Baroreflex failure in a patient with central nervous system lesions involving the nucleus tractus solitarii. Abstract
Animal studies have shown the importance of the nucleus tractus solitarii, a collection of neurons in the brain stem, in the acute regulation of blood pressure. Impulses arising from the carotid and aortic baroreceptors converge in this center, where the first synapse of the baroreflex is located. Stimulation of the nucleus tractus solitarii provides an inhibitory signal to other brain stem structures, particularly the rostral ventrolateral medulla, resulting in a reduction in sympathetic outflow and a decrease in blood pressure. Conversely, experimental lesions of the nucleus tractus solitarii lead to loss of baroreflex control of blood pressure, sympathetic activation, and severe hypertension in animals. In humans, baroreflex failure due to deafferentation of baroreceptors has been previously reported and is characterized by episodes of severe hypertension and tachycardia. We present a patient with an undetermined process of the central nervous system characterized pathologically by ubiquitous infarctions that were particularly prominent in the nucleus tractus solitarii bilaterally but spared the rostral ventrolateral medulla. Absence of a functioning baroreflex was evidenced by the lack of reflex tachycardia to the hypotensive effects of sodium nitroprusside, exaggerated pressor responses to handgrip and cold pressor test, and exaggerated depressor responses to meals and centrally acting alpha 2-agonists. This clinicopathological correlate suggests that the patient's baroreflex failure can be explained by the unique combination of the destruction of sympathetic inhibitory centers (ie, the nucleus tractus solitarii) and preservation of centers that exert a positive modulation on sympathetic tone (ie, the rostral ventrolateral medulla).
Copyright © 1994 by American Heart Association


Introduction
Plantar wart is a common disеasе that produces warts on thе sole оf the foot; humаn papillоmavirus is the causative organіsm оf thiѕ disease. Usuallу, these warts will dіsappear on thеіr оwn; however, most individuals wоuld like to trеat them immediatelу, instead of waіtіng for thеm to go away. There аre mаny plаntаr wаrt treatmentѕ available.
Cоmmоnly Available Plаntаr Wart Treаtments
Yоu cаn trеаt рlаntаr warts yourѕelf by utilizing any оf the commonly available plаntаr warts treatments such as duct tape and salicylic acids. Theѕe trеatmеnts do not requіre thе help of a physician.
plantar warts
Duсt Tape
Mаny reseаrches reveal that duct taре work better thаn cryotherapy, whiсh is anothеr plantar wart treatment mеthоd. This trеatmеnt involves covering the wart ѕurface bу a piece of duсt tapе аnd leaving it for abоut ѕіx daуs. After six daуs, sоak the warts in wаrm water and gently {rub} the wart surface using a pumice ѕtonе оr an emerу board. You need to rеpеat thе whоle process fоr a couplе оf weeks until thе warts disaррear.
Salicylic Acid
Take ѕalicylic acid (40% ѕоlutiоn) аnd aррly it on the wart surface once оr twicе a daу; however, avoid аpplying it on the hеalthy skin. In the middle of each application, pare down the dеаd wаrt tiѕѕue, which рreѕent оn the surfаce оf the wаrt, usіng аn emerу boаrd or a рumice stone. You can also aррly salicylic acid pаtches оn thе wart surface that peels off the dеad tissues gradually on constant uѕе of the patches. Yоu have to repeаt the above-discussed proceѕѕeѕ for аbоut three to four weeks to eradicate thе warts completely.
Advanсed Plantar Wart Treatmentѕ
Manу аdvаnced treatmentѕ аrе availablе for plаntаr warts, whіch сan be dоnе onlу with the help of physicians. Somе оf them are cryotherapy, іmmunotherapy, minor ѕurgery, and lаsеr surgery.
Crуotherapу is оne оf the commonest plantar wart treatments. This treatment involves applіcatіon оf lіԛuіd nіtrogen on the wаrt surface. Thіs iѕ a time-сonsuming treаtment and it is not for children as іt causes severe рain during treаtment.
Immunotherapy amеlioratеs уour immunе system to fіght against plantar wartѕ. Thіs treatment invоlves thе appliсation of intеrfеron оr certain typeѕ of antigens.
Mіnor surgery involves surgical rеmoval of thе wаrt tіѕѕueѕ оr deѕtroying thеm wіth the hеlp of the procеssеs such as сurеttеmеnt or electrodesiccation. Thiѕ is аn effective method; hоwever, іt may leave scar if dоne carelessly.
There аre many tyрes of laser surgeries avaіlable to rеmоvе persistent plantar warts; however, they arе expensive аnd pаіnful.
Conclusions - Preventive Measures
Instеаd of sееkіng for any рlаntаr wart treаtment аftеr уоu gеt plаntаr wart, you can prоtect уourself from plantar wart by tаkіng sоmе prеvеntіvе mеasurеs. The fоllоwing рreventive measures will keep you away frоm plantar wаrtѕ. Trу to avoid walkіng barеfoot, іf possіble. You must change уоur soсks daily. Always try to keeр your feet dry аnd clean. Avoid your body pаrtѕ touсhing with thе warts present on other раrts of уour body оr the warts рreѕent on оthеr individualѕ. Whеnеvеr yоu find any wart оn уоur body, take immediate action.


Since the summer of 2010, San Francisco's been testing
SFpark, a first-of-its-kind initiative to raise parking meter prices on in-demand blocks and lower them on emptier ones.
According to the Times' Michael Cooper and Jo Craven McGinty, spots can reach as much as $6 per hour, but typically go for $4.50.
To gauge demand for meters, organizers have installed sensors at nearly a quarter of the city's 26,800 metered spaces.
The experiment, which received a federal grant and runs until this summer, seems to be working:
By tweaking prices every two months–rising or falling anywhere from $0.25 to $0.50/hour–the project has helped several blocks meet their targeted occupancy rates in a given month. At the same time, it's forced 15 of the city's 20 less-frequently used parking garages to lower their rates, the Times' reports.
There are still a few kinks to work out, however. Higher prices don't always deter parkers from clogging up streets, and SFpark has been criticized for not helping to cut down traffic and reduce pollution. Think about it: The less time spent circling the lot looking for a spot, the more gas you'll conserve.


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This new guide provides guidance and illustrations regarding the initial and subsequent accounting for, valuation of, and disclosures related to acquired intangible assets used in research and development activities (IPR&D assets).
This is a valuable resource for preparers of financial statements, auditors, accountants and valuation specialists seeking an advanced understanding of the accounting, valuation, and disclosures related to acquired IPR&D assets.
Key topics covered:


A study suggests that teens who engage in oral sex will likely engage in vaginal sex within 6 months of their first oral sex activity. Researchers now consider oral sex the gateway to intercourse. There is no denying that this activity can have a powerful impact on a teenager’s subsequent sexual decisions. http://goo.gl/Kk3Egl
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This book describes in depth the media formulations, cloning techniques and methods for expanding a single plant into thousands. Over 35 species of plants are detailed. This expanded edition introduces new developments in biotechnology, such as genetic engineering and cell culture. It explains clearly how to set up a propagating laboratory, from a hobbyist's kitchen to an elaborate commercial enterprise.
The new fourth edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect the many advances in science and technology, including the five accepted sequential stages of micropropagation. Ten new plants have been added. This in turn has greatly expanded the already extensive bibliography. Among the new topics that have been introduced or expanded on are embryo culture for breeding, somaclonal variation, anther culture, somatic embryogenesis, cryopreservation, and genetic engineering. More ornamental plant examples are given and many new illustrations provided, including a chronology of discoveries in micropropagation.
By Lydiane Kyte. 274 pages. Hardcover.


This analysis identifies potential drought-related impacts to generation availability in the region based on a current snapshot of system conditions, and is not intended to be an exact prediction of future generator outages. ERCOT uses the results of this analysis as a signal to initiate coordination with owners of potentially affected generation capacity. The current predictions indicate that no generation is expected to become at risk within the next six months.


Achievement 3: health technologies for women
In the last century, new technologies such as microbicides, mammograms, PAP tests and visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and bone densitometry have contributed to the prevention of osteoporosis, HIV, and breast and cervical cancer.
For example, breast and cervical cancer are among the top 10 leading causes of death for women aged 20-59 years, representing 223 000 deaths in 2004. The introduction of screening programmes contributes to early identification, access to treatment, and leads to longer, healthier lives for many women and girls.


Despite a drop in its order backlog, a strong performance by Areva's mining business helped the company report a 3.8% increase in revenues to €9.3 billion ($12.6 billion) in 2013.
Revenue from its nuclear operations was €9.0 billion ($12.2 billion), up 7.1% from the previous year. A strong performance by Areva's mining and front-end operations "offset the expected business downturn in the reactors and services business groups."
For 2013, Areva's mining division posted revenue of €1.8 billion ($2.4 billion), an increase of 29.1%. The company said this reflects the planned reduction of its inventories, "despite a slight decrease in production and lower average sales prices of uranium sold under contracts over the period, reflecting the current unfavourable natural uranium market conditions."
Areva's front-end group - covering uranium enrichment and fuel fabrication - reported a 6.8% rise in revenue in 2013 to €2.2 billion ($3.0 billion). Its back-end business group brought in revenue of €1.7 billion ($2.3 billion), around the same level as in 2012. Meanwhile, the reactors and services business saw revenue decrease 3.7% in 2013 to €3.3 billion ($4.5 billion).
While far smaller than its nuclear businesses, revenues from Areva's renewables division fell 24.7% to €132 million ($178 million).
Meanwhile, Areva's overall order book of €41.6 billion ($56.2 billion) at the end of 2013 was slightly down from a year ago, when it stood at €44.7 billion ($60.4 billion). Some €7.6 billion ($10.3 billion) of new orders were received last year, excluding orders associated with agreements reached in October with EDF for the EPR reactors planned for Hinkley Point C.
Areva CEO Luc Oursel commented, "Two years after Fukushima, Areva's level of activity was especially strong in 2013. We outperformed our revenue outlook for nuclear operations." He added, "The group's revenue benefited from the robustness of the recurring activities and from temporary elements, such as exceptionally high uranium sales."
"This growth demonstrates the resilience of our end market, despite unfavourable current conditions," he noted.
Researched and written by World Nuclear News


Want to know exactly how to eat and exercise during pregnancy?
Exposed! Little known secrets to nutrition and exercise during and after pregnancy! Discover how to give yourself the best shot at a healthy, simple, and pain-free pregnancy! Getting pregnant and childbirth are two of life's greatest miracles. Most women, when asked the question, "What was the most memorable event in your life?" often cite pregnancy and childbirth. It's like a gift from above. There is just no denying the powerful emotions that pregnancy and childbirth can create in parents. However, while pregnancy is glorious and a rewarding experience, the hard truth is that there is a nutrition and fitness aspect that cannot be neglected. There is also a flip side to this shiny coin. Many women often end up feeling that pregnancy has ruined their shapely figure and the stretch marks have disfigured them. They automatically assume that once they've given birth, their bodies will never go back to the shape they originally used to be. Weight gain, stretch marks, a loss of sex appeal, etc. are negative consequences that women consider a trade-off to having a bouncy little baby. Nothing could be further from the truth. Yes...pregnancy will result in weight gain. This is only natural and in fact, it's healthy. However, the weight gain can be maintained without letting it get out of control. All weight that is gained during pregnancy can be lost after pregnancy. After all, it's just fat and the principles of fat loss are set in stone, regardless if it's a pregnant woman or an obese man. It will take you time to shed the fat...but there is no hurry. Slow and steady wins the race. With patience, persistence, and this brand new guide, you can definitely lose the excess fat after childbirth and at the same time, enjoy a healthy and simple pregnancy. The Fit And Healthy Pregnancy Guide Discover the secrets of nutrition and exercise during and after pregnancy.
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- Megan Richey


Inclusive Education in the Early Years is written for pre-service teachers to assist in the development of their skills and knowledge about inclusion, disability and inclusive education, within the context of their role as early childhood educators. The text covers critical aspects of teacherdevelopment in relation to fostering inclusive language and communication, enabling social interactions (including play) and supporting positive behaviour development. The state of play and implications of the current Australian context for early childhood education is explored, includingconsideration of the Early Years Learning Framework of Australia and the current legislative and policy contexts.


Abstract
Sumona Ghosh1,2,*, Meenakshi Kaw1,2,*, Payal R Patel1,2, Kelly J Ledford1,2, Thomas A Bowman1,2, Marcia F McInerney1,4, Sandra K Erickson5, Raymond E Bourey1,3, Sonia M Najjar1,21Center for Diabetes and Endocrine Research, 2Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, and of 3Medicine at the University of Toledo College of Medicine, Health Science Campus, Toledo, OH, USA; 4Department of Medicinal and Biological Chemistry at the College of Pharmacy, University of Toledo, Main Campus, Toledo, OH, USA; 5Department of Medicine, University of California, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA; *These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Transgenic liver-specific inactivation of the carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule (CEACAM1) impairs hepatic insulin clearance and causes hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, elevation in hepatic and serum triglyceride levels, and visceral obesity. It also predisposes to nonalchoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in response to a high-fat diet. To discern whether this phenotype reflects a physiological function of CEACAM1 rather than the effect of the dominant-negative transgene, we investigated whether Ceacam1 (gene encoding CEACAM1 protein) null mice with impaired insulin clearance also develop a NASH-like phenotype on a prolonged high-fat diet. Three-month-old male null and wild-type mice were fed a high-fat diet for 3 months and their NASH phenotype was examined. While high-fat feeding elevated hepatic triglyceride content in both strains of mice, it exacerbated macrosteatosis and caused NASH-characteristic fibrogenic changes and inflammatory responses more intensely in the null mouse. This demonstrates that CEACAM1-dependent insulin clearance pathways are linked with NASH pathogenesis.Keywords: nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, CEACAM1, high-fat diet, inflammation, apoptosis, fibrosis


Children who are encouraged to learn from an early age have more capabilities to learn, as well as improved memory and better responses to stress, a new study has shown.
The research, which was conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, highlighted that nurturing from the mother during early years is crucial to the success of adolescents.
The main author of the study, Joan Luby, child psychiatrist at St Louis Children's Hospital, said: "This study suggests there's a sensitive period when the brain responds more to maternal support."
A series of brain scans conducted on children from nursery age through to adolescence showed that those who were nurtured by their mothers at an early age were more successful when it came to learning, memory and regulating emotions during adolescence. In contrast, those who did not have dedicated attention from their mother at a young age were less advanced in these areas.
"We think that's due to greater plasticity in the brain when kids are younger, meaning that the brain is affected more by experiences very early in life. That suggests it's vital that kids receive support and nurturing during those early years," Ms Luby stated.
The findings could open the doorway for children to perform better at school, cope better in life and develop emotionally, by encouraging parents to provide more support and nurturing early in the lives of their children.


Piano restoration is an arduous and costly procedure.
While Doctor Piano is certainly willing to consider total rebuilding, (restoration), of the client’s present piano, we seldom recommend it unless there is a consensus that the end result will justify the expense.
Two factors that can, in fact, justify the expense are:
The piano in question has a replacement cost of $50,000 or more, The instrument is a treasured family heirloom.
If the decision is to proceed with restoration, Doctor Piano has highly skilled craftsmen with over thirty-three years of experience, and a state of the art facility to truly give your piano a new lease on life.
Reconditioning, on the other hand, is a different matter: often a viable and affordable alternative to replacing or fully restoring your piano.
Doctor Piano can offer a thorough evaluation. Make an informed choice, whether it be restoration, replacement, or reconditioning.
Trust us: We are piano experts.
Please contact us to inquire.


The fixed-term contract has been used as a legal instrument by parties who wish to engage in an employment relationship within the framework of predictability and freedom to control the duration of their contractual relationship. Consensus between both parties on the contents and the specific limitations of this kind of atypical employment contract is vital to avoid any misunderstanding and unreasonable expectations on the part of the employee. At the conclusion of the contract, the parties need to be ad idem that employment would start at the time of the conclusion of their contract, or at a specific date or event stipulated therein, and would inevitably terminate automatically at such time as the parties have agreed upon. It should have been the mutual intention of the parties that the purpose of this type of contract is linked to a limited duration, unlike that of the traditional contract of indefinite employment, which is likely to continue for an indefinite period.


In the midst of the ongoing debt and budget crises, politicians and voters continue to engage in the contentious debate regarding the faulty prioritization of U.S. government spending. Most Americans remain concerned with the recklessness of large government spending in what they consider lesser priority areas. Operating on a $3.7 trillion budget for fiscal year 2012, Congress awarded $18.7 billion to NASA, encouraging the administration to reinvigorate its traditional role of innovation, technological development, and scientific discovery. On the other hand, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) received $4.5 billion, $1 billion less than their requested amount.
This large discrepancy between the dollars allocated to these agencies is a clear-cut example of the growing concern among Americans regarding profuse government spending. Given that 95% of the underwater world remains unexplored and the space program has experienced little to no progress in recent years, should the space program remain a priority?
The last half of the 20
th century was marked by the ideological and technological warfare between the U.S. and the Soviet bloc. The Cold War morphed itself in several arenas from proxy wars to political conflict to economic and technological competition such as the Space Race. The Space Race is synonymous with the arms race, where one of the main frontiers where the Cold War was waged. As a result, accomplishments and developments made in these areas not only enhanced American power, but were also received with a strong sense of national pride.
However, the backbone of the Information Age lies in developing innovative science and technology that will enable us to explore new worlds and increase our understanding of the earth. Space exploration has contributed largely to this effort as a result of relentless government support and a strong lobbyist backing. Lawmakers from Alabama, Maryland, and Utah, where NASA and the corporations typically awarded its contracts operate, invest heavily in lobbyists and PACs to push their agendas forward in Washington.
On the contrary, although oceans are exploited for economic activities such as mineral extraction, dumping, commercial transportation, fisheries, and aquaculture, oceanic exploration has lagged behind due to insufficient support from the U.S. government. According to NOAA, "one of every six jobs in the United States is marine-related and over one-third of the U.S. GNP originates in coastal areas, the ocean is key to transportation, recreation, and its resources may hold the cures to many diseases." Since its potential contribution to human sustainability stands at equal footing with space research, government should apportion the necessary capital needed to explore the deep-sea frontier.
Moreover, since its establishment in 1957, NASA has always faced attack from social activists accusing the agency of wasting resources that could be used here on earth. Given the daunting issues in the country today such as poverty, unemployment, lack of access to health care, a broken education system, and many others, many believe that the large amount of money poured into space research could be used to tackle these issues. Moreover, due to our limited understanding of oceanic activities and processes, we continue to remain subject to the implications of natural disasters stemming from the ocean. Investing in oceanic research may help discover preventive mechanisms against catastrophic earthquakes, tsunamis, and oil spills.
The historical link between the American military complex and the space program may be the reason behind continued government support to the space agency. Arguably, the War on Terror has recreated tension similar to the Cold War era, forcing government to pour investment towards maintaining military supremacy in its fight against terrorism. The pronounced favoritism towards space research could therefore be attributed to the U.S. government’s traditional preference for hard power politics over soft power politics. While there is no doubt about the contributions of the space program to technological developments in numerous areas, one cannot help but question its relevance in a post-Cold War world. Possessing jurisdiction over 3.4 million square miles of ocean, there lies enormous potential to realize the benefits of the ocean while ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
Photo Credit: Grand Velas Riviera Maya


A retirement plan requires careful consideration of many factors – such as how much you save, how your future earnings might change, and how much you'll spend in retirement. This calculator allows you to explore different outcomes by adjusting these variables, and seeing their effects on your retirement plan. Get started by entering your information below and clicking the "View Report" button. To adjust your projected return on savings and marriage/Social Security status, click the pencil icon to expand that section.


Talking Points
Crude oil and copper stabilize as China demand concerns abate Goldtreads water as traders weigh geopolitical concerns against a USD recovery Bearish technical signals on WTI warn of further declines
Crude oil has stabilised above the $101.00 mark in Asian trading today following a steep decline during trading on Monday that was mirrored in growth-sensitive commodities like copper. Meanwhile, gold continues to waver around the $1,340 level with newswires pointing to ongoing Ukrainian tensions as a possible source of support for the precious metal.
Chinese Demand Concerns Ease
A disappointing set of Chinese trade balance figures released over the weekend weighed on the commodities space on Monday. Copper touched the lowest level in more than two years, while crude oil fell below the $102.00 handle. Following the initial drop in the growth-sensitive commodities there appears to be some signs of stabilisation in Asian trading today as concerns over chinese demand ease.
While investor sentiment is still vulnerable to fresh negative news-flow, a light economic docket in the session ahead is unlikely to offer a catalyst to spark the same sort of magnitude of declines for copper and crude oil that was witnessed on Monday. While event-risk may be lacking, speculative positioning amongst WTI traders stands at a record number of net long positions signalling the potential for a sharp correction for oil.
Gold Faces Mixed Cues
Gold is treading water around the $1,340 level as traders weigh conflicting signals for the precious metal. On the one hand; ongoing geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe have likely offered support for commodity. While on the other, broad US Dollar strength may have weighed on the fiat-money alternative.
While uncertainty surrounding the Ukrainian-Russian conflict remains on traders’ radars, in the absence of a flare-up, the US Dollar may take the reigns as the dominant driver for the precious metal over the remainder of the week. The economic calendar highlights several pieces of noteworthy event risk including theUS UofM Consumer Confidencefigures and the confirmation hearing for Fed Officials Fischer, Brainard, and Powell. An improvement in US economic data and pro-”taper” talk from the aforementioned Fed speakers would likely aid a greenback recovery and weigh on the precious metals space.
CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – Crude oil is exhibiting signs of a downtrend as prices have moved below their 20 SMA. This follows on from a Dark Cloud Cover formation on the daily that warned of declines ahead. Additionally, the rate of change indicator has shifted into negative territory, signaling building downside momentum. Following the daily close back below the $102.00 level a bearish bias is offered with an initial downside target of the psychologically significant $100.00 mark.
Daily Chart - Created Using FXCM Marketscope 2.0
NATURAL GAS TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – Buyers remain prepared to support the natural gas price at the 4.450 mark as the commodity stabilizes following dramatic declines at the end of February. With the 20 SMA signaling a downtrend, a corrective bounce at this stage would be seen as an opportunity to enter new short positions. Resistance is likely looming at former support near 4.917 (the 61.8% Fib Retracement level).
Daily Chart - Created Using FXCM Marketscope 2.0
GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – We remain on the lookout for a shift to a downtrend for gold on the daily. With resistance at 1,351 keeping the bulls in their pens for the time-being, further near-term gains look like a bit of a stretch. The emergence of a Dark Cloud Cover formation is a warning signal, however it would be too soon to suggest a bearish reversal given prices remain within their upward trend channel and above the 20 SMA.
Daily Chart - Created Using FXCM Marketscope 2.0
SILVER TECHNICAL ANALYSIS – A downtrend has emerged for silver signaled by the 20 SMA and ROC indicator. Shorts are preferred on a break below former resistance-turned-support at $20.50, which would open up the prior range-low at $19.00.
Daily Chart - Created Using FXCM Marketscope 2.0
COPPER TECHNICAL ANALYSIS– Following a dramatic plunge in copper prices over the past few trading sessions, buyers appear to be emerging at the $3.030 level. Against the backdrop of a continued downtrend, a bearish bias is retained and a corrective bounce would be seen as an opportunity to enter new short positions.
Daily Chart - Created Using FXCM Marketscope 2.0
--- Written by David de Ferranti, Market Analyst, FXCM Australia
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On the aerosol weekly cycle spatiotemporal variability over Europe Abstract
In this work, we focus on the spatial and temporal variability of the aerosol weekly cycle over Europe as these were recorded from TERRA MODIS and AQUA MODIS satellite instruments. Aerosol optical properties retrieved from MODIS TERRA (February 5 2000–February 2009) and AQUA (July 2002–December 2008) were used to produce an aerosol weekly cycle index. First, the general aerosol optical depth (AOD550 nm) weekly patterns were deﬁned at a 1 ◦ × 1 ◦ resolution using the satellite-based index and six regions of interest were selected. To remove episodic dust transport events, two diﬀerent aerosol ﬂags, employing ﬁne mode ratio (FMR550 nm) and AOD550 nm data, 10 were applied diagnostically. A second spatial averaging method was then used for the investigation of the weekly variability and the statistical signiﬁcance of the weekly cycle over each of the previously selected regions. Three major weekly cycle plumes are observed over Europe. A strong positive (higher values during midweek) weekly cycle plume appears over Central Europe, while a strong negative (higher values during 15 weekend) weekly plume appears over the Iberian Peninsula and the North-eastern Europe. A weak but statistically signiﬁcant negative plume is apparent over the Eastern Mediterranean. The temporal examination of the weekly cycles shows that in some areas there are seasonal diﬀerences in the sign of the weekly cycle. The aerosol weekly variability over diﬀerent regions in Europe was examined in conjunction with 20 the dominating synoptic wind patterns from the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, showing that the seasonal weekly cycle plumes over regions situated in the eastern Europe and the Mediterranean Sea could be partly attributed to the westerly transport of continental aerosols.
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Abstract
Abstract High doses of captopril (SQ 14, 225) (120–160 mg/kg/day) were administered orally to normal rats, and the effects on the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system were observed. Plasma angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity was elevated significantly on the 3rd, 7th and 30th days of captopril administration. ACE activity in the lung and the kidney was significantly decreased on the 1st day then gradually increased, becoming significantly higher than that of controls by the 30th day. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was significantly elevated on the 1st day and remained at a high level until the 30th day. Renal renin content was found to be significantly lower on the 1st and 3rd days. Plasma aldosterone concentration was not affected by captopril treatement, whereas serum potassium concentration was found to be significantly lower on the 1st, 3rd and 30th days. It is suggested that besides its inhibitory action on ACE, captopril has a direct or indirect stimulating action on ACE production as well as on renin release.


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Tone down spicy foods by adding a small amount of sugar or stirring in an acidic product such as vinegar or citrus juice. Alternate methods include incorporating dairy products such as sour cream, milk, cream or yogurt into the dish or adding extra ingredients to dilute the spice.
Start by adding small doses to avoid altering the flavor too much, particularly when using sugar or acids. Stir the ingredient into the dish and taste it with a clean spoon. Choose the right method for the dish. For example, for a stir-fry, adding extra rice, veggies or sauce can help lessen the impact of the heat. Overly spicy soups and stews can be made milder by adding extra broth to dilute the effects of the spice. Add more tomatoes and beans to a pot of chili or more meat to a meat-based dish.
Keep in mind while preparing a recipe that the smaller the pepper, the more heat it is likely to have. Lessen the heat of chili peppers by removing the seeds and membranes before adding them to a dish. Additionally, when cooking for a crowd, consider adopting a less is more approach to using spicy ingredients. Remember, you can always add crushed red pepper or fresh diced chillies as a garnish for those who prefer spicier dishes.Learn more about Herbs & Spices


Can a policy brief be an effective tool for policy influence?
3ie and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), in collaboration with Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), explored the effectiveness of a policy brief for influencing readers’ beliefs and prompting them to act.
A multi-armed randomised control design was used to find answers to three research questions: Do policy briefs influence readers? Does the presence of an op-ed type commentary within the brief lead to more or less influence? and Does it matter if the commentary is assigned to a well known name in the field?
Key findings A policy brief is more effective in creating ‘evidence-accurate’ beliefs amongst those with no prior opinion Messengers matter when it comes to readers’ intended actions Gender and self-perceived levels of influence affect people’s intention to act after reading the policy brief Implications for policy communication Ensure policy briefs have clear key messages Include opinion and authority features as they may help to ensure briefs are shared and passed on Consider whether a policy brief’s design or format is less appealing to women and/or makes them less inclined to take action Target the ‘movers and shakers’


In every training certification I've seen, the importance of planning and documenting a client's workout and improvement is well-stated. However, it's easy, especially with long-term clients, to slip into a routine where workouts are "planned," on-the-spot, regular tests to prove progress in strength, flexibility and body fat reduction, and other important markers are neglected.
Consider what a disservice you're doing to your clients. If you neglect to show them a trend of improvement, either through a documented workout that shows increases in weight, repetitions or intensity, or through regular testing where there is an apple-to-apple comparison and undeniable improvement, you remove a significant motivating factor that boosts their self-esteem and encourages them to work harder. You also handicap yourself. Without objective data that proves what you are doing for them generates marked improvement, they have little incentive to spend further time and money with you. Ouch.


According to the real estate foreclosure website RealtyTrac, the U.S. averages about 20,000 foreclosures per month. Additionally, since 2006 there have been around 5 million foreclosures, with another 10 million homeowners facing its possibility on occasion. When residential mortgages are foreclosed, the homes securing those mortgages are repossessed and become bank-owned, or "real estate-owned" properties. Undoubtedly, buying an REO home can save money, but determining just when a mortgage for such a home may be available takes some effort.
REO Home Mortgages
Before buying any real estate-owned home, understand what that property's listing is saying. For one, most REO properties are sold "as is," meaning you're responsible for any repairs or title liens after you buy one. Property title liens are attached by property owners' creditors, and the new owners of that property become responsible for eventually paying them off. Plus, it's rare for lenders to offer their own mortgage loan products for REO homes because they're sometimes not worth their selling prices.
Lender REO Language
Except for rehabilitation-type mortgages, most lenders won't loan money for homes that aren't appraised at their sale prices. However, lenders are usually eager to move their REO homes when the right offers are made. If you're going to make an offer on an REO home, expect to hear "as is," "addendum" and "disclosure" frequently. When it comes to REO homes, addendums and disclosures are used by lenders to explain to buyers just what lenders are and aren't responsible for when purchase contracts are signed.
REO Mortgage Availability
By definition, REO homes are "distressed properties." In some cases, the homes have been ill-used by their former owners, so the home you're buying could have numerous repair issues. If you're hoping to obtain a mortgage loan for an REO home and the lender owning it isn't offering one without a big down payment, you do have some options. For one, if you intend to occupy your REO home, you can apply for government-backed rehabilitation mortgages.
FHA Rehabilitation Mortgages
The Federal Housing Administration offers a mortgage suited for REO homes that accounts for their "as is" condition. FHA 203(k) rehabilitation mortgages can be used by hopeful owner-occupant homebuyers to purchase and then repair their REO homes. FHA lending limits run from $417,000 to $729,250, so chances are good the REO home you're buying will qualify for an FHA rehab mortgage. Before buying an REO home from a lender, ask first if it offers the FHA's 203(k) rehab mortgage.
Lender REO Websites
If you're going to buy a real estate-owned home, you'll certainly have plenty from which to choose. Almost every mortgage lender maintains a website listing all its REO homes available for sale. A market search of several lenders' REO home websites also reveals that many offering REO properties also offer FHA mortgage programs as well. If the lender selling a REO home says it will provide a "rehab mortgage," it's most likely talking about an FHA-insured 203(k) mortgage.
Dr. Housing Bubble: Modified Mortgages Re-enter Shadow Inventory Realtor.com: REO: Mortgage vs. Cash RealEstateABCs.com: Buying Bank Owned Properties (REO) BankForeclosuresSale: What Are Distressed Properties? The Niche Report: Straight Up With Jocelyn Predovich: The Truth about FHA 203k Loans HUD.gov: Mortgagee Letter 2011-39 Photo Credits Spencer Platt/Getty Images News/Getty Images


Home Health Index Reverses Course, Declines in August
After consecutive months of record-breaking gains, the home health index slumped slightly during the month of August. Stoneridge Partners’ Home Health Index, which tracks the average market value of the top three largest public home heath care companies—Almost Family (Nasdaq: AFAM), Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) and LHC Group (Nasdaq: LHCG)—dropped 1.13% from the previous month.
From May through August, the index had achieved four consecutive months of new, all-time highs. Year to date, the index is up 12.83%, and has risen 9.79% for the trailing 12-month period. By comparison, the index rose 2.8% in July, and surpassed its previous all-time high.
“After recent all-time highs, the home health index slumped slightly at the end of August, but valuations remain strong,” Rich Tinsley, president and CEO of Stonebridge Partners, said of the index’s reversal. “The publicly traded home health companies have been highly acquisitive throughout 2016 and are keeping an eye on new regulations coming down the pike.”
By comparison, the S&P 500 contracted just 0.12% during August.
All three home health companies saw their share prices decline in August. LHC Group saw its share prices drop 0.29% from the previous month. Year to date, the company’s stock is up 0.07%, according to Stoneridge Partners. Almost Family’s stock declined 1.27% during the month, though it remains up 4.08% year to date. Amedisys saw the biggest drop during the month, with a 1.73% decline in share prices. However, the stock has been a big gainer and is up 36.19% year to date.
Addus Homecare bucked the trend and saw its share prices rise 2.22%. Addus is not tracked on the index because little of its revenue comes from Medicare.
Reeling Over Regulations?
The index decline comes as the Pre-Claim Review Demonstration from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has come into effect in Illinois. While the demonstration has only rolled out in Illinois thus far, the impact has been far-reaching, with rumors and reports swirling that the process is filled with hiccups. The reports led two U.S. Senators from Florida to pen a letter to CMS urging the agency to delay the implementation in their state. The demonstration is scheduled to roll out in Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas periodically over the coming months.
LHC Group, based in Lafayette, Louisiana, has long-touted its ambitious acquisition pipeline for the year, has since toned down its plans as a result of pre-claim. A significant chunk—roughly half— of its potential deals were in states that are expected to be affected by pre-claim, and the company is holding off, according to CEO Keith Myers .
Almost Family, which has exposure in three of the five pre-claim states, has generally been more optimistic, as executives have voiced support for the initiative. The Louisville, Kentucky-based company has been very acquisitive in the last year and reported record revenue at the end of the second quarter of 2016.
Amedisys has also been bullish in attitude toward pre-claim, though executives conceded they were unsure what the long-term impacts could be.
Written by Amy Baxter


Several symptoms associated with chronic pain, including fatigue and depression, are characterized by reduced motivation to initiate or complete goal-directed tasks. However, it is unknown whether maladaptive modifications in neural circuits that regulate motivation occur during chronic pain. Here, we demonstrate that the decreased motivation elicited in mice by two different models of chronic pain requires a galanin receptor 1–triggered depression of excitatory synaptic transmission in indirect pathway nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons. These results demonstrate a previously unknown pathological adaption in a key node of motivational neural circuitry that is required for one of the major sequela of chronic pain states and syndromes. Glutamate inputs excite nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons. Chronic pain reduces AMPA receptor function in the DADR2-expressing class of these neurons, thereby reducing their activation by glutamate input. This decreases the motivation to work for a food reward.


In his new book, 1776, historian David McCullough tells the story of the everyday Americans who marched alongside George Washington. They were farmers and schoolteachers, lawyers and boys. They were people like Henry Knox, a twenty-five-year-old bookseller who improbably hauled 120,000 pounds of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga overland to Boston in the dead of winter, enabling the Americans to secure a key military victory. They were a ragtag band of freedom fighters who endured a vicious winter and rampant disease to defeat the preeminent military power of the day. They were everyday Americans, and their incredible sacrifices ensured that the Declaration of Independence would be more than a historical document.
So where do we find this kind of greatness today? We see it in the brave soldiers who risk everything to secure freedom abroad. But we also see it in those everyday Americans who revel in the everyday joys and responsibilities of raising a family.
I think this point needs to be made because there has been a great tendency since the invention of the welfare state to rely upon government subsidies to help us along. But the government can never replace a family member. The government cannot raise our kids. As Abraham Lincoln observed 130 years ago: “You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man’s initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”
I herewith propose that these words receive more attention. We should not wait for the government to act; we must take initiative. We must understand that it is up to us to change for the better. We cannot rely on government to make things right or force us to be good. Government alone cannot produce good people. We must take responsibility for ourselves.
Early on, these ideas were deeply inscribed in America’s self-concept. As French writer and politician, Alexis de Tocqueville noted over a century ago: “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in the fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and her vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good ‑‑ and if America ever ceases to be good ‑ America will cease to be great.”
A century later and America is glutted with prosperity, but increasingly empty in spirit. For no accumulation of objects can truly lessen the burden of human anxiety. How do we keep this spiritual numbness from inhibiting and destroying us? The answer is straightforward: we must revel in the greatness of fundamental pleasures: family, civility, and the striving for moral excellence. Therein lies the means by which everyday Americans may ensure the survival of this country.


Yesterday the U.S. Department of Labor (“U.S. DOL”) and the Vermont Department of Labor(“VDOL”) signed a three-year memorandum of understanding to share information and conduct joint investigations regarding independent contractor misclassification. The agreement is part of the U.S. DOL’s Misclassification Initiative, the goal of which is to prevent, detect, and remedy employee misclassification. Just last month Alaska’s Department of Labor and Workforce Development entered into a similar agreement. Vermont is the 26th state to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Department of Labor as part of its misclassification initiative. The other states signing the memorandum are Alaska, Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
This agreement between Vermont and the U.S. DOL comes on the heels of an August 31, 2015 report issued by Vermont State Auditor Doug Hoffer entitled “Worker Misclassification – Action Needed to Better Detect and Prevent Worker Misclassification.”
Employers in Vermont should expect the misclassification audit report and the memorandum of understanding with the U.S.DOL to spur investigation activity within the state. Companies in Vermont, like those in the 25 other states that have signed memoranda with the U.S. DOL, should expect that any misclassification inquiry will now automatically expand to include both state and federal agencies, thereby increasing the scrutiny on such companies and the risks associated with a misclassification determination. Employers who have not already closely reviewed their independent contractor relationships should consider performing a privileged audit in order to assess the risk they may have of misclassification claims.


Innovation in practice is a new publication that showcases the prevention, survival, support and service innovation activities delivered by the BHF.
It explains how our work in these areas provides vital support to health professionals and patients by developing and piloting innovative services and a wide range of lifestyle information and condition-specific materials.


Data from four consecutive surveys of Tucson longitudinal study of airways obstructive disease were used to examine the relation of respiratory symptoms and pulmonary function to non-tobacco cigarette smoking. The surveys were conducted over a six-year period and provided data on 1802 subjects 15-60 years of age, with a total of 5659 individual questionnaires. Estimated odds ratio (OR) of current non-tobacco smoking for chronic cough was 1.73, for chronic phlegm: 1.53, and for wheeze: 2.01 (p less than 0.05). These estimates were adjusted for age, tobacco smoking and occurrence of the symptom in preceding survey. The increased risk of the symptoms was related to the habit continued for several years, and there was no immediate remission of the symptoms after quitting smoking. A significant (p less than 0.05) reduction in pulmonary function (FEV1, Vmax50 and their ratios with FVC) was found a year or more after current non-tobacco smoking was reported. Although the average consumption of non-tobacco cigarettes, believed to be marijuana smoking, was less than one per day, significant effects were still detectable in both pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms.


New findings regarding the formation of fullerenes, aka "buckyballs," were recently published in the journal
Nature Communications, suggesting that smaller cages grow into larger ones. According to the article abstract, fullerenes self-assemble in a closed network by incorporating atomic carbon and C2. This growth was shown by measuring fullerene response to carbon vapor, and analyzed by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry. When carbon vapor was present, large fullerenes containing hundreds of carbon atoms appeared but without the vapor, only C60 and a few slightly smaller fullerenes were detected.
The Royal Society of Chemistry reported on these findings, noting that key to the research was the powerful FT-ICR mass spectrometer at Florida's High Magnetic Field Laboratory. The research, led by Harry Kroto, who discovered "buckyballs" more than 25 years ago, enabled the team to analyze at extremely high resolution the compounds produced when buckyball-sized fullerenes reacted with vaporized carbon. According to the report, the researchers concluded that smaller fullerenes must grow to C60 and larger fullerenes by "eating up" carbon atoms. A few bonds may be rearranged but the cages never compromise their closed structure; the researchers confirmed this by trapping metals inside the cages, which were retained after growth.
These findings reveal fundamental processes that govern the self-assembly of carbon networks, the same processes of which are likely be involved in the formation of other nanostructures such as nanotubes and graphene. Such fullerene technologies have been incorporated into personal care applications for free radical-scavenging, antiaging, whitening, anti-inflammation, anti-wrinkle, sunscreens, pore-tightening, sebum oxidation control and cellulite control.


Host defenses are profoundly compromised in HIV-infected hosts due to progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Moreover, deficient CD4+ T lymphocytes impair vaccination approaches to prevent opportunistic infection. Therefore, we investigated a CD4+ T cell–independent vaccine approach to a prototypic AIDS-defining infection, Pneumocystis carinii (PC) pneumonia. Here, we demonstrate that bone marrow–derived dendritic cells (DCs) expressing the murine CD40 ligand, when pulsed ex vivo by PC antigen, elicited significant titers of anti-PC IgG in CD4-deficient mice. Vaccinated animals demonstrated significant protection from PC infection, and this protection was the result of an effective humoral response, since adoptive transfer of CD4-depleted splenocytes or serum conferred this protection to CD4-deficient mice. Western blot analysis of PC antigen revealed that DC-vaccinated, CD4-deficient mice predominantly reacted to a 55-kDa PC antigen. These studies show promise for advances in CD4-independent vaccination against HIV-related pathogens.
Mingquan Zheng, Judd E. Shellito, Luis Marrero, Qiu Zhong, Stewart Julian, Peng Ye, Virginia Wallace, Paul Schwarzenberger, Jay K. Kolls


Study Identifies Four New Genetic Markers For Severe Childhood Obesity [news]
Unhealthy food environments and sedentary lifestyles certainly contribute to obesity, but they can’t entirely explain weight gain. The latest research points to four new genes that could contribute to the most extreme cases of obesity in childhood. By comparing the genomes of 1,509 children in the UK with severe obesity to 5,380 similar children of normal weight, an international team of researchers first identified a series of 29 genetic changes that distinguished the heavier children. Narrowing these differences down to those that influence obesity, they found nine genes strongly linked to early weight gain, five of which were known, and four of which are new.


Supplementary memorandum by Department
for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (OS 17(a))
Thank you for the letter, dated 27 March. I'm
outlining a response to your three questions below.
In respect of question 296, does "pressures
from Europe" refer to the draft legal framework? If not what
does it refer to?
Pressures from Europe may include directives,
regulations and judgements that apply in general to the public
sector but, in particular, there are three relevant European proposals
that are focused on access to public information. These include:
``Towards a EU Framework for the
Exploitation of PSI'': EC Director General Information Society
Working Document;
``Public Access to Environmental
Information'': EU Draft Directive;
``INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial
Information in Europe)'': EC Director General Environment initiative.
How will an EU framework for the exploitation
of PSI and the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for Spatial Information
in Europe) initiative affect Ordnance Survey?
The EU Framework for the Exploitation of PSI
currently proposes that public sector information should be made
available at a price that ensures that total charges levied do
not exceed the cost of producing the information. Ordnance Survey
currently operates as a trading fund and is required to meet agreed
performance targets, including a rate of return on capital employed.
Depending on the finally agreed formulation of the EU requirement,
the EU proposals could impact on the current OS trading model.
The INSPIRE initiative currently proposes EC
legislation that aims to ensure that geographic information is
readily available for use by EC policy-makers and citizens. This
provides an opportunity for the GB-wide standards advocated by
Ordnance Survey to be adopted throughout Europe. The proposed
legislation is likely to affect the market for geographic information
and may impact on the current approach to the pricing and licensing
of Ordnance Survey data.
Was the proposed EU Framework for the exploitation
of PSI and INSPIRE considered as part of stage one of the Quinquennial
Review?
The current European proposals were not considered
in stage one of the Quinquennial Review. They will be considered
in concluding stage two and defining the best way forward for
Ordnance Survey.
In summary, the European developments outlined
above may affect Ordnance Survey in future, but the extent of
the impact can only be assessed as the various initiatives progress.
Sally Keeble MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
26 April 2002


ERIC Number:ED379929 Record Type:RIE Publication Date:1993-Jan Pages:63 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:N/A ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
ESL: English as a Subversive Language.
Griffith, Thomas W.
Several cultural traits often associated with Anglo-American tradition are examined, and their significance in the debate over the spread of English as the world's dominant language is discussed. It is argued that these traits of Anglo-American culture are generally beneficial to society and individuals within it, and that they are reflected in the English language. The first cultural asset discussed is wealth. Just as physical and cultural factors are seen as contributing to the society's overall affluence, English is seen as linguistically rich and expansionist. The second attribute of Anglo-American society examined is egalitarianism. In the same way that the society has supported egalitarian principles, English reflects these principles in a number of historical developments: loss of "thou"; a leveling of honorifics; and the emergence of commonly used slang. Third, individualism is explored. In English, "I" is capitalized despite its non-capitalized German antecedent; the use of the prefix "self-" has multiplied; and literacy is widespread, signifying the importance of the individual in society. It is proposed, based on these observations, that the spread of English throughout the world is a benignly subversive activity, corresponding to a spreading of democratic societal values. (MSE)
Publication Type:Opinion Papers; Dissertations/Theses - Masters Theses Education Level:N/A Audience:N/A Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:N/A Note:Master's thesis, University of Massachusetts, Boston.


Hurricane Matthew is wreaking havoc through the Bahamas and the U.S. southeastern coast.
Beyond the tragic loss of life and property, economists are also predicting major business disruptions related to the hurricane, particularly in oil and gas production and delivery.
"Massive evacuations are expected to expand along the East Coast as Hurricane Matthew, a major threat to life and infrastructure, barrels down," states Phil Flynn, a market analyst for
Futures Magazine in an October 4 update. "For energy, the track of the storm looks to be a bigger threat to demand than supply, but in the near term it will further reduce U.S. oil supply that has fallen at a historic pace during the last five years weeks,"
"Oil tankers are being diverted to other ports or will wait out the storm and that could delay imports by as little as four days, or in some cases, it could be weeks," he added. "Gulf cargoes may end up in New York harbor but as the storm moves north, supply into New York Harbor will be challenged as well."
Those disruptions are boosting crude oil futures, which crested $50 for both November and December Globex Futures, the strongest levels since late June 2016. January 2017 futures are trading at $51, as well. Additionally, Brent crude oil is trading at $52 per barrel, the highest levels since August 2016.
Oil analysts estimate that 10 million barrels of refined oil will be directly impacted by Hurricane Matthew, with regional storage facilities at a high risk of significant damage, according to Tank Tiger, a Princeton, N.J.-based oil services consulting firm. Some storage facilities have already been evacuated, including Vitol's Cape Canaveral, Fla.-based Seaport Canaveral Florida storage terminal. That closing alone impacts three million barrels of oil and will contribute to already rising gasoline prices in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, analysts say.


The multi-system approach utilizes auditory, visual and kinesthetic pathways to enhance learning. These students often need multiple repetitions before mastering a skill. In the fast pace of the current culture of the classroom, up to 90% of students can have gaps in their development. The multi-system approach is designed for repetition and building a foundation.
Key Takeaways:
1
A multi-sensory approach to education engages all of a student’s learning faculties.
2
Using a multi-sensory approach to a lesson can make learning fun.
3
Repetition is critical to multi-sensory education.


Warc: APAC marketing budgets expected to decrease
Marketers in Asia Pacific expect their budgets to decrease in the immediate future, according to Warc’s Global Marketing Index (GMI).
The December run of the study delivered a reading of 48 points for budgets, an improvement from 46.8 points in the previous month, but still below the neutral point of 50, indicating budgets are expected to drop.
Globally the reading was 47.2 points, ahead of the 46 points recorded in November, with perceptions remaining gloomy in Europe, on 44.8 points, while the Americas was buoyant, on 50.2 points.
The index for trading conditions looked healthy on 55.6 points in Asia Pacific and 61.1 globally — the best performance on this measure since May 2012. Globally the index for staffing levels proved positive on 53 points.
The three key measures contributed to a headline GMI of 52.5 points in December, versus 50.1 points in November.
Breaking out the findings for various media, digital, excluding mobile, yielded 74.8 points, meaning greater resources are being allocated to this channel. Mobile also secured a high reading on 68.7 points.
All other media except radio enhanced their position from November. Television, on 47.6 points, was in negative territory but delivered its strongest figures for seven months, Warc found.
The index sets a neutral point of 50, with scores higher than this reflecting a positive outlook, while lower than 50 reflects pessimism.


Continue Reading
Clavamox for dogs is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, according to AllMedVet. It provides treatment for multiple ailments. Clavamox treats respiratory, skin and urinary tract infections in dogs.
Clavamox has two active ingredients: amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. These ingredients work together to fight infections. Amoxicillin destroys both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, while clavulanic acid negates the bacteria's defense mechanisms against amoxicillin, states petMD.
Amoxicillin's ability to combate gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria is particularly noteworthy. They have distinctly different structures and thus have differing levels of vulnerability to antibiotics, according to Diffen. Amoxicillin's ability to defeat both bacteria types makes it a very effective broad-spectrum treatment.
Clavamox is administered to dogs orally which can be a difficult task. Hiding the pill in food, utilizing a pill pocket, or using a pill gun are all methods recommended by Safe Bee. Proper food selection is crucial when hiding the pill in food, as dogs are capable of smelling the pill in foods lacking a strong scent. Peanut butter is a recommended choice.
Pill pockets are treats with room to store a pill inside. They are commercially available and come in various dog-friendly flavors. Lastly, a pill gun is a contraption for depositing the pill at the back of the dog's throat. The swallowing process is eased by rubbing the dog's neck after making the deposit, according to Safe Bee.Learn more about Veterinary Health


درمان پزشکی غیرروانپزشکی اختلال بدریخت انگاری
کد مقاله سال انتشار مقاله انگلیسی ترجمه فارسی تعداد کلمات 35548 2005 7 صفحه PDF سفارش دهید محاسبه نشده Publisher : Elsevier - Science Direct (الزویر - ساینس دایرکت) Journal : Psychosomatics, Volume 46, Issue 6, November–December 2005, Pages 549–555 چکیده انگلیسی
Many individuals with body dysmorphic disorder seek nonpsychiatric medical and surgical treatment to improve perceived defects in their physical appearance. However, the types of treatments sought and received, as well as the treatment outcome, have received little investigation. This study describes the frequency, types, and outcomes of treatments sought and received by 200 individuals with body dysmorphic disorder. Treatment was sought by 71.0% and received by 64.0%. Dermatological treatment was most frequently sought and received (most often, topical acne agents), followed by surgery (most often, rhinoplasty). Twelve percent of the subjects received isotretinoin. Such treatment rarely improved body dysmorphic disorder. Thus, nonpsychiatric medical treatments do not appear effective in its treatment.
مقدمه انگلیسی
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a distressing or impairing preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance, is associated with markedly impaired psychosocial functioning, suicidality, and notably poor quality of life.1 Despite the morbidity that BDD causes, few studies have investigated the treatments that individuals who suffer from it seek and receive. The plastic surgery and dermatology literatures contain anecdotal reports of patients with “minimal deformity” and “dermatological nondisease” who appear similar to patients with BDD.2 Such reports typically noted poor outcomes and dissatisfaction with treatment. However, it was unclear whether they had DSM-defined BDD. Recent studies have suggested that DSM-IV BDD is relatively common in these settings. The rates of BDD among cosmetic surgery patients range from 7% to 15%; in dermatological settings, rates of 9% to 12% have been reported.2 Few studies have examined the converse—i.e., the rates of nonpsychiatric medical treatment received by individuals with BDD. In the largest study we know of,3 76% of 250 adults sought and 66% received nonpsychiatric treatment for their perceived appearance “defect,” most commonly dermatological and surgical. A study of 50 patients with BDD4 found that 48% had sought surgical or dermatological treatment, and 26% had received at least one procedure. In a chart-review study of 50 patients, 40% had undergone plastic surgery.5 These findings are consistent with evidence that the skin (e.g., acne), hair (e.g., thinning), and nose (e.g., size or shape) are the most common areas of concern.1 These results are also consistent with evidence that most patients have poor insight regarding their perceived defects, believing that they have actual physical deformities for which medical treatment or surgery is needed.1


Grid Assurance™ designed to speed restoration and improve electric grid resiliency
Eight electric utilities and energy companies have announced an initiative to provide improved responses to major events affecting the electric transmission grid by giving transmission-owning entities access to domestically warehoused long lead-time critical equipment.
Affiliates of American Electric Power, Berkshire Hathaway Energy, Duke Energy, Edison International, Eversource Energy, Exelon, Great Plains Energy, and Southern Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue development of Grid Assurance™, a limited liability company that expects to offer subscribers cost-effective solutions for enhancing grid resiliency and protecting customers from prolonged transmission outages.
As proposed, Grid Assurance will own and provide subscribers with timely access to an inventory of emergency spare transmission equipment that can otherwise take months to acquire. Grid Assurance filed a petition with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) late yesterday seeking confirmation that this service can be part of a transmission-owning entity's strategy to effectively address grid resiliency mandates. Grid Assurance will not be FERC regulated, but plans to charge cost-based subscription fees, similar to FERC-regulated transmission formula rates. Cost-based subscription fees are expected to facilitate subscribers' ability to recover expenses.
Restoration of the transmission grid can be hampered by long lead times required to design, build and deliver critical replacement equipment including large transformers, circuit breakers and other specialized electrical equipment. As proposed, Grid Assurance will be more cost-effective than companies independently securing emergency spare equipment for high-impact, low-frequency events due to economies of scale, diversification and improved logistics.
Grid Assurance plans to own and maintain equipment at secure, strategically located warehouses to facilitate the equipment being placed in service faster than traditionally possible. Grid Assurance expects to offer additional logistics support to expedite transportation of equipment to impacted sites. Subscribers can call on equipment when they experience certain events, such as physical attacks, electromagnetic pulses, solar storms, cyberattacks, earthquakes and severe weather events. Grid Assurance can complement existing programs transmission owners have, and industry initiatives, like the Spare Transformer Equipment Program (STEP) coordinated through the Edison Electric Institute, to enhance access to spare transformers and other equipment by providing a more comprehensive inventory of critical spare equipment.
Contingent on regulatory approvals, Grid Assurance is expected to begin accepting subscribers and identifying inventory in 2016.


On the 13
th October 2014, the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) issued a circular regarding re/insurance undertakings in a group. Undertakings are to inform the MFSA whether they fall within the scope of group supervision under Solvency II by the 14 th November 2014.
Undertakings are expected to determine whether they form part of a group in terms of the definitions which apply under Solvency II and whether group supervision applies to their group. This must be followed with an assessment of the scope of the group supervision. To this end, the Authority is requesting the shareholding structure of the whole group clearly showing which entities will fall within the scope of insurance group supervision. Undertakings must also determine the applicable level of group supervision. Should it be concluded that group supervision does not apply, the re/insurance undertaking must provide the Authority with the grounds for its decision.
The full text of the circular may be accessed by
. clicking here
For further information on Group Supervision under Solvency II and related matters, please contact
Dr Matthew Bianchi.


Ramesh Mallipeddi
Associate Professor
Office: 1247 HW Phone: 212.772.5163
I received my Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2008, specializing in Restoration and Eighteenth-Century English literature. My research interests encompass sentimentalism, transatlantic slavery, colonialism, and postcolonial literatures. My essays on eighteenth-century British literature have appeared in various venues, including
Eighteenth-Century Studies, The Eighteenth Century: Theory and Interpretation, and ELH. My book, Spectacular Suffering: Witnessing Slavery in the Eighteenth-Century British Atlantic (forthcoming from University of Virginia Press in 2015), attempts to map the precise conditions under which slave distress emerged as a topic of emotional concern and political intervention. Rather than viewing sentimentalism as a literary-historical category internal to British history, the book approaches sympathy as a mode of historical epistemology, a form of counter-knowledge that emerged in response to profound socio-economic transformations set in motion by Atlantic modernity. It undertakes this redefinition of sentimental sympathy in the interests of theorizing embodied slave agency. As the book argues, in articulating their own experiences of loss, the subjection of their bodies to the regimes of the market and rigors of plantation discipline, the ostensible objects of sentimental compassion—African slaves—also seized on the discursive resources of melancholic sentiment.
My work on embodied subjectivity in the context of Atlantic slavery has led to another project, tentatively titled
Indignity: Rights and Reparation. A conference paper presented at ASECS on “Clarissa’s Body, Richardson’s Story” marked the beginnings of my attempt to trace (especially in light of Lynn Hunt’s Inventing Human Rights) the contribution of Richardson’s magnum opus, in particular, and first-person narratives, more broadly, to the evolving discourses of bodily autonomy and subjective right. To develop this interest, I recently taught a Masters class titled “Literature and Rights, from the Eighteenth Century to the Present,” which focused on two distinctive literary forms—the rape narrative and the slave narrative—that document two paradigmatic instances of bodily injury: rape and enslavement. It is in the wake of bodily harm or corporeal indignity (suffered by victims of torture, rape, and enslavement) that the subject of rights as a potential maker of claims comes into being. The politically and ethically appropriate point of departure for a discussion of rights, I argue, is not the possessive—“I have a right”—but the dispossessive: “I am wronged.” Publications:
“‘A Fixed Melancholy’: Migration, Memory, and the Middle Passage.” Special issue on “The Dispossessed Eighteenth Century,” eds. Chi-ming Yang and Jordana Rosenberg,
The Eighteenth Century: Theory and Interpretation. 55, no. 2-3 (2014): 235-253.
"The Subject of Shame in Frances Burney's
Evelina" (Journal article)


WASHINGTON, DC, July 25, 2016 – In a significant and closely watched voting rights case, an en banc panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling on July 20 finding that a Texas voter-ID law (“SB 14”) violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. In May, a pro bono team from Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP submitted an amicus curiae brief in the case, Veasey v. Abbott, on behalf of six of the nation’s most prominent Latino nonprofit organizations. The brief argued that SB 14 violates Section 2 because it disproportionately burdens minority voters in Texas, including Latino voters, and suppresses minority voter turnout.
In reaching its decision, the Fifth Circuit endorsed a standard for vote denial cases that assesses the social and political context in which strict voter-ID laws like SB 14 are passed—an approach urged in Milbank’s brief, among others—and rejected the stringent standard advocated by Texas. In light of the impending general election, and because the Texas legislature will not be in session again until January 2017, the Fifth Circuit directed the district court to fashion an interim remedy to ameliorate SB 14’s discriminatory effects before the November election, while avoiding any disruption of the election. The complex, 203-page opinion also vacated and remanded to the district court for further consideration certain other issues not argued in Milbank’s brief.


When I grow up I might be a crazy cat lady. Or maybe not. I currently have two house cats plus Bullet who comes and goes as he pleases (I make him stay inside at night). I also have a couple of barn cats.
If you don't have house cats, I bet you know someone who does. You might even want to ask for their empty buckets or jugs so you can try some of these ideas.
Litter Buckets
1. Livestock triage kit - I keep a limited first aid kit in the horse barn which holds vet wrap, scissors, rolled cotton, a thermometer, and leg wraps. (I keep bottles and jars of liniment and wound care products in the house so the contents aren't exposed to freezing temperatures or extreme heat.)
2. Kidding kit - this bucket holds all the supplies I might need during kidding season.
3. Container for plants - I asked hubby to drill holes in the bottom of half a dozen buckets so I could plant large plants in them. With the lids removed, they make great tomato and pepper plant containers. He drilled the holes along the bottom edge of the sides of the buckets so the water could drain more easily.
5. Harvest time - I fill buckets with plums, apples, blackberries and veggies when it's time to harvest. The buckets have handles so it's easy to carry them around. For short term storage I put the filled buckets in our spare room with the air conditioning vent wide open. If we had a basement, I'd use that instead.
6. Seat - an upside down bucket is a good spot to sit while working in the garden. (They are sturdier if you sit on the bottom instead of the top.) I keep my garden tools and gloves in this bucket too.
7. Pet food storage - for dog or cat food.
8. Birdseed storage - I love feeding the songbirds and have two big feeders in the yard. Half a bag of birdseed will fill both feeders, but I don't like to store the rest of the birdseed in the bag where mice can get into it.
9. Goat minerals - I buy goat minerals by the bag, so I pour it all into a bucket for storage.
10. Water bucket - I keep a bucket filled with water in the yard for the dogs to drink.
11. Holding place for screws, bolts, tools, etc. - when we dismantled a big metal shed in return for the materials, we took two buckets with us to hold the screws and other hardware as we removed them. The buckets are much more convenient than the zipper bags we used to use. We also took one along when we bought a used swingset.
12. Projects - hubby uses them to carry and hold tools he's using on a current project.
14. Miscellaneous storage - I have several buckets that hold the work gloves and rubber boots that our daughter and her husband use when they visit.
15. Winter wear - another bucket holds all of our scarves, mittens, winter work gloves, and so on that need to be stored over the summer.
16. Small toys such as Legos and blocks - when our youngest daughter was little she loved to play with Happy Meal® toys and Disney figures. She had quite a collection that outgrew every container we had until we gave them a bucket. The toys were lightweight and she could carry the bucket around by the handle.
Litter Jugs
17. I have several of these smaller litter containers hanging around too. I love these jugs for hauling water to the chickens, or for carrying hot water from the house to water troughs when needed in the winter.
19. Cutting the top off of the jugs yields a container for toys, necessities in the car, and more.
20. I use a jug to mix fly spray concentrate to refill the spray bottles for the horses. I keep it in the horse trailer and label it well for safety.
Painting Your Buckets
If you wish, you can paint the buckets with Krylon Fusion® spray paint for plastic, then decorate with acrylic paint. I used white paint on the buckets I used as plant containers and had to apply several coats to cover the logo, so a darker color might be a better choice. I've read that you can use methyl ethyl keytone (Butanone) to remove the printed label, but I haven't tried it. Actually I hadn't heard of the product before, so I looked it up - it's quite expensive in my opinion so painting is a better option for me.
Using chalkboard paint would allow you to label the buckets; I just use duct tape instead. Contact paper is another good option for covering up the printing on the buckets if that's important to you.
What would you store in cat litter buckets?
This post has been shared at some of my favorite blog hops.
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My hope is to inspire you, and to encourage your homesteading plans and your dreams of a simple, self-reliant, God-dependent life. You can follow me at:
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It's Not the Economy, Stupid
How can we be expected to grow and create jobs, many executives wonder, when we are shrinking?
Despite a slight easing on the unemployment rate, a quarter million Americans lost their jobs last month, and job prospects for those out of work look bleak for the foreseeable future. Policymakers and citizens alike are concerned with how we can reduce the rate of unemployment—no easy feat when balanced with the need to slash expenses.
However, focusing on unemployment is exactly the wrong thing to do. Yes, the numbers are staggering. But they only tell part of the story, and they do not offer a solution for relieving the economic chaos.
Instead, there is a more effective way to grow—a way that is free, does not rely on a government bailout, and has the potential for massive societal impact. American executives should turn to the 140 million who have jobs, and find practical ways to inspire them in their work, to empower them to innovate us out of a mess.
ENGAGE EMPLOYEES
Based on extensive, long-term research, Gallup has determined that less than 30% of the corporate workforce is truly engaged< in its work. That's less than 30% of employees who work with passion and feel a profound connection to their companies. Yet employee engagement leads to increased customer engagement, which leads to real revenues and, eventually, more job opportunities for others.
Unfortunately, it seems that amid the crush of an urgent economic reality, executives and managers have overlooked some elementary tasks, such as making sure employees know what is expected of them and allowing them to use their talents in their roles. Yet the need to engage employees better is especially crucial during a recession, when mantras such as "do more with less" can madden employees who must pick up extra duties after their colleagues are laid off, but who are offered no tangible financial incentive to innovate.
Engagement serves as an intangible incentive — one that can be more valuable than any money can provide.
LEARNING FROM BEST BUY
Take, for example, one store in the multibillion-dollar electronics retail chain, Best Buy. Executives evaluated employee engagement and discovered the store was middling at best. The poor score was affecting morale, employee turnover, and store profits.
After polling the employees for solutions, the management implemented some significant institutional changes, like a "team close," so all team members felt jointly responsible for the nightly store closing, and not just an unlucky few.
As a result of management's listening and making some bold decisions, employee engagement improved, and the store substantially lowered employee turnover and increased profits. Then, the changes were scaled across the 1,200-store chain. For every one-tenth-of-a-point increase in employee engagement, each Best Buy store increased profits by $100,000 a year.
So consider all of those who aren't inspired to put their hearts into their work. Worse, nearly 20% are "actively disengaged," trying to undermine others' productive work. This is not merely a caricature of Office Space or Dilbert. Tens of millions of people deliberately clock in every day with the intention of holding back U.S. corporations' ability to compete and innovate.
This is a shame—and yet it is an opportunity too.
Consider this a call to arms for all leaders. Imagine the results if we were to double employee engagement at our organizations within 18 months, from 30% to 60%. Through a disciplined effort to increase the connection and commitment of our employed workers, our organizations can innovate and create new solutions. This is the surest way to lower those devastating unemployment numbers. And we have no excuse—not even a bad economy.
Krisztina Holly is vice-provost for innovation and executive director of the USC Stevens Institute for Innovation at the University of Southern California. Jim Clifton is chairman and CEO of Gallup. Reprinted with permission.


When we praise a child, our wording can either be specific (e.g. “You did a good job drawing”) or generic (e.g. “You are a good drawer”). According to Andrei Cimpian and colleagues this subtle distinction can make a big difference to children's motivation when things go wrong.
The researchers played a kind of drawing game with 24 four-year-old children using hand-held puppets. The researchers controlled a 'teacher puppet' that asked the children's puppets to draw different objects. No drawing was actually performed, instead the children had to mime their puppet doing the drawing. For the first four drawings the researchers responded as if the drawings had been a success. Crucially, half the children were praised generically whereas the other children were praised non-generically. Then for the next two drawings, the researchers responded as though the children's puppets had failed to draw correctly (e.g. saying they had omitted wheels on a bus or ears on a cat). This was to see how the children responded to criticism. The children who had earlier been told they were good drawers responded badly to the criticism. They lost interest in the drawing and failed to come up with strategies to correct the drawing mistakes. By contrast, the children previously praised in a non-generic fashion, responded better to the criticism, and came up with ways to rectify the failed drawings. The idea is that if children are given generic praise – in this case being told they are a good drawer – this leads them to believe they have a stable, trait-like drawing ability. This belief turns to loss of morale when confronted with failure or criticism. By contrast, the non-generic praise, specific to a given episode, is rewarding without leading to false confidence. ___________________________________ Cimpian, A., Arce, H-M. C., Markman, E.M. & Dweck, C.S. (2007). Subtle linguistic cues affect children's motivation. Psychological Science, 18, 314-316. Post written by Christian Jarrett (@psych_writer) for the BPS Research Digest.


Critical Reflections is a process that leaders can use to help their groups learn lessons from key events, positive or negative. The basic process is short and simple. It begins with a key event and includes three stages: exploringreliving the event and sharing perceptions of what happened; reflectingreaching an understanding of how and why it happened; and projectingharvesting lessons for the future. The goal is to create a specific action plan that will set the stage for a productive future.


The movie Interstellar involves many interesting scientific concepts, including the fluidity of time. On Earth, time moves at the same speed for all of us – otherwise our watches would constantly need to change how fast they move. However, time can change in two specific scenarios.
If someone is moving significantly faster than us on Earth
If someone is under the effects of more gravity than us on Earth
Astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) experience this. As they orbit the Earth, the gravitational pull keeps them in orbit, and makes them move much faster than we are on Earth. As a result, they age less than us.
If the same astronauts wanted to head away from Earth at an extremely fast speed – near the speed of light – they would age slower than us during the trip. If the destination was an object with more significantly more gravity than the Earth – like a black hole – they would continue to age slower while under the effects of increased gravity.
That’s the genius of media – you can enjoy the adventure and emotion presented in the movie, and OPTIONALLY it can spark a light of curiosity that leads one to further research.
Shouldn't that be what science education is about?


What is saturated fat, and why are these two words surrounded by so much negative hype? Saturated fat can be described as one of the unhealthy fats our diet should strive to avoid (trans fat being the other). However, not all fats are the enemy; in fact, fat is an essential nutrient that our body depends upon to thrive. It is important to differentiate between the evil fats and the friendly fats: saturated is bad and promotes various health complications, while unsaturated is good and satisfies our body with vital nutrition. This should be easy to fathom; since saturated begins with an “s,” we can remember to stay away! How Does Saturated Fat Harm Our Health?
A saturated fatty acid is jam-packed with hydrogen and carbon atoms, making it a rigid compound that doesn’t bend or willingly combine with oxygen. Therefore, when this stubborn fat is consumed, it can clog our arteries and negatively affect our cholesterol levels and triglycerides, leading to numerous health issues including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer. Yikes!
How Can We Avoid Saturated Fats?
The only saturated fat food our heart approves of is the one we never eat. While it’s impossible to live a life free of all saturated fats, they should be consumed in extreme moderation! Avoid the following foods as much as possible:
Animal products (fatty meats) Butter Whole milk Ice cream (and other creams) Coconut oil
Remember, when you are out there on the nutritional battlefield, combat the saturated fats, and befriend the unsaturated fats!


FREE. EFFECTIVE. ONLINE.PERSONAL TRAINER ROUTINES.
Directions
Use a measuring tape to check your waist and hip measurements.
While standing relaxed, measure the smallest area around your waist. The smallest area is usually around the navel or belly button. After measuring, enter the number in the box labeled "waist".
Measure the largest area around your hips. The largest area is usually around your buttocks. After measuring, enter the number in the box labeled "hip". Caution: Do not pull the measuring tape tight around your waist or hips.
Click the Submit Button.
Your waist-hip ratio will appear in orange.
Waist to Hip Numbers - Stomach Fat is a Killer
Studies have found that fat around the abdominals and abdominal organs (visceral fat) or waist size, increases your odds of developing heart conditions and diabetes. This is a troubling find for men as they generally have a highly likelihood of developing heart disease and typically hold more body fat around their mid-sections. However, regardless of gender, “apple-shaped” people have a greater chance of developing diseases when compared to “pear-shaped’ individuals.
Love Handles Are Ok?
Studies found that “love handles” or subcutaneous body fat, defined as fat that you can pinch and is right under the skin, was not found significant for predicting future diseases. Waist size from solid visceral fat around the abdominal organs is the culprit to watch out for that can lead to heart risks. A waist size greater than 40 inches for men and 35 for women is believed to be problematic and may cause the production of specific reaction that change glucose and cholesterol metabolism.


On July 11, the NLRB continued the expansion of joint-employer liability set forth in
Browning-Ferris Industries, 362 NLRB No. 186 (Aug. 27, 2015) by eliminating the requirement that a union receive the consent of both the employer and its staffing agency when seeking to combine their employees into a single bargaining unit. Miller & Anderson, 364 NLRB No. 39 (July 11, 2016).
“User” employers contracting with staffing agencies for temporary employees should be on high alert for potential joint unionization activities. “User” employers should review and assess their level of control over significant terms and conditions of the “supplier” employees’ employment. If the user employer is deemed a “joint employer” of the agency employees, the NLRB will hold that a bargaining unit of both agency employees and direct employees is permissible. Additionally, “user” employers with unionized workforces should review their collective bargaining agreements to identify any provisions that might expose them to increased joint employer risk when engaging a “supplier” employer, especially with respect to wage violations by the staffing agency.
In 2012, the Sheet Metal Workers International Association (“SMWIA”) petitioned the Board to represent a bargaining unit consisting of sheet metal workers employed by Miller & Anderson, an electrical and mechanical contractor in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and temporary workers jointly employed by Miller & Anderson and Tradesmen International, a staffing service that supplies skilled construction workers. The Regional Director for Region 5 of the Board dismissed the petition, and SMWIA appealed.
The Board ruled 3-1 that a union seeking to organize a “mixed” bargaining unit consisting of temporary workers supplied by a staffing company (the “supplier”) and regular employees employed by the “user” employer – in this case, Miller & Anderson – is
not required to obtain the two employers’ consent prior to proceeding to an election, provided that (a) the user employer is a joint employer of the temporary workers and (b) the temporary workers and regular employees share a “community of interest.” Factors that can establish such a community of interest include the same supervision, hours, working conditions, and training.
This is another area in which the Board has flip-flopped . The decision in
Miller & Anderson is reversal of the Board’s ruling in Oakwood Care Center, 343 NLRB 659 (2004). Oakwood itself reversed M.B. Sturgis, Inc., 331 NLRB 1298 (2000), which held that such “mixed” unit elections could proceed absent consent from the user employer and its staffing company. Many employers engage staffing agencies to obtain temporary employees to supplement their own work forces. Under the Board’s more expansive standard for joint employers announced in Impact on Employers: Browning-Ferris, those “user” employers are more likely to be joint employers of the temporary employees if they possess or exert authority over their working conditions. Miller & Andersonnow makes it easier for those temporary workers to bargain alongside regular employees since employer consent is no longer required. Of course, the regular employees may prefer not to be joined with the temporary employees, as their interests may differ. Additionally, “user” employers face greater risk for unfair labor practices attributed to the “supplier” employer, along with the many other risks of being deemed a joint employer.


Discussion Paper series, Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 6304
Abstract:
We use experiments to test comparative statics predictions of canonical tournament theory. Both the roles of principal and agent are populated by human subjects, allowing us to test predictions for both incentive responses and optimal tournament design. Consistent with theory, we observed an incentive effect from raising the winner's prize. However, we also observed several empirical puzzles that appeared to contradict theory. Controlling for social preferences did not resolve the puzzles, although social preferences do influence behavior. It turns out that the puzzles can be explained by the canonical model once the textbook assumption of separable agent utility is relaxed.
Subjects:
tournaments experiment social preferences contract theory


Little Bundles – meeting the needs of those in difficult circumstances, including people who are homeless, fleeing domestic violence, or in financial hardship when they are expecting or caring for a baby.
Goodness, like kindness, is a positive quality that is expressed in actions that benefit others. It is marked by a spirit of generosity. (Acts 9:36, 39; 16:14, 15) But goodness involves something more. Goodness is moral excellence. It involves not just what we do but, more important, what we are. the goodness produced by holy spirit permeates a Christian’s entire way of life.—Eph. 5:8, 9


By the time we arrive at the Fourth Noble Truth, the Buddha offers us the medicine that helps to bring an end suffering. He teaches it as the Eightfold Path, a set of interdependent practices that help us to untangle the knots of greed, ignorance, and hatred. ...Read more ›
On our tour through the Four Noble Truths and how they translate to collective suffering, the first two have taken us into a thorough dissection of the nature of suffering. If we stopped there, it could be devastating. ...Read more ›
The first of the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths pointed to us the truth of suffering. Suffering needs to be recognized as such and faced head-on if we wish to truly alleviate it. Our efforts to deny it or indulge in sensory indulgences to distract ourselves from it will inevitably lead to more suffering. In the Second Noble Truth, the Buddha dives deeper to untangle the cause of this state of dukkha, this unsat ...Read more ›


Supervised Learning for Provenance-Similarity of Binaries Sagar Chaki, Cory Cohen, Arie Gurfinkel, Proceedings of the 17th ACM SIGKDD Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD), page 15-23, August 21-24, 2011. Abstract: Understanding, measuring, and leveraging the similarity of binaries (executable code) is a foundational challenge in software engineering. We present a notion of similarity based on provenance -- two binaries are similar if they are compiled from the same (or very similar) source code with the same (or similar) compilers. Empirical evidence suggests that provenance-similarity accounts for a significant portion of variation in existing binaries, particularly in malware. We propose and evaluate the applicability of classification to detect provenance-similarity. We evaluate a variety of classifiers, and different types of attributes and similarity labeling schemes, on two benchmarks derived from open-source software and malware respectively. We present encouraging results indicating that classification is a viable approach for automated provenance-similarity detection, and as an aid for malware analysts in particular.