The laws of Texas define sexual harassment as any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including acts of either a verbal or physical nature. Sexual advances, creating a hostile work environment that is blatantly sexual in nature, and sexual advances are some of the more frequent types of sexual harassment amongst employers.
How does Texas Law Prohibit Sexual Harassment?
First, Lake Jackson employers can be required to establish company policies that specifically address sexual harassment in the workplace. These must be posted in a visible area such as a break room. These policies may include contact information for an employee to report sexual harassment, the procedure for handling such claims, and the corrective measures for when a claim is proven.
There are also agencies which are appointed by federal and Texas law for the specific purpose of handling sexual harassment cases. Such agencies have the authority to investigate work sites to determine if the complaints they receive in Lake Jackson are true. Employers are also prohibited under these laws from taking action in retaliation against an employee who has claimed sexual harassment, such as firing them or denying them a promotion.
How can a Texas attorney help?
Investigating and showing a sexual harassment claim might be difficult without consulting someone with expertise in the relevant laws. Federal investigators are often very overworked. Accordingly, hiring a lawyer in Lake Jackson might be the best way to ensure that your claim is filed within the deadlines specified by Texas for sexual harassment matters.


Abstract
Smoking prevalence among junior enlisted members of the United States armed forces significantly exceeds that of civilians. Furthermore, nearly 40% of junior enlisted who smoke reported they initiated smoking after joining the military. Although the tobacco industry has attempted to develop messages that encourage military members to use tobacco, no research has examined messages that would counteract industry messages and effectively discourage military members from using tobacco. This study conducted 24 focus groups on four Air Force and two Army installations (N=189 personnel) to discover effective messages that discourage tobacco use among junior enlisted personnel. Four message themes were identified that hold promise for tobacco control efforts in the military: (a) smoking harms one's ability to positively influence others, (b) smoking increases the chance a military member will be discharged from the military prematurely, (c) smoking lowers readiness to fight and win wars, and (d) smokers are not as productive as other military personnel. In contrast, messages focusing on manipulation by the tobacco industry and the health effects of tobacco use were not strongly supported by military personnel.


Abstract
Parotid secretory protein (PSP) and palate-lung-nasal epithelium clone (PLUNC) are novel secretory proteins that are expressed in the oral cavity and upper airways. Both proteins are related to bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI). Cationic peptides derived from BPI exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. To test if PSP (C20orf70 gene product) also contains anti-inflammatory peptides, we designed 3 cationic peptides based on the predicted structure of PSP and known active regions of BPI. Each peptide inhibited the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated secretion of TNFα from RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. At 200 μg/mL, the peptide GK-7 exhibited inhibition similar to that achieved with 10 μg/mL of polymyxin B. PSP peptides directly inhibited the binding of LPS to LPS-binding protein. The cationic peptide Substance P had no inhibitory effect in these assays, confirming the specificity of the PSP peptides. These findings suggest that PSP peptides can serve as templates for the design of novel anti-inflammatory peptides.
Keywords C20orf70 Cationic peptides Endotoxin Inflammation Lipopolysaccharide PLUNC Saliva


LRN’s presence in Canada aims to support our partners in the region with their ethics and compliance programs by providing inspiring solutions that help people navigate complex legal and regulatory issues.
Motivating people to do the right thing is the essence of principled performance. It is about inspired rather than required behaviour—living principles, not simply following rules. It is about doing the next right thing and not just the next thing right. Ultimately, principled performance leads to healthier, profitable organisations.
In partnership with LRN, companies need not choose between living principles and maximising profits, or between enhancing reputation and growing revenue: all are products of principled performance. Our offerings mitigate the risk of costly ethical lapses and compliance failures while building trust and earning the company a reputation for lawful and ethical conduct.
LRN is the trusted long-term partner to more than 400 organisations, including some of the most respected and successful businesses in the world, which has enabled us to create an active and growing community with a common interest. Together we acquire and disseminate proven strategic and tactical insights and develop solutions based on current, real-world experiences.
Will you be joining us on this mission?


Emotion-focused mindfulness therapy (EFMT; Gayner, 2019) welcomes into meditation and therapeutic encounters the processes that weave consciousness and deepen experiencing, including perception, bodily and sensory experience, feelings, imagery, thinking, needs and action tendencies. Meditators cultivate gentleness and participatory curiosity, exploring how to navigate experiencing oriented to their values and what they find works for them. People are free to feel inclined, consider the future, remember, and reflect on experience while meditating. From an EFMT perspective, the only time we have to experience and reflect on planning and remembering
is the present moment and to not include them in meditation and therapy would be to exclude central aspects of being human.
Most of us spend a lot of time alternating between being in our heads disconnected from feelings or being too immersed in and buffeted by stressful emotions and thoughts (Gendlin, 1981; Teasdale, 1999). In contrast, mindful experiencing brings us alive to our implicit feelings in a way that transforms our relationship with experience (Teasdale, 1999). This enables meditators to turn toward and
decentre from difficult thoughts and feelings. “Decentering” means being able to experience thoughts and feelings as events in consciousness rather than as direct, unmediated truths about self, others and the world (Safran & Segal, 1990). Mindful experiencing creates optimal conditions for experiential and emotional processes that enable us to arrive at and make sense of our feelings, integrate feeling and thinking, resolve internal conflicts and unfinished business, and better navigate our lives, cultivating growth and a fulfilling life. However, mainstream clinical mindfulness neither specifies nor encourages experiential and emotional processing in meditation, emphasizing instead staying in touch with implicit feelings (Kabat-Zinn’s “bloom of the present moment” (2010 [1994]), while decentering from and letting go of difficult thoughts and emotions. In contrast, emotion-focused mindfulness therapy (EFMT) uses emotion-focused therapy (EFT; Greenberg, 2015 [2002]; Elliott, Watson, Goldman & Greenberg, 2004; Elliott & Greenberg, 2007) to provide meditators with the option to not only open into the ‘bloom of the present moment,’ but also to make deeper sense of it and respond differentially, integrating experiential and emotional processing into mindfulness meditation and therapeutic encounters.
EFMT emerged out of exploring how to integrate self-compassion more deeply into mindfulness to better help gay men living with HIV suffering from issues associated with internalized stigma such as harsh self-criticism, difficulties generating self-warmth and social isolation, as well as the related effects of adverse childhood events so prevalent for them. It is based on the view that “wise compassion is empathic, involving not only feeling moved by suffering.., wishing it be alleviated… and wanting to help, but also the ability to follow thoughts and feelings in oneself and others with kindness. Empathy is a fundamental relational skill and a key aspect of emotional intelligence (Elliott, Watson, Goldman & Greenberg, 2004, p. 103)” (Gayner, 2019).


Hannah Garrow, LI Policy and Influencing Manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland, reflects on a new initiative in Scotland to put landscape at the heart of policy- and decision-making
On 25 April 2019,
Scotland’s Landscape Alliance held its official launch event at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh. Over 90 individuals representing 65 organisations with an interest and involvement in landscape design, management and stewardship in Scotland came together to discuss the future of landscape policy.
The Alliance has been coordinated by Landscape Institute Scotland (LIS), the Scottish branch of the LI, in partnership with the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). It responds to the need for
more joined-up thinking to embed landscape approaches to policy-making and delivery.
The new initiative follows the publication of the branch’s advocacy document Landscape for Scotland in November 2017. The document set out the different ways in which landscape can contribute to the Scottish Government’s national outcomes and current priorities as set out in their Programme for Government 2018/19. A debate at the Scottish Parliament in June 2018 further emphasised the need for a strategic forum to address landscape issues, which often fall between the cracks in current policy-making.
What’s significant about this approach is the effort to get a
wide range of voices into the room from the multiple perspectives and aspirations for Scotland’s land and to break down the barriers of silo-based working. It was fantastic to see such a broad variety of interests represented from design and placemaking, nature conservation, public health, research, urban regeneration and rural protection. There was a real buzz about being involved at the beginning of what could be a significant step for a more inclusive, balanced discussion about the future of landscape in Scotland.
In terms of next steps, attendees at the event were asked to sign up to a series of working groups which will discuss landscape-related issues across three key themes – resilience to environmental challenges, creating healthy places and land-use and the economy – with a view to co-producing a set of recommendations for strengthening landscape policy and implementation.
Research commissioned in advance of the launch event by LIS and NTS emphasises the importance and need for such a move. Despite efforts to embed the principles of the European Landscape Convention, it demonstrated the challenges of defining landscape and the need to see landscape not just as something to protect, but as a catalyst for a wide range of social, environmental and economic outcomes. It also highlighted the difficulties of resourcing and managing change, ambitions for more just and democratic governance and and the significance of wider global influences like climate change.
Rachel Tennant, Chair of the LIS, who has been one of the key drivers behind the creation of the Alliance, said ‘This is the start of a public conversation to collectively agree on how Scotland’s landscapes can be healthy, biodiverse, beautiful, economically useful and embedded in communities. The Alliance will consider what we need to do to ensure we deliver these public benefits for the 21st century and beyond.’


Building resilience of critical infrastructure requires decision-makers working in different industry sectors to understand ‘what’ can be done, ‘why’ it should be done, and ‘how’ to put it into practice.
Our work to date has told us that key stakeholders are often either unaware of the value that resilience can bring or are constrained by a lack of resources or support in terms of how to embed and enhance resilience.
This primer is a brief document introducing the elementary principles of resilience relevant to the electric utilities sector and is part of a body of knowledge, tools and approaches that the Resilience Shift is producing, funding, and curating, intended to help those responsible for the financing, planning, design, delivery, operation and maintenance of critical infrastructure systems to shift practice.
Our vision is to contribute to a common understanding across critical infrastructure sectors of what contributes to resilience and how it can be achieved in practice.
Building resilience into your infrastructure systems, across your value chains, will allow you to prevent or mitigate against shocks and stresses that you identify, and to respond better to those events that you can’t predict or avoid.
We’re delighted to have supported the team at Wood in producing this primer.
Publication date: 11 July, 2019 Authors: Wood Environment and Infrastructure (E&IS) (Peter Hall, Rebecca Vanderbeck, Michael Triano).The authors would like to thank Mantle314 Inc. (Laura Zizzo, Anton Tabuns) for their expertise in the development and review of this report.


COMFORTING CUBBIES
PreK–K
Children's cubbies are special places where personal belongings can be stored, treasures can be displayed, and solace can be found. Try these ideas to make cubbies a source of comfort and support for children.
Encourage children to bring a family picture to school and display it in a place of honor in their cubbies. Invite children to decorate shoeboxes that will serve as treasure boxes for items they might gather on a class walk, find on a field trip, or bring from home. Children can keep their treasure box on top of or inside their cubbies. A glance or two at "special treasures" often serves as a quick source of comfort and pleasure. Ask children to help you to line their cubbies with contact paper in soft, pastel colors or patterns of their choice if your school allows. If this is not possible, you might try lining cubbies with children's drawings and paintings. Keep a stack of notecards on hand so that you can create soothing messages to children who may be having a difficult day. You might attach stickers to the cards, write simple messages that you can share at the end of the day, or draw a happy, smiling face with the child's name at the top of the card and your own at the bottom. Place the notes in children's cubbies, inviting them to "check their cubbies" when some relief is needed. Make cubby-size pillows as a class project. Store the pillows in children's cubbies so that they can be snuggled with when needed. Allow children to store their favorite blanket or "lovey" from home in their cubby. Just seeing their special object and knowing that it is available for them at the end of the day is comforting and reassuring.


Salicylic acid helps to slow the sloughing off of dead skin cells that can clog pores and cause blackheads.
Continue Learning about Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs
Important: 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.


It's painful to contemplate, but being hundreds of pounds overweight can be a true death sentence -- or, worse, it can sentence you to a kind of living death. In this video, Dr. Oz lays out the grim reality for a group of severely obese women. Then he issues a challenge.
Continue Learning about Obesity
Important: 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.


SARS-CoV-2 evades immune detection in alveolar macrophages.EMBO Rep. 2020 Oct 28 [Online ahead of print]ER
Respiratory infections, like the current COVID-19 pandemic, target epithelial cells in the respiratory tract. Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are tissue-resident macrophages located within the lung. They play a key role in the early phases of an immune response to respiratory viruses. AMs are likely the first immune cells to encounter SARS-CoV-2 during an infection, and their reaction to the virus will have a profound impact on the outcome of the infection. Interferons (IFNs) are antiviral cytokines and among the first cytokines produced upon viral infection. In this study, AMs from non-infectious donors are challenged with SARS-CoV-2. We demonstrate that challenged AMs are incapable of sensing SARS-CoV-2 and of producing an IFN response in contrast to other respiratory viruses, like influenza A virus and Sendai virus, which trigger a robust IFN response. The absence of IFN production in AMs upon challenge with SARS-CoV-2 could explain the initial asymptotic phase observed during COVID-19 and argues against AMs being the sources of pro-inflammatory cytokines later during infection.
Pub Type(s) Language PubMed ID Citation EMBO Reports,2020, pp. e51252. EMBO Rep. 2020. EMBO Reports, e51252. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202051252 EMBO Rep.2020 Oct 28;e51252. PubMed PMID: 33112036.


Kelly Carr wants to destroy barriers.
That’s why her research as a PhD student at the University of Windsor has worked to showcase the strengths of people with disabilities to combat the negative stigma that often follows them throughout their lives.
Carr’s research is broken into three phases and examines how people with an intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participating in a physical exercise program, meaningful employment and elite sports can influence opinion.


U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Projected to Surpass 200,000 by October
Over one million people and counting have tested positive for coronavirus in the United States.
As the country continues to reopen, a report from the University of Washington predicts the death toll from the virus can reach 201,129 by October 1.
“It is increasingly clear that COVID-19’s toll will extend beyond the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, and current epidemics could easily worsen as the Southern Hemisphere nears its winter season,” the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) said.
The University of Washington's model also showed that Florida could be one of the hardest-hit states with 18, 675 deaths by October.
The university's findings are based on multiple factors and researchers note an individual's behavior can play a major role in how things actually pan out.
"We're making a forecast, clearly what individuals choose to do can moderate that forecast," IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray told CBS News. "If mask use starts to go back up in states where it's not very high, that is likely to be very helpful. And if people avoid contacts with people outside their household... that will also moderate the effect."
Health officials across the nation have warned Americans about a second wave of coronavirus cases.
Now, as stay-home orders relax and reopening plans advance to later phases, some states are seeing a rise in COVID-19 infections.
At least 19 states are currently experiencing a trend of new increasing cases. One of these states, Arizona, is bracing for impact, with officials urging hospitals to activate emergency plans. Dr. Cara Christ, the state's Director of Health Services, has asked that hospitals "be judicious" in elective surgeries to guarantee bed capacity.
While 24 U.S. states are trending downward in their COVID rates, seven states remain steady. Additionally, since Memorial Day, hospitalizations for the virus have increased in at least 12 states, including Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.
While the US remains at the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis, back in May, the country surpassed the shocking milestone of over 100,000 deaths from the virus.
As of Wednesday, there have been at least 116,000 coronavirus deaths in the United States since the begining of the pandemic, according to data from Johns Hopkins, reported Fox News.


You may experience severe pain, redness and swelling in and around the piercing site. Often, very often, a white fluid drains out of piercing. This must not be mistaken with pus, because it is lymphatic fluid that acts like a cleanser for dirt and bacteria. After a few days, yellowish crust forms, indicating that the piercing has started healing. However, it cannot be with every piercing. If proper care is not taken while piercing, it can lead to infections or if you do not take proper aftercare instructions, infections may develop. Infections are characterized with pus formation, bleeding, throbbing pain and bumps on piercing. Sometimes, piercing may produce foul smell.
A professional piercer must advise a person about proper piercing care. He must execute some precautionary steps while piercing. He must use sterilized instruments and wear clean gloves while piercing. Apart from these, a person who gets his ear pierced must follow the following steps to avoid cartilage infection.
Do not touch cartilage piercing with the naked hands. Dirty hands is the access point for bacteria to enter the piercing. Use a disinfectant soap to wash the hands properly. Never play with piercing jewelry. Fingering the piercing jewelry with dirty hands cause infection. While putting on clothes, take proper care of piercing. Use an antiseptic lotion to clean the piercing twice a day, till it heals completely. You can soak jewelry in alcohol solution for disinfecting it. Never apply hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil or alcohol directly on piercing. Don’t change the jewelry frequently in the initial months. Always keep your hair clean and do not keep the public telephone receiver on the ear directly.


Microstructural Differences Detected on Brain MRI in PANS Increased diffusivity seen in deep gray matter in pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome
THURSDAY, May 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Children with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) have cerebral microstructural differences in multiple brain structures, including the deep gray matter structures, according to a study published online May 4 in
JAMA Network Open.
Jimmy Zheng, from the Stanford University School of Medicine in California, and colleagues conducted a case-control study focusing on the evaluation and treatment of children with PANS. A total of 60 consecutive patients who underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before immunomodulation from Sept. 3, 2012, to March 30, 2018, were reviewed for study inclusion. After exclusion of patients, 34 patients with PANS before treatment initiation were compared to 64 pediatric control participants.
The researchers identified a statistically significant difference in MRI parameters for patients with PANS and controls. Compared with controls, in patients, all assessed brain regions had statistically significantly increased median diffusivity. The most profound increases in diffusivity were seen for the deep gray matter (thalamus, basal ganglia, and amygdala), consistent with clinical symptoms of obsessions, compulsions, emotional dysregulation, and sleep disturbances. With respect to volume and cerebral blood flow, there were no statistically significant differences.
"The hypothesis that neuroinflammation is the underlying cause of acute-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder in PANS may explain the MRI diffusion differences in multiple brain structures observed herein, particularly the deep gray matter structures, such as the thalamus, basal ganglia, and amygdala," the authors write.


Supply Chain Management: An Empirical Study of its Impact on Performance Abstract
Total quality management, supply base management, customer driven corporate policy, and other elements of supply chain management are frequently cited as strategic options to achieve competitive success in the 1990s. However, attempts by companies to implement these options have not been universally successful and have in many cases failed to yield the desired results. This study presents details of a survey carried out to determine whether particular quality management, supply base management, and customer relations practices can impact corporate performance. In addition it examines the impact analyzing the competitive environment has on performance. Regression models identify several factors that directly and positively impact corporate performance. These include the extent to which companies analyze the strategies of competitors and determine future customer requirements, and the commitment they have to evaluating performance throughout the supply chain.
This paper has been withdrawn.


In this video, ecologist Tony Sinclair takes us through the steps of how he uncovered that the eradication of an infectious disease in cattle led to a boom in the Serengeti’s buffalo and wildebeest numbers.
This film explores the species-area relationship, a general ecological rule that describes how the number of species in a habitat changes with area, and shows how it has been applied to the conservation of protected areas.
This data-driven activity accompanies the video Selection for Tuskless Elephants. It engages students in analyzing data to make evidence-based claims about the occurrence of tusklessness in elephant populations.


Institute of International Politics and Economics (IIPE) and Hanns Seidel Foundation organised a webinar dediated to the position of the Western Balkans during the new mandate of the European Commission in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the greeting speeches of the IIPE representatives and the introductory lesson of Dr Klaus Fiesinger, the Hanns Seidel Foundation`s regional director for Southeast Europe, on EU support to reform processes in the Balkan countries, presentations within the two thematic panels ensued. The participants discussed the limitations and challenges in the European integration process in the Western Balkans and the consequences of the pandemic, but also touched upon potential changes in trans-Atlantic relations following the 2020 USA presidential elections. Presenters agreed that the Covid-19 pandemic significantly impaired the development perspective of the Western Balkan region, as well as the EU role in that area, especially during the first months of the pandemic crisis. Prof. Dejan Jović, Faculty of Political Science at the University of Zagreb, stated that, among other things, the pandemic crisis also contributed to the rise of sovereignist logic and disruption in terms of enjoying the rights and “EU freedoms”. Lecturer at the Masaryk university in Brno, Dr Vladimir Vučković, deliberated on deficiencies of previous EU enlargement approach and pointed out that greater credibility of enlargement policy is needed. IIPE researcher Dr Miloš Petrović expressed hope that the European Union’s revised enlargement methodology might provide an impetus on the Western Balkans’ EU path and somewhat reduce previous deficiencies. Prof. Nikolaos Tzifakis from the University of the Peloponnese identified that the Western Balkans remained significantly vulnerable in crisis situations and that previous reactions left little hope towards articulating a common regional approach in battle against the Covid-19. Dr Ritsa Panagiotou, senior research fellow at the Centre for planning and economic research in Athens, considered prospects for realization of EU financial programs such as the Economic and Investment Plan, which might provide significant economic boost to the Western Balkan development. Dr Ivana Radić Milosavljević, Lecturer at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Belgrade, noted that the processes initiated by the European Union raised numerous questions, including the possibility for gradual and selective integration, but also referred to overcoming an old problem – exploiting the Balkan candidates’ accession process for addressing the bilateral disputes with neighboring countries. Prof. Joseph Michael Gratale from the American College of Thessaloniki held a lecture on the topic of political communication and so-called “Twitter diplomacy” which characterized the American presidency of Mr Donald Trump. As part of the discussion, the participants deliberated on negative effects of the pandemic for the international democratic development, as well as about boundaries to EU influence in its geographic neighborhood.
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The past few months have certainly been challenging for businesses all over the UK - from start-ups to established industry leaders. Organisations have found themselves adapting to the demands of a remote workforce virtually overnight, deploying communications solutions to enable their teams to engage with both each other and their customers. While it's true that this technology has been available for a while now, it has never been deployed at this scale before. This has presented a range of challenges when it comes to infrastructure, but these are only part of the picture.
With any new technological deployment, there is always a period of adaptation, particularly when teams - or in certain cases, whole sectors - have well-established ways of working that they are hesitant to change. Sometimes this is a question of compliance, where sectors have highly specific requirements regarding the handling and protection of sensitive data. Generational differences are also common, where there's a disparity between the older generation, who're accustomed to the traditional office environment, and the up-and-coming workforce, who expect their employers to offer a certain amount of flexibility with regard to remote working.
In light of this, it's no surprise that the overall uptake of remote working over the years has been relatively slow. However, the current pandemic has largely pushed such concerns into the background, as organisations have adopted these practices out of sheer necessity, in order to remain as close to business-as-usual as possible. We've seen this first-hand at Exponential-e, both with our own teams and those of our customers.
Consider the following statistics from our recent employee survey:
Allowing teams to experience the potential benefits of remote working for themselves has led to a massive cultural shift in the way we think about our workspaces and infrastructure. Indeed, we are already hearing from leaders and stakeholders within our customers' organisations who are reconsidering the amount of physical office space they will require in the post-COVID-19 landscape, having witnessed the upsurge in productivity and identified the potential cost savings.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the technological backbone in place to support organisations' explorations of remote working. Beyond the UC solutions used to connect teams and customers, this has involved taking full advantage of the agility and scalability of Cloud solutions, along with security solutions that ensure critical data remains secure and is handled in a compliant manner, regardless of where teams and customers are located.
In this way, we're seeing technology supporting cultural shifts, which - in turn - are driving new technological innovations. There's no doubt that the workforce has evolved in recent months, but there is still much to be done if we are to establish a new standard of best practice around remote working and ensure teams can access the right tools, infrastructure and support as their requirements evolve.
This will require close collaboration between organisations and their IT partners, but the potential for enhancing productivity, morale and cost savings at all levels is enormous. We look forward to seeing what new developments the coming months hold, as we emerge from lockdown and settle into the 'new normal'.
Join our webinar on Tuesday 16
th June at 14:30 to learn more about the challenges faced across all sectors when shifting to a remote workforce, and how we can be prepared moving forward to the future with a distributed workforce model and the 'new normal'. Register here to join our Managing Director, Mukesh Bavisi, discuss with our panellists Chris Christou, Director of Engineering, Mark Belgrove, Head of Cyber Consultancy, Afshin Attari, Director of Public Sector and Unified Communications and Jonathan Bridges, Chief Innovation Officer, discuss this in more detail.


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This paper seeks to address the issue of skills development for youth-at-risk, including the economically vulnerable and the socially excluded. A micro-level approach is used to identify good examples of training programmes and projects that have successfully identified and targeted vulnerable young women and men and implemented and evaluated their initiatives.


The 8th of July marked a very important milestone for the SPEECHIE Project team. The dissemination event, entitled
“Technology for Bilingual Children with Developmental Language Disorders (DLD): Where do we stand?” was held at Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Kalkara, and Olly Speaks was officially showcased to the public.
The aim of this event was to disseminate the scientific results obtained from the
SPEECHIE project, coordinated andfunded by the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) under the Technology Development Programme 2016 and also to gather more feedback on the device itself Olly Speaks, from a widespread spectrum of stakeholders. Distinguished guests from government and academia attended the event. MCST falls under the Honourable Silvio Schembri, Parliamentary Secretary for Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation.
Developmental Language Disorders (DLD) in children is often attributed to various factors including intellectual disability, autism and hearing loss. Children with DLD are often faced with social communication, behavioural, educational and vocational difficulties. Although bilingualism does not cause DLD, such disorders can be complicated when children have bilingual or multilingual exposure, which is a common occurrence worldwide. This has particular relevance to the language-learning context of Maltese children. DLD in children can often be addressed by a customised intervention programme drawn up by a professional speech-language pathologist (SLP) on the basis of assessment and regular review of the child’s speech and language skills. However, children often lose engagement when subjected to repetitive therapy activities and lengthy assessment procedures. This impinges on the effectiveness of intervention.
Withinthis context, the
University of Malta and Flying Squirrel Games (FSG) Ltd. have joined forces todevelop a novel, multi-modal device, called Olly Speaks,to facilitate language therapy for children with DLD both within and beyond theclinical setting. Olly Speaks will bedeveloped as a smart therapeutic device that entices children to engage withthe designated exercises by creating a more rewarding and motivatingenvironment. Furthermore, it enablesSLPs to monitor the child’s progress and to carry out remote therapy. Due toits unique selling points, Olly Speakswill revolutionize the current practices to carry out speech and languagetherapy.
Theidea behind
Olly Speaks is subject toa pending patent application. The research team, led by Dr Ing. PhilipFarrugia, who is the originator of this idea, has completed a full workingprototype of the device. This prototype will be tested with children andrelevant stakeholders, including SLPs and guardians. A risk conformity assessment of the device was carried out abroad by a company which specialises in toydevelopment, with the aim of bringing Olly Speaks closer tomarket. Dr Ing. Philip Farrugia said “Ourlong term vision is to develop further OllySpeaks such that it caters for multiple bilingual scenarios, such asEnglish-German and Spanish-English. The research team strongly believes that Olly Speaks has a huge market potential.”
The Chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology, Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando had words of praise for the consorstium, he said “it is indeed rather exceptional to come across the synergy and dynamics which define the SPEECHIE Consortium. The momentum generated by this level of ambition is pivotal to the mechanism behind the national R & I Programme FUSION, which is administered by the Malta Council for Science and Technology.
The Malta Council for Science and Technology continues to serve as a springboard for local Research and Innovation in Malta, a forum which already boasts a notable critical mass which I firmly believe can continue proliferate.”
The Pro Rector for Research at the University of Malta, Prof. Saviour Zammit stated that “Research is one of the three main missions of University life, the others being teaching and involvement in socioeconomic development, and is entrenched in the University of Malta’s vision, mission and belief statements. Our recently-published strategic document for the years 2020 to 2025, identifies eight strategic thrusts to strengthen the research pillar at the University of Malta. Funding is of the essence, and the University of Malta acknowledges the various MCST programmes that contribute significantly to the UM’s research budget and welcomes the recent peer review conducted by the European Commission’s Policy Support Facility further to a request by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, which has identified the need to significantly increase national funding for bottom-up research and knowledge transfer in support of industry-academia collaboration.”
Thedevice
Olly Speaks has already been showcased on variousoccasions, including Science in the City, Notte Bianca and the 17 th InternationalClinical Phonetics and Linguistics Association Conference (ICPLA),during which the utility of the device received many encouraging comments andpositive feedback. The SPEECHIE project would like to thank their sponsors Tek-Moulds Precision Engineering Ltd; Nestle; Invent 3D; ToyMagic and the Farsons Foundation for their support.


NCC significantly affects the majority of privately operated bizjets in Europe. What is required to achieve compliance?
In 2016, the EU raised the bar for ‘Non Commercial Complex’ aircraft registered in, or where their operators reside in, an EASA state. Even those N-registered aren’t exempt, if they are residents or have their principle place of business in the region.
This regulation significantly affects the majority of privately operated bizjets in Europe.
EASA Part-NCC requires operators to adhere to the same requirements as commercial operators, however the rules are proportionate to the scale of the operation. Each operator, once compliant, must make a declaration to their NAA, to enable the regulator’s oversight programme.
So, what is required to achieve compliance?
A management system. This will establish the structure of the operation, personnel, procedures, a safety system, and an audit programme. An Operations Manual. This will reflect the specifics of the operation, the aircraft, areas of operation, crew, training, and so on. A Minimum Equipment List. Based on the MMEL, but must be tailored to the operation and approved by the state of registry. A Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation. The aircraft will be assigned to a CAMO approved by EASA, to manage the aircraft’s airworthiness for the operator.
Whilst compliance will remain the responsibility of the operator, the complexities can make it a daunting prospect. For the uninitiated, it’s wise to contract qualified support to assist the process.
Many technical writers are available to freelance a solution for an operator in need, albeit with varying degrees of success. The discomfort of a diligent SAFA ramp inspection is always best avoided, and onboard documents are an easy target.
The Signature Technicair CAMO based in Bournemouth in the UK, has a wealth of experience in delivering EASA Part-NCC solutions. For airworthiness management services, call +44 (0)1202 583403.


This document is a notice of dissolution of a partnership, which can be inserted into the relevant Government Gazette.
Under Australian partnership law, certain states and territories require a notice to be placed in the state or territory Government Gazette upon:
the dissolution of a partnership; or a partner’s retirement from a partnership, resulting in dissolution.
Practitioners should check the legislation applicable to the relevant state or territory, to ensure that notice requirements (if any) are complied with. It may be useful to consult the state or territory website which deals with the costs and requirements of the notice.
This document has been authored for
LexisNexis by Michael Heraghty, Partner, TressCox Lawyers, Rosemarie Ryan, Barrister and Jacqui L Walker, Principal Lawyer, J L Walker Law.
This document is prepared with the assistance of Specialist Editor
Stephen Newman, Executive Counsel, Ponte Earle..


N95 Respirators/Masks
Question: How can you tell if a respirator is really an N95?
Answer: It must be approved by a government agency called NIOSH.
The NIOSH approval number and approval label are key to identifying NIOSH-approved respirators. The NIOSH approval label can be found on or within the packaging of the respirator or sometimes on the respirator itself. The required labeling of NIOSH-Approved N95 filtering facepiece respirators includes the NIOSH name, the approval number, filter designations, lot number, and model number to be printed on the respirator. You can verify that your respirator approvals are valid by checking the NIOSH Certified Equipment List CEL) by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/respirators/cel/default.html.


Date of Award
2017
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Graduate Group
English
First Advisor
Rita Copeland
Second Advisor
Emily Steiner
Abstract
This dissertation offers the first systematic study of the relationship between historiographical theory and literary form. I show how historians embody their conceptions of historical progress in the literary forms of their work. Beginning in the twelfth century, historians embrace a theory of historical continuity, which I call continuous history, in which continuity is seen as simultaneously continuous and discontinuous. Descriptions of catastrophic events such as conquests may rupture the smooth progression of history, but they are ultimately incorporated into the overarching narrative of the text. The resulting text typically registers this discontinuity through formal variation, which similarly challenges but does not destroy the narrative cohesion of the text. This dissertation shows how Middle English verse chroniclers utilize this theory and practice of continuous history in their own vernacular works, up to the mid-fourteenth century. It then traces how English historians from the mid-fourteenth century onwards, driven by changes in dynastic politics and intellectual culture, begin to reject continuous history in favor of new approaches such as universal history, de casibus history, and genealogical history. In contrast, however, late medieval Welsh historians persist in their use of continuous history as their primary historiographical paradigm. As a result, the mid-fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries witness the first divide of the shared British historiographical tradition into distinct English and Welsh traditions. Finally, this dissertation argues that medieval writers conceptualize the compilation of historiographical manuscripts and the writing of historiographical narrative in similar terms. For this reason, the late medieval efflorescence of genealogical rolls can be interpreted as part of a broader trend towards genealogical history in the later Middle Ages.
Recommended Citation
Burek, Jacqueline Marie, "Mending A Broken Chain: Continuous History And Literary Form In England And Wales, 1125-1450" (2017).
Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 2201. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/2201


In a study forthcoming in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychological scientist Pascale Engel de Abreu of the University of Luxembourg and colleagues examine the effects of speaking two languages on the executive functioning of low-income children.
While experts have noted that learning an instrument can have altruistic and positive cognitive affects on children, and while previous research has shown that being bilingual enhances executive functioning in middle-class children, researchers are curious as to how it affects lower income populations.
Specifically, being bilingual has a positive influence on the ability to direct and focus attention, and experts hypothesize that in children living in low-income households, learning a second language can have the added effect of encoding and structuring knowledge in memory.


Ship recycling activity, like any other industry, is dependent on supply and demand. Generally, ships reach their ‘end-of-life’ when their second-hand sale value for further trading drops below their recycling value.
This may happen due to the ship’s condition deteriorating with increasing age which may necessitate uneconomical repairs, to the demand for ships being lower than the available supply or to specific regulatory requirements.
The Club notes that similar to other sectors, COVID-19 impacted ship recycling operations, as according to the quarterly updates received from the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 166 ships were demolished in the first quarter of 2020, which reduced to 98 ships in the second quarter as several recycling yards were closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As the restrictions are being gradually eased, operations at the demolition yards are steadily resuming.
In light of the pandemic and the challenges the sector delt with, BIMCO and other shipping organisations sent a joint industry letter to the European Commission (EC) requesting a time-limited implementation or grace period to enable shipping companies to make up for lost time caused by Covid-19 restrictions and interruptions.
Yet, BIMCO adds that if the 31 December 2020 deadline cannot be met, the development of IHMs on the oldest ships first. Old ships are in general more likely to be recycled and such a risk-based planning will demonstrate how shipowners are working proactively in accordance with the spirit of the EU-SRR.
On the demand side, the price of steel and the cost of ship-breaking are the most prominent factors. The cost of ship-breaking varies from country to country, depending on labour costs and the types of regulations on workplace safety and the environmental impact that have been implemented in that specific country.
Explore more by clicking herebelow


Death, Disease and Disability – The 3D’s of Term Insurance
Everybody might have different fears in their lives. While most of you might fear to lose your loved ones, the rest of you might be scared to lose your jobs. The primary reason for these fears can be the unpredictability of life. According to a report, it has been observed that 84% of the Indian population believes their lives are uncertain. While you might not be unable to control the uncertainties, you can protect yourselves from any announced contingency like a medical emergency, critical illness, permanent or temporary disability, and so forth.
Due to the increasing awareness of insurance, you might opt for financial coverage to secure yourselves from emergencies. Although there are numerous insurance plans in the market, you should buy term insurance to receive financial support. Let’s first begin by understanding
what is term insurance plan in detail:
Term insurance plans are pure protection plans with the primary objective of financial safety. In your absence, a term insurance plan offers a pay-out called the death benefit. Your family can continue to maintain their standard of living when you won’t be around to provide for them. In addition to this, the members of your family can take the decision to receive it either every month or as a whole in a lump-sum amount.
Under
term insurance plans, you can receive protection during three different scenarios, which are mentioned below. Therefore, let’s take a look to understand the three different circumstances under which term insurance plans offer financial protection: Death
The loss of a loved one can seem unimaginable. For instance, if you are the breadwinner of your family, your family members might not only suffer emotionally but also financially in your absence. However, you can control the financial aspect of your loss by buying term insurance. When you are unable to look after your family’s financial needs, a term plan offers a death pay-out to safeguard them in the long run.
A term insurance plan offers high coverage at a low rate. Therefore, consider your family’s financial needs before buying term insurance. When you prioritize their financial goals, you might be able to ensure adequate financial support over a long time.
Disease
Due to your dynamic lifestyles and rigorous working cultures, you might be prone to critical diseases like heart attack, stroke, and so forth. Treating such severe health conditions can create a hole in your pocket due to the rising hospital costs. Due to the expensive hospital bills, you might tend to ignore your health. Delaying or ignoring the severity of any disease might have life-threatening effects on your health.
A term insurance plan offers a life coverage along with additional riders that cover critical diseases. Therefore, you should purchase a term plan at a young age with extra riders since it might be relatively cheaper. When you
buy term insurance with a critical illness cover, you can receive financial aid for your severe medical condition. Disability
Since term insurance is a protection plan, many of you might only purchase it to offer financial support to your family after your demise. However, a term plan can also help you when you are unable to provide financial protection after sustaining an injury, which might lead to permanent or temporary disability.
During a permanent or temporary disability, you should purchase a physical disability cover from your insurer. When you purchase a physical disability cover, your insurer can give your sum assured amount to compensate for the loss of your income.
To sum up, it can be imperative to assess the risks of these 3Ds mentioned above while purchasing a term insurance policy. As a policyholder, you should use the additional riders and term insurance benefits to enhance your policy. A 3D shield under a term plan can protect you financially from the eventualities of life.


One of the many things that has always amazed me about Gurumayi is the way she is able to see the full potential in each one of us. When Gurumayi speaks to you, she does not speak to your fear, your insecurity, or your doubt. She speaks to your strength, your purity, and your divinity. She reaches past all of the mental and emotional barriers and touches the power and greatness within you. Gurumayi’s patience and understanding seem to have no limits.
This has always been my experience of Gurumayi, ever since I was a very young child. Whenever I forget my own ability or self-worth, she finds some beautifully innovative way to remind me of who I am.
A twenty-four-year-old Siddha Yogi from New York, USA
During my winter break from college last year, I offered
seva in Shree Muktananda Ashram. Every morning, I woke up early to recite Shri Guru Gita. I treasured this practice of svadhyaya as a way of strengthening my connection to Gurumayi in my own heart.
One morning after reciting
Shri Guru Gita, I felt drawn to meditate on the Guru’s love. I sat for meditation, closed my eyes, and focused my gaze inside. I saw a fire blazing at the center of my being. Intuitively, I understood that the fire image was a visual representation of Gurumayi’s love—dynamic, vibrant, and full of shakti.
I watched as the fire produced millions of golden, scintillating sparks that spread throughout my being. These sparks of divine love, of Gurumayi’s love, dissolved all tension and feelings of smallness. I felt empowered to let go of all limiting thought patterns. I felt courage and enthusiasm fill my heart.
Inspired by this experience of Gurumayi’s love, I have sought to cultivate inner strength and lightheartedness. During my regular practice of meditation, I encourage my mind to become serene—by focusing on my breath and repeating the mantra—which allows me to return my awareness to the love and joy present in my own heart.
A nineteen-year-old Siddha Yogi from Connecticut, USA
Ever since I was a young child, I have loved watching Gurumayi enter the
satsang hall. Before Gurumayi takes her seat, she always acknowledges and honors her Guru. This moment is so sacred.
A twenty-five-year-old Siddha Yogi from Sydney, Australia
I have learned over the years that, though I have never met Gurumayi in person, I can have her
darshan at any time. All I need to do is pause with the intention of connecting with her. Even if I am working in my office, one brief pause can connect me to Gurumayi. Even if I am driving, a few deep breaths can give me a glimpse of Gurumayi. Even if I am eating, repetition of the mantra can reveal Gurumayi’s presence in my heart.
These experiences give me a single teaching: Gurumayi is always in my heart. She always listens to me, speaks to me, meditates with me. And in the moments when I long to have Gurumayi’s
darshan, and I put forth the effort to connect, I do perceive her presence. Because of this, I feel that Gurumayi is always very close.
Thank you, Gurumayi, for your presence in my heart. Thank you for all your blessings, which you shower on my family and me.
A twenty-five-year-old Siddha Yogi from Pune, India
After listening to Gurumayi’s Message for 2015, I was inspired to meditate. I was eager to experience the joy and bliss that comes with meditation.
I began to meditate most nights before I went to sleep, and after doing this for a while, I realized how special it is to have the Siddha Yoga practices in my life. In a society where many of us are searching, are looking for something more, I feel lucky to have Gurumayi’s teachings, to show me a path toward my own Self.
A seventeen-year-old Siddha Yogi from Brisbane, Australia
I received Gurumayi’s
darshan for the first time when I was six weeks old. During that darshan, Gurumayi held me in her arms while my parents received her blessings. Over the years, I have come to understand and experience that when Gurumayi took me in her arms that day, she cradled me in her grace and never let me go.
A twenty-three-year-old Siddha Yogi from California, USA
One day as I sat for meditation, I reflected on a photograph I have of Gurumayi seated in meditation. In the photo, Gurumayi looks perfectly serene.
I closed my eyes, and I could still see Gurumayi. As my mind grew quiet, I had the realization that Gurumayi was not separate from my own consciousness. It was not just a familiarity with Gurumayi I was recognizing; it was the clear understanding that deep inside, we are the same. I had the experience of the great Siddha Yoga teaching that the Guru and the inner Self are one.
When I came out of meditation, I was crying with gratitude. What a gift Gurumayi had given me, to be able to close my eyes, go inside, and know my own inner value.
A twenty-two-year-old Siddha Yogi from Massachusetts, USA


For centuries, Myrrh essential oil has been beloved for its numerous wellness and beauty benefits. Find out where it originates from, usage tips, and so much more with these nine fun facts.
We all have a friend who doesn’t lose their cool, no matter the situation; consider Vetiver that friend of your oil collection. Warm, welcoming, and woody, Vetiver’s aroma helps bring calm and relaxation to work and play.
While people in ancient times quickly recognized the value of using* pure botanicals, methods for extracting the essences of those botanicals have evolved slowly over time. Let’s explore the development of these processes, from the most basic to today’s advanced methods.


India’s healthcare sector is expanding at a CAGR of 16%-17% and is expected to reach US$ 372 billion by 2022. Additionally, the market for medical equipment in this country is also on the rise. It is expected to reach US$ 11 billion by the end of the same year.
Data like these portray the enormity of the healthcare sector in this country. The same also suggests that it is the right time to invest in this sector.
Financial institutions across the country are offering doctor loans to medical professionals to encourage them to invest and improve the healthcare system even further.
consist of both secured (loan against property, home loan) and unsecured (business loans, personal loans) advances. Doctor loans
Medical practitioners can avail such credits to fulfill their various needs such as establishing a clinic, modernizing their existing one or purchase equipment, etc.
Usability of doctor Loans Facility 1. Starting a new clinic
Apart from the extensive public medical system of India, the size of private healthcare in this country is also significant. Such private clinics have an essential role in India’s healthcare system. More often than not, these are the ones that provide critical treatment to a majority of patients.
Hence, doctors also become keen on opening their practice due to the wide possibilities it offers. However, it requires a substantial initial investment to start a medical practice.
Thus, financial institutions in the country are offering credit at affordable terms to encourage doctors to open clinics and provide medical support to their local communities.
One such example of credit is a loan against property offered under the umbrella of doctor loans. Individuals can borrow up to Rs.2 crore at a competitive interest rate to start their medical practice. Furthermore, it has a flexible tenor of up to 18 years which makes the repayment easy.
2. Upgrading equipment
Modern and new age equipment are required to provide better services to the patients. However, such modern technology does not come cheap.
To arrange this corpus, doctors can opt for either a business loan or a loan against property. With the former, they can avail a considerable amount of up to Rs.37 lakh and upgrade their medical equipment today.
3. Renovate the existing practices with Doctor Loan
To comply with the rapid growth of the healthcare sector, existing clinics need to reinvigorate their position to be able to attract more patients. A quick renovation of it can help in this cause.
Healthcare professional can avail business loans or personal loans available as a part of doctor loans for this matter. The credit amount can go up to Rs.37 lakh, and the interest rate is attractive.
Moreover, these have a tenor of up to 96 months, making the repayment affordable. Additionally, the quick disbursal nature of this financial product makes it easy to avail.
4. Expanding existing practices
Medical practitioners can also invest and expand their existing clinics or hospitals. They can apply for a secured loan to purchase or lease a property to expand their services.
They can avail up to Rs.2 crore for this purpose at a competitive interest rate. The tenor of this loan is up to 18 years, making it more affordable to repay. Additionally, lenders offer top-up loans for fulfilling further requirements.
Prominent NBFCs like Bajaj Finserv bring such loans to aid medical practitioners in investing in this sector and provide better healthcare services.
The company is offering various Bajaj physician loans at attractive interest rate, flexible tenor, part pre-payment facility and quick disbursal.
Furthermore, the NBFC also brings pre-approved offers to make the loan application process hassle-free and less time-consuming. These offers are available on a host of financial products like business loans, personal loans, etc. Loan applicants can check their pre-approved offers by submitting their essential contact details.
The healthcare sector in India is showing great promise and is expected to grow even further. With financial institutions offering affordable doctor loans to help healthcare professionals to invest in this sector, it is the right time to invest in this sector and serve their country.


A mouthguard helps absorb the shock experienced by a blow to the face, which might otherwise result in an injury to the mouth or jaw. A heavy collision can result in chipped or broken teeth, internal damage to a tooth, tooth loss, injuries to the soft tissue of the mouth, and, in severe cases, concussion or a broken jaw. Injuries like these can lead to long and potentially expensive treatment to restore teeth and the mouth back to normal function and appearance.
Types of Mouthguards:


LRN’s culture is a fundamental part of every solution, service, and product we build. As a Mission with a Business, we are guided by who we are and who we want to be as much as what we want to achieve.
As a mission with a business, we are guided by who we are and who we want to be as much as what we want to achieve. LRN Leadership Framework VALUES AND LEADERSHIP
We believe enduring success is achieved through inspired, ethical leadership—regardless of tenure, job function, or position in an organizational chart. Over time, ethical leadership shapes a culture that governs itself according to shared corporate values.
The LRN Leadership Framework defines, galvanizes, and unifies our culture, inspiring and informing our conduct whether we’re collaborating with colleagues or our Partners. The LRN Leadership Framework is an interconnected, mutually reinforcing set of principles that reflects the multi-faceted quality of ethical leadership. It is a living constitution that brings our core values to life, guiding our everyday business decisions and actions, and allowing us to consider our conduct in a broader, more-reflective context that which supports evolution and journey as an organization.
CORE VALUES
LRN’s core values are truth, humility, passion, and integrity. These are the essential elements that comprise our corporate DNA. They are the touchstones of who we wish to be, and the first points of reference when making business decisions or behavioral choices. In various combinations and applications, they are the basis for our Leadership Framework and the type of leader it describes.
HUMILITY
We believe that achieving sustained excellence is predicated on humility, which enables us to collaborate, self-evaluate and reinvent. We believe that humility leads to strength, not weakness. No matter what standards we achieve or how much pride we take in what we do, arrogance is not for us.
INTEGRITY
We believe that acting with integrity, in accordance with ethical principles and shared corporate values, is the ultimate driver of productivity and performance. For us, integrity is the steady application of our Code of Conduct. It is the ongoing, consistent demonstration of our values throughout our work.
PASSION
We believe that success arises out of the passionate pursuit of a meaningful and significant goal. We are intensely committed to our mission here, and we pursue that mission with unwavering energy and conviction.
TRUTH
We believe truth is the foundation for trust, and trust propels productivity and progress. Nothing is worth pursuing if its pursuit is not truthful and authentic.


DC Inadequate Testing Lawyer
Patients trust healthcare providers to address their injuries and illnesses through proper examination and testing. If your doctor does not order the correct tests, your medical condition may not be diagnosed in time, and you may face additional harm as a result.
If a physician or other healthcare professional fails to order or interpret tests pertinent to your condition and you are injured because of their errors, an medical malpractice attorney at our firm could help you take advantage of your legal rights. Let a DC inadequate testing lawyer help you hold negligent medical professional accountable.
Inadequate Testing Can Constitute Medical Malpractice
When physicians treat patients, they are expected to adhere to the accepted standards of medical care established by other healthcare professionals with similar experience. For instance, every doctor is responsible for ordering blood tests to monitor a patient’s glucose levels, cholesterol, and liver function, as well as X-rays for those with suspected broken bones.
If a physician fails to order blood tests for a patient with diabetes, for example, their condition will go unchecked, leading to organ damage and possible amputation. Failing to order a test in this case is a form of medical malpractice, which is based on the legal theory of negligence. A local attorney could review the details of a patient’s case and work to hold a negligent healthcare provider accountable for their injuries.
Types of Testing Critical to Patient Care
Medical tests can offer conclusive proof of what is going on inside a person’s body and detect diseases and conditions that can quickly turn deadly, such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, and tumors. Some essential medical tests include:
Blood tests that are crucial in detecting diabetes, high cholesterol, thyroid, and liver conditions Computed tomography (CT or CAT) scans that use computer-assisted X-rays to produce internal pictures of organs, bones, and tissues Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that use a computer, a powerful magnetic field, and radiofrequency pulses to create detailed photos of inside the body Electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures a patient’s heartbeat Ultrasound scans that monitor a fetus while the mother is pregnant
If a healthcare provider fails to order or interpret any of these critical tests, one of our attorneys could determine whether they should be liable for malpractice.
Filing a Lawsuit
The Code of the District of Columbia §16–2802 specifies that all defendants to a medical malpractice lawsuit must be notified of the patient’s intent to sure at least 90 days before their claim is filed.
All parties are also required to attend non-binding mediation before engaging in civil litigation. Notice and mediation are the District’s way of encouraging settlement rather than bogging the judicial system down with lengthy and expensive litigation. An attorney in our area could discuss this complex legal process with anyone thinking about filing a lawsuit for inadequate medical testing.
Contributory Negligence
Under the doctrine of pure contributory negligence, plaintiffs who are found even one percent responsible for their injuries will be barred from recovering any damages whatsoever. For instance, if a physician orders a test critical to a patient’s treatment, but the patient cancels the testing appointment and fails to reschedule it, both parties might be found liable if the doctor fails to follow up and the patient never gets the test until it is too late.
A DC Inadequate Testing Lawyer is Standing By
Medical tests are a critical component of a patient’s treatment, as they determine the cause of many illnesses and ailments. It is your right as a patient to receive adequate testing from your physician or healthcare provider. If you explained to your doctor how you feel, and the applicable tests were not ordered while your condition worsened, you should contact a DC inadequate testing lawyer to discuss your situation. Schedule a consultation today.


Previous studies have shown the feasibility of using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a noninvasive imaging modality to evaluate neurodegeneration in humans and animals. The axial and radial diffusivities derived from DTI were demonstrated to be sensitive markers for axonal and myelin damage, respectively. This study used DTI to evaluate optic nerve degeneration in wild-type and slow Wallerian degeneration (Wld(S)) mutant mice. Longitudinal DTI was performed on optic nerves following high intraocular pressure-induced transient retinal ischemia. The axial diffusivity of wild-type nerves decreased 30% (P<0.05) at 3 days and 40% (P<0.05) at 5-30 days after transient elevation of intraocular pressure. In contrast, the axial diffusivity of Wld(S) nerves did not change at 3 days; decreased by 20% (P<0.05) at 5 days, and continued to decrease by 30% (P<0.05) at 15 days and 40% (P<0.05) at 30 days after transient intraocular pressure elevation, suggesting delayed axonal damage in Wld(S) mice. Radial diffusivity increased 200% (P<0.05) at 15-30 days in the wild-type mice and 100% (P<0.05) at 30 days in the Wld(S) mice after transient intraocular pressure elevation, suggesting delayed myelin damage in Wld(S) mice. DTI detected damage was confirmed with immunohistochemistry using phosphorylated neurofilament and myelin basic protein for assessing axonal and myelin integrity, respectively. These findings support the use of DTI not only to evaluate the progression of neurodegeneration but also to noninvasively demonstrate Wld(S) mutation to delay the Wallerian degeneration.
Copyright Â© 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.


The report highlights that the European Green Deal and the European Strategy for data will necessitate reliable, accurate and centralised data for its initiatives.
The third edition of the report also includes new elements, which have an impact on the Blue Economy, including challenges like climate change, new sectors such as Submarine cables), enablers such as Maritime Spatial Planning, new areas of analysis such as Ecosystem Services or potential solutions like Multipurpose platforms.
Moreover, the report consists of:
Marine-based activities: include the activities undertaken in the ocean, sea and coastal areas, such as Marine living resources (capture fisheries and aquaculture), Marine minerals, Marine renewable energy, Desalination, Maritime transport and Coastal tourism. Marine-related activities: activities which use products and/ or produce products and services from the ocean or marinebased activities like seafood processing, biotechnology, Shipbuilding and repair, Port activities, technology and equipment, digital services, and other.
However, the ocean has an economic value which is hard to quantify in terms of provision of resources, habitat for marine life, carbon sequestration, coastal protection, waste recycling and
storing, and processes that influence climate change and biodiversity. To the extent possible, the Report covers most of these issues too.
Following the implementation of the European Green deal, the report analyzes the impact of human factor on the marine environment, and especially on the ocean.
The human impact includes the greenhouse gases (GHGs) which are the main contributor to global warming and climate change. Climate change is expected to result in more frequently heat waves, forest fires and droughts in Southern and Central Europe. While, Northern Europe will become significantly wetter, and winter floods could become common.
In the meantime, the report outlines some challenging issues, such as the general economic and political context, providing a background to the Blue Economy, including the sources of financing available for the Blue Economy projects.
To learn more about the report click herebelow


Over the past 25 years, Lynne has coached individuals, families and their foundations to resolve the complex dynamics surrounding philanthropic issues of wealth and personal and global responsibility.
Specifically designed for individuals and families of wealth, Lynne offers philanthropic consulting that facilitates clients in finding appreciation, joy and meaning in their relationships beyond financial conflict. The types of people who have benefited from Lynne’s Philanthropic Consulting include:
Individuals who have financial resources that they want to dedicate to philanthropy but are not sure of the best path forward. Individuals already engaged in philanthropic works who want to gain more clarity on the difference they can make with their contribution. Family members who want to engage their children, brothers, sisters and spouses in working on the dynamics that go along with inherited wealth. Individuals or families of great wealth who desire to align behind a powerful vision and set up an organization, foundation or institution that is designed around a powerful giving strategy. Individuals or families of great wealth who feel overwhelmed by constantly being asked for money from various causes and instead want to consciously design their philanthropic giving.
The first step in the process involves Lynne assisting her clients in determining their philanthropic vision by formulating a clear sense of their personal values. Next, Lynne facilitates her clients in organizing their values to effectively develop and enact their vision. Lastly, with a focus on creating life affirmation and sincere joy through a sense of responsible financial stewardship, Lynne empowers her clients to translate their philanthropic philosophy and passion into all areas of their lives, including nurturing healthy relationships with those around them.
Align your wealth with your vision.
CLICK HERE to fill out the Soul of Money Consulting Intake Form and our team will get back to you as quickly as possible.
This experience has opened and expanded my time and energy by helping me clear situations that were heavy and draining while inviting people, work, and circumstances that align with my greatest passions.
HilaryPhilanthropic Consulting Client


November 9, 2020
Money Launderers Will Easily Dodge Detection under New BC Public Land Registry British Columbia’s new public land registry has significant flaws that greatly undermine its ability to help investigators detect money laundering in BC real estate. In “BC’s Public Registry to Combat Money Laundering: Broken on Arrival” Kevin Comeau lays out the changes that should be made to the registry to give it the teeth it needs to be a serious deterrent to criminals, including improving identity verification and searchability, imposing prison sentences on those who provide false information, and scrapping the $5 user fee. If the key recommendations in the report are adopted, the BC public registry would become a powerful tool to combat money laundering in BC real estate. It would help reduce upward pressure on housing costs, generate significant government revenue, undermine the principal foundation upon which international money-laundering systems are built, and provide added safeguards against international money laundering, including from authoritarian regimes.


About Services Membership Events BayGrow NMB Sectors Trending
2020-08-19
Nelson Mandela Bay is facing Day Zero as the City’s combined dams have plummeted to alarmingly low levels.
Day Zero looming as Metro dams plummet to alarmingly low levels
Nelson Mandela Bay is facing Day Zero as the City’s combined dams have plummeted to alarmingly low levels.
The situation has become so severe with projections that parts of the metro could be without water by March 2021 if the current consumption trend continues unabated. As such, the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber has reached out to the Municipality to ascertain where it can assist with addressing some of its challenges. It has also begun making calls to its member companies to urgently reduce their daily consumption by 20%.
The city’s biggest dam, the Kouga Dam, currently has a supply of 6.80% of its capacity, the Churchill Dam at 49.48%, the Loerie Dam at 34.27%, the Groendal Dam at 25.59% and the Impofu Dam at 16.71%. They have a combined supply which is 16.93% of their capacity. While almost two-thirds of the city’s water supply is supplied from the Gariep Dam, one-third comes from these Western dams.
Currently, the metro is consuming 290 megalitres (ML) of water per day while targeted consumption should be 250ML. We are still a long way from the targeted 250ML/day
For a city whose economy is anchored by industries that rely on the availability of water for their operations, the current state of the Bay’s water supply places the city in a precarious position. If companies cannot operate in full capacity, this would inevitably lead to job losses and negatively impact the already overburdened local economy.
The situation demands full commitment from both residents and the business community to ensure we all play our part in securing our water supply. As an entity that represents businesses in the Metro, we call on our members, as part of their corporate social responsibility, to consider offering their expertise to the Municipality to assist with some of its challenges. With water leaks also being a problem in some schools in the metro, a company could adopt the school and help with fixing their leaks.
Metro households must now be vigilant and monitor their water consumption to ensure they keep to the restricted amount of 50 litres per day. Businesses should continue to investigate innovative water-saving techniques and infuse them in their daily operations. We would like to commend companies such as Volkswagen South Africa, Isuzu Motors and many others, for being at the forefront of curbing water consumption through innovation.
While the Bay this week received good rains, far more would be required to make a significant impact to our already severely depleted water resources. As such, we need to intensify our water-saving efforts to ensure the city does not reach Day Zero.
Nomkhita Mona
CEO, NMBBC


What is Substitution?
Substitution refers to the act of an individual deliberately providing a counterfeit version of a urine specimen via a third-party source or through a synthetic product available on the market that mimics the biochemical compounds of genuine urine. In Canada, many industrial labor occupations are notorious for employees resorting to substituting their urine specimen for an otherwise legitimate sampling as a means to gain drug clearance.
Initially, urine drug testing serves as a preventative measure in appointing individuals to safety-sensitive positions where any level of impairment could pose hazardous risks inside the workplace. However, many applicants and employees anticipating urine drug screens often rely on substitution methods as a loophole to maneuver around a positive test result that can draw assumptions of a suspected drug problem. Urinalysis tends to advance one-sided inferences that show the existence of drug metabolites in the system, yet fails to establish if addiction or drug impairment at the time of testing are questionable factors.
Moreover, companies often enlist certified laboratories that operate under the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) apparatus, which illustrates the guidelines consistent with substitution issues that may require a battery of testing. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), for example, is a sophisticated application that targets and isolates drug metabolites, linking the enzymatic properties of drug classes and their derivative compounds against cutoff thresholds values. Lab technicians note crucial factors such as coloration, odors, and temperature deviations in effectively weighing the validity of urine specimens based on their acidic content, which can play into the equation of substitution cases.
Synthetic urine products remain popular, especially given their ability to neutralize creatinine levels, a catalytic byproduct of muscular synthesis. As Canada does not outright prohibit substitution practices, employers must contend with lax measures that exempt possible repeat drug users in the way of forfeiting a drug-free workplace environment.


The next census, set to begin on April 1, 2020, will bring a renewed focus on the populations that have historically been hard to count. These include the unemployed, those living below the poverty line, and people with limited English proficiency. People without internet access are also included since the 2020 census will strongly encourage online submission of census forms. Taken as a whole, Arkansas counties have an average poverty
Last week the Census Bureau released their 2020 Census Barriers, Attitudes, and Motivators Study Survey. This survey was intended to identify and understand the major challenges to a full response to the 2020 Census since less than seven in ten households who participated in the study indicated they were very likely or extremely likely to fill out the Census form. According to the report, the five concerns that might prevent


Commonwealth of Virginia Office of Governor Ralph S. Northam FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ·
March 17, 2020
Office of the Governor Governor Northam Announces NewMeasures to Combat COVID-19 and Support Impacted Virginians ~ Directs adherence to 10-person gathering ban, quarantine for high-risk individuals, worker and employer support ~ RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced additional steps to help Virginians impacted by novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, stop the spread of the virus in the Commonwealth, and protect public health. “Everyone must play a role to help flatten the curve and mitigate the spread of this virus, and that starts with social distancing,” said Governor Northam. “We know this will be a hardship for many businesses, and we are assisting workers affected by closures. Public health relies on every individual using common sense and making responsible decisions. We can and will get through this difficult time. But we must work together to do so.”
Video of today’s media briefing is available here.
Further Reducing Public Gatherings
Governor Northam told Virginians to avoid non-essential gatherings of more than 10 people, per federal guidelines. This does not include normal operations at essential services such as manufacturers, distribution centers, airports, bus and train stations, medical facilities, grocery stores, or pharmacies.
Protecting High-Risk Virginians
Those with chronic health conditions or aged 65 or older should self-quarantine. Public health experts advise that individuals with underlying medical conditions and those aged 65 or older are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Governor Northam encouraged neighbors and friends to stay in touch and regularly check in with high-risk individuals.
Increasing Social Distancing All restaurants, fitness centers, and theaters are mandated to significantly reduce their capacity to 10 patrons, or close. Restaurants are encouraged to continue carry-out and takeaway options. Support for Affected Workers
Governor Northam announced the following actions to protect working Virginians impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak:
No waiting for unemployment benefits.
Governor Northam has directed the Commissioner of the Virginia Employment Commission to waive the one-week waiting period to ensure workers can receive benefits as soon as possible.
Enhanced eligibility for unemployment.
Workers may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits if an employer needs to temporarily slow or cease operations due to COVID-19. If a worker has been issued a notice to self-quarantine by a medical or public health official and is not receiving paid sick or medical leave from their employer, they may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits. In addition, a worker may be eligible for unemployment benefits if they must stay home to care for an ill family member and are not receiving paid family medical leave from their employer.
Fewer restrictions.
For individuals receiving unemployment insurance, Governor Northam is directing the Virginia Employment Commission to give affected workers special consideration on deadlines, mandatory re-employment appointments, and work search requirements. The Office of the Governor is providing a Frequently Asked Questions guide for workers that have been temporarily laid off or discharged during this public health crisis.
Support for Impacted Employers
Regional workforce teams will be activated to support employers that slow or cease operations. Employers who do slow or cease operations will not be financially penalized for an increase in workers requesting unemployment benefits. The Governor is authorizing rapid response funding, through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, for employers eligible to remain open during this emergency. Funds may be used to clean facilities and support emergency needs. Governor Northam is directing all employers to follow U.S. Department of Labor guidance on workplace safety.
Department of Motor Vehicle Office Closures
Virginia’s 75 DMV offices, as well as mobile units, will close to the public. Online services will remain available, and anyone needing to renew a license or vehicle registration is encouraged to do so online.For those who cannot renew online, or whose license or registration expires before May 15, DMV will grant a 60-day extension.
Courts Governor Northam requested and the Supreme Court of Virginia granted a judicial emergency in response to COVID-19. From Monday, March 16 through Monday, April 6, non-essential, non-emergency court proceedings in all district and circuit courts are suspended absent a specific exemption. This includes a prohibition on new eviction cases for tenants who are unable to pay rent as a result of COVID-19. All non-exempted court deadlines are tolled and extended for a period of 21 days. Utilities
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) issued an order directing utilities it regulates, such as electric, natural gas, and water companies in Virginia, to suspend service disconnections for 60 days to provide immediate relief for any customer, residential and business, who may be financially impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. For a comprehensive list of actions Governor Northam has announced to combat COVID-19 in Virginia, visit virginia.gov/coronavirus. Full Release ###
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Who doesn't love burning candles? They are calming and relaxing, but non-beeswax candles can be detrimental to your health - this is because when burning, they release paraffin as a by-product.
Beeswax is the only wax that occurs in nature, so there are no processing chemicals in these candles!
When burning, beeswax candles release negative ions which clean the air by combatting dust, odours, moulds and viruses. This has the added benefit of elevating people's moods!
Burns for 100 hours


Abstract : Among the new microtubule-targeted agents, the epothilone family of molecules has shown promising anticancer potential, and clinical trials are currently underway for patupilone (epothilone B) in various cancer indications. In this study, we characterized novel aspects of patupilone's cellular action that may underlie its potent cytotoxicity in human neuroblastoma cells. Patupilone induced mitochondrial membrane potential collapse, mitochondrial morphological changes, and cytochrome c release, leading to apoptosis. Within the first 2 h, patupilone increased the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS; i.e., superoxides and hydrogen peroxide, 33+/-6 and 51+/-3% increase, respectively), specifically from mitochondria. ROS scavengers and mitochondrial DNA depletion [rho(-) cells] significantly protected cells against patupilone cytotoxicity, indicating that ROS generation is a key event in the initial phase of apoptosis. Although the Bim expression level was not modified by patupilone, this proapoptotic protein accumulated in the mitochondrial compartment (2.4-fold increase at IC70) after only a 6-h treatment. In contrast, Bax and Bcl-2 mitochondrial levels were not changed during treatment. It is noteworthy that ROS inhibition prevented Bim relocalization to mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane changes induced by patupilone. Altogether, our data reveal that patupilone-mediated ROS production by mitochondria initiates the intrinsic signaling cascade by inducing Bim accumulation in mitochondria. These results might explain the superior activity of patupilone in tumor cells compared with paclitaxel that is, until now, the clinical reference among microtubule-stabilizing agents. Furthermore, our data highlight the importance of mitochondria that simultaneously assume the role of activator and integrator of apoptotic signals triggered by patupilone.


Over at CSCS, Simone Ulmer writes that researchers at ETH Zurich have clarified the previously unresolved question of whether fish save energy by swimming together in schools. They achieved this by simulating the complex physics on the supercomputer ‘Piz Daint’ and combining detailed flow simulations with a reinforcement learning algorithm for the first time. “In their simulations, they have not examined every aspect involved in the efficient swimming behavior of fish. However, it is clear that the developed algorithms and physics learned can be transferred into autonomously swimming or flying robots.”


I don’t remember how the habit started. It wasn’t a conscious choice like taking up jogging, but it developed as all do—progressively. One act of pleasure bumps into another until it’s a daily delight. A treat. And my oh my. How can something that brings a smile one day and on the next, seem to be wrong? Another one? Isn’t that excessive? No one else is involved. After all, I’ve got this handled.
At times, I stay up too late browsing the internet. I’m not reading a good book or researching my family tree, just browsing random crap. YouTube videos, current news, or shopping for things I’ll never buy. If I were reading, at least it would be beneficial for my brain cells, right? So down the trail and then turn right. Stop!
My one-year-old cat, Dot, is a hunter. He drags his “kills.” He attacks, wrestles, and drags small rugs and blankets around the house. They are gnawed to death. Usually, they are tugged to the food bowl, him growling the entire way. I see it as some instinct he has to bring in a carcass. His version of the gazelle is a brown Mexican blanket that he yanks by its corner. Sometimes he’ll donate his prey to the other cats while they sleep.
Dot has a Q-tip habit. He begs for them, even meowing and waking me at two in the morning when the rest of the world is sleeping. He needs a fix. It is nearly an obsession. Cat games. This cat hunts ear swabs. He hides his skinny, ear swab prey under a rug, then pounces, then discovering it again.
Creatures of nature are instinctive. Humans use instincts but also have developed habits. But we can update old practices. Thankfully we can learn. Whatever it is we want to alter, we can retrain ourselves. It feels odd at first. If it’s essential and we introduce it consistently, we can change. But Dot, the hunter, might forever be addicted to his human ear probes. I might forever be gathering them from odd places, like from my shoes.


This article analyzes the impact of crowdfunding on journalism. It is based on a case study about Spot.Us, a platform pioneering community-funded reporting. The study concludes that a crowdfunded journalistic process requires journalists to renegotiate their role and professional identity to succeed in the changing realm of creative work. It also concludes that reader donations build a strong connection from the reporters to the donors, which creates a new sense of responsibility to the journalists. The journalists perceive donors as investors, that cannot be let down. From the donor's perspective, donating does not create a strong relationship from donor to the journalist, or to the story to which they contributed. The primary motivation for donating is to contribute to the common good and social change. Consequently, donors’ motives are essentially more altruistic than instrumental.
Abstrakt / Utdrag


Abstract
Non-Hispanic black (NHB) women are more likely to experience an endometrial carcinoma (EC) recurrence compared to non-Hispanic white (NHW) women. The extent to which tumor characteristics, socioeconomic status (SES) and treatment contribute to this observation is not well defined. In the NRG Oncology/Gynecology Oncology Group (GOG) 210 Study we evaluated associations between race/ethnicity and EC recurrence according to tumor characteristics with adjustment for potential confounders. Our analysis included 3,199 NHW, 532 NHB and 232 Hispanic women with EC. Recurrence was documented during follow-up. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between race/ethnicity and EC recurrence in models stratified by histologic subtype (low-grade endometrioid, high-grade endometrioid, serous, mixed cell, carcinosarcoma, clear cell) or stage (I, II, III) and adjusted for age, SES, body mass index, smoking status and treatment. In histologic subtype-stratified models, higher EC recurrence was noted in NHB women with low-grade endometrioid (HR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.21–3.10) or carcinosarcomas (HR = 1.66, 95% CI = 0.99–2.79) compared to NHWs. In stage-stratified models, higher EC recurrence was noted among NHB women with stage I (HR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.06–2.05) and Hispanic women with stage III disease (HR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.11–2.95). Our observations of higher EC recurrence risk among NHB and Hispanic women, as compared to NHW women, were not explained by tumor characteristics, SES, treatment or other confounders. Other factors, such as racial differences in tumor biology or other patient factors, should be explored as contributors to racial disparities in EC recurrence.
Keywords outcomes racial disparities socioeconomic status tumor heterogeneity uterus neoplasm


SINGAPORE — October 2, 2018 — The DyStar Group has released its 2017-2018 Sustainability Performance Report. Into its eighth edition, the report marks the progress of the global company that aspires to become the world’s most sustainable and responsible supplier of colorants, specialty chemicals, and services in the textile industry, but has also embarked on the business with food dyes and chemicals through its recent acquisition in United States.
The latest DyStar’s Sustainability Performance Report is the first of their reports prepared in accordance with the most trusted and widely used reporting framework – Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core Option.
The 2020 Target
2017 marks the seventh year of DyStar’s journey towards reducing the production footprint by 20% for every ton of production by the year 2020. This goal encompasses the resources used for production including energy, water, and raw materials as well as addresses their corresponding outputs — greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, waste and wastewater. Results across most key performance indicators were positive, with four of the six 2020 targets being successfully met or surpassed.
In terms of the energy consumption and GHG emission, DyStar is farther from its original desired target primarily due to the impacts from three newly acquired production sites. However, intensive efforts are underway to ensure that the company’s less efficient acquisitions are provided the essential support to align with the rest of the company. DyStar is optimistic that all six targets are achievable by 2020.
Creating Responsible Products & Services
As part of DyStar’s long-term goal to imbed sustainability across the industry, they will also be focusing on expanding its sustainability services. This includes the opening of more Texanlab offices, an ISO 17025 certified, specialized testing laboratory across South Asia to provide end-to-end solutions throughout the whole supply chain.
Stepping Up on Cooperation with NGOs
Increasingly, DyStar is strengthening their partnerships with the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The 2017 report features an in-depth guest interview with the NGO China Water Risk, on how can suppliers like DyStar can be a role model in creating sustainable fashion.
To encourage and facilitate sustainable practices among its suppliers, DyStar also conducts sustainability-related supplier surveys. For instance, DyStar is cooperating with the Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE), one of the most established Chinese NGO, to expand the framework of their supplier questionnaire. In recognition of its efforts, DyStar received top ranking in the CITI transparency list for industrial chemicals from IPE, placing them well ahead of many other industry peers.
Embracing Diversity, Engaging Communities
Also, to help meet clients’ demand and demonstrate its responsibility and care in the food and beverages industry, DyStar is implementing a supplier diversity program to support businesses in the USA that are at least 51% owned by minority groups, women, veterans and people with disabilities.
Highlighting DyStar’s commitment to the communities they operate in, the company encourages volunteerism among employees, and for the year of 2017, DyStar employees devoted a total of 205 volunteer hours towards community projects, which also served as a meaningful collective experience for employees to form closer bonds.
Working Together Towards Long-Term Solutions
As an industry frontrunner, DyStar and its leaders are committed to driving sustainability across the industry. However, significant challenges remain, and the stakeholders of this industry need to work together to derive long-term solutions. CEO of DyStar Group, Mr. Eric Hopmann emphasized, “It is imperative for the entire industry to improve collectively, not individually, and our ability to do so may determine the long-term profitability of the industry as a whole. It is my belief that effective partnerships coupled with stronger support and incentivization from leading companies within this industry could be key to creating a new – and much needed – equilibrium.”
Posted October 3, 2018 Source: DyStar Group