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The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
On January 2, 2014, security software provider FireEye announced that it would pay $1 billion to purchase Mandiant, a private computer forensics company perhaps best known for sending emergency teams to root out computer hackers. The announcement, made after the market closed during a holiday-shortened trading week, also disclosed that the deal had (presumably for tax purposes) actually closed several days earlier on Monday, December 30, 2013. Investors applauded the deal, with FireEye's stock rocketing over 35% the following trading day.
Now, on the heels of FireEye's disclosure that securities regulators are investigating the pre-announcement trading, an analysis of the trading and options data reveals an abnormal and significant spike in trading in the days leading up to the announcement that seemingly suggests that advance news of the deal may have been used to place well-timed bets on FireEye's stock.
FireEye's Lucrative IPO And Strengthening Mandiant Ties
FireEye went public in September, debuting on the NASDAQ stock exchange and closing at $40.30 - a more than 100% increase from its initial pricing at $15 to $17 per share. At the time of its IPO, FireEye had been working in partnership with Mandiant for nearly 18 months on various product initiatives. This partnership further strengthened in February 2013, with the companies integrating FireEye's software with Mandiant's threat detection products. Then, in late 2013, the companies began secretly discussing an acquisition. These talks eventually culminated in FireEye's decision to purchase Mandiant for $1 billion.
FireEye disclosed last week that regulators from the Financial Industry Market Authority ("FINRA") were reviewing the trading in FireEye shares in the time period leading up to the acquisition announcement. The inquiry, which is fairly typical following the occurrence of a major market-moving announcement such as an acquisition, typically involves a list of names that FINRA has identified as having traded in the securities of the underlying stock that is provided to those that would have had advance knowledge of the event.
According to the Wall Street Journal, recipients of the FireEye trading inquiry were asked if they had contact with approximately 360 individuals and entities that presumably were involved in suspicious trading. While there are no specific characteristics that would have landed an individual or entity on this list, it is likely that at least some on the list may have been first-time traders in FireEye shares or options. As discussed in further detail below, this part of the investigation focuses on whether an insider with a duty to keep the acquisition news breached that duty. FINRA will review the responses and determine the next steps, including whether a referral was warranted to the Securities and Exchange Commission for further investigation.
FireEye Option Activity Spikes Before The Acquisition Is Announced
FireEye and Mandiant's secret acquisition talks culminated in FireEye's agreement to acquire Mandiant during the final weeks of 2013. Due to a desire to close the agreement in 2013, each company's board of directors met and voted to approve the deal on Monday, December 30, 2013. However, with a holiday-shortened trading week where the markets closed early on Tuesday and all day Wednesday in observation of New Years Day, FireEye decided to announce the deal after the market closed on Thursday, January 2, 2014 - meaning that a significant amount of individuals connected with the acquisition were expected to maintain the confidentiality of the deal for nearly 72 hours after the deal's approval on Monday, December 30, 2013. As detailed below, this course of events may have resulted in the tipping of news of the acquisition.
I obtained a copy of the relevant options trading data in FireEye shares leading up to the Mandiant announcement. As mentioned above, while the announcement was announced on Thursday, January 2, each company's board of directors met to approve the acquisition several days earlier. Thus, the deal was likely finalized in the days prior to the board of director meetings. FireEye's stock had stayed relatively dormant during the two-month period prior to the acquisition, staying in a tight range from a close at $37.90 on October 31, 2013 to a close at $40.10 on December 24, 2013.
Activity in FireEye's options and trading data suggests that news of the Mandiant acquisition may have leaked as early as December 26, 2013, thus prompting FINRA's investigation. That day, FireEye's stock surged nearly 9% on no identifiable news - indeed, an article that day in the Motley Fool attributed the jump to generic factors such as the company's growing market presence. That day, the stock closed at $43.43, with the second-highest trading volume in a month despite the fact that volume during the holiday trading weeks typically lagged. The share price would settle at $41.13 on January 2, 2014 and rocket to $57.02 on January 3, 2014 following the Mandiant announcement.
The underlying options data for the one-week period preceding the announcement and beginning on December 26, 2013 yields an even more significant spike in activity, with a focus on the January 18 call options with $45 and $50 strike prices. Each call option contract gives the buyer the right to purchase 100 shares of the specified security at an agreed-upon price at or before a certain date. Thus, the FireEye $50 call expiring on January 18, 2014 gave the buyer the right to purchase 100 shares of FireEye at $50 on or before expiration - a highly speculative bet that the share price would rise nearly 20% in the next few weeks.
As FireEye's share price had stayed in the mid-to-high $30's for the months preceding December 26, 2013, trading in the $45 and $50 call options expiring in three weeks was nearly nonexistent; before December 26, 2013, a total of 78 $45 call options had traded while only 10 of the $50 call options had changed hands. However, on December 26, 2013, this volume rocketed upwards, with 269 $45 contracts and 110 $50 contracts changing hands - a significant increase. This pace continued the following day, with 245 $45 contracts and 73 $50 contracts changing hands on December 27, 2013. Over the one-week period preceding the acquisition, more than 700 $45 contracts and 250 $50 contracts would change hands - a 10-fold and 25-fold increase over the previous total volume. The charts below tracking the options activity reflect this activity in the days leading up to the Mandiant announcement:
The price of the $45 and $50 contract closed at $.35 and $.15, respectively, on January 2, 2014 before the announcement was made after-hours. The next day, as the share price increased significantly, these same options contracts closed at $12.70 and $7.30, respectively - an astounding 3,600% and 4,800% increase. Thus, for example, 100 $50 call options purchased on December 26, 2013 at $.25 per contract for a total outlay of $2,500 would have been worth $73,000 on January 3, 2014.
No Slam Dunk
While the options activity certainly appears suspicious, any regulatory investigation likely faces an upward battle and there is no guarantee that the investigation will result in civil or criminal charges. In situations involving timely-placed trades before market announcements, regulators typically need more than suspicious trading activity to meet their burden; rather, federal securities laws require that the trader have acted on material nonpublic information that it obtained from an insider who had a duty to maintain the confidentiality of that material nonpublic information. Thus, that an individual engaged in suspicious trades is not enough; there must be a demonstration of contact between an insider and the alleged tippee. While circumstantial evidence can be used to make this showing, it must present a genuine issue of material fact.
A similar situation recently occurred in
S.E.C. v. Juan Jose Fernandez Garcia, et al., where the Commission alleged that a Spanish citizen, Luis Martin Caro Sanchez, had profited by nearly $500,000 by purchasing risky call options just before the announcement that PLC had made an unsolicited buyout offer to Potash Corp. While the Commission pointed to Sanchez's suspicious trades, it could not demonstrate any connection between an insider and Sanchez nor was the court persuaded by the circumstantial evidence offered by the Commission. Over the Commission's objection that Sanchez's failure to produce all requested discovery warranted consideration, an Illinois federal judge granted summary judgment to Sanchez.
Here, the timing of the acquisition also coincided with a string of positive news for FireEye, including an earnings release for Q4 2013 in November 2013 that exceeded analysts' expectations and the company's planned earnings release for Q1 2014 in early February. Further, the company had only been trading publicly for several months, and a spike in trading activity could simply be attributed to increased interest by investors following the stock. If an investigation does result in further proceedings, investigators will devote significant focus to how individuals connected to the acquisition treated that information, and whether any links can be drawn to suspicious trades.
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There is strong evidence that involving patients and service users in healthcare professionals' education has short-term benefits for all involved. Longer term, there has been little evaluation to discover whether this involvement has an effect on the behaviour or practice of health professionals or on health outcomes.
This report aims to describe the current state of active patient involvement in the education of health and social care professionals, both in the literature and in practice. It aims to highlight areas for further research and development.


Exports, Borders, Distance, and Plant Size
The research presented here was funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant SES 0551062. Support at the Suitland RDC from NSF (ITR-0427889) is also gratefully acknowledged. An earlier version of this paper was circulated under the title "Plant Size and Plant Function." We have benefited from working at the Center for Economic Studies at the Census Bureau, and particularly thank Shawn Klimek, Arnie Reznek, and Lynn Riggs. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Census Bureau, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Reserve System, or the National Bureau of Economic Research. All results have been reviewed to ensure that no confidential information is disclosed.


Abstract
On November 26, 1997, a 69-year-old male volunteer fire fighter responded to a structural fire of a wood-framed trailer. The victim was directing traffic around the fire scene and was not engaged in fire suppression activities when he had a witnessed collapse. Almost immediately, on-scene emergency rescue personnel reached the unconscious fire fighter and initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which was followed by advanced life support (ALS) administered first by ambulance paramedics and then hospital emergency department personnel. Despite 50 minutes of attempted resuscitation activity, the victim died. The death certificate listed "arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease" as the immediate cause of death. Autopsy confirmed the presence of triple vessel coronary artery disease, listed an enlarged heart (left ventricular hypertrophy), and found evidence of a remote (old) heart attack (myocardial infarction). The following recommendations address health and safety issues in general. It cannot be determined, however, whether these recommendations, had they been in effect in his department, could have prevented the sudden cardiac arrest and subsequent death of this fire fighter. These recommendations rely on a two-pronged strategy proposed by other agencies for reducing the risk of on-duty heart attacks and cardiac arrests among fire fighters. This strategy consists of (1) screening to identify and subsequently rehabilitate individuals at higher risk, and (2) encouraging increased individual physical capacity. Steps that could be taken to accomplish these ends include: Fire Fighters should have annual medical evaluations to determine their medical ability to perform duties without presenting a significant risk to the safety and health of themselves or others; Provide fire fighters with medical evaluations to wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA); Reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease and improve cardiovascular capacity by implementing a wellness/fitness program for fire fighters.


January 18, 2013
2013-R-0066
By: Lee R. Hansen, Legislative Analyst II
STRUCTURE AND DUTIES
● The commissioner must collect and publish data on employment, unemployment, and employee earnings; provide the governor with analysis of current and anticipated employment needs; and coordinate all employment and training programs. He or she must administer numerous labor laws including minimum wage, youth employment, family and medical leave, unemployment insurance compensation, and prevailing wage laws.
● Appointed by the governor.
● Confirmed by either chamber, as determined by the governor.
QUESTIONS
1. The governor and legislature have often stated that they hope to make Connecticut more “business friendly.” What steps can the department take to achieve this goal? What can the department do to encourage job creation?
2. What role does the state's unemployment system play in the state's economy? Are there any statutory, regulatory, or administrative changes to the state's unemployment system that could help encourage economic growth? What enforcement issues does the department face regarding the unemployment system?
3. What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses of the state's prevailing wage laws?
4. Connecticut's minimum wage, $8.25 an hour, is currently one of the highest in the nation. What effect do you think this has on the state's economy?
5. How effective is the department at enforcing (a) wage and hour and (b) workplace safety laws?
6. What do you consider the major strengths and weaknesses of the state's current workforce development system? Do you believe that the system is producing the workers with the skills the state's employers will need? How could the department work to improve the system?
7. What can the department do to help encourage more of the state's younger workers to stay in the state?
8. How well informed is the general public, both employers and employees, about what the department does, and can do, for them? Can the department do more to increase the public's awareness?
9. Do you believe the department has adequate resources at its disposal to fulfill its many missions and goals?
10. In what ways has your own employment history prepared you to lead the department? To what extent do you think that your leadership of the department will be different than your predecessor's?
LH:tjo


We are not only ushering in a new year, but a new decade.
Just as you organize your professional and personal life, you should do the same with your beauty regimens and goals.
One of the tools I use for measuring my accomplishments is to review my goals from the previous year and see how I stacked up. Take a moment and do this. Did you plan to lose weight? Work out? Save money? What were your successes? Where do you need improvement?
So this is my challenge to you: set your beauty goals. They can be as simple or complex as you deem necessary. Some examples: I will use sunscreen daily. I will get a facial every three months. I will cleanse and treat my skin at night. I will update my makeup choices. I will not leave the house without my “signature” makeup.
Many of you are probably well aware of the marketing acronym
. I challenge you to investment in yourself. Set your beauty budget. Plan for the basics. ROI—Return on Investment Your basic list of beauty necessities: 1. Skin Cleanser Moisturizer/sunscreen AM treatment Pm treatment Eye cream Exfoliator Extra—monthly or quarterly facial treatment with a professional 2. Makeup Foundation, tinted moisturizer Concealer Powder Blush Brow enhancer Lip color Extra—Professional eyebrow shaping, professional makeup application 3. Hair Weekly washing and conditioning Monthly deep conditioning Bi-monthly trims
To assist you in accomplishing your goals,
Your 12-month plan includes a complete outline of daily skin regimens, weekly treatment options as well as recommendations for professional treatments. I have compiled a master planner.
For your professional makeup wardrobe,
and how to put on your “5 minute face”. I will teach you how to choose your “signature style”
Quarterly you will check in and refresh your routine according to the season, as well as your ever-changing personal needs. Look forward to video tutorials and step-by-step lessons.
Additionally, I am offering a
for either skincare or makeup to members of NAWR complimentary “virtual” consultation . This service includes an in depth questionnaire, which is followed by a Skype or Facetime (Mac users) up-close and personal consultation which allows me to see you face-to-face and give you more personal for the month of January
Here’s to looking and feeling fabulous this year!


Are scholarships and grants subject to federal income tax?
That depends on several factors. If you are a candidate for a degree at an educational institution and receive a qualified scholarship or fellowship that you use for tuition, fees, and required expenses (e.g., books, supplies, and equipment), you need not include the scholarship amount in your taxable income. (Note: the IRS has provided specific guidance regarding the definitions of educational institution and degree candidate.)
However, if your scholarship includes money for room, board, and other incidentals, those dollars are taxable. If you are not a candidate for a degree, your entire scholarship is taxable. If you receive a grant in exchange for performing required services for the school (e.g., working as a teaching assistant), the amount of the grant is generally taxable.
Note: Different rules may apply to tuition reductions and reimbursements.


Inspections, Compliance, Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations Summerland Seafood, Inc. 26-Apr-05
Department of Health and Human Services
Public Health Service
555 Winderley PI., Ste. 200
CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED WARNING LETTER FLA-05-33
April 26, 2005
John W: Ward, President
Summerland Seafood, Inc. dlbla Key West Shellfish P.O. Box 420223 Summerland Key, Florida 33042
Dear Mr. Ward:
On February, 17-18, 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted an inspection your facility located at Mile Marker #25, Summerland Key, FL, 33042. We found that you have serious deviations from the Seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) Regulations, Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 123 (21 CFR Part 123). In accordance with 21 CFR 123.6(g), failure of a processor to have and implement a HACCP plan that complies with this section or otherwise operate in accordance with the requirements of 21 CFR Part 123, renders the processor's seafood products adulterated within the meaning of Section 402(a)(4) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), 21 U.S.C. 342(a)(4). Accordingly, your seafood products are adulterated, in that they have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions where by they may have been rendered injurious to health. You may find the Act and the Seafood HACCP Regulations through links in the FDA's home page at http:/www.fda.gov.
As note previously, during our inspection, the FDA investigator observed deviations from the Seafood HACCP regulations. The FDA Investigator provided your Vice President, Dawn M. Ward, with a copy of the Form FDA 483 (copy enclosed), which represents the investigator's evaluation of your firm's performance regarding various aspects of the HACCP requirements. The deviations were as follows:
1. You must implement the record keeping system that you listed in your HACCP plan, to comply with 21 CFR 123.6(b). However, your firm did not record monitoring observations at the refrigerated storage critical control point to control pathogen growth listed in your HACCP plan for cooked stone crab claws. There is no documentation pertaining to the cooking process of various batches of stone crab claws received between 2/3/05 and 2/8/05, and there is no documentation of the end of the cooking cycle for a batch of stone crab claws cooked on 1/7/05.
2. You must adequately monitor sanitation conditions and practices during- processing, to comply with 21 CFR 123.11(b). However, your firm did not monitor: (1) safety of water that comes into contact with food or food contact surfaces, including water used to manufacture ice; (2) condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces; and (3) prevention of cross-contamination from insanitary objects, as evidenced by observation of the following:
a) Two metal baskets containing cooked stone crab claws were transferred from the chilling tank to a rolling metal cart that previously had stored raw stone crab claws.
b) A metal basket containing raw stone crab claws was lifted over a cooking metal basket that contained cooked stone crab claws.
c) 'The orange/green plastic baskets that are used to handle graded cooked stone crab claws were not properly washed/rinsed/sanitized during the grading.
d) Two baskets containing graded cooked stone crab claws were stored in direct contact with a pallet that had not been washed. The baskets were transferred to a scale and then nested atop another basket containing cooked stone crab claws on ice.
e) Various fishermen were walking inside the ice room where the ice - that is used to re-ice cooked ready-to-eat stone crab claws - was in direct contact with the floor.
f) The stainless steel tank used to chill the cooked stone crab claws was not properly washed prior to adding the water/ice to chili the product. There was a shrimp inside the tank at the time the tank was being filled with water.
g) Two employees were not wearing beard nets during the grading process of cooked stone crab claws.
h) The grading table and the wooden boards that are used in the ice room have peeling paint.
3 . You must conduct a hazard analysis to determine whether there are food safety hazards that are reasonably likely to occur, and you must have a written HACCPplan that list the critical control points, to comply with 21 CFR 123 .6(a) and (c)(2). A critical control point is defined in 21 CFR 123.3(b) as a "point, step, or procedure in a food process at which control can be applied and a food safety hazard can, as a result, be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to acceptable levels." However, your firm's HACCP plan for smoked fish dip does not list the critical control point of receiving for controlling the food safety hazard of pathogen growth due to time/temperature abuse.
4. You must have a HACCP plan that, at a minimum, lists the critical limits that must be met, to comply with 21 CFR 123.6(c)(3). A critical limit is defined in 21 CFR Part 123.3(c) as "the maximum or minimum value to which a physical, biological, or chemical parameter must be controlled at a critical control point to prevent, eliminate, or reduce to an acceptable level the occurrence of the identified food safety hazard." However, your firm's HACCP plan for fresh histamine species of fish lists a critical limit of
<[redacted]degrees for [redacted]and "< [redacted]degrees afters [redacted]hrs" at the receiving and storage critical control points, which limits are not adequate to control histamine formation.
5. You must have a HACCP plan that, at a minimum, lists monitoring procedures for each critical control point, to comply with 21 CFR 123.6(c)(4). However, your firm's HACCP plan for fresh histamine species of fish lists a monitoring procedure of "temp." at the receiving critical control point, which is not adequate to control the hazard of histamine formation.
6. Since you chose to include corrective actions in your HACCP plan, your described corrective actions must be appropriate, to comply with 21 CFR 123.7(b). However, your corrective action plan for fresh histamine species of fish at the receiving and storage critical control points to control histamine hazards are not appropriate. The corrective action at the receiving critical control point is incomplete, and the corrective action at the refrigerated storage critical control point does not address corrections when the critical limits are exceeded.
In addition to the above-listed deviations, we also observed that your firm's HACCP plans for stone crab claws, smoked fish dip and fresh histamine species of fish list various inadequate verification procedures. Specifically, the verification procedures do not: (1) include the calibration of the cook clock; (2) address checking the temperature alarm for accuracy against calibrated thermometer at lest
[redacted] per day; and (3) address the records review, quarterly histamine testing, and periodic measurement of internal temperatures of fish maintained at or below [redacted]° F. Also, your records do not include the date and time of the activity the record reflects and the signature and initials of the person performing the operation. Additionally, the thermometer of the small cooler where the fresh fin fish is stored was not working.
We acknowledge receipt of your firm's response, dated March 30, 2005, submitted to this office, by Dawn Ward, Vice President, in response to the Form FDA 483, issued to her on February 18, 2005. We have reviewed your response and it will be made part of the official file. The response is inadequate for the following reasons:
You did not include monitoring records in the documentation submitted for review.
The addition of the receiving critical control point to the Smoke Fish Dip HACCP plan was after the cooling critical control point instead of before the brining critical control point; moreover, if the critical limit is "fully refrigerated transport;" then the monitoring frequency must be continuous:
The pages of the HACCP plans are not numbered and identified, so we are unable to determine which pages go with which plans.
The above-identified deviations are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of deficiencies at your facility. It is your responsibility to ensure that all seafood products processed and distributed by your firm are in compliance with the Act and all requirements, of the federal regulations. Some of the above-mentioned deviations were previously pointed out to you in our letter dated February 13, 2002 (enclosed).
You should take prompt measures to correct these deviations. Failure to promptly correct the deviations noted may result in regulatory action without further notice. Such action includes seizure and/or injunction. In addition, FDA may detain your imported seafood products without examination. Under such conditions, FDA will not issue any Certificates for Export or European Union Health Certificates for any of the affected fish and fishery products processed at your facility.
Please notify this office in writing within 15 working days from your receipt of this letter of the specific steps you have taken to correct these violations including an explanation of each step taken to prevent their re-occurrence. Your response should include copies of any available documentation demonstrating that corrections have been made. If corrections cannot be completed within 15 working days, state the reason for the delay and the time frame within which the corrections will be completed.
Your reply relating to these concerns should be directed to the Food and Drug Administration, Attention: Virginia L. Meeks, Compliance Officer, 555 Winderley Place, Suite 200, Maitland, FL 32571. If you have questions regarding any issue in this letter, please contact Ms. Meeks at (407) 475-4731. We look forward to working with you to achieve a successful HACCP program.
Sincerely,
/S/
Emma R. Singleton Director, Florida District


Drying clothes indoors poses a health risk, especially to those with weakened immune system or asthma.
Recently, a man from Bolton got a lung infection by drying his clothes inside his house. The spores which appear due to the mold from the wet clothes can cause serious lung infections.
Craig Mather (34) is a father of three children and he was diagnosed with pulmonary aspergillosis. He was prescribed antimicrobial medications and soon he felt better.
However, the doctor told him that he must stop drying the clothes indoors, otherwise, his health condition will become worse.
Following the doctor`s advice, Craig stopped drying the clothes inside for 12 months, and his health was significantly improved.
According to experts, drying washing indoors can seriously harm your health. The evaporation increases the humidity by 30%, crating and ideal environment for spore germination.
For instance, in a bunch of washed laundry there are more than two liters of water which evaporates in your room. Normally, people`s bodies are immune to these potential infection, but those with weaker immune system or asthma can experience breathing problems and coughing.
Moreover, people with AIDS, patients who undergo chemotherapy, or those with autoimmune disease are at risk of pulmonary aspergillosis, caused by fungi. This disease can seriously harm your health, and in certain cases, it may even lead to fatal lung damage. Therefore, experts recommend drying the laundry exclusively outdoors.
Source: healthylifeplanet.net


Try these ideas if myasthenia makes swallowing difficult.
To reduce residue in your throat:
Moisten solid foods with gravy, sauce, broth, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt. Choose chicken or fish instead of tougher meats. Avoid dry crumbly food such as crackers, rice, cookies, nuts, chips or popcorn. Avoid bread products such as sandwiches, bagels and muffins. Focus on the swallow. Hold your head in a different position to try a different swallow pathway.
To reduce fatigue:
Eat several small meals during the day. Chop or mince solid foods (like meat). Eat your largest meal earlier in the day when you have more energy. Take anticholinesterase medication (for example, Mestinon) shortly before mealtimes.
To reduce the risk of food accidentally going into your lungs (called “aspiration”):
Thicken all fluids to the consistency recommended by your doctor or speech pathologist. Remember that ice cream and popsicles melt into a thin fluid in your mouth, and that once you chew fruits, the juice released is also a thin liquid. Be careful swallowing mixed-consistency foods, for example, cereal with milk, soups (like chicken noodle or vegetable), and fruit salad mixed in juices.
To reduce nasal regurgitation:
Limit each swallow to half a teaspoon. Sit upright and don’t tilt your head forward when swallowing. Easier Chewing
Egg salad, canned salmon and fruit smoothies can deliver nutrients in a manageable consistency. Check your library or book store for “soft diet” recipe books.
Hear from an Expert
Reviewed by the MGF of Illinois Medical Advisory Board, February 2015.
This information was abstracted from “Myasthenia Gravis and Swallowing Difficulty,” by Angela Colton-Hudson, M. CL Sc., Speech Language Pathologist, University Campus, London Health Science Chapter, published in Conquer newsletter, MGF of Illinois, April 2006.


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Large international construction projects often have a range of major contractors, subcontractors and consultants based in different parts of the world and working to different legal theories and understandings. This can lead to confusion in the understanding, interpretation and execution of the construction contract, which can result in significant disruption to the construction project.
International Construction Contract Law is written for anyone who needs to understand the legal and managerial aspects of large international construction projects, including consulting engineers, lawyers, clients, developers, contractors and construction managers worldwide.
In 18 chapters it provides a thorough overview of civil law /common law interrelationships, delivery methods, standard forms of contract, risk allocation, variations, claims and dispute resolution, all in the context of international construction projects. Highly practical in approach - it introduces legal analysis only when absolutely essential to understanding, the book also contains a range of useful appendices, including a 10-language basic dictionary of terms used in FIDIC forms.


According to Pakistani authorities and
UNHCR, 3 million Internally Displaced People [IDPs] have now been registered as a result of the ongoing operations in Swat, Buner, and Lower Dir districts. As the military offensive enters its sixth week, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen, partly due to host family fatigue and an easing of government-enforced curfew restrictions in the conflict areas. According to Relief Web, on June 8, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that IDP camps received approximately 1,800 new families between June 5 and 7 alone. As I [and many others] have emphasized [see past CHUP posts on the IDP situation], we need to continue to raise awareness about this issue and increase support, [visit The Swat Plea to find ways you can help].
Film and photography are incredibly powerful mediums in raising awareness and humanizing social and political issues, and I found this Boston Globe series of images entitled, “Children of Pakistan,” to be especially moving. Thanks to my friend who passed on the piece, which focuses on the children impacted by Pakistan’s humanitarian crisis. [You can view the series in its entirety here.] Below are what I found to be some of the most poignant and striking photographs:


Contaminants: Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and Chlorinated Aliphatics; - Primary constituents included benzene, vinyl chloride, and benzo(a)pyrene - Site contaminants included volatile organics - (up to 400 mg/kg); pentachlorophenol (up to 750 mg/kg); semivolatiles (up to 5,000 mg/kg); metals (up to 5,000 mg); PCBs; (up to 616 mg/kg) and arsenic
Type/Quantity of Media Treated: Soil and Sludge - Approximately 300,000 tons - Soils varied from fine grained silts to coarse sand - Sludges - tar-like consisting of a mixture of petrochemical sludges, kiln dust, and tars (styrene and oils)
Regulatory Requirements/Cleanup Goals:
The ROD specified maximum allowable concentrations in the lagoon subsoils and sludges for 5 contaminants: - benzo(a)pyrene (9 mg/kg), total PCBs (23 mg/kg), vinyl chloride (43 mg), arsenic (7 mg/kg), and benzene (14 mg) The ROD specified an action level for total VOCs of 11 ppm for 5 minutes at the site boundary at any time during treatment
Cost Factors: - Total costs were approximately $49,000,000 (including project management, pilot studies, technology development, EPA oversight, and backfill of the lagoon) - $26,900,000 of total costs were for activities directly attributed to treatment (including solids, liquid, and vapor/gas preparation and handling, pads/foundations/spill control, mobilization/setup, startup/testing/permits, training, and operation) - $16,500,000 were for before-treatment activities (including mobilization and preparatory work, monitoring sampling, testing, and analysis, site work. surface water, groundwater, and air pollution/gas collection and control, solids and liquids/sediments/sludges collection and containment, and drums/tanks/structures/miscellaneous demolition and removal) - $300,000 were for after-treatment activities (including decontamination and decommissioning, commercial and non-commercial disposal, site restoration, non-treatment unit demobilization, topsoil, and revegetation)
Description: The French Ltd. Superfund site in Crosby, Texas. is a former industrial w Slurry-phase bioremediation of the lagoon was performed from January 1992 through November 1993. An innovative system (the MixFlo system) was used for aeration in this application that minimized air emissions while supplying oxygen to the biomass. This system used pure oxygen and a series of eductors to oxygenate the mixed liquor while minimizing air emissions. During this time, approximately 300,000 tons of contaminated sludge and soil in the lagoon were treated to levels below those specified in the ROD. In addition, air emission limits specified in the ROD were not exceeded during treatment. Total costs for the system were approximately $49,000,000, including approximately $26,000,000 for activities directly attributed to treatment. This application is notable as being the first application of slurry-phase bioremediation at a Superfund site, and included approximately $12,000,000 in technology development and pilot-scale testing work. According to FLTG, the costs for future applications of slurry-phase bioremediation depend on site-specific chemical and physical conditions with oxygen and nutrient supply being key factors affecting the cost of bioremediation systems.


The more I read by and about Jacques Ellul, the more I like. He was a contemporary of Marshall McLuhan and a predecessor of Neil Postman. He is as difficult to read as McLuhan, more philosophical than Postman, and more religious than either of them. He was also more of a technological determinist than either of them who was worried about the influence of technology on life, culture, and faith. I found his “76 reasonable questions” to ask about any technology to be intriguing, if not overwhelming. The vocational and moral questions are especially poignant. I retrieved this list from Dr. T. David Gordon’s website, where Gordon comments that the questions are “Interesting and helpful in their own right; if you pose them to an engineer, the result is as amusing as watching a cat chase its tail.” Be sure to check out many of the other links and papers on Gordon’s site.
Ecological
What are its effects on the health of the planet and of the person?
Does it preserve or destroy biodiversity?
Does it preserve or reduce ecosystem integrity?
What are its effects on the land?
What are its effects on wildlife?
How much, and what kind of waste does it generate?
Does it incorporate the principles of ecological design?
Does it break the bond of renewal between humans and nature?
Does it preserve or reduce cultural diversity?
What is the totality of its effects, its “ecology”?
Social
Does it serve community?
Does it empower community members?
How does it affect our perception of our needs?
Is it consistent with the creation of a communal, human economy?
What are its effects on relationships?
Does it undermine conviviality?
Does it undermine traditional forms of community?
How does it affect our way of seeing and experiencing the world?
Does it foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
Does it build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
Does it serve to commodity knowledge or relationships?
To what extent does it redefine reality?
Does it erase a sense of time and history?
What is its potential to become addictive?
Practical
What does it make?
Who does it benefit?
What is its purpose?
Where was it produced?
Where is it used?
Where must it go when it’s broken or obsolete?
How expensive is it?
Can it be repaired?
By an ordinary person?
Moral
What values does its use foster?
What is gained by its use?
What are its effects beyond its utility to the individual?
What is lost in using it?
What are its effects on the least advantaged in society?
Ethical
How complicated is it?
What does it allow us to ignore?
To what extent does it distance agent from effect?
Can we assume personal, or communal responsibility for its effects?
Can its effects be directly apprehended?
What ancillary technologies does it require?
What behavior might it make possible in the future?
What other technologies might it make possible?
Does it alter our sense of time and relationships in ways conducive to nihilism?
Vocational
What is its impact on craft?
Does it reduce, deaden, or enhance human creativity?
Is it the least imposing technology available for the task?
Does it replace, or does it aid human hands and human beings?
Can it be responsive to organic circumstance?
Does it depress or enhance the quality of goods?
Does it depress or enhance the meaning of work?
Metaphysical
What aspect of the inner self does it reflect?
Does it express love?
Does it express rage?
What aspect of our past does it reflect?
Does it reflect cyclical or linear thinking?
Political
Does it concentrate or equalize power?
Does it require, or institute a knowledge elite?
It is totalitarian?
Does it require a bureaucracy for its perpetuation?
What legal empowerments does it require?
Does it undermine traditional moral authority?
Does it require military defense?
Does it enhance, or serve military purposes?
How does it affect warfare?
Is it massifying?
Is it consistent with the creation of a global economy?
Does it empower transnational corporations?
What kind of capital does it require?
Aesthetic
Is it ugly?
Does it cause ugliness?
What noise does it make?
What pace does it set?
How does it affect the quality of life (as distinct from the standard of living)?


Provisional statistics for passengers on international short sea (ferry) routes and passengers on domestic sea crossings.
Detail
The main findings includes:
the number of short sea international ferry journeys increased by 4% to 20.5 million following 2 years of decline Dover remaining the busiest UK sea port, carrying 12.7 million short sea international ferry passengers. This was a 7% annual increase but remained 20% lower than 10 years previously in 2012, more passengers travelled internationally via the Channel Tunnel than ferries for the first time. However, in 2013, ferries accounted for 1.7 million (9%) more international journeys than the Channel Tunnel. passenger traffic on domestic sea crossings has steadily declined over the last decade the number of passengers travelling by ferry from Great Britain to Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands increased to 2.1 and 0.4 million respectively
Final sea passenger statistics will be published in autumn 2014, including data for passengers on international cruises, long sea journeys, domestic river crossings and inter-island domestic routes, which are currently not available for 2013.
Contact us: Maritime and shipping statistics
Domestic waterborne freight enquiries 020 7944 2403
Seafarers statistics enquiries 020 7944 2403
Shipping statistics enquiries 020 7944 4119
Sea passengers statistics enquiries 020 7944 4163
Ports statistics enquiries 020 7944 3717


The antilock braking system in a Chevrolet Malibu may come on when there is a condition in the braking system causing a fault. For instance, the light may come on when there is not enough fluid in the antilock braking system reservoir.Continue Reading
If there are no other warning lights indicating an issue with the brake system, the vehicle often operates normally. If it does, it is safe to drive to a shop for repairs, but the driver should keep in mind in the case of an accident, the antilock braking system cannot work, so the vehicle may skid if the stop is immediate, especially if it occurs on a slick or wet pavement.
If there are other lights on the dashboard indicating a brake system issue, it is likely there is something wrong with the main brake system. This can indicate a serious issue, such as fluid loss, pressure loss or a hydraulic problem. If this is the case, the vehicle is not safe to drive, and the safest way to get the vehicle to a mechanic is to have it towed. If there is an issue with the main braking system, there is a high chance that the car could experience a brake system failure when on the road.Learn more about Car Parts & Maintenance


A Answers (2)
Symptoms of seasonal allergies include runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing, and general malaise. If you experience these symptoms in spring or fall and they are relieved by an over-the-counter allergy medicine such as Claritin or Zyrtec, you can safely diagnose yourself with seasonal allergies.
Symptoms of seasonal allergies include:
Runny nose (rhinorrhea) Bouts of sneezing Stuffy nose (congestion) Itchy nose Itchy, watery eyes Dark circles under the eyes (allergic shiners) Itchy palate or throat Ear fullness and popping Pressure in the sinus cavities on either side of the nose and above the eyes
Allergy symptoms may also lead to fatigue, weakness, and disturbed sleep and can significantly affect well-being.
This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.


A top researcher at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) played a key role in helping uncover data manipulation by the CDC. This fraud obscured a higher incidence of autism in African-American boys.
The whistleblower, Dr. William Thompson, came forward after a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for original data on an autism study was filed and these highly sensitive documents were received with the assistance of U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The CDC documents and discussions with the whistleblower reveal widespread manipulation of scientific data and top-down pressure on CDC scientists to suppress a causal link between the MMR vaccine and later autism diagnosis, particularly in a subset of African-American males who received their immunization “on-time” in accordance with the recommended CDC schedule.
The received documents from the CDC show that in 2003 a 340% increase in autism in African American boys related to the MMR vaccine was discovered and then hidden due to pressure from senior officials. The CDC researchers then recalculated their results by removing a population to get the results that were desired.
William Thompson has worked for the government agency for over a decade and confirmed that "the CDC knew about the relationship between the age of first MMR vaccine and autism incidence in African-American boys as early as 2003, but chose to cover it up." He remarked "we've missed ten years of research because the CDC is so paralyzed right now by anything related to autism. They're not doing what they should be doing because they're afraid to look for things that might be associated." He alleges criminal wrongdoing by his supervisors, and he expressed deep regret about his role in helping the CDC hide data.


Most recent research has found that inoculants provide the most benefit when used on land that has not had soybeans before or has not been inoculated in a long time. Some research from other states shows that over the long term, use of inoculants may increase soybean yields by about 1 bushel per acre. These studies were conducted over a range of fields under a range of conditions.
In a drought there might be some differences, but my informed opinion is that the bacteria are resistant to one year’s bad conditions, and so the drought would have negligible effect. We conducted a study near Tekamah and Brownville last year on ground that had been under water for an extended period due to Missouri River flooding. This would create harsh conditions for microbes that need oxygen to survive.
At Tekamah our yields for soybeans grown without inoculant averaged 61 bu/ac compared to 60 bu/ac with traditional inoculant, and 57 bu/ac with another inoculant that was an enhanced product. At Brownville the uninoculated soybeans yielded 57 bu/ac and one inoculated treatment yielded 64 bu/ac and the other 70 bu/ac. At Tekamah the least significant difference (LSD) was 9 bu/ac and at the Brownville site, the LSD was 12 bu/ac. The LSD indicates the yield difference that is needed to have confidence that the difference is due to the treatment and not chance. Yields at both sites were very variable.
SOURCE: Charles Shapiro, UNL Extension Soil Specialist, Haskell Ag Lab


The Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) brings together country policymakers, health system managers, practitioners, advocates and other development partners who are committed to increasing the focus on primary health care (PHC) and supporting improvement efforts.
Advocates will be critical to PHCPI’s success. They can reach out to decision-makers and use PHCPI data to highlight where there are gaps in the PHC system. They can also request action to address those gaps and point decision-makers to helpful resources.
PHCPI can support advocacy on both “ vertical” health issue agendas and broader health and development agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and universal health coverage.
Advocacy Toolkit Contents Primary Health Care Advocacy Guide: Not sure where to start or go next with your advocacy efforts around PHC? This guide offers answers to questions on how to align PHC advocacy with existing health agendas, how to generate awareness about the issue and influence decision-makers, and how to craft an advocacy strategy. Advocates’ Frequently Asked Questions about PHCPI: PHCPI Communications Toolkit: This guide offers background and resources to support social media activities and the development of opinion pieces and blog posts about the importance of strong PHC. Beyond the Numbers: User Guide for the PHC Vital Signs: The PHCPI website provides data that enable users to explore the performance of PHC systems in low- and middle-income countries and allows for country benchmarking. This guide provides background and information to aid advocates and decision-makers who want to improve their country's PHC system in interpreting the data on the website. Leveraging “Vertical” Health Investments for PHC: Country Briefs: Country-specific briefs link improved PHC performance to meeting a country’s existing commitments and national plans, highlight country/local facts and success stories, and shine a light on gaps in existing policies, plans, and resources related to PHC. Please check back frequently for updates to existing briefs and the addition of new ones. Country Brief Template: This document enables advocates to create their own country-specific brief, using PHCPI data, if a particular country brief is not yet available among the list above. It is a Microsoft Word document, set up for easy editing, with text and graphic placeholders and guidance on key information to include.


HR Learning Centers Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce Training Seminar is a must for employers. Todays workforce has four distinct generations working side-by-side. This webinar will provide your managers with the essentials they need to ensure that each generation feels respected and understood. They will learn how to eliminate generational conflict within the workplace and create a harmonious respectful workplace environment. Your managers will learn best practices for communicating effectively with each generation and how to maximize each employees contribution by going beyond common generational stereotypes. Managers will learn how to reduce any interpersonal conflict that can be caused by generational differences and how to increase respect for all employees, regardless of their generational differences.
Our Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce Training Seminar is essential for todays modern employer faced with a multi-cultural, multi-generational and diverse workforce. It assists managers in understanding, valuing and appreciating the importance of their employees cultural and generational differences and encourages them to view this as a strength within the workplace. It teaches managers to be sensitive and respectful to others in the workplace. It reviews the legal aspects of discrimination and harassment in the workplace and focuses on methods to avoid discrimination and harassment based on our cultural and generational differences. It enables managers to view all employees equally and to focus on the contribution that each employee can make in a respectful workplace.
What you will learn in this seminar:
Â· To adopt a communication style to meet the challenges of a multi-generational workforce
Â· The characteristics of the four major generations in your workplace
Â· Tips to Reduce Interpersonal Conflict by Understanding and Appreciating Multi-Generational Differences
Â· Methods to develop and retain workers from each generation
Â· Methods to Increase Intergenerational Respect
Â· Tips to Maximize and Value Each Generations Strengths


I was selected last fall to replace Connie Tipton as the president and CEO of IDFA. I am thoroughly enjoying the new role at IDFA and have been busy completing all the items outlined in my 100-day plan presented to the selection committee.
For those who may not know me, I’d like to start by sharing a bit about my background. I grew up on a small dairy and tobacco farm in Kentucky and earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a master’s in agricultural economics from the University of Kentucky and a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University. After working six years as a practicing veterinarian in Illinois, I spent the balance of my career in industry, leading and executing strategies to shape agricultural policies.
Clearly agriculture has always been my passion, and I look forward to working closely with all members of the dairy industry.
In fact, my 100-day plan focuses on three key groups: the IDFA team, our IDFA members and external stakeholders who are partners or may become partners in future collaborative efforts. I invite you to read more about the plan in my very first column for Cheese Market News and look forward to seeing many of you at Dairy Forum later this month.
Best regards,
Michael Dykes, D.V.M.
President and CEO


Cambodian wildlife experts this week join specialists from 12 other countries to create strategies for reviving endangered tiger populations.
Fewer than 50 wild tigers are thought to remain in Cambodia, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature Cambodia, which sent an expert to join government representatives at the Second Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation that began in Thimphu, Bhutan, yesterday.
“For the tiger population to recover, it is essential to safeguard the forest habitat and ensure a sustainable source of prey,” WWF Mondulkiri Eastern Plains landscape manager Mark Wright said.
WWF and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ biodiversity department consider the Eastern Plains a key area for tiger recovery.
In the future, tigers under threat might be relocated there, Wright said, noting that Cambodia had drawn inspiration from India’s successful relocation of tigers to its Panna Tiger Reserve.
This week’s conference, the sequel to the First Asian Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation in 2010, should provide opportunities for the government to assess other countries’ experience and the feasibility of tiger recovery in Cambodia, Wright said.
A partnership against the poaching of tigers and their prey was especially important to protection in Cambodia, biodiversity department expert Kry Masphal said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Justine Drennan at justine.drennan@phnompenhpost.com


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With elongation of average human life, problem such as bone embrittlement and osteoporosis call for quick solution and the expectation for artificial biomaterials heightens. Many ceramics widely used as artificial biomaterials are limited by their poor reliability characteristics. A CeO2 stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (Ce-TZP) matrix incorporating nanometer sized Al2O3 particles within the zirconia grains (Ce-TZP/Al2O3) was recently developed. This material experienced significant improvements in both fracture toughness and strength above the standard mechanical performance of monolithic zirconia. In this paper, we performed a macro/microscopic fracture mechanics assessment of this developed Ce-TZP/Al2O3 nanocomposite, in comparison with a 3 mol% Y-TZP according to advanced in situ confocal Raman spectroscopy techniques.


Paul-André Larose, Ph.D. Ontario, Canada (Rev. 2011/05/06)
Cycling can be seen as being Competitive, Recreational or Functional. Consequently, there are three types of Cycling. This document
deals with one of these, namely with Functional Cycling. This form of Active Transportation, generally Intra-Urban in nature, is known as “Cyclo-Mobility”.
For cycling to be widely accepted, it must be safe and it must be perceived as such.
Consequently, we must view and design city streets in a way that is different from that used so far in our Auto-Centric society. A key element is the provision of Bikeways; these can logically complement other streetscape design elements, such as walkways and roadways, without competing against them.
In the same manner that motorized vehicles depend on paved and maintained roads, including plowing when required, similarly bikeways require dedicated and properly maintained infrastructures. These should not be “cosmetic” in nature and only suitable for mild-weather months. Moreover, Bikeways should not be confused with Bike Trails, as these are recreational, i.e. non-functional, in nature.
A Bikeway does not exist in isolation, but rather it is part of a Bikeway Network.
In addition, it has the following Twelve Attributes:
1.
Functional: Providing corridors linking ”Need To Go” places
2.
Safe: Against moving/parked vehicles for cyclists/pedestrians
3.
Secure: No isolated, unlit or inaccessible areas
4.
Direct: Minimal addition to travel distance
5.
Gap-free: Continuous interconnection of routings
6.
Conflict-free: Intersection designs and protocols
7.
Extensive: City-wide coverage within 0.5 km reach
8.
Unrestricted: Usable at any time, in any season, 24/365
9.
Weather-Immune: Splash avoidance and snow clearance
10.
Integrative: With street, parking, buildings and transit facilities
11.
Beautifying: Adds aesthetic component to urban landscape
12.
Appropriate: Design adapted to local specifics
Source: 8-80cities.org


Experienced discipler and church leader Jonathan Dodson addresses defective forms of discipleship and offers a gospel-centered alternative.
Reflecting on the practice of disciple making in young adult, college, graduate, and local church contexts, Jonathan Dodson has discerned some common pitfalls. For many, discipleship is reduced to a legalistic form of accountability. For others, discipleship is loose adherence to spiritual facts. Both approaches distort biblical motivations for Christian obedience and are in need of reform.
By explaining various motivations for discipleship, Dodson charts a biblically faithful, grace-driven alternative. Additionally, he provides a practical model for creating gospel-centered discipleship groups--small, reproducible, missional, gender-specific groups of believers that fight for faith together. This book blends both theology and practice to inspire and equip Christians to effectively fight sin, keep Jesus central, and make gospel-centered discipleship a way of life.
Both new and growing Christians will learn to trust the gospel in community as they fight together for.


US managers are struggling to understand the impact of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) on their EU business strategies. But with significant uncertainty still surrounding the non-EU passport (expected in July 2015) and limited guidance on how private placement regimes will be maintained, the appetite is high among US managers for strategies to help streamline their entry or continued operations in the EU.


How should a contractor respond when the
owner or designer directs that some aspect of construction be
accomplished in a fashion that the contractor believes will not be
successful, violates applicable specifications or standards, or in the
worst case, will result in an unsafe condition at the facility? While
the preferred response is to decline the direction, that may not be
practical if the contractor is already engaged in the project, or does
not want to risk losing the work. In such circumstances, the contractor
should call the issue to the attention of the owner and architect in
writing, explain the potential consequences of following the direction,
and obtain a written direction to proceed and an agreement not to hold
the contractor responsible for problems resulting from construction in
compliance with the direction. The agreement should include the
agreement of the owner and designer to indemnify the contractor against
any claims arising out of the condition at issue.
While the steps outlined above should be sufficient to protect the
contractor from claims by the owner for failures resulting from the
construction method in question, no agreement with the owner can
insulate the contractor from a claim by a third party injured due to a
unsafe condition resulting from the contractor’s work. If the
direction results in a condition which will violate a standard related
to safety, or otherwise can be anticipated to create an unreasonably
dangerous condition, the contractor who proceeds takes the risk
that a player will be injured as a result of the unsafe condition and
will assert a claim against owner, designer and contractor. If the
contractor is held liable for the player’s injuries, the indemnity
agreement mentioned above should give the contractor a right to recover
its losses from the owner and designer; however there is no assurance
that the agreement will be effective, or that the owner or designer will
be capable of fulfilling its obligations.
The contractor should be covered by its products liability/completed
operations insurance coverage. Be certain to maintain appropriate
overages and limits with a reputable and solid carrier.


Two weeks ago I cheered on many of my friends as they graduated from college. While I was saying my goodbyes, I tried not to think about how long it might be before I see them again. They were campus leaders and my own personal role-models, and now that I am a rising senior, I – along with my classmates – will be expected to fill the vacuum in student leadership and responsibility that their departure has created. Now, I am in a kind of limbo, wedged between the departure of several of my friends and the arrival of my final year of undergraduate education, and my imminent entrance into the ‘real world’.
I don’t think it is a stretch to suppose that many of the disciples found themselves in similar circumstances during the time between the Ascension and Pentecost. After spending forty days with the resurrected Lord, who was their friend and spiritual leader, Jesus departed from the disciples, but not before commissioning them to carry on His work (cf. Mark 16:15). As they came together for the Jewish feast of Pentecost, they must have been asking themselves: “So, what next? Where do we go from here? How can we complete the task which we have been given?” In this moment of vulnerability, the Spirit came upon those gathered and filled them with many gifts which they were to employ in the spreading of the Gospel.
As St. Paul tells us, “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit” (1 Cor. 12:7). Do we recognize the manifestation of the Spirit in our own lives? Do we use that which the Spirit has given us as the disciples did, to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth? This Pentecost, may we be filled with the same hopeful joy that filled the disciples as they awaited the coming of the Spirit promised to them by Christ, and in this joy may we be prepared to receive and utilize the bounteous gifts that the Spirit gifts to each of us.


The Environmental Protection Agency is currently revising the Guidelines and Advice Notes.
The adoption of the new EIA Directive (2014/52/EU) in April 2014, combined with lessons and experience arising from EU and Irish court cases, appeals and various pieces of new legislation that have been adopted since the publication of the current documents, have led to a decision to update the guidelines.
The review of the guidelines commenced in September 2014 and two online surveys have been carried out (via this website) to gather input from interested parties. A draft of the revised Guidelines was made available for public consultation in September 2015. This draft is being further revised to take account of the consultation feedback.
To ensure that the Guidelines are fully aligned with the relevant legislation it has been decided to publish the revised Guidelines after the transposition of Directive 2014/52/EU into national legislation. The transposition deadline set out in the Directive is 16 May 2017.
In the interim, and to assist those that are preparing EISs for 2017 consent applications, it is planned to make an updated draft of the revised Guidelines available on this webpage in September-October 2016.
Please note that the original Guidelines and Advice Notes are still applicable until such date as the final revision of the Guidelines are published i.e. after the transposition of Directive 2014/52/EU.


Malaria is considered the most prevailing human parasitic disease. Despite various chemotherapeutic interventions being available, the parasite responsible for the most lethal form of malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, is continuously developing resistance towards drugs targeted against it. This, therefore, necessitates the need for validation of new antimalarial development. Polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, particularly S-adenosylmethionine-L-decarboxylase (PfAdoMetDC), has been identified as a suitable drug target for protozoan parasitic diseases due to its essential role in cell proliferation. Furthermore, in Plasmodium polyamine biosynthesis, PfAdoMetDC is organised into a unique bifunctional complex with ornithine decarboxylase (PfAdoMetDC/ODC) covalently linked by a hinge region, distinguishing this enzyme as unique a drug target. However, inhibitors targeting this pathway have not been successful in clinical assessment, creating the need for further research in identifying novel inhibitors. This study focused on the structural and functional characterisation of protein-specific properties of the AdoMetDC domain in P. falciparum parasites, as well as identifying novel inhibitors targeting this enzyme as a potential antimalarial therapeutic intervention.In order to develop novel inhibitors specifically targeting PfAdoMetDC through a structure-based drug discovery approach, the three-dimensional structure is required. However, due to a lack of structural and functional characterisation, determination of the crystal structure has been challenging. Heterologous expression of monofunctional PfAdoMetDC was achieved from a wild-type construct of the PfAdoMetDC domain including the covalently linked hinge region. In chapter 2, deletion of a large non-homologous, low-complexity parasite-specific insert (A3) in monofunctional PfAdoMetDC resulted in an increased yield, purity and sample homogeneity, whilst maintaining protein functionality and structural integrity. However, truncation of the proposed non-essential hinge region resulted in low-level expression of insoluble protein aggregates and a complete loss of protein activity, indicating that the hinge region is essential for monofunctional PfAdoMetDC. However, in the absence of the three-dimensional PfAdoMetDC crystal structure, novel derivatives of a well-known AdoMetDC inhibitor, MDL73811, were tested for their activity against heterologous PfAdoMetDC, as well as their potency against P. falciparum parasites, in chapter 3. The compound Genz-644131 was identified as a lead inhibitor of PfAdoMetDC, however, the poor membrane permeability of the compound resulted in low in vitro activity. Drug permeability of Genz-644131 into P. falciparum infected erythrocytes and its potency was significantly improved by its encapsulation into a novel immunoliposome based drug delivery system.The results presented here provide essential information for development of a unique strategy in obtaining suffiecient levels of fully active recombinant PfAdoMetDC of sufficient purity for crystallisation studies and subsequent structure-based drug design efforts. The combination of Genz-644131 with the novel drug delivery system, which markedly improved its potency against PfAdoMetDC may proof to be a viable antimalarial chemotherapeutic strategy for future investigations.


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This Podcast features an interview with Maurizio Scaltriti, author of a Research Article that appears in the 25 March 2014 issue of
Science Signaling, about a combination therapy that might be effective against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is often aggressive and is defined by the absence of overexpression or amplification of the genes encoding the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Although drugs that inhibit signaling through these receptors are effective against other subtypes of breast cancer, these therapies are not effective against TNBC. However, TNBCs often have elevated signaling through the PI3 kinase–Akt pathway and through the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Tao et al. report that a combinatorial treatment that simultaneously targets the PI3 kinase–Akt pathway and signaling through the related EGFR and HER3 receptors reduced growth of TNBC xenografts in mice.


This resource is no longer available TDWI High-Performance Data Warehousing
The explosion of data, its users, and its analytics demands have put significant stress on business intelligence (BI), data warehousing (DW), data integration, and analytics systems. Users must find high –performance tools, platforms, and features to handle this vast amount of information while increasing performance.
This paper presents the results of a TDWI survey, which indicates that two-thirds of users interviewed believe high-performance DW presents an important opportunity for businesses. This report explains new business and technology requirements for high-performance DW, as well as the vendor-built or user-built options available.


Research
Ph.D. Theses Automated Verification of Generic Computer Software Components
By Robert E. Cook, Jr.
The current trend in software engineering is for larger, more complicated, systems that run critical applications. For these applications, software testing is often insufficient, and often is performed using a ``hit or miss'' approach. Formal verification would provide greater assurance, but is typically not applied. One reason why it is not applied is that significant knowledge of, and experience with, computer-assisted theorem provers is often required. A second reason why it is not applied is the amount of time required to perform a verification.
In our research, we have developed a framework for formal verification of software utilizing PVS. We have created a set of axioms to symbolically execute functions, and have formed a representation for the formal specifications. The axioms, combined with a set of user-defined proof strategies, permit a formal verification to be performed by issuing only one command to the theorem prover. Therefore, to perform a formal verification, the engineer is not required to have extensive knowledge of the theorem prover. The framework we have developed was designed to be capable of formally verifying generic functions. Therefore, even though the time to formally specify a function for use by the verification system can be substantial, the time involved can be amortized over the many expected instantiations of the generic function.
The generic functions we have formally verified come from the C++ Standard Template Library, part of the new ANSI/ISO C++ standard. Of greatest significance, we have formally verified the correctness of the insert_aux member function of the vector container class. To perform such verifications, concepts such as memory references, iterators and iterator concepts, manipulation of array data, and dynamic memory allocation needed to be addressed. While the system is not without limitations and the time involved in performing the verification can be sizable, we believe that a system specifically designed for formal verifications, based on our framework, could realistically be applied to formally verifying functions that are expected to experience significant levels of reuse or that require ultra-high assurance.


The EMAC governance structure includes
Operational Components that ensure coordination, efficient control, action, and coordination when EMAC is activated. These components, each with its own function within EMAC, are NEMA; a National Coordinating State (NCS); EMAC Advance Team (A-Team); National EMAC Liaison Team (NELT); and Regional EMAC Liaison Team (RELT).
Within the operational components,
NEMA’s administrative role is much the same as it is while administering the Compact. NEMA is responsible for ensuring all functions of the operation are working to the best of their ability, to resolve issues in cooperation with the NCS, to maintain the EMAC Operations System, and to ensure data integrity.
The NCS is the initial point of contact for EMAC operational activities. The NCS monitors potential and actual emergency events nationwide and is prepared to support states with EMAC needs on short notice by swiftly coordinating with Authorized Representatives and Designated Contacts. The NCS recruits other operational coordination components (A-Teams, NELTs, and RELTs) for deployment and interfaces with the EMAC Program Director during an event. The NCS serves the
as it oversees all EMAC response and recovery operations and ensures that operational procedures are followed, that coordinating teams are adequately staffed, and that timely deployment status reports are issued. The NCS also coordinates with Executive Task Force members, the EMAC Committee Chair, and NEMA staff to resolve policy and procedural issues during the activation and implementation of EMAC functions. operations coordination function
The Chair of the Executive Task Force serves in a dual role as the National Coordinating State's Leader and the Chair of the EMAC Executive Task Force. The National Coordinating State is composed of emergency management personnel from the home state of the NCS Leader/EMAC Executive Task Force Chair. Because the chair of the Executive Task Force changes annually, the members of the NCS also change each year.
EMAC requires that each state prepare and make available a cadre of four or more individuals, called an
, who understand and are prepared to implement EMAC procedures within their own state or be deployed in that role should another state need such assistance. When an emergency-impacted state does not have sufficient personnel of its own in place to serve as a liaison and facilitate assistance, it may request one or more A-Teams from other states through the NCS. A-Team A-Teams include personnel from multiple disciplines that are resource typed according to team composition. The A-Team is located at the Requesting State’s Emergency Operations Center and serves a resource coordination function in EMAC’s governance structure, preparing and transmitting Requests for Assistance and other documents, monitoring the status of all deployed personnel and other resources in the affected state, and providing logistical and technical support to those personnel when necessary.
When a disaster has the potential for widespread impact or catastrophic results, FEMA may activate the National Response Coordination Center, or NRCC, in Washington, D.C., for federal response and recovery operations. When this occurs, FEMA may also request an EMAC coordination element from the National Coordinating State.
With the approval of the National Coordinating State's Leader and concurrence from NEMA, a
National EMAC Liaison Team, or NELT, will deploy to the NRCC. While at the NRCC, the NELT serves as a liaison to keep the federal government aware of state EMAC operational activity. The NELT—which includes both emergency management and National Guard Bureau personnel—interfaces with the NCS, A-Teams, NEMA, and any RELT(s). The NELT may not actively request resources from other states.
During a major, multistate emergency or disaster, FEMA may also activate a Regional
Regional EMAC Liaison Team, or RELT. This team serves a similar function as the NELT but in a regional, rather than national, setting. Like the NELT, the RELT serves as a liaison, and its composition depends on mission’s requirements.


Jordan lacks natural resources such as coal reserves, commercially viable oil deposits, and natural gas, meaning that it must depend on imported fossil fuel for power generation. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) is the apex body for the energy sector. In 2005, the National Energy Efficiency Strategy came into play, aiming to reduce dependence on imported products and boost renewable energy infrastructure through 600-1,000 Megawatts (MW) of wind energy, 300-600 MW of solar energy, and 30-50 MW of energy from waste. The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Law, which came into force in 2010, increased focus and investment in renewable energy sources. The country is now exploiting its wind power potential, and eight upcoming projects are expected to come online in Ma'an, Tafilah, Amman, and Aqaba in the future.
Scope
The report includes wind power regulatory framework, upcoming projects and major deals.
Reasons to buy
The report gives an overview of the country's wind energy sector.
Helps in understanding the growth trajectory of wind power in the country
Gain insights into the country's wind power policies and regulations
Identify investment opportunities through upcoming wind energy projects
Identify major deals and investments made in the wind energy sector during 2013-2014


Collective Entrepreneurship: An Emerging Phenomenon in Producer-Owned Organizations Date2006-08 Format Metadata[+] Show full item record Abstract
This paper introduces and defines the concept of collective entrepreneurship. A review of the defensive single-level rent-seeking objective of traditional agricultural cooperatives is introduced followed by an analysis of recent studies documenting a shift in the objective functions of producers jointly integrating toward more multiple-level rent-seeking entities.
Citation
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics, 38.2, (August 2006): 421-428.


Governance across the land-sea interface Date2016-09-27 Author
Pittman, Jeremy
MetadataShow full item record Statistics
Abstract
Effective governance is urgently needed to reduce the existing pressures on coastal-marine resources due to human activities on both the land and sea. Yet effective governance across the land-sea interface remains elusive in theory and practice. The purpose of my doctoral work is to illuminate the elements of effective governance necessary to address sustainability challenges and ensure the wellbeing of communities situated at the margins of the land and sea. Specifically, I examined (1) the current state of knowledge regarding effective land-sea governance, (2) the contributions of network governance to improving capacities to address social and ecological processes across the land-sea interface, and (3) the conditions that foster transformations towards network governance in land-sea systems. My research was guided by an overall transdisciplinary framing, which allowed for the application of multiple strategies of inquiry – including systematic review and case studies – and a concurrent mixed methods approach to both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Data were collected through a systematic literature search and semi-structured interviews. The case studies were drawn from the Lesser Antilles – a region currently facing multiple sustainability challenges across the land-sea interface due to rapid land-use change, uncontrolled coastal development, and the cross-cutting threats associated with climate change. Systematic review of land-sea governance scholarship found that the main governance challenges associated with addressing land-sea interactions include determining boundaries, addressing cross-scale effects, and accessing appropriate scientific and local knowledge. Science-policy integration and functional fit are the two most referenced ingredients of governance effectiveness across the land-sea interface. However, supportive networks and both social and temporal fit were also cited relatively frequently as factors contributing to governance effectiveness. Despite the presence of a firm knowledge base, the review highlighted the need for improved conceptual richness and theory-building regarding governance across the land-sea interface. In comparative case studies from the southeast coast of Saint Lucia and the southwest coast of Dominica, I examined how network governance contributes to social-ecological fit, or the ability to address social-ecological processes in land-sea systems. I found that network governance has contributed to coordinating management of shared resources and interconnected ecological entities. However, its potential role in promoting co-governance and land-sea integration is yet to be fully realized due to the inertia of existing arrangements. The analysis demonstrates that a more thorough understanding of how network governance emerges in largely hierarchical governance systems is needed in order to improve governance capacities for addressing land-sea interactions in the region. I then examined the processes contributing to the emergence of network governance in four embedded case studies: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (focus on Saint Vincent), Antigua and Barbuda (focus on Antigua), Grenada, and Saint Kitts and Nevis (focus on Saint Kitts). Drawing on network governance theory and the concept of governance transformations, I investigated the conditions that foster transformations towards network governance in land-sea systems. I found that participation on collaborative projects has been an essential ingredient in initiating transitions towards network governance. The case studies revealed that project participation was both necessary and sufficient for initiating a transition towards land-sea integration. However, project participation was necessary but insufficient to promote transitions towards co-governance, or state and non-state collaboration in network governance. Other important conditions for initiating transitions include the ratification of multilateral agreements, the presence of boundary-spanning organizations, and experience with extreme events (e.g., tropical storms). The leadership of central actors and core teams can help ensure that ongoing transitions proceed towards network governance. Also, it will be important to find innovative governance strategies or arrangements that can leverage and build the latent capacities found within communities to improve the emergence of co-governance. These strategies will likely challenge current conceptions of network governance in the region. A synthesis across these analyses yields three broader contributions. First, my research supports the proposition that network governance can be beneficial to address land-sea interactions. Network governance as a concept helps bridge the theory and knowledge garnered over the years in attempting to apply integrated and ecosystem-based management. It allows for an examination of how different patterns of collaboration and coordination can help match functional interactions in ecosystems and promote inclusive participation in governance. In practice, such an approach can help match governance simultaneously to both the social and ecological properties of land-sea systems – a challenge that has been pervasive. Second, my research identifies the limitations of network governance specifically in relation to preparing for, and responding to extreme events. The governance networks useful to address land-sea interactions may simply be too cumbersome or inefficient in the face of hurricanes and other storms. Improved integration between land-sea governance networks and the institutional arrangements in place to manage disasters could compensate for these limitations of network governance. Third, my research shows the need to consider multiple modes of governance – specifically, both hierarchical and networked modes – as coexisting, rather than in isolation. Governance networks and the hierarchical mode can be synergistic or antagonistic – either serving to support or undermine one another. My research challenges a view that network governance necessarily implies a hollowing of the state. Rather, I demonstrate how effective network governance is contingent upon appropriate guidance from the state. The state, in such instances, requires a clear mandate to participate in governance networks and ensure sustainable regulation. These contributions – although grounded in the Lesser Antilles context – are relevant for coastal areas and island nations throughout the globe.
Cite this work
Jeremy Pittman (2016). Governance across the land-sea interface. UWSpace. http://hdl.handle.net/10012/10931
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The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community includes people from diverse backgrounds. Community members vary by race, ethnicity, age, income, and education. For some, sexual orientation or gender identity is central to their self-concept, while for others, this is not the case. Despite differences among LGBT people, one experience many share is that of stigma or discrimination. This social inequality is often associated with poorer health status.
The National LGBT Health Education Center provides educational programs, resources, and consultation to health care organizations with the goal of optimizing quality, cost-effective health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. The Center offers a broad range of educational, technical assistance, and information resources. Visit the National LGBT Health Center at http://www.lgbthealtheducation.org/
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46th Congress of the European Regional Science Association: "Enlargement, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean", August 30th - September 3rd, 2006, Volos, Greece
Abstract:
In this paper we examine how sub-central governments respond to significant changes in their grant allocations. We focus on the reactions of State, Regional and Local governments in fifteen countries over a period of 20 to 30 years to significant exogenous increases and decreases in their grant allocations. We observe that when grants are cut, sub-central governments respond by cutting spending on their wage bill and, disproportionately, on capital expenditure. Therefore, while centrally imposed cuts do result in expenditure restraint at the sub-central level, the composition of the adjustment appears to suffer from short-termism. In addition, our results suggest that sub-central politicians seek to further defend current spending programs by significantly increasing local/regional taxation. In contrast, during periods of significant expansions in grants, these revenues remain constant with the full extent of the grants increase passed on to current expenditures. Taken together these two results imply a kind of asymmetric 'fly-paper' effect. Finally, we trace the different responses of governments according to their degree of expenditure decentralisation and tax and borrowing autonomy.


The paper addresses the issue of intermodality in European transport policy. Its aim is to derive critical factors for an effective and efficient multimodal freight transport network in Europe. The results of a survey among European transport experts are presented, while a new meta-analytic technique - roughset analysis - is deployed to infer testable conclusions.


Abstract
Releasing public value from science in a global context is one of the most significant and challenging issues facing societies worldwide. The challenge might be re-framed as 'how do we enable new science-led technologies to deliver products which fulfil human needs rather than consumer wants?'. Each article in this issue of id21 insights provides some evidence, from recent research, which casts light on this challenge. It is presented in relation to key questions that will continue to be a useful guide to research. Topics covered in the brief articles include: Biotechnology in Bangalore, and the politics of innovation; Dialogue on nanotechnology; Supporting local innovation in Nepal; China: the next science superpower?; Enhancing rural livelihoods - The role of ICTs; a case study on Social entrepreneurship in Kenya; and Threats, opportunities and incentives for pro-poor innovation.
Citation
id21 insights 68, IDS, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK, 6 pp.


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When passing a baton in a relay race, an effective pass is smooth and quick. It must be performed within the exchange zone, which is 20 meters long, and the baton should not be dropped. Ideally, the baton should spend as little time in the exchange zone as possible.
In a 4 x 100 race, the outgoing runner ideally passes the baton to the incoming runner when they are both already at top speed. In a 4 x 400 race, the incoming runner accelerates to full speed after taking the baton from the outgoing runner's hand.
There are multiple hand-off techniques that can be effective when used in a relay race, including the push-in, the up-sweep and the overhand pass.Learn more about Race Training & Events


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On the historic Oregon Trail followed by pioneers, cholera was caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholera and spread primarily due to poor sanitation. Contaminated drinking water was often the source of the bacteria.
Cholera had spread to the New World from the Indian subcontinent, where it was an epidemic. By the time of the westward expansion, the bacteria was common in American waters. During spring flood conditions, when waters were warm and phytoplankton common, Vibrio cholera multiplied rapidly, often infecting settlers who drank unboiled water or crossed contaminated rivers. While only a small percentage of people infected with the cholera virus became ill, the sick were often doomed to die quickly of dehydration. Symptoms included severe vomiting and diarrhea.Learn more about Video & Online Games


The Skinny on Body Dissatisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Girls and Boys First Online: Received: Accepted:
DOI: 10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9
Cite this article as: Bearman, S.K., Presnell, K., Martinez, E. et al. J Youth Adolescence (2006) 35: 217. doi:10.1007/s10964-005-9010-9 Citations 2.2k Downloads
The present study tested whether theoretically derived risk factors predicted increases in body dissatisfaction and whether gender moderated these relations with data from a longitudinal study of 428 adolescent girls and boys because few prospective studies have examined these aims, despite evidence that body dissatisfaction increases risk for various psychiatric disturbances. Body dissatisfaction showed significant increases for girls and significant decreases for boys during early adolescence. For both genders, parental support deficits, negative affectivity, and self-reported dietary restraint showed significant relations to future increases in body dissatisfaction. Ideal body internalization and body mass index did not demonstrate significant relations to future increases in body dissatisfaction; peer support deficits showed a marginal relation to this outcome. Gender did not moderate these relations, despite adequate power to detect interactive effects.


NEWS: We are happy to have the Optobionics website back up. The original Optobionics Corporation has stopped operations. However, Dr. Chow has acquired the Optobionics name and the Artificial Silicon Retina (ASR) implants and will be reorganizing a new company under the Optobionics name.
If you are a patient with Retinitis Pigmentosa and would be interested in whether your eye condition may be responsive to ASR chip stimulation, you may contact us using the Contact Us tab or call us at (630) 858-4411 (Please be patient as it may take us a while to respond to you).
ASR® Device
Optobionics’ Artificial Silicon Retina™ microchip (ASR™) was invented by Dr. Alan Chow and his brother Vincent Chow. Dr. Chow is an ophthalmic surgeon and assistant professor and his brother Vincent is an electrical engineer. The ASR was designed to stimulate damaged retinal cells from within the retina to allow the cells to recreate visual signals that are processed and sent to the brain. The ASR microchip is a silicon chip 2 mm in diameter, 25 microns in thickness and is less than the thickness of a human hair. It fabricated using technology similar to that used in the fabrication of computer chips and contains approximately 5,000 microscopic solar cells called “microphotodiodes,” each with its own stimulating electrode.
In retinas with retinal degeneration, these microphotodiodes convert light energy contained in images into electrochemical impulses that stimulate the remaining retinal cells. The ASR
microchip is self-contained, powered solely by incident light and does not require the use of external wires, batteries, headsets or ancillary computers.When surgically implanted under the retina—in a location known as “subretinal space”—the ASR chip is designed to produce visual signals similar to those produced by the photoreceptor layer. From their subretinal location, these artificial “photoelectric” signals from the ASR microchip can induce visual
signals in the remaining functional retinal cells which may are then processed and sent via the optic nerve to the brain.In initial laboratory testing, animal models implanted with ASR devices responded to light stimuli with retinal electrical signals (ERGs) and sometimes brain-wave signals (VEPs). The induction of these biological signals by the ASR chip indicated that visual stimulation had occurred.
Based on these studies, the FDA approved the conduct of clinical trials in collaboration with several university and VA medical centers that began in June 2000. These centers included the Hines, Cleveland and Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Centers, Rush University Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute and Emory University Medical Center.