In April, 2009, researchers stunned the medical community when they reported chronic inflammation as the root cause of several major diseases.
See, every year 610,000 people in the U.S. die of heart disease. Cancer claims another 584,000...stroke 130,000...Alzheimer's disease nearly 85,000 — and the list goes on.
Truth | 1.650828 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
is, we now know...
Hundreds of studies and scientific reviews prove it. chronic inflammation is responsible for 7 out of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States!
Fortunately, newer research shows you can prevent-even reverse-most major diseases by "turning off" inflammation. And in our new book, we show you how to do just that.
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If you haven't heard of Claude Davis yet do yourself a huge favor and watch this video. He's going to be the talk of 2016.
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Is Bread Really the Staff of Life… or the Stuff of Disease?
For most us, there are few foods more comforting than bread.
Fluffy biscuits, crusty baguettes, flaky croissants… even a simple slice of toast topped with melted butter can taste like heaven.
And that smell… few scents are quite as pleasant as fresh bread baking in the oven.
But there is a lot of confusion as to where bread fits into a healthy diet.
The Bible practically commands followers to eat it:
“Give us this day our daily bread…” The government put it at the base of the food pyramid. And for centuries, it has been called “the staff of life.”
Of course, there are some who disagree…
Well-known cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, calls wheat
“the perfect chronic poison.”
And for a poison, we sure eat lots of it…
The average American consumes
55 pounds of wheat flour every year, making refined flour the #1 source of calories in the American Diet – a situation that nutrition expert Chris Kresser describes as, “a public health catastrophe.”
So, what is the truth about bread and wheat?
Is it the perfect poison… or an essential daily food? Is “gluten-free” bread better for you than regular bread? And can you still eat bread… while maintaining a lean body and optimal health?
The answers to these questions may surprise you!
Be sure to read #5 – the biggest surprise of all!
Recently, Doctor of Naturopathy, weight-loss expert and best-selling Amazon author Liz Swann Miller, creator of the Red Smoothie Detox Factor,
revealed 2 of the secrets to easy, steady weight loss. Secrets the big food corporations do their best to hide from us.
Secret #1: Enjoy real food. Don’t fall for the lie that you have to deprive yourself to lose weight.
Secret #2: stop eating out. You will automatically eat less without even noticing.
Then start detoxing your body with tasty, nourishing smoothies that are just as easy on your wallet as they are easy to make.
Because a single day of enjoying Liz’ smoothies
demonstrated the radical power of her superfood-packed red smoothies to make me feel incredibly good.
Now prepare yourself for one of the biggest weight loss secrets there is. A secret that, when you use it properly, can transform your body and your health.
You probably know most of us eat too much processed food. What you may not know is that it’s full of toxic chemicals and substandard, dirt-cheap ingredients designed to make you eat
more…and force you to gain weight.
Here’s how it works.
“That stuff is just a lot of calories your body can’t use,” Liz told me, “Some are
poison. And all these foods are stripped of the anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories that help your body detox. The result? Your body expends huge amounts of calories to eliminate some toxins—the rest, it stores in your fat to protect you. This is why most people are hungry all the time. They’re not getting energy they need.”
“So… what’s going on with me? Why am I losing weight but not going hungry?”
Liz paused, then dropped the bombshell.
Your body is designed to burn fat. You just have to let it.
“What? I thought we were designed to store fat?!?” We were Skyping and I was practically shouting. Then I heard Liz say…
What good is a fat reserve if you can’t burn it?
Mind blown.
Liz continued: “You’re drinking smoothies
packed with phytonutrients, anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatories that pull toxins out of you like a tractor beam. Allowing your body to burn those toxin-filled fat stores… and | 1.584643 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
releasing tremendous amounts of stored energy.”
So that’s why I’m losing weight without going hungry.
Watch Liz’ free presentation. It’s packed with revolutionary weight loss information—information that works. Because it’s based on how nature.
Click the button only if you want to wear smaller clothes, breathe easier, move more freely and just plain feel better.
Which calories help you lose weight…and which ones help you gain it… The “diet” foods…some of them vegetables…that lead to weight gain and diabetes… The “low-fat” foods that can dramatically increase your risk of cancer. And the superfoods that rescue your body from this assault by detoxing you…
Revitalizing your metabolism so you can Shed pounds as well as toxins, renew your body and reset your internal clock by up to 7 years.
Because until now, the Red Smoothie Detox Factor has been available only to Liz’ private clients. But now that she’s perfected it to work for almost everyone, almost every time, Liz is sharing it with rest of us so we can feel better and look better.
Get Red Smoothie Detox Factor before the price goes back up.
Because Liz offers a
ridiculously good guarantee. You have 60 days to decide you love the Red Smoothie Detox Factor. If you don’t love it—for any reason, or even no reason at all —Liz will refund your money. 100%. No questions asked.
Sponsored Health Resources
In the years that I've been working on this website project I've come across some amazing resources by some very special people. I'd like to share them with you here.
NOTE: I update these links often so please check back to see what's new! 1) Everyone knows green smoothies are healthy right? Have you heard of a “red” smoothie? If not, check out this story… 2) Forget what you've read about 10-day lemonade cleanses, 7-day detoxes with green juices and Gwyneth's gruel. All you need to do, and this is perfect for Saturday or or anytime really, is a simple 1-day cleanse. 3) This “ hidden survival muscle” in your body will boost your energy levels, immune system, sexual function, strength and athletic performance when unlocked. 4) I thought it was virtually impossible for a website to be able to tell me anything even a little bit insightful after only submitting my name and date of birth... I was wrong! 5) Turmeric is amazing. The problem is - It's hard to absorb! 6) Wonder why your stomach still sticks out even though you're hammering the core exercises every day? It's a common myth that bulging belly is due to weak abdominal muscles. 7) Even if you're the most active of athletes, you may still suffer from tight hip flexors due to the amount of time you spend each day planted to a chair.
Enjoy! Let me know how these work out for you. And if you run across anything I've missed please let me know.
Rick D.
wisemindhealthybody.comJeb Barnes, Thomas F. Burke, "How Policy Shapes Politics: Rights, Courts, Litigation, and the Struggle Over Injury Compensation"
English | 2015 | ISBN: 0199756112 | PDF | pages: 273 | 1.9 mb
Judicialization, juridification, legalization-whatever terms they use, scholars, commentators and citizens are fascinated by what one book has called "The Global Rise of Judicial Power" and seek to understand its implications for politics and society. In How Policy Shapes Politics, Jeb Barnes and Thomas F. Burke find that the turn to courts, litigation, and legal rights can have powerful political consequences.
Barnes and Burke analyze the field of injury compensation in the United States, in which judicialized policies operate side-by-side with bureaucratized social insurance programs. They conclude that litigation, by dividing social interests into victims and villains, winners and losers, generates a fractious, chaotic politics in which even seeming allies-business and professional groups on one side, injured victims on the other-can become divided amongst themselves. By contrast, social insurance programs that compensate for injury bring social interests together, narrowing the scope of conflict and over time producing a more technocratic politics. Policy does, in fact, create politics. But only by comparing the political trajectories of different types of policies – some more court-centered, others less so – can we understand the consequences of arguably one of the most significant developments in post-World War II government, the increasingly prominent role of courts, litigation, and legal rights in politics. My Links
No mirrors please!
How Policy Shapes Politics: Rights, Courts, Litigation, and the Struggle Over Injury Compensation (Repost) Download, Warez, DDL, Free, Torrent, Legal. | 1.698325 | 1,009 | 1,007 |
Incoming State Bar President Robert Gagan (far left) with several members of the newly elected Executive Committee of the State Bar Board of Governors. From left, Christopher Rogers; Andrew Chevrez, Joseph Cardamone; Jill Kastner; and Kevin Lyons. Not pictured: John Danner.
June 25, 2014 – At its final meeting of the fiscal year today in Lake Geneva, the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Board of Governors received recommendations to foster more diversity in the legal profession and to help younger lawyers facing tough challenges.
The State Bar’s Diversity Task Force and the Committee on the Challenges Facing New Lawyers delivered final reports with recommendations after considerable study on both issues. The fiscal year 2015 board, under incoming State Bar President Robert Gagan, will determine the next course with respect to the recommendations.
Board Hears Diversity Task Force Report
The State Bar’s Diversity Task Force, chaired by Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Carl Ashley, released the “Diversity Task Force Report & Recommendations," which makes recommendations to foster more diversity in the legal profession. Judge Ashley appeared at the board meeting to strongly encourage continued efforts on diversity inclusion.
"The recommendations in the report are just a starting point," Judge Ashley said. "This report provides the State Bar with a blueprint to demonstrate a serious commitment to address diversity and inclusion."
"The recommendations in the [Diversity Task Force Report] provide the State Bar with a blueprint to demonstrate serious commitment to address diversity and inclusion." Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Carl Ashley, Chair of the Diversity Task Force.
Outgoing State Bar President Patrick J. Fiedler directed the creation of a task force in 2012 to determine the role of the State Bar in promoting and furthering diversity within the law schools, the profession, and the State Bar. The Diversity Task Force worked for more than a year to develop a plan to further diversity in Wisconsin’s legal community.
The task force conducted research, reviewed the diversity efforts of other bar associations, and held 15 listening sessions with lawyers and a variety of stakeholder groups in Wisconsin’s legal community.
The resulting report recognizes the State Bar's past efforts to promote diversity, but notes that the State Bar can do much more to promote immediate and long-term diversity inclusion.
“Success will require support and commitment from the State Bar leadership to make diversity and inclusion a priority both in word and action,” the report states. “Greater diversity and inclusion engenders more public confidence and trust that our legal system is fair and reflective of the public that it serves.”
As a first step to promoting diversity and inclusion, the report recommends that the board adopt the following broad definition of diversity:
The task force encourages the State Bar to incorporate this diversity and inclusion concept into its mission statement, and makes the following other recommendations:
Appoint a standing Diversity and Inclusion Oversight Committee. The committee would assist, coordinate, and facilitate the incorporation of diversity efforts. "We believe this is important because it allows the bar leadership to take the steps necessary to ensure implementation is carried out," Judge Ashley said. Create a Law Student Outreach Subcommittee. The subcommittee would play a leadership role in forming and marketing collaboration among law schools, the State Bar, and employers to encourage and support diversity and inclusion. This subcommittee would revitalize the Diversity Clerkship Program and consider new initiatives such as mentoring, pipeline, and job shadowing programs.
Establish, update, and publish reliable data. This would include yearly census data on the diversity of the State Bar membership. This baseline of information would enable an objective evaluation of the diversity programs and initiatives that are needed. This includes the collection of voluntary data in State Bar dues statements.
In the next fiscal year, the board will likely discuss and consider taking action on some of the recommendations outlined in the report. Judge Ashley said "the most unfortunate thing we could do is not move forward."
Board Hears Challenges Facing New Lawyers Report
The State Bar’s Committee on the Challenges Facing New Lawyers released a report that outlines recommendations the State Bar and other stakeholders in the legal community can take to help newer lawyers who facing post-recession challenges, including high student loan debt, fewer job opportunities, and other career-stifling factors.
Committee co-chair David Jones said the State Bar risks losing a generation of lawyers who feel increasingly disillusioned about the legal profession and the practice of law. "If we follow through on some of these recommendations, I think we can be a leader on how a State Bar can come together, embrace newer lawyers and give them more opportunities," Jones said.
The State Bar has been studying the challenges facing new lawyers since 2012, when then-State Bar President Jim Brennan recognized the need to compile statistical, anecdotal, and other sourced information to identify the challenges facing new lawyers. A 10-member “Challenges Facing New Lawyers Task Force” was formed.
"If we follow through on some of these recommendations, I think we can be a leader on how a State Bar can come together, embrace newer lawyers and give them more opportunities." - David Jones, co-chair of the | 1.489511 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
Committee on the Challenges Facing New Lawyers.
In November 2013, the task force released a report that outlined the various struggles facing new lawyers in Wisconsin. The task force based the report on national and state-based research, held listening sessions, and sent survey questions to more than 200 young lawyers in Wisconsin. The answers were sobering.
Arthur Harrington, co-chair of the task force, said Wisconsin’s new lawyers were “facing a depression, both emotionally and economically.” The task force urged the formation of a committee to make recommendations on how the State Bar could address the challenges identified.
In January 2014, State Bar President Patrick J. Fiedler formed the 14-member Committee on the Challenges Facing New Lawyers to bring forth concrete solutions. The committee was tasked with developing recommendations by June 2014.
The 14-member Challenges Facing New Lawyers Committee split into subcommittees to explore how new attorneys can get more job experiences, learn business and practice management skills, understand student debt issues and options, and obtain more mentoring and leadership opportunities, among others.
A number of solutions emerged. Listed below are various recommendations the committee believes can help new lawyers address the challenges they face. In the next fiscal year, the committee’s report and recommendations will serve as a springboard for further discussion and potential board actions.
Encourage legal incubators. A number of “legal incubators” sponsored by law schools or other organizations help new lawyers gain real-life experience under the supervision of experienced lawyers. The committee on legal incubators recommends the State Bar encourage the law schools to start incubator programs for graduates. It also recommends outreach to local bar associations and nonprofit groups to determine whether such entities would be interested in starting incubator programs. Help navigate law school debt. The subcommittee on student loan debt recognized that the problem will take “sustained, constant attention from the leaders of the Bar to ensure our new lawyers have a chance to start their careers” without an unsustainable debt burden. Thus, the subcommittee made recommendations related to helping graduates understand their loan repayment options and reducing amounts borrowed for law school.
Provide more governance and leadership opportunities. This subcommittee on governance explored ways to give new lawyers more opportunities to serve in leadership roles, which would allow them to be advocates on issues affecting newer lawyers. That includes a recommendation to expand the number of new lawyer seats on the State Bar Board of Governors.
Foster mentorship programs. The subcommittee on mentorship recommended the creation and support for voluntary mentorship programs through a number of steps, including a comprehensive survey to determine what mentorship opportunities are currently being offered. The subcommittee also recommended support for a rule that would allow voluntary mentors to obtain CLE credit.
Tailor CLE programs. The subcommittee on CLE made a number of recommendations to specifically assist new lawyers. For instance, the subcommittee recommended a “New Lawyer Track” of CLE programming at State Bar Institutes and Conferences, and support to help minimize the cost of CLE to newer lawyers. The subcommittee also encouraged support for rule changes to allow CLE credit for programming that gives newer lawyers practice management and business skills. Promote more business and practical learning. A subcommittee on clinical and business education identified a number of ways the State Bar can encourage more “hands-on” learning experiences for newer lawyers. Those include the following support for experiential learning initiatives and clinical programs offered by the state’s two law schools and the creation of more CLE opportunities to help new lawyers learn about practice management and the business-side of law practice. Other Board Actions
The board elected a new chairperson of the board and new members to the board’s Executive Committee, among other leadership appointments.
Sherry Coley (right), outgoing chairperson of the Board of Governors, passes the baton to Paul Swanson, who assumes the role of chair in fiscal year 2015.
The board elected Paul Swanson (Oshkosh) as the board chair for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015). The board also elected six new members
to the board’s Executive Committee, which “exercises all the powers and performs all the duties of the board between the meetings of the board.” The committee is comprised of the president, president-elect, past-president, board chair, and six other representatives.
The six new committee members are: Joseph Cardamone (Kenosha); Andrew Chevrez (Milwaukee); John Danner (Minocqua); Jill Kastner (Milwaukee); Kevin Lyons (Milwaukee); and Christopher Rogers (Madison).
The board also approved President Fiedler’s five appointments to the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation Board. Reappointees are: Mary Lynne Donahue (Sheboygan) and Grant Birtch (Neenah). New appointees are: Terry Grosenheider (Madison); the Hon. Judge Edward Leineweber (Lone Rock | 1.557524 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
What is Reading Dynamics and How Does It Prepare Your Child for Success!
Speed reading is a technique that improved the ability to read quickly. Reading dynamics is one of the speed reading systems. It was taught by Evelyn Nielsen Wood, an American educator and business person. Wood coined the phrase "speed reading" and creating a system to improve reading speed over average rate of 250-300 words per minute. Her target was to improve reading speed by two to five times.
During her studies, Wood could read 6,000 words a minute regularly sharing the traits to read down a page instead of the usual left to right. She read groups of words or the complete thoughts instead of single words. She avoided rereading material and applied their efficiency to various materials.
Wood discovered that fast readers were also more effective therefore she developed programs and ultimately a methodology that used a pointer of finger to trace lines of text and eliminating reading aloud in the head or under the breath (sub vocalizing) Reading Dynamics system was taught at seminars as
Evelyn Wood Speed Reading Dynamics, which is a business that Evelyn Wood co-founded with Dough Wood, her husband. The business grew its outlets in United States to 150. Reading Dynamics was endorsed by famous figures including President John F. Kennedy as a way to remember information after reading thousands of words per minute. Wood had studies Kennedy’s reading habits as he was an avid reader. Staff members Kennedy, Ford and Carter administration also studied the speed reading system. A students of Wood’s speed reading claimed she was able to read a 689 page novel in less than an hour.
Reading Dynamics centers on moving one a hand across a page in order to maintain eye focus on words. Just like many speed reading systems, reading dynamics tries to suppress the reading instinct of sub-vocalization. It does not focus on meaning of words without getting limited by time it will take to mentally pronounce syllables.
Wood published her book
Reading Skills in 1959 just before she and her husband began Reading Dynamics business in 1960. Reading Dynamics classes were advertised heavily on television. Woods had minimal business education and advertising therefore her business collapsed within a year. New owners took over and invested in advertising and endorsement turning the Reading Dynamics to a craze.
Unfortunately, it’s only a few students who could grasp the technique or reach the amazing speed reading promised during advertising. Failure to attain the promised speed is what made Reading Dynamics to fall into disfavor but it made people to be aware that they could read faster.
Some speed reading training systems adopted some ideas by Wood. Some strategies taught in her classes were taught at college campuses in United States until late 1990s.
Search online user reviews for more information on other speed reading programs like 7 speed reading review.Moving faster than the speed of light, being in two places at once, and Traveling backward through time are all common themes in science fiction. Conventional physics tells us these are all nearly impossible. However, they are happening right now, in this very room. They are happening at the atomic level. Journey with me into the world of Quantum Physics. Quantum physics is the study of the smallest things known to science. In this world are things so small that they no longer obey what we consider the “laws” of physics. At such a small scale, Newton’s precious laws no longer apply. In fact, scientists have had to come up with a new set of laws that only pertain to atoms and the particles they are made up of. In the world of Quantum physics, the impossible becomes reality. Atoms have been observed to occasionally “link” or “bond”, not in a physical or chemical way, but in an “Informational” Bond, if you will. Scientists have no idea how or why two atoms may become bonded. All they know is that these two atoms seem to transfer data instantly. Now, this not like an Instant message send over the internet. While a message through the internet can only travel as fast as the electricity carrying it, this bond the atoms is truly instant. These atoms can be separated be billions of light years and though it would take the fastest thing in the universe billions of years to get from one atom to the other; this data would be instantly transferred from atom to atom. When one atom spins clockwise, the other atom will spin counterclockwise. When one atom is observed, the second atom physically becomes the first when observed at the same time, and when the second is observed, the first atom will physically become the first when observed! Even more incredible are the particles smaller than atoms. One such particle, the photon, seemingly does the impossible. This massless particle whizzing around carrying light, has flabbergasted and puzzled physicists for over to 100...-has a fun and safe holiday season. | 1.965869 | 992 | 989 |
Once Hollywood sci-fi, small hovercraft are gaining ground in the real world. The U.S. Army is looking at the “world’s first flying motorcycle,” and Toyota’s luxury brand Lexus has built its own hoverboard.
Yet these and other levitating wonders won’t hit the market anytime soon. They still have to undergo safety testing and regulatory scrutiny. And some are simply meant to amuse.
Lexus’ new Hoverboard, for example, isn’t the forerunner of a flying car that Toyota says it’s been studying.
“It’s definitely something that works, but it’s not something we plan to sell,” says Lexus spokesman Moe Durand of the hoverboard,
unveiled this week in a company video. It uses magnets and liquid nitrogen-cooled superconductors to lift a rider off the ground. So far, it only works when magnets are embedded underneath the road surface.
“It’s really just for an ad,” Durand says, citing the “Amazing in Motion” ad campaign to showcase Lexus’ innovation. Though Lexus didn’t build it as part of a push toward a flying car, he says it could eventually lead in that direction: “Is it dipping our toe in the water? Maybe.”
An increasing number of companies, though, are vying to commercialize their hovercraft. Their prototypes may not look like Marty McFly’s board in the 1989 movie
Back to the Future II, but they’re aiming to do all sorts of incredible things—transport troops over difficult terrain, move passengers in Elon Musk’s vision of sonic tubular travel, or even lift buildings to avoid earthquake damage.
Chris Malloy built a helicopter-like Hoverbike in his garage in suburban Sydney, Australia. His website says he “combined the simplicity of a motorbike with the freedom of a helicopter to create the
world’s first flying motorcycle.” Now he’s the managing director of Malloy Aeronautics, a company based in the United Kingdom.
“We’re doing a feasibility study for them,” Malloy says of the U.S. Army. He says his craft, which uses propellers to hover, can do search and rescue missions, cargo delivery, disaster relief, and surveillance. Designed to come in manned and unmanned versions, he says it can do what helicopters do—at a lower cost, in tighter spaces, and without pilots.
He declined to give specifics about the project. At the Paris Air Show earlier this month,
Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford announced that Malloy’s company is working to develop the Hoverbike for the U.S. military as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle.
Malloy says he developed the Hoverbike for commercial, not military, use. “We’ve had lots of people who want to place orders,” he says, noting he’s not yet taking them. “We don’t want to hurry our product into the market.”
Technically, he says the company could begin production now, but he needs to do rigorous testing to prove its safety. He expects that could take at least three to five years, and he doesn’t have the market to himself.
“We have competitors,” he says, noting companies in New Zealand and elsewhere with similar prototypes.
Simpler hovercraft are emerging, too. In California,
Greg Henderson has built the Hendo, a hoverboard that he says uses one fourth as much energy as a helicopter to lift the same weight. ( Find out what it’s like to ride one.) In October, his company Arx Pax plans to debut a new version that’s smaller, lighter, and more powerful.Single mothers and marriage promotion : considering the consequences of divorce Author
Adelstein, Shirley.
Description
Thesis (M.P.P.)--Georgetown University, 2009.; Includes bibliographical references. Concerns about the relationship between family structure and poverty have led to the emergence of public policies aimed at promoting marriage as an anti-poverty strategy. The disproportionately high poverty rates among female-headed households make the women who head them likely targets for such programs. While there is reason to believe that marriage will have some economic benefits for single mothers, it is equally important to consider the possibility and potential economic consequences of divorce. Differences in the observable characteristics of never married, married, and divorced women suggest that never married mothers will not fare as well in marriage or divorce as mothers who are observed in those marital statuses. Using data from the 2002 round of the National Survey of Family Growth, I compare the characteristics of never married, married, and divorced mothers who are similar in that they have had a non-marital first birth. I then conduct regression-based simulations to show how never married mothers would fare in marriage and divorce relative to their actual poverty levels and relative to the actual poverty levels of married and divorced mothers. The results have implications for the potential efficacy and design of marriage promotion programs.
Date2009 Type Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject. | 1.605643 | 1,009 | 1,007 |
In a political insert for newspapers for the last week of October, Rep. Jeremy Kalin (D-17B) bragged, "I helped create 40,000 new jobs." So where are the jobs?
First Kalin asserted on Feb. 22, "Passage of this [transportation] bill will also result in over 30,000 new jobs every year for the next five years – nearly all from private contractors."
A few days later it increased when on Feb. 25 he wrote (also here), "I am supporting this bill because more than 31,000 new jobs a year will be created by private contractors, repairing and building our roads and bridges."
On the same day, Senator Olseen increased this figure: "This transportation funding package will not only improve the safety of the state’s roads and bridges, but will create an estimated 33,000 jobs per year." After Feb. 28, Kalin’s campaign manager, Wade Vitalis, wrote, "But it is also a fact that 33,000 jobs/year will be created by the transportation bill recently passed by the legislature."
On May 27, Kalin reported, "The Roads and Bridges Bill will invest in our long-term infrastructure and grow at least 33,000 jobs a year for the next five years - nearly all through private-sector construction firms."
In the same press release, Kalin wrote, "We balanced the budget, provided property tax relief, adopted meaningful health care reform, delivered new funding for schools and area nursing homes, helped create more than 40,000 new jobs, and enacted the historic 2008 Roads and Bridges bill" without explaining how he arrived at the 40,000 figures versus the 33,000 figure.
And now he brags, "I helped create 40,000 new jobs."
All this bragging occurred while reporter Tom Hauser took the claim to task on Feb. 19. The link is available here, but the video story apparently is no longer available. We had noted it here.
So where are the jobs that Rep. Kalin created? The unemployment rate is up a half percent since his first announcement in February. During that time span, 19,000 more people are out of work. The Dem’s and Kalin’s claim was unfounded and reckless. By virtue of his promise, the unemployment rate should have dropped.Breakthrough – The Dramatic Story of the Discovery of Insulin and the Era of New Hope is an exhibit at the New York Historical Society on display from October 5, 2010 to January 31, 2011.
The exhibit coincides with the publication of a book on the discovery of insulin, Breakthrough, Elizabeth Hughes, the Discovery of Insulin, and the Making of a Medical Miracle, by Thea Cooper and Arthur Ainsberg.
Arthur Ainsberg, Phil Southerland, cyclist and co-founder of Team Type 1, and Jonathan Engel will be speaking in conjunction with the exhibit on November 2nd, 2010 at the New York Society for Ethical Culture in a public program.
On display are photos of children before and after receiving insulin treatment.
Three-year-old J.L. weighed 15 lbs. on December 15, 1922.
Two months later, he weighed 29 lbs.
Before Rufus the Bear with diabetes, there was Abby Cady the rag doll. She was named after her maker and sent by the president of Eli Lilly to Dr. Joslin’s patients. The girls called her Lilly, and the doll came with her own syringe case.
Drs. Federick Banting and John Macleod were awarded the Nobel prize on October 25, 1923 for the discovery of insulin.
Frederick Banting’s birthday on November 14th is World Diabetes Day.
The N.Y. Times reported on the exhibit: Rediscovering the First Miracle Drug.
The New York Historical Society gift shop sells a plush pancreas, pancreas pins, and syringe pens.The year 2021 will mark the 100th year anniversary of the discovery of insulin.
Of course, insulin is not a cure for diabetes.
In 2021, about 10 years from now, will there be a cure for diabetes?
The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics has announced a ten year plan to cure Type 1 diabetes.
The Mayo Clinic – University of Minnesota initiative is called:
Decade of Discovery: A Minnesota Partnership to Defeat Diabetes
and is described in the article Diabetes Cure in the Pipeline.
I can’t wait to donate our insulin vials to the diabetes historical exhibit in 2022! | 1.67402 | 1,016 | 1,014 |
For Dogs Dry
Maize meal*, maize gluten meal*, rice*, dehydrated poultry protein, wheat flour, animal fat, digest, dried beet pulp, minerals, dried egg, fish oil. * Protein sources.
Urine acidifying substance: calcium sulphate. Dry
Analytical constituents: Protein: 22.0 %
Fat content: 15.0 % Crude ash: 4.5 % Crude fibres: 1.5 % Calcium: 0.7 % Phosphorus: 0.6 % Sodium: 0.2 % Potassium: 0.7 % Chloride: 0.7 % Sulphur: 0.3 % Magnesium: 0.08 % Dry
3kg, 12kg
UR Urinary What are the signs of urinary stones?
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® PRO PLAN ® VETERINARY DIETS or any other aspect of pet nutrition, please contact our PetCare Team on 0800 212 161 Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Our dedicated team of vet nurses, pet care professionals and customer service experts will be happy to help. Alternatively you can click here to contact us online.
Please note that all indications for PURINA
® PRO PLAN ® VETERINARY DIETS mentioned are for the dietary support of dogs with the listed conditions and do not preclude appropriate medical management. The veterinary diets should be used under veterinary supervision. ® Reg. Trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A.Some people are born with teeth that are more yellow than others. But often we can
whiten teeth and our bright smile can change whole appearance. And not obligatory you need to go to the cosmetic dentist to do teeth whitening.
If you have strawberries and baking powder you can start teeth bleaching right now.
It may sound strange, but really
strawberry and baking powder can make your teeth whiter. As says www.health.com:
The secret to this
inexpensive home whitening methodis malic acid, which acts as an astringent to remove surface discoloration.
Combined with baking powder, strawberries become a natural tooth-cleanser, buffing away stains from coffee, red wine, and dark sodas. While it’s no replacement for a bleaching treatment at your dentist’s office, “this is a fast, cheap way to brighten your smile,” says Adina Carrel, DMD, a dentist in private practice at Manhattan Dental Arts in New York.
“Be careful not to use this too often, though, as the
acid could damage the enamel on your teeth.”
You will need to mash up one ripe strawberry and add in 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda. Then use a soft toothbrush to spread the mixture onto your teeth.
Leave on for 5 minutes, then brush thoroughly with toothpaste to remove the berry–baking powder mix. Rinse. And floss – get out all strawberry seeds.
Take a look into mirror to note your smile whiteness.
Dentists say you can apply this type of
home teeth whitening once a week.
Photo by
jojoro | 1.352657 | 980 | 978 |
Many homeowners aspire to have a home interior that exuberates style, personality and quality, however due to budget limitations scores are often discouraged. Preconceptions can make you believe that Home improvement television programs, such as 60 MinuteMmakeover, could be the only answer to satisfy your interior design ideals. Well that’s where you’re wrong!
Although having a large disposable budget and the help of experts can be advantageous to any plans, one should remember that a stunning home interior can be attained with realistic amounts of capital and plenty of creativity.
As seen in the picture above simplicity can be truly beautiful and create a homely feel that is warm and comforting. Therefore, depending upon your tastes, remember “less can certainly be more” when it comes to interior improvements.
One of the best places to start when improving interior décor is to assess the current furnishings within the property. Dated, tired and old furniture can defiantly dampen the image a room is attempting to convey. Therefore before any improvements are conducted one should formalize plans that will aid decisions to be made in regards to which furniture is worth keeping and what style is to be portrayed.
Although the aim will be to keep spending to a minimum, unfortunately changing furniture can be an expensive but necessary process; however such expense presents validity when new furniture additions provide a stunning focal point that adds longevity and personality. However, before the process of buying new furniture and accessories begins consideration should be first given to the desired colour scheme as this will prevent the purchase of items that look nice but don’t fit the final interior theme.
Once the theme is decided upon personalisation can commence through the acquisition of furnishings and accessories. When shopping for new furniture it is wise to opt for furniture that is durable and classical in design as this improves the chances of the piece standing the test of time in regards to fashion tastes and functional lifespan. Furthermore, always seek for high quality items as these are less likely to deteriorate quickly, cheaper low quality products are more likely to become worn and damaged, therefore leading to replacement sooner.
Alternatively, if buying new furniture is completely out of the question due to budgeting reasons, there are many ways to bring current furnishings “back to life” through simple but effective techniques. For example wooden furniture can be easily given a new lease of life with an added layer of paint and simple finishing techniques. This easy and cheap way of recycling old furniture is now increasingly popular, which has resulted in numerous “help guides” and video tutorials becoming accessible online.
About the author: Chris Algar writes on behalf The Furniture Market who are specialists in high quality furniture ideal for the perfect home interior. Please visit http://www.thefurnituremarket.co.uk/ to view the extensive range of beautiful furniture.
Sponsored Guest PostLOS ANGELES – Friday, June 24, 2011 – NBA prospects Brandon Knight and twins Markieff and Marcus Morris were recently featured on episodes of ESPN: Sport Science, highlighting their mental and physical agility as they gear up for the draft. The segments were centered around Dynavision Sports’ I-SPAN training technology, which measures players’ visuo-motor and movement skills under varying conditions.
“As a point guard, you have to be able to think a couple of plays ahead, know where the play needs to go, react and stay in front,” Knight said during his test.
The I-SPAN is designed to accommodate those needs.
The device consists of a central computer and eight stations that glow in random succession. The light indicates where the athlete is to go next, and then the user must wave his/her hand over each light as it is signaled. The technology tracks, measures, and improves all forms of movement, including acceleration, speed, agility, explosive reactions, and more.
Knight, who is known well for his mental game and quick thinking, was given a customized workout to test his cognitive and physical skills. He received baseline reaction scores on his first run on the I-SPAN, and was then tested again while simultaneously answering trivia questions. With this added mental pressure, Brandon’s reaction time slowed by .04 seconds.
In a separate episode, the I-SPAN recorded Markieff’s average reaction time as less than six-tenths of a second, which compares well to other NBA draft prospects, including his twin brother.
“The mental and physical reaction times of these players are imperative to their journey in the NBA, and continued use on the I-SPAN could make these great athletes phenomenal,” Mark Hallis, CMO of Dynavision Sports said. “The device can be used in almost any situation: horizontally as floor exercises or vertically with the lamp mounted on a multi-adjustable frame. The test is fun, yet challenging and ever-changing, just like the sport of basketball.”
To see the I-SPAN in action, click on the below ESPN Sports Science segments:
Click here for more information about Dynavision.
For more information on the world of strength and conditioning visit Strength Performance Network. | 1.972707 | 1,009 | 1,007 |
Do you ever wonder why we gentleman do the things we do? At Forgetful Gentleman, we’ve always been fascinated by the origins of the gentlemanly actions we conduct every day. In some cases, understanding where our cultural norms come from can give us a renewed appreciation for them. In other cases, it just makes for fun trivia. Either way, we hope you’ll find these historical tidbits as interesting as we do. At the very least they make for great cocktail conversation fodder!
Why do we escort women on our left arm?
When a man escorts his partner, tradition has it that he offers his left arm.This tradition originates from medieval times when men escorted women around town and through the fields. Should a threat arise or the woman’s honor require defending, the man’s sword hand (his right hand) would be free, giving him quick and easy access to his sword, worn on his left side.
To this day, the left arm rule still applies while indoors. However, with the rise of wheeled vehicles and non-pedestrian streets, the proper escorting etiquette evolved over the years for outdoor environments. Today, when escorting a women outdoors, you should position yourself on the outside (closest to the street) to protect her from traffic, mud splashing, etc.
Why are the bottom buttons of our suit jackets and blazers never to be fastened?
This fashion guideline is typically attributed to King Edward VII, the British monarch from 1901 until his death in 1910. Quite the gourmand, King Edward loved his food so much that the royal tailors often had trouble keeping up with his ballooning figure. One day, seeking reprieve from the confining constriction of his waistcoat, King Edward casually unbuttoned the bottom button. At that time, the King set the fashion trends and when members of his court saw his new look, they quickly emulated it. The fad spread like wildfire and within weeks unbuttoned bottom buttons were found everywhere.
We continue to honor the memory of Edward the Wide to this day. Modern suit jackets and blazers are actually designed to cutaway at the hips with the bottom button left undone. Buttoning it results in unsightly pulling and bunching of fabric at the waist and disapproving looks from your fellow gentlemen.
Why do we give toasts?
In ancient Greece, being poisoned was a real and constant fear. In order to allay this fear, at a party, the host would pour wine for his guests and then take the first drink and toast everyone to show that the wine was safe to drink. Incidentally, the term “toast” also comes from this tradition. Toasting is a reference to the toasted bread that ancient Greeks dipped into their wine to cut the acidity.
Where did the custom of removing or tipping a hat as a sign of respect come from?
In medieval times, knights often encountered each other in full armor making it difficult to distinguish friend from foe. As a sign of friendliness, knights would lift their helmet visors, showing their faces to one another.The custom of tipping ones hat to another, as a symbol of politeness, is a direct descendant of this medieval practice. Interesting note: the modern military salute shares the same origin.
Why do we give flowers to communicate our feelings of love, friendship, grief, sympathy and congratulations?
In the 1700’s, Charles II of Sweden returned from Persia, bringing with him the custom of “the language of flowers” to Europe. Different flowers communicated different sentiments or meanings to the point that entire conversations were carried out through the sending and receiving of flower bouquets. Today we usually communicate our intent overtly with an attached note or card but the custom of sending flowers endures.
Do you know the history behind your favorite gentlemanly etiquette? Share it with us in the comments section; we’d love to hear it!, and laws. Who is to determine what sexuality someone is, and how? Most people view sexuality as male or female, but there are more possibilities. The five sexes and the social imaginary are things that can and should be changed and/or considered in the future of society. Works Cited
Fausto-Sterling, Anne. The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female Are Not Enough. The Sciences, March/April 1993. Print. Taylor, Charles. Modern Social Imaginaries. Durham and London: Duke University Press, 2004. Print. Christie Lee Littleton, Appellant v. Dr. Mark Prange, Appellee (excerpts). Bexar County, Texas: 288th Judicial District Court, 1999. Print. | 1.544262 | 962 | 960 |
Heinous crimes occur everyday. These have controversially stirred up the public’s interest in forensic science techniques. People are aware of the importance of evidence and how these can substantially affect the investigation process. Forensic science, throughout the years, has been a key component in resolving crimes. Forensic scientists, crime investigators, and police partake in the various duties and responsibilities in crime investigation. There are several departments in a crime laboratory having specialists who take charge of the evidence collected at the crime scene.
Through comprehensive analyses of DNA, blood, firearms, drugs, alcohol, and other tools which are done in full crime laboratories, strong evidence for the crime are established empirically. Specific techniques performed by crime investigators and forensic scientists are done with these tools (Bevel & Gardner, 1997). Benecke & Barksdale (2003) argue that forensic science claimed popularity worldwide due to advanced methods employed in criminal cases. These have helped determine the guilt or innocence of the defendant.
Investigation procedures have been trouble-free for police due to the advances in DNA sampling and testing, posing major importance in crime investigation. Blood typing and testing are the main job functions of a forensic serologist, who also analyzes other important body liquids such as semen, saliva, other body fluids and may or may not be involved with DNA typing. At present, blood seems to be the most important component both for medical or forensic purposes. At crime scenes, victims and suspects are easily associated through obtained blood samples and stains.
Bloodstain patterns are not only used to show the association of the victim and the assassin; position and movement during the crime can also be illustrated, who struck whom first, in what manner, upon establishment of the necessary information needed to reconstruct the crime scene. Such evidence prove the lack of veracity in defendants’ claims, which are eventually found to be mere alibis or self-proclaimed arguments. Indeed, this is a very effectual and reliable technology in crime investigation (Fisher, 2003).
The science of bloodstain pattern analysis applies scientific knowledge from other fields to solve practical problems. Bloodstain pattern analysis draws on biology, chemistry, math, and physics, as scientific disciplines. As long as an analyst follows a scientific process, this applied science can produce strong, solid evidence, making it an effective tool for investigators (Fisher, 2003). Blood is partly alkaline liquid, made up of water, cells, enzymes, proteins, and inorganic substances. It flows throughout the vascular system, transporting nourishment, oxygen, and waste.
Plasma is the fluid portion of the blood containing water and serum (which is yellowish and contains white cells and platelets). Red cells are the non-fluid portion of the blood, outnumbering the white cells (Stuart, 2005). Red cells and serum are very crucial elements for the carrying out the work of the forensic scientist. The freshness of the obtained blood sample can be assessed through serum; moreover, antibodies are also carried in it and such are also important in forensic analysis. More tests may be done with wet blood than dried blood; hence, wet blood has more value than a dried sample.
Traces of alcohol and drug content can only be tested from a wet blood sample. Within 3-5 minutes of exposure to air, blood starts drying up, changing its color. There are different blood forms, including pools, drops, smears or crust. The height and angle at which the blood sample fell off can be identified by its drop and form. The distances at which the blood fell can be reported through the forensic science of blood spatter analysis. If blood fell from a higher distance, it has more pronounced tendrils fraying off the edges, while a blood smear on the floor indicates the direction of the force of the blow.
Splatter tells the direction of the force, as it always moves toward the tail (Geberth, 1996). In 1875, different blood types had been discovered, but it was not until 1901 when Karl Landsteined formalized blood groupings, labeling them as type A (antigen A present, anti-B antibody present, but antigen B absent) and B (antigen B present, antigen A absent), labeled C (both antigens A and B absent), but was relabeled later as O. Then another type of serum was discovered, and this fourth type was labeled AB (both antigens present). The blood type of an individual is greatly affected by his parents’ blood type.
Further, Dr. Leon Lattes of Italy, created blood testing for dried blood sample in fabrics (MacDonell, 1993). As early as 1904, Hans Gross of Germany documented and evaluated bloodstain collection. In 1939, geometric principles had been applied to deduce the angles of impact and convergence of the obtained bloodstain. In London, as early as 1514, blood spatter | 1.977886 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
evidence was used in a court trial (Saferstein, 1995). As early as 1925, blood has been discovered and used for criminal investigation. Almost 80 percent of the human population were “secretors”.
An individual carries specific types of antigens, proteins, antibodies, and enzymes characteristic of their blood that are also present in their body tissue and fluids. In the case of a secretor, investigators can tell the blood type by examining other body liquids such as saliva, teardrops, skin tissue, urine, or semen correlating the blood type obtained from the victim to the criminal. From 1951 hence, Dr. Paul Leland Kirk confirmed the effectiveness of bloodstain pattern interpretation in resolving crimes (Bevel & Gardner, 1997). In 1985, DNA technology made blood analysis easier.
DNA obtained from blood samples at the crime is analyzed within a shorter period of time, comparing it with the blood profile of an individual. The gender and type of criminal can be assessed by analyzing the blood sample obtained from the crime scene. Aside from presence of blood, the way it landed on surfaces gave rise to a new forensic field, blood pattern analysis, telling experts pertinent details about the murder (Bevel & Gardner, 1997). Blood at the Scene of the Crime Benecke & Barksdale (2003) suggest that blood shedding is a dramatic accessory for the execution of a violent murder.
Nearly 9 percent of the weight of a healthy person is blood and if spilled by murderers, it can leave a long trail. As blood is shed off in any volume, clotting makes it difficult to assess. Thus murderers’ attempt to wash off their violent murder often fails because blood traces stick to their clothing and weapons. Blood present at the scene of the crime has lead to the punishment of many killers who initially thought they can get away by removing all their incriminating traces (Benecke & Barksdale, 2003).
Blood is very vital in relation to forensic science, from which much information may be obtained. The first task in analyzing stains is to determine whether there is blood and to whom it belongs. Afterwards, stains are examined for age, sex and blood group. The shape and pattern of liquid blood splashes reconstructs the murder scene. Bloody fingerprints and palm prints tell their own story. A single blood trace can provide much information, and analytical techniques are continuously improving through time.
Blood dynamics is not only used for narrowing suspicion on the guilty party, but also to prove a suspect’s innocence. Bloodstains are reconstructed, eventually allowing investigators to simulate what transpired in the crime scene (Fisher, 2003). Blood investigation at crime laboratories is studied using two different approaches: the biological approach (serology) and the physical approach (blood splatter or bloodstain pattern analysis). The facts obtained from complex blood investigation form the core of blood evidence.
Examination and interpretation of bloodstains on and around the body, and of blood spots, splashes and smears at the scene of the crime, are an essential part of a murder investigation. In addition, the location and the manifestation of blood marks on the body and its immediate surroundings help the investigator reconstruct the crime (Geberth, 1996). Blood is a liquid and hence, the laws of physics can be validly used for interpreting blood spatter. The factors that can help in reconstructing the crime scene include spot size, quantity, shape, distribution, location, angle of impact, and target surface.
Correlating these factors can reduce the long and tedious process of investigation. The shape of blood spots and the position of the victim are correlated; blood vertically dropping on a even surface has a circular mark with crenated edges, indicating that the source was in a still position during that particular time. Drops of blood falling from an object in motion collide with a flat surface diagonally leaves an exclamation-mark-like spot. A thorough analysis of the shape of obliquely falling blood splashes indicates the details about speed and impact.
This information are suggestive of the position of the victim and murderer, and even the weapons used during the crime. Blood spots lined on the ceiling of a room in violent murder cases, such as when the killer wielded an axe, results to lined blood spots on its ceiling (Klug, 2000). Blood smears and trails on the floor can be from a crawling wounded person or a murderer dragging the lifeless body of the victim. Blood smears become ragged at one of its edges telling the direction of the movement that occurred during the crime.
In instances where the blood stain is not evident, tail fingerprints may be obtained. Moreover, invisible blood stains can be detected by doing a luminol test, which shows slight phosphorescent light in the dark where bloodstains (and certain other stains) are present (Geberth, 1996). Colored string | 2.042031 | 1,024 | 1,023 |
is often used at a crime scene to show the path of blood droplets cast off from a knife or object used in a beating. These devices can give investigators a preliminary idea of the location of victim and the perpetrator at the time of the crime.
They become even more important in situations where there is more than one perpetrator, where a victim manages to crawl from one location to another, or has been dragged. However, the definitive interpretation of blood patterns comes when the information is analyzed back at the laboratory using computer programs (Crow, et. al, 1996). Young (1989) indicates that blood pattern analysis includes the examination, identification and interpretation of patterns of bloodstains and relating these to the actions which may have transpired during the crime.
This analysis plays an important role in reconstructing crime events. The bloodstains obtained are indicative of the type of injuries, the order in which the wounds were received, whose blood is present, type of weapon that caused the injuries, whether the victim was in motion or lying still when the injury was inflicted, whether the victim was moved after the injury was inflicted, and how far the blood drops fell before hitting the surface where they were found.
In the 1930s, John Glaister, a Scottish pathologist categorized blood splashes into drops on a horizontal surface; splashes from blood flying through the air and hitting a surface at an angle; and pools around the body, which can show if the body has been dragged (Young, 1989). Bloodstain patterns are a helpful tool for crime scene investigators to understand the integral components of the crime, finding evidence for answering questions about the crime.
Through bloodstain pattern analyses, collecting unecessarily excessive blood may be avoided. The shape of the blood drop itself holds significant information. The proportions of the blood drops can tell the needed energy in those dimensions. The shape of the stain can describe the traveling direction and angle at which it struck the surface (Klug, 2000). Before a scientific investigation of a violent crime is concluded, bloodstain pattern analysis is carried out and makes a noteworthy contribution to the investgation process.
Bloodstain pattern analysis reconstructs the assassination that occurred, specifically the blood shedding. Because blood is uniform, it behaves accordingly. Moreover, the manner through which blood goes in and out of the victim, how it was splattered around the area of the crime, are also important sources of information for reconstructing what truly happened. Blood spatter analysis is based from the disciplines of physics and mathematics, from which the main concepts of blood pattern analysis are derived (Saferstein, 1995).
Courtney from Study Moose
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Is a lipase level of 105 something to be concerned about?
Have had upper right abdominal pain for 5 months. CT scan, HIDA Scan, and bloodwork all normal except for lipase level of 105.
Answer
The answer to your question depends on what the normal range is for the assay used to check your lipase level. Check the lab slip that contains your lipase level and see if this is above the upper limit of normal. The best thing to do is to discuss your results with a gastroenterologist. Most of the lipase assays that I am familiar with have an upper limit of normal that is less than 100. Under the assumption that this means that your lipase is high then you should be evaluated for pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the pancreas and significant pain in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen along with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and lack of appetite. The two most common causes of pancreatitis in the United States are gallstones and alcohol. Your normal HIDA scan seems to suggest that gallstones are probably not the case for you. If you are not a drinker, then alcohol is not the cause. In this case, you should be looked at for more unusual causes of pancreatitis. This will involve further diagnostic testing. I suggest that you schedule an appointment with a gastroenterologist. This is the type of physician that is most equipped to perform the detailed workup needed in your case.
This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Medical professionals who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Zocdoc’s Terms of Service. | 1.441683 | 978 | 976 |
The first four of 12 satellites in a new constellation to provide affordable, high-speed internet to people in nearly 180 "under-connected" countries, were shot into space on Tuesday, the project's developers said.
The orbiters, part of a project dubbed O3b for the "other 3 billion" people with restricted internet access, were scheduled to be lifted by a Russian Soyuz rocket from Kourou in French Guiana at 1854 GMT.
"We are very close to launching a network that has the potential to change lives in very tangible ways and that is a tremendous feeling," O3b Networks chief technical officer Brian Holz said in a statement before the launch.
The project was born from the frustrations of internet pioneer Greg Wyler with the inadequacy of Rwanda's telecommunications network, while travelling there in 2007.
"Access to the internet backbone is still severely limited in emerging markets," Wyler said in unveiling the O3b venture in 2008 - promising multi-gigabit internet speeds to countries "whether landlocked in Africa or isolated by water in the Pacific Islands".
"Only when emerging markets achieve affordable and ubiquitous access to the rest of the world will we observe locally generated content, widespread e-learning, telemedicine and many more enablers to social and economic growth, which reflect the true value of the internet," he said.
Wyler's plan was to bypass costly ground-based infrastructure like fibre-optics or cables by deploying a constellation of small satellites around the equator to serve as a spatial relay between users and the world wide web using only satellite dishes.
Such a system would cover a region between the latitudes of 45 degrees North and 45 degrees South - the entire African continent, most of Latin America, the Middle East, southeast Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands.
There are already geostationary satellites providing this type of services, but at a prohibitive cost for many end-users.
Existing satellites generally obit at an altitude of some 36,000 kilometres above Earth, weigh in at a hefty four to six tonnes each, and take much longer to bounce a signal back to Earth - about 500 milliseconds to be exact, according to an O3b document.
"It is such a long delay that people speaking over a satellite link will shorten conversations, interactive web has an extremely poor experience and many web-based software programmes just won't function," it said.
The O3b satellites, built by the Franco-Italian company Thales Alenia Space, will orbit at 8062 km and will weigh only 650 kilograms each.
Crucially, they will communicate with Earth four times faster, said the company, and six would be enough to assure permanent coverage.
"O3b's prices will be 30 - 50 per cent less than traditional satellite services," said the document.
And it added that a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo could move from being one of the most poorly-connected on Earth to one of the best.
Launch company Arianespace, which will put the satellites in orbit, said the O3b constellation will combine "the global reach of satellite coverage with the speed of a fiber-optic network".
Project investors include internet giant Google, cable company Liberty Global, satellite operator SES, HSBC bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa.
The first four satellites were due to be boosted into space on Monday but the launch was postponed by a day due to unfavourable weather conditions. They were successfully launched one day later.
The next four satellites will be launched within weeks, according to Arianespace, and a final four "backup" orbiters early next year.
To refine its coverage, the constellation could in the end have as many as 16 supplementary satellites in addition to the 12 main ones, said O3b networks.
AFPTowards open and equitable access to research and knowledge for development
PLoS Medicine (2011)Get full text at journal
Abstract
Leslie Chan and colleagues discuss the value of open access not just for access\n to health information, but also for transforming structural inequity in current\n academic reward systems and for valuing scholarship from the South.
Readership Statistics 71Readers on Mendeley
by Discipline
34% Social Sciences
13% Computer Science
11% Medicine and Dentistry
by Academic Status
25% Student > Ph. D. Student
17% Researcher
13% Librarian
by Country
6% United Kingdom
6% United States
3% Germany | 1.502265 | 951 | 949 |
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