Asthma Therapeutics Market in Major Developed Economies to reach $21.7 billion by 2020.
Summary: The report includes complete market forecast upto 2020 for the major developed economies. It also discusses Asthma Therapeutics in great detail with all the necessary pipeline analysis.
The asthma therapeutics market is forecast to grow marginally over the forecast period across the top eight developed nations, from $18.4 billion in 2013 to a projected value of $21.7 billion by 2020 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 2.4%.
Browse Detailed TOC, Tables, Figures, Charts and Companies Mentioned in Asthma Therapeutics In Major Developed Markets To 2020 - Personalized Treatment For Severe Asthma To Drive Market Growth Despite Patent Expirations at- http://www.marketreportsworld.com/asthma-therapeutics-in-major-developed-markets-to-2020-personalized-treatment-for-severe-asthma-to-drive-market-growth-despite-patent-expirations-10070377
This is in spite of generic erosion facing several of the leading asthma brands, such as Advair (fluticasone propionate/salmeterol xinafoate), Symbicort (budesonide/formoterol fumarate) and Xolair (omalizumab), and is a consequence of new market entrants and rising disease prevalence.
The global prevalence of asthma is significant, believed to affect approximately 300 million people worldwide. This burden is predicted to increase in future, reaching 400 million by 2025.
Although the majority of asthma patients are able to manage their symptoms effectively using currently marketed products, some remain inadequately controlled with these same products. This unmet need, coupled with rising global prevalence, has resulted in strong industry interest.
Consequently, the current asthma pipeline is highly innovative, featuring several promising molecules in late-stage drug development. Biologics and monoclonal antibodies, the latter in particular, are gaining prominence within the indication. Novel monoclonal antibodies such...


Our Michigan No-Fault Insurance lawyers often file claims on behalf of our injured clients for Attendant Care Service benefits. These benefits provide for payment to individuals (even family members) or agencies who assist and supervise a car accident victim during the period of recovery after the accident. These benefits are considered a medical benefit and can last years and even a lifetime.
Many times, the auto insurance company will pay the benefit but will grossly underpay a fair wage to for the provider. The amount of benefit can vary from $10.00/hour up to $25.00/hour (or even more) depending on the type of injury suffered and the level of services. When an insurance company is underpaying for these benefits. we often sue the insurance company to make them pay the fair rate in the future and to recover the underpayments in the past. These claims are often substantial.
We handle Michigan No Fault Insurance cases in Adrian, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Bay City, Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Canton, Clinton Township, Dearborn, Detroit, Eastpointe, East Lansing, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Flint, Garden City, Grand Rapids, Grosse Pointe, Hazel Park, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Lansing, Marquette, Midland, Monroe, Mount Clements, Muskegon, Novi, Oak Park, Okemos Owosso, Pontiac, Port Huron, Portage, Rochester, Roseville, Royal Oak, Saginaw, St. Clair Shores, Shelby Township, Southtgate, Southfield, Sterling Heights, Taylor, Troy, Utica, Warren, Waterford, Westland, Wyoming, Ypsilanti, Zeeland Alcona County, Alger County, Allegan County, Alpena County, Atrim County, Arenac County, Baraga County, Barry County, Bay County, Benzie County, Berrien County, Branch County, Calhoun County, Cass County, Charlevoix County, Cheboygan County, Chippewa County, Clare, County, Clinton County, Crawford County, Delta County, Dickinson County, Eaton County, Emmet County, Gladwin County, Genesee, Gogebic County, Grand Traverse County, Gratiot County, Hillsdale County, Houghton County, Huron County, Ingham County, Ionia County, Iosco County, Iron County, Isabella County, Jackson County, Kalamazoo County, Kalkaska County, Kent County, Keweenaw County, Lake County, Lapeer County, Leelanau County, Lenawee County, Livingston County, Luce County, Mackinac County, Macomb County, Manistee County, Marquette County, Mason County, Mecosta County, Menominee County, Midland County, Missaukee County, Montcalm County, Montmorency County, Muskegon County, Monroe County, Newaygo County, Oakland County, Oceana County, Ogemaw County ,Ontonagon County, Osceola County, Oscoda County, Otsego County, Presque Isle County, Ottawa County, Roscommon County, Saginaw County, Saint Joseph County, Sanilac County, Schoolcraft County, Shiawassee County, St. Clair County, Tuscola County, Van Buren County, Washtenaw County, Wayne County, Wexford County and all Michigan cities and counties.


It is no secret that many who have purchased timeshares no longer wish to own them for a variety of reasons. One major reason is the obligation to pay a yearly maintenance fee, even if you don't use your timeshare. Those fees often rise considerably over time.
According to the National Timeshare Owners Association (NTOA), the average annual maintenance fee at the end of 2014 in the U.S. was $881. According to Gregory Crist, the association's CEO: "As a timeshare owner, you are legally required to pay that fee. Otherwise, if you default, you can be taken to court, and a judgment will be entered against you along with foreclosure proceedings."
What are your realistic...


FieldConnex® Surge Protectors are available for process plants at high risk for lightning strikes or other voltage surges. The fieldbus and all instrumentation can be protected with surge protectors:
Depending on intensity and frequency of lightning strikes, surge protectors may lose functionality after one or several hundred voltage spikes. Certainly after each lightning strike and at least annually, surge protector functionality requires validation. Validation is often a manual and labor-intensive process. This work can be eliminated entirely with FieldConnex® Surge Protectors.
FieldConnex® Surge Protectors are available with optional integrated diagnostics. They indicate the end of their useful life via Advanced Diagnostics. A message in the control room indicates the affected spur. The LED of the surge protector indicates locally, which module requires replacement.
Additional engineering for implementation is not required where fieldbus is equipped with the Advanced Diagnostic Module and diagnostic-enabled Segment Protectors.
An additional wiring level is omitted with this type of surge protector. The surge protectors can be retrofitted to most fieldbus installations with FieldConnex® Segment Protectors, e.g. Type R2-SP*).
Options permit
all installation and maintenance rules. Versions enable or disallow exchange under live conditions. The screen can be connected to ground hard or via gas discharge tubes supporting all common shielding techniques:


Men say some remarkable things when you ask them why they are overweight. Here's a sampling of some of my husband's responses over the years:
I'm not overweight, you're just skinny. I'm a big guy. I can't help it if I have a hearty appetite. It's inherited. I have big bones. Being chunky was my family's way of showing how well off they were—this isn't fat, it's a symbol of success. This is protection. I never catch a cold; I haven't been sick in years; I must be doing something right. Do you think I'm fat?
All this from a man with an IQ of almost 200!
]? you'll look at his statements, you'll note that he either denies that he's even got a problem or rationalizes that it's not beyond his control. He could lose, he thinks, if he set his mind to it. Most revealing was his observation that he has a hearty appetite.
Obviously he does. You don't get to weigh 240 pounds without one. But the underlying message I finally coaxed out of him (why is it that women have to beg their men to verbalize?) was that he considered it unthinkable to stop eating, or to leave the table, when he was still "hungry." (See page 38 Appetite vs. Hunger.)
*19/243/1*


In Acts 17, Paul provides a model for the framework of engaging our culture as we share the truth of Christ. Paul witnessed the glory of God degraded by idolatry, but did not condemn the people. Instead, he explained the truth of God as Creator and Sustainer of life, who cannot be enshrined by human hands. Alistair Begg encourages us to be relevant in the culture, but committed to the truth of God’s Word.
When The Church Was Young
Contemporary churchgoers may find themselves considering the early days of the Christian church with fond nostalgia. However, in reading through Luke’s account in Acts, we find that the early Church was not a group of elite Christians. Instead, they wrestled with the very same challenges that face the twenty-first century Church today.
In this series, Alistair Begg traces a line from the first century Church to the twenty-first century Church by examining issues such as our alienation from God, our tendency to present a cheapened Gospel, the juxtaposition of divine predestination and human free will, our culture’s obsession with idolatry, and God's ultimate power to save. We learn that the early Christians devoted themselves to the teaching of God’s Word and the spreading of the Gospel by depending on the Holy Spirit, and we are encouraged to hold firmly to the truth of Christ’s saving work as we engage our communities.


LogRhythm, The Security Intelligence Company, has announced the launch of its Threat Intelligence Ecosystem, the industry’s first collective of threat intelligence vendors focused on delivering unprecedented security intelligence via a next-generation security analytics and intelligence platform. The inaugural partners of the ecosystem – CrowdStrike, Norse, Symantec, ThreatStream and Webroot – have joined forces with LogRhythm to collaboratively deliver unparalleled visibility and insight to detect today’s sophisticated, high-risk cyber threats. LogRhythm’s Threat Intelligence Ecosystem represents many of the market’s leading commercial vendors of threat intelligence, each employing a variety of differentiated methods and techniques for successfully acquiring, assessing and verifying their threat intelligence.
Detecting and responding to today’s increasingly sophisticated cyber threats requires pervasive, enterprise-wide visibility and advanced machine analytics, tied with rich external context in the form of relevant, accurate and actionable threat intelligence. This threat intelligence includes data such as low reputation IP addresses and URLs, nefarious email addresses, file names, processes and user agent strings. LogRhythm’s Threat Intelligence Ecosystem enables its award-winning security analytics platform to seamlessly and automatically consume and leverage each ecosystem partner’s unique intelligence. The ecosystem allows customers to choose one or many security intelligence sources, enabling LogRhythm’s platform to deliver faster detection of and response to high-risk cyber threats for mutual customers.
In conjunction with the launch of its Threat Intelligence Ecosystem, LogRhythm has released a corresponding Threat Intelligence Security Analytics Suite to ensure that the threat data unique to each ecosystem partner is accurately captured and recognized by LogRhythm’s Security Intelligence Platform. Mutual customers benefit from LogRhythm’s ability to collect and process all of an organization’s log, flow, event and other machine data, as well as LogRhythm’s endpoint, server and network forensic sensor data, to not only identify activities associated with threat intel, but automatically prioritize incidents corroborated with other high risk events recognized across the IT environment.
This pervasive visibility, combined with the rich context provided by one or more Threat Intelligence Ecosystem partners, enables LogRhythm’s Security Intelligence Platform to deliver even faster detection of and response to cyber threats, driving down false positives and reducing meantime to remediate threats.


Parents provide children with both genes (nature) and linguistic input (nurture). A growing body of research demonstrates that individual differences in childrens language are correlated with differences in parental speech. Although this suggests a causal link between parental input and the pace of language development, these correlations could reflect effects of shared genes on language, rather than a causal link between input and outcome. We explored effects of maternal input on English vocabulary development in internationally-adopted (IA) childrena population with no genetic confound. IA preschoolers demonstrated some of the same correlations with input as in previous studies; specifically, measures of input quality were significantly correlated with vocabulary. However, IA infants did not demonstrate this pattern. Differences between the age groups may be related to the pace of acquisition; more rapid vocabulary development in the preschoolers suggests that access to, and childrens ability to make use of input, may be a limiting factor for the infants.


I present a study on the morphological complexity of six European languages. A theory-free measure of the complexity of a language's inflectional morphology, is derived from Gell-Mann's concept of Effective Complexity. Using a parallel corpus, I show that disconsidering word order information results in the classical gradation of inflectional complexity: Languages in which words have more inflected variants seem to be more complex than languages with fewer variants. It also appears that the presence of the inflectional system increases the complexity of languages. However, when word order information is explicitly considered, the apparent gradation in complexity across languages vanishes. Furthermore, it becomes clear that the presence of inflections reduces the overall complexity of languages. In sum, inflection is used whenever its presence simplifies a language's description. Inflectional morphology is not a capricious feature, as some argue, but rather an effective tool for complexity reduction.


ABSTRACT This article draws from fieldwork conducted with the staff, volunteers and recipients of programs run by NGOs in Morrumbala, a rural district in central Mozambique. During the Mozambican conflict in the 1980s and early 1990s, a majority of district residents lived in refugee camps in Malawi. This article explores how recipients and volunteers draw on nostalgic memories of humanitarian experience in Malawi to critique and make claims on the humanitarian regimes that now provide services in Morrumbala. Anthropological literature has shown that refugee experience can be central to processes of political subjectification, becoming the grounds through which claims are articulated on neoliberal regimes of rights and services. These memories, and the nostalgic humanitarian lexicon they deploy, point to the historicity of humanitarian experience. As Morrumbala residents engage new configurations of aid and welfare today, the afterlives of previous interventions also allow for ambivalent and critical engagements with humanitarian practice in the present.


As their name suggests, snowmobiles are designed to travel on snow and ice. These vehicles are typically driven on open terrain like frozen lakes and trails. Much like a motorcycle, snowmobiles are designed for one driver and one passenger. The vehicles simply boast an engine, windshield, and skis, which provide balance and directional control. Operating on tracks, snowmobiles are mainly employed by hunters and workers. However, snowmobiles are now common recreational vehicles as well. Enthusiasts participate in races, ride trails, and even climb mountains.
Early snowmobiles used rubber tracks and two stroke engines. Today, most new models boast Kelvar composite tracks, and some manufacturers like Alpina Snowmobiles and Yamaha design the vehicles with four stroke engines. These engines are more environmentally friendly because they emit fewer toxins into the air. Other manufacturers are also becoming more environmentally conscious, successfully designing two stroke engines that pollute less.
Because rubber tracks and pollutant-heavy two stroke engines are becoming outdated, mechanics and home users might consider purchasing used snowmobile parts to update an existing snowmobile. Other commonly-needed used snowmobile parts include the seat, the speedometer, intake boots, and reed valves.
Used parts are advantageous for numerous reasons. They are cost effective. A new four stroke engine might cost thousands. By contrast, used parts and engine conversion kits are much more affordable, while a used four stroke engines costing even less. Additionally, one might use salvage parts to keep a vintage snowmobile running. Others might want to modernize their older, outdated vehicles.
Used snowmobiles can be acquired quickly and easily via autobidmaster.com. However, the online site does not carry individual parts. In fact, autobidmaster.com brokers entire salvage vehicles, including snowmobiles, from Copart Auto Auctions. Buying entire salvage snowmobiles might be even more advantageous than purchasing parts individually. Just like individual used parts, salvage snowmobiles are cheaper than new models. As discussed, often snowmobile aficionados seek to refurbish vintage vehicle models. Buying a salvage snowmobile might provide all the used parts one needs for rebuilding vintage makes.
By contrast, many salvage snowmobiles are in like-new condition. These vehicles might be more appropriate for dealerships and mechanics, who service newer snowmobile models. Specifically, salvage snowmobiles might contain parts to covert a two stroke engine, make a two stroke engine more efficient, or come equipped with a near mint condition four stroke engine altogether.
One popular way to obtain salvage snowmobiles is through online sources, like autobidmaster.com. This site facilitates salvage auctions which occur online. Aside from convenience, buying a salvage snowmobile is cost efficient. The vehicle can be delivered to one’s home, shop, or dealership for an affordable price, quickly and easily.
Online auto auctions via autobidmaster.com are also advantageous because one does not have to physically visit salvage yards, searching for snowmobile parts. In this way, one saves time, energy, and transportation costs. Finally, buying an entire salvage snowmobile saves mechanics and dealerships effort. With the complete vehicle, one has a plethora of parts available on hand, ensuring that one has a constant and stocked supply of parts.
Facilitated by autobidmaster.com, one can find salvage snowmobiles at an affordable rate. To start now, click the above blog header!


Less than a fifth (19.4%) of white British boys eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) - a measure of poverty - were awarded at least five C grades, including English and maths, in their GCSEs this year.
In comparison more than half (51%) of white British boys not eligible for the meals attained five A -C grades, including the two core subjects - a gap of 31.6 percentage points.
This gap has widened from 29.8 percentage points in 2006.
And half (50.9%) of teenagers overall achieved this standard in the summer - a gap of 31.5 percentage points.
This attainment gap has grown from 30.2 percentage points in 2006.
Today's figures, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) give a breakdown of GCSE achievement by gender, ethnicity and eligibility for FSM.
The statistics show that all teenagers who are eligible for the free dinners are still far behind their richer classmates.
Just over a quarter (26.9%) of pupils eligible for FSM scored at least five C grades, including English and maths, compared to 54.4% of those not eligible for the meals.
This achievement gap of 27.5 percentage points, has narrowed slightly from 28.1 percentage points in 2006.Reuse content


The project, which reached financial close in March, will use a combination of 4MW wind, 1MW solar and 0.5MWh battery storage to help the remote town of Coober Pedy reduce its dependence on diesel fuel.
The system will be integrated with an existing diesel power station, owned by EDL.
Construction of the project is set to begin in September, with full operations due in the second half of 2017. It is Senvion's first off-grid supply contract.
The project has received A$18.4 million ($13.7 million) in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena), a government backed organisation supporing the development of new systems to commercialisation.
"In off-grid locations, renewable energy has unique advantages over fossil fuels. Many remote Australian communities rely on diesel generators that are expensive to run and create uncertainty due to the volatility of fuel prices. While diesel prices have dropped in the last two years, prices are expected to rise again in the long-term," Arena said.
Arena CEO Ivor Frishknecht said: "This is a next-generation off-grid project, taking advantage of advanced renewable and enabling technologies that have already been successfully trialled at off-grid locations such as King Island."
Earlier this year Senvion's OEM rival Gamesa unveiled a new offgrid system combining wind with solar and battery storage in Spain.


When taking warfarin it is important to consider diet and maintaining a consistent amount of Vitamin K in your diet as much as you are able. Foods rich in Vitamin K can impede the effectiveness of warfarin and cause fluctuations in your ILR. Have you ever taken warfarin alongside a herbal remedy and experienced adverse effects? If you have, and are happy to share your story for a potential media opportunity to help raise awareness, please email a brief account to andrew@afa.org.uk. Thank you.
**If you wish to make major changes to your diet or start taking a ‘health supplement’, discuss this with your doctor or the clinic which monitors your warfarin therapy.


Abstract
D1 and D2 dopamine receptors are structurally homologous G protein–coupled receptors that serve distinct physiological functions both in neurons and nonneural cell types. We have observed that these receptors are selectively endocytosed in HEK293 cells by distinct dynamin-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Although these endocytic mechanisms operate with similarly rapid kinetics, they differ in their regulation by agonist and deliver D1 and D2 receptors specifically to different primary endocytic vesicles. After this segregation into different endocytic membranes, both D1 and D2 receptors recycle to the plasma membrane. Similar results are observed in Neuro2A neuroblastoma cells coexpressing both receptors at high levels. These findings establish that “classical” dynamin-dependent and “alternative” dynamin-independent endocytic mechanisms differ in their physiological regulation, sort structurally homologous signaling receptors in the plasma membrane, and mediate distinct early endocytic pathways leading to recycling endosomes. Our results also refute the previous hypothesis that dynamin-independent endocytosis targets G protein–coupled receptors selectively to lysosomes, and they suggest a new role of endocytic sorting mechanisms in physically segregating structurally homologous signaling receptors at the cell surface.


Unlike some other canine conditions, the signs of anemia can be relatively subtle. Anemia, or lack of sufficient red blood cells, ranges from mild to severe. Although a seriously affected dog appears ill, mildly affected dogs might just seem "not quite right." Your vet checks your dog's blood for anemia at his annual checkup, but bring your dog in for an examination if he's not quite right.
Anemia
Your dog's bone marrow produces red blood cells, which bring oxygen to his body's tissues. Cells circulate throughout his body for about 60 days, and parts of old red blood cells are recycled by the bone marrow to form fresh ones. Anemia results from various factors, including trauma, poor nutrition, severe parasite infestation, hypothyroidism, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal ulcers, cancer and toxin exposure.
Symptoms
Normally, your dog's gums should appear a healthy pink. If they're pale, that's a good indication that he's anemic. If your usually active dog becomes lethargic, no longer eager to play or go out for exercise, he could be anemic. He might lose his appetite and get thinner. Seriously affected dogs experience rapid breathing and pulse rates. Dogs with hemolytic anemia, when hemoglobin from red blood cells breaks down too quickly and accumulates in the body, appear jaundiced and might pass dark urine. However, mildly affected dogs might not show any obvious symptoms. Your vet will diagnose anemia after receiving the results of your pet's blood test.
Diagnosis
Your vet takes a blood sample from your dog and conducts a packed cell volume test, usually as part of a complete blood count. This test indicates the amount of red blood cells in your pet's bloodstream. A normal percentage ranges from 39 to 60 percent. If the percentage is lower than normal, your dog is anemic. Additional tests include a urinalysis, biochemical profile, fecal parasite examination and a blood smear. The latter test shows whether the bone marrow is still producing new red blood cells. Dogs with severe anemia might require a bone marrow biopsy. Once a cause is found, treatment can begin.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the low red blood cell count. Severely anemic dogs might require an emergency blood transfusion. While iron deficiency often causes anemia in people, it's relatively rare in canines, with the exception of inadequately fed puppies. Prognosis also depends on the cause. For example, anemia resulting from parasite infestation usually resolves quickly once a dog is dewormed or treated for fleas. Anemia resulting from a malignancy doesn't have a good prognosis if the cancer has metastasized.
References Photo Credits Janie Airey/Lifesize/Getty Images


The Commerce Department has appointed 21 new and returning members to the eight regional fishery management councils, which are key partners with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service in determining how ocean fisheries are managed.
The councils, established by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, prepare fishery management plans for marine fish stocks in their regions. The councils fulfill the act’s charge to end and prevent overfishing and rebuild fish stocks to ensure sustainable fisheries. NOAA’s Fisheries Service works closely with the councils during plan development and also reviews, approves and implements the management plans developed by the councils. The Pacific Council appointees are Richard H. Lincoln (Wash.) for the obligatory seat and Jeffrey N. Feldner (Ore.) for the at-large seat.
The North Pacific Council includes John J. Henderschedt (Wash.) and Eric A. Olson (Alaska) for obligatory seats. The Western Pacific Council appoints David G. Itano (Hawaii) Frederick M. Rice (Hawaii) for at-large seats and Richard B. Seman (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) for an obligatory seat.
Council members represent diverse constituents, including commercial and recreational fisheries, environmental interests and academia. Each year, the Secretary of Commerce selects approximately one-third of the total of 72 appointed members to the eight regional councils. Twenty-one are being named or reappointed for the next term, which begins on August 11.


Waking up when it suits you: SleepTracker alarm watch
September 11, 2007 Have you ever noticed that on some mornings you wake up more easily than others? These are the mornings when you wake up in the light, "almost awake-time" of your sleep cycle. The bad groggy mornings are when you have awakened from the deep sleep part of the sleep cycle. We've previously encountered technology that takes advantage of this phenomena in the form of the aXbo "sleep phase alarm clock" and now there's the wrist worn SleepTracker personal alarm watch. The SleepTracker tracks sleep cycles and allows you to set your "wake-up" time to coincide with moments of light sleep, meaning you wake up feeling more alert.
The average adult experiences 4-5 full sleep cycles over an 8-hour period. Each cycle lasts about 90-110 minutes and comprises five different stages. No two people have the same sleep cycles, and nobody has the same cycle twice. Many factors can influence sleep cycles, including diet, exercise, medications, drugs or alcohol, stress, sleep disorders, and sleep deprivation. Age and gender can play a role, too: women tend to sleep more soundly than men, and as we age, we sleep more restlessly.
The SleepTracker continuously monitors signals from your body that indicate whether you are asleep or awake and its internal sensors detect even the most subtle physical signals from your body to find your best waking moments. Once you set its alarm window, it monitors your sleep cycles for optimal waking moments during the preset alarm window and finds those almost awake-moments (which can be multiple during the sleep cycle alarm window) and gently wakes you when you're most alert.
The standard SleepTracker is now available for US$149.00


The Budget, to be presented by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on July 10, will give the country a glimpse of how the government plans to use its resources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to focus on promoting economic growth in a swift manner.
One of the main drivers and indicators of a government’s economy is its capital market. The Budget presents a great opportunity for reforms in retail, FDI, and FII participation in both the equity, and futures and options segments.


Oscarline Onwuemenyi 29 September 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) disclosed on Wednesday that the country has recorded losses to the tune of $200 billion for failing to pass an enabling law for the petroleum industry.
A statement signed by NEITI Director of Communications, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, noted that some of the losses were projected investments due to regulatory uncertainty.
Orji said that clear unambiguous rules, predictable policy-making, and efficient regulations had been lacking in Nigeria’s petroleum sector since the process of enacting a law for the sector commenced.
He said that NEITI 2013 audit of the oil and gas sector showed that $10.4 billion and N378.7 billion (i.e. N3.2 trillion at the current exchange rate) were lost.
According to him, the losses were attributable to under-remittance, underpayments, inefficiencies, theft or absence of clear fiscal regime in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Orji noted that the losses had also been huge in economic terms on Nigeria’s foreign reserves and value of the Naira due to imports of over $26.4 billion worth of refined petroleum products.
The NEITI official said Nigeria’s oil and gas sector had continued deteriorating due to insufficient laws governing the industry.
Orji added that Nigeria’s experience was in contrast to Ghana’s experience since it passed its own law and despite Ghana’s relative newness to oil and gas production. He, therefore, urged Nigeria to learn from the passing of the petroleum law in Ghana’s oil and gas sector.


UK business spend on IT is on the up, according to the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
In the first six months of 2005, private-sector companies splurged £2.3bn on software and £3.4bn on hardware. That represents 18% and 1.8% increases respectively compared to the same period last year.
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Meanwhile, a Forrester Research study reports that the economy and IT spending remains "bullish" in the US.
The analyst's quarterly poll monitors the business confidence of 151 US CIOs whose confidence in IT spending and expectations was high in the second quarter. However, Forrester warns that Hurricane Katrina could impact expectations for the rest of the year.
Some 86% reported a strong or very strong business climate in the third quarter - up 16% from the previous quarter. A healthy majority of CIOs (86%) believed the business climate would carry on improving throughout 2006.


1. Anaphylaxis (Anaphylactic Shock) 2. Food Hypersensitivity (Food Allergy) 3. Peanut Hypersensitivity (Peanut Allergy) 4. Hypersensitivity (Allergy) 5. Infection
1. Burks, A Wesley: 25 articles (05/2015 - 01/2002) 2. Sampson, Hugh A: 25 articles (05/2015 - 05/2002) 3. Wood, Robert A: 17 articles (05/2015 - 07/2003) 4. Lack, Gideon: 12 articles (05/2015 - 03/2003) 5. Sicherer, Scott H: 11 articles (05/2015 - 07/2003) 6. Jones, Stacie M: 10 articles (05/2015 - 08/2009) 7. Turcanu, Victor: 8 articles (05/2015 - 04/2010) 8. Sampson, H A: 8 articles (06/2013 - 07/2000) 9. Dreskin, Stephen C: 7 articles (05/2015 - 12/2010) 10. Li, Xiu-Min: 7 articles (12/2014 - 07/2003)
1. Immunoglobulin E (IgE)IBA
05/01/2012 - "Individuals with peanut allergy showed significantly greater IgE binding and broader epitope diversity than did peanut-tolerant individuals. "
06/01/2002 - "Improved screening for peanut allergy by the combined use of skin prick tests and specific IgE assays."
04/01/2015 - "IgE recognition patterns in peanut allergy are age dependent: perspectives of the EuroPrevall study."
01/01/2013 - "The aim of this study was to examine the possible association between peanut allergen IgE components and severity of clinical reactions in patients with a history of peanut allergy. "
01/01/2012 - "Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-RCTs or controlled clinical trials involving children or adults with clinical features indicative of IgE-mediated peanut allergy treated with allergen-specific OIT, compared with control group receiving either placebo or no treatment, were eligible for inclusion. "
2. hypoxanthine arabinoside (ara-H)IBA
02/01/2008 - "Alleviating peanut allergy using genetic engineering: the silencing of the immunodominant allergen Ara h 2 leads to its significant reduction and a decrease in peanut allergenicity."
10/01/2015 - "Ara h 2 and Ara 6 are the best predictors of severe peanut allergy: a double-blind placebo-controlled study."
12/01/2004 - "We sought to study the occurrence of peanut allergy in patients allergic to birch pollen and characterized the Bet v 1-homologous peanut allergen Ara h 8. Recombinant Ara h 8 was cloned with degenerated primers and expressed in Escherichia coli. "
11/01/2015 - "Utility of Ara h 2 sIgE levels to predict peanut allergy in Canadian children."
11/01/2015 - "These findings suggest a method for use of the seed aspartic protease in reducing peanut allergy due to Ara h 1. "
3. AllergensIBA
11/01/2004 - "Improved understanding of the molecular structure of the major peanut allergens and the peanut-specific immune response has lead to significant diagnostic and therapeutic advances in the study of peanut allergy."
06/01/2000 - "The development of improved methods for diagnosis and treatment of peanut allergies requires a better understanding of the structure of the allergens. "
11/01/2015 - "These allergens need to be discovered to allow estimation of the allergenic risk for patients with peanut allergy and to further improve diagnostic measures. "
01/01/2013 - "For this reason, the information available on peanut allergens is increasing and the debate about peanut allergy is always renewed. "
01/01/2013 - "This fact has originated the publication of an elevated number of scientific reports dealing with peanut allergens and, especially, the prevalence of peanut allergy. "
4. Proteins (Proteins, Gene)IBA
11/01/2015 - "The proteins were able to activate basophils of patients with peanut allergy. "
11/01/2015 - "Proteins were studied by using SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with sera from patients with peanut allergy. "
01/01/2015 - "We determined the individual contribution of peanut proteins to B, T cell and allergic effector responses in a mouse model for peanut allergy. "
09/01/2014 - "Loss of allergenic proteins during boiling explains tolerance to boiled peanut in peanut allergy."
03/01/2014 - "Sensitizing potential of enzymatically cross-linked peanut proteins in a mouse model of peanut allergy."
5. AntibodiesIBA
02/01/2012 - "The aim of the study was to evaluate the basophil allergen threshold sensitivity (CD-sens) and antibodies to peanut allergen components in relation to DBPCFC in the diagnoses of peanut allergy in children. "
05/01/2013 - "We measured concentration and avidity of antibodies to 12 pneumococcal serotypes in 78 children aged 0.6-18 years with recurrent bacterial respiratory infections, and in 80 individuals who were being tested for peanut allergy, ages 0.4-15 years, serving as a comparison group. "
03/01/2008 - "Remission of peanut allergy can be predicted by low levels of IgE antibodies to peanut in the first 2 years of life or decreasing levels of IgE sensitization by the age of 3 years."
10/01/2004 - "The aim of the study was to investigate the development of peanut hypersensitivity in children and adolescents with specific IgE antibodies to peanut, using questionnaires and current serum tests and comparing it to information obtained 5-6 yr earlier, to investigate how peanut intake during this period related to subject age, IgE antibody levels and symptoms and to investigate what information this patient group was given at the time of diagnosis regarding avoidance of peanut related food. "
07/01/2015 - "Only limited evidence is available regarding the cytokine repertoire of effector T cells associated with peanut allergy, and how these responses relate to IgE antibodies to peanut components. "
6. Carbon MonoxideIBA
08/01/2013 - "I argue that the peanut allergy epidemic was co-constructed through interactions between experts, publics, biomedical categories, and institutions, while social reactions to the putative epidemic expanded the sphere of surveillance and awareness of peanut allergy risk. "
05/01/2013 - "In the therapeutic model, co-administration of type B ODN plus peanut proteins was highly effective in reducing anaphylactic reactions in mice with established peanut allergy. "
7. Pepsin A (Pepsin)IBA
08/01/1999 - "In contrast, pepsin-digested peanut induced significant T-cell proliferation responses (stimulation index = 30) in vitro in PBMCs from 7 subjects with peanut allergy, albeit at lower levels than that induced by intact peanut (stimulation index = 66). "
08/01/1999 - "Western blot analysis of sera from 5 subjects with peanut allergy showed multiple IgE-reactive proteins in crude intact peanut extract that were eliminated after pepsin treatment of the peanut extract. "
8. HLA-DR Antigens (HLA-DR)IBA
01/01/2015 - "Here we conduct the first genome-wide association study of well-defined FA, including specific subtypes (peanut, milk and egg) in 2,759 US participants (1,315 children and 1,444 parents) from the Chicago Food Allergy Study, and identify peanut allergy (PA)-specific loci in the HLA-DR and -DQ gene region at 6p21.32, tagged by rs7192 (P=5.5 × 10(-8)) and rs9275596 (P=6.8 × 10(-10)), in 2,197 participants of European ancestry. "
12/01/2015 - "However, a recent large genomewide association study of patients with peanut allergy and their family members found 2 PA-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs9275596 and rs7192) mapping to regions involving the HLA-DR and HLA-DQ genes. "
12/01/2015 - "Early studies using candidate gene approaches found associations between PA and HLA-DR and -DQ alleles (HLA-DRB1*08 and DQB1*06:03P) when comparing subjects with peanut allergy with nonallergic unrelated control groups. "
10/01/2015 - "In addition, HLA-DR and HLA-DQ gene region variants appear to play a role in peanut allergy, although no studies have yet assessed their susceptibility to environmental cues. "
9. omalizumab (Xolair)FDA Link
05/01/2011 - "A phase II, randomized, double‑blind, parallel‑group, placebo‑controlled oral food challenge trial of Xolair (omalizumab) in peanut allergy."
12/01/2013 - "Among children with high-risk peanut allergy, treatment with omalizumab may facilitate rapid oral desensitization and qualitatively improve the desensitization process."
11/01/2012 - "Subjects with peanut allergy were treated with omalizumab for 6 months and assessed for clinical and cellular responses. "
11/01/2012 - "Kinetics of mast cell, basophil, and oral food challenge responses in omalizumab-treated adults with peanut allergy."
11/01/2012 - "In subjects with peanut allergy, the basophil response appears to mitigate against the ability of omalizumab to improve the patient's tolerance of oral allergen."
10. filaggrinIBA
03/01/2011 - "Filaggrin loss-of-function mutations showed a strong and significant association with peanut allergy in the food challenge-positive patients (P = 3.0 × 10(-6); odds ratio, 5.3; 95% CI, 2.8-10.2), and this association was replicated in the Canadian study (P = 5.4 × 10(-5); odds ratio, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.4-2.6). "
10/01/2015 - "Environmental peanut exposure has been associated with increased peanut allergy risk in individuals with filaggrin null mutations, consistently with sensitization occurring through a damaged skin barrier. "
10/01/2014 - "Filaggrin (FLG) loss-of-function mutations lead to an impaired skin barrier associated with peanut allergy. "
10/01/2014 - "Peanut allergy: effect of environmental peanut exposure in children with filaggrin loss-of-function mutations."
03/01/2011 - "To investigate the association between filaggrin loss-of-function mutations and peanut allergy. "
1. Immunotherapy
01/01/2005 - "The development of safe and effective immunotherapy for peanut allergy has been complicated by the high anaphylactic potential of native peanut extracts. "
04/12/2014 - "Small studies suggest peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) might be effective in the treatment of peanut allergy. "
05/01/2013 - "A model of peanut allergy in C3H/HeJ mice was used to assess whether type A, B, or C CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) molecules would be effective in: (i) a prophylactic approach to prevent peanut allergy when administered simultaneously with a Th2-skewing adjuvant, and (ii) a therapeutic model to allow for shortened immunotherapy. "
05/01/2015 - "Although promising results have emerged regarding oral immunotherapy (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) for the treatment of peanut allergy (PA), direct comparisons of these approaches are limited. "
11/01/2014 - "Assessing the Efficacy of Oral Immunotherapy for the Desensitisation of Peanut Allergy in Children (STOP II): A Phase 2 Randomised Controlled Trial."
2. Therapeutics
06/01/2013 - "This review discusses recent advances in molecular diagnostic techniques for peanut allergy and highlights advances in peanut allergy therapeutics, discussing allergen-specific and allergen-nonspecific treatments that are currently in Phase I/II clinical trials."
10/01/2011 - "The prevalence of peanut allergy appears to be on the rise worldwide, yet there are no therapeutics currently available that can alter the course of this condition. "
01/01/2015 - "Awareness about the relative contribution of individual peanut allergens and cross reactivity between these allergens is of importance for current research in diagnostics and therapeutics for and the mechanism of peanut allergy."
05/01/2004 - "Peanut allergy: sensitization by peanut oil-containing local therapeutics seems unlikely."
3. Transplantation (Transplant Recipients)
12/01/2011 - "Two mechanisms may explain the observations described for the patient reported in this study: de novo development of peanut allergies after transplantation, or passive transfer of peanut allergies from a peanut-sensitized organ donor. "
10/01/2008 - "Transfer of peanut allergy from the donor to a lung transplant recipient."
4. Skin Care
04/01/2007 - "In one epidemiological trial, an association between topical use of skin care products containing peanut oil and the development of peanut allergy was observed; however, the data reflect a retrospective analysis without specifying skin care products containing peanut oil and also without analysing the quantity of topicals used. "
5. Phytotherapy (Herbal Therapy)


The government has today published guidance for pooling Local Government Pension Scheme Fund assets into up to 6 British Wealth Funds, containing at least £25 billion of Scheme assets each. The government is now inviting administering authorities to come forward with their proposals for new pooled structures in line with the guidance to significantly reduce costs while maintaining overall investment performance, with the wider ambition of matching the infrastructure investment levels of the top global pension funds.
We widely expect UK structures to be favoured for such pooling. The ACS is likely to be a strong contender, depending on the asset class.


If the Northern Lights College Basic Lockout Procedures will not meet the needs of a site or piece of equipment then site or equipment specific procedures must be created. These written procedures must be specific to the worker or job. All written procedures will include at minimum:
A process a worker can follow where s/he is the only one responsible and using a small piece of equipment and the work taking place will be very brief. An example might be:
When changing the blade on the cut-off saw(chop saw) saw a worker will use the following process:
Shut off the power and disconnect the electrical line cord from the power outlet
Coil the power cord and always keep it in your line of sight
Perform the necessary repairs/maintenance
Check the work performed (connections or fasteners tight, etc...)
Reconnect the power cord
A method for identifying locks issued to workers must be outlined in the written procedures. This method can be achieved by:
Stamping the locks with an alpha-numeric ID and recording issued locks sets.
Colour coding the locks and recording issued lock sets.
A process for communicating the lock out and displaying warnings to other workers in the area that may be affected by the repairs or lock out. This process can be effected a number of ways some examples are:
Tag out labels or signage where the warning are prominently displayed
A flagging system provided all workers are aware of the system
Alter the work process so only the workers performing the repairs or maintenance are in the immediate area
A written instruction on the number of locks or if additional locking mechanisms are required. These can include:
Scissor clamps
Circuit breaker locks
Cable locks
A method for testing the effectiveness of the lockout and to verify that each energy source has been effectively locked out must be clearly outlined in the written procedure.
The process for starting the device(s) or machinery after repairs or maintenance is completed must be clearly described in the written procedure.
A provision for supervisors to unlock devices or machinery must be made clear to all involved in the lockout process. This provision must be described in the written procedures.
On multiple lockout points the shut down order in addition to the order in which the locks have to be applied must be clearly outlined.
If a situation that requires a group lockout (2 or more workers using their personal locks to lockout machinery) arises the written procedure must include the following provisions:
A method for securing the keys to both set of locks in a common location.
The keys must be locked by both persons locks
A checklist outlining which machines are locked. The checklist must include which worker locked which machine. The checklist must be prominently posted in a conspicuous area. If the keys become unsecured or the worker’s locks are removed from the key securing area the lockout process will be considered null and void.
A method or process for removing the locks and restarting normal operations.
If working on mobile equipment the following process must be clearly outlined in the written procedures:
Complete de-energization of equipment such as removing keys after shutting of power or disconnecting battery power. All keys must be secured or kept in the possession of the worker performing the repairs or maintenance.
Braking and blocking of tracks or wheels
Using pins, articulating locks or chains to lockout hydraulic booms, grapples, winches or arches.
Neutralizing any loads borne by a malfunctioning machine.
If you or your department require assistance in creating effective written procedures please consult the Health, Safety & Environment Advisor at 1018.


The Business Analytics Competition is an annual campus-hosted event that provides an exciting opportunity for undergraduate students studying business analytics (or related fields) to test their knowledge and hone their skills. Competing students not only engage in the “art and science” of decision-making but also practice their ability to draw business insight from a comprehensive analysis of relevant data. The competition takes place in early summer.


Abstract
When exploring noisy or visually complex data, such as seismic data from the oil and gas industry, it is often the case that algorithms cannot completely identify features of interest. Human intuition must complete the process. Given the nature of intuition, this can be a source of differing interpretations depending on the human expert; thus we do not have a single feature but multiple views of a feature. Managing multi-user and multi-version interpretations, combined with version tracking, is challenging as these interpretations are often stored as geometric objects separately from the raw data and possibly in different local machines. In this paper we combine the storage of the raw data with the storage of the interpretations produced by the visualization of features by multiple user sessions. We present case studies that illustrate our system's ability to reproduce users' amendments to the interpretations of others and the ability to retrace the history of amendments to a visual feature.


Manufacturers impregnate chimney sweep logs with chemicals that help break down the tar and creosote inside of the chimney that can cause a fire. When a homeowner burns the log, the chemicals rise with the smoke and cling to the creosote and tar. Over time, these chemicals soften the deposits in the chimney.Continue Reading
Chimney sweep logs can diminish creosote, but homeowners should not use them as a substitute for chimney cleaning. Manufacturers state that these logs can remove up to 60 percent of the creosote, so without manual cleaning the chimney still could represent a fire hazard. A U.S. Federal court found that manufacturers could not label these logs as a "chimney cleaning logs" or claim that the logs prevent chimney fires. Also, if the chimney sweep log removes the creosote, the creosote either burns up promptly to create an immediate fire hazard or falls onto the smoke shelf where it can later catch on fire.
Manual cleaning without chemicals by a professional can usually remove all of the tar and creosote within a chimney. However, if no one has cleaned the chimney regularly, the chimney can have hard, glazed deposits of tar and creosote inside. In these cases, a professional chimney sweep applies chemicals to soften the deposits and then follows the chemical treatment with further manual cleaning.Learn more about Cleaning Products


World population may reach 9 BLN threshold by 2050
According to a newly released UN demographic report, the world population is growing and ageing. Experts estimate that the world population will likely increase by 2.5 BLN over the next 43 years.
A clear trend is seen towards an ageing population emerging due to declining fertility and increasing longevity.The growth is primarily attributed to less developed regions. Meanwhile immigration will buoy the population of industrialized countries which would otherwise see a fall. Russia along with Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea will join the “decline” club due to low birth rates.


FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany — During AERO, General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) President Pete Bunce praised EASA and the FAA for their efforts to put into place the CS-23/Part 23 Reorganization, which would regulate the safety of GA aircraft based on requirements based on the complexity and performance of the airplane, rather than on existing arbitrary divisions based on weight and propulsion.
The lighter segments of GA have suffered in terms of new product innovation as a result of overly prescriptive and rigid rules, he said.
“Adopting new certification rules will help spur new product innovation and the installation of safety-enhancing technologies in existing airplanes,” Bunce said. “We are pleased with the steps EASA and the FAA have taken to date, with the stated goal of doubling safety while cutting certification costs by half.”
GAMA has worked with EASA, the FAA and the industry over the past year on these new certification rules, which would allow compliance through consensus-based standards. EASA has also worked with the FAA to establish formal rulemaking initiatives to develop the new system. Officials in other countries such as Canada, Brazil and China, have also been involved in this initiative, and remain committed to adopting a harmonized global approach, he noted.
In addition to the CS-23 effort, Bunce emphasized the importance of implementing the broader General Aviation Safety Strategy developed last year by EU Member States, EASA and industry.
“The Strategy represents an opportunity to rethink how we approach GA regulation in Europe, to ensure proportionality in areas such as operations, licensing and maintenance,” Bunce said.
Both of these initiatives represent significant opportunities to address some of the challenges faced by GA in Europe, he noted.


This program is an evidence-based intervention for aggressive behaviour in pre-adolescent children. This program teaches positive strategies for coping with perceived conflict or threat, as well as an understanding of the participant's feelings and motivations behind inappropriate behaviour. This facilitator guide includes step-by-step instructions for accurately implementing this evidence-based program in the parent's group. There is also a corresponding workbook for parents which includes worksheets and monitoring forms to track progress and reinforce the skills learned in the group sessions.


The increasingly multicultural fabric of modern societies has given rise to many new conflicts, as ethnic minorities and national minorities demand recognition and support for their cultural identity. Writing in a clear and non-technical way, Will Kymlicka, the leading political philosopher of his generation, provides the most comprehensive analysis to date of this crucial political issue.


This book presents original research outlining the key elements in responding to parental misuse of drugs and alcohol.Offers a definition of “misuse” and “addiction” and the factors that influence the nature of misuse or addictionReviews extensively the nature and impact of parental substance misuse on children and families using the latest evidenceExplores how research and theories might help inform professionals or non-professionals assessing families affected by parents who misuse drugs or alcoholProvides an in-depth discussion of Motivational Interviewing, including a critical discussion of the challenges and limitations involved in using it in child and family settingsConsiders the wider implications of the findings for practice and policy and argues that these responses can be used across the field of work with vulnerable children and their families


In a gravity separation device, particle shape, size and density allplay a role. The combination of these determines where eachindividual particle reports to in the viscous fluid, where particlecrowding (solids to water ratio) also plays a role. To understand theperformance of gravity separation devices in the heavy mineralindustry, these particle characteristics need to be measured. Thereare various challenges in analysing particle density and particle sizesimultaneously for the purpose of quantifying gravity separatorperformance, not to mention particle shape. These analyticalchallenges include the high cost of high-density sink-floatfractionation, toxicity of high-density sink-float media, inability ofsink-float media to fractionate at densities greater than4.0 g/cm3, and the time-intensive nature of these fractionations. Theuse of the detailed particle-by-particle output from Qemscan®particle mineral analyses (PMA) as a fast and cost-effectivealternative is evaluated. The size and density outputs from theQemscan® were employed to characterize the performance of aheavy mineral spiral concentrator as an example. Critical analyticalrequirements are to be addressed before the Qemscan® output datacan be utilized.
Description:
This paper was first presented at the, HeavyMinerals Conference, ‘What next?’, 20–23September 2009, Champagne Sport Resort,Drakensberg.


Title
A comparison of the higher order harmonic components derived from large-amplitude fourier transformed ac voltammetry of myoglobin and heme in DDAB films at a pyrolytic graphite electrode
RIS ID
105005
Abstract
A debate as to whether heme remains bound or is released in myoglobin molecules incorporated into a didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) film adhered to a pyrolytic graphite electrode has prompted a comparison of their electrochemistry by the highly sensitive large-amplitude Fourier transformed ac voltammetric method. The accessibility of third, fourth, and higher harmonic components that are devoid of background current and the enhanced resolution relative to that available in dc voltammetry have allowed a detailed comparison of the FeIII/FeII and FeII/FeI redox processes of myoglobin and heme molecules to be undertaken as a function of buffer composition and pH and in the presence and absence of NaBr in the buffer and/or film. Under most conditions examined, only very subtle differences, in the FeIII/FeII process were found, implying this process cannot be used to indicate the intactness or otherwise of myoglobin in myoglobin-DDAB films. In contrast, higher order ac harmonics obtained from myoglobin-DDAB and heme-DDAB films reveal pH dependent differences with respect to the FeII/FeI couple. Analysis of the ac harmonics, and with the hypothesis that the FeII/FeI process reflects the myoglobin state, suggests that the majority of the iron heme is released from myoglobin-DDAB (pH 5.0, no NaBr) films in contact with pH 5.0 (0.1 M sodium acetate) buffer solution devoid of or containing NaBr. However, myoglobin films prepared with pH 5.0 buffer containing NaBr shows significant difference in the higher harmonic shapes and midpoint potentials in the FeII/Fe I process relative to the case when heme molecules are used, although as noted in other studies, a significant fraction of the Mb is rendered electroinactive in the presence of NaBr. The voltammetric responses of myoglobin and heme-DDAB (pH 5.0) films in contact with pH 7.0 (0.1 M) phosphate buffer solution also exhibit significant differences in the FeII/Fe I redox couple in the higher harmonics in contrast to a report [de Groot, M.T.; Merkx, M.; Koper, M. T. M. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 16224] that claimed identical midpoint potentials apply to both films under conditions of dc cyclic voltammetry. The FT-ac voltammetric data therefore suggest that a substantial fraction of myoglobin in myoglobin-DDAB (pH 5.0) films in contact with pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution remains intact. No evidence of a catalytic effect that enhanced the released of heme from myglobin was found at the pyrolytic graphite electrode surface. In summary, higher harmonic ac voltammetric data indicate that the FeII/FeI process but not the FeIII/FeII reflects the state of myoglobin in DDAB films. On this basis, films prepared at pH 5.0 should include NaBr, or else films should be prepared at neutral pH to achieve films with myoglobin remains in its intact near native state when a myoglobin-DDAB film is confined to a graphite electrode surface. Otherwise, the release of heme in myoglobin molecules incorporated into a DDAB film is likely to be a dominant reaction pathway. 2010 American Chemical Society.
Please refer to publisher version or contact your library.


Additionally, this bill was proposed prior to the $15 minimum wage being enacted and, under current law, would have lead to a $30 minimum wage on Thanksgiving. In 2015, Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez failed to garner the votes necessary to get the bill approved by the State Assembly.
After several meetings with the author’s office urging them to exempt the restaurant community, most restaurants were exempted except those with 500 or more employees and located within a grocery store or retail establishment. Despite these amendments, the CRA continued lobbying against the proposal in attempts to get all restaurants removed from the pay mandate.
Given that this bill had been substantially narrowed to only apply to retail establishments, grocery stores and restaurants with 500 or more employees located within grocery store or retail establishments, lawmakers began voting in support of the bill as it made its way through the legislative process.
On the last day of this legislative year, Assemblymember Gonzalez put her bill up for a vote of the full Assembly and expected it to win approval. However, the CRA’s advocacy team had been working to oppose the bill with individual assemblymembers and was successful in turning former supporters into opponents, using the argument that their previous support for the proposal was in a different context and prior to the enactment of the $15 minimum wage pathway. Lawmakers, contemplating the potential mandate of a $30 minimum wage on Thanksgiving under AB 67, abruptly killed the proposal.


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(Queen's Bench Division; Eady J; 19 November 2008)
The husband claimed against the wife's solicitors alleging a breach of confidence and privacy, in that the wife had taken correspondence and other documentation from the husband and used them in matrimonial proceedings under the
Hildebrand rule. The husband claimed that the solicitors were jointly and severally liable for use of the documents, not least because, he alleged, the solicitors had instructed or advised the wife to intercept the husband's mail. The solicitors applied to strike out the husband's claim as disclosing no cause of action. Striking the action out, the court noted that the law regarding interference with personal property could have application notwithstanding a marital relationship of the parties. However, the mere receipt and retention of documents by the solicitors did not amount to misuse of private information. There was no evidence that the solicitors had advised or instructed the wife to intercept the husband's mail. It did not seem right to take and keep an original document under the approach in Hildebrand, but there was no evidence that the solicitors had ever asserted a claim over originals in this case, or had refused a demand to return such originals. There had been no misuse of information received, as any information received had been noted and retained purely for use in connection with court proceedings and the protection of their client's interest in that context. There was no justification for making allegations of criminality against matrimonial solicitors, or anyone else, without a solid basis for doing so.
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You can use this
return on investment calculator to figure out your gain or loss on an investment. The calculator provides the overall ROI, as well as an annualized ROI. This return on investment calculator only requires three pieces of information, the original investment, the present or future value of the investment, and time elapsed or term.
The variables used in our online calculator are defined in detail below, including how to interpret the results.
Additional Resources
This is the original investment amount before any gain or loss.
This is the actual, or approximate, day you made the investment. The date can be in the past or in the future if you're evaluating an investment opportunity.
This is the total returned value of the investment. This can be the projected future value of an investment, or it can be the value actually returned to you from a past investment.
This is the actual, or approximate, end date for an investment you're evaluating. Once again, this date can be in the past or future.
This is the gain or loss on the investment, stated in dollars. This value is calculated by subtracting the returned value from the original investment.
This is the term of the investment, stated in years. This value is the difference between the start and end dates.
This is the calculated return on the investment, stated as a percentage. This is the return you received over the entire term of the investment.
This is a simple annualized return on the investment. This value is determined by taking the ROI and dividing it by the investment term.
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Disclaimer: These online calculators are made available and meant to be used as a screening tool for the investor. The accuracy of these calculations is not guaranteed nor is its applicability to your individual circumstances. You should always obtain personal advice from qualified professionals.


You're trying to concentrate on an assignment. Your deadline's coming up. But all day long, emails, calls, texts, reminders, push notifications and calendar alerts bombard you. What if you could turn them all off with just your brain, achieving total digital peace with zero effort?
This is the idea behind Phylter, a new piece of software designed to keep you focused on the task at hand. It might be the future of working as we know it.
"It's this idea that when your mind is really busy, you can't handle notifications very well," Evan Peck, a former computer science Ph.D. student at Tufts University, told
Mic. Peck was affiliated with the Phylter project before becoming an assistant professor at Bucknell University. "It tries to determine when you have a high workload, and then when you do, it tries not to give you notifications." Freedom from distraction: The concept is based on a brain-sensing technology called functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and it's a hot topic in wearable-computing research.
For instance, a 2013 Google report mentions the potential for fNIRS to be integrated into Google Glass, adapting to the user by delivering new updates and notifications to the device only at times when it wouldn't be a distraction.
"Imagine a system where you have a little dial and you can tell it, 'Now I'm kind of busy, so leave me alone,'" Jacob told
New Scientist.
The research, which is being conducted under Tufts University professor Robert Jacob, would use an infrared sensor-embedded headband to measure your brain activity. If it notices you're concentrating hard via the blood flow in your prefrontal cortex, it activates a sort of neural airplane mode, halting incoming notifications.
Peck worked on a paper with Jacob titled "From Brains to Bytes," which explored the potential of using sensors to identify brain states. Peck said the brain sensors could also, potentially, command robots or human avatars in a frighteningly Avatar, but in real life: Matrix-like scenario. The research coming out right now, however, is more practical.
Daniel Afergan, the principal on the corresponding paper "Phylter: A System for Modulating Notifications in Wearables Using Physiological Sensing," saw the rise in physiological sensing becoming consumer-grade. "Phylter receives streaming data about a user's cognitive state, and uses this to modulate whether the user should receive the information," Afergan writes in the paper. "As computing devices continue to battle for users' attention, Phylter limits less significant notifications that distract the users from focusing on a single task." (
Mic contacted Afergan for comment, but he wasn't able to speak with press due to a contract with his new employer, Google.) Of course, there's a pretty rough practical flaw. With Phylter, your digital distractions are muted if you're concentrating hard. But if you start to falter, like around that 3 p.m. slump, the software may detect that you're idling or losing focus, then open the floodgates to all your coworker birthday-party invites, pilates reminders and grocery lists. It sweeps you out into the digital sea of obligations and distractions, making it even harder to get back on task.
However, that's a minor fault in what could be the ultimate tool for achieving digital Zen. Anyone with an Apple Watch — what's essentially a wearable notification center for your wrist — can tell you that our generation is caught squarely in the "busy trap." We've convinced ourselves that all notifications, even the monumentally frivolous ones, contribute to our day and deserve a slice of our already-thin attention.
Phylter could, effectively, return us to a time of digital freedom — at least for an hour or two.


Pfaffermayr, Michael Stöckl, Matthias Winner, Hannes
Year of Publication:
2008
Series/Report no.:
Working Papers in Economics and Statistics 2008-09
Abstract:
This paper analyzes the relationship between capital structure, corporate taxation and firm age. We adapt a standard model of optimal capital structure choice under corporate taxation, focusing on the financing and investment decisions a young firm is typically faced with. Our model allows to derive testable hypotheses about the relationship between corporate taxation, a firm's age and its debt to asset ratio. To test these hypotheses empirically, we use a cross-section of 405,000 firms from 35 European countries and 126 NACE 3-digit industries. In line with previous research, we find that a firm's debt ratio increases with the corporate tax rate. Further, we observe that older firms exhibit smaller debt ratios than their younger counterparts. Finally, consistent with our theoretical expectation, we find a positive interaction effect between corporate taxation and firm age, indicating that the impact of corporate taxation on debt is increasing over a firm's life-time.


This article explores the linkages between strategies for managing different types of conflict and group performance and satisfaction. Results from a qualitative study of 57 autonomous teams suggest that groups that improve or maintain top performance over time share 3 conflict resolution tendencies: (a) focusing on the content of interpersonal interactions rather than delivery style, (b) explicitly discussing reasons behind any decisions reached in accepting and distributing work assignments, and (c) assigning work to members who have the relevant task expertise rather than assigning by other common means such as volunteering, default, or convenience. The authors' results also suggest that teams that are successful over time are likely to be both proactive in anticipating the need for conflict resolution and pluralistic in developing conflict resolution strategies that apply to all group members.
2008 APA


Over deze norm
Status Definitief Aantal pagina's 126 Gepubliceerd op 01-08-2012 Taal Engels
This International Standard gives a number of optimized test plans, the corresponding operating characteristic curves and expected test times. In addition the algorithms for designing test plans using a spreadsheet program are also given, together with guidance on how to choose test plans. This standard specifies procedures to test whether an observed value of - failure rate, - failure intensity, - mean time to failure (MTTF), - mean operating time between failures (MTBF), conforms to a given requirement. It is assumed, except where otherwise stated, that during the accumulated test time, the times to failure or the operating times between failures are independent and identically exponentially distributed. This assumption implies that the failure rate or failure intensity is constant. Four types of test plans are described as follows: - truncated sequential tests; - time/failure terminated tests; - fixed calendar time terminated tests without replacement; - combined test plans. This standard does not cover guidance on how to plan, perform, analyse and report a test. This information can be found in IEC 60300-3-5.
Details
ICS-code 03.120.30
19.020
21.020
Nederlandse titel Betrouwbaarheidsbeproeving - Controleproeven voor constant faaltempo en constant faalintensiteit Engelse titel Reliability testing - Compliance tests for constant failure rate and constant failure intensity Vervangt Gewijzigd door


Since low birthweight has been correlated with both neonatal and long-term health, we performed this epidemiological study to evaluate the Japanese secular trends in mean birthweight and the prevalence of preterm/term low birthweight infants during the last three decades. We used population-based birth certificate data from January 1979 to December 2010.… (More)


This book offers a powerful response to what Varner calls the "two dogmas of environmental ethics"-the assumptions that animal rights philosophies and anthropocentric views are each antithetical to sound environmental policy. Allowing that every living organism has interests which ought, other things being equal, to be protected, Varner contends that some interests take priority over others. He defends both a sentientist principle giving priority to the lives of organisms with conscious desires and an anthropocentric principle giving priority to certain very inclusive interests which only humans have. He then shows that these principles not only comport with but provide significant support for environmental goals.


Share: Why I Stay in School? Share: Why I Stay in School?
Mon, 03/05/2012 - 12:30pm - Tue, 05/01/2012 - 12:30pm
While dropout is a continuing problem, what about those who are in school - why do they get up early every morning and persist in their education?
In the Newshour's new American Grad project, they are asking students to choose an image that illustrates their motivations to stay in school. We’ll “pin” them up on our Pinterest board “Why I Go to School.”
Teachers can get their students involved by using this NewsHour Extra lesson plan.
We found that students’ decisions to stay in school are also largely personal. In many cases, the same reasons that led to disengagement are also reasons that empower students to excel. They shared with us something deeply personal.
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Audiences:


The next time you crumple a sheet of paper to toss into the wastebasket you may think differently about it.
New research reported at the Scientific American indicates that human brains obtain their convolutions by crumpling like a sheet of paper, especially in the last trimester of foetal development.
It's all about space.


Summary Background
The Sabin vaccine is used world-wide, and most children with food allergies receive it without incident. However, in the 2009 vaccination campaign conducted in Argentina, four children experienced immediate-type hypersensitivity reactions following vaccination.
Objective
We aimed to review the medical history of the affected children, study their allergic condition after the episodes and analyse the presence of allergenic vaccine components.
Methods
Patients were selected based on their immediate allergic reactions following vaccination. They were assessed for allergies to cow's milk and hen's egg. The presence of cow's milk proteins in the vaccine was tested by various immunoassays involving cow's milk- or α-lactalbumin-specific polyclonal rabbit antiserum and patient sera.
Results
All of the patients had a history of milk allergy, and no history or current evidence of egg hypersensitivity was found. Levels of cow's milk- and Sabin vaccine-specific IgE were increased, and the result of a skin prick test with cow's milk proteins or the Sabin vaccine was positive in each patient. In addition, an ELISA using specific rabbit antiserum detected α-lactalbumin in the Sabin vaccine. When α-lactalbumin was employed as a soluble inhibitor in a competitive ELISA, binding to vaccine-coated plates by cow's milk- or α-lactalbumin-specific rabbit antiserum or by patient serum containing IgE was inhibited.
Conclusions
We have demonstrated that these patients were allergic to cow's milk, and had circulating and mast cell-bound IgE antibodies specific to cow's milk proteins. We found that the Sabin vaccine contained α-lactalbumin, which may have been responsible for the reactions elicited following vaccination with the Sabin and dual viral vaccines in combination.


Polymer thin films is an emerging area driven by their enormous technological potential and the intellectually challenging academic problems associated with them. This book contains a collection of review articles on the current topics of polymer films written by leading experts in the field. To reflect the interdisciplinary nature of this field, the contributors hail from a wide range of disciplines, including chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, engineers, and physicists. The goal of this book is to provide readers, whether involved in or outside of the field of polymer films, with an encompassing and informative reference.


It was during the interview the news came out. The agency needed to hire a therapist to run a handful of court mandated counseling groups. This much I knew, and even those two words – court mandated – piqued my most ambivalent self. One group was a DUI group and another was for parenting. I then learned the final group I’d need to commit to in order to be hired was a domestic violence group for male offenders.
Offenders. Perpetrators. Batterers. Wife beaters.
Was I interested, they asked. Tension could’ve cracked my face like ice dropped into warm water, and still I heard a resounding “Yes” dribble from the corner of my mouth. Fake it till you make it, I thought, though the wiser part of me felt it fair to admit to some degree of uncertainty about working with offenders. The interviewers were validating and encouraging. Soon I found myself preparing for my first domestic violence group, preparing to face my fears.
I’d worked with victims before, though we – the people who choose to bear witness to humanity’s dark alleys – prefer to use the word “survivor.” I’d heard the stories, stories I couldn’t share with anyone; not just for confidentiality sake, but for the reality that most who exist outside of this world rather prefer it this way. They might dip their big toe in to test the temperature, only to find it too cold or hot.
I’d seen the stories. My mother and I after the divorce, suddenly on our own. My mother, her fear, her need for someone to take care of her. Sam, who took us in, but not without a price. We lived in a roach infested one room studio, four of us with a curtain separating the adults from the kids. I heard everything, and felt guilty on those nights when it got to be too much, when we fled in the dead of night to the familiarity of the motel with the crescent shaped pool. Guilty, because despite everything I wanted to go back. We always went back. Until one day we didn’t.
Now I was to provide counseling and support to the Sam’s of the Bay Area. I was afraid, and it was this group of men who taught me to look at my own fears, my own assumptions, my own attachment to victimhood. They uttered words of asses and sages. They blamed everyone else and owned up to their misgivings. They felt justified and remorseful. They felt powerful and wounded. They hated women and loved women. They couldn’t bear intimacy and dreamt of closeness. They were lost and found.
I believe we all walk a fine line between victim and perpetrator, that the capacity for either is in each of us. I also believe we each walk a path, and each is a learning path if we recognize and intend it to be. Salvation is this learning, which is empowerment. This I believe.
If you enjoyed this essay, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to This I Believe, Inc.


We recently reiterated our NEUTRAL recommendation on
Broadcom Corporation ( BRCM).
Broadcom’s product leadership and solid financial performance and strong cash flow generation continue to be the positives for the stock. Broadcom is well placed in the fast-growing wired and wireless communications markets, with cutting-edge solutions for a growing number of connected users who are demanding more content and bandwidth.
The market for wireless connectivity devices is expected to grow driven by increasing demand for smartphones, tablets, netbooks and digital TVs. Wireless LAN and GPS business continues to gain traction.
Broadcom is focused on the most innovative technologies related to connectivity, bandwidth and content. The continued expansion of pay-TV and Internet access services internationally, especially in China and India, provides significant opportunity for growth.
Broadband Communications business continues to grow propelled by the global adoption of high-definition pay TV services and increasing consumer preference for HD content leading to strong sales of core set-top boxes and broadband modems. Broadcom has a strong product portfolio and it continues to benefit from share gains in this segment as service providers increasingly deploy high-end devices.
In the Infrastructure and Network business, demand for video and data continues to outstrip expansion and Broadcom expects strong adoption of 10-gigabit products by data centers and enterprise customers to continue throughout 2010 driving strong revenue growth.
However, we remain concerned about the pressure on margins due to the accelerated new product (65 nm) ramps, which typically carry lower margins early in the product lifecycle and integration of new acquisitions (Teknovus and Dune). Operating expenses continue to grow due to increased R&D spend.
Additionally, market research firm iSuppli recently lowered its 2010 outlook for the semiconductor industry and expects global chips to grow around 32% compared with the previous estimate of 35%. This was primarily due to a slowdown in consumer demand for some electronic devices, including PCs. Inventories have been building throughout the semiconductor supply chain and this might lead to a decline in revenues in the second half of 2010.
In the long run, we maintain a Neutral recommendation. The stock carries a Zacks #4 Rank, which translates into a short-term rating of Sell. In the last six months, the stock has had a good run, carving a steady growth path, but we do not see much upside from current levels and would like to wait.


"Long sentences and floating commas": Mexican students' rhetorical practices and the sociocultural context
This chapter reports on a study that takes a problem-drive approach to answer the question “What do Mexican Spanish university writers ‘do’ when they write in Spanish, their L1, and in English, their L2?” This ethnographic study examines learners’ writing practices in their educational environment. Data collection includes learner and participant observation accounts, classroom observations, and textbook analyses. In Part I, the sociocultural context of the Mexican university is described, followed by a functional discourse analysis of one representative example from a multilingual student’s essay. Part II discusses the educational setting, literacy training, and writing instruction from both teachers’ and learners’ perspectives. This chapter informs teachers and other language education professionals about multilingual writers in EFL contexts.


Angiogenesis plays a critical role in metastasis and tumor growth. Human tumors, including colorectal adenocarcinoma, secrete angiogenic factors, inducing proliferation and chemotaxis of microvascular endothelial cells, eventually leading to tumor neovascularization. The chemokine interleukin 8 (IL-8; CXCL8) exerts potent angiogenic properties on endothelial cells through interaction with its cognate receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2. As CXCR1 and CXCR2 expression is differentially regulated in tissue-specific endothelial cells and effects of IL-8 on intestinal endothelial cells are not defined, we characterized the potential IL-8-induced angiogenic mechanisms in primary cultures of human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (HIMEC) and IL-8 receptor expression in human intestinal microvessels. CXCR1 and CXCR2 expression on HIMEC were defined using reverse transcriptase-PCR, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and Western blot analysis. IL-8-induced downstream signaling events were assessed using immunoblot analysis and immunofluorescence. The angiogenic effects of IL-8 on HIMEC were determined using proliferation and chemotaxis assays. HIMEC responded to IL-8 with rapid stress fiber assembly, chemotaxis, enhanced proliferation, and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2). HIMEC express CXCR2, but not CXCR1. Neutralizing antibodies to CXCR2 diminished IL-8-induced chemotaxis and stress fiber assembly. Specific inhibitors of ERK 1/2 and phosphoinositide 3-kinase abrogated endothelial tube formation and IL-8-induced chemotaxis in HIMEC. IL-8 elicits angiogenic responses in microvascular endothelial cells isolated from human intestine by engaging CXCR2. We confirmed tissue expression of CXCR2 in human intestinal microvessels. Supported by the notion that malignant colonic epithelial cells overexpress IL-8, CXCR2 blockade may be a novel target for anti-angiogenic therapy in colorectal adenocarcinoma.


Evaluating Alternative Nutrient Sources in Subsistence-Level Aquaponic Systems Date2014 Author
Aguilara-Titus, Jonathan
Cao, Yusi
Kazyak, Eric
Kumar, Kalyani
Li, Kevin
Louie, Adam
Louie, Alan
Lu, Jessica
Mann, Winston
Mirsky, Daniel
Misner, Kelly
O'Connor, Luke
Tarshish, Miriam
Zhang, Chenmuren
Advisor
Lazur, Andrew
MetadataShow full item record Abstract
Many food production methods are both economically and environmentally unsustainable. Our project investigated aquaponics, an alternative method of agriculture that could address these issues. Aquaponics combines fish and plant crop production in a symbiotic, closed-loop system. We aimed to reduce the initial and operating costs of current aquaponic systems by utilizing alternative feeds. These improvements may allow for sustainable implementation of the system in rural or developing regions. We conducted a multi-phase process to determine the most affordable and effective feed alternatives for use in an aquaponic system. At the end of two preliminary phases, soybean meal was identified as the most effective potential feed supplement. In our final phase, we constructed and tested six full-scale aquaponic systems of our own design. Data showed that soybean meal can be used to reduce operating costs and reliance on fishmeal. However, a more targeted investigation is needed to identify the optimal formulation of alternative feed blends.


Title:
Processing unfamiliar faces
It is well established that matching unfamiliar faces is highly error prone, even under seemingly optimal conditions. This thesis shows large individual differences in unfamiliar face matching. Across several visual cognition tasks, the best predictor for this variability was recognition of inverted faces, regardless of whether they were familiar or unfamiliar. In stark contrast, there was no relationship between upright familiar and unfamiliar face processing. Moreover, the ability to match faces was unrelated to the ability to reject these faces, unless they were upright familiars. Therefore, the processes involved in upright unfamiliar face processing appeared to be qualitatively similar to those underlying the recognition of inverted familiar and unfamiliar faces, but very different to those responsible for upright familiar face processing. Finally, the presence of a second face severely impaired matching a target person, particularly when they were presented close together. The implications of these findings for the forensic field are discussed.


Background
High-risk drinking by college students continues to pose a significant threat to public health. Despite increasing evidence of the contribution of community-level and campus-level environmental factors to high-risk drinking, there have been few rigorous tests of interventions that focus on changing these interlinked environments. The Study to Prevent Alcohol Related Consequences (SPARC) assessed the efficacy of a comprehensive intervention using a community organizing approach to implement environmental strategies in and around college campuses. The goal of SPARC was to reduce high-risk drinking and alcohol-related consequences among college students.


BEIJING, Jun. 22 – The Beijing municipal government has raised the monthly minimum wage in the city to RMB960, effective from July 1.
The notice, issued June 4, raises the monthly minimum wage to RMB960, up from RMB800, and the hourly minimum wage to RMB5.5, up from RMB4.6.
Furthermore, the notice stipulates that social security fees, housing funds, overtime wages, allowances or subsidies for meals, transportation and housing for working in special work environments, or conditions such as night shifts, high temperatures, or working underground should not be regarded as components of standard minimum wage.
The part-time hourly minimum wage was raised from RMB9.6 to RMB11, during national holidays the minimum hourly wage was increased from RMB22 to RMB25.7.
The notice was implemented in accordance with the “Green Beijing” concept which aims to maintain social stability and promote economic development.


It is the goal of the these public entities, through the Massachusetts Unified Certification Program and its other DBE program components to ensure that DBE firms have an equal opportunity to receive and participate in DOT assisted contracts. It is the goal of these entities, working in concert to:
Ensure nondiscrimination III the award and administration of DOT assisted contracts. Ensure a level playing field on which DBE firms can compete fairly for DOT assisted contracts. Ensure that the DBE program is narrowly tailored in accordance with applicable law. Ensure that only firms that fully meet 49 CPR Part 26 eligibility standards are permitted to participate as DBE firms. Assist the development of firms that can compete successfully in the marketplace outside the DBE program. Develop a single efficient and comprehensive "one stop shop" certification program for firms seeking to compete for DOT assisted contracts. Ensure that all firms, from prime contractors to subcontractors, understand and respect their obligations relative to all aspects of the DBE program, and that deviations from the requirements of the regulation may be subject to applicable state and federal enforcement sanctions.


Sustainability Plan Focused on a sustainable business
We are committed to exploring sustainable energy, environmental and economic solutions that deliver value to our constituents and preserve our natural resources to be enjoyed for generations. We strive to balance our responsibility to provide reliable and affordable energy and deliver shareholder value with our responsibility to minimize impact on the environment.
We hold ourselves accountable for meeting these goals, not just in the short term, but for decades to come. We do this by FOCUSing our sustainability efforts in these areas:
Performance: delivering sustainable financial and operational performance
Drive company performance and realize value - Our sustainability plan begins with performance, challenging ourselves to continually improve and realizing value for our shareholders and team members, while demonstrating strong governance and transparency to our stakeholders.
Community: providing value to the communities we serve
Understanding what our customers and constituents value and maintaining and enhancing the competitiveness of the regions we serve – Our plan includes a focus on advancing and promoting solutions to address customer expectations and values and developing community relationships to attract new businesses while maintaining and expanding service to our existing customers. Investing and improving in our communities is deeply rooted in our company culture because our long-term sustainability is directly linked to the prosperity of the areas we serve.
Workforce: strengthening our foundation
Grow our human capabilities to shape and achieve our strategic vision. Placing safety first, our workforce is a critical component of our sustainability plan. We do what it takes to attract, motivate, empower and retain diverse, high-performing talent because we care about the people who work hard every day to make this company successful.
Build information technology platforms that support growth strategies and efficiency. Our sustainability plan challenges us to find innovate ways to reduce enterprise risk and transform our capabilities by modernizing our information systems to support current and future growth opportunities.
Environment: a tradition of environmental action, innovation and stewardship
Serve our customers energy needs while conducting business in a sustainable manner. We know what it takes to be long-term stewards of our shared environment. We are committed to continuous improvement by minimizing our impact on the environment, including significant reductions in power plant emissions, maximum recycling of water to reduce overall use, minimal solid waste disposal through the recycling of coal combustion byproducts and innovative land use and reclamation.


ERIC Number:ED248112 Record Type:Non-Journal Publication Date:1984-Apr-30 Pages:14 Abstractor:N/A Reference Count:N/A ISBN:N/A ISSN:N/A
Women in Science: Perceptions of Secondary School Students.
Welch, Wayne W.; And Others
The Science Assessment Research Project assessed the science achievement and attitudes of 18,000 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old students nationwide. This study investigated the attitudes of a random sample of 1,955 17-year-old students' attitudes toward women in science as indicated by responses to seven Likert items administered during the assessment. Specific research questions addressed were: (1) What are the attitudes of secondary school youth toward women as scientists? (2) Are these attitudes different for males and females? (3) At what age do they originate? (4) What are some of the correlates of adolescents' attitudes toward the role of women in science? (5) What is the potential for such attitudes influencing science career choices? Among the findings reported are those indicating that, in general, 17-year-olds expressed a positive attitude toward the role of women in science and that girls expressed significantly more positive attitudes toward women in science than did boys. Similar findings were noted when these results were compared to those of 13-year-olds, suggesting that the male sex-bias attitude is stable across age group (and race). Although the source of the sex-bias attitude remains unknown, it seems to be related to slightly lower ability. (JN)
Publication Type:Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers Education Level:N/A Audience:Researchers Language:English Sponsor:N/A Authoring Institution:N/A


In Identity, Place, and Subversion in Contemporary Mizrahi Cinema in Israel, Yaron Shemer presents the most comprehensive and systematic study to date of Mizrahi (Oriental-Jewish or Arab-Jewish) films produced in Israel in the last several decades. Through an analysis of dozens of films the book illustrates how narratives, characters, and space have been employed to give expression to Mizrahi ethnic identity and to situate the Mizrahi within the broader context of the Israeli societal fabric. The struggle over identity and the effort to redraw ethnic boundaries have taken place against the backdrop of a long-standing Zionist view of the Mizrahi as an inferior other whose “Levantine” culture posed a threat to the Western-oriented Zionist enterprise.
In its examination of the nature and dynamics of Mizrahi cinema (defined by subject-matter), the book engages the sensitive topic of Mizrahi ethnicity head-on, confronting the conventional notion of Israeli society as a melting pot and the widespread dismissal of ethnic divisions in the country. Shemer explores the continuous marginalization of the Mizrahi in contemporary Israeli cinema and the challenge some Mizrahi films offer to the subjugation of this ethnic group. He also studies the role cultural policies and institutional power in Israel have played in shaping Mizrahi cinema and the creation of a Mizrahi niche in cinema. In a broader sense, this pioneering work is a probing exploration of Israeli culture and society through the prism of film and cinematic expression. It sheds light on the play of ethnicity, class, gender, and religion in contemporary Israel, and on the heated debates surrounding Zionist ideology and identity politics. By charting a new territory of academic inquiry grounded in an interdisciplinary theoretical framework, the study contributes to the formation of “Mizrahi Cinema” as a recognized and vibrant scholarly field.