Abstract
Prior research has shown that an established organic farm can be as profitable as a conventional farm under certain circumstances. However, organic farming systems often require a transition period before they are fully established after a changeover from conventional farming. Yields may decrease and recover only slowly during this transition period and less profitable crop rotations may be required to establish an organic system. Previous studies have ignored the income trend during the transition phase, and comparisons of organic and conventional farms have been faulted for lack of similarity in management and other resources. The study reported here used a multiyear simulation model to investigate the trend in income of a 117-hectare crop-livestock farm in Pennsylvania (called the Kutztown farm) during this transition process. A baseline model of the Kutztown farm under conventional management (CONB) was found to earn an income (returns over cash operating cost) of $61,900. The transitional models developed were an upper-yield case assuming no yield decline during the transition (TRANS) and a lower-yield case assuming severe yield decline in the first year after the change-over from conventional management and a subsequent linear recovery of yields over a three-year period (TRANS-L). Income was found to be severely depressed by a yield decline during the transitional phase. The first year of TRANS-L resulted in a 43% reduction in income. The scenario without a yield decline (TRANS) resulted in a 13% lower income compared to the baseline (CONB) model. Both transitional models led to an established organic situation with stable organic yields and an income of $57,400 or 7% less than under conventional management. It was found to be more profitable to sell the crops and purchase manure than to feed the crops to beef in a fattening enterprise. At small herd sizes (100 head) the reduction in income caused by the feeding operation was moderate ($1,300), but with a larger operation (213 head) the income sacrifice increased tenfold.


Disagreements and disputes in the business world occur every day. In many cases they concern the terms of a contract and the Uniform Commercial Code. ForensisGroup can connect you with business disputes expert witnesses who have decades of legal experience as practicing attorneys.
These professionals devote their practices to financial and business transactions, such as civil and bankruptcy matters, lender liability lawsuits, and litigation over the legal and business aspects of secured and unsecured lending for all types of credit facilities. Other attorneys specialize in disputes involving real property, including foreclosures, easements, native land rights, mineral rights, construction loans, mechanics’ liens, landlord-tenant issues, mortgages, trust deeds, restrictive covenants, water rights, priorities and recording, encroachments, boundaries, and fiduciary responsibilities. Some have expertise in corporate, securities, and business law issues. This includes complex civil litigation, public and private securities offerings, corporate governance, standard of care issues, contract preparation, malpractice, executive employment agreements and compensation, stock options, and other equity based compensation arrangements.
Our business disputes expert witnesses also have experience with insurance disputes in general liability, title insurance, bad faith, reservation of rights, policy interpretation, and subrogation. They have served as expert witnesses in cases involving franchisee/franchisor agreements, business partnerships, breach of fiduciary duty, malfeasance, self-dealing, and corporate governance with corporate officer responsibilities and duties.
At ForensisGroup, we carefully evaluate each one of our professionals to ensure exceptional ability, achievement, and experience to ensure a quality experience for our clients. Contact ForensisGroup at 1-800-5422 or submit an expert request form to find top expert witnesses for your case.


1. Am I covered in case I contract Covid-19 while I’m travelling abroad? Expenses linked to Covid-19 (e.g.: specialised medical treatments or repatriation) are notcovered. What is covered is the immediate life-saving medicalcare in the first hours on admission, if required, and the Covid-19 test. 2. Does my insurance remain valid in case of medical emergency? Yes, your coverage remains valid, subject to the conditions and limits of your policy. Please also note that: In case of diving emergency, the coverage is valid provided there are no restrictions placed on diving activities in the area where you intend to dive. In case of non-diving emergencies abroad, expenses associated to Covid-19 are excluded. 3. Do I get any compensation if my trip ends up being disrupted by Covid-19? Unlike standard travel insurances, DAN Europe plans exclusively focus on medical emergencies. As a result, the consequences of travel disruptions caused by Covid-19 are not covered. For instance, if your flight were to be cancelled, your expenses would not be taken on by the insurers as this does not constitute a medical emergency. See also: Is a standard travel insurance included other than the diving insurance? 4. My country advises against travelling to my destination because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Am I still covered if I make the decision to travel anyway? Yes, your insurance cover remains valid even if you decide to travel against the advice of your government. However, please note that DAN may be unable to assist you as effectively as it would under normal circumstances, due to the serious logistical issues the pandemic may cause in any given area. For instance, arranging a repatriation may be unfeasible due to border closures; likewise, medical facilities might be overwhelmed or unavailable altogether. In light of this, please follow carefully the indications of the government of your country of residence as well as those of local authorities. See also: COVID-19 and DAN Europe Membership, Assistance & Insurance


An interaction between a star-disc system and another star will perturb the disc, possibly resulting in a significant modification of the disc structure and its properties. It is still unclear if such an encounter can trigger fragmentation of the disc to form brown dwarfs or gas giant planets. This paper details high-resolution smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations investigating the influence of stellar encounters on disc dynamics. Star-star encounters (where the primary has a self-gravitating, marginally stable protostellar disc, and the secondary has no disc) were simulated with various orbital parameters to investigate the resulting disc structure and dynamics. This work is the first of its kind to incorporate realistic radiative transfer techniques to realistically model the resulting thermodynamics. The results suggest that the effect of stellar encounters is to prohibit fragmentation -compressive and shock heating stabilizes the disc, and the radiative cooling is insufficient to trigger gravitational instability. The encounter strips the outer regions of the disc (either through tidal tails or by capture of matter to form a disc around the secondary),which triggers a readjustment of the primary disc to a steeper surface density profile (and a flatter Toomre Q profile). The disc around the secondary plays a role in the potential capture of the secondary to forma binary. However, this applies only to orbits that are parabolic -hyperbolic encounters do not form a secondary disc, and are not captured.
ID: 1231315


Nelson, E. A., Keller, G. L., Mitchell, T. W. et al. 2010. A jugular bleeding technique in rabbits. Lab Animal 39(1), 17-22.
When studying pharmacokinetics in rabbits, researchers must often take multiple blood samples from conscious rabbits. Researchers usually collect these samples via the auricular vein, typically through a port or an indwelling catheter. The authors have developed an easy and efficient alternative method for obtaining multiple blood samples from conscious rabbits via the external jugular vein. This jugular bleeding technique serves as a refinement to blood sampling methods that require rabbits to undergo surgery (e.g., to insert a port) because it requires no alleviation of pain. During a 2-year period, the authors have taken multiple blood samples from more than 400 rabbits and have seen no adverse events attributed to this procedure.


Do your surroundings overwhelm and hamper your life? Are you aware of how they impact your experience of working, playing, and living?
In this episode, Matthew outlines how to be conscious of the places and spaces within which we live our lives and how not to allow them to dictate to us. You can choose and shape everything about your life, including your character, your body, your relationships, your work, your style, and–of course–your environments.
Get on the same page with your friends, teammates, co-workers–and most importantly–your dearest ones to more fully achieve your goals and have fewer frustrating fights.
In this episode, Matthew discusses and illustrates why constant communication is paramount in “merging your values” with those whose lives are tied to your own, particularly your loved ones. He highlights the reasons why partnerships flounder and fail, and offers the constructive means by which successful associations (including couples) create a “culture” or “identity” towards joyful progress.
Because health is such a crucial value and because I think and act a lot on it, I intend to share occasional posts of what might be useful leads in regard to exercise, lifestyle, and nutrition, mostly in the way of results of various practices I’ve tried and by discussing how I think of them. But I think this can only be useful if I and any readers are mindful of how to take them.


Cannabis became legal in Saskatchewan and nationwide in Canada on October 17, 2018. Adults 19 years or older are now legally allowed to purchase, possess, consume and cultivate cannabis in the province.
To ensure that their respective province’s legal cannabis industry operates with the health and safety of its residents in mind, government officials passed Saskatchewan’s Cannabis Framework. The legislation defines what is legal from both a consumer and retail standpoint and aims to ensure public safety and a successful cannabis industry.


The UK Government has published the UK Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and the UK Electromagnetic Compatibility Regulations 2016. These transpose the most recent Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive which should have been brought into national law in April.
For the LVD, the European Commission has published a guidance document and listed the Harmonised Standards which can be used to demonstrate compliance, but with three omissions compared with the previous listing. As previously reported, the UK and German Governments had objected under the previous LVD that the standards for refrigeration, small ovens, and blenders were insufficient to prove that the products were safe. There has been some suggestion that the Commission’s refusal to re-list these standards was not in accordance with the proper process, as the safety requirements have not actually changed. However, the fact remains that until these standards are listed, manufacturers have no presumption of conformity, to demonstrate that their products meet the requirements of the legislation.


If you are like many adults who take pride in their car, truck, or SUV, you probably make vehicle maintenance a top priority. Checking the oil and other fluid levels, ensuring that your tires are aired up and the tread is not too worn, and taking your vehicle in for regular tune-ups may be a standard part of your routine. However, when defective design or manufacture of an auto part is to blame for a malfunctioning vehicle, there may be nothing the driver could have done to prevent it. If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, and you believe that defective tires were to blame, you may have a valid product liability case.
History of Faulty Car and Truck Tires
Many people still remember when the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was forced to conduct one of the largest recalls in U.S. history. Defective tires installed on Ford pickup trucks and SUVs were associated with accidents causing over 800 injuries and 270 deaths. Firestone eventually recalled a staggering 6.5 million tires, and the Ford Motor Company recalled and replaced approximately 13 million of the defective tires. Ford faced over $600 million in lawsuits as a result.
Unfortunately, tire recalls are not limited to just these companies. Just recently, Alliance Tire Americas issued a tire recall after it was discovered that the tread might separate from the casing during use. Flaws in the design and manufacture of tires can cause the tires to malfunction and put the lives of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk....


LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COLLECTIVE IMPACT APPROACH
Collective Impact is a framework to tackle deeply entrenched and complex social problems. It is an innovative and structured approach to making collaboration work across government, business, philanthropy, non-profit organisations and citizens to achieve significant and lasting social change. The Collective Impact approach is premised on the belief that no single policy, government department, organisation or program can tackle or solve the increasingly complex social problems we face as a society. The approach calls for multiple organisations or entities from different sectors to abandon their own agenda in favour of a common agenda, shared measurement and alignment of effort. Unlike collaboration or partnership, Collective Impact initiatives have centralised infrastructure – known as a backbone organisation – with dedicated staff whose role is to help participating organisations shift from acting alone to acting together.


On July 14, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) and the U.S. Treasury Department (“Treasury”) issued proposed regulations that are designed to limit taxpayers’ ability to engage in tax-free distributions under Section 355 (a “Section 355 Distribution”) in situations where either the distributing corporation (“Distributing”) or the controlled corporation (“Controlled”), or both, holds a disproportionally large amount of non-business assets (such as cash or a minority position in another corporation) in comparison to its business assets.


As the amount of global data increases exponentially, so do the challenges related to the process of legal holds.
IDC predicts that worldwide electronic data will reach 175 zettabytes by 2025, with an average person creating and participating in up to 5,000 digital interactions a day.1 What does that amount of data look like? One publication explains it like this: “A single zettabyte will fill 1,000 datacenters or about 20% of Manhattan.”2
That’s a lot of data – especially for corporations with hundreds or thousands of employees and locations worldwide.
Now consider this amount of data in the context of a legal hold. When you combine the sheer amount of data with the fact that it exists on multiple systems, mobile devices, cloud-based solutions and in shared and private drives, it vastly complicates the process.
Yet, many companies still rely on email to manage legal holds.
Preserving Data
It’s now more important than ever to preserve electronically stored information (ESI) correctly – especially when undergoing litigation.
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 37(e)3 states that:
If electronically stored information that should have been preserved in the anticipation or conduct of litigation is lost because a party failed to take reasonable steps to preserve it, and it cannot be restored or replaced through additional discovery, the court: (1) upon finding prejudice to another party from loss of the information, may order measures no greater than necessary to cure the prejudice; or (2) only upon finding that the party acted with the intent to deprive another party of the information’s use in the litigation may: (A) presume that the lost information was unfavorable to the party; (B) instruct the jury that it may or must presume the information was unfavorable to the party; or (C) dismiss the action or enter a default judgment.
If ESI isn’t preserved in accordance to discovery, judges can impose monetary penalties or even rule against the party that lost the information.
The Importance of a Legal Holds Solution
Ideal legal holds solutions work on multiple levels. They enable corporate legal departments to notify custodians of their duty to preserve information in a timely manner while collecting and storing custodian acknowledgements, questions, preserve notices and data in a secure location. It also offers real-time tracking so team members know the status of collection requests, when actions were issued, which tasks are in progress and which legal actions require immediate attention. The tool should also create comprehensive dashboard views, allowing those involved to see when a custodian leaves an organization. From there, they can enable email archiving or suspend the destruction of data.
Automation plays a vital role in a legal holds solution. It relieves the burden of manual work with automated workflows that can be configured to match a company’s legal hold process. It also provides automatic notifications and reminders to support compliance.
Legal Holds Solution Benefits
Aside from these features, how does a legal hold solution benefit a corporate legal department?
First, they ensure compliance. Real-time dashboards, reports and audit trails ensure relevant data is collected and preserved – demonstrating that the proper care has happened to preserve and collect digital evidence. Processes supported by legal holds technology also demonstrate an appropriate level of diligence as automation reduces the chances for human error.
Next, when based on a low- or no-code platform, a legal hold solution enables a quick setup and deployment with little to no IT involvement, increasing time to value.
They also enhance overall visibility into the legal hold process, which is imperative for companies undergoing numerous cases. By being available on multiple browsers or devices, it allows easy access to information.
Finally, a legal holds solution can also reduce costs by tracking budgets and spend by matter, matter type or law firm.
Conclusion
Whether it is for one case or many, technology can reduce the complications of legal holds in today’s data-heavy business environment while minimizing risk. If you’d like to learn more about a legal holds solution, visit here.


The Study of animal communication has a long and colorful history. In the 1950s Dutch biologist Niko Tinbergen collected stickleback fish and carefully observed how they interacted. He noticed that the abdomen of male fish would flush bright red during breeding season, as the fish built nests and established their territories. This color served as a warning signal to rivals—so much so that Tinbergen found that territorial males would lunge at any object with a similar hue, including wood blocks he held outside their tank and even a mail van passing by the laboratory window.


These procedures are recommended less frequently for cervical dystonia in light of the availability of less aggressive, but effective, therapies such as botulinum toxin injections and deep brain stimulation.
This content originally appeared on the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation website at www.dystonia-foundation.org.
Continue Learning about Dystonia
Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.


Each day,
YWCA Mohawk Valley provides a lifeline for individuals and families fleeing domestic and sexual violence. But this year, the demand for our emergency services reached unprecedented levels.
Quarantine and isolation kept those living with violence and abuse trapped at home. Our 24-hour emergency shelters were at capacity, hundreds reached out desperately to our free and confidential crisis hotlines, and even more sought advocacy and support.
We have been busier than we could have ever imagined, but because of you, we are not alone. Because of you, we have been able to continue working and saving lives through a global pandemic. You are why we are able to fulfill our tireless mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
As we continue to navigate through uncertain times, YWCA Mohawk Valley needs
you. You
are delivering financial independence to mothers who have experienced abuse and are fleeing to safety with their children.
You
are educating our youth who are vulnerable to violence, teaching them to recognize and prevent abuse in any form.
You
are giving children in the Mohawk Valley a safer home and a chance to achieve their dreams.
Your support is how we make a difference and save lives.


A coalition of sustainability leaders including the Australian Sustainable Building Council's (ASBEC) Sustainable Housing Task Group, the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), CSIRO and the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) are developing the Sustainable Housing Industry Roadmap based on the work of the NSW Collaborative Sustainable Housing Initiative (CSHI) and the research of the CRC for Low Carbon Living (CRCLCL) (RP3009, RP3016, RP3021, RP3028).
This project supplements the previous work by answering additional research questions around the
value proposition of Sustainable Housing for the Construction Industry.
By demonstrating the economic value proposition for delivering sustainable housing that exceeds the minimum standards, the Roadmap aims to engage the construction industry in a new dialogue around
market based solutions.
This contrasts with (but complements) other CRC research (SP0009, SP0016) which focuses on regulatory solutions.


When I was a kid, my dad would let me sit on the riding lawn mower with him as he cut the grass. By the time I got to middle school, I was too big to ride with him, but I’d done it for years. At the mature age of twelve, he finally let me drive it myself. I felt a big sense of responsibility. I was intimidated by the machine, but I thought I could probably handle it. Well, I wasn’t sure I could handle it, but I thought I should definitely try. That’s the story of my life.
I made a couple loops around the yard successfully but then things took a turn for the worst. We had a fence around our yard and a smaller portion of fence that separated an area for my dog to use while we were away from home.
After my initial triumph, I somehow veered off path. I was heading straight for a portion of the fence that met the exterior of our house. In my panic, I couldn’t figure out how to steer or slow down. I had no control over my body or the mower. All I could do was stare into the impending doom and prepare myself for inevitable disaster. My dad saw it going down and, with only minor panic, ran over. He got to me before I took the fence down or smashed into the brick wall, but not before I crushed a few posts.
He said, “Well, that’s enough of that.” I was not allowed to drive the mower again. I’d like to think I learned a lesson that day, but I don’t know what it was. I still “fake it til I make it” with most of my just-out-of-reach goals and I stand by that mantra. Maybe it was that my dad has my back. Or maybe it was that I’m just not meant for hard labor, which is a lesson I’ll carry with me forever.


As demand for bandwidth increases in systems-on-a-chip and chip multiprocessors, networks are fast replacing buses and dedicated wires as the pervasive interconnect fabric for on-chip communication. The tight delay requirements faced by on-chip networks have resulted in prior microarchitectures being largely performance-driven. While performance is a critical metric, on-chip networks are also extremely power-constrained. In this paper, we investigate on-chip network microarchitectures from a power-driven perspective. We first analyze the power dissipation of existing network microarchitectures, highlighting insights that prompt us to devise several power-efficient network microarchitectures: segmented crossbar, cut-through crossbar and write-through buffer. We also study and uncover the power saving potential of existing network architecture: express cube. These techniques are evaluated with synthetic as well as real chip multiprocessor traces, showing a reduction in network power of up to 44.9%, along with no degradation in network performance, and even improved latency-throughput in some cases.


Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, with an estimated 60,000 deaths in 2016. Nationally, EMS overdose responses with naloxone administration have nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016 from 573.6 to 1004.4 per 100,000 EMS events. Resuscitation using the opioid antagonist, naloxone is recommended in cases of suspected opioid ODs, and has been increasingly used by EMS agencies, law enforcement, healthcare providers, and Good Samaritans.


Medicare is one of the largest social programs in the world. Did organized industry favor Medicare's passage in 1965? If it did, this would represent powerful evidence in favor of the theory that social programs typically require cross-class alliances to pass, such as alliances between business and labor. However, in a previous article in this journal, I argued that answering questions about political actors’ preferences—such as whether organized industry favored Medicare's passage—can be surprisingly difficult due to the “problem of preferences”; that is, political actors might misrepresent their true policy preferences for many reasons. For example, when their ideal proposals are not politically feasible, political actors may wish to bolster support for a more politically viable alternative to a disliked proposal—even if they do not truly support this alternative to the status quo. To better understand political actors’ true policy preferences, I argued, scholars should trace how those actors’ expressed preferences change as a function of their strategic context—just as scholars seeking to understand the impact of any other variable trace the effects of changes in it.
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Learn how the best companies achieve more by managing alignment directly.
Aligning your company is one of the highest ROI activities that you can do as a leader. Chances are, however, that alignment is not a top priority for your company (yet). Many leaders don't take alignment seriously at first because:
Unfortunately, unaddressed misalignment is expensive and risky for all types of businesses. Here are a few of the impacts that misalignment has on businesses:
In short, misalignment is expensive. Misalignment causes companies to waste money on projects and unfocused activities. It causes them to struggle to differentiate themselves to customers. It also causes them to lose their best people and sometimes even behave in unethical ways. This all would be tragic if there was nothing we could to about misalignment.
If you're experiencing these issues, you're likely facing misalignment within your company.
Managing alignment doesn't have to be expensive. Strong alignment can save your company money by increasing its focus. In tough times like these, survival depends on the ability to get more done with less.
Alignment management is a new field of management that addresses the issue of alignment. In the past, managers have focused on managing tasks and projects, and not the links between them. This creates a problem: the wrong outputs do not lead to the right outcomes.
In fact, the Project Management Institute (“PMI”) has recognized this problem. They now include strategic alignment as a pillar of their new definition for success. This new definition supplements the traditional “time, cost, and scope" factors for success. Yet, despite the PMI's new focus on strategic alignment, they are not prescriptive about its implementation.
Alignment management works by treating your business as a value chain. Within that value chain, each piece gets aligned to the company's purpose and the rest of the value chain. Misaligned elements are then either course corrected or eliminated. This process is ongoing and cyclical, ensuring your business remains positioned for success.
Alignment management provides a standard language and systematic approach for evaluating, measuring, and managing alignment. We do not prescribe specific best practices. Instead, we focus on an evidence-based approach to making decisions about alignment. These factors often include:
Alignment management treats every organization as a value chain, with four categories of components that can be aligned.
These components are: people, structure, culture, and processes. Alignment managers play a crucial role in deciding the right mix for these components.
Alignment management builds on years of research and practice in vast fields, including:
This research does not provide a set of best practices that companies can follow since every company is unique. Likewise, research into these disparate fields does not always result in consensus. There are many right solutions. We aim to distill the most important elements of alignment in an accessible format.
In addition to the alignable components of an organization, there are three factors of success for alignment management.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to alignment or strategy. Instead, each business needs to select the right business and alignment strategy to fit their circumstances. Factors for determining fit include how well it fits the needs of customers and whether it fulfills the purpose of the company.
Structure determines how strategy executed. The context people work in is a determining factor in deciding how they perform and how they'll make decisions. Structure includes communication lines, organizational architecture, formal processes, and technology used (IT).
People are the driving force of progress within an organization. Every person comes to work with a different set of motivations. Some are extrinsic, such as pay, recognition, and career advancement. Others are intrinsic, such as fulfillment, enjoyment, and a sense of accomplishment.
Incentives influence behavior. If incentives don't align with the purpose of the organization (or its values), then behavior will also be misaligned. At best, wrong incentives can lead to poor performance and wasted opportunities. At worst, they can lead to lawsuits and PR disasters.
The rest of this guide is dedicated to the Alignment Management Methodology ("AMM"). AMM is an opinionated approach to the problem of alignment. It provides a framework for many innovation-centric businesses to manage alignment.
The Alignment Management Methodology is not for every type of company. We recommend this methodology only for companies that meet the following criteria:
Organizations that are stable and unchanging have alternative tools for alignment. We recommend reading Align by Jonathan Trevor for ideas on how to align stable and change-averse businesses.
Your organization’s purpose is enduring and perpetual; it rarely changes. By contrast, the rest of the value chain is constantly evolving. There are several reasons that a value chain may need to be adjusted, including:
We recommend every company have an alignment manager (or an Office of Alignment) that works directly with the executive team. This person supports the organization by ensuring each component of the company aligns. They ensure value eroding aspects of the organization are reduced or eliminated. They are responsible for increasing performance across the company through alignment.
Aligning an organization requires effective communication. The best strategy will create no value if it is not communicated on time. At the same time, the best of strategies align with reality. It's critical for functional managers and individual contributors to share their discoveries. Therefore, communication systems — and the silos that form around them — need to be in sync with your company’s alignment strategy.
Poorly managed silos hamper an organization’s ability to perform and react to change. This is caused by the low mean response time for new information to be acted on. As a result, alignment managers should ensure teams remain between 3 and 7 people in size, following the 3-max-7 rule.
Smaller teams are always more efficient, at the cost of lower total productivity. Teams greater than 7 people are exponentially less efficient. A 14 person team is 4.3x less efficient, despite only having 2x more people.
While individual teams can remain under 7 people in size, projects often cannot. Projects regularly span tens and hundreds of people. This conflict of priorities create a paradox. How do we complete large projects without spending too much time communicating or creating silos?
This is where the Alignment Management Methodology helps.
Start by creating the right context and architecture for aligned work to occur in. Alignment managers should work with individual teams to connect their execution to strategy. There are several tools they can use to create context, including:
To make this context actionable, capture this information in an accessible place. Don’t let this information live only in a few individual’s heads or in unstructured meeting minutes. Tools like Minsilo can help to improve the visibility of this context and connect it back to execution.
Alignment Managers also are critical to bridging people in an organization. They can help foster psychological safety and connect disconnected teams. Google found psychological safety as the number one contributor to their teams’ performance. This supports research in the field of behavioral psychology on rapport and trust-building in enabling effective collaboration.
People work better with people they know well. But, given the time investment required for rapport, Alignment Managers need to be strategic in how they connect people. There are a few ways to do this:
With the right approach, behavioral psychology can become a lever for organizational performance. Companies that master managing the way “people really work” dramatically outperform their competitors. They attract better talent, enable a growth mindset in their people, and improve employee engagement.
Importantly, the best practices for creating and managing alignment are not universal, but some common practices should help get your people working effectively.
"Discipline equals freedom" - Jocko Willink
Accountability is essential to performance. A lack of accountability is the result of poor leadership and organizational architecture. Fortunately, there are ways to systematically improve accountability, such as:
Clear goals and accountability shift contributors from thinking about what they need to do to why it matters. They create a culture of leadership and ownership. Alignment managers play a consultative role with teams. They help them set goals and performance measures that align with the organization.
In this guide, we took an opinionated approach to the challenge of alignment. We attempt to only provide universally valuable practices, but leave much of the implementation decisions up to you.
We encourage you to carefully consider your organization’s own needs. Any alignment effort will fail if it’s not congruent with the needs of your business. You cannot execute another company’s alignment strategy, because it is not relevant to the context of your business. Alignment strategy must be tailored to your business’ needs, even if the tools and frameworks used are similar to other companies.
Minsilo is designed from the ground up to provide a simple way for leaders to manage alignment. Connect day-to-day execution to company strategy, while shifting focus from output to outcomes.
These resources were instrumental in creating the methodology. We recommend checking them out.


Donald Rumsfeld had a knack for capturing the essence of uncertainty. The former US defence secretary, known for his taxonomy of known and unknown unknowns, was once quoted as saying the future was not necessarily less predictable than the past. “I think the past was not predictable when it started,” he said.
That was certainly true of the past 12 months. No year is free from surprises, but firms everywhere faced unprecedented lack of visibility in 2009, as debt markets remained frozen and equity markets boomeranged. Starved...


If you're a single homebuyer, financing, maintenance, your financial security, your lifestyle, and your future are important topics to consider.
Your Future
Things happen. Sometimes we change our minds. It's wise to think ahead and be prepared.
Though you might not need much space now, how large must your home be? Is a big kitchen or the [...]


Neural networks are a plastic, dynamic architecture, a constellation of neurons that light up momentarily to perform a specific task. This is why, as you mull over a particular thought (good or bad) or practice a particular activity (beneficial or detrimental), you reinforce the neural networks that correlate with those thoughts and skills.


“The cannabinoid (CB) system is widespread in the central nervous system and is crucial for controlling a range of neurophysiological processes such as pain, appetite, and cognition. The endogenous CB molecules, anandamide, and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol, interact with the G-protein coupled CB receptors, CB(1) and CB(2).
These receptors are also targets for the phytocannabinoids isolated from the cannabis plant and synthetic CB receptor ligands.
The CB system is emerging as a key regulator of neuronal cell fate and is capable of conferring neuroprotection by the direct engagement of prosurvival pathways and the control of neurogenesis.
Many neurological conditions feature a neurodegenerative component that is associated with excitotoxicity, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation, and certain CB molecules have been demonstrated to inhibit these events to halt the progression of neurodegeneration.
Such properties are attractive in the development of new strategies to treat neurodegenerative conditions of diverse etiology, such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and cerebral ischemia.
This article will discuss the experimental and clinical evidence supporting a potential role for CB-based therapies in the treatment of certain neurological diseases that feature a neurodegenerative component.”


Construction equipment hire and services provider Speedy, has partnered with technology company Telent to deliver a low-carbon solution to help keep a major trainline running on the West Midlands Railway network.
Speedy provided an efficient hybrid-generator power source for a mobile transmitter required to fill a communications blackspot close to Sutton Coldfield station, while a permanent option was sought. Keeping communications flowing between train drivers and signallers is vital in ensuring rail networks can operate smoothly.
The transmitter required a low power load making it unsuitable for a standard generator package. Speedy sought a battery storage unit from supply partner Off-Grid Energy, which was used as the principle power source. This was paired with a 20kva diesel generator, which operated six to eight hours a weeks to recharge the battery storage unit.
As a result of the generator’s minimal running times, the fuel tank supplied allowed for eight months of 24/7 operation without the need for refuelling. The remote monitoring facility of the battery storage unit allowed Speedy to identify any power supply issues & implement resolutions before these became apparent to Telent.
Between July 2019 and January this year, 93 percent of the power supplied to the transmitted came from the battery storage unit, resulting in a carbon saving of almost 28,500 kg, with the remaining seven percent coming from the generator while working to recharge the battery.
Greg Mawby, National Account Manager at Speedy, said: “The West Midlands Network plays a vital role in connecting millions of people across the region and ensuring a power solution was in place quickly ensured signalling communications remained open to maintain daily train services.
“Product availability across our nationwide network means we can act immediately to meet our clients’ needs, while ensuring they have access to sustainable equipment to help cut carbon footprints across their projects. We were able to help Telent make a significant carbon saving, while cutting fuel costs by more than £250 per week.”
Franc Volcansek, Senior Project Engineer at Telent, added: “Speedy provided us with an intelligent, cost effective and low-carbon power supply to keep the line operational. Our partnership with the business enables us to get the equipment we need at very short notice to consistently meet urgent deadlines on a network where we play a key role as a trusted partner of the rail operator. We look forward to working closely with the business as we continue to deliver a reliable and cost-effective service to the region.”


Child Maltreatment 2007, an annual report from the Children’s Bureau, is now available online. The report presents national and state statistics on child abuse and neglect derived from data collected by child protective services (CPS) agencies through the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.
This year’s report shows a decrease in the number of children who were maltreated—794,000 in 2007, which is down from 904,000 in 2006. The report includes information on:
The estimated 3.2 million referrals made to CPS agencies in 2007, involving the alleged maltreatment of approximately 5.8 million children; Fatalities that occurred as a result of maltreatment; Perpetrators of maltreatment; and Services to prevent maltreatment and to assist victims.


Food cravings are a natural process driven by biology and patterned behaviors. When it comes to living a naturally healthy life, recognizing these cravings and learning productive strategies for coping is essential. When we give into these cravings, it just rewards us and creates more cravings in the future. During this podcast, I discuss why we have food cravings and I introduce strategies for coping with cravings.


Abstract
To elucidate spatial assemblage patterns during 2 consecutive austral summer seasons, we sampled intensively the macrofauna from 73 stations located at the southern coast of Livingston Island. Representatives of 28 higher taxonomic groups were used for the faunal analysis. While two faunal descriptors (i.e. group richness and total biomass) changed markedly with increasing water depth, total density remained relatively constant. Sessile suspension-feeders belonging to the Ascidiacea and Porifera dominated at shallower depths (< 100 m) with a mean biomass (wet weight) estimate of 3,238 g m-2. In contrast, deeper faunal assemblages were dominated by deposit-feeding polychaetes with lower biomass values of 538 g m-2. Mean body mass for dominant groups reflected two contrasting trophic strategies: ascidians at shallower depths (< 100 m) attained a value of 6 g whereas a comparable density of polychaetes at deeper depths (> 100 m) obtained 0.37 g. This faunal discontinuity, primarily influenced by depth-related variables, is suggested to be directly related to food availability.


Abstract
(-)-6-(7-Methoxy-2-(trifluoromethyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-4-yl)-5-methyl-4,5-dihydropyridazin-3(2H)-one (KCA-1490) exhibits moderate dual PDE3/4-inhibitory activity and promises as a combined bronchodilatory/anti-inflammatory agent. N-alkylation of the pyridazinone ring markedly enhances potency against PDE4 but suppresses PDE3 inhibition. Addition of a 6-aryl-4,5-dihydropyridazin-3(2H)-one extension to the N-alkyl group facilitates both enhancement of PDE4-inhibitory activity and restoration of potent PDE3 inhibition. Both dihydropyridazinone rings, in the core and extension, can be replaced by achiral 4,4-dimethylpyrazolone subunits and the core pyrazolopyridine by isosteric bicyclic heteroaromatics. In combination, these modifications afford potent dual PDE3/4 inhibitors that suppress histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in vivo and exhibit promising anti-inflammatory activity via intratracheal administration.


Rare plant species are vulnerable to genetic erosion and inbreeding associated with small population size and isolation due to increasing fragmentation, though the degree to which these problems undermine population viability remains debated. We explore genetic and reproductive processes in the critically endangered long-lived tropical tree Medusagyne oppositifolia, an endemic to the Seychelles with a naturally patchy distribution. This species is failing to recruit in three of its four populations. We evaluate whether recruitment failure...
1 citation reported since publication in 2011.


We are only beginning to understand the impact of the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Like all other reform measures, it promises to simplify the tax filing process. However, this will not necessarily be the case.
Recent commentary discusses how this act will impact those who work remotely. While we have seen significant increases in the number of individuals who use their laptop to
work from home, these individuals may feel the impact of changes to the tax law.
For example, under the foreign earned income exclusion classified in Section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code, taxpayers are able to exclude a significant amount of income. This exclusion, however, requires that the taxpayer have their “tax home” in a foreign nation and not have an “abode” in the U.S.
There is little guidance pertaining to what a “tax home” and an “abode” actually is. This is only one area of confusion for taxpayers when it comes to changing tax regulations.
States may change their tax codes in response to the new federal tax act
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 does provide opportunities for certain individuals and businesses to reduce their tax obligations. However, even such a reduction can cause issues for taxpayers when it comes to filling out their state returns.
As states have historically modeled their tax codes after the
Internal Revenue Code, states will continually need to reconsider whether they wish to continue conforming with the Internal Revenue Code in this manner. By continuing to model themselves after the federal code following passage of the new tax act, states could see reduced revenues.
Instead of continuing to follow the federal code, states may change reporting requirements to make up for decreased revenues. Thus, any reduced tax obligations for individuals under the federal code could still mean individuals will pay more in state taxes.
Confusion may mean taxpayers will require advice and guidance
As Michigan taxpayers need to abide by both the IRS code and state tax laws, they likely will need extensive guidance in filing their returns. Reporting may be more complex. Also, discrepancies in returns could lead to audits and penalties that taxpayers would otherwise wish to avoid.


Experts estimate that a quarter of a billion people are potentially on the brink of starvation.
At least 1 in 3 children under five – or over 200 million – is either undernourished or overweight, and the greatest burden of malnutrition in all its forms is shouldered by children and adolescents from the poorest and most marginalized communities.
At UMR, we use our agile resources and staffing to target our efforts in the regions where there has been least progress to end world hunger. These regions are often remote, rural, and/or chronically vulnerable by effect of conflict or natural disaster. Cultural norms are often strongest in these regions, which makes it difficult to reach hungry households. As such, UMR’s approach to household food security is based on two principles (a) cultural sensitivity, and (b) dignified household nourishment.


Sense of agency (SoA) is the subjective feeling that a person causes a change in the external world. The influence of SoA on crossmodal integration has not yet examined thoroughly. We investigated the effects of auditory stimuli on visual localization and its interaction with SoA. In Experiment 1, participants localized the disappearing position of a moving dot while hearing a continuous sound. The sound duration was manipulated. Participants performed the localization task after self-initiating the dot motion (higher SoA) or after the dot moving automatically (lower SoA). Results showed that localization of disappearing position of the dot was clearly manipulated by the sound duration, but auditory-based mislocalization was not influenced by the presence of action. In attempt to attenuate the reliability of visual signals for localization, we made visual stimuli flickered in Experiment 2. However, the results were similar to those of Experiment 1. Our study indicated that the presence of action (or SoA) might not influence auditory-visual integration. We discussed this possibility along with limitations of the present study.


Unlocking Hidden Value in Class B and C Office Buildings
is the first study of its kind, offering guidance and strategies for implementing energy efficiency and green leasing measures specifically tailored to the owners and operators of Class B and C office buildings. Unlocking Hidden Value in Class B/C Office Buildings: Best Practices for Pursuing Low-Cost, High-Impact Energy Efficiency and Green Leasing Strategies
Compared to their Class A counterparts, Class B and C office properties typically are older buildings with fewer technologies in place. While owners and operators of these properties are often eager to enact sustainability strategies, they can be constrained by smaller budgets, limited staffing and the high demand of day-to-day operational needs. As a result, Class B and C buildings often trail Class A buildings in adopting energy efficiency strategies and green leasing provisions. However, they also are the asset class with the most to gain from these measures. Per this report, these untapped sustainability opportunities have the potential to:
Reduce operating expenses for a Class B or C building by between $0.26 and $0.61 per square foot;
Increase net operating income (NOI) for Class B or C properties by between 2.4 percent and 5.6 percent per year; and
Boost Class B or C property value by approximately $5 to $11 per square foot.
This research was supported with funding from BOMA International and Yardi and created in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).


(Sept. 24, 2019) On July 11, 2019, the president of Ukraine signed into a law a bill on facilitating access to charging stations and requiring designated lanes for electric vehicles. (Law of Ukraine on Amendments to Some Legislative Acts of Ukraine on Creating Access to Charging Station Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles, July 11, 2019). The law enters into force on January 1, 2020.
The law amended the Code of Administrative Violations to establish fines of 20 to 30 times the gross minimum monthly incomes (about US$3,000 to $4,050) for stopping or parking nonelectric vehicles in parking spaces designated for vehicles with electric engines. The same fine applies for blocking or obstructing electric or hybrid cars from parking in such parking spaces. Nonelectric vehicles parked in such spaces that block traffic or threaten traffic safety can be towed or booted by law enforcement. (§ I(1), (2), (6).)
Under the new Law, the cabinet of ministers is responsible for drafting implementing legislation within six months from the date the law is officially published and for bringing existing legislation in compliance with current law. These changes will give drivers of electric vehicles approximately the same rights enjoyed by drivers with disabilities. The relevant ministries must also within six months provide for the introduction of new signs that reserve special lanes on roads and parking spaces for the use of electric vehicles. In addition, cars equipped with electric engines must be issued distinctive plates with green lettering within six months from the day the law is published. (§ II(2), (3).)
Ukraine’s government has already created a favorable tax and customs regime for importing and purchasing electric vehicles. Additionally, in December 2018, the State Energy Regulator determined that providing electric charging services is not considered supplying electricity and therefore does not require a license.
Statistics indicate that Ukraine experienced a nearly 50% increase in primary registrations of electric cars in May 2019 compared to the previous year and that the network of charging stations is expanding rapidly as well.


Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategic tool which can help your business manage any correspondence and interactions made with a range of stakeholders within and outside your business. This can include a comprehensive view of interactions your company has with your customers, prospects and suppliers. Having an effective CRM system in place can facilitate an enhanced experience for your stakeholders. This is particularly important as a small business, as maintaining long-standing relationships with your stakeholders is crucial when securing repeat business.
Many businesses, particularly SMEs, start their business with a physical list or book of contacts with their names and phone numbers, and would have typically stored this information and data in a document or a spreadsheet. If these customers or prospects were contacted, any correspondence that you'd had with them might have been written down or even typed up on separate document. This process is not only inefficient and frustrating for both parties, but it is ultimately not the most profitable way to run a business.
In order to remain competitive, SMEs need to think about how they can run their business more efficiently and effectively. Implementing a CRM system allows for any correspondence to be stored in one centralised database, and should be accessible to your entire team. Most CRM systems will allow you to choose what access you'd like to give each employee within the system, so you can ensure they're able to get to information that is relevant to their role or department.
A CRM should give you business control through the full sales cycle - from Marketing, Sales Lead Management, Quoting, Ordering, After Sales Service, and Business Intelligence. We've outlined some examples below of how our solution, Prospect 365, can benefit key roles within all organisations:
Integration is what we do best. Find out more about what Integration involves here.Learn more about Accounts Integration
Think a B2B Trade Portal is not for you?
Think again!
Getting your team on board with a new CRM is not easy, but it's imperative. Our Whitepaper explains why.Download here


A significant clinical insurance agency is a medical coverage organization that sells significant clinical protections – arrangements that give adaptable, reasonable inclusion for most wounds and sicknesses. Significant clinical protection plans spread most genuine clinical costs up to a greatest breaking point, typically after a deductible and co-protection arrangement.
A significant clinical insurance agency for the most part offers two significant protection designs, the Managed care clinical plans and the reimbursement plans (conventional protection plans). In repayment plans, additionally alluded to as “repayment” designs, a back up plan repays the guaranteed for clinical charges regardless of who offered the assistance. Overseen care plans incorporate Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), and Point of Service (POS) designs; all include an understanding between the back up plan and a chose gathering of clinical suppliers.
Before settling on a significant clinical insurance agency, it is insightful to do a cautious investigation of the plans just as a near investigation of the statements gave by the insurance agencies. Numerous protection specialists by one way
Asuransi-kesehatanku or another “overlook” to discuss plan limitations, which could make the arrangement completely insufficient. Consequently, it is significant that one does some cautious examination before focusing in on an arrangement that is perfect for one’s family and that accommodates one’s tote.
The Internet is a rich wellspring of data with respect to organizations’ arrangements and administrations. Look at and break down the expense of each arrangement before coming to any end result. In the event that the statistical data points leave your head spinning, discover master counsel. Another choice is to reach significant clinical insurance agencies and get familiar with the advantages that you get at the cost that you have at the top of the priority list.
Significant clinical protection inclusion is likewise a commitment of the government wellbeing office. A rundown of organizations and operators dealing with protection inclusion is accessible at the express division’s office. Notwithstanding the organizations’ rundown, the workplaces give significant guidance on which strategy to pick just as data on organizations with unfavorable histories.


Following Jesus entails developing an intimate relationship with him. This is what elevates Christianity beyond all other religions, philosophies, and worldviews. Mark 3:14-15 says, ‘He appointed the twelve—designating them as apostles, that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority over demons’.
A closer look at this Scripture—‘that they might be with him’—reveals that endeavouring to do anything for Jesus is linked with desiring and developing a relationship with him.
Christianity in general and discipleship in particular is based on a relationship with Jesus, not on spiritual directions and rules. Once we decide to let him have control over our lives, he will show us the way and teach us. This entails all the directions we need as we deepen our relationship with him.
Isaiah M. Dau(excerpt) Lausanne Movement


Q: Dear Dr. Mao,I used to eat all the right foods: yams, pumpkin soup, parsley, cilantro, green leafy vegetables, and almonds. Then I got a kidney stone. All the foods that have been called healthy are now supposedly unhealthy. What are your thoughts on this? A: It is true that some of these foods in high concentrations and under specific conditions may cause kidney stones. However, ruling out any serious conditions with the kidneys or congenital conditions, I believe the cause for stone formation is probably due to lack of sufficient water intake. You need at least 80 ounces of fluids per day to properly flush out the kidneys.
Also, some people tend to overdo supplementation, which can overbuild calcium deposits in the system if not flushed properly. I would suggest first increasing your water intake. Then, moderate these foods and consume a more balanced diet. You should also include fish or other omega-rich foods.
There are specific treatment protocols for stones within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM); you might consult a licensed acupuncturist/herbalist to discuss these options.


Sponges are considered poor invaders, and no genetic studies on introduced sponges have been performed up to now. Paraleucilla magna is the first calcareous sponge introduced to the Mediterranean and Northeastern Atlantic. The study aimed at investigating the genetic makeup and connectivity of the introduced populations of P. magna and at exploring signs of local phenotypic adaptation, to gain insight on the species invasive potential. Ten populations along the species introduction range (Brazil, Açores, Madeira, and continental Europe) were genetically characterized by using nine microsatellite markers. Most populations were genetically structured as suggested by significant Dst and Fst values, significant differences among populations (AMOVA) and the presence of private alleles. The analyzed populations belonged to three genetically homogeneous groups (K) according to the Bayesian algorithm (structure software) and the UPGMA dendrogram. Genetic diversity within populations was higher than expected. Recurrent introductions of non-randomly selected individuals from the native sources may have contributed to the heterozygote deficit found in all populations by forming pedigree structures with mating among relatives. Moreover, the species biological cycle was monitored in a population established on native Mediterranean assemblages (41°40′27″N, 2°47′25″E) and compared with the species cycle in other habitats. Contrasting life spans, growth habits, and reproduction cycles, depending on the habitat conditions, were recorded. To summarize, high genetic diversity, phenotypic local adaptation, and high reproduction rates altogether allow predicting the fast proliferation of P. magna in newly colonized regions and point to its strong invasive potential.


Please watch Germfree’s video featuring a recent project where we delivered a BSL-3 laboratory to East Asia and made the bio-containment lab operational in only 21 days.
This Biological Safety Level 3 (BSL-3) modular laboratory was manufactured by GERMFREE in the U.S. and then installed in East Asia.
In this video:
Germfree presents a truly unique approach to bringing advanced high containment laboratories to wherever they are needed… anywhere in the world.
Germfree designs, engineers and manufactures Biological Safety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories in our U.S. facility.
These containerized modular labs are then delivered and installed in locations across all continents.
After manufacture, the lab is transported as containerized units to be reassembled at the site. This method makes easy global deployment a new possibility for high containment labs.
BSL-3 labs require a range of critical steps after completion of construction and prior to laboratory operation. These processes traditionally take 6 months to over a year. This Germfree project took just 21 days from on-site setup to meeting all operational requirements, making the BSL-3 lab ready for use.
With Germfree’s advances in biosafety engineering and manufacturing, high containment laboratories can now become operational in an unprecedented time frame.


SME’s being held back by lack of funding
20/08/2019
A study by Aldermore Future Attitudes has shown that just under a fifth of UK SME’s have missed out on a new lucrative opportunity in the last 12 months due to a lack of available funding.
Each year, these missed opportunities are said to be leading to businesses losing out on an average of £76,888 income.
The new information highlights the impact of small businesses not being able to access the necessary funding they need to grow and seize new opportunities.
The survey was conducted with over a thousand business decision makers across the UK and found that while 19% of SME’s in total were held back by a lack of funding, the number jumped up to 28% when looking at medium sized businesses alone.
For business based in London, the average income lost was a staggering £135,791 annually.
Implications
As well as the direct financial implications, other issues stem from a lack of funding, such as not being able to achieve business objectives. 37% of SME’s cited achieving growth as their number one objective, with a further 24% prioritising developing and expanding their products and services. 21% are focusing on expanding in the UK.
For businesses trying to innovate and grow, cash flow and available funds have become a major concern. 25% of SME’s stated cash flow was their biggest concern in the next 12 months, while 12% feel that keeping up with technology is highest on their list of potential problems.
The research demonstrates the importance for businesses to have the right funding behind them, which provides the flexibility to seize such opportunities as they arise.
For small businesses, finding the right funding doesn’t need to be daunting, and you needn’t think your options are going to be limited due to your size. As a commercial finance broker helping business of different sizes across the UK, Hilton-Baird Financial Solutions can help.
We can assist you in comparing the many funding options available for small businesses, find a facility that aligns with your business goals and support you through your funding application.
Give us a call on 0800 9774833 to see how the right funding solution can abate all your cash flow worries!


Tobacco is one of the most common and preferred forms of addiction. Even though scientific evidences have revealed its harmful health effects the use of tobacco in different forms has seen a dramatic increase especially in the developing countries. This potentially lethal substance is responsible for more than 1 in 10[1] fatalities globally with India featuring among the top four users of tobacco.About 11.2% smokers worldwideare Indian. Despite decades of research and strong initiatives for controlling diabetes carried out globally the number of tobacco users in the world has not seen a declining trend. Tobacco has been used extensively for


Having recently completed its network refresh to 100 Gps port capabilities, the Malaysia Internet Exchange (MyIX) is now in the process of opening two new nodes for more networks to join its internet exchange.
According to MyIX chairman Chiew Kok Hin, these new nodes serve to extend MyIX’s reach while increasing its presence points throughout the country.
Currently, MyIX operates two additional nodes which are located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor and Kuching, Sarawak to complement the main nodes located at the AIMS Data Centre and CSF Building in Cyberjaya, Selangor.
These two new nodes are set to be opened in two locations in Cyberjaya next month, and in April, respectively. These will be operated in partnership with IPSERVERONE SOLUTIONS SDN BHD and VADS BHD.
These nodes are essentially access switches located at various alternative sites; thereby enabling members and peering partners to connect to internet service providers (ISPs), other members and content hosted by MyIX.
Chiew explained that, since ISPs and content distribution networks (CDNs) are spread across various data centres, these nodes serve to provide additional exchange points for ISPs and CDNs to better connect with one another, especially useful when connecting from remote locations.
“The nodes also ensure improved latency for interconnectivity with other networks,” he added. “They would be instrumental in further enhancing the stability and performance of internet connections, lowering connection costs while minimising traffic ‘bottlenecks’.”
MyIX is an initiative under the Malaysian Communications Multimedia Commission (MCMC). Today, MyIX is the country’s only non-profit national internet exchange body operated by industry.
“Due to Malaysia’s fast growing digital economy, there is now greater demand for faster and more reliable internet traffic performance,” said Chiew.
And since MyIX facilitates to keep the domestic internet traffic within Malaysia, data always travels through the most optimised route to the end user. This results in improved broadband service quality for ISPs, which translates into a better experience for end users when they access local content.
“Data also travels at an optimised distance with fewer ‘hops’ to reach the intended recipient through direct peering with MyIX. This poses a significant cost benefit for smaller ISPs, which can reduce their dependency on costly international bandwidth links,” explained Chiew.
Chiew is also encouraging international ISPs and CDNs to invest further in Malaysia.
“By having foreign ISPs and CDNs setting their regional networks here, it will reduce the network charges of consuming international content,” he concluded.


This study by PTIN member Judi Perry provides new insights in the offering of 'unconditional positive regard'. The aims of the study were:
Five semi-structured interviews were held with PCE Pre-Therapy practitioners from a range of countries and professional settings, utilising a descriptive phenomenological method to analyse
this data. Three main categories were discovered: theoretical, philosophical and experiential, with six sub-themes. These were then turned into an exhaustive description of the lived experience of PCE Pre-Therapy practitioners offering UPR to clients experiencing psychotic processes.
Perry, J. (2019).
Radical Acceptance. How do Person-Centred and Experiential Pre-Therapy practitioners experience offering unconditional positive regard to clients experiencing psychotic processes? A phenomenological study utilising the Duquesne method. Unpublished manuscript: Staffordshire University, The Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute. [Person-Centred & Experiential Psychotherapy – Postgraduate Programme] Available from: http://www.pre-therapy.com/Judi%20Perry%20Pre-Therapy%20Research%20-%20Radical%20Acceptance.pdf
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Before the COVID-19 crisis, Kwintes successfully engaged their employee base in a structured innovation process powered by edison365. Through their Innovation Lab, they were able to gather ideas from the people who interacted with patients daily, discovering innovative ways to continue providing best-in-class care with ever restricting budgets.
Crisis is often a trigger for innovation as traditional solutions are no longer viable; closed loop and point in time methods such as email threads, hackathons and surveys cannot support the necessary drive for innovation when employees are external stakeholders work remotely.
Understand how edison365ideas and Open Innovation enable you to pose challenges, submit ideas, vote and review submissions from both your internal employees and external stakeholders, creating engagement across your entire ecosystem.


Political systems
These pages explore the theme of 'political systems', one of the 7 governance capabilities outlined in DFID's Governance Target Strategy Paper, 'Making Government Work for Poor People' as being key to poverty reduction.
DFID's approach emphasises the importance of responsive and accountable government, ensuring that everyone, including poor people, enjoy all human rights. It also stresses the importance of access to free and fair elections and to information and representation for all people, including the poor, so that they can make informed choices and participate effectively.


The Labour Force Survey (LFS), conducted by Statistics Canada, is the source of monthly employment estimates for Canadian industries. The monthly LFS sample size is approximately 56,000 households, covering 100,000 individuals.
Tourism HR Canada receives customized LFS tables that follow the Tourism Satellite Account’s definition of tourism. This allows Tourism HR Canada to track employment and unemployment in the tourism sector and compare it with the overall economy.
This customized LFS data, publicly available LFS data, and other data sources on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and mobility were used to develop the following month-by-month charts that track the impact of COVID-19 on Canada’s tourism sector. In addition to this ongoing tracking, we summarize the key points each month:


Abstract
Estimation of parameters is a pivotal task throughout science and technology. The quantum Cramér-Rao bound provides a fundamental limit of precision allowed to be achieved under quantum theory. For closed quantum systems, it has been shown how the estimation precision depends on the underlying dynamics. Here, we propose a general formulation for metrology scenarios in open quantum systems, aiming to relate the precision more directly to properties of the underlying dynamics. This feature may be employed to enhance an estimation precision, e.g., by quantum control techniques. Specifically, we derive a Cramér-Rao bound for a fairly large class of open system dynamics, which is governed by a (time-dependent) dynamical semigroup map. We illustrate the utility of this scenario through three examples.


Linking maternal mortality files to violent death reporting system reveals more pregnancy-associated suicides, homicides
A recent study co-authored by Anna Austin, doctoral student of maternal and child health, and Dr. Catherine Vladutiu, Gillings School alumna and adjunct faculty member in epidemiology, revealed that violent deaths occurring during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum are under-reported. Linking traditional maternal mortality surveillance system records with the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System captured 55.6 percent more pregnancy-associated violent deaths than traditional surveillance alone.


Personal Independent Payments (PIPs) can help with some of the extra costs of personal care or mobility due to a long-term illness or disability. They have replaced the DLA and are being phased for anyone aged 68 or younger in 2015, so many parents may still be receiving DLA. PIPs are needs based and not dependent upon income/savings. There are 2 elements to a DLA/PIP:
Daily Living component – claimants are assessed on things like ability to prepare food and drink, wash, dress, go to the toilet, manage health conditions and make financial decisions. The standard rate (2016) is £55.10 a week and the enhanced rate is £87.65 a week. Mobility component – claimants are assessed on their ability to plan and follow a journey and move around. The standard rate (2019/20) is £23.20 a week and the enhanced rate is £61.20 a week). Applicants will be assessed, and can be eligible to receive both elements. To apply, you need to contact the Department of Work and Pensions on 0800 917 2222.


Silverfish thrive in damp conditions, particularly bathrooms and kitchens. They like dark unfrequented places where they will be undisturbed and are attracted by sweet sugary substances. They can often be seen scurrying away when you switch on a light in a dark room.
Silverfish Killer Sprays
We stock a range of insecticidal silverfish killer sprays which can be used directed onto ones that are visible and also around skirting boards, around cupboards and other commonly infested areas. The long lasting residue is very effective at controlling Silverfish once it’s dry.
Silverfish Killer Powders
Silverfish killer powders are perfect for sprinkling into cracks and crevices and reaching inaccessible areas such as under cupboards, skirting boards and other areas. The powder will cut into the cuticle of the silverfish and absorb the body moisture resulting in dehydration and death.


Prof. Adrian Hill, Founder-Director of the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute is upbeat about the possibility of gathering emergency approvals for their COVID-19 vaccine candidate before Christmas.
Prof. Hill expressed that the coronavirus vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with UK-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, is likely to be developed and administered to healthcare workers and high-risk individuals before the end of 2020.
The professor observed that even though the timing was tight to begin vaccinations against COVID-19 before Christmas, it was possible.
“We’re looking for this year is an ’emergency use’ authorization that will allow us to go and vaccinate those most at risk as a priority, then early next year everybody else,” remarked Prof. Hill.
An emergency approval will allow individuals who have the highest risk against the pandemic to receive the vaccine even as the final trials of the vaccine are still underway.
If an emergency approval is gathered by the team by Christmas, there could be a remote possibility of having vaccination drives to the general public by early 2021.
The AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine candidate is seen as a frontrunner in the race to produce a vaccine to protect against COVID-19.
After its successful Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials which established that it is safe and triggers a strong immune response, the vaccine is currently in an advanced stage of its Phase 3 trials.
Findings from a recent study revealed the vaccine produced a robust immune response in elderly people.
Prof. Hill remarked that an AstraZeneca-led consortium has already produced ‘billions of doses’ of the vaccine at ten factories across the world.


According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, an estimated 60% of confined space entry fatalities have been among the would-be rescuers. A would-be rescuer is a person who is trying to help someone who has become unresponsive in a confined space. We sat down with gas detection training specialist Mike Platek to understand atmospheric hazards in confined spaces and how to prepare for potentially dangerous entries or rescues.
SafetyDecisions_ConfSpac_Platek_April19.pdf


The Building Division has implemented an expedited solar-permitting process for ≤10 kW systems. We will create a solar PV brochure to inform and assist with the permitting of PV systems for our unique mountain microclimate.
This information tracks the estimated electricity production capacity, or power rating in kilowatts DC, of solar photovoltaic installations town-wide.
Renewable energy systems can include solar photovoltaic, hydropower, and wind power systems.
Renewable electricity generated at the point-of-use offsets the need for utility-generated electricity. Currently, Truckee’s utility-generated electricity includes a mix of both renewable and non-renewable sources.
This information is source from Town building permits for photovoltaic installations.


British economist Nicholas Stern explains why setting a carbon price is key to fighting global warming. Carbon pricing has become central to this fight. Can you explain why?
It is crucial that markets provide a signal about costs if they are to guide economic action in positive ways, leading to the efficient allocation of resources. This means that the prices of goods, services and activities should reflect their real costs, including the costs they impose on others through the damages that they cause. By ensuring that the prices of fossil fuels reflect their true costs, policymakers help markets to operate more effectively. Carbon pricing is a pro-market action, and those who oppose it are anti-markets. The costs of climate change are potentially very large, and calculations of the social cost of carbon should reflect impacts across the world and on future generations, who could be impoverished by our failure to act.
⇒ Read the full interview on The Conversation


Do you suffer from Anxiety, Depression, Lethargy, Anger, Loss, Resentment, Low Energy, Lack of Motivation or Stress?
Would you like to take control of your emotional wellbeing?
If you are challenged by any of the above ….We CAN HELP
Emotional Aromatherapy
Psychology Meets Chemistry
Scientists and psychologists have spent centuries trying to understand the phenomena we refer to as emotions. Although science cannot yet definitively explain the exact mechanisms, we do know that emotions have vast influence on many components of well-being
Employing the most current research and the purest essential oils, the new Emotional Aromatherapy System is the first in the industry to offer scientifically formulated blends for comprehensive, robust, and targeted emotional health benefits.
The easiest way to experience essential oils is aromatically, by utilizing our sense of smell. Due to the amazing olfactory receptors, which identify odors and initiate the aromatic pathway, diffusing or directly inhaling essential oils is the most rapid and intense way to experience their influence on emotions 😗
Use of our Emotional Aromatherapy System is predicated upon the oils unique chemical profiles. Based on known benefits of specific chemical constituents, categories of essential oils can be established. Each essential oil group has specific constituent profiles known to elicit distinct emotional responses.
Floral essential oils are composed primarily of monoterpene alcohols, which exhibit toning and calming properties.
Tree, herb, and grass essential oils are rich in sesquiterpenes, esters, and oxides, which are grounding, soothing, and renewing.
On the other end of the spectrum, mint, citrus, and spice essential oils provide powerfully uplifting benefits. Mint essential oils have high concentrations of ketones, which are energizing and uplifting.
Citrus oils are generally composed of limonene and beta-pinene, monoterpenes with strong uplifting characteristics. Phenols, the primary chemical constituents of many spice essential oils, are recognized for their warming properties.
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Combining CPTG oils in precise ratios, the emotional aromatherapy blends establish a new, complete, and unique spectrum of emotional benefits. For ease of use, included in the kit is an instructional diagram that breaks down these categories.
The Emotional Aromatherapy System is based on chemistry. Beginning with a specific chemical profile, the blends were put together based on the known properties of their chemical constituents as opposed to simply providing a pleasant aroma. The blending of these specific essential oils has created a synergistic composition ideal to promoting healthy emotional responses.
Motivate Encouraging Blend
This is a wonderful combination of several citrus and mint essential oils, including Yuzu, Clementine, and Peppermint. This blend marks doTERRA’s first use of Yuzu, the limonene-rich essential oil expressed from the peel of the mandarin-like Japanese fruit. The resulting chemical profile is high in monoterpenes and monoterpene alcohols, which are known for their uplifting and toning properties.
Motivate is the perfect aromatic compliment to help promote feelings of confidence when working on an important project. Cheer Uplifting Blend
This is an invigorating mixture of citrus and spice essential oils. Featuring Wild Orange, Cinnamon Bark, and Star Anise essential oils, the resulting chemical profile is rich in monoterpene and aldehydes, renowned for their uplifting and warming properties. Comprised almost entirely of the phenylpropene anethole, Star Anise essential oil brings potent energizing characteristics to the new blend.
Apply one drop of
doTERRA Cheer to your hands, rub together, and inhale deeply to help incite feelings of optimism. Passion Inspiring Blend
This balances spice and herbal essential oils. Included in the blend is Damiana, a very rare essential oil rich in 1,8-cineole and alpha pinene, which is renowned for its renewing properties. Combining Cinnamon Bark, Ginger, Cardamom, Clove, and Damiana creates a chemical profile with high concentrations of phenols and ethers to provide warming and renewing benefits.
Diffuse doTERRA Passion at your work desk to help spark creativity.
Forgive Renewing Blend
This mixes familiar tree and herb essential oils to create a diverse chemical profile with high concentrations of monoterpene esters, alcohols, and sesquiterpenes. Most interesting is the introduction of Nootka Tree Wood, an essential oil with a very diverse chemistry composed primarily of soothing and grounding sesquiterpenes. Nootka Tree Oil is known largely for balancing emotions in stressful situations. Pure Thyme essential oil balances out the blend with potent renewing and toning properties.
No meditation session is complete without diffusing doTERRA Forgive to help encourage patience and contentment.
Console Comforting Blend
This combines floral and tree essential oils. The combination of Rose absolute, Ylang Ylang, Frankincense, Sandalwood, and several other highly valued tree and flower essential oils creates a blend rich in both monoterpenes and sesquiterpene alcohols. Labdanum absolute provides a number of interesting characteristics to the blend. High in alpha-pinene, Labdanum is highly renewing and its distinctive aroma is prized for its ability to balance competing scents. The final product mirrors its chemical structure and aromatic profile, being highly grounding and renewing.
A drop or two of Console on your shirt collar can be that little extra you need to help counteract feelings of grief and sadness.
Peace Reassuring Blend
This is a fusion of floral and mint essential oils. The union of popular essential oils such as Lavender and Spearmint, along with the essence of some lesser-known plants such as Labdanum, creates a chemical profile rich in monoterpene esters and alcohols for a renewing and toning experience. The resulting aromatic profile is calming and promotes feelings of peace and reassurance.
Diffuse Peace at night to help promote the calming and restful sleep environment that you need to embrace the next day.
Discover for yourself how these unique blends can help you balance your moods and take charge of your own emotional well-being.
If you like to purchase this kit you can do so
here.


Mindfulness-Based (MBCT) Counsellors
For clients in Calgary with chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and other health issues such as anxiety and depression, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, or MBCT, is a two-part therapy that aims to reduce stress, manage pain, and embrace the freedom to respond to situations by choice. MCBT blends two disciplines--cognitive therapy and mindfulness. Mindfulness helps by reflecting on moments and thoughts without passing judgment. MBCT clients pay close attention to their feelings to reach an objective mindset, thus viewing and combating life's unpleasant occurrences.
Mindfulness Based counsellors in Calgary can help with issues like anxiety and depression in their role as Calgary MBCT counsellors.
How can I tell if a therapist is right for me?
Therapists in Calgary are able to work with a wide range of issues.
For example, if you're seeking a marriage counsellor in Calgary you'll find that most therapists are trained in marriage counselling or couples counselling in Calgary and couples therapy. And they welcome families for family counselling in Calgary or family therapy in Calgary.


Etiological Structure and In Vitro Susceptibility to Antimicrobial Agents from Blood Cultures in Bulgarian Multi profile Hospital, 2015-2016
During the period 2015-2016, a total of 1490 haemocultures were tested, 24.4% of which were positive. Among the 363 isolated microbial agents, 224 (62% or 15% of all) were considered clinically significant with equal distribution of Gram-positive (48.2%) and Gram-negative bacteria (47.8%). This finding differs from European
and US practice where Gram positive bacteria are dominant. Fungi were isolated in 4%. The etiological structure was as follows:Coagulase Negative Staphylococcus – 20.1%, E. coli - 14.3%, Enterococcus spp. - 14.3%, Klebsiella spp. - 11.2%, S. aureus - 10.3%, Acinetobacter baumannii - 9.4%, Enterobacter spp. - 5.8%, P. aeruginosa – 4.9%. A trend toward increase of Klebsiella spp, E.coli, S. aureus и Candida spp. and decrease of coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Enterococcus spp. and Acinetobacter baumannii was observed. Regarding “ESKAPE” pathogens – we had a similar rate of Enterococci, and lower rates for the rest compared to USA practice, but in contrast to European data we had lower rate of S. aureus, similar rates of Enterobacter and P. aeruginosa, and higher rates of Enterococci, Klebsiella and Acinetobacter. Multidrug resistance was found in 11% of Gram positive and 47% of Gram negative flora. Resistance rates were similar to the European, but higher in Gram negative and lower in Gram positive when compared to USA. Owing to failure of the other approaches we introduced a stronger stewardship and restrictive policy regarding prescription of antibiotics.


Single-Subject Designs: Procedures that Allow School Psychologists to Contribute to the Intervention Evaluation and Validation Process
Like many undergraduate psychology students, I received training in traditional social science research (i.e., group-design and analysis procedures) and was required to conduct a scientific study using such procedures. I conducted an experiment in a laboratory setting where I manipulated tones and measured the effects on time perception of undergraduate students. The laboratory setting made it easy to control confounding variables, and technical equipment allowed for precise manipulation of the independent variable and measurement of the dependent variable. This experience was invaluable in that it allowed me, the researcher, to gain experience in the scientific process of evaluating cause-and-effect relationships. However, the same cannot be said for the undergraduate students who served as subjects for my experiment.
While I cannot be certain, I would venture that none of my participants ever engaged in any life experiences that were enhanced because of their participation in this study. Even had I targeted a useful or functional behavior, the participants would have derived little benefit from the study as the goal was not to evaluate the effects of an intervention design to enhance their skills or ability in estimating time.


We describe the application of ethnography and experimentation to the specification and evaluation of a browser to support collaborative sharing of photographs in family contexts. In an extension of this mixed-method approach, we adopted an ethnographic stance to the posthoc analysis of couples’ interactions recorded during the experimental studies. The experiments and post-experiment analyses yielded usability enhancements and unexpected interaction patterns among couples in categorising and retrieving photographs that led to browser redesign.


More and more plastic products are being labelled as compostable, biodegradable, oxo-degradable or bio-based. However, plastics made from bio-based materials are not necessarily compostable or biodegradable. Moreover, plastics that do biodegrade can be made from fossil fuel-based materials.
What is the difference between compostable and biodegradable? What happens to biodegradable and compostable plastics when they are littered? Can citizens compost such products in their own gardens? Can such plastics be recycled?
This European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing aims to answer these questions.


Promoting healing, enabling reconciliation and cultivating transformation in countries affected by mass violence remains a pressing question facing the global community. This class will explore the effects of collective violence, such as genocide, ethnic, inter- and intra-state conflict, and the recovery process. Focus will be on understanding the concepts of trauma and resiliency and exploring mechanisms for healing, fostering reconciliation, and transforming the trauma of war at multiple levels of analysis. Students will become familiar with current conceptual frameworks in the fields of trauma studies, social and political psychology, and international development related to these topics. Both historical and current cases of collective violence will be used to consider the effects of violence and the healing process at social, communal, and individual levels. Students will gain familiarity with and consider the challenges to and effectiveness of healing, reconciliation, and transformation processes that have been undertaken in post-conflict countries.


You don't know where your limits are until you start taking action.
Not any action, but
massive action, the one that forces you to get outside your comfort zone, the one that scares the crap out of you. You know, that BIG action you're supposed to be taking on your dreams now instead of hanging out online.
The massive action will put you face to face with your fears, your blocks and your limitations.
How will you recognize them?
You'll feel resistance.
You'll start avoiding taking the action.
You'll come up with excuses.
I'll do it this evening. I'll do it tomorrow. I'll do it next week.
This is resistance and it's coming up because you're hitting your own self-imposed limitations on things you can do and how much you can achieve, and fears about what'll happen if it doesn't work out.
Don't run away from these fears. Don't shut them down. Don't ignore them. Don't switch on Netflix.
Instead, look at each of these fears and beliefs with curiosity and ask yourself:
What am I afraid of? What do I need to learn here? Why am I resisting doing what I need to be doing?
Journal, meditate, talk to a friend, talk to a coach... You need someone to hold up a mirror to you and help you unearth your limitations. Once you recognize your limiting beliefs and process them, they will not have the power over you anymore and you'll get closer to living in alignment with your authentic integrity.
If you need help, I'll be happy to chat. You can book a clarity call with me at absolutely no charge and get help right away. I'd be happy to help!


Fashion is a language. How we dress signals to others who we are and how we want to be perceived. However, this language is primarily visual, making it inaccessible to people with vision impairments. Someone who is low-vision or completely blind cannot see what others are wearing or readily know what constitutes the norms and extremes of fashion, but most everyone they encounter can see and judgetheir fashion choices. We describe our findings of a diary study with people with vision impairments that revealed the many accessibility barriers fashion presents, and how an online survey revealed that clothing decisions are often made collaboratively, regardless of visual ability. Based on these findings, we identified a need for a collaborative and real-time environment for fashion advice. We have tested the feasibility of providing this advice through crowdsourcing using VizWiz, a mobile phone application where participants receive nearly real-time answers to visual questions. Our pilot study results show that this application has the potential to address a great need within the blind community, but remaining challenges include improving photo capture and assembling a set of crowd workers with the requisite expertise. More broadly our research highlights the feasibility of using crowdsourcing for subjective, opinion-based advice.


The MtENOD11 gene from the model legume Medicago truncatula is transcriptionally activated both in response to Sinorhizobium meliloti Nod factors and throughout infection of root tissues by the nitrogen-fixing microsymbiont. To identify the regulatory sequences involved in symbiosis-related MtENOD11 expression, a series of promoter deletions driving the beta-glucuronidase reporter gene were analyzed in transgenic M. truncatula roots. These studies have revealed that distinct regulatory regions are involved in infection-related MtENOD11 expression compared with preinfection (Nod factor-mediated) expression. In particular, the 257-bp promoter sequence immediately upstream from the start codon is sufficient for infection-related expression, but is unable to drive gene transcription in response to the Nod factor elicitor. This truncated promoter is also sufficient to confer MtENOD11 expression during both the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) association and the parasitic interaction with root-knot nematodes. Site-directed mutagenesis further showed that a previously identified nodule-specific AT-rich motif is required for high-level MtENOD11 expression during S. meliloti infection as well as during AM colonization. However, mutation of this motif does not affect gene expression associated with nematode-feeding sites. Taken together, these results suggest a close link between regulatory mechanisms controlling transcriptional early nodulin gene activation during both rhizobial and AM root endosymbioses.


Abstract
Underpinned by the findings of Jamieson and Harkins (2007; Experiment 3), the current study pits the mere effort motivational account of stereotype threat against a working memory interference account. In Experiment 1, females were primed with a negative self- or group stereotype pertaining to their visuospatial ability and completed an anti-saccade eye-tracking task. In Experiment 2 they were primed with a negative or positive group stereotype and completed an anti-saccade and mental arithmetic task. Findings indicate that stereotype threat did not significantly impair women's inhibitory control (Experiments 1 and 2) or mathematical performance (Experiment 2), with Bayesian analyses providing support for the null hypothesis. These findings are discussed in relation to potential moderating factors of stereotype threat, such as task difficulty and stereotype endorsement, as well as the possibility that effect sizes reported in the stereotype threat literature are inflated due to publication bias.


Can you eat it?
The plant has traditionally been eaten, which shows it is safe for human consumption in reasonable quantities.
To begin with, not all parts of the plant are edible (as with rhubarb) and they are only edible at a certain time of the year. The shoots in the spring are tender enough to eat, but they have to be gathered before the stems become hard and woody. The ideal time to eat knotweed is mid-April to May. However, if you are harvesting it you must ensure that you cause no spread of the plant, as this is illegal within the UK. We recommend that no root material is taken, just the tops of the shoots.
However, the resveratrol contained in it is damaged by heat, so the best way of getting the resveratrol is either by eating a small part of the shoots or making a tincture.
Resveratrol is not readily water soluble. However, this plant tastes a bit like rhubarb, which is not the most pleasant! Also, the emodin within the plant has effects on gastrointestinal ailments, due to laxative effects, so accurate dosing is needed to ensure that these effects are not problematic.
Japanese Knotweed Root may interact with several medications, such as blood thinners and drugs metabolized by the P-450 enzyme system in the liver. Consult your healthcare provider before adding to your regiment of drug treatment.