Ricardo and KONGSBERG have signed a framework agreement that will see Ricardo support the development of the Kongsberg Wind Farm Management System (WFMS) as well as related condition monitoring systems for a range of other industrial sectors.
The Kongsberg WFMS is a turbine independent decision support system. It surpasses the functionality found in wind farm supervisory control and data acquisition systems, and offers a modern and intuitive user interface based on KONGSBERG’s wide ranging experience in automation and decision support systems for the defence, maritime and offshore oil & gas sectors.
KONGSBERG selected Ricardo to support the development of the WFMS not least due to the company’s expertise in wind turbine drivetrains. Crucially, this includes a deep understanding of the physical mechanisms of failure of drivetrain bearings, and Ricardo’s extensive research into advanced sensor techniques.
A significant aspect of the collaboration between KONGSBERG and Ricardo will be investigating the potential integration of the new Ricardo SensorLifeTM technology – to be launched formally later this month at WindEnergy Hamburg – into KONGSBERG’s WFMS. Ricardo believes that SensorLifeTM could result in significant reductions in the cost of energy of wind farms. These savings would be realised through the more accurate prediction of the remaining useful life of key components and the consequential ability to reduce cost through proactive maintenance.
In addition to the framework agreement, KONGSBERG has contracted Ricardo to further prove the SensorLifeTM technology, including sensor testing and development of feature extraction techniques.
“Ricardo’s experience in drivetrains and KONGSBERG’s experience in system development, sensors and automation systems are an excellent basis for this new cooperation. Ricardo provides an innovative approach to some of the key challenges in condition monitoring combined with extensive experience ranging back almost 100 years,” comments Kristian Holm, General Manager Wind, Kongsberg Maritime.


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Thickness uniformity of an AT-cut quartz crystal wafer is essential requirement for higher productivity of quartz resonator in the sense of reducing the frequency adjusting process after dicing the wafer. However, commercially available quartz crystal wafers typically have a thickness distribution of ±0.1%, which is induced in conventional mechanical fabrication processes, such as cutting with a wire saw, lapping and polishing. Furthermore, owing to the poor parallelism and the existence of subsurface damage, many spurious peaks, which deteriorate resonance characteristics, are observed in a resonant curve. To resolve these issues, we proposed a new damage-free finishing method to correct the thickness distribution of an AT-cut quartz crystal wafer by the numerically controlled scanning of a localized atmospheric pressure plasma. By applying a new finishing process, the thickness uniformity of a commercially available AT-cut quartz crystal wafer was improved to less than 50 nm level by applying one correcting process without any subsurface damage. Furthermore, applying of the pulse-modulated-plasma drastically decreased the correcting time of the thickness distribution without breaking of the quartz crystal wafer by the thermal stress.


Thriving Under Pressure
Under the direction of Dr. Michael Gervais, DISC’s High Performance Program is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals and organizations through its formative commitment to design and implement evidence-based solutions toward performance excellence. Pinnacle Performance’s programs offer innovative opportunities for people and organizations to develop the essential performance skills necessary to thrive under pressure.
Over the course of the past decade, with the goal of designing scientifically validated programs and strategies to enhance performance, the High Performance Program has consulted with professional sport organizations, branches of the military, national sporting Olympic governing bodies, countless universities and high schools, community-based organizations, and corporations across the nation.
About Michael Gervais, PhD
Dr. Michael Gervais serves the director of the DISC and Red Bull High Performance Psychology Program. As a California licensed psychologist specializing in high performance, he works in the trenches of high-stakes environments, where there is no luxury for mistakes, hesitation, or failure to respond. Dr. Gervais has consulted for the top sports organizations, including the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, UFC, US Olympic Team and Red Bull’s North American athletes, as well as the US Military. While Dr. Gervais’ roster includes some of the world’s most elite athletes, he is expanding the reach of his capabilities into the broader spectrum. He recognizes that, like athletes, all of us are required to perform daily.
read more What is Performance Psychology
Performance psychology can assist athletes, executives, military personnel, and artists (i.e., any performer) to achieve new heights in their performance and personal lives. While many devote countless hours to physical preparation, sound mental preparation is also necessary to succeed in our pursuit of consistent and increasing personal performance. Performance psychology consultants meet with teams and individuals to enhance their mental skills, with the goal of gaining a “mental edge” in competition/performance. By identifying the obstacles that get in the way of personal excellence and then teaching effective techniques for dealing them, individuals gain more control over performance, higher performance levels, a new perspective and generally reach a level of greater enjoyment and satisfaction.
Our ultimate aim is to develop performers who thrive under pressure. We help individuals and organizations reach their goals by measuring and developing psychological skills for performance excellence.


A better takeaway: social engineering sometimes works and sometimes fails, and most of the time we have no idea what to expect."
Ed Yong on bacteria resistance Sleeping through the blitz "These bacteria weren’t resistant. They turned out to be just as sensitive to ampicillin as their first-generation ancestors. Instead, they had evolvedtolerance. They spent more time in a dormant state before starting to grow and divide again, allowing them to sleep through the ampicillin blitz. And they adjusted this dormant interval—the lag time—with astonishing precision."


The period between 1890 and 1920 is often called the “Progressive Era,” a time recognized for an interest in applying scientific principles to improving civilization by eliminating government corruption, modernizing the infrastructure of roads, bridges and public buildings, and enhancing people’s everyday lives.
Among issues confronted by the progressives were public health, especially the passage of pure food and drug laws, the elimination of child labor, the scientific improvement of agriculture and homemaking through university extension programs, the expansion of access to high school education, and the development of public parks.
Although women could not vote at this time, they actively worked toward these goals. Individual women expanded their influence through participation in clubs organized to encourage state legislatures to pass laws that furthered the aims of the progressive movement.
Included in the progressive’s goals was the expansion of the right to vote. Sedalia women actively participated in the movement for women’s suffrage. In 1919, local women invited Missouri Gov. Fred D. Gardiner to speak in Sedalia in support of women’s suffrage.
Gardiner, Missouri’s 34th governor, was a St. Louis businessman. He had worked as a funeral director and later as a manufacturer of coffins, hearses and ambulances.
He brought his business skills to his role as governor. His primary accomplishment was the elimination of the state’s debt, which was $2.25 million when he took office in 1916; when he left office in 1920, the state had a surplus of $3.5 million.
Gardiner married Jeanette Vosburgh in 1894. She had worked for women’s rights in Missouri for many years. The couple saw women’s votes as an essential part of the ultimate passage of legislation benefiting women and children.
When Governor and Mrs. Gardiner arrived in Sedalia on March 17, 1919, members of the local St. Patrick’s Day committee, banker W.H. Powell and a member of Powell’s staff met them. They were joined by representatives of the Equal Suffrage League, including league president Mrs. J.R. Van Dyne, Mrs. W.H. Powell, Mrs. Sallie Potter Sneed, and Miss Varina Jackson.
The group traveled to the Sedalia Public Library where a large crowd of Sedalia’s “representative men and women” packed the library’s second floor assembly room. The audience, led my Mrs. Helen G. Steele, opened the program by singing “America.”
Mrs. Gardiner, who despite her strong support of women’s suffrage had not yet made a public speech on the issue, addressed the Equal Suffrage League. She was followed by Gov. Gardiner, who affirmed his desire to sign the bill proclaiming Missouri’s ratification of the women’s suffrage amendment.
He also emphasized the role women could play in passing legislation such as the Children’s Code, a much-needed revision of the laws concerning policies toward children, including mandatory education, protective labor legislation, juvenile courts and reformatories, the age of consent for marriage, and care of orphans.
After the speech, organizers of the event served refreshments while visitors greeted the governor and his wife.
The 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, was ratified Aug. 18, 1920. Next week’s column details Sedalia women’s reaction to their newly granted right.
Rhonda Chalfant is the president of the Pettis County chapter of NAACP and the Pettis County Historical Society.


January 2017
Mechanical engineering professor Rajesh Rajamani and Roadway Safety Institute director Max Donath have been awarded a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The grant awards funding to academe-industry partnerships whose proposals move research toward implementation of a human-centered smart service system. In the new project, Rajamani and Donath will partner with Quality Bicycle Products to explore implementation and possible commercialization of the bicycle collision-warning system developed by Rajamani in his Institute-funded research.
Freeways and highways aren’t the only urban roads with traffic congestion, even though traffic management strategies have been largely directed toward improving traffic ﬂows there. So, U of M researchers have taken to city streets to reduce congestion in an innovative—albeit roundabout—way. The team is using the 66th Street corridor in nearby Richfield as a test bed for their research. The city, along with Hennepin County, is converting a series of signalized intersections along the route to roundabouts over the next few years.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is exploring the development of freeway “lids” at key locations on I-94 in the Twin Cities. To analyze the potential for private sector investment and determine what steps might be needed to make lid projects a reality, MnDOT invited the Urban Land Institute MN to conduct a technical assistance panel with real estate experts and other specialists. The U’s Metropolitan Design Center provided background and research for the panel.
As the millennial generation comes of age, indications of a significant generational change in travel behavior have raised hopes of robust growth in transit use. However, one key question remains: Will millennials continue their high rates of transit use as the economy improves and they settle down and start families? To gain insight, U of M researchers compared how two factors—young children in a household and access to a vehicle—affected household transit use in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul region in 2000 and in 2010.


Just because the land is sloped doesn't mean you can't create an inviting hillside landscape. In fact, many plants and flowers planted along the slope add long-lasting color and prevent erosion at the same time. Putting pathways through hillside spaces eases access to other areas of the garden and provides a resting spot while pruning, weeding and watering the garden.
Water Feature
Create a trickling water feature that flows down the hillside to create a relaxing design to the garden. Let the water feature follow the curves of the landscape to create a natural display. Made from a wide range of materials like river rocks, concrete and slate, water features are an attractive, tumbling feature that look dramatic from any angle of the hillside and can be created along small or large landscapes. Alongside the water feature and planted within the cracks and crevices of the rocks, grow water-loving plants like ferns and hostas. Low-growing perennials like moss and woolly thyme also work well because they hug the rocks and provide high contrast to the space.
Stone Staircase
Connect areas of the hillside together by installing a stone staircase. Made from a wide range of materials like slate, flagstone and brick, a staircase creates an inviting design that brings you outdoors to admire nature. A normal-sized staircase should be at least 2-to 3-feet wide. This allows for strolling along the garden to admire the flowers or maneuvering gardening equipment like wheelbarrows up and down the space. Slate is durable and weather resistant and creates a long-lasting design. The deep blues, grays and rich purples found within each piece create a natural look to the staircase and one that blends in with the surrounding space.
Evergreen Shrubs
Evergreen shrubs add height and texture to a hillside landscape. They retain their vibrant color and foliage to create year-round color on the hillside. When planted in small groups or alone they create a focal point. A low-maintenance evergreen shrub is the dwarf yaupon holly. It has a dense, rounded form and mounding shape that grows up to 5 feet tall. The dark green, oval-shaped leaves on dwarf hollies grow up to 1.5 inches wide and, when young, cast a yellow tinge. Versatile, dwarf yaupon hollies are both drought and salt tolerant. They grow best in full sun to part shade and tolerate a wide range of soil conditions, including dry and wet soils.


KIGALI, RWANDA – As the Rwandan judge handed down the sentence, his message was clear: The sexual abuse against Tamara* was wrong, and her attacker would be held accountable for it.
Nearly one year ago, 15-year-old Tamara was sleeping quietly in the front room of her family's small home. Her father's friend, at the family's house for a visit, had fallen asleep in a chair nearby. But in the middle of the night, he woke up and raped Tamara, all while her family slept in the very next room.
When Tamara's mother found out what happened, she immediately reported the abuse to local security leaders and a church, who referred her to IJM. Police directed the family to a nearby hospital, where Tamara received the urgent care she needed.
Since the attack, IJM social workers have supported Tamara, and she has nearly completed a trauma-focused therapy program.
Meanwhile, IJM worked with police to arrest Tamara's attacker and stood up for her in court. IJM attorneys worked closely with a state prosecutor to build a strong case, including the medical report and security leaders' testimonies. Tamara's own brave testimony convinced the judge of the terrible crime. On September 21, 2012, the court found Tamara's abuser guilty and sentenced him to 25 years in prison—the maximum sentence for this crime. The judge also demanded he pay a hefty fine to Tamara.
"We are very happy that the judge punished Tamara's abuser according to the law and awarded Tamara a significant amount in damages," said IJM Rwanda Legal Consultant James Nuwagaba. "[This] will allow her and her family to continue on the road to recovery."
Earlier this year, IJM helped Tamara's father start a small business, and he is eager to provide a safe and strong future for his family. When Tamara's family found out about the conviction, they danced in the courtroom—relieved and thankful that justice had actually been done.
*A pseudonym has been used for the protection of this IJM client.


The long-awaited revival in business lending will not be as strong as expected because only half of the declines of last year will be recovered over the next 12 months, a leading economic forecaster has warned.
Lending to credit-starved businesses is set to rise by £10 billion this year, after a drop of £20 billion last year, according to the EY ITEM Club.
However, while business lending is expected to rise gradually over the next few years, it will remain 27.5 per cent below its 2008 peak at the end of this year. Even by 2017, it will still be


ERIC Number:ED194894 Record Type:RIE Publication Date:1979-Nov Pages:34 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:0 ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
Writing in the College Years: Some Indices of Growth.
Freedman, Aviva; Pringle, Ian
An exploratory study was conducted to define broadly some indices of student writing development. Student essays prepared by high school seniors and third-year university students outside the classroom were collected for analysis. The essays were drawn from four disciplines--English literature, history, geography, and biology--and represented the range of student writing in those classes (two essays for each grade of "A" through "F" when possible). A syntactic instrument, a rhetorical scale, and a cognitive measure were used to analyze and compare the essays. Development proved the most significant factor in determining grade although in simple correlations with grade all the other rhetorical criteria correlated directly as well. In contrast, there was no significant relationship between level of abstracting and grade. There proved to be no significant correlation between grade level and any of the rhetorical criteria except register, indicating that college work was no more organized, developed, or coherent than the high school essays. In contrast, the level of abstracting did correlate significantly with grade level. Thus, the instructors' marks correlated directly with performance on traditional rhetorical criteria but not with the level of abstracting, the cognitive index. (RL)
Publication Type:Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:N/A Note:Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Council of Teachers of English (69th, San Francisco, CA, November 22-24, 1979).


Publication Abstract Authors: Owonikoko TK, Ragin C, Chen Z, Kim S, Behera M, Brandes JC, Saba NF, Pentz R, Ramalingam SS, Khuri FR Title: Real-world effectiveness of systemic agents approved for advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a SEER-Medicare analysis. Journal: Oncologist 18(5):600-10 Date: 2013 Abstract: OBJECTIVES: Disparity exists between patients with lung cancer enrolled in clinical trials and patients treated in the community setting. This study assessed the real-world effectiveness of cytotoxic agents that became available for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the last 2 decades. METHODS: We employed the linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database for patients diagnosed with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC between 1988 and 2005 to assess the effectiveness of newly approved agents. Effectiveness of specific agents was assessed at time periods immediately following the approval of the agent for NSCLC: baseline, 1988-1994; platinum, 1995-1999; docetaxel, 1999-2003; pemetrexed and bevacizumab, 2004-2005. Significant associations between specific drug treatment and survival improvement were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method, Cox proportional hazard model, and propensity score analyses. Significant differences were established by log-rank test. RESULTS: This analysis employed data from 143,548 patients by sex (58% male, 42% female), cancer stage (35% stage IIIB, 65% stage IV), and age (12% 20-64 years, 22% 65-69 years, 45% 70-79 years, 22% 80 years and older). There was temporal improvement in survival for patients treated with newly approved chemotherapy (1-year survival rates: 32.41% in 1988-1994, 32.95% in 1995-1998, 37.40% in 1999-2003, and 39.55% in 2004-2005). Patients treated with a newly approved drug during the relevant treatment era had a significant reduction in the risk of death when compared with patients treated with chemotherapy other than the newly approved agent (hazard ratios [95% confidence interval] were 0.76 [0.71-0.81] for platinum, 0.73 [0.70-0.75] for docetaxel, 0.40 [0.37-0.44] for pemetrexed, and 0.33 [0.27-0.40] for bevacizumab; p < .001). Propensity score adjustment did not significantly alter these results. CONCLUSIONS: Currently approved drugs for the treatment of advanced NSCLC are associated with improved survival in the U.S. Medicare patient population. Our findings support the effectiveness of these agents in the real-world oncology practice.
Last Updated: 02 Mar 2015


As we celebrate Voter Registration Day, an effort to involve civic groups, media, and voters across the country, nationwide voter suppression efforts threaten the ability of millions of Americans to participate in the upcoming election. Two cases involving voter suppression efforts were decided this Monday: a federal judge in Florida gave a green light to Governor Rick Scott’s plan to cut back early voting, while a New Hampshire judge struck down a law that targeted college students seeking to vote in the state.
Governor Scott’s move to limit early voting is widely seen as a partisan effort, since early voters have heavily skewed toward the Democratic Party, especially for President Obama in 2008. Cutting back early voting is especially burdensome for students and minorities, who have less access to polling booths, and turn out in larger numbers during the early vote period. In 2008, Governor Charlie Crist, at the time a Republican, was attacked by his own party for extending early voting hours to accommodate the historic turnout in the election. The Florida law in question specifically ends early voting on the Sunday before Election Day, which saw particularly heavy minority voter turnout in 2008. Despite this history and the federal court decisions blocking other provisions of Florida’s voter suppression laws, Judge Timothy Corrigan of the Middle District of Florida found insufficient evidence that the reduction of early voting from 14 to 8 days would “impermissibly burden the right of African Americans to vote.” Judge Corrigan was appointed to the federal bench by President George W. Bush. The New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union and League of Women Voters found more success in New Hampshire, where Strafford County Superior Court Judge John Lewis blocked a law that would prevent out-of-state students from voting in New Hampshire, where they attend college and live for most of the year. This law would require all voters agree to register a car and obtain a state drivers’ license, which is limited only to those who intend to reside in New Hampshire indefinitely or permanently. The law was enacted by the Republican-dominated state legislature over the veto of Governor John Lynch (D-NH). Speaker of the House Bill O’Brien explained that students were “basically doing what I did when I was a kid and foolish, voting as a liberal.”


"I don't like Sputnik moments," says the astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. After all, if you experience a "Sputnik moment," it means you are playing catch-up. That's the situation the U.S. faced after the Soviet Union launched the first satellite into space in 1957. NASA was created in response. The U.S. is facing a similar situation today, trailing China in the 21st century race not only to space, but to create energy independence.
And yet, Tyson takes issue with President Obama evoking the notion of a "Sputnik moment" when it comes to energy. "That’s not a Sputnik moment," he says. "We should have those things anyway. Sputnik moments, you reserve those for grand visions that take your mind, body and soul to places that no one had previously dreamed."
In the video below, we asked Tyson how we might apply the notion of a "Sputnik moment" to our own lives, as we look for those occasions that compel us to invent for tomorrow.
Watch the video here: Image courtesy of Shutterstock.


Faced with fugitive dust regulations and dust-disposal constraints, many producers have selected closed-loop dust collection systems to contain not only dust emissions but costs. By recycling captured cement dust, producers reduce disposal and material costs. "Since we installed our closed-loop system this spring, we have reduced our annual fly ash purchases by around 10% based on the same concrete production volume," says Pete Madgar, vice president at Nazcon Inc., a ready-mixed concrete producer located in Beltsville, Md.
keywords: dust, recycle, collector


What is synthetic motor oil? AMSOIL synthetic lubricants are chemically engineered to form pure lubricants. They contain no contaminants or molecules that don’t serve a designed purpose. Their versatility and pure, uniform molecular structures impart properties that provide better friction-reduction, optimum fuel efficiency, maximum film strength and extreme-temperature performance conventional lubricants just can’t touch.
Conventional lubricants, on the other hand, are refined from crude oil. Contaminating elements such as sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and metal components such as nickel or vanadium are inherent to crude oil and cannot be completely removed through the refining process. The oil refining process separates the various types of molecules in the oil by weight, leaving molecules similar in weight but dissimilar in structure, reducing performance.


Tenancy by the Entirety Definition - What does Tenancy by the Entirety mean?
Tenancy by the entirety refers to a concurrent estate that a married couple own together, and each person's share is equal and undivided. In other words, both partners have complete ownership of the property. This co-ownership also comes with the right of survivorship so that if one spouse dies, their share automatically transfers to the surviving spouse. Furthermore, one partner cannot sell their interest in the property without the other's consent.
It may also be known as tenancy by entirety or tenancy by the entireties.
Insuranceopedia explains Tenancy by the Entirety
An example of tenancy by the entirety would be if a husband and a wife buy an old inn together. In this circumstance, each spouse would have complete ownership of the property, unlike in a joint tenancy or tenancy in common arrangement. As a tenancy by the entirety allows two people to both own property as a single legal entity, it is only available to married couples at the time they receive the property title. Moreover, it is legal for all types of property in around half of the U.S. states, but some only permit it for real estate.
In terms of insurance, a tenancy by the entirety may have some ramifications. For instance, a wife may have a claim denied if her husband purposely destroys her personal property covered in the homeowner's policy. The insurer would consider them as one legal entity for insurance purposes.


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MedlinePlus reports that ciclopirox topical nail solution is used to treat fungal infections of the fingernails and toenails. Ciclopirox improves the condition of nails, but it may not cure the fungal infection completely. Nails with a fungal infection are typically discolored, split and painful.
MedlinePlus notes that a doctor diagnoses the fungal infection and prescribes ciclopirox. Patients are typically directed to trim their nails weekly and apply the solution once every day. Patients should avoid swimming, bathing and showering for eight hours after the solution is applied. Avoid spreading the solution to the eyes, nose, mouth, vagina and other skin areas. Nail polishes, nail brushes and other nail products should not be used during the treatment period. It can take six months to see improvement in the condition of the nails.Learn more about Medications & Vitamins


Article Title Abstract
To improve the current process and eliminate the bitter nature of confirmation hearings, Senators should not consider a nominee's ideology in determining whether to vote for that nominee. Ideological scrutiny lacks historical and constitutional support; it has led to repeated, prolonged battles that threaten to draw the confirmation process into a dangerous stalemate. Removing ideology from judicial nominations would return the confirmation process to its original understanding, one in which the President enjoys the dominant role. Those who argue that allowing the President, not the Senate, to consider a nominee's ideology would harm the federal judiciary and ignore the nature of the federal judiciary and the judicial process.
Recommended Citation
Michael M. Gallagher, Disarming the Confirmation Process, 50 Clev. St. L. Rev. 513 (2002-2003)


ELEMENTARY- AGES 6-12 YEARS OLD
The Montessori elementary curriculum continues to integrate history, geography, mathematics, science, language, literature, arts and music; however, students are now ready to move from concrete to more abstract concepts within each subject. As the children make connections to the subject matter, they naturally seek out additional learning opportunities and are motivated to explore ancillary concepts. By design, the Montessori Method takes full advantage of this curiosity, helping them to seek answers to concepts that interest them, expand their understanding and apply this newfound knowledge in a meaningful manner.
Additionally, the program focuses on critical thinking, problem solving and cooperative learning skills through individual and small group instruction. Materials and presentations are designed to stimulate the imagination while developing the mastery of essential skills.
As a part of Montessori School of Franklin’s elementary program, students also receive Spanish, Guitar, Physical Education, and Tae Kwon Do (year round), as well as participating in various field trips throughout the year. The outdoors are a valued part of the Montessori philosophy; as such and weather permitting, the Elementary class enjoys their lunch on picnic tables located directly outside their classroom.


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A Multi-Domain Evaluation of Scaling in a General Episodic Memory
Last modified: 2012-07-12 Abstract
Episodic memory endows agents with numerous general cognitive capabilities, such as action modeling and virtual sensing. However, for long-lived agents, there are numerous unexplored computational challenges in supporting useful episodic-memory functions while maintaining real-time reactivity. In this paper, we review the implementation of episodic memory in Soar and present an expansive evaluation of that system. We demonstrate useful applications of episodic memory across a variety of domains, including games, mobile robotics, planning, and linguistics. In these domains, we characterize properties of environments, tasks, and episodic cues that affect performance, and evaluate the ability of Soar’s episodic memory to support hours to days of real-time operation.
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Academics
Academic development remains one of the central tenets of internal medicine residency training at Monmouth Medical Center. Starting from day one, clear academic goals are set to attain the corresponding ACGME milestones. The means by which academic development is achieved is through rigorous learning activities that form part of each resident’s daily routine.
Time and again, residents have risen up to the academic challenge of residency. Each year, residents publish case reports and review articles. Research endeavors also form part of the academic requirements of residency. It is expected that by the end of residency, each resident has completed at least one research projects. A lot of residents have gone and presented their projects at the local, regional, state, national and international academic meetings.


In preparation for the upcoming field season, Minnesota County Biological Survey (MCBS) staff attended a wilderness first-aid and survival training course May 25-27 at the Finland Community Center in northeastern Minnesota. The two and one-half-day course, taught by instructors with Customized Safety Training, covered topics ranging from wound dressing and emergency evacuation, to hypothermia, heat stroke, drowning, adult CPR, and essential items to carry in a field pack. MCBS staff members often work in remote locations, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the northern peatlands, heightening the importance of basic knowledge in self-rescue and how to assist others in the event of an accident or sudden illness. Staff members have begun carrying satellite-based messaging and locating devices in the field, and instructors highlighted the importance of coordinating with local search-and-rescue personnel before beginning field work in an area.


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Marco Righetti, Gian Michele Ferrario, Silvana Milani, Paola Serbelloni, Lucia La Rosa, Mario Uccellini, Adalberto Sessa
Med Sci Monit 2003; 9(4): PI19-24
ID: 4688
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease is the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients. These patients frequently have hyperhomocysteinemia, a putative risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Treatment with folate, B[sub]6[/sub] and B[sub]12[/sub] partially reduces hyperhomocysteinemia. We conducted a long-term study to evaluate whether 15 mg is more effective than 5 mg oral folic acid as a daily dosage to decrease hyperhomocysteinemia, and to assess whether homocysteine-lowering treatment reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in hemodialysis patients. MATERIAL/METHODS: In a 1-year prospective randomised trial, 81 chronic hemodialysis patients, matched for age, gender and dialytic age, were divided into three groups: 30 untreated patients, 26 patients receiving 5 mg per day, and 25 patients receiving 15 mg per day. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in hyperhomocysteinemia over time in treated patients as compared to untreated, but there were no significant differences between the two treated groups. Only 12% of the treated patients reached normal total homocysteine plasma levels. We observed a trend towards a significant difference in survival rate in cardiovascular morbidity between treated and untreated patients. Furthermore, hemodialysis patients with new vascular events showed higher homocysteine levels than patients without events. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose folic acid treatment did not improve outcome in hyperhomocysteinemia, and 88% of treated patients maintained higher than normal homocysteine levels. There was a trend towards a decreased rate of cardiovascular events in treated participants as compared to untreated ones.
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In this paper we discuss potential developments to the design of pre-trip in-home journey planning services, to include support for additional user needs. These needs were identified through stakeholder interviews as contributing to actual decisions in route selection scenarios and include: safety, weather and even fitness. A journey planner was designed to allow users to articulate these constraints and a series of paper prototypes were evaluated through cognitive walkthroughs. An exploratory study compared three designs and provided rationale for the most effective interaction method, informing an implementation plan. Keywords Public transport, journey planner, exploratory study ACM Classification Keywords H.5.m. Information interfaces and presentation (e.g., HCI): Miscellaneous. H.5.2. User Interfaces: Usercentered design.


The recent U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in
Obergefell v. Hodges declared unconstitutional any state law which prohibited same-sex marriage. This ruling not only protects a same-sex couple’s right to marry, but also their right to divorce. Divorce laws are governed by state and vary from state to state. Prior to this ruling, a same-sex couple who was legally married in one state, but lived in a state that did not recognize their marriage, could not avail themselves to the protections of divorce, custody or support laws of that state. This meant gay couples, especially those with children, looking to divorce were left with difficult decisions. Couples either had to have the foresight to carefully draft domestic-partnership agreements, or litigate property issues under property or landlord tenant laws which do not afford the same protections as divorce laws. Since this Supreme Court ruling, all married couples are now protected by divorce laws in each state. (more…)


With a steadily increasing impact of oral implant placement in daily practice, the number of reported surgical complications has also been growing. Recent studies reveal significant variation in the occurrence and morphology of neurovascular canal structures in the jaw bone. All those structures contain a neurovascular bundle, the diameter of which may be large enough to cause clinically significant damage. Therefore, it has become obvious that presurgical radiographic planning of jaw-bone surgery should pay attention to the neurovascular structures and their likely variations, in addition to examining many other factors, such as jaw-bone morphology and volume, bone trabecular structure and the absence of bone or tooth pathology. A critical review is accomplished to explore the potential risks for neurovascular complications after implant placement, with evidence derived from histologic, anatomic, clinical and radiologic studies. In this respect, cross-sectional imaging can often be advocated, as it is obvious that the inherent three-dimensional nature of jaw-bone anatomy may clearly benefit from a detailed spatial image analysis. Although this could initially be realized by conventional computed tomography, in current practice, dentomaxillofacial cone beam computed tomography might be used, as it offers high-quality images at low radiation dose levels and costs.


Recent GPS observations from the western United States, New Zealand, central Greece, and Japan indicate that present-day continental deformation is typically focused in narrow deforming zones whose extent is much smaller than the intervening largely inactive regions. However, these narrow zones are heterogeneously distributed, reflecting the inherent heterogeneity of continental lithospheric strength and internal buoyancy. Plate driving and resisting forces stress plate boundary zones and plate interiors and drive deformation. These forces change continuously and discontinuously, leading to continental deformation that typically evolves and migrates with time. Magmatic and tectonic processes alter lithospheric rheology and internal buoyancy and also contribute to the time-varying character of continental deformation.
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Article
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Journal Article
Title:
GPS constraints on the kinematics of continental deformation


SC, and, a derived crop–based drought severity and coverage index, I SC,AG, were scaled down to county levels. Drought frequency analyses showed clear demarcation of counties in an observable dichotomy. This demarcation has significant implications on crop yield. This impact was analysed using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): a) county level yield; b) developed ISC values; c) Markovian process on transition of crop yield categories. From this study the immediate observation was: a) southwest counties, for example, are also susceptible to secondary effects due to drought; b) crops like corn are more susceptible to periodic wetness disturbance.
Keywords: drought severity, drought coverage index, transition probability, crop yield, modelling, drought impact, USA, United States


ABSTRACT
This paper describes the benchmarking process for development of Best Management Practices for staffing of wet weather control facilities. Staffing information was gathered from multiple municipal agencies across the United States who are actively engaged in wet weather control programs of various sizes. Staffing of these facilities has changed over the years. The present state of the staffing evolution has some common primary elements. These include having a primarily dedicated multi-disciplinary staff, having significant training programs and structured


Interest is growing among psychobiologists and behavioral ecologists in the role of sibling relations in shaping individual development and life histories. In litters of domestic rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus the heaviest pups at birth are more likely to survive the critical first postnatal week, they compete more effectively with littermates for milk and… (More)


Since early 2003,
This column was originally published on RealMoney on Oct. 11 at 3:08 p.m. EDT. It's being republished as a bonus for TheStreet.com readers. Genentech's( DNA) stock has been on a phenomenal tear. It's up fourfold, which is amazing when you consider that it sported a $20 billion market capitalization at its outset. In these last two-and-a-half years, management's sharp focus on extremely well-validated science and large, unmet markets has borne tremendous fruit for shareholders. The company has long been a key holding for the biotech intelligentsia as a result of management's scientific slant, but the company's clinical success has been nothing short of astounding: It has been batting nearly 1.000 since 2003 in drug trials. Shareholders who have been patient enough to hold tight have been rewarded over and over, and the stock became a self-fulfilling prophesy of success, almost hitting $100 per share before a few concerns emerged that sent the stock into the $80s. While Genentech's financial future undoubtedly looks bright, Genentech's stock still carries an incredibly high valuation by any metric. Investors must ask, "What am I paying for and what should I expect in return as a Genentech shareholder?" I believe that most prudent long-term investors will conclude that they're paying for a great company, but one that's so fully valued it won't deliver the kind of returns that will make its considerable risks worthwhile.


Defined benefit pension plans remain a critical component of the retirement security equation. Business Roundtable supports prudent rules that promote the long-term retirement security of Americans; do not disrupt the economy or financial markets; and do not inappropriately divert capital investments away from creating jobs, capital improvements, or research and development.
Materials


Today I feel like death is becoming that way to me. I've seen it before. It's happened before. I'm tired of it; tired of the grief, tired of the pain, the ramifications. I am resigned. It is the same line mowed over and over, and it doesn't seem to benefit anyone or anything. There is no refreshment. I am apathetic. It is old and dry.
But then I think of Job who suffered death and grief beyond anything I can imagine, and I hear his words, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him," and I know I believe it. The words from a new song by Andy Gullahorn repeat over and over in my mind:
They say God listens to our prayers,I listened to those words earlier this week, and while I was hit by the stark truth I wondered, "How do I prove that to people? How do I say, 'Yes, this is the God I believe in, and I do not doubt Him'?" When you're suffering, He holds you. I don't feel Him anywhere, That doesn't make it any less true.
My friend Joann died yesterday morning after a brief battle with cancer, a form of leukemia. Hers was a hopeful case, despite the shock of it to her and all of us who called her friend. The doctors caught it early, she started chemo and responded well. On top of that, her two brothers were a 100% match for a bone marrow transplant. Despite the hiccups, really, everything looked toward a healthy, hopeful recovery. We rejoiced with her, we prayed with her. We prayed for her husband and young son, for her extended family. She and her husband encouraged us with their trust in God's hand, no matter what.
And then a few weeks after the transplant, her husband sent out word that Joann was sick. And then we got the word that the cancer had returned and it was acute. Then a coma...then death. No miracle of healing. No grand stories. The same old, same old specter swept in and dried the field. One more notch on the death belt.
I'm writing this out of grief. I'm not angry or bitter. I'm tired, yes. I feel like I'm going over the same row that I've already mowed. I wish Joann's story had the ending of another young mom I heard about last week who had had stage 4 cancer, but has recently received a clean bill of health. The doctors can't find any trace of cancer in her body. I know that God can do that. I've believed it for Joann. I wonder if I needed to hear about this other mom last week so that I could remember God's sovereignty and omnipotence. Joann didn't die because He's not capable of miracles and of healing.
So why did she die? I don't know. But I know I trust God and that His promises are true:
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die," Jesus said to Martha after her brother Lazarus died. (John 11:25 & 26) "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6) "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33) "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Romans 15:4)As I've been writing this, I've glanced out my window at our vegetable garden. While the lawn may be dry and slow-growing at this point of the summer, the garden is lush with fruit. Ruby tomatoes weigh down emerald branches, waiting for me to reach out, pluck them and enjoy the burst of tangy sweetness. They will refresh my body as God's promises refresh my spirit.
In the midst of suffering, there is always hope. I know that if God's promises were only true when they played out the way I think they should, or when I
feelthem, they wouldn't be promises, and God wouldn't be God. I will trust Him and enjoy the fruit that He has for me.


Sexting: the exchange of personal nude photos or videos via digital means. No legal problems arise when adults consensually sext each other. However, if one or both parties involved in sexting is a minor, sexting can violate the law
. It is important to note that sexting laws vary tremendously across the fifty states; sexting can lead to felony charges and appearance on sex offender lists. This guide is NOT intended as legal advice. Research your state laws or consult a lawyer if you plan to engage in conduct that you fear might be illegal. If minors sext each other…
Sexting can violate child pornography laws if it involves images of a minor. Imagine a case of a sixteen-year-old girl who sends her sixteen-year-old boyfriend a nude selfie. If the boyfriend saves the image on his phone, he can be charged with possession of child pornography, even though his girlfriend took the picture just for him. In some states, the crime may be more serious if the boyfriend is eighteen or older. In Texas, for example, the boyfriend would be charged with an expungable misdemeanor if under eighteen but a felony if eighteen or older.
There have been cases in which teens have been arrested for possessing nude pictures of themselves.
Teens have been arrested for possessing nude pictures of themselves.
Consider instances in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. These unduly harsh penalties have prompted widespread calls for reform. In February 2016, Republican Governor of New Mexico Susana Martinez signed legislation that legalizes consensual texting amongst minors between fourteen and eighteen years of age.
It is generally forbidden to forward the sexts of a minor. If a boyfriend forwards naked pictures of his girlfriend to other people (with or without her consent) both he and the people who received his messages may be prosecuted for possession and dissemination of child pornography. Similarly, requesting nude pictures from a minor is illegal; federal law prohibits enticing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
It is also worth noting that
schools can punish students for sexting even if the students are not breaking the law and if all students involved are legal adults. Under the legal standards established in Tinker v. Des Moines, schools can punish students for otherwise legal activities that disrupt the functioning of the school. If sexting leads to bullying, distractions, or outbreaks of bad behavior, public school officials may punish offenders. Likewise, if students use school computers to sext, they can be punished in states such as Arizona. If an adult sexts a minor…
While it is perfectly legal for an adult to send nude pictures of himself to another consenting adult, sending the same pictures to a minor may violate various laws. A man in Georgia, for instance, was charged with distribution of obscene materials to a minor and obscene phone contact with a minor for sexting an eleven-year-old girl. In Illinois, sending nude images to a minor is a misdemeanor. Again, these laws will vary from state to state. Some states have so-called “Romeo and Juliet laws” that reduce or eliminate penalties if the adult is only a few years older than a minor (imagine a nineteen-year-old girl sexting her seventeen-year-old boyfriend of three years).
For detailed information on the laws in each of the states, visit this website.


Abstract
Proteins on the cellular surface of a bacterium, its surfaceome, are part of the interface between the bacterium and its environment, and are essential for the cells response to its habitat.
Methylococcus capsulatus Bath is one of the most extensively studied methane-oxidizers and is considered as a model-methanotroph. The composition of proteins of the surfaceome of M. capsulatus Bath varies with the availability of copper and changes significantly upon only minor changes of copper concentration in the sub-μM concentration range. Proteins that respond to the changes in copper availability include the assumed copper acquisition protein MopE, c-type heme proteins (SACCP, cytochrome c 553o proteins) and several proteins of unknown function. The most intriguing observation is that multi-heme c-type cytochromes are major constituents of the M. capsulatus Bath surfaceome. This is not commonly observed in bacteria, but is a feature shared with the dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria. Their presence on the M. capsulatus Bath cellular surface may be linked to the cells ability to efficiently adapt to changing growth conditions and environmental challenges. However, their possible role(s) in methane oxidation, nitrogen metabolism, copper acquisition, redox-reactions and/or electron transport remain(s) at present an open question. This review will discuss the possible significance of these findings.


Australia learns from mental health system transformation in Scotland (Australia)
A new Australian report reveals that a complete transformation took place in Scotland’s mental health system between 1999 and 2009. The report, written by the Menzies Centre for Health Policy, a collaborative centre between the Australian National University and the University of Sydney, identifies the factors contributing to the transformation, the conditions that fostered it, and their applicability to the Australian context.
The paper’s findings were developed after four years of research, including 50 interviews, observation and document analysis. The key contributing factors that led to system transformation included: the devolution of the Scottish parliament; widespread perception of the existing policy and legislative framework as problematic; publication of dramatic suicide statistics, with consequent media and parliamentary attention; a focus on openness and consultation; and high levels of communication within the sector.
Lessons learned included the:
Recognition that natural “moments of crisis” can be catalysts for transformation; Need to look at existing methods of organization and communication, and improve on them; Importance of disseminating statistics that highlight the need for change; and Requirements for bureaucratic transformation to facilitate communication and policy innovation.
See “Working Paper: Transformation of a mental health system – the case of Scotland and its lessons for Australia,” March 2011, at the Menzies Centre for Health Policy website: www.menzieshealthpolicy.edu.ca.


This monograph contains experimental and theoretical considerations on synchronization and triggering in laboratory fracture experiments and in earthquake processes. Non-linear dynamics and the physics of rotational motions reveal such ordering in geophysical processes and observed time series. Presented experiments with electromagnetic and mechanical forcing show synchronization of the slip instabilities observed as acoustic burst emissions. New observational results, based on a net of broadband seismic stations, indicate the hidden periodicities and multiple coherence effects in the low frequency microseismic oscillations observed tens of hours before the earthquakes. These results are supported by observational evidence on synchronization between shear oscillations and rotation motions in microseismic fields before earthquakes occur.


Coal producer
Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU) reported first-quarter results before the market opened this morning. The company reported revenue of $1.63 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $177 million. However, overall weakness in the coal market resulted in Peabody Energy delivering an adjusted loss of $0.19 per share.
Peabody Energy saw first-quarter revenue slide year-over-year as lower realized prices were only partially offset by a 7% increase in sales volume. The company sold a total of 61.3 million tons of coal in the quarter. Weak coal pricing led to lower pre-tax earnings as the company's loss from continuing operations totaled $44.3 million, which is much higher than last year's first-quarter loss of $10.3 million.
There were some positives in the quarter for Peabody Energy. The company's focus on containing its costs led to a 4% reduction in unit costs in both its U.S. and Australian operations. Further, the company kept its capital spending to the lowest it has been in 10 years. These moves improved the company's liquidity to $2.1 billion, while cash increased to $508 million.
The company also saw coal demand in the U.S. rebound as the industry experienced the largest inventory drawdowns on record. That said, the biggest issue is that supply overhang, especially in the global seaborne market, continues to plague Peabody Energy and the coal industry. However, the company still sees positive long-term trends in urbanization leading to increased coal demand growth in the future. Because of this the company continues to position its operations to take advantage of this demand growth when it materializes.
Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


"Sleep deprivation is more dangerous than you might think", says Dr Michiel Eijsvogel, a pulmonologist at the MST Hospital. "Due to the disruption it causes to sleep patterns, sufferers get less rest at night, become tired, are sleepy during the day, perform increasingly poorly at work and have a quick temper. They often attribute symptoms to stress or pressure". Fortunately, an innovative new screening method developed for the study can identify sleep apnoea at an earlier stage, and simple and effective treatment options are available.


Journal of Experimental Botany vol:63 issue:11 pages:3989-3998
Abstract:
Sugars are involved in many metabolic and signaling pathways in plants. Sugar signals may also contribute to immune responses against pathogens and probably function as priming molecules leading to PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) in plants. These putative roles also greatly depend on coordinated relationships with hormones and the light status in an intricate network. Although evidences in favor of sugar-mediated plant immunity are accumulating, more in-depth fundamental research is required to unravel the sugar signaling pathways involved. This might pave the way to use biodegradable sugar-(like) compounds to counteract plant diseases, as cheaper and safer alternatives for toxic agrochemicals.


Rodis Law Group and America's Law Group advertised nationwide on radio stations and the internet, presenting itself as a law firm that could help struggling homeowners.
Consumers paid fees ranging from $3,500 to $5,500, thinking the supposed Southern California law firm would help them avoid foreclosure. But the head of the firm, Bryan D'Antonio, 50, was a convicted felon who had previously been sentenced to four years in federal prison for his role in a medical billing scam.
He was also subject to a permanent injunction prohibiting him from having any involvement with any business that engaged in telemarketing or misrepresented the services it would provide.
At his plea hearing, D’Antonio pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. He admitted that he started Rodis Law Group while he was still on supervised release from his prior conviction.
“D’Antonio preyed on vulnerable victims – struggling homeowners,” said U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker of the Central District of California. “Pretending to offer legal assistance to their victims, D’Antonio and his cohorts actually offered nothing but false hopes and empty promises. Now, he will be held accountable in federal court for the damage he has caused so many victims.”
Misrepresented services
RLG and ALG sold their services through an extensive telemarketing operation and employees routinely misrepresented the services RLG and ALG would provide, prosecutors said.
D’Antonio admitted that, between October 2008 and June 2009, he participated in a scheme with Ronald Rodis, Charles Wayne Farris and others to induce homeowners to pay between $3,500 and $5,500 for the services of RLG and ALG.
RLG and ALG advertised on radio stations nationwide, urging struggling homeowners to call a toll-free number and stated that the companies consisted of “a team of experienced attorneys” who were “highly skilled in negotiating lower interest rates and even lowering your principal balance.”
In fact, RLG and ALG were telemarketing operations that never had teams of experienced attorneys. During much of the time, Ronald Rodis was the only attorney at RLG.
According to court records, telemarketers falsely stated that RLG and ALG routinely obtained positive results for homeowners, including lower monthly payments, reductions in principal balance and lower interest rates. In fact, positive results were rarely achieved for any RLG or ALG clients.
They did not disclose that the firms were owned and operated by Bryan D’Antonio, a convicted felon who was prohibited from engaging in telemarketing.
In a plea agreement filed in federal court, D’Antonio admitted that the RLG and ALG schemes fraudulently obtained approximately $9 million from more than 1,500 victims.
D’Antonio’s co-defendants, Charles Wayne Farris and Ronald Rodis, both previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.


This SWM covers general aspects associated with hazardous manual handling. The SWM covers the requirement to identify, assess and control hazardous manual handling in relation to general lifting activities across numerous industries including construction, manufacturing, hospitality etc. This does not provide specific risk controls in relation to people-handling in health care settings.
The Manual Handling SWM provides:
Hazardous Manual Handling includes all physical activity, yet only present a risk when they are considered hazardous. Hazardous manual handling can lead to injuries that are called “Musculoskeletal Disorders” or MSD’s.
Main hazards include: Document Format
This Safe Work Method (SWM) is provided in Microsoft Word, meaning you can fully customise the document to suit the needs of your business. Simply add your company details and include any site specific details or risks ensuring it is specific to the task at hand. It is then ready for printing.
The Manual Handling SWM includes:
Related Products
We recommend you use this Safe Work Method template in conjunction with the SafetyCulture JSA Pack or Risk Assessment


Hamburg/ Melbourne: Senvion, a leading global manufacturer of wind turbines, has signed a contract with EDL to supply wind energy to a hybrid micro-grid in Coober Pedy, a remote town in South Australia. In addition to two Senvion MM92 turbines from the company's two-megawatt (MW) portfolio, the project will also use a unique combination of solar and battery storage to reduce the town's reliance on diesel fuel. Construction of the project will start in September 2016, with commercial operations expected to commence in the second half of 2017. The nacelle and rotor blades will be manufactured at Senvion's factories in Portugal.
Chris Judd, Managing Director of Senvion Australia, said: "Wind energy can play a very important role in helping remote communities and industries reduce their reliance on expensive fuels. This pioneering micro-grid project will demonstrate what can be achieved in remote applications - not just in Australia, but also the rest of the world. We are thrilled to be working with EDL on this exciting and innovative project in Coober Pedy. Senvion's robust and reliable technology is perfectly suited to remote applications, including the harsh conditions of South Australia's outback, and we have the right skills and expertise to make this project a success." Through its involvement in projects like Hepburn Wind, Australia's first ever community-owned wind farm, Senvion is building a reputation as an expert in community-scale wind energy projects. However, this will be the first time that Senvion has delivered an off-grid project.
Due to its innovative nature, the project has secured $18.4 million funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
ARENA's CEO Ivor Frishknecht said: "This is a next-generation off-grid project, taking advantage of advanced renewable and enabling technologies that have already been successfully trialled at off-grid locations such as King Island."
To date, Senvion has installed 215 wind turbines from the Senvion two-megawatt series with a cumulated rated power of over 437 MW in Australia. Senvion Australia Pty. Ltd. was founded in August 2002 as a joint venture between Australian companies Downer Engineering, R.F. Industries and Senvion GmbH of Germany. Senvion Australia Pty. Ltd. is the exclusive distributor of Senvion wind turbine technology in Australia, New Zealand and the Southern Pacific Region.


Abstract
When a jazz, rock, or hip-hop drummer strikes certain notes in each measure slightly late, instead of hearing the degree to which those notes are late, we typically hear the effects of those variations; namely, a groove, the "feel" of a rhythm. Slight variations of pitch function similarly. In this essay, I argue that certain analytic theorists go astray due to their preoccupation with the variations themselves. By invoking Maurice Merleau-Ponty's insights into subtle visual perceptions, and his notion of perceptual indeterminacy, I avoid an account of musical subtlety suggested by Daniel Dennett that is too coarse-grained, as well as the bleak conclusion that certain musical subtleties are ineffable, Diana Raffman's view. I conclude that elements of music that are perceived ambiguously can perform a positive function in such aesthetic experiences: they can mediate or foster emergent qualities; moreover, they must be perceived in this way to do so.


A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) -led multi-institutional research team, with Sandia (Geoffrey Klise, in Sandia’s Earth Systems Analysis Dept., contributing the Sandia-developed PV Value whole-system appraisal tool, among other things), universities, and appraisers found that home buyers have consistently been willing to pay more for homes with solar PV energy systems—averaging ~$4/watt of PV [...]
Consistent appraisals of homes and businesses outfitted with photovoltaic (PV) installations are a real challenge for the nation’s real estate industry, but a new tool developed by Sandia National Laboratories and Solar Power Electric™ and licensed by Sandia addresses that issue. Sandia scientists, in partnership with Jamie Johnson of Solar Power Electric™, have [...]
The PV Value® tool is now being developed and maintained by Energy Sense Finance, LLC, with funding provided by the DOE SunShot Small Business Innovative Research program. The tool is still free, though improved with a design to support multiple web browsers and mobile devices, including tablets and smartphones. The spreadsheet version of PV Value® [...]


We thank Dr. Poulose for his remarks, and we appreciate his comments. Regarding his first point, we acknowledge that water loss increases serum osmolality but does not affect the serum osmolar gap, thus hypernatremia would produce an increased serum osmolality but would not result in a widened serum osmolar gap. As for the second point, we acknowledge that nonketotic hyperglycemia results in an increased serum osmolality, without a widened osmolar gap. With respect to the statement that starvation ketosis is associated with a normal anion gap, this statement is not entirely correct. There is a mild anion gap acidosis with starvation, but it is not as profound as that observed with diabetic ketoacidosis. During starvation ketosis, lipids become a significant source of fuel following ≥ 3 days of starvation. In addition, low insulin levels and increased serum glucagon concentrations result in the hepatic generation of ketones, and consequently incomplete oxidation of fatty acids and accumulation of ketones results in a mild metabolic acidosis.
1– 2 During a prolonged fast, the degree of ketosis is limited, likely due to a rise in insulin secretion that is secondary to ketonemia, thereby limiting the availability of free fatty acids.


ABSTRACT
We examine the impact of changes in equity-option margin requirements on the liquidity of options and underlying stock markets. We find that the decrease in margin was associated with an increase in spreads and trade informativeness, and a decrease in depth for the underlying stocks. In contrast, option spreads decreased indicating a change in the relative allocation of informed traders between the two markets. When the required margin was increased, no significant change was observed in the underlying stocks, but option spreads increased. Overall, our results indicate that uninformed traders are more sensitive to the margin dimension of trading costs.


In a business, expenses for office supplies, such as printer paper and copy machine toner, tend to add up quickly. If your business makes heavy use of a copy machine, you may need to replace the toner cartridges regularly. Depending on the model of your copy machine, the price of a brand-new toner cartridge ranges from $25 to over $100. Cartridge refill kits cost significantly less, and one kit typically allows you to refill a cartridge several times.
Cover your work area with paper towels or a dropcloth to prevent stains from spilled toner.
Remove the toner cartridge from the copy machine.
Locate the refill hole on your toner cartridge. The refill hole is usually found on the bottom of the cartridge. You may need to unscrew a faceplate to reach it. If your cartridge does not have a refill hole, use the burn tool included with your refill kit to make one. Hole location depends on the model of your cartridge. Your refill kit will advise you on where to make the hole.
Remove the plug or cap from the refill hole, if applicable. Set the cap on a paper towel.
Open the bottle of replacement toner. Attach a pour spout to the bottle to make refilling easier. Most refill kits include a pour spout.
Press the pour spout against the fill hole. Tap the side of the toner bottle to release toner into the cartridge. After refilling, gently rock the cartridge to evenly distribute the toner.
Replace the refill hole cap, if applicable. If you used a burn tool to create a hole, cover the hole with aluminum tape.
Things Needed Toner refill kit Paper towels or a dropcloth Screwdriver Aluminum tape Tip Some cartridges have a chip installed that monitors toner level. You may need to replace the chip to continue using the cartridge. Warning Don't buy a refill kit labeled as "universal." Only purchase a kit designed for use with your specific copy machine. Photo Credits Siri Stafford/Digital Vision/Getty Images


Study Reports Opioid-Induced Constipation Significant in Pain Patients
Karin S. Coyne, PhD, MPH, from Evidera in Bethesda, MD, and colleagues evaluated patients (62% female; 85% white) on opioid therapy for at least four weeks for chronic noncancer pain. OIC was assessed using an Internet-based survey at baseline (489 patients) and weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24. Sufficient laxative use (at least one laxative at least four times in past two weeks) and inadequate response (LIR; fewer than three bowel movements or at least one constipation symptom rated moderate or greater) defined 1xLIR, while 2xLIR was defined as sufficient laxative use of at least two laxatives from different drug classes and inadequate response.
The researchers found that at baseline, 27% of participants reported no laxative use, 25% had insufficient laxative use, and 48% had sufficient laxative use. Over the follow-up, 21–28% of patients had no or insufficient laxative use. At baseline, the prevalence of 1xLIR was 93%; it ranged from 59–81% across follow-up. For 2xLIR, 26% met criteria at baseline, while the range during follow-up was 11–20%.
"OIC among noncancer pain patients is a persistent and significant condition with varying utilization and response to laxatives thus increasing the ongoing burden of chronic pain," the authors write.
Three authors disclosed financial ties to AstraZeneca, which funded the study. Other authors disclosed ties to Evidera and United BioSource Corporation.


September 2, 2009 > Local hazard mitigation plan in process
Local hazard mitigation plan in process
By Meenu Gupta
Prevention is better than cure. A major earthquake is overdue along the Hayward Fault. The Association of Bay Area Governments' (ABAG) multi-jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) coordinates local-government to mitigate losses from a major natural disaster.
Union City Council discussed the strategy developed by ABAG which taking the lead to update the plan as required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). More than, 97 cities, including Union City, counties and special districts are participating in the 2009 update. The LHMP's goal is to develop a disaster-resistant region by reducing the potential loss of life, property damage and environmental degradation from natural disasters while speeding economic recovery from catastrophe. The greatest potential hazard facing the Bay Area is earthquake causing ground shaking, fault ruptures, liquefaction, landslides, tsunamis and secondary impacts such as the loss of dams, potential fires and damage to infrastructure like roads and houses. Research indicates over 155,000 uninhabitable units are expected in future Hayward or San Andreas earthquakes. Weather-related hazards, flooding, landslides, wildfires (including wild land-urban interface) and climate-change impacts were all considered in the strategies developed by ABAG for review by the local jurisdictions who are participating in the plan. ABAG has compiled several maps, available on their website, that indicate what the hazards really are, that show over 55 percent of the land within the nine-county region is urbanized and is susceptible to violent shaking during an earthquake. ABAG also has liquefaction maps; about 6 percent of the urbanized area within the nine counties around the Bay is highly susceptible to liquefaction. LHMP is organized into eight commitment areas which are related to the services supplied either directly or indirectly by local government - infrastructure, critical lifeline facilities, health, which includes hospitals, clinics, housing, economy, government services, education, environment and land use. Mayor Green suggested the inclusion of private education institutions in the discussion. After analyzing the strategies, ABAG has set priorities, even if the program already exists and no additional money is needed for it, or if it exits but needs additional funding. Priorities have been set as high, moderate, under study, not applicable or not yet considered. "Staff identified a significant number of the strategies as 'existing programs" that are consistent with, or exceed, the regional priority. Other strategies were identified as "moderate" because the City lacks the funds or staff to implement the program," said Economic & Community Development Director, Joan Malloy. "The regional priorities can be changed or accepted by individual jurisdictions. We are accepting public comments on strategy priorities." Mitigation is not about increasing emergency-response capability. It aims to take actions to reduce or eliminate the impact of future disasters. "It isn't intended to buy more fire trucks. Mitigation is intended to establish programs within the community to minimize the impacts of hazards before they happen," Malloy clarified. ABAG's executive board will meet on Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. at ABAG offices, 101 Eighth Street in Oakland to discuss regional priorities for mitigation of natural hazards impacts and the priorities for ABAG itself. Union City's strategies are due on September 30. ABAG will submit the entire plan to FEMA on October 22, 2009. Upon FEMA approval, the City will adopt the plan within one year. For more information or to comment on the list of priorities, visit the Union City website at www.UnionCity.org or http://quake.abag.ca.gov


On Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will be resigning on February 28 due to his failing health. Does this shocking announcement provide an opportunity for the Vatican to appoint a real reformer as pope? One who might tackle issues of homosexuality, female priests, contraception, and soften the Vatican’s stance on abortion? Given the list of prospective replacements for Pope Benedict, there doesn’t seem to be much hope for widespread reform.
Pope Benedict was well known for his strong opposition to homosexuality, the ordination of female priests, and stem cell research, as well as his belief that Catholicism and Islam were competitors. The sudden announcement provides an opportune moment for the Vatican to attempt to soften its stance on these issues, but despite the promising speculation surrounding two Latin American Cardinals and one African Cardinal, the views of the prospective replacements are largely similar to those of Pope Benedict.
Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga of Honduras, while seen as a moderate by many, has slammed Ricky Martin for his use of a surrogate mother to father twin boys, asserting that it “diminishes the dignity of a human being.” Moreover, after originally asserting his belief that, though pro-abortion politicians should not seek Holy Communion, it cannot be denied to them, he altered his position and asserted that any politician that supports abortion publicly excommunicates himself. Furthermore, Cardinal Maradiaga opposes the use of condoms as a solution to HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Some hope for reform is seen with Cardinal Peter Turkson, who would be the first black Pope if appointed. If appointed, he shows hope in remedying the comments about competition with Islam made by Pope Benedict due to the fact that he was raised in Ghana, where Christian-Muslim relations are peaceful, respectful, and tolerant. However, he espouses similar stances on abortion and, similar to both Pope Benedict and Cardinal Maradiaga, asserts that condoms are not a solution to the problem of HIV/AIDS in Africa, instead advocating the use of anti-retroviral treatments on those already infected.
More hope for reform is seen with Canadian Cardinal Mark Ouellet, who is current president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America and is a prominent figure within the church. However, while apologizing for discrimination against women and homosexuals and C attitudes espoused by the Roman Catholic Church of Quebec, he also asserts that abortion is unjustifiable even in cases of rape. Though he may soften views on women priests and homosexuality, one cannot expect him to be a great reformer of the Catholic Church.
Due to the fact that these front-runners often espouse the same beliefs of Pope Benedict, widespread reform on traditional stances taken by the Catholic Church should not be expected to change with the appointment of the next pope. While some hope can be seen with Cardinal Ouellet and Cardinal Turkson, any great reform within the Catholic Church does not seem to be on the horizon with this upcoming appointment of a new pope.


Beiträge zur Jahrestagung des Vereins für Socialpolitik 2010: Ökonomie der Familie - Session: Health Policy: Patients, Doctors, Hospitals D18-V3
Abstract:
In this paper, we investigated the post-acquisition effects of privatization on hospital performance in Germany. Our findings show that there was a significant positive impact of privatization on hospital performance. Private for-profit privatizations, in particular, outperformed hospitals privatized by private non-profit organizations, both in terms of efficiency and quality-adjusted efficiency. These key findings remained unchanged after conducting a number of sensitivity checks. Taking the effect of the introduction of DRG payments in 2003 into account it is striking that the efficiency gains of privatized hospitals were significantly larger in the post-DRG era. Moreover, privatized hospitals operating in regions with less competition realize significantly larger efficiency improvements.


IRIN Examines Child Nutrition, Stunting In Asia
“Stunting is a key factor holding back progress on children’s well-being, and Asia faces a significant challenge with millions of children under five stunted,” according to Save the Children’s 2012 Child Development Index (CDI), IRIN reports. The news service examines data from the 2012 State of the World’s Children report (.pdf), noting that nearly 60 percent of children under five in Afghanistan and Timor Leste have moderate to severe stunting, which puts children “at greater risk of illness and death, impaired cognitive development and poor school performance, say health experts.”
According to Michel Anglade, Save the Children’s Asia campaigns and advocacy director, “Good nutrition between the start of a woman’s pregnancy and her child’s second birthday is critical to the future health, well-being and success of the child and can have a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn and rise out of poverty,” the news service writes. “Political commitment, supportive policies and effective strategies are the key to success in improving children’s health; some countries are taking action,” IRIN adds and details those efforts (9/18).


During an Emergency Specific Emergency Situations - Severe Summer Storms
In Ontario, severe summer storms can be dangerous and potentially life-threatening.
During a lightning event,
follow the 30-30 rule: If there are less than 30 seconds between the flash and the bang of thunder, seek the most solid shelter you can find. Stay in that shelter a full 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder or flash of lightning.
If you're
inside: Stay indoors and away from things that conduct electricity such as:
bathtubs doors fireplaces metal pipes phones radiators sinks small appliances stoves windows Use a battery-operated or crank-powered radio instead. Since clotheslines conduct electricity, don't go outside to get laundry hanging on a clothesline.
If you're
outside: Never stand under a tree. Don't lie flat. Instead, crouch with your feet close together and your head down (the "leap-frog" position). Take shelter in a building or depressed area. Don't ride a bicycle, motorcycle, or golf cart, or use metal shovels or golf clubs. These all conduct electricity. Avoid lakes or pools or anywhere else you can swim. If you're in a boat, get back to shore immediately. If you're in a car, stay inside, but move the car away from trees or other structures that might fall on you. Tornado facts Areas near rivers, lakes, and mountains ARE NOT safe from tornadoes. Low pressure DOESN'T cause buildings to "explode" as the tornado passes overhead. Open windows DON'T minimize damage.
Hot, humid weather combined with a cold front could be a sign that a tornado is possible. A dark sky or green or yellow clouds are an indicator of possible tornado activity nearby.
A funnel cloud hanging from a dark cloud may be visible before the tornado actually occurs. A tornado may be accompanied by lightning, high winds, and hail.
If you're home when a tornado occurs:
Go to the basement or take shelter in a small room on the ground floor, such as a bathroom, closet, or hallway, or protect yourself by taking shelter under a heavy table or desk. Stay away from windows and outside walls and doors. If you're in an office tower or an apartment building:
Stay away from windows. Use the stairwells instead of elevators. Shelter in an inner hallway or room, ideally in the basement or on the ground floor. If you're in a car or mobile home:
Don't stay in the vehicle. Get out. Take shelter in a building with a strong foundation. If shelter isn't available, lie down in a ditch away from your vehicle or mobile home. Beware of potential flooding. Seeking shelter from a tornado
Avoid buildings with free-span roofs (a roof that spans from wall-to-wall without interior columns or pillars) such as gymnasiums, churches, and auditoriums.
For more information on the different types of weather alerts provided by Environment Canada, read our overview that helps you understand the difference between special weather statements, watches and a warning.


For decades now, serial killers have taken center stage in the news and entertainment media. The coverage of real-life murderers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer has transformed them into ghoulish celebrities. Similarly, the popularity of fictional characters such as Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter or Dexter demonstrates just how eager the public is to be frightened by these human predators.
But why is this so? Could it be that some of us have a gruesome fascination with serial killers for the same reasons we might morbidly stare at a catastrophic automobile accident? Or it is something more? In
Why We Love Serial Killers, criminology professor Dr. Scott Bonn explores our powerful appetite for the macabre, while also providing new and unique insights into the world of the serial killer, including those he has gained from his correspondence with two of the world's most notorious examples, David Berkowitz ("Son of Sam") and Dennis Rader ("Bind, Torture, Kill"). In addition, Bonn examines the criminal profiling techniques used by law enforcement professionals to identify and apprehend serial predators, he discusses the various behaviors - such as the charisma of the sociopath - that manifest themselves in serial killers, and he explains how and why these killers often become popular cultural figures.
Groundbreaking in its approach,
Why We Love Serial Killers is a compelling look at how the media, law enforcement agencies, and public perception itself shapes and feeds the "monsters" in our midst.
©2014 Scott Bonn (P)2014 Audible Inc.


Church leaders express willingness to address obesity and promote health in their congregations.
This qualitative research study sought to understand community faith leaders’ perspectives on how to address ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in childhood obesity in their Texas community.
Through in-depth interviews, participants stated that factors contributing to childhood obesity include:
Poor eating behaviors and a Mexican-American diet high in fat and carbohydrates Low socioeconomic status Lack of health knowledge Lack of parks and recreation opportunities
Participants thought a “health program” with education and hands-on healthy cooking lessons would be more effective than one offered and labeled as “obesity prevention.”
1. An Introduction to Salud America! 2. Salud America! A National Research Network to Build the Field and Evidence to Prevent Latino Childhood Obesity 3. Salud Tiene Sabor 4. Growing Healthy Kids 5. Afterschool Program Participation, Youth Physical Fitness, and Overweight 6. Bridging Research and Policy to Address Childhood Obesity Among Border Hispanics 7. Combining Photovoice and Focus Groups 8. Latina Voices in Childhood Obesity 9. Latino Church Leaders' Perspectives on Childhood Obesity Prevention 10. Video Game-Based Exercise, Latino Children's Physical Health, and Academic Achievement 11. Latino Families, Primary Care, and Childhood Obesity 12. Summer and Follow-Up Interventions to Affect Adiposity with Mothers and Daughters 13. Food Purchasing Selection Among Low-Income, Spanish-Speaking Latinos 14. Obesity Among Latino Children Within a Migrant Farmworker Community 15. Exploring Potential Research Contributions to Policy 16. Seeking Environmental and Policy Solutions to Address Latino Childhood Obesity 17. Building Strategies and Leadership for Change 18. San Antonio as a Face of the Future


Ability To Develop Broadly Neutralizing HIV-1 Antibodies Is Not Restricted by the Germline Ig Gene Repertoire
This work is part of our ongoing collaboration with CAPRISA and shows that there is no difference in the germline IGHV repertoires between individuals who do and do not develop broadly neutralizing antibodies. This is significant because it suggests that all individuals may have the capability to generate antibodies that can neutralise a very diverse spectrum of HIV viruses. We just need to find a way to elicit the production of these antibodies through a successful vaccine.
The human Ig repertoire is vast, producing billions of unique Abs from a limited number of germline Ig genes. The IgH V region (IGHV) is central to Ag binding and consists of 48 functional genes. In this study, we analyzed whether HIV-1–infected individuals who develop broadly neutralizing Abs show a distinctive germline IGHV profile. Using both 454 and Illumina technologies, we sequenced the IGHV repertoire of 28 HIV-infected South African women from the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) 002 and 004 cohorts, 13 of whom developed broadly neutralizing Abs. Of the 259 IGHV alleles identified in this study, approximately half were not found in the International Immunogenetics Database (IMGT). This included 85 entirely novel alleles and 38 alleles that matched rearranged sequences in non-IMGT databases. Analysis of the rearranged H chain V region genes of mAbs isolated from seven of these women, as well as previously isolated broadly neutralizing Abs from other donors, provided evidence that at least eight novel or non-IMGT alleles contributed to functional Abs. Importantly, we found that, despite a wide range in the number of IGHV alleles in each individual, including alleles used by known broadly neutralizing Abs, there were no significant differences in germline IGHV repertoires between individuals who do and do not develop broadly neutralizing Abs. This study reports novel IGHV repertoires and highlights the importance of a fully comprehensive Ig database for germline gene usage prediction. Furthermore, these data suggest a lack of genetic bias in broadly neutralizing Ab development in HIV-1 infection, with positive implications for HIV vaccine design.


Comparative sectoral studies on corporate responsibility in Jordan
CSR Watch Jordan is launching a series of comparative studies on Corporate Responsibility (CR) in Jordan.
The series of studies are meant to examine CR practices across various sectors in Jordan by studying publically available information regarding the practice of companies in various sectors. Collectively, the comparative studies cover a broad range of sectors such as Telecoms, IT, Logistics, Mining and Minerals and Manufacturing, among others.
In these studies we measure the various levels of Corporate Responsibility practice among the various sectors in Jordan by measuring the level of CR communications, the HR resources dedicated to CR within the sector and the presence, or lack thereof, of a CR policy and strategy.
The first of these reports to be released reviews the banking sector and the various CR practices within this sector.
Following which, six more reports will be released over the coming six weeks, each reviewing a different sector and their CR practices. Infographics will also be released to better capture the most significant findings in these reports.
CSR Watch Jordan is Jordan’s first stakeholder-driven platform focused on corporate social reform through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our unique platform acts as a hub for disseminating CSR knowledge and coordinating public coalitions for CSR advocacy across all sectors in Jordan.


The ICA Commission on Cartography in Early Warning and Disaster Management, chaired by Prof Milan Konecny, has contributed in the past to publications such as the UN-OOSA and JBGIS publication on “Geoinformation for Disaster and Risk Management”, demonstrating the strong need and demand for profound expertise in such contexts.
It happens to be, that the Conference demonstrated this connection unexpectedly. During the Gala dinner, which was organised in a typical Bulgarian restaurant, strong flash floods struck the region. The floods blocked several cities (in Varna city 12 people lost their lives). The only access to the road back to Riviera was closed due to rise in rivers’ water levels. Unexpectedly, participants had to spend the night in the manor without their personal belongings and medicines and with limited food reserves. Emergency services in Bulgaria and various embassies and medical centres were immediately contacted. Finally, with the help of the Military Geographic Service of Bulgaria all participants were evacuated via helicopters and returned safely back to their hotels.
This real life experience demonstrated, that the topic of “Disaster Management and Cartography” can’t be underestimated in its relevance to all of us.


Once coffee cherries ripen, there is only a ten day window in which they can be harvested, often painstakingly done by hand.
This ensures that only the perfect fruit are selected and that the natural sugars have fully developed. When roasted, it is these sugars that will develop into a sweet richness.
Other harvesting methods include ‘strip picking’ which involves removing all cherries from a tree by running the fingers down the branches, regardless of ripeness.
Alternatively a large picking machine will be driven slowly down the rows of the plantation, its revolving arms knocking the looser cherries onto the pickup belts below.
The cherries are sorted on the plantation to ensure ripeness, checked for defects and divided by size.


If you plan to move while your home is still listed for sale, you may face a marketing challenge – the vacant home. While lived-in homes may be more attractive during showings, there is much you can do to present your vacant property successfully.
On the outside, give your home an occupied look by asking a neighbor to park their car in your driveway, open and close your drapes, and retrieve any mail that still arrives. During the warm season, have a lawn service maintain the yard and in the winter, have a snow removal service.
On the inside, create a sense of space by leaving some strategically placed pieces of furniture, like a few chairs, tables and lamps. You can even create a “bed” by covering an empty mattress box or several moving boxes with a thick comforter.
If you remove furniture that reveals blemishes on the walls, repair and repaint those areas. If you notice that the carpeting is faded after you’ve moved the furniture, consider replacing it if possible.
Keep it feeling pleasant indoors during all seasons by keeping your power on after you move, and having a neighbor or family member set the temperature at a minimum comfortable setting according to seasonal conditions.
Your agent will have even more suggestions for marketing a vacant home, so put that experience to good use!
Contact the Kathy Henne Team RE/MAX FINEST by calling (937) 778-3961.


09 November, 2009 Connection between depression and osteoporosis detailed by Hebrew University researchers
The relationship between depression and bone loss is particularly strong among young women. (Photo: Stock.xchng) Research carried out among thousands of people has shown a clear connection between depression and a loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis and fractures.
This was revealed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, Prof. Raz Yirmiya, head of the Brain and Behavior Laboratory, and Prof. Itai Bab, head of the Bone Laboratory. They further revealed that the relationship between depression and bone loss is particularly strong among young women.
Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the developed world, afflicting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50. Sufferers experience decrease in bone density, which often leads to bone fractures. In many cases, these fractures cause severe disability and even death.
Despite the accumulating evidence for a connection between depression and decreased bone density, official authorities, such as the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization, have not yet acknowledged depression as a risk factor for osteoporosis, due to the lack of studies in large samples. To remedy this situation, the Hebrew University researchers assembled the data from all studies on the subject conducted to date, and analyzed them using a special statistical approach called meta-analysis.
The results were recently reported in the journal Biological Psychiatry. In the article the Hebrew University scientists assessed data from 23 research projects conducted in eight countries, comparing bone density among 2,327 people suffering from depression against 21,141 non-depressed individuals.
The results, say the researchers, show clearly that depressed individuals have a substantially lower bone density than non-depressed people and that depression is associated with a markedly elevated activity of cells that breakdown bone (osteoclasts).
Yirmiya and Bab found that the association between depression and bone loss was stronger in women than men, especially young women before the end of their monthly period. This connection was especially strong in women with clinical depression diagnosed by a psychiatrist, but not in community studies, in which women subjectively identified themselves as being depressed using self-rating questionnaires.
Based on the present findings, Profs. Yirmiya and Bab propose that ''all individuals psychiatrically diagnosed with major depression are at risk for developing osteoporosis, with depressed young women showing the highest risk. These patients should be periodically evaluated for progression of bone loss and signs of osteoporosis, allowing the use of anti-osteoporotic prophylactic and therapeutic treatments''. Downloadable File: DepressionOsteoporosis.doc