Despite Effort, Peru’s Covid-19 Response Fails Despite Effort, Peru’s Covid-19 Response Fails
NEW HAVEN: In March, Peru was among first Latin American countries to introduce containment measures in the region, imposing the most drastic quarantine. International media celebrated the country taking such radical measures, especially given its capacity to launch ambitious fiscal and poverty alleviation policies to balance the economic impact of the containment and secure compliance on social-distancing measures.
Following that line, some argued that “three decades of fiscal discipline and low public debt,” along with steady economic growth, put the country in an advantaged position relative to its peers, not only to spend those resources in the face of a crisis, but also to secure access to favorable credit lines from multilateral organizations. In other words, austerity measures were assumed to be responsible for Peru's favorable position.
Nonetheless, three months later, media outlets report the failure of these measures, stressing the existence of a paradox between the intensity of the containment measures and the virus’ rapid spread among the population. Public health experts and economists highlighted four conditions that explain this paradox: the number of tests, the irregularity of the quarantine, the presence of crowds in markets and banks, and the level of overcrowded housing.
Due to the wide range in test availability, the comparative picture is imperfect. Peru ranks second in terms of tests for the region, yet public health experts agree that evolution of the country’s infection rates is still incongruent with what would have been expected, considering Peru’s stringent response.
Experts then turn to three other conditions: the high volume of informal labor, more than 70 percent in Peru; high social and economic inequalities; rooted cultural differences and behavioral patterns that include consistent disrespect for laws.
While all these observations are correct, something is still missing. Such conditions must be seen as symptoms of the real problem rather than independent factors that explain apparent inconsistencies. All those conditions are the effects of a single cause: the persistency of state deficiencies, especially in sensitive social issues. And, as has been argued recently, analysts must consider this major condition, along with the trust in the government, while assessing any administration's performance during this pandemic.
The paradox, if any, is that the precarious infrastructural state capacity – especially in issues such as public health and social welfare – before the pandemic explains both the need for radical confinement and social distancing measures and the adverse results after three months of implementation. This problem involves not only the weakness of the state apparatus to provide services and social protections, but also the lack of required social cohesion to contain the pandemic through social distancing. As a result, the government’s efforts have faced severe enforcement and compliance limitations.
These deficiencies’ origins are rooted on historical processes of state building that cannot be solved easily. However, the persistency and intensity of such failures in crucial areas nowadays – such as social redistribution, public health and education – can be traced back to the last three decades, precisely the decades when economists praised the “Peruvian economic miracle.” After all, those years of austerity especially constrained public spending on these social goods. Despite the presence of economic bonanza, Peru’s public health spending and social programs coverage rank below average in the region.
Furthermore, the economic stability of the “miracle” occurred even as the problems listed by the international press intensified. These situations were not unrelated, but complementary. The lack of regulation on informality worked well as a cushion for the social impacts of the austerity policies. While the state introduced social redistribution programs, those prioritized models focusing on rural population, leaving massive portions of urban residents without benefits and vulnerable. Yet, urban families could still rely on the access to precarious, informal jobs, abundant due to the massive consumption produced by the economic bonanza. This informal employment sector did not vanish, but adapted to the pandemic despite the quarantine.
Confronted by a health and economic crisis, Peru had the resources to invest in improving its precarious health system and introduce relatively high redistributive benefits for those in need during the pandemic. However, the lack of state infrastructure to redistribute those resources in urban areas soon created collateral problems such as the presence of crowds in banks and government offices, aiming to receive benefits or find out if they were eligible for benefits at all. Moreover, the lack of attention to inequality and informality problems reflected on poor urban planning and led to problems of overcrowding and non-compliance that added to pandemic challenges. Today, novice and experienced street vendors flood the streets in major cities.
Clarifying the origins of the paradox is worth noting, since it explains the problems of extreme austerity models for developing countries in the medium and long term. While it is true that responsible monetary and fiscal policies are needed in countries with a history of economic crises, the effects of these measures in the state’s capacity to react to new, pressing challenges such as pandemics or climate crisis must also considered.
Peru is a poster child for the problems of radical austerity. This is not just a technocratic problem of policy design, but a state capacity one. Money means nothing if governments cannot spend it efficiently. Through the last two decades, several attempts to improve the role of the state have been blocked by a right-wing coalition of conservative politicians, neoliberal technocrats, business organizations and mainstream media. As a result, Peru’s impressive economic growth never translated into the infrastructural and social development the country urgently needs.
The government’s response must be assessed given these limitations. Criticism to the specific policies is relevant, but the state’s limitations constrain their efficiency drastically. To be clear, without these measures, the reality would have been worst. Yet, the government and media must undertake the same exercise when assessing the role of individuals. While it is easy to blame the citizenry for complacency and lack of compliance, it must also be acknowledged that such behavior is constrained and shaped by the state’s deficiency to deliver.
Unfortunately, the prospects for progressive changes might be rather pale. First, electoral politics are highly personalistic and non-programmatic, favoring the rise of neophytes and populists that use these issues in campaign but forget them once in power. Without strong parties, electoral accountability becomes a major problem. Second, citizen’s illiberal values were already on the rise due to perceptions on criminality, corruption and immigration. Then, instead of an opportunity to realize and amend previous mistakes, the pandemic could exacerbate the country’s problems in the years to come. The country’s future lacks advantageous political “credit lines.”
Paolo Sosa-Villagarcia is a 2019-20 Fox International Fellow at the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University and a PhD student with the Department of Political Science at the University of British Columbia. This article was published June 16, 2020.


For a long time the formation of protostellar discs — a prerequisite to the formation of planetary systems — has defied theoretical astrophysicists. Now, researchers have made a breakthrough in our understanding of how protoplanetary discs form, demonstrating that chemistry and microphysics are crucial to the fundamental processes underlying star and planet formation.


According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least one in three women worldwide will experience either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global public health epidemic and a violation of fundamental human rights. While GBV can happen to anyone, girls are more likely to experience sexual violence and harassment, as well as harmful practices such as forced marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM).
5 Things to Know: Under international human rights law, all children and young people have the right to live free from the fear or threat of violence. Yet, violence against children, including GBV against girls, is frequently perpetrated with impunity. Almost universally, support services to mitigate the physical and psychological consequences of GBV are weak and do not address the trauma of survivors. For many children, particularly girls, school is an unsafe place, even though every child has the right to learn in a safe and secure environment. Rates of sexual violence and early marriage increase during a crisis, yet too often, girls in crises do not have access to life-saving information and services that could protect them against early or unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Even when services are available, fear of stigma is an obstacle that prevents many girls from accessing care. The increased use of online space has led to abuse, harassment, and violence against children, which are violations of their human rights. The risks that the internet presents for children must not be underestimated. What Needs to Happen: States must recognize violence against children, including GBV against girls, as a significant human rights issue and commit to finding solutions. Legal protections for girls who are victims or at risk of violence must be strengthened, and harmful gender norms that condone the use of violence to control girls’ sexuality and social norms must be challenged. Significant effort is needed at international, national, and community levels to achieve these goals States and multilateral institutions must increase their financial and political commitments. Donors should provide bilateral aid and fund relevant multilateral platforms, such as the Global Fund to End Violence against Children. States must ratify and fully implement, without reservations, all regional and international agreements that relate to violence against children and GBV. States, UN agencies, and civil society must collect better data related to violence. Data must be disaggregated by relevant factors, such as age, sex, location, ethnicity, religion, disability, economic status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and migratory status. Data must be disaggregated by the distinct age ranges of 10-14 and 14-18 to ensure adolescent and teenage girls and their needs are visible. Sensitive data must be collected and stored in line with human rights considerations and relevant data protection standards. States must ensure that all children, adolescents, and young people, without discrimination, have access to comprehensive sexuality education to gain knowledge and develop the necessary skills to make conscious, healthy, and respectful choices about relationships and sexuality. States must ensure that all survivors of GBV have access to healthcare, including emergency contraception, safe abortion services, and psychosocial support, as well as access to shelter and safe houses if needed, and effective means to seek justice and redress. It is critical that support services do not reinforce harmful attitudes or further victimize survivors in any way. States and community leaders should hold community-level dialogue, engaging men and boys, to change norms, attitudes, and behaviours concerning girls’ rights with the goal of ending violence against girls. States and community leaders should take measures to address attitudes and behaviours that legitimize violence at national, local, school, and community levels to prevent and respond to school-related GBV. States, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders must increase efforts to ensure children’s online safety.


Everyday musings ….Life as I see it…….my space, my reflections and thoughts !!
Theme – ** Kaleidoscope of thoughts**
Thoughts are nomadic by nature. They enter the mind without permission, at any time of the day or night. Having a strong mind of their own, they can be very adamant at times. They take shape of positive or negative, fleeting or profound, chaotic or structured and at times utterly nonsensical. Some just take a peek and vanish, while some others build a nest and continue to stay on.
Thoughts have something magical in them. They define your temperament and moods. Though you cannot see it, you can feel its power. For they can drain you or pep you up. So be wary of feeding the right kind of thought. Else it will multiply manifold like a parasite, and within no time deflate you.
Many a time, the thoughts are just images, haphazard and scattered all around. To gather them, dress them with words and present them is a daunting task. While at other times they are so structured and crystal clear, flowing nonstop like a gurgling brook.
Depending on the words that dress them up, they present themselves in myriad hues and avatars. Be it a garden of vibrant blooms, or a starry constellation, a fiery flame or a tranquil reflection, a profound message or an enigmatic spell!
Thoughts are seasonal the fertile mind sprouts ideas at times they turn arid but when rains kiss the parched mind a literary garden blooms.
The above is a tanka poem.
Tanka is a poetry form which originated in Japan more than 13 centuries ago. In its purest form, tanka poems are most commonly written as expressions of love, self-reflection, and gratitude. It contains five lines and 31 syllables in the form of 5-7-5-7-7.


Abstract
During development, cells adopt distinct metabolic strategies to support growth, produce energy, and meet the demands of a mature tissue. Some of these metabolic states maintain a constrained program of nutrient utilization, while others providing metabolic flexibility as a means to couple developmental progression with nutrient availability. Here we discuss our understanding of metabolic programs, and how they support specific aspects of animal development. During phases of rapid proliferation a subset of metabolic programs provide the building blocks to support growth. During differentiation, metabolic programs shift to support the unique demands of each tissue. Finally, we discuss how a model system, such as Drosophila egg development, can provide a versatile platform to discover novel mechanisms controlling programmed shift in metabolism.
ASJC Scopus subject areas Genetics Developmental Biology


Continuous Integration and Delivery is commonplace for software. Let’s benefit from the same principles and apply them to documentation as well: Keep it up to date, run automated tests, collaborate as teams, roll it to production seamlessly.
I firmly believe that ecosystems can only evolve if they understand their users. The need to write documentation for software is universal, yet each project has different audiences for its documentation and unique constraints. Let’s find out what’s common, what methods and tools work, and where we need to improve!
Update: The Continuous Documentation Camp is rebooting
I planned for an un-conference, but planning was difficult due to the COVID-19 virus. The number of registered participants was too small. The camp is rebooting to find a new concept to attract more participants and to avoid an impact of the virus.
All tickets have been refunded. Follow me on Twitter to receive updates on a new concept once it is available.
Contact me if you want to help or share ideas how to make this concept work.


THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED—WE WILL ANNOUNCE A NEW DATE SOON! (originally scheduled for 10 November) Overview
In commercial environments, there is often a lack of understanding of research ethics. As a result, navigating the world of ethics can often be stressful and challenging for commercial researchers. In this session, Nazima Kadir will:
provide a history of ethical research and its relevance to commercial researchers who interact with people explain the concept of informed consent and how to practice it throughout the research process provide an opportunity for participants to evaluate different situations that arise in commercial research and evaluate them using ethical research frameworks
Nazima's approach to ethical research is based on her experience conducting sensitive and long-term research among vulnerable populations, undergoing rigorous human subjects reviews, and using the ethical guidelines of the American Anthropological Association and the Market Research Society. She has conducted research with populations as varied as Asian domestic workers in Cyprus, victims of police conduct in New York City, squatters in Amsterdam, African immigrant mothers in London, and gig economy workers in Brazil.
Presenter
Nazima Kadir is the principal of the October Anthropologist, a global anthropological consultancy specializing in anthropological research for a variety of purposes: from public art and education to innovation and design. She has a PhD in anthropology from Yale and has over 20 years of experience conducting and applying anthropological research. Her book
The Autonomous Life, published by Manchester University Press, was shortlisted for the BBC Ethnography award, and featured on Radio 4 and Wired magazine.


Islamic finance has not been immune from the woes faced by the broader financial markets. On the contrary, for the first time since Islamic finance has matured into a global phenomenon, it has confronted issues of default, insolvency and restructuring on a significant scale and, in some cases, on the global stage. The need of Dubai World, Kuwait’s The Investment Dar, and other Gulf based investment and real estate development firms, to restructure billions of dollars in financing has made headlines around the world. Shariah-compliant investments made in Western nations have also required restructuring, alongside their conventional counterparts, due to the economic downturn in these nations. These defaults have precipitated efforts on the part of borrowers and creditors to restructure financial liabilities, both in and out of bankruptcy.
To read the full article, click below.
Reprinted with permission from
Financier Worldwide Magazine.


The immunocytochemical and electrophoretic localisation of aflatoxin B1-binding proteins in isolated liver mitochondria. Abstract
Mitochondria perform functions which are central to the life of most eukaryotic cells. These organelles can be considered the ultimate energy power house of a living cell. The role of mitochondria in cancer phenotype remains a fertile area of research. Several carcinogens are known to enter the mitochondria, resulting in impaired functioning and altered structure. Aflatoxin BI (AFB1) a primary type I mycotoxin elaborated by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, is carcinogenic for a wide species range. The epoxide is capable of binding to nucleic acids and proteins, resulting in induced mutations, cellular toxicity, and eventually carcinogenesis. Approximately 250 000 deaths occur annually in both China and Africa due to patients presenting with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). The causative agents being AFB1-ingestion via contaminated foods and feeds, and the Hepatitis B Virus infection. The toxin has a multifaceted mode of attack, capable of being activated to a highly reactive and carcinogenic derivative, the AFB1-8,9-epoxide, via the cytochrome P450 enzyme system of the microsomes, endoplasmic reticulum and also the mitochondria. The epoxide is capable of binding to nucleic acids and proteins, resulting in the formation of covalent adducts. The repeated occurrence of gold labelled toxin within mitochondria from hepatomas of patients presenting with HCC suggested that these organelles were direct sites of toxin binding. Despite observations that mitochondria appear as direct and perhaps preferential targets for attack by AFB1, the actual in vivo immunolocalisation and characterisation of bound AFB1 within liver mitochondria has not been reported previously. In addition the role of AFB1-protein binding within mitochondria was investigated to determine the mode of action of the toxin, within the mitochondrial system. Liver sections from rats treated with a single lethal dose of AFB1, showed distinct ultrastructural abnormalities viz. large nuclei, increased heterochromatin, and swollen mitochondria. Immunocytochemistry revealed for the first time, the selective localisation of conjugated gold labelled toxin within the mitochondria. Toxin was found in the intracristal and peripheral spaces and frequently within the mitochondrial matrix. The mitochondria isolated from treated rats revealed significant alterations and damage to the mitochondrial membranes. The cristae were also markedly swollen with the associated clearing of the mitochondrial matrix. Western blot immunoassays revealed the presence of five AFB1-bound proteins (150kDa, 50kDa, 25kDa, 18kDa, 14kDa) in the inner mitochondrial fraction of isolated mitochondria. High pressure liquid chromatography also revealed that a significant proportion (84%) of an initial dose of toxin, was absorbed by mitochondrial protein. This study is the first to show the presence of specific mitochondrial proteins involved in toxin binding. In addition, the presence of toxin within the mitochondria and the specific binding to inner mitochondrial proteins suggest that the toxin specifically targets the electron transport chain and hence effects ATP production. This study conclusively indicates that mitochondria are direct targets for attack by AFB1 during experimental carcinogenesis. Mitochondria therefore play an important role in AFB1-mediated carcinogenesis.


Despite a 69% rise since the March 23 lows of this year, and at the current price of around $670 per share, we believe
Sherwin-Williams stock (NYSE: SHW) has reached its near term potential based on its historical P/E multiples. The company, which is a global leader in the development, manufacture, and sale of coatings, paints, and related products, has seen its stock rally from $397 to $670 off the recent bottom compared to the S&P which moved around 50%. The stock is leading the overall markets, as investors are positive about the strong demand in the retail segment – architectural DIY paints, which was also evident from the 21% jump in U.S. retailing network sales in the second quarter. Further, the stock is up 15% from the level seen at the end of 2019.
Sherwin-Williams’ stock has surpassed the level it was at before the drop in February due to the coronavirus outbreak becoming a pandemic. This seems to make it fully valued as, in reality, demand and revenues will likely be lower this year than last year.
Some of the rise over the last 2 years could be attributed to roughly 20% growth seen in Sherwin-Williams’ revenues from FY 2017 to FY 2019. However, the net income figure decined by 11% over the same period. This drop in net income could be attributed to the one-time income tax benefit in FY 2017 due to the enactment of the U.S Tax Act.
While the company has seen steady revenue growth over FY 2017-19, its P/E multiple has also increased. We believe the stock is unlikely to see a significant upside after the recent rally and the potential weakness from a recession driven by the Covid outbreak. Our dashboard
What Factors Drove 64% Change in Sherwin-Williams Stock Between FY 2017 And Now? has the underlying numbers.
Sherwin-Williams’ P/E multiple changed from around 22x in FY 2017 to close to 35x in FY 2019. While the company’s P/E is just below 40x now, there is a downside when the current P/E is compared to levels seen in the past years – P/E of about 35x at the end of FY 2019 and around 33x at the end of FY 2018.
So what’s the likely trigger and timing for the downside?
Sherwin-Williams is a global paint giant that deals in the development, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of paint, coatings, and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. The company has reported lower revenues in Q1 and Q2 on a year-on-year basis mainly due to lower demand in certain product ranges like performance coatings etc. Further, lockdown restrictions during March, April, and May also contributed to this drop due to the closing down of its store locations. On the other hand, sales have increased in the retail segment (architectural DIY paints for homes), as more and more people have taken on home projects. This was able to offset some of the negative impact of lower revenues in the other units. While the investors are positive about the stock due to growth in the retail segment, we believe that the revenues and earnings for FY 2020 are likely to remain lower than the previous year. This is expected to put pressure on the stock price.
The actual recovery and its timing hinge on the broader containment of the coronavirus spread. Our dashboard
Trends In U.S. Covid-19 Cases provides an overview of how the pandemic has been spreading in the U.S. and contrasts with trends in Brazil and Russia. Following the Fed stimulus — which set a floor on fear — the market has been willing to “look through” the current weak period and take a longer-term view. With investors focusing their attention on 2021 results, the valuations vs historic valuations become important in finding value. Though market sentiment can be fickle, and evidence of an uptick in new cases could spook investors once again.
What if you’re looking for a more balanced portfolio instead? Here’s a
high quality portfolio to beat the market, with over 100% return since 2016, versus 55% for the S&P 500. Comprised of companies with strong revenue growth, healthy profits, lots of cash, and low risk, it has outperformed the broader market year after year, consistently.


by Patrick Taylor,
Principal What are Feasibility/Site Selection Studies?
As a community grows and prospers, it may become more evident that a new or replacement airport is a necessary piece of critical transportation infrastructure. Airports, particularly general aviation airports, provide a connection to markets on a regional and national level. The FAA prescribes a process to developing a new or replacement airport. The first step to determining if a new or replacement airport is needed and can be supported is the
Airport Feasibility Study. Should it be determined that the local economy can support an airport, then an appropriate location is identified through a Site Selection Study. Once a site is identified, a master plan of the site is developed, followed by an Environmental Assessment. Feasibility Study
The Feasibility Study typically begins with an economic inventory and market assessment of the region expected to support the airport. This will include an analysis of aviation demand factors, such as competing airports, and potential aviation services to be offered. The next element is a detailed market assessment which includes a forecast of aviation demand and a determination of the specific facility requirements, such as runway length. The financial feasibility analysis will include a construction cost estimate and a detailed analysis of funding sources, including potential federal/state grant assistance.
Site Selection Study
The Site Selection Study will analyze numerous potential airport sites and identify a preferred alternative. With the abundant availability of geographic data, it is most common to filter various site selection factors through a
geographic information system (GIS). Factors to be considered will include existing terrain, proximity to the region being served, proximity to other area airports, access to surface transportation infrastructure, and proximity to utilities. Successful Implementation
First and foremost, there must be local political support for a new or replacement airport. There must also be an open and transparent process that actively engages the community, especially those that may be impacted by the planned location of the airport. Agencies anticipated to financially participate (FAA, State Aviation) should be engaged early in the process. The FAA prescribed process for a new/replacement airport additionally requires an
Airport Master Plan followed by an Environmental Assessment. All four studies are eligible for FAA funding with a 10 percent local matching share.


Abstract PURPOSE: We aimed to evaluate the ADNEX MR scoring system for the prediction of adnexal mass malignancy, using a simplified magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol.
METHODS: In this prospective study, 200 patients with 237 adnexal masses underwent MRI between February 2014 and February 2016 and were followed until February 2017. Two radiologists calculated ADNEX MR scores using an MRI protocol with a simplified dynamic study, not a high temporal resolution study, as originally proposed. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, likelihood ratios, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were calculated (cutoff for malignancy, score ≥ 4). The reference standard was histopathologic diagnosis or imaging findings during >12 months of follow-up.
RESULTS: Of 237 lesions, 79 (33.3%) were malignant. The ADNEX MR scoring system, using a simplified MRI protocol, showed 94.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 87.5%–98.6%) sensitivity and 97.5% (95% CI, 93.6%–99.3%) specificity in malignancy prediction; it was thus highly accurate, like the original system. The level of interobserver agreement on simplified scoring was high (κ = 0.91).
CONCLUSION: In a tertiary cancer center, the ADNEX MR scoring system, even based on a simplified MRI protocol, performed well in the prediction of malignant adnexal masses. This scoring system may enable the standardization of MRI reporting on adnexal masses, thereby improving communication between radiologists and gynecologists.
You may cite this article as: Pereira PN, Sarian LO, Yoshida A, et al. Accuracy of the ADNEX MR scoring system based on a simplified MRI protocol for the assessment of adnexal masses. Diagn Interv Radiol 2018; 24:63–71.


In the game, the player acts as the head of the World Pandemic
Control during the outbreak of an unknown flu. As the game progresses, the player must take actions, such as dispatching research teams, dispensing medication and face masks, and closing schools and airports, in an attempt to control and ultimately defeat the virus. As the pandemic intensifies, the player is given information about the history and science of epidemics through a series of newspaper articles and videos. Eventually, if the player is successful, the game ends with a count of the number of people infected and killed over the pandemic’s life span, and the money spent containing the virus.
I think the game succeeds in presenting players with a lot of
information through the multimedia featured in the game, and by including hints in it, giving players incentive to absorb it. Furthermore, it nicely illustrates the dangers of our highly connected world: there’s nothing more jarring than fighting a virus raging in Central and North America only to glance at Europe and find the epidemic exploding half way across the globe. However, the game does suffer from a few common pitfalls, and going over them might shed some light on some of the challenges with using games for education.


Paternity is defined as the legal relationship between a father and his children, and the rights and responsibilities that come along with that relationship. Fathers who are or were married to the mother of their child do not typically need to establish paternity, since the legal presumption is that a mother's husband or ex-husband (within a biologically appropriate time-frame) is the father.
Unmarried fathers, however, must proactively establish their paternity - or the mother may seek to do so. Unless both parents agree on who is the child's father and are willing to submit a signed acknowledgment, it is likely you will need to establish paternity in court. If you are a parent seeking to have the paternity of your child established for legal reasons, an experienced paternity lawyer in Illinois can help. Our firm's paternity attorneys have experience representing both mothers and fathers in paternity cases.
...
Rights and Responsibilities of Legal Fatherhood


a large national survey has found.
“Over the past decade, there has been an increase in the use of cannabis among cigarette smokers and prevalence of cigarettes and cannabis co-use, suggesting that the negative consequences of cigarette–cannabis co-use may also become more prevalent over time,” wrote Andrea H. Weinberger, PhD, of Yeshiva University, New York, and colleagues. They noted that the prevalence of cigarette smoking is nearly three times higher among persons who use cannabis and have cannabis use disorders relative to those who do not.
The 2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Healththat 15.9% of Americans aged 12 years or older used cannabis in the past year. This number has been rising throughout the 2000s.
In that same report, cannabis use disorder (or marijuana use disorder) was defined as when an individual experiences clinically significant impairment caused by the recurrent use of marijuana, including health problems, persistent or increasing use, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home. The report stated that approximately 1.6% of Americans aged 12 or older in 2018 had marijuana use disorder.
In the study published in, the researchers used the National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to analyze cigarette smoking quit ratios among U.S. adults with and without cannabis use and cannabis use disorders. “Quit ratio was calculated as the proportion of former smokers among lifetime smokers and is considered a measure of total cessation in a population,” the researchers said.
In 2016, the quit ratios for adults with a history of cannabis use or cannabis use disorders were 23% and 15%, respectively, compared with 51% and 48%, respectively, in those with no cannabis use or cannabis use disorders.
Overall, quit ratios did not change significantly from 2002 to 2016 for individuals with cannabis use disorders after controlling for multiple demographic factors and other substance use disorders. However, during the same time period, quit ratios showed a nonlinear increase in cannabis users, nonusers, and individuals without cannabis use disorders.
The study findings were limited by several factors including the inability to generalize results to youth or individuals living outside the United States, the use of DSM-IV criteria to identify cannabis use disorder, the use of self-reports, and the inability to examine the timing of cannabis use as related to attempts to quit smoking, the researchers noted. However, the results highlight the need to consider offering smoking cessation treatment to individuals being treated for cannabis use disorders, and to include cannabis users in smoking cessation programs, the researchers noted.
“Based on our results, both public health and clinical efforts to improve cigarette quit outcomes may benefit from including those with any cannabis use,” they said. More research is needed to determine whether trends in the quit ratio change over time for cannabis users or those with cannabis use disorder, they added.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.
SOURCE: Weinberger AH et al. Tob Control. 2020;29(1):74-80. .


Windscreen repair services are now growing quickly in Leicester. You can repair your windscreen with much ease with a lifetime guarantee. Experts in windscreen repair will never let you down as these are produced from high-quality basic materials.
It is crucial that you do it the ideal method when it comes to windscreen repair. You will run the risk of getting your windscreen damaged completely during a mishap. This may also cost you your life, as well as your family’s.
Windshield fractures are amongst the most typical issues dealt with by provider of the best Windscreen repairs in Leicester. Some windscreens do not reveal indications of a fracture or chip right away.
With time, the fracture might extend throughout the entire screen and change the driver’s view. Below are a few of the most typical reasons for windscreen chips and fractures:
1. Small Stones — Small stones, which are tossed on the windscreen, are one of the significant causes of windscreen fractures. But this problem can be easily solved. As soon as a car has an issue with this crucial part of its body, take a look at any new windscreens repair businesses to ensure that your car stays in good shape.
2. Direct Sunlight — Direct sunshine might not be a significant reason for windscreen fractures, in locations with low-temperature levels. In case you experience extreme heat, it might warp the glass shape or fracture the windscreen. To avoid your car from such, set up a sunshade in your car. This will help you avoid direct sunshine from harming your windscreen. You must also park the car in a shady area if you live in a humid location.
3. Roadway Debris — Roadway debris is also among the significant reasons for windscreens fractures. This primarily takes place throughout roadway building and construction. Sometimes, a loose debris on the roadway may land on your windshield. Also, trucks that pass by you drop little stones. These stones are most likely to bounce from the ground, striking the screen of the car behind. To prevent this from occurring, minimize the speed of your car, specifically when another car is surpassing.
4. Structural Weakness — In case of an accident, a car deflects the airbags on the passenger’s side and support the roofing system. They are set up using an adhesive, they can break in case of a structural pressure, specifically if the pressure is applied at the windshields edges.
Windshields are a vital part of a car’s security system. Driving a car with a broken or chipped windscreens is a terrific risk. Not all individuals that drive are watchful and animals can also leap onto the asphalt anytime without a sign. For this factor, it is crucial for a driver to have excellent vision. This is just possible with a great windshield. It doesn’t matter if the damage is small or barely noticeable. As soon as you see a chip, have a look at any windscreen repair business for instant repair. If you’re in Leicester, one of the must-visit repair centres is http://www.allscreens-nationwide.co.uk. a


The mediation of disputes by community leaders in China has deep historical roots and has long been among the responsibilities of neighbourhoods and villages. While most research on the topic has looked at cities, mediation is in fact more common in the countryside. This paper draws on a survey conducted in 2002 (n=2,164) and repeated in 2010 (n=2,659), covering 23 villages in five provinces, which provides detailed data on conflict from disputants themselves. We examine the evolution of this much-debated mode of conflict resolution and assess its prevalence and effectiveness relative to alternatives. We find that, even as overall rates of disputing declined, seeking intervention by village authorities remained as common a response to disputes in 2010 as it was eight years prior. The paper thus sheds light on a primary means through which the party-state has tried to maintain stability, tamp down strife, and assert its primacy at the community level.


India suffers from twin challenge of high prevalence of communicable disease and risk of premature deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The overall healthcare spend in India is 4.2% of GDP (2018), lowest amongst BRICS counties, while global health care expenditure average amounts to approximately 10.2%. This is further exacerbated as the Government healthcare expenditure has largely been stagnant during last 10 years (~1.2% of GDP in 2018)1 . This has resulted into high out of pocket (OOP) spend on healthcare (65%).
This report on Driving Health Insurance Penetration in India – Covering the Missing Middle - highlights the existing issues in healthcare insurance penetration in India and presents suggestions to address them.


Norovirus is a major cause of acute gastroenteritis, with at least 49 different norovirus genotypes. GII.4 genotype is responsible for the majority of norovirus epidemic outbreaks. The genotypes associated with medically-attended sporadic acute gastroenteritis are less clear.
Zaid Haddadin, MD, Einas Batarseh, MD, and colleagues compared the clinical characteristics and distribution of norovirus genotypes in children who sought medical care for acute gastroenteritis in three clinical settings (outpatient, emergency department, inpatient) over three years.
In 2,885 children, norovirus was detected in 22% of stool samples. Nearly 90% of the norovirus-positive samples were GII-positive, and GII.4 viruses were detected in 51% of the genotyped GII-positive samples. Seasonal variations were noted among different genotypes, and children with GII.4 infections were younger and had more severe symptoms requiring more medical care compared to children with non-GII.4 infections.
The findings, reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases, highlight the importance of continuous norovirus surveillance and could guide strain selection for candidate norovirus vaccines.


Bibtek download is not availble in the pre-proceeding
Ekin Dogus Cubuk, Barret Zoph, Jon Shlens, Quoc Le

Recent work on automated data augmentation strategies has led to state-of-the-art results in image classification and object detection. An obstacle to a large-scale adoption of these methods is that they require a separate and expensive search phase. A common way to overcome the expense of the search phase was to use a smaller proxy task. However, it was not clear if the optimized hyperparameters found on the proxy task are also optimal for the actual task. In this work, we rethink the process of designing automated data augmentation strategies. We find that while previous work required searching for many augmentation parameters (e.g. magnitude and probability) independently for each augmentation operation, it is sufficient to only search for a single parameter that jointly controls all operations. Hence, we propose a search space that is vastly smaller (e.g. from 10^32 to 10^2 potential candidates). The smaller search space significantly reduces the computational expense of automated data augmentation and permits the removal of a separate proxy task. Despite the simplifications, our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on CIFAR-10, SVHN, and ImageNet. On EfficientNet-B7, we achieve 84.7% accuracy, a 1.0% increase over baseline augmentation and a 0.4% improvement over AutoAugment on the ImageNet dataset. On object detection, the same method used for classification leads to 1.0-1.3% improvement over the baseline augmentation method on COCO. Code is available online.


Blog
Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclonic storms are all forms of tropical cyclones, creating havoc and causing damage with high winds, rain and storm surge in low-lying regions.
Thunderstorms, ranging from mild to severe, are the most common weather formation, producing heavy rainfall, hail, high winds, flash floods, and damaging tornadoes.
The National Weather Service explores why people ignore warnings of approaching severe weather. Answers are vital to those that utilize NWS forecasts including mariners.
Hurricane watches and warnings are issued to warn residents of danger and damages that could occur with a hurricane. Understand the warnings and prepare to minimize risk.


10/28/2020
By Jessica Van Mulligen
Cost of legal representation and long wait times for a court date are common barriers. A less commonly discussed barrier is the physical layout of the law courts. Physical layout can include signage, seating, the availability of workspaces, or areas that offer privacy.
Law is a service profession[1], and the courts are key for legal service delivery. If the way legal services are administered is not meeting the needs of litigants, something needs to change. This need is intensified with the increasing prevalence of self-represented litigants within the legal system.[2] So, how do we ensure litigants using the courts are empowered to the greatest extent? Enter, human-centered design.
Human-centered design is a methodology for creating user-focused innovations. Human-centered design “judges a product, service, or system by what the experience of its audience is… [and that] to improve the functionality and experience of a given system, the needs and preferences of the user should be the guide.”[3] Human-centered design targets litigants, not lawyers.
Foundational to a human-centered design project is collaboration with skilled professionals. Alberta Access to Justice Week presents an opportunity to collectively strategize how law courts can be reconfigured to be more user-friendly. With decreased traffic in the courts due to COVID-19, now is the ideal time to undertake these collaborative projects.
Initiating this collaboration, I offer insight into my observations, informed by human-centered design, from attending the Edmonton Law Courts in 2019. As I navigated the courts, I asked myself two questions: Where are there gaps? What else is possible? I observed several areas to address, but in this post, I highlight the signage at the law courts.
After completing a security check, litigants reach an airport-like information board with a list of matters being heard that day (Figure 1). While matters are organized alphabetically and assigned a colour based on the relevant level of court, this colour-coding is not carried over into other official signage. Additionally, the official signage is posted in high-traffic areas like elevator banks (Figure 2), making it difficult to review the information.
Signage for legal aid services is particularly confusing because of its inconsistency. For example, Civil Claims Duty Counsel litigants must walk right up to the check-in table to locate the service (Figure 3). Further deficiencies in legal aid service signage include: inconsistent posting locations, limited information provided, obscure sign formats and signage in non-prominent areas (Figures 3, 4, 5). It is troubling that key services to assist litigants are not easily identified at the courts.[4]
Human-centered design tackles access to justice issues by ensuring innovations serve litigants who are unfamiliar with navigating their legal journey - innovations accessible to this group will also serve the broader public.[5] With a human-centered approach, litigants can handle their legal issues with greater confidence, knowing that spaces they encounter were designed with, and for, them.
Completing this research, I did not consider that a pandemic would so quickly reshape how in-person services are provided. I leave it in your hands, as the reader, to continue reimagining the usability of law courts, perhaps with greater focus on the usability of legal services online.
Jessica Van Mulligen graduated from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law in 2020. She is articling at the Edmonton office of Bishop McKenzie. This post is based on a research paper that she completed for a class in access to justice taught by Professor Anna Lund.
-------------------------------------------------------------
[1] Margaret Hagan, “Design Thinking and Law: A Perfect Match”,
LawPractice Today (Innovation Issue) (January 2014), online <http://www.courts.ca.gov/documents/BTB24-Precon1G-2.pdf> at 3 [Hagan, “Design Thinking”].
[2] See generally Julie Macfarlane, Final Report, “The National Self-Represented Litigants Project: Identifying and Meeting the Needs of Self-Represented Litigants” (May 2013) (there is an SRL explosion in Canada).
[3] Hagan, “Human-Centered Design Approach”,
supra note 5 at 202.
[4] My quick suggestions to increase usability: colour-coded signs to correspond with the colouring system that already exists on the information screens and digitally map the interior of the Edmonton Law Courts.
[5] Shannon Salter, “Online Dispute Resolution and Justice System Integration: British Columbia’s Civil Resolution Tribunal” (2017) 34 Windsor YB Access Just 112 at 124.


Market participants in the securities industry are contemplating various applications of the blockchain. Many of these participants have focused on discrete applications within the broader equity, debt and derivative markets. They focus on separate applications and devising limited-scale experiments related to the implementation of DLT. This is because, they seek to avoid the potential risks associated with more wholesale changes. Moreover, many of them have also focused on sectors they believe present significant inefficiencies. These inefficiencies are concerning their clearing infrastructure, operational processes or administrative functions. This is primarily driven by the view that focusing on areas with existing high levels of inefficiencies provides greater opportunities for demonstrating meaningful enhancements.
How does it work?
The administrative process of tracking the transfer of private company shares and maintaining capitalization tables may be manual, expensive and subject to errors. It may expose private issuers to regulatory risks. In light of these concerns, some market participants are considering DLT-based applications. This is to implement a system to track trading and ownership of private company shares. For example, in late 2015, one market participant launched a DLT-based platform for the issuance and trading of private company shares. This platform aims to provide private business issues with real-time transparency into the records or trading activity of its shares and shareholders of record.
Some market participants are also exploring issuance and trading public company stock on a DLT-based platform. For example, one public company issuer recently issued a new class of digital shares directly on a proprietary DLT network such that the trading of shares happens on the platform with a same-day settlement. Similarly, some vendors are developing DLT-based trading systems for publicly traded securities. DLT has the potential to affect various aspects of the securities market. This includes market efficiency, transparency, post-trade processes and operational risk.


Review | Open Access
A Lazarescu, "New Diagnostic Techniques for Esophageal Disorders",
Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, vol. 22, Article ID 671434, 6 pages, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1155/2008/671434 New Diagnostic Techniques for Esophageal Disorders Abstract
Esophageal disorders are common in the general population and can be associated with significant morbidity. Several new diagnostic techniques for esophageal disorders have become available in recent years. These include capsule pH-metry, high-resolution manometry, impedance combined with either pH-metry or manometry, and high-frequency ultrasound. Capsule pH-metry is useful in children and in patients who cannot tolerate the conventional pH-metry catheter. It has the advantage of not interfering with a patient’s usual meals and activities during the 24 h study. High-resolution manometery is easier to perform and interpret than conventional manometry. This has led to improved diagnosis of various esophageal motility disorders. Impedance measures the movement of liquid and gas in the esophagus. When combined with pH-metry, impedance can confirm that retrograde bolus movement (ie, reflux) is occurring while simultaneously measuring changes in pH levels. It has also highlighted the importance of weakly acidic reflux in patients who do not respond to proton pump inhibitors. Weakly acidic reflux cannot be diagnosed with pH-metry alone. Impedance combined with manometry can determine whether a manometric abnormality leads to abnormal bolus clearance. In the past, this was performed with fluoroscopy, yet impedance is equally effective and does not carry the risk of increased radiation exposure. High-frequency ultrasound is currently a research tool to image the esophageal wall, particulary the two muscle layers, in real time during swallows and at rest. It has broadened our understanding of the pathophysiology of esophageal motility disorders.
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Hindawi Publishing Corporation. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


Motor vehicle accidents can happen at any time of the day or night and for a variety of different reasons. Despite this, law enforcement officers in Virginia and across the country may be quick to make assumptions about the cause of accidents that happen at a certain time of day. For example, they may automatically suspect that drunk driving is a factor in accidents that happen during the early morning hours.
In fact, a man was recently arrested for his alleged role in an accident that reportedly resulted in the death of a tractor-trailer driver. The incident is said to have occurred during the early morning hours of a day in late February. According to reports, a 37-year-old driver was headed south on a Virginia interstate when his vehicle veered over the median into oncoming traffic.
Reports indicate that his vehicle struck a tractor-trailer driven by a 53-year-old man. The latter is then believed to have lost control of the truck, allegedly resulting in the vehicle striking a guardrail and turning over. The truck driver had to be extricated but died.
The other driver was taken into police custody on suspicion of drunk driving in the Virginia crash. Despite his arrest, it is unclear what evidence supports the accusations against him or what his blood alcohol content was at the time of the collision. While an accident such as this is always a tragedy, there must be sufficient evidence to prove that a person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to convict them. Most people facing criminal charges want an experienced attorney on their side as they carefully weigh their options and determine what course of action is most appropriate for their individual situation.


PlasticsEurope and supporting member companies of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS) – an international programme to help prevent resin loss from getting into the marine environment – have presented the latest report on the ongoing activities regarding marine protection.
In its “operation clean sweep report 2017”, PlasticsEurope detailed measures taken by members to prevent pellet loss, including moves such as modifying equipment for better containment, training employees and involving their entire value chain, among others.
A Zero Pellet Loss (ZPL) initiative was initially launched in 2013 by PlasticsEurope to raise awareness among employees at manufacturing plants on how to manage pellets and other particles at each step of the production and supply chain.
ZPL was then integrated on a pan-European base, into the global OCS programme in 2015.
PlasticsEurope is targeting 100%-member engagement in the OCS programme for year-end 2017 and the report encourages other industry associations, policy-makers, NGOs and the general public to join this initiative to help achieve the goal of ‘zero pellet loss'.
According to PlasticsEurope more than half of its members have signed the OCS pledge and are implementing different measures within their companies.


Qing Ye
02-05-2018
11:00AM-12:00PM
2206A Student Center
Diabetes Self-management (DSM) applications (apps) have been designed to improve knowledge of diabetes and self-management behaviors. However, few studies have systematically examined if diabetes apps followed the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) Self-Care Behaviors
TM guidelines. The purpose of this study was to compare the features of current DSM apps to the AADE7 TM guidelines. In two major app stores, we used three search terms to capture a wide range of diabetes apps. Apps were excluded based on five exclusion criteria. A multidisciplinary team analyzed and classified the features of each app based on the AADE7 TM. We conducted interviews with six diabetes physicians and educators for their opinions on the distribution of the features of DSM apps. Out of 1,050 apps retrieved, 173 apps were identified as eligible during November 2015 and 137 apps during December 2017. We found an unbalanced DSM app development trend based on AADE7 TM guidelines. Future diabetes apps should attempt to incorporate features under evidence-based guidelines such as AADE7 TM to better support the self-management behavior changes of people with diabetes.


Meanwhile, you could also be at risk of coronavirus if you develop a new, continuous cough, or shortness of breath.
You’re more likely to be infected with COVID-19 if you develop at least two other symptoms, it added.
These include a high fever, the chills, muscle pain, headaches, and a sore throat.
Some patients have also reported losing their sense of smell and taste.


Building upon the previous subject (Research Thesis Capstone – Part 1), this subject provides opportunities to extend, deepen and apply knowledge, skills and attributes, in the context of a research project.
This subject enables students to engage in the implementation, analysis and communication of a research project that demonstrates their advanced theoretical knowledge and critical reflection skills. It provides the opportunity for integration of their prior learning from the course, and demonstration of their advanced practice, focusing on an area of interest. During this project, students will have the unique opportunity to be closely trained and supervised by leading experts in oncology. It will reinforce their abilities to evaluate existing research, utilise appropriate methodological techniques in cancer research and to critically analyse and reflect on data.
Subject type Subject code Fee Term Accredited MEDI90099 Assessed: $3,460 Available in 2020


Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved eukaryotic process of protein and organelle self-degradation within the vacuole/lysosome. Autophagy is characterized by the formation of an autophagosome, for which Vps34-dervied phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI3P) is essential. In yeast, Vps34 forms two distinct protein complexes: complex I, which functions in autophagy, and complex II, which is involved in protein sorting to the vacuole. Here we identify and characterize Atg38 as a stably associated subunit of complex I. In atg38Delta cells, autophagic activity was significantly reduced and PI3-kinase complex I dissociated into the Vps15-Vps34 and Atg14-Vps30 subcomplexes. We find that Atg38 physically interacted with Atg14 and Vps34 via its N terminus. Further biochemical analyses revealed that Atg38 homodimerizes through its C terminus and that this homodimer formation is indispensable for the integrity of complex I. These data suggest that the homodimer of Atg38 functions as a physical linkage between the Vps15-Vps34 and Atg14-Vps30 subcomplexes to facilitate complex I formation.


No one is a stranger to the notion of security. We protect our homes and physical assets with locks and cameras and are vigilant when we encounter abnormal behavior. But for some reason, the data entrusted to us is not always given the same type of protection. Your data has become a prime target for cybercriminals which is manifested in the form of ransomware attacks. Attacks which are becoming increasingly prevalent. Your data cannot be secured simply by restricting access. The whole point is to make data usable and available for people who need to use it, contribute to it, and manage it. The key to protecting content from ransomware is to understand how it infiltrates files. To be effective, all attackers need is access to files, and this can be achieved through rudimentary tactics. But with purposeful, automated analysis and alerting, ransomware attempts can be quickly detected, shut down, and remediated.
Ransomware and the damage done Ransomware can be spread through phishing emails that contain malicious attachments. Attackers can also use social engineering to gain access to account credentials, and from there, it is easy to plant ransomware anywhere that account has access. The most common form of ransomware is crypto ransomware, which is a malware variant that encrypts files. Once your files are encrypted, a ransom message will appear onscreen demanding payment, typically in the form of Bitcoin or another untraceable cryptocurrency. The reality is that attackers often successfully extort their victims. And these financial successes have led to a rise of ransomware attacks and variants. In 2013, destructive and lucrative ransomware variants were introduced, including Xorist, CryptorBit, and CryptoLocker. Some variants encrypt not just the files on the infected device, but also the contents of shared or networked drives. In early 2016, a destructive ransomware variant, Locky, was observed infecting computers belonging to healthcare facilities and hospitals in the United States, New Zealand, and Germany. It propagates through spam emails that include malicious Microsoft Office documents or compressed attachments (e.g., .rar, .zip). Once opened, the malicious attachments run macros or JavaScript files and download and install the Ransomware.


What Will it Take for Corporates to Prepare Their Global Payments Processes for the Future?Luc Belpaire, Director of Product – Payments, FISCorporations are missing out on leveraging transformative technology, such as a payment factory or bank integration solution due to a lack on incentive around modernising their treasury operations.
What Will it Take for Corporates to Prepare Their Global Payments Processes for the Future?
By Luc Belpaire, Director of Product – Payments, FIS
For the sixth year running, FIS has surveyed corporate treasury and finance professionals globally – and once again, many departments are battling the same challenges as they faced in 2014. So, what will finally prompt them to modernise their operations for the future?
Of the corporations surveyed, 84% have already centralised their payments. However, most companies are still working in extremely complex payments and bank connectivity environments. Almost half (48%) are managing more than 100 bank accounts and 19% work with at least 11 banks. This explains why so many corporations are still dealing with fraud risk, high costs, little control and a lack of visibility into cash.
Notably, not many have taken the next step towards making their payments future-ready by implementing a payment factory solution. According to the report, only 10% rely on a payment factory to originate and deliver payments to banks.
What opportunities are corporations missing?
Corporations are missing out on leveraging transformative technology, such as a payment factory or bank integration solution that can help them centralise and standardise their payments processes.
Of the respondents, the 79% which have implemented a payment factory have achieved payback within or under two years, and 67% achieved a return on investment (ROI) of more than $100,000, with 15% achieving an ROI of more than $1m.
A payment factory performs these functions:
Consolidates data feeds from multiple payment systems such as accounts payable (AP) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) into a single view of payments
Automates and assigns workflows for the payments processes across the entire organisation, from AP to HR to treasury
Puts controls in place so payments don’t leave the organisation due to human errors or fraud
Converts payment messages into formats that the banks require
Connects to global banking networks such as SWIFT to help streamline connections to the multiple banks with which a corporation deals
Takes advantage of the latest trends around real-time payments and other services that banking application programming interfaces (APIs) and SWIFT gpi have to offer
Acts as an in-house bank, helping reduce banking fees
Look for these eight returns on investment (ROIs) when building a business case for a payment factory:
1. Improved control and compliance A payment factory centralises and standardises payment processes. The entire payment chain is secure through data and role segregation, audit history and flexible signing rules. That means human errors and fraud can be avoided, tangibly improving security and compliance.
2. Simplified integrations and workflows A payment factory enables the establishment of an in-house bank for subsidiaries. By executing all business-unit payments, the in-house bank gives enterprise-wide visibility and control. It can also act as the interface between a company and the financial markets.
3. Reduced payment fraud By enhancing workflows with internal and external screening, a payment factory helps a business utilise blacklists, whitelists and fraud listings and achieve compliance across territories. Meanwhile, dashboards provide real-time insights into transaction status and exceptions.
4. Greater visibility and insights Centralised accounts and cash flows give better visibility of cash, while intuitive interfaces make payments visible to cash positioning. Validation of bank statements offers control over payment flows. And intraday reporting enables a business to update cash positions regularly and spot unexpected incoming funding.
5. Centralisation and automation A payment factory standardises processes with best-practice workflows across regions, entities, banks and payment types, increasing productivity and economies of scale. Inefficiencies can also be eliminated through automation because there is no need for multiple approvals in multiple systems. Finally, rationalising infrastructure can tangibly simplify IT and save administrative costs.
6. Increased productivity As a company moves from multiple eBanking systems to a single hub, usability and user management are both improved. The time and cost of documentation and employee training can also be avoided. And by integrating enterprise resource management (ERP) and treasury systems, company growth can be supported while maintaining headcount.
7. Lowered costs Bank-agnostic connectivity such as SWIFT reduces bank dependence and improves a company’s negotiating position. That can mean lower transaction fees and a higher funding credit line. What’s more, increased straight-through processing helps reduce bank repair fees for manual errors or missing data.
8. Flexibility and real-time readiness Finally, a payment factory offers the agility to fine-tune processes and respond to new market requirements – such as real-time payments – without changing back-end systems. Similarly, changes can be implemented once without having to individually address back-office systems such as ERPs.


On November 28, 2018, the United States government announced the investment of $100 million, through PEPFAR, to address key gaps toward achieving HIV epidemic control and ensuring justice for children, including by leveraging the unique capacities and compassion of faith-based organizations and communities.
The Faith and Community Initiative seeks to:
Engage communities of faith to reach men and children with testing and services, understand the epidemic, and raise community awareness through:
Faith community structures; and
Existing and additional FBO partners.
Strengthen justice for children through:
Community leaders (e.g., faith, traditional, school , civic);
Faith & traditional organizations/structures; and
Justice sector, and those who work with the Justice sector.


Securing IoT: Facilities Managers Play a Crucial Role
Securing the Internet of Things is a mandate that extends beyond the IT department, according to recent research from Urgent Technology. The organization’s facilities manager must be part of the conversation, according to the UK-based facilities management and asset management software firm. Today’s smart buildings are equipped with a range of IoT devices which automate much of the facility management processes, including lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), as well as lifts, escalators and security. As building management systems evolve into Internet-enabled building automation systems, they are much more susceptible to possible cyberthreats. A technology that enables users to control all the elements of a building, which includes security equipment such as CCTV (closed-circuit television) and door locks, is also more vulnerable to a cyberattack.
To address those cybersecurity risks that may affect their organizations, facilities managers first need to acknowledge they have a crucial role to play, according to Paul Djuric, CEO of Urgent Technology. Djuric shared his views and advice on the evolving role of the facilities manager in securing IoT deployments in this Q&A.
Why did you decide to examine the role of the facilities manager in cybersecurity? Djuric: Hackers are no longer going through an organization’s main IT systems. Instead they’re increasingly targeting property and facilities-related devices, which are connected to the internet, such as the building management system or desk sensors. The trend toward the utilization of the Internet of Things and connected devices in properties means that cyber-hacking is no longer the sole concern of the IT department. Can you share some advice on how facilities managers can gain a seat at the table for cybersecurity discussions? Djuric: Facilities managers who are concerned that their systems are vulnerable should begin the cybersecurity process by lobbying those who are responsible for the safeguarding of information to commission a data assessment. This will help an organization identify what critical information is stored, processed or transmitted, establish why the data might be an attractive target, and establish any regulatory compliance it must adhere to.
Once the value of data is understood, facilities managers should encourage the same parties to commission a formal risk assessment to identify the possibilities of reducing any unnecessary storage and processing. They should assess the likelihood and impact of an attack. They should formally identify what an appropriate security baseline should be and establish the extent of any gaps between the existing and target positions. They should conduct an efficient data risk assessment, and carry out both internal and external penetration tests on the network.
From the perspective of securing IoT technologies, what would you say is the main takeaway from your firm’s research? Djuric: Facilities managers and their organizations face significant challenges in the future in combating the cyberthreats posed by the convergence of physical assets within a building with data. This is why a wide-ranging and proactive approach should be taken to ensure that the facilities manager can reap the undoubted benefits of workplace digitization, while ensuring that facilities are not open to undue risks. In the future, facilities management and IT must always remain alert to the latest cyberthreats, and must work together with their software supply chain to help reduce the likelihood of data breaches.


Mexico LED Lighting Market - Growth, Trends, Forecast (2020-2025) The Mexican LED lighting market is expected to witness a CAGR of 17.1% during the forecast period (20202025). In the current market state, LEDs have gained a mainstream in the lightings market. Key factors behind this are the continuous declining LED prices in the country coupled with favorable government initiatives. The National Public Lighting Program to replace traditional lightings with LED aimed at sustainable use of energy.The National Public Lighting Program in support from CONUEE, and the Federal Electricity Commission for guidance on implementation, verification, and financing of efficient lighting projects. According to the World Bank, Over 2.6 million highefficient light bulbs were sold to the residential customers for a subsidized cost of 60% in two cities (Guadalajara and Monterrey) as part of the pilot project demonstration for efficient LED lighting. This project ILUMEX has surpassed its physical targets and successfully demonstrated the feasibility of reducing both greenhouse gas emission and reduction in electricity consumption. Nevertheless, due to the availability of lowcost materials and a recovering economy, global players are setting up their manufacturing facilities in the region. For instance, in June 2019, a USD 1 billion plant in the State of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was unveiled, which will be BMW’s second in the Americas when production starts in early 2021. However, the market has been affected by the recent outbreak of COVID 19, and companies have been forced to restructure their strategies to deal with the ongoing pandemic. Companies, like Signify, were the worst hit due to this pandemic. Signify in February 2020 had planned to upgrade their solar connected street light to toggle between solar and grid power by using Philips Combo Charge Controller. But the company has gone into financial crunch due to the COVID outbreak, the company in March 2020 had announced a 20 percent pay cut of all their employees. Key Market Trends Increasing Demand for Outdoor Lighting Due to Smart Development Initiatives to Drive the Market Growth In Mexico, even though the LED penetration is low for the residential end user, the government is mainly focusing on outdoor lighting for reducing electricity consumption as well as greenhouse gas emission. According to the study by INEGI, the average penetration of LED in residential rooms is just 12% in the country. Recently, the government has initiated the project to replace all the streetlights in the Guadalajara city, half of the total 80,000 streetlights in the city across 200 districts along 100 roads. The project is reportedly selffinanced with the energy savings it creates. The program is planned on a 10year leasing contract valued at MXN 300 million (close to USD 19 million). With this program, the city is expected to create savings of over USD 500,000 per month. The Servicio Express Aeropuerto Carret on MonterreyLaredo Highway needed an energyefficient lighting solution for the service station’s parking lot and canopy that covers the pumping stations. The authority has mentioned that by replacing the old 23 inefficient metal halide flood and canopy fixtures with LED enabled to save energy of 268,000 kWh and USD 32,160 in energy and maintenance. Industrial Use of LED Lighting in Mexico is Expected to Grow Significantly With around 621 medical device manufacturing companies, Mexico is one of the largest exporters of medical devices to the United States, and parts of Latin America, known for its high quality. With export revenues going as high as USD 9 billion, in 2019, medical device manufacturers are having zero tariffs on imports and exports under NAFTA. This makes Mexico a potential destination for setting up a UVbased medical device franchise, which is one of the highest growing fields of UVLED light applications. Mexico has a severe freshwater shortage, and the reuse of water is extensively practiced across the region. Considering this, UVbased consumer products, like sterilizers and disinfectants, are expected to gain importance over the forecast period considering that 80% are urban population, according to the World Bank. Additionally, the WHO has stated that the use of UVbased disinfectants is becoming prevalent in the country; hence, healthcareassociated infections (HAIs) are the most common reasons for death. Vendors offering LED solutions are expanding their presence in Mexico to support ongoing local demand. For instance, Aquionics, a part of the Halma Group, and a prominent UVLED based disinfectant product manufacturer, has strengthened its team in Mexico, anticipating the demand for industrial LED lighting. Competitive Landscape The Mexican LED lighting market is highly fragmented, with the presence of a large number of domestic as well as international players in the country. Due to the fragmented nature of the market, the competition among the players is high. March 2020 Signify announced the completion of the acquisition of Cooper Lighting Solutions from Eaton for USD 1.5 billion. With this acquisition, the company has planned to focus on the innovation of connected lightings and systems. This is estimated to drive the revenue growth of the company in the North American market with an aimed increase in professional revenues from 42% to 53%. February 2020 Signify introduced a new integrated Philips Combo Charge Controller for streetlights, enabling the emergence of a hybrid solar system. With this innovation, the company is aiming at creating a new market for solar powered outdoor lightings in Asia, Africa, South America, Australia, and Spain, where the company has already installed solarpowered lights. Reasons to Purchase this report: The market estimate (ME) sheet in Excel format 3 months of analyst support Please note: This publisher does offer titles that are created upon receipt of order. If you are purchasing a PDF Email Delivery option above, the report will take approximately 2 business days to prepare and deliver.
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Patients stopped taking warfarin 5 days before their procedure, and began subcutaneous dalteparin, 100 IU/kg, or an identical placebo 3 days before the procedure. The dalteparin/placebo was stopped 24 hours before the procedure and restarted after the procedure, until the patient’s INR was in the therapeutic range. Warfarin was resumed on the evening of the procedure or the following day.
The primary efficacy outcome was ATE, including stroke, TIA, or systemic embolism. The primary safety endpoint was major bleeding (defined as bleeding at a critical anatomic site, symptomatic or clinically overt bleeding, or a decrease in hemoglobin >2 g/dL). Secondary efficacy and safety outcomes included minor bleeding, acute myocardial infarction, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and death. Outcomes were assessed within 37 days of the procedure.
The incidence of ATE was 0.4% (4 events) in the no-bridging group vs 0.3% (3 events) in the bridging group (95% CI, -0.6 to 0.8;
P=.01 for non-inferiority; P=.73 for superiority). Major bleeding occurred in 1.3% of the no-bridging group (12 events) and in 3.2% of the bridging group (29 events), indicating that no bridging was superior in terms of the major bleeding outcome (number needed to harm [NNH]=53; relative risk [RR]=0.41; 95% CI, 0.20-0.78; P=.005). The no-bridging group also had significantly fewer minor bleeds in comparison to the bridging group (NNH=11; 12% vs 20.9%; P<.001). There were no differences between groups in other secondary outcomes.
WHAT'S NEW: High-quality evidence suggests it’s OK to stop warfarin before surgery
This is the largest good-quality study to evaluate perioperative bridging in patients with atrial fibrillation who were at low or moderate risk for ATE (CHADS
2 score 0-4). Previous studies suggested bridging increased bleeding and offered limited benefit for reducing the risk of ATE. However, this is the first study to include a large group of moderate-risk patients (CHADS 2 score 3-4). This trial provides high-quality evidence to support the practice of simply stopping warfarin in the perioperative period, rather than bridging with LMWH.
CAVEATS: Findings might not apply to patients at highest risk
Most patients in this study had a CHADS
2 score ≤3. About 3% had a CHADS 2 score ≥5 or higher. It’s not clear whether these findings apply to patients with a CHADS 2 score of 5 or 6.
This trial categorized ATE risk using the CHADS
2 score, rather than the CHA 2DS 2-VASc, which includes additional risk factors and may more accurately predict stroke risk. Both patients who received bridging therapy and those who did not had a lower rate of stroke than predicted by CHADs 2. This may reflect a limit of the predictive value of CHADS 2, but should not have affected the rate of bleeding or ATE outcomes in this study.
CHALLENGES TO IMPLEMENTATION: Physicians may hesitate to disregard current guidelines
Strokes are devastating events for patients, families, and physicians, and they pose a greater risk of morbidity and mortality compared to bleeding. However, this study suggests patients who receive bridging have a higher risk of bleeding than stroke, which is in contrast to some physicians’ experience and current recommendations.
A physician caring for a patient who’s had a stroke may be inclined to recommend bridging despite the lack of efficacy and evidence of bleeding risk. Additionally, until guidelines reflect the most current research, physicians may be reluctant to provide care in contrast to these recommendations.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The PURLs Surveillance System was supported in part by Grant Number UL1RR024999 from the National Center For Research Resources, a Clinical Translational Science Award to the University of Chicago. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center For Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.


If you have performed a gastric bypass you may wonder if behind this operation you can re-gain weight. Well, if so do not overlook this note to determine whether fat
diet and are part of the same process, after bariatric surgery. Gastric bypass
The bariatric surgery is a treatment that can be useful for treating obesity in certain circumstances. Despite these benefits, there are many concerns and questions that may arise, such as whether you can return to not gain
weight. Can you re-gain weight after a gastric bypass?
The answer is yes. According to scientific data, between 20-87% of patients who have undergone the largest bariatric surgery to 2 years, they have gained weight. The magnitude of weight gain ranges from half a kilo to 60 kilos. Weight gain is frequently occurs between 3-6 years after surgery.
For some doctors, the 25% increase of the
weight lost is enough to have another surgery. There are even cases that have not only gained weight but have regained diabetes. What causes weight gain?
Decreased metabolism. Apparently after weight reduction induced by bariatric surgery, there is a reduction in basal metabolism, which contributes to weight pregnancies long term.
Sedentary. Another cause that can cause
weight gain is inactivity, thereby incorporating physical activity is essential to complement the postoperative .
Increased food intake. If you have not done the relevant nutritional reeducation you can suffer from weight gain. According to some researchers, those who initially ate 900 calories / day, after 2 and a half increased their intake to 1400 cal / day. Frequent consumption of carbohydrates is associated with this weight gain, independent of caloric intake. If you consume high glycolic foods you consume, these stimulate insulin production and decrease biolysis.
Gastric bypass
Weight loss surgery can help you lose weight, but unless you change some habits and food can fatten again. Reeducation Food and incorporating exercise are key to maintaining
weight loss you have achieved after the thinning process.


On various road-based vehicles, including cars, buses, and trucks, automotive mechanics inspect, service, and perform repairs. Sites of employment vary. In a private or small auto-body or repair shop, an auto mechanic may function. They may also work at a gas station or for a car dealership. State or federal employees responsible for maintaining state vehicles, police cars, fire trucks, or vehicles for road maintenance are some auto mechanics.Learn more about us at
mechanic near me
Most auto mechanics on a standard vehicle are capable of servicing all basic needs. Mechanics can sometimes specialise in a certain part of the vehicle, such as the transmission, breaks, or engine. They may also be specialised by vehicle type or make, such as a mechanic specialising in all types of buses or some brand names, such as Subaru or Toyota. In a shop matching their specialisation, a specialised mechanic is more likely to work. For instance, a Toyota mechanic would probably work at a Toyota dealership or support centre. As members of teams, specialised mechanics can also work with each mechanic taking on a different part of the vehicle. As they are assembled and prepared for shipping to dealers, car manufacturers will also hire mechanics to inspect vehicles for quality. As cars come off the assembly line, the mechanic may need to make adjustments or minor repairs. Any mechanic has the first task of analysing the problem and determining its source. The mechanic’s ability to find problems difficult to locate is both a source of professional pride and recommendation. Once the problem has been found by a mechanic, they will then locate and instal whatever replacement parts are needed to correct it. Depending on the component, the mechanic will often need to locate and order parts from shops or specialised dealers.
They may also be client service agents, depending on the workplace of the mechanic. Mechanics working for small repair shops or dealerships will often discuss the issue and the possible solution with car owners. This may require a mechanic to sell their abilities or services to the client who is likely to shop around for their repairs for the best deal. A mechanic may also choose to start or take over a mechanical business of his own.


Police today carry multiple devices to safely respond to the communities they serve. This TechCapsule explores the realities of using wireless power technology, such as near-field and far-field wireless charging, to charge officer’s devices. The document provides key takeaways for police chiefs to understand about current use in policing, and what the future may look like for these products.
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Despite the hysterics of far-right nationalists, influxes of refugees have the potential to positively impact economies all over the world. Take Germany, which faces a shortage of over one million skilled workers, with 60% of companies citing finding skilled workers as their biggest challenge.
Yet many refugees find themselves at a disadvantage when compared to native workers because they did not have the opportunity to develop crucial job skills in their birth countries. As Achim Dercks, deputy managing director of the Association of German Chambers of Industry puts it, “Someone who comes from Eritrea and says he was an electrician might have repaired a radio or laid a cable there, but he might have never seen a fuse box, as we use it.”
NGOs and nonprofits can play a vital role in helping refugees enter the workforce by providing training on essential job skills and assistance with job placement. Based on Sonata Learning’s experience developing training programs for NGOs/nonprofits, major manufacturing/industrial clients and the trades, we offer the following recommendations:


In his workshop, Dr. Banting will explore the historical underpinnings of multiculturalism policy in the Canadian federation, broadly comparing it to other complex and diverse democratic societies. He will take participants through the many challenges and road blocks that this country has faced over the last 150 years in terms of managing diversity through public policy: what has gone wrong? and what has gone right?
He will also explore with participants the many ways in which an ever diversifying society might cope with the upcoming challenges our democracy will face in the future, the politics of backlash and the uniqueness of the Canadian context. He will explore the types of policy responses that governments in Canada can implement to ease into the next 150 years.


WILMINGTON, North Carolina—January 30, 2020—GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) today announced that it has officially begun the regulatory licensing process for its BWRX-300 small modular reactor.
On December 30, 2019 the company submitted the first licensing topical report (LTR) for the BWRX-300 to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). GEH expects such LTRs to serve as a foundation for the development of a Preliminary Safety Analysis Report that could potentially be submitted to the NRC by a utility customer.
"Embarking on the U.S. licensing process is a significant milestone in the commercialization of the BWRX-300," said Jon Ball, Executive Vice President of Nuclear Products for GEH. "The first licensing topical report was submitted to the NRC at the end of 2019 as part of an aggressive timeline that we set for ourselves. As the global demand for carbon-free energy increases, we are seeing significant interest in this groundbreaking SMR technology and are excited about continuing to work toward U.S. licensing."
The BWRX-300 is a 300 MWe water-cooled, natural circulation SMR with passive safety systems that leverages the design and licensing basis of GEH’s U.S. NRC-certified ESBWR. Through dramatic design simplification, GEH projects the BWRX-300 will require significantly less capital cost per MW when compared to other water-cooled SMR designs or existing large nuclear reactor designs.
By leveraging the existing ESBWR design certification, utilizing licensed and proven nuclear fuel designs, incorporating proven components and supply chains and implementing simplification innovations the BWRX-300 can, GEH believes, become cost-competitive with power generation from combined cycle gas plants and renewable energy platforms.
As the tenth evolution of GE’s first Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) design, GEH’s BWRX-300 represents the simplest, yet most innovative BWR design since GE began commercializing nuclear reactors in 1955.
About GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
Based in Wilmington, N.C., GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) is a world-leading provider of advanced reactors and nuclear services. Established in 2007, GEH is a global nuclear alliance created by GE and Hitachi to serve the global nuclear industry. The nuclear alliance executes a single, strategic vision to create a broader portfolio of solutions, expanding its capabilities for new reactor and service opportunities. The alliance offers customers around the world the technological leadership required to effectively enhance reactor performance, power output and safety. Follow GEH on LinkedIn and Twitter.
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For media inquiries, please contact:Jon Allen
GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy
+1-910-819-2581
[email protected]


According to the latest report by IMARC Group, titled
"China Ceramic Ball Bearing Market: Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2020-2025," the ceramic ball bearing market size in China reached US$ 231 Million in 2019. Ceramic ball bearings are widely used to reduce the friction between moving rotary parts of an instrument or equipment. They comprise numerous parts, such as the cage, steel balls and outer and inner rings. They are essential in efficiently transmitting power and offering smooth and low friction motion by supporting both axial and radial loads. Ceramic variants are superior in quality and offer improved durability when compared to the stainless-steel bearings. They are capable of withstanding extreme physical impact and can efficiently work when placed under harsh temperatures and high corrosion environments. They require lesser amounts of energy due to their high speed. Since they are characterized by smoother and rounder surfaces, their usage also assists in reducing friction while offering higher dimensional stability.
We are regularly tracking the direct effect of COVID-19 on the market, along with the indirect influence of associated industries. These observations will be integrated into the report.
China Ceramic Ball Bearing Market Trends:
The market is primarily driven by a significant increase in vehicle production in China. This can be attributed to the increasing expenditure capacities and the competitive pricing of the majority of the automobiles, which, in turn, is escalating the sales of automobiles across urban and rural areas. In addition to this, several favorable government policies, such as reduced purchase fees for new cars and subsidies for car-buyers in rural areas, are acting as another growth-inducing factor. The increasing exports of vehicles have also contributed to the industry growth, as China has a well-established foothold on numerous foreign markets. Since ceramic ball bearings operate at relatively faster speeds and perform exceptionally well when subjected to harsh conditions, they form an essential component in the production of numerous automobiles. Apart from this, the country has a strong aftermarket for industrial equipment and motor vehicle repair, which uses these bearings as a preferred option. Hybrid ceramic ball bearings are gaining preference for repair purposes as their utilization minimizes the overall cost of the repair and results in reduced operating costs. Furthermore, numerous key players are equipping these ball bearings with advanced technologies and lightweight materials to improve the overall performance, thereby creating a positive outlook for the market. On account of the aforementioned factors, the market is expected to exhibit moderate growth during 2020-2025.
Market Summary:
On the basis of the raw material, the market has been divided into zirconium oxide, silicon nitride and others.
Based on the product type, the market has been bifurcated into hybrid and full ceramic ball bearings.
On the basis of the application, the market has been classified into electric motors, automobiles, underwater equipment, laboratory equipment, aerospace and others.
On the geographical front, the market has been segmented into Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Henan and Others.
The competitive landscape of the market has been studied in the report with the detailed profiles of the key players operating in the market.
About Us:
IMARC Group is a leading market research company that offers management strategy and market research worldwide. We partner with clients in all sectors and regions to identify their highest-value opportunities, address their most critical challenges, and transform their businesses.
IMARC’s information products include major market, scientific, economic and technological developments for business leaders in pharmaceutical, industrial, and high technology organizations. Market forecasts and industry analysis for biotechnology, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, travel and tourism, nanotechnology and novel processing methods are at the top of the company’s expertise.
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ISCAN (Integrated Service for Children with Additional Needs) in Tameside and Glossop supports 655 children in the community with disabilities and complex health needs. Many require regular suction treatment to keep their lungs clear of mucus and allow them to breathe more easily.
We have funded suction machines for ISCAN in the past to help them to cope with the high demand for them. However, the pandemic will see a sharp rise in the numbers seeking treatment for breathing difficulties and will put even more pressure on already overstretched resources, as it will for hospitals and health services throughout the UK.