COVID-19 Resources
As a critical partner to your business, CSi Advisory Services understands the importance of our ability to continue to support our clients and their employees amidst this global health event.
The health and well-being of our associates, clients, and their employees is of utmost importance to us. We have been monitoring Coronavirus (COVID-19) developments closely through local authorities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization. As the situation continues to evolve, we are keenly focused on our preparedness efforts to maintain a safe work environment for our associates and to sustain our business operations.
Virtual or Phone Meetings
CSi Advisory Services remains committed to providing support to our employers and their plan participants. While our in-person meetings are temporarily suspended, we are still very willing to conduct meetings over the phone or through video conferencing. If you would like us to host a group meeting for your employees or if your employees would like to schedule an individual meeting, please feel free to reach out to us using our Request for Consultation.
COVID-19 INSIGHTS FOR RETIREMENT PLAN SPONSORS
As of March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has made its impact throughout the United States. Not only has it had a significant effect to the economy, it has changed nearly every Americans way of life. It has most definitely made its mark on your company, which may present serious financial difficulties for your employees. Given the immediate financial impact that many individuals are facing, employers and retirement plan administrators should expect to receive inquiries from plan participants regarding access to retirement savings.
Some companies may need to take action in regards to employer contributions and even personnel in the coming days, weeks and months. The following information is aimed at preparing you for inquiries, administration and decisions you might encounter, including:
C.A.R.E.S. Act Legislation
Hardship Distributions
Loans
Impact of Furloughs
Partial Plan Terminations
Plan Investments
Employee Compensation
Employer Contributions
C.A.R.E.S. Act Legislation
The Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (C.A.R.E.S.) Act (the “Act”) was passed on March 27, 2020. The Act is intended to loosen access to retirement plan funds for individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. At present the following are elements of the Act:
Waiver of 10% penalty on early withdrawals for amounts up to $100,000 from a retirement plan or IRA
For an individual who:
Is diagnosed with COVID-19;
Whose spouse is diagnosed with COVID-19;
Who experiences adverse financial consequences due to furlough, quarantine, layoff, reduction in hours, inability to work due to lack of child care due to COVID-19, or closing of business/reduction of hours by individual due to COVID-19; or
Factors determined by the Secretary of the Treasury
Individuals are allowed pay the tax on distributions ratably over a three year period; and
Individuals are allowed to repay the distribution back to the plan, tax-free, over the next three years (not limited by plan limits)
Plan loan are impacted as follows:
Amount available is doubled to the lesser of:
$100,000; or
100% of their vested account balance.
Individuals with outstanding loans with a repayment due from the date of enactment of CARES through December 31, 2020 may delay loan repayments for up to one year.
Required Minimum Distributions (RMD):
Temporary suspension of the annual RMDs due in 2020
Participants who want to continue taking their distributions will be able to do so.
The plan will eventually need to be amended.
As legislation is quickly evolving, we will keep you informed of any and all pertinent information.


Hog Day 2019 Number Two Piggeries Group and Lionel’s Veterinary Supplies held their 15th annual Hog Day from 23 - 25 October 2019.
The theme was “Production to Profit” and concentrated on the cost of production and not solely on production and performance. Seven international speakers presented various topics and delegates were privileged to share their wealth of knowledge and experience.
The common “thread” among producers worldwide was that challenges are more frequent and greater; Survival and growth will be based on the following basics:
It must be about the people: look after your employees well, train them and motivate them.
Use modern technology as often as possible – you are a global player.
Protect your environment: it is the only one you have.
Adopt animal welfare policies wherever possible.
Focus on the big drivers in your business and be precise in planning, implementing and monitoring.
Talent is never enough: you need to apply talent and you need to keep growing it.
Teamwork and communication is key.
Leave a LEGACY.
The delegates were fortunate to have Jean de Villiers as a key note speaker at the closure. His message was also about people, attitudes, teamwork and communication.
Mr Philip Von Memerty - Chairperson of Hog Day 2019 - stated that he believed it was a successful conference, there was a blend of youth and experience and interaction was good. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to every sponsor, to Duncan, Lourika, Danél, Nicole and the entire “Lionel's Team” for all the contributions.
His closing comments were “GO FOR THE BIG GAME – GIVE IT ALL!”


Neurotechnology's New Wave, Part II: Value, Acceptance, and Clinical Applications
June 18, 2006
Neurotechnologic devices are proving themselves in clinical medicine. Many of these devices offer several distinct advantages over traditional pharmaceutical-based therapies: their effects are reversible, they are often cheaper than pharmaceuticals, and they solve therapy adherence issues. "If a problem occurs, you can turn off the device; or if the disease evolves over time, you can dynamically adjust the device," explained Ali R. Rezai, MD, chairman of the Center for Neurological Restoration at the Cleveland Clinic.


Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Overutilisation of antibiotics may contribute to the emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance, a growing international concern. This study aimed to analyse the performance of UK general practices with respect to antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) among young and middle-aged adults. SETTING: Data are reported for 568 UK


Abstract
Internalization of ADAMTS13 by macrophages may contribute to its clearance from the circulation. Here we investigated endocytic mechanisms that contribute to the uptake of ADAMTS13 by macrophages. Human monocyte-derived macrophages were used to monitor the uptake of fluorescently labeled recombinant ADAMTS13 by flow cytometry. Internalization of ADAMTS13 was blocked upon


Abstract
Holomycin is a dithiolopyrrolone antibiotic natural product produced by Streptomyces clavuligerus, ATCC 27064. This paper reports on the identification of a gene cluster from S. clavuligerus that directs holomycin biosynthesis. Heterologous expression of the cluster in S. albus then induced the production of holomycin. Bioinformatics analysis of the gene cluster revealed that holomycin was assembled by a single multidomain non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) consisting of heterocyclization, adenylation, and thiolation domains (Cy-A-T), a free-standing condensation domain, two thioesterases, five tailoring enzymes involved in oxidative reactions and two regulatory and transcriptional genes. Knock out of the gene, HomI, completely abolished the production of holomycin, which is consistent with its role as a key biosynthetic gene and is likely involved in the formation of the disulfide bond generating the final precursor, holothin.
Keywords Dithiolopyrrolone Holomycin NRPS Heterologous expression Biosynthesis


Green infrastructure is a cost effective method to manage stormwater by preventing pollution of our waterways before it happens. NYC’s urban environment is lined with pavement, concrete, and empty roofs that drain rainfall immediately to sewers. In contrast, more porous surfaces, such as vegetated roofs, street trees, bioswales and rain gardens, can slow or capture stormwater before it enters the sewer system. These types of green infrastructure also have co-benefits, like filtering air and reducing local heat during the summer. When the community is a stakeholder in its development, green infrastructure can also mean green jobs and community cohesion.
Tell the Mayor to Cut the Crap and make green infrastructure a priority in NYC!
We’re at a pivotal moment for green infrastructure. NYC is currently not on track to meet its modest development goals. The City Council has held a hearing on new green roof legislation. Help us make sure this legislation creates opportunity, requirements and incentives for green roofs.


By Bill Hornbarger, Chief Investment Officer at Moneta
March marked the 10th anniversary of the low on the S&P 500 during the Global Financial Crisis. Since then, the index produced an annualized total return of 16.7% during one of the best-performing decades for risk assets returns on record.
The market rebound in late December last year continued through March, but relied heavily on confidence in central banks to contain downside risks of slowing global growth. The most significant risk to this rebound and low volatility is central banks losing control of this narrative.
In his recent 60 Minutes interview, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said, “Growth has slowed in some major economies.” At the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting in March, Fed policymakers signaled zero rate increases in 2019 and just one hike in 2020, down from the previous guidance of two hikes in 2019 and one in 2020. This change in forward expectations aligns interest rate expectations with the current, observed slower growth momentum. Federal fund futures signal an even more accommodative monetary policy stance, forecasting a full 25 basis point rate cut by year-end.
(see chart below)
While March provided plenty for investors to digest, risk assets proved resilient. Ongoing protests in France, uncertainty around Brexit, back-and-forth U.S.-China trade negotiations and weaker domestic growth and inflation data did not deter the rebound in risk assets.
The S&P 500 Index rallied 1.9% in March and now stands 20.6% above its December lows. The forward price-to-earnings valuation multiple on the S&P 500 Index increased 1.6 to 17.1 during the first quarter and explained a large portion of those returns.
As earnings season unfolds, it will be instructive to focus on earnings growth and compare full-year earnings guidance to current estimates. Bloomberg consensus estimates lowered their earnings growth forecast for 2019 from 8.1% to 2.4%, but those forecasts also call for approximately 2.0% margin expansion from 2018(1).
Corporate profit trends will be particularly important since recent bank lending surveys indicated tightening of lending standards. If lending standards do not ease quickly, corporations will need to offset higher borrowing costs by reducing capital expenditures, labor costs or cutbacks in other areas. While we expect corporate profit margins to fluctuate over short periods, we acknowledge they are currently high by historical standards in the face of a slower growth outlook.
In contrast to the risk-on sentiment in the equity market, returns in fixed income markets were consistent with mounting growth concerns. High yield credit spreads widened 0.1% to 3.9%, and the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 0.3% to 2.41%. The spread between two-year and 10-year U.S. Treasury yields fell 5.0 basis points to 13.9 in March.
This month, Fed policymakers outlined a roadmap for balance sheet normalization: slow the pace of reduction starting in May and conclude balance sheet reduction by the end of September. The yield curve continued to flatten in Q1. We believe inversion on the front end of the yield curve is still sending Fed policymakers a message that monetary conditions remain too tight.
While still a low probability, the yield curve could be signaling that monetary policy cannot generate sustained economic growth. For example, starting in mid-2018 (before the European Central Bank ended its asset purchase program), the rise in long-term Treasury yields began to slow as investors called the synchronized growth narrative into question. This indicates that accommodative monetary policy may need concurrent and forward-looking economic indicators to justify a further sustained rally in risk assets.
Market Outlook
Despite the rebound in equity valuations, we remain constructive on underlying fundamentals while acknowledging that elevated valuations likely reduce upside potential from here absent meaningful and sustained earnings growth.
Expectations still call for the U.S. economy to grow approximately 2.1% in 2019. Fed policymakers took steps at the March meeting to accommodate slowing growth momentum. Effects of fiscal and monetary accommodation are still working through China, and the European Central Bank recently announced a new term lending facility intended to spur loan growth in the region. Although the U.S.-China trade conflict remains fluid, U.S. officials extended the deadline for further negotiations. Both mounting populism in Europe and Brexit negotiations remain sources of headline risk for markets and bear monitoring.
Investors should be patient and adhere to a well-constructed, diversified investment portfolio anchored to their goals and time horizon. Despite elevated uncertainty, we do not find compelling reasons at this time to justify overriding our asset allocation methodology. While corrections like the one experienced in the fourth quarter of last year are unnerving, they are a natural part of the market cycle and often represent a process of resetting valuations.
Global Highlights
Market Snapshot
Fixed Income Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose and the yield curve steepened due to stronger-than-expected GDP data and diminished concern over tariff issues with China. High yield corporate bonds were the best performing fixed income asset class as lower quality credits continued to benefit from healthy risk appetites. Municipal bond prices benefitted from constrained supply. International unhedged and emerging markets debt posted negative returns as the U.S. dollar rallied. Equities U.S. equities continued their advance as fewer macroeconomic headlines resulted in positive sentiment. Growth broadly outperformed value during the month. Industrials, Utilities and Technology outperformed the broader index. Developed international equities advanced, but were subdued by weak economic data and concerns of slowing growth. Emerging market equities posted modest gains as attractive valuations and a backdrop of economic reforms in China supported returns. Real Assets Real assets were higher for the month with the exception of international REITs, which fell moderately due to global growth concerns. Commodities were the best performing real asset class for the month. Lower-than-expected oil supply was supportive for prices throughout the period. Master limited partnership (MLP) business ventures advanced modestly on higher oil prices, but mixed earnings reports, rising interest rates and pipeline delays muted returns. Financial Market Performance
1 Bloomberg © 2019 Moneta Group Investment Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. These materials have been prepared for informational purposes only based on materials deemed reliable, but the accuracy of which has not been verified. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. These materials do not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities, and do not take into consideration your circumstances, financial or otherwise. You should consult with an appropriately credentialed investment professional before making any investment decision.


Mr. Speaker, ten years after its first forum on women, the Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec is organizing its second gathering, this week, under the theme: "Power, a non-traditional job".
Aware of women's limited access to the various forms of power, the participants will cover four themes: women's ability to act in their personal lives, their perception of autonomy, political power and the economy.
Despite the vitality of the women's movement, women have yet to be recognized as a social force that cannot be ignored. Thérèse Casgrain deeply believed that women's power had to be gained alongside and not in opposition to men's. So, men will be invited to attend on the final day and take part in special workshops.
Women's power to be, act and imagine is a major asset to the development of our society. Women must take their rightful place.


Abstract
Cost-effective heat mitigation strategies are imperative for maintaining milk production and dairy farm profitability in the U.S. with projected climate change. This study investigated the cost-effectiveness of four heat abatement strategies, including Minimal (open barn or shading), Moderate (forced ventilation), High (fans and misting), and Intense (air conditioning). Heat stress and subsequent impacts on milk production per cow were predicted across nine climatic regions in the U.S. for early (2015 to 2034), mid (2045 to 2064) and late (2081 to 2100) 21
st century, using downscaled climate projections. Heat abatements were used to adjust predicted milk production losses and illustrate the potential to reduce milk production losses due to heat stress. Economic analysis included a cost-benefit ratio calculation associated with the implementation of each heat abatement. Results showed that milk production losses were expected to accelerate across the U.S. at a mean rate of 174±7 kg/cow/decade, with the fastest rate in the Southeast region. Relative to Minimal heat abatement, Moderate, High, and Intense heat abatements increased annual milk production per cow by 3%, 4%, and 6% during early-21 st century, 3%, 6%, and 11% during mid-21 st century, and 3%, 8%, and 21% during late-21 st century, respectively. The cost effectiveness of different heat abatement strategies generally increased with subsequently stronger heat abatements. In mid- and late-21 st century, mean annual net values of High and Intense heat stress abatement implementation approached -$30 to $190 /cow and -$20 to $590 /cow, respectively, with the largest net annual benefit in late-21 st century under Intense abatement. Findings from the study demonstrate the value of using downscaled climate projections to shed light on local and regional strategies to abate heat stress on cattle and mitigate potential milk production losses due to climate change.


Abstract
This study was designed to compare the interactions of IL-2 and IL-15 with the IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ
c subunits, as differences in receptor interactions between IL-2 and IL-15 might contribute to the functional differences between these two cytokines. The results suggest the existence of a human IL-15Rα subunit, although physical evidence of this molecule was not obtained. Proliferation of anti-CD3 (OKT3)-stimulated human PBL was compared for responsiveness to IL-2, IL-15, and F42K, an IL-2 mutant that does not bind the IL-2Rα chain. F42K was more potent than IL-15 in activating a dose-dependent response. This fact, along with Scatchard binding analyses of IL-15 on OKT3 blasts and YT cells revealing both high and intermediate affinity receptors, supports the existence of IL-15Rα on these cells. Additional characterization of the IL-15R utilized covalent cross-linking to affinity label IL-2R and IL-15R on YT cells and OKT3 blasts. Consistent with previously reported functional data, IL-2Rα was not co-precipitated from the [ 125I]IL-15 receptor-ligand complex, demonstrating that IL-15 does not interact physically with the IL-2Rα subunit. While IL-2Rα did co-precipitate with IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ c in the presence of IL-2, IL-15Rα did not co-precipitate with the IL-2Rβ/γ c complex. Finally, YT cells equilibrated with IL-2 and then precipitated through IL-2Rβ showed that IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ c co-precipitate in a 1:1 ratio, while only IL-2Rβ was found in the immunoprecipitates of YT cells equilibrated with IL-15. This indicates that IL-15 creates a less stable bridge between the IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ c chains than does IL-2 on YT cells. This result was identical for both surface-iodinated YT cells and immunoprecipitates that were probed for IL-2Rβ and IL-2Rγ c on Western blots.
Original language English (US) Pages (from-to) 1339-1348 Number of pages 10 Journal Journal of Immunology Volume 156 Issue number 4 State Published - Feb 15 1996 ASJC Scopus subject areas Immunology and Allergy Immunology


d'Arta trims 1.6MW of electricity with Demand Side Response Belgian food manufacturer embraces Demand Side Response to control costs and deliver on sustainability Offsetting rising electricity costs
The processing, deep-freezing and cold storage of vegetables uses huge amounts of energy, making it the largest monthly cost for d’Arta. To offset rising electricity costs, the business wanted to explore Demand Side Response (DSR).
Isolating flexible power
Together with the d’Arta team, REstore (now part of Centrica Business Solutions) performed an on-site DSR audit. This revealed the potential for 1.6 MW of power curtailment in three different cold storage rooms at the plant.
These heavily insulated warehouses have a substantial thermal buffer able to keep temperatures low for a few hours without the need for extra cooling. However, the audit also revealed the identified flexible power did not fully comply with the technical specifications imposed by the Transmission Supply Operator. To address this, Centrica Business Solutions demonstrated its value added as an aggregator by integrating d’Arta’s power curtailment potential in its broader portfolio of participating companies using its FlexPond™ platform.
The results
Through Centrica Business Solutions’ DSR programme, d’Arta is able to curtail 1.6 MW of electricity consumption and generate payments to offset rising electricity costs.
The project protects d’Arta’s production. Using highly automated food processing and logistics systems, d’Arta is able to produce and distribute over 4,000 pallets of ready-to-eat meals and packaged vegetables every week. Isolating the flexible power for DSR purposes from the freezer production lines enables d’Arta to maintain the cooling processes for both cold storage facilities and for the production lines in the same machine room.
The benefits aren’t just financial. The DSR solution lowers the company’s carbon footprint and helps to curb global climate change.
Why Centrica Business Solutions? Centrica Business Solutions respects pre-set conditions for curtailment at all times. There is no impact on production and high-quality standards are always maintained. Demand Side Response facilitates the further development of renewable energy. It lowers industry’s carbon footprint. It helps to curb global climate change. Demand Side Response generates significant recurring revenue. Industrial consumers can use these earnings to reduce their energy bill.


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You just acquired a peloton bike for your personal work out sessions. If you do not have a dedicated gym area, you would be wondering where to place it to get the maximum use of it while protecting your flooring.
So, can you place your peloton on the carpet?
The answer is yes. You can place your peloton on carpet, but making certain precautions such as placing some plywood underneath for stability, and adding a mat on top to protect your carpet from sweat.
This article discusses why you need a carpet/mat for your peloton and other related questions. Keep reading to learn more.
Why Would You Need A Carpet For Your Peloton?
If you do not have a dedicated gym area, it is recommended that you place your peloton on a carpet. Even with a gym area, it is still good that you purchase a dedicated peloton mat like this.
So, why is it wise to place a peloton on a carpet? First, we want to consider the question about flooring. Flooring is an expensive investment, and you must maintain it so that the floor can last for long looking as good as it was new.
That said, it would be insane to use a peloton on bare hardwood flooring, for instance. Pelotons can cause immense damage to the floor given the intense friction from the pedaling, chain drive spillages, and even dust buildup.
Discussed below are details of how the carpet will be of help.
As you move the bike around or pedal, the wheels will be spinning, causing a lot of friction and even scratches. If the bike is resting on a bare floor, be ready to see some scratches and dents, especially for hardwood and vinyl flooring. Thus, a carpet would come in handy in minimizing such damage. During the spinning, some dust might be produced, and at times, lubricants from chains may spill. It would be better if all these fell on the carpet, as opposed to falling directly on your expensive flooring. During the workout, a lot of sweating takes place. The carpet will come in handy in absorbing the sweat drops from falling on the bare floor and causing slipperiness. Given the noise produced when spinning the peloton, you may want an absorber so that you do not cause unnecessary disturbance. A carpet is a perfect noise absorber. Finally, bare floor may sometimes get slippery. To maintain balance while working out on a peloton, a carpet would be your perfect bet. It will give you safety, and especially with intense and pumped up workouts. What Precautions Should You Take While Using A Carpet?
When working out on a peloton placed on a carpet, you may notice some wobbling, especially when doing intense workouts. This is due to uneven carpet surface. However, do not worry, as there is a remedy.
You can place a plywood board under your peloton on the carpet. This will reduce the wobble significantly, and allow you to pedal smoothly without instances where you are forced to slow down.
Thus, even with intense workouts, vibrations on the floor are reduced significantly. Second, they provide your bike with extra cushioning, stability and noise reduction. Lastly, there is the question about protecting the carpet from sweat and wear and tear because of friction.
If you feel like using a mat and plywood at the same time is too much for you, you can still buy a heavy-duty mat. This one will play the role of both, although compared to the plywood it might be less stiff.
Are All Carpets Safe For Placing A Peloton?
We have seen that you can place your peloton on the carpet to protect the floor and for stability of the bike, as well as safety during workout sessions. However, not all carpets will have these provisions. Below are some considerations to make as you choose the right carpet for your peloton.
A thick carpet will do a good job at protecting your flooring. Additionally, it is more comfortable, does not curl up, and it always lays flat easily. Additionally, choose a sturdy and durable material that can withstand the wear and tear subjected to it from the peloton at work. The carpet should be large enough to accommodate your peloton. Luckily, once you have your peloton at home, figuring out the right size of carpet to buy will not be hard. Related Questions How can you make a peloton stable on the carpet?
A peloton placed on a carpet might not be completely stable because carpets may tend to have uneven surfaces. The best thing to do is place a plywood board on the carpet and a bike mat on the plywood before placing the peloton. This way, you won’t feel any wobbling.
Which room would be ideal for placing your peloton?
If you do not have dedicated gym space, you may face a dilemma on where to place your bike. You will want a room with less distraction so that you focus on your session. Whatever room you choose, a power socket should be near so that you do not overstretch your bike’s wires. Finally, choose a room with proper ventilation and air condition. You know why this is very important.


Qualifying For Social Security Disability With Psychological Problems? Question: One of my employees is having severe emotional problems that are interfering with his ability to do his job and get along with others. He told me he doesn’t think he can keep his job, based on his severe depression. Can people with psychological problems really qualify for Social Security disability benefits? Answer: The situation you are describing isn’t entirely uncommon. Over 25% of our nation’s adults struggle with mental illness. There are a significant number of individuals with severe mental impairments that find it nearly impossible to work due to their psychological instability.
Within South Florida, individuals diagnosed with a severe mental impairment, may typically experience problems interacting with other employees, following instructions, working long periods of time, and managing average stress on-the-job. If someone has been diagnosed with a mental impairment, he may be eligible to apply for Social Security disability benefits in Florida. However, navigating the procedures of the Social Security criteria is quite stressful and cumbersome process.
In this case, receiving Social Security disability benefits may be a possibility for someone who has a severe mental impairment. Contact the Law Office of David Benenfeld for a FREE consultation to help you with your claim. Call: 954-807-1334.


PURPOSE: Image acceleration provides multiple benefits to diffusion MRI, with in-plane acceleration reducing distortion and slice-wise acceleration increasing the number of directions that can be acquired in a given scan time. However, as acceleration factors increase, the reconstruction problem becomes ill-conditioned, particularly when using both in-plane acceleration and simultaneous multislice imaging. In this work, we develop a novel reconstruction method for in vivo MRI acquisition that provides acceleration beyond what conventional techniques can achieve. THEORY AND METHODS: We propose to constrain the reconstruction in the spatial (k) domain by incorporating information from the angular (q) domain. This approach exploits smoothness of the signal in q-space using Gaussian processes, as has previously been exploited in post-reconstruction analysis. We demonstrate in-plane undersampling exceeding the theoretical parallel imaging limits, and simultaneous multislice combined with in-plane undersampling at a total factor of 12. This reconstruction is cast within a Bayesian framework that incorporates estimation of smoothness hyper-parameters, with no need for manual tuning. RESULTS: Simulations and in vivo results demonstrate superior performance of the proposed method compared with conventional parallel imaging methods. These improvements are achieved without loss of spatial or angular resolution and require only a minor modification to standard pulse sequences. CONCLUSION: The proposed method provides improvements over existing methods for diffusion acceleration, particularly for high simultaneous multislice acceleration with in-plane undersampling.
Journal article
Magn Reson Med
07/2019
82
107 - 125
Gaussian processes, SMS, diffusion MRI, image acceleration, k-q reconstruction


Social isolation is a public health crisis. Social isolation is defined as an absence of meaningful social relationships. Studies have found the health risks of social isolation can be more harmful than obesity, and prolonged isolation is equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. In a united effort to help those affected, the foundations recently expanded
Connect2Affect.org, which was originally launched by AARP Foundation in 2016. The site offers resources to address social isolation, including an assessment that individuals can take to find out if they or a loved one are at risk for social isolation and get guidance on how to strengthen their social bonds.
Funded by AARP Foundation with the support of a grant from United Health Foundation, this report explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults of all ages, to understand levels of social isolation during the pandemic, and to assess knowledge of how social isolation can impact a person’s health.


It is challenging to experimentally define an energy landscape for protein folding that comprises multiple partially unfolded states. Experimental results are often ambiguous as to whether a non-native state is conformationally homogeneous. Here, we tested an approach combining systematic mutagenesis and a Brønsted-like analysis to reveal and quantify conformational heterogeneity of folding intermediate states. Using this method, we resolved an otherwise apparently homogeneous equilibrium folding intermediate of Borrelia burgdorferi OspA into two conformationally distinct species and determined their relative populations. Furthermore, we mapped the structural differences between these intermediate species, which are consistent with the non-native species that we previously proposed based on native-state hydrogen exchange studies. When treated as a single state, the intermediate ensemble exhibited fractional Phi-values for mutations and Hammond-type behaviors that are often observed for folding transition states. We found that a change in relative population of the two species within the intermediate ensemble explains these properties well, suggesting that fractional Phi-values and Hammond-type behaviors exhibited by folding intermediates and transition states may arise more often from conformational heterogeneity than from a single partial structure. Our results are consistent with the presence of multiple minima in a rugged energy landscape predicted from theoretical studies. The method described here provides a promising means to probe a complex folding energy landscape.


Description
One of the most significant social psychological studies was conducted on the heels of the Holocaust and the atrocities committed during that period in history. Social psychologists questioned how individuals could blindly follow an authority figure’s demands to inflict harm.
A brief summary of Milgram’s seminal research on obedience to authority. Describe Milgram’s methodology as well as his reults and his interpretation of those results. Discuss what current research has found regarding conforming to authority. Will individuals most tend to conform to authority? Why or why not? Does current research support or refute Milgram’s findings? Explain.


An uncommon situation unfolded recently as three local residents appeared to be targeted with paintball gun attacks. According to the Altoona Police Department, last week these three residents reported being shot by paintballs in three separate drive-by paintball shootings.
Over the course of one evening, the paintball attacks took place in three different locations. Twice, a person on a bicycle was targeted, with the third occurrence involving a pedestrian. The police reported that all three vehicles gave the same description of the SUV that the paintballs originated from, a silver-colored SUV.
While being shot with a paintball may not sound serious, being shot with a paintball, especially while biking can cause severe injuries. In addition to the soft tissue damage caused by the paintball’s impact, the impact could cause the bicyclist to lose control and crash. These crashes can cause abrasions, broken bones, head injuries, and even death.
For example, commenters on the Altoona Police Department’s Facebook page say that the first teenager went to the emergency room because of the injuries she sustained in the attack. The Altoona Police Department are still investigating this incident, and there has been no official update on this victim’s condition.
The perpetrators will likely be charged criminally, but it is through a personal injury lawsuit that these three victims can receive compensation for their injuries, even emotional, that resulted from these drive-by attacks. This is why, once the perpetrators are identified, these three victims should file a personal injury lawsuit against all the individuals involved.
Depending on the circumstances, the shooter or shooters, the driver, and possibly even those in the vehicle may all be liable to these victims. The key will be identifying the facts of who did what, and then filing the lawsuit against all those involved.
The Altoona Police Department ask the public to call them if they have any information on any of these incidents or on the silver-colored SUV. And, once the perpetrators are caught, the victims of these incidents should seek to recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit.


Shareholder Disputes Unfortunately, shareholder disputes are a common part of business, but they don’t have to be debilitating to your enterprise. If you have a shareholder agreement in place, you’re already in a more positive position to resolve issues, but whether you do or not, you still may face the decision on whether to institute […]
Widerman Malek Law Blog
In a perfect world, businesses would run seamlessly, shareholders would always agree on decisions, and there would never be legal actions based on claims between and among those who hold shares in the same enterprise. Alas, we do not live in a perfect world, and shareholder disputes are unfortunately a reality in many companies, large […]
Having a solid foundation is crucial to any business, and in the context of enterprises that have shareholders, one of the key components of that foundation is a shareholder agreement. In short, yes, you need one. A shareholder agreement is a voluntary and consensual contract among and between those individuals who hold shares in the […]


Improving primary care for patients with chronic illness is critical to improving healthcare quality, value and patient experience. Primary care providers are participating in several new payment models that emphasize quality and value. However, little is known about whether and how participation in these programs affects care delivery, specifically for patients with chronic needs.
Dori Cross, an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, worked with a team of researchers to conduct in-depth interviews with 14 primary care practices participating in value-based payment models. The findings were recently published in the journal
Healthcare.
Of those interviewed, half of the practices had improved patient outcomes over time for their chronic disease patients (based on administrative claims data) and half did not.
Researchers identified several strategies that differentiated practices with improved performance for chronic disease patients. Practices had to balance immediate care delivery needs while also creating new adaptive structures and processes to better respond to changing pressures and demands.
Key strategies generated long-term value to practices by strengthening:
- access and receptivity to new ideas for care delivery through external learning opportunities;
- efforts to foster intrinsic motivation among providers and staff;
- pursuit of new staffing and workflow models that integrated care management while delegating administrative requirements to external supporting organizations.
"Practices are serving an increasingly complex population while simultaneously complying with numerous new service and documentation requirements under value-based program models," said Cross. "Those successful at improving outcomes for chronic disease patients under these models did so by pursuing a culture of change, with strategies that emphasized adaptiveness and creative use of resources."
These findings help inform payers and primary care practices seeking evidence-based strategies to foster a stronger delivery system for patients with significant healthcare needs.


The verb gustarhas a special structure in Spanish, and it forms a part of one of the grammatical subjects that presents the greatest problem for students, since it does not bear any grammatical similarity to English.
One of the first things that we learn in a new language is how to express likes and dislikes. "I like Spanish," "I like the culture," "I like how it sounds," or "I like to travel around South America" are some of the most common answers to the question "Why are you learning Spanish?"
We use the verb
gustar to express desires, dislikes, interests, preferences, and feelings.
A normal statement in Spanish is formulated by a
Subject + Verb + Complement.
For example,
Yo corro en el parque- I run in the park Ella come una hamburguesa- She eats a hamburger
With the verb
gustar, the most important difference is that subject personal pronouns ( yo, tú, el, ella, usted, nosotros, nosotras, ustedes, ellos, ellas) are . Instead, it is necessary to use the corresponding indirect object pronouns not used (IO)for each person, preceded by the preposition "a."
The structure is as follows:
Indirect Object Pronoun (IO) + Gustar (in the 3rd person) + Complement
For example,
A mí- I like ice cream me gustael helado A ti- You like Italian food te gustala comida italiana
With the verb
gustar we need to differentiate between singular and plural objects. When the object is singular, we use gusta, and when it is plural, we use gustan.
For example,
A mí- I like the book me gustael libro A mí- I like the books me gustanlos libros A ellos- They like the dog les gustael perro A ellos- They like dogs les gustanlos perros A nosotros- We like the beach nos gustala playa A nosotros- We like the beaches of Mexico nos gustanlas playas de México
We can also state that we like an activity with the form
gusta.
For example,
A mí- I like to eat ice cream me gustacomer helado A ustedes- You all like to listen to music les gustaescuchar música A nosotros- We like to run in the park nos gustacorrer en el parque And what do you like?


Millennials and Digital Communities Reshaping the Legal Profession in 2018 Date:February 26, 2018
What’s Reshaping the Legal Profession in 2018?
Granted, we are only two months into the new year. While there aren’t specific shakeups that haven’t already been identified in 2017, this year will be marked by two key shifts: 1) Millennial Attorneys, 2) Digital Communities
Millennials (aka, individuals born between roughly 1980 and 2000) are literally taking over the world in 2018. They now makeup the largest generation — 92 million strong in the United States. Clients and colleagues are going to have to learn to live with them.
These legal professionals will be entering the workforce in their early to mid 20s through their early 30s. This new generation holds entry-level associate, paralegal, law clerk and legal support positions in law firms, corporate legal departments, the government and other practice environments. Despite the many negative stereotypes, law firm supervisors have found millennial attorneys to be smart, creative, optimistic, achievement-oriented and tech-savvy. Distinct from the Generation X attorneys, millennial attorneys are marked by a unique desire to seek supervisors and mentors to engage in their professional development. Key factors to consider:
Millennials multi-task, communicate through email and text, and are accustomed to web-based delivery systems for CLEs and trainings. They will Google you, your clients…and everything. Pay attention to your digital footprint and digital presence. Millennials enter the legal practice anticipating demanding hours and billable hour quotas—what they expect that is different from previous generations of attorneys is a greater sense of flexibility and autonomy. They expect access and feedback—more than previous generations of attorneys, they want it more than just during their formal reviews and evaluations. Digital Communities have opened entirely new networks for lawyers to engage with. Networks have always been critical for lawyers. Being connected with different communities help lawyers find clients, make referrals, share insights, seek mentors, and develop personally as professionals.
LinkedIn and other platforms (including platforms created by bar organizations) enable lawyers to not only look each other up, but to connect in new and meaningful ways.
Digital communities also mean that there are entire networks of valuable information, now stored online in various quantities and qualities. Savvy lawyers should take advantage of this explosion of information and data.
Data now includes paper documents, electronic documents, emails, text messages, and social-media postings—generating about 2.5 exabytes daily—much of which is now stored virtually. This means that understanding and leveraging technology to protect information, to go through the discovery process, secure information, or to communicate privately will all require a new approach. Lawyers willing to embrace the latest technologies and innovations may find new opportunities in eDiscovery.


Better Listening & Communication
Given the fact that one political party has held the governorship and a super majority in both legislative chambers for many years, Utah is effectively a one-party-rule state. This has led to a lack of accountability which is typically exercised by opposing parties in a healthy multi-party system. One symptom of this is the failure of leaders to act for the benefit of all voters instead of their extreme base. With no fear of viable general election opponents, they only need to fear extreme challengers from within their own party.
The Legislature’s recent actions surrounding tax reform is a perfect examples of this. While tax reform was clearly necessary, a substantial increase in sales taxes on groceries was widely unpopular. The Legislature decided to ignore public sentiment and passed it anyway with little attempt to educate the public or involve them in the decision making process. This resulted in a grass-roots revolt in the form of a citizen referendum that forced the Legislature to walk away from tax reform sporting a historically low approval rating.
What Can Be Done? Elect moderate candidates such as from the United Utah Party that can appeal to broad swaths of the Utah electorate and end one-party rule Demand better communication and responsiveness from Legislators by utilizing citizen initiatives and referendums when necessary


Other parts of this series: Insurers and brokers can take three steps to implement effective sanctions risk strategies and support growth.
In our previous post, we discussed Know Your Customer (KYC) processes in insurance and pain points from a financial crime (FC) perspective. We highlighted key challenges and pain points in protecting insurers, brokers and customers from FC risks.
This post discusses in more detail how firms can enhance their current processes, better identify and mitigate risks for new or existing customers and how effective use of third-party vendors can provide increased benefits. Together, these measures can help insurers properly identify and mitigate potential sanctions and FC risks, supporting growth underpinned by effective compliance.
Improving processes
A key reason for process and data inefficiencies within insurance is the wide variation in processes between brokers and insurance providers.
Solving this data problem can increase opportunities for automation, reducing inefficiencies and manual error. This in turn can support automated controls for insurers, permitting faster tracking of changes to customer accounts and support better identification of emerging risks.
Automated processes, combined with data hygiene, allow the real-time controls necessary to support digital FC controls, including sanctions screening, where incorrect information can cause delays, increase false positives or obscure true positive matches on your books.
1 Introducing innovation
In addition to improved processes, new innovative tools currently used to identify and mitigate FC risks can be applied to insurance as well. These tools cover three areas: Onboarding, ongoing customer KYC screening and FC threat identification. Screening for Sanctions, Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and Adverse Media, a key part of KYC processes is one such opportunity area. As discussed in our related post on screening, name matching, tracking appropriate lists automatically and appropriate alerting to focus on true matches are important elements in effective processes.
Whereas tools today may require manual effort to complete screening and discounting, innovative alliances like Ripjar Ltd can help automate this process, speeding time to screen for Sanctions, PEPs or Adverse Media risk, removing false positives and allowing insurance compliance teams to more effectively identify and mitigate risk.
Leveraging intelligent operations
In some instances, insurers and brokers may find it more effective to leverage efficient third parties to conduct their KYC, escalating alerts requiring business review or approval, and completing the process on their behalf. Accenture’s Compliance as a Service (CaaS) model is an effective tool for companies looking to outsource elements of their compliance monitoring, investigations and reporting services. Such a model delivers cost-effective risk management using intelligent operations, mitigating risk while allowing firms to continue their focus on strategic growth.
Insurers and brokers face evolving FC risks due to the nature of their products and services. To better face these risks, firms have an opportunity to improve their anti-FC processes, leveraging innovative tools or working with innovative vendors and alliances. Leveraging the improvements from these changes can help insurers and brokers continue to secure their businesses in a cost-effective manner, without sacrificing adherence to regulatory requirements.
Accenture’s experience in process transformation and anti-financial crime, with its ecosystem of innovative vendors and relationships, is well positioned to help the industry identify potential risks to their firms and to customers.
To find out more on the topic or how Accenture can help you strengthen your financial crime capabilities please contact one of our authors.
Reference “Accenture 2019 Global Risk Management Study – Insurance Report,” Accenture, November 2019. Access at: https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/financial-services/insurance-global-risk-study.


When connecting your Gusto and ZipBooks accounts, you may have noticed that contracted workers did not sync between the two apps. This is because 1099 contractors are handled differently than traditional employees—here's a little background:
When distinguishing between employees and contractors, there’s more to consider than hours and pay schedules. Employees can be part-time and contractors can make more than salary. The IRS distinguishes between the two by whether the payer “has the right to control how the worker performs the services” or just to direct the result. Employees, essentially provide their services under direction. They receive W-2s as their year-end tax forms and are typically hired indefinitely. Independent contractors, also frequently called “freelancers” or "1099s" (because of the tax forms they receive), are hired to do a particular job or project. They are in control of how, when and where they perform their work, though the employer can accept or reject the result. They are professionals paid an agreed-upon rate for a particular service, and they do not receive a salary or employee benefits. Think graphic designers, copywriters, photographers, web developers, and event planners. Note: If any of your ZipBooks team members are already listed in Gusto as Contractors, select "Don't add to Gusto" to avoid duplicates.


Uber on Thursday reported that it lost $1.1 billion in the newly ended quarter as the pandemic walloped its ride-hailing business while boosting its food delivery service.
Revenue in Uber’s mobility unit was down 53 percent from the same quarter last year, while money taken in from Uber Eats, which includes delivering restaurant meals or other orders, more than doubled, according to the San Francisco-based company.
The third-quarter loss was marginally more distinguished than in the same period last year.
“Despite an uneven pandemic response and broader economic uncertainty, our global scope, diversification, and the team’s tireless execution delivered steadily improving results,” chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi stated in an earnings release.
Uber shares that had been buoyed by the triumph of an initiative that lets drivers remain classified as independent contractors in California wobbled in aftermarket trades before edging slightly higher.
Demand for rides directly correlates to pandemic lock-down restrictions in cities, and Uber’s mobility and delivery units are positioned to take advantage of returns to pre-virus lifestyles, Khosrowshahi said in an earnings call.
“Uber is becoming the go-to app for getting around or getting something delivered to your door in 30 minutes,” Khosrowshahi stated.
The global COVID-19 pandemic has set back Uber’s efforts to drive into profitability, but executives announced they remain optimistic.
“As consolidated growth returns, it will return to a more profitable foundation,” stated chief financial officer Nelson Chai.
Uber’s future was brightened this week with the passage of a California referendum allowing it and other “gig economy” operators to keep their contractor-driver business model.
The measure known as Proposition 22 effectively overturns a state law that would require the ride-hailing firms and others to reclassify their drivers and provide employee benefits.
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Abstract
To address the illicit cigarette trade, the European Union (EU) has signed agreements with the four major Transnational Tobacco Companies (TTCs) that involve establishing extensive systems of cooperation. All agreements foresee two types of payments: annual payments (totalling US$ 1.9 billion over 20 years) and supplementary seizure payments, equivalent to 100% of the evaded taxes in the event of seizures of their products. While limited by the fundamental lack of transparency in this area, our analysis suggests that these agreements have served largely to secure the TTCs' interests and are threatening progress in tobacco control. The seizure payments are paltry and a wholly inadequate deterrent to TTC involvement in illicit trade. Despite the agreements, growing evidence indicates the TTCs remain involved in the illicit trade or are at best failing to secure their supply chains as required by the agreements. The intention of the seizure-based payments to deter the tobacco industry from further involvement in the illicit cigarette trade has failed because the agreements contain too many loopholes that provide TTCs with both the incentive and opportunity to classify seized cigarettes as counterfeit. In addition, the shifting nature of cigarette smuggling from larger to smaller consignments often results in seizures that are too small to qualify for the payments. Consequently, the seizure payments represent a tiny fraction of the revenue lost from cigarette smuggling, between 2004 and 2012, 0.08% of the estimated losses due to illicit cigarette trade in the EU. Our evidence suggests the EU should end these agreements.
Original language English Pages (from-to) 254-260 Journal Tobacco Control Volume 25 Issue number 3 Early online date 28 May 2015 DOIs Publication status Published - May 2016 Keywords illicit cigarettes


Homepage At a Glance
The
Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) provides funding to support key initiatives of the University of Virginia’s 2030 Plan. Originally developed in 2016, the SIF provides funding that currently supports 48 distinct awards totaling just under $640 million dollars since inception. Projects will be selected for funding by the SIF Oversight Committee (SOC) through two mechanisms: a formal proposal and review process, and by opportunistic investment to support the strategic plan.
The SIF award funding is approximately evenly divided among three categories: research and research infrastructure, academic excellence, and access and affordability. A resoundingly successful component of the SIF program involves matching awards, including, in particular, the Bicentennial Scholars and the Bicentennial Professors Funds. Over sixty percent of the SIF funds awarded to date are being matched to varying degrees by philanthropic gifts dedicated to these two programs, thereby increasing the return on investment.
The projects that are funded by the SIF undergo periodic post award assessment by the Post-Award Assessment Committee (PAC) to ensure programmatic due diligence and adherence to the highest standards of stewardship and fiduciary responsibility.
Supporting the vision for a great and good University
In 2019, the University's Board of Visitors approved a proposal that the
Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) be used to fund the University’s 2030 strategic plan.
The
2030 strategic plan is built around four goals: Strengthen the foundationof the University by both attracting talented and diverse students, faculty and staff, and supporting them. Cultivate a vibrant communityand build connections with our neighbors, alumni and more. Enable discoveries“that enrich and improve lives” by becoming an international leader, supporting interdisciplinary work, and “approaching all learning as an opportunity for discovery. “ Make UVA synonymous with service” by offering a great value to our students, providing affordable health care to our community and leading economic development. For additional information, please email [email protected]


The New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) has extended emergency regulations issued in March requiring insurers to waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and for all telehealth services during the current emergency.
Originally set to end last week, these cost-sharing waivers have now been extended until at least September 9, 2020. DFS guidance reflecting the extended dates can be found here.
GNYHA appreciates DFS’s actions to facilitate improved access to these important services.


DUMP TRUCK INSURANCE
Dump truck coverage falls under the general category of commercial vehicle insurance. Like any commercial vehicle, owners of dump trucks are required to have liability insurance coverage before these trucks can be legally driven or used for jobs.
This coverage is particularly necessary as mishaps in these heavy-duty vehicles can lead to extensive damages. Because dump trucks are intended mainly for off-road use, their design is often such that a collision with a car can have deadly results. In fact, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports an average of one dump-truck related fatality every week in the United States.
What Does Dump Truck Insurance Cover?
A basic commercial dump truck insurance policy will provide the mandatory coverage required to operate these commercial vehicles. This includes the minimum bodily injury and property damage liability coverage amounts required by state law.
To ensure that your finances are secure and that your business is properly covered, you may want to consider building a basic commercial vehicle policy. Most commercial truck insurance companies provide the following additional coverage options that you can include in your dump truck policy:
Non-trucking insurance: This coverage is designed for independent owner/operators with contract jobs. It provides liability insurance if you should be involved in an accident in your truck during off-work hours.
Motor truck general liability insurance: This coverage will protect you from liability for damage you cause to your customer’s property while operating your vehicle on their grounds.
Physical damage insurance: This additional coverage provides compensation for any damage to your dump truck, and is usually required by dealerships if you are leasing your vehicle.
Motor truck cargo insurance: If the cargo you will be hauling on your truck is valuable, you may be required to carry motor truck cargo insurance.
Collision insurance: This will cover the repair of damage to your dump truck if you collide with another vehicle or object.
Fire and theft insurance: This comprehensive insurance will provide compensation for damages to your vehicle from fire or theft.
Environmental insurance: This insurance will cover certain pollution-related losses and fines and the costs for restoration and clean-up, if necessary.
Rental reimbursement / downtime insurance: If your truck is damaged in an accident, this coverage will allow you to continue your business operations while your truck is being repaired or will cover business losses if continuation is not possible.
Off-season comprehensive only insurance: If your business is seasonal, this will save you money while protecting your vehicle while it is not in use.


FamilyMart Malaysia is supporting the movement to reduce food wastage with a commendable initiative called Do Good Save Food. Shoppers can enjoy 25% off selected items when purchasing on the same “Best Before” date from 4pm to 11.59am. The promotion is applicable at all outlets.
However, the romotion is not in conjunction with other promotions or discounts in store and cannot be used together with other coupons /vouchers.
The implementation of sustainable business practices have become important as consumers are increasingly judging companies by how sustainable they are.


Reptiles represent a phylogenetic lineage that provides a unique link between ectothermic anamniotes and endothermic amniotes. Compared to mammalian and avian species, our understanding of the reptilian immune system is greatly lacking. This gap in knowledge is largely due to an absence of established immune-based assays or specific reagents for these species. In the present study, brown watersnakes () were live-captured in the wild, sexed, weighed, measured, bled via the caudal vein, and released. At 24 hr post-collection, peripheral blood leukocytes were enriched and evaluated with an established mammalian lymphocyte proliferation assay. Snake peripheral blood leukocyte enrichment yielded >90% lymphocytes with viabilities averaging 81.5%. Baseline physiologic data for , including hematology and total solids, leukocyte differentials, cell recovery, and plasma biochemistry, were also collected. Cells cultured with Concanavalin A exhibited significantly increased proliferation at both 72 and 96 hr. These preliminary results show that enriched peripheral blood from wild-caught provides a sufficient yield of leukocytes that can be cultured and functionally evaluated using a standard mammalian immune-based assay.
References
PubMed


Aseptic Non Touch Technique (ANTT) is a unique Clinical Practice Framework for ensuring high standards of aseptic technique and has been shown to help reduce Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI).
ANTT is used for all invasive procedures from major surgery to community care. It has become the most widely used standard for aseptic technique in healthcare internationally and is being established as a universal practice language for aseptic technique.


A polyimide is a specific type of polymer produced from diamines and dianhydrides. Polyimides may be thermoplastic, with a high melt viscosity requiring high pressure to form molded parts. Polyimides may also be thermosetting, whereby imide oligomers are crosslinked into a three-dimensional network. Leading markets segment for polyimides include molding resins, films, fibers, advanced composites, wire enamels, foams, coatings and adhesives.
Due to the excellent electrical and physical properties, polyimides are used in aerospace, electronics, automotive, and various other industrial applications. Electronics is the fastest-growing end user segment for polyimides and this trend is anticipated to continue in the future. Polyimide films are used to make flexible printed circuits for laptops, smartphones, tablets, wearables and other devices. Transparent polyimide films are of interest as it will be a substitute for substrates in flexible, lighter-weight flat panel displays, imaging sensors, solar cells, and other products.
According to Gen Consulting Company, global polyimide market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.2% during the forecast period 2020-2026. The polyimide market is segmented on the basis of product, application, and region. The report offers a breakdown of market shares by product, including PI Film, PI Resin, PI Foam, PI Fiber, PI Varnish. By application, the polyimide market is classified into Aerospace, Electronics, Automotive, Industrial. On the basis of region, the polyimide industry is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America and MEA (the Middle East, and Africa). North America dominates the global demand for polyimide and this trend is anticipated to continue during the forecast period. As the third largest polyimide market in the world, Asia Pacific is showing the fastest growth rate primarily owing to huge demand in China.
By Product:
- PI Film
- PI Resin
- PI Foam
- PI Fiber
- PI Varnish
By Application:
- Aerospace
- Electronics
- Automotive
- Industrial
By region, the market is analyzed across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and South America. This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional & country level from 2020 to 2026.
- North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico, etc.)
- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, etc.)
- Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia, Spain, etc.)
- Middle East & Africa (Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, Nigeria, UAE, Israel, South Africa, etc.)
- South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, etc.)
The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the polyimide market. Some of the leading players profiled in the report include:
- Boyd Corporation
- CEN Electronic Material Co. Ltd
- Changchun Hipolyking Co., Ltd.
- Changshu Zhongxun Space Flight Insulating Material Co. Ltd
- Compagnie de Saint-Gobain S.A.
- Du Pont-Toray Co., Ltd.
- DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
- Ensinger Sintimid GmbH (HP Polymer Inc.)
- Evonik Industries AG
- Gabriel Performance Products, LLC
- Guilin Electrical Equipment Scientific Research Institute Co. Ltd.
- HD MicroSystems, LLC.
- Hipolyking Polyimide Materials Co. Ltd
- Honghu Shuangma Advanced Materials Tech Co., Ltd.
- Huawei Polyimide Co., Ltd.
- Huntsman Corporation
- I.S.T Corporation
- Imitec, Inc.
- Jiangsu Aoshen Hi-Tech Materials Co., Ltd.
- Jiangsu Shino New Materials Technology Co., Ltd.
*list is not exhaustive, request free sample to get a complete list of companies
The base year of the study is 2019, and forecasts run up to 2026.
Research Objective
- To analyze and forecast the market size of global polyimide market.
- To classify and forecast global polyimide market based on product, application, and region.
- To identify drivers and challenges for global polyimide market.
- To examine competitive developments such as mergers & acquisitions, agreements, collaborations and partnerships, etc., in global polyimide market.
- To conduct pricing analysis for global polyimide market.
- To identify and analyze the profile of leading players operating in global polyimide market.
The report is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as manufacturers and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities. Key target audience are:
- Manufacturers of polyimide
- Raw material suppliers
- Market research and consulting firms
- Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers
- Organizations, forums and alliances related to polyimide


Abstract
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia worldwide associated with significant morbidity and mortality and represents a significant health care burden. Goals of AF treatment include prevention of cardioembolic stroke using anticoagulation and device therapy and restoration of sinus rhythm using antiarrhythmic drugs or catheter ablation techniques. A comprehensive assessment of cardiac chamber size and function is often started with echocardiography as a first line diagnostic imaging strategy. Recently, innovations in advanced imaging using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and cardiac computed tomography (CCT) provide a detailed characterization of atrial anatomy and have been shown to accurately exclude thrombus and guide left atrial appendage (LAA) closure or catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation. Compared to echocardiography, CCT offers an uncompromised spatial resolution and a fast dataset acquisition, with the disadvantages of the need of iodine contrast agent and radiation exposure. CMR, conversely, can rely on very high temporal resolution, the unique feature of tissue characterization and the absence of radiation exposure. However, the main drawbacks of this diagnostic tool are long scan times and low availability. This review will illustrate the vital role of multimodality cardiac imaging in the accurate identification of left atrial, pulmonary vein and LAA size and function, discuss advanced imaging techniques to rule out thrombus and highlight novel CMR and CCT techniques to guide catheter ablation of AF and LAA occlusion.
ASJC Scopus subject areas Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine


Twenty-eight personal data breaches have been reported to The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) in the last two months up to 13 December 2018.
The number of breaches has increased slightly, when compared with the previous reporting period of 26 reported breaches over the two months up to 18 October. The increase is likely due to two factors: firstly, organisations are increasingly more aware of their legal obligation to report breaches; and secondly, certain organisations have erred on the side of caution by reporting incidents that do not necessarily meet the breach classification criteria.
The ODPC encourages all local organisations to continue with this cautious approach as this provides valuable intelligence to the real-world risks faced by local organisations.
Most incidents reported to the ODPC were low-level with no further action required. However, the ODPC has a heavy caseload of ongoing investigations into breaches and complaints that do require significant further inquiry.
As with the previous reporting period, there have been a number of incidents where hackers have gained control of email accounts using social engineering techniques.
Guernsey’s Data Protection Commissioner, Emma Martins commented on the role of breach reporting and organisations’ duty to consider the people affected.
‘We continue to see local organisations engaging in their legal obligation to report data breaches to our office. This is an essential aspect of compliance as it requires organisations to proactively engage with the risks they face in protecting people’s personal information. It also ensures they robustly consider the impact a breach may have on the people whose data has been affected.’
The ODPC uses the breach report information received to shape activities, particularly its communications strategy and regulatory action plan. Understanding where organisations are vulnerable enables the ODPC to target its resources in the most effective way.
The ODPC is working to improve its online breach reporting mechanism and has asked for any comments to be submitted via enquiries@odpc.gg.
— Personal data breach: legal criteria A personal data breach is defined in section 111(1) of the Law as any incident that meets the following criteria: “ a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed”.
There will likely be a breach whenever
any personal data is accidentally lost, corrupted or disclosed, or if someone accesses it or passes it on without proper authorisation to do so.
However, organisations do
not have to report any incidents that meet the above criteria if the incident is ‘unlikely’ to result in a risk to the ‘significant interests’ of any person whose data has been affected by the incident. It can be difficult, and sometimes inappropriate, for organisations themselves to judge whether there is a risk to a person’s significant interests, so the ODPC encourages all incidents to be reported. ‘Significant interests’ explained A person’s ‘significant interests’ are defined in our local Law as any aspect of their life that could be put at risk due to their personal data being breached. This could include their physical safety, their reputation, and could extend to placing them at risk of identity theft, fraud, financial loss, psychological distress or humiliation. Action points for organisations after a personal data breach: Read: ODPC breach reporting guidance document(includes checklists and templates); Let ODPC knowthe breach has occurred – via the secure online breach reportingmechanism; Take steps to limit the damage. Where appropriate, advise any person who received data in error that they should delete the data and must not make use of or disclose the data to anyone else; Consider whether it may be necessary or appropriate to report the breach to any other regulatory or law enforcement agency; In some cases you will need to notify the personwhose data was disclosed in the breach; Ensure your organisation reviews and learnsfrom what has happened. Action ODPC take following a reported breach: They recordthe breach, securely and confidentially, and assessits severity; They contact the organisation to confirm receiptof the breach report and discuss what happens next(each report is assessed on a case by case basis); Where necessary the ODPC may need to communicatewith other data protection authorities, if the breach is likely to affect people outside of the Bailiwick.


Singapore, 8 September 2020–TIBCO Software Inc., a global leader in enterprise data, empowers its customers to connect, unify, and confidently predict business outcomes, solving the world’s most complex data-driven challenges. Today, TIBCO announced a three-year collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering Universitas Indonesia. This program will provide students with the technology skills to develop their data science skills and prepare them for future career success.
Through this collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering UI, TIBCO is equipping students with core data analytics skills that are a fundamental become requirement of the next generation’s workforce. “As organisations in Indonesia, and across the region, continue to move ahead with digital transformation, the need for highly specialized skills in data science grows. We see our collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering UI as mission critical in addressing the future data talent gap,” explained Nick Lim, TIBCO, general manager, Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ).
“TIBCO recognizes the need to empower students by developing their critical data skills that will prepare them for meaningful and productive careers in engineering, management, data analytics, and systems design. Through the TIBCO Academic Alliance, we provide the technology to spark learning and innovation in classrooms, and prepare the workforce of tomorrow.”
TIBCO and the Faculty of Engineering UI see this collaboration as an opportunity to train up to 500 students of from the industrial engineering major and will eventually include students from other faculties within UI. The program offers students school-based workshops and hands-on practice using cutting-edge technologies including TIBCO Spotfire®, offered for free through TIBCO’s Academic Alliance initiative.
“This collaboration with TIBCO is in line with our commitment to academic excellence through private sector collaboration with leading technology companies, as we strive to maintain leadership in the global academic environment. Integrating academic learning with real-world practice is part of our overall efforts to nurture future-ready graduates,” said Amalia Suzianti, Head of Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering UI. “With our partnership with industry experts such as TIBCO, we are optimistic that this innovative program will further strengthen our high-quality education for our students and provide them with the data analytics skills needed in today’s business environment.”
TIBCO has a strong record of successful engagement with schools across the Asia Pacific region at post-secondary levels. These include collaborations with Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, and Institute of Technical Education in Singapore.


Waste Separation Fans
ACI is helping many companies with innovative solutions to recycling issues, particularly in the area of waste separation.
For example, a waste separation fan placed horizontally across a drop enables all ‘light’ material to be caught by the airflow and blown into a collection bin on the opposite side of the conveyor. From wood fibres that are manufactured into paper and glass to metal materials which are melted and formed, ACI waste separation fans are compatible in various applications used in the recycling industry.
Additionally air knives can be employed during the separation of aluminium from non-conductive materials. Their purpose is to boost the flight of the conductive aluminium as it is ejected by the electric field created by the eddy current device (positives repelling each other) beyond a separating baffle. This greater distance of travel ensures a more positive separation of materials to achieve a cleaner end product.
Blowers are commonly used to separate lights within recycling processes


"as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue..." (2 Peter 1:3) (Ephesians 1:3) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:21) "Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours..." God has given you everything you require to live victoriously and be successful in life. Meanwhile, in our opening verse, we see something very important: it's about your knowledge of Him. There's nothing you could ever need or desire for a godly life that's not already yours in Christ. However, making it a reality in your life is a function of your knowledge of Him.
This kind of knowledge is full, exact knowledge (
"epignosis" in the Greek). God's provisions aren't going to come to pass in your life because they're written in the pages of the Bible. There's a knowledge of Him that you must have-- knowledge that unites the knower with that which is known-- knowledge that's beyond the senses, knowledge that's specific and without assumptions.
Something so beautiful and powerful about knowing Him is that not only do you get to know and appropriate all that He's given to you, you also get to know yourself.
The more you know Him, the more you know you. He mirrors you. His Word mirrors you. In Him, you see you. You can never really know yourself as God knows you until you know Him. He made you! Only He knows what's inside you and what you're capable, only He can reveal who you are to you.
The way to get to know Him, and to discover yourself, is to study and meditate on the Word.
(2 Corinthians 3:18) "But we all, seeing the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, as in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord." Search and discover who you really are by looking into the mirror of God by getting to know the Lord. The moment you get a hold of what the Word says is yours, or who the Word says you are, respond by affirming accordingly. That's how you endorse His Word into manifestation in your life. Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for giving me everything I need for a godly life of success and victory in this world. I'm full and loaded with blessings. As I look into your Word, I'm transfigured. You're glory is revealed in and through me, in Jesus' Name. Amen. Further Study: Philippians 3:10; John 10:15


How we influence far and wide Corporate Dojo's distinctive philosophies and approach to enhancing people leadership regularly attracts the attention of key media outlets seeking an expert opinion. Here are just some of them: How to get the hiring process right
Employing the wrong person can make a leader's job harder and affect a team's productivity. Here are seven tips to ensure you make the right choice.
Reflect for a moment on when you have made hiring mistakes. What were the consequences of bringing the wrong person or people into your team? If you get hiring decisions wrong, your job is made significantly harder as you fix challenges created by poor behaviours or bridge gaps due to inadequate capability.
Hiring the right person starts with a commitment to selecting candidates who are clearly aligned with your organisation's values. If a candidate's thinking and approach have a detrimental effect on the spirit, engagement or performance of the rest of your team, hiring them comes at a big cost. Be disciplined and patient as you search for the right person who brings the character traits that will enable them and your team to thrive.
Here are seven tips to help you get the hiring process right:
1. Ask the right questions
2. Use collective wisdom
3. Assess a candidate's career aspirations
4. Look beyond your interview
5. Reverse the reference check process
6. Be diligent about probation
7. Fail fast


Abstract : Neurons receive a large number of active synaptic inputs from their many presynaptic partners across their dendritic tree. However, little is known about how the strengths of individual synapses are controlled in balance with other synapses to effectively encode information while maintaining network homeostasis. This is in part due to the difficulty in assessing the activity of individual synapses with identified afferent and efferent connections for a synapse population in the brain. Here, to gain insights into the basic cellular rules that drive the activity-dependent spatial distribution of pre- and postsynaptic strengths across incoming axons and dendrites, we combine patch-clamp recordings with live-cell imaging of hippocampal pyramidal neurons in dissociated cultures and organotypic slices. Under basal conditions, both pre- and postsynaptic strengths cluster on single dendritic branches according to the identity of the presynaptic neurons, thus highlighting the ability of single dendritic branches to exhibit input specificity. Stimulating a single presynaptic neuron induces input-specific and dendritic branchwise spatial clustering of presynaptic strengths, which accompanies a widespread multiplicative scaling of postsynaptic strengths in dissociated cultures and heterosynaptic plasticity at distant synapses in organotypic slices. Our study provides evidence for a potential homeostatic mechanism by which the rapid changes in global or distant postsynaptic strengths compensate for input-specific presynaptic plasticity.


Situations that call for crisis communications can be stressful, complex and on-going. Those factors make this a vital time for an organization and its brand; and the right message can make the difference to the health of your image and reputation.
As organizations become more proactive in their continuity planning, many have embraced the role of communications in their preparation. These groups have also come to understand that fully managing a situation includes a solid crisis communications strategy as a vital part of the process. As professional communicators work on such events, one of the top decisions they’ll help you make will be picking your spokesperson.
Selecting an appropriate spokesperson for a crisis situation is not always cut-and-dry. During a major event, you want to have the right spokesperson for the situation.
Here are a few things to consider when choosing a crisis spokeperson: Organizational structure:Think about the way your organization is structured. Is it a smaller, tight-knit family business? Or is it a large organization with multiple layers? As a general rule of thumb, the larger the organization, the more options you’ll have. Proper level:Each issue that an organization faces has different levels of scrutiny. The specific situation will help you to determine the spokesperson based upon their perceived status. You can potentially diffuse or enflame a situation by selecting the correct or incorrect representative for the situation. Credibility:When selecting a spokesperson for a situation, your crisis communications team should consider an individual’s subject matter expertise. Your first inclination may be an adept speaker however, if he or she knows very little about the topic, you may want to reconsider. An expert will not only be more credible with content, but will also be better able to handle follow-up or unplanned questions. Escalation:In a situation, you should be mindful of a worst-case scenario. Information or events can change, putting your organization’s credibility at further risk. You should always consider giving your organization the potential to change or elevate your spokesperson if necessary.
Selecting a spokesperson in a crisis communications situation is often multi-faceted decision. It is strongly encouraged that organizations build these considerations into their crisis communications plan to remove stress and demonstrate internal transparency as to why you’ve chosen a specific spokesperson instead of others.
Situations which require crisis communications can be stressful and demanding. That’s why having a solid plan with defined roles in place prior to a situation can remove stress and be the difference between success and failure during a high-profile event.
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Jeff Christensen serves as M3’s Client Communications Advisor. He has worked with organizations to help them plan for and handle crisis communications for the past fifteen years.


Xarelto (rivaroxaban) is prescribed for the treatment or prevention of blood clots. Xarelto is a blood thinner that can also be used for the treatment of deep vein thrombosis and atrial fibrillation. There is currently no generic version of Xarelto available in the United States or at PharmacyChecker-accredited online pharmacies.
People can easily save money on Xarelto 15 mg by comparing Xarelto prices at Canadian and international online pharmacies with discount prices available at U.S. pharmacies in your neighborhood. Xarelto sold in the U.S. is manufactured in Germany or the U.S. (Puerto Rico).
The total price includes shipping fees which typically cover an entire order, making it more economical to purchase multiple medications in the same order.
U.S. government officials have stated that individuals who order non-controlled prescription drugs from Canada or other foreign sources (up to a three-month supply) for their own use are not being pursued or prosecuted - although it is technically not legal for individuals to import most prescription drugs. The U.S FDA regulates the safety and efficacy of medications sold in U.S. pharmacies. Medications dispensed from outside the U.S. are regulated for safety and efficacy by pharmaceutical/pharmacy regulatory authorities in other countries. Read how regulations may differ by country.


Many people become interested in edibles because they don’t enjoy the harsh experience of smoking or are worried about the long-term health concerns associated with it. Vaporization is another health-conscious alternative commonly recommended, but edibles can oftentimes provide longer-lasting relief to chronic symptoms like pain, often making them a preferred choice for medical patients.
Each Laughing Monkey Edibles Bag Contains:
6 PC
150 MG Total 25MG Per Piece


Circumcision: Benign Physical Findings
During the assessment of a newborn whose parents have requested circumcision, the examiner often encounters findings that, although not dangerous, cause concern or questions.
Many of these findings are benign and do not present a contraindication to circumcision, but any finding in the perineal area should be thoroughly assessed before the procedure is considered.


Marine strategy framework directive: Defining joint monitoring opportunities for the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, through dedicated decision making workshops and innovative policy tools [in Marine Policy] Marine Policy, Volume 67, May 2016, Pages 76–82
Abstract:
The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) is an important milestone for the preservation of the European marine environment. However, Member States can find its monitoring requirements challenging, particularly where it regards the definition and implementation of joint monitoring programmes between neighbouring countries. The challenges are even greater in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, where many countries are not members of the European Union and where Regional Sea Conventions face greater difficulties in coordinating monitoring activities. This paper presents the results from two regional workshops, within the framework of IRIS-SES project, which aimed to inform policy- and decision-makers in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea on what key stakeholders, including scientists, academia and local authorities, consider the main gaps, needs and opportunities for the MSFD joint monitoring regarding eutrophication and contaminants. It shows that a bottom-up approach, guided by structured workshops, can be a successful means of enhancing cooperation.
Click on the image below to access the full paper.


At the time, Mullis was manually synthesizing oligonucleotide probes to help detect a sickle cell anemia mutation. He had grown tired of the laborious, error-prone manual approaches required to amplify and detect target genes and was contemplating ways to ease the mundanity of his work. In what has been described as an “ah ha!” moment in his silver Honda Civic, Mullis conceived of a method that relied on a cascading biochemical reaction that split (denatured) target DNA segments, which would then be combined (annealed) with complementary primers and then enzymatically processed by a DNA polymerase to create new DNA templates (this cascading reaction resulting in polymerized target DNA become known as a “Polymerase Chain Reaction” or “PCR”).


Regardless of what industry you work in, one thing that you likely know well is that your peers, acquaintances, and clients may not always agree with you. With so many different people and unique minds in the world, it’s unfathomable to imagine that everyone will agree and get along. With this in mind, an essential skill in the realm of business is dispute resolution.
This entails defusing a tense situation between two parties, understanding their problems, and finding a solution that is appropriate for the situation.
Business disputes are a regular occurrence and it’s only a matter of time before you face one yourself. How you respond will have a significant impact on the outcome, your relationship with the other party, and your reputation.
To ensure that you know your options when handling a business dispute, we’ll explain the primary methods used to manage disagreements below.
Mediation: A relaxed approach.
The most relaxed approach to dispute resolution is mediation. This is the most informal style and works best for basic misunderstandings. A good example of this would be figuring out how much you and another party should pay for a minor accident that you both contributed toward.
With mediation, there’s an understanding that you want to continue a healthy working relationship with the other party.
However, there are clear differences and it’s difficult to see who is right and what is fair.
Mediation involves a third party known as a mediator. This person will listen to both sides of the story and facilitate discussions between you.
A mediator is fantastic for helping guide you to a common ground. They do not decide for you, nor can they force you to follow through with the decision you agree upon.
This is typically the first step in resolving business disputes. If you can’t work things out with another party through mediation, then you’ll need to escalate the formality level.
Arbitration: A less formal approach.
Taking things a step further, you can use arbitration to resolve a dispute.
Arbitration is much more formal than mediation, making it ideal for situations with conflicts of interest and politics. There is often less of a concern on maintaining a relationship with the other party and more of a focus on being on the favorable end of the outcome.
When pursuing arbitration, a third party is also involved. The key difference here is that this third party is an authority figure. This means that they will make the decision, which will be binding. You and the other party will submit your case, including any relevant evidence. The arbitrator will serve as a judge and pass a sentence that is often unappealable.
While arbitration is similar to litigation, arbitration is far quicker and a more private process. This makes it a great choice for businesses looking to maintain their reputation.
Litigation: A more formal approach.
Should you require legal intervention, litigation will be the method employed.
This is often the most expensive, draining, and time-consuming way to handle a dispute. It is the most formal strategy and involves the court system.
Like arbitration, litigation seeks to find a ruling on the situation. It’s typically reserved for fairly hostile situations that cannot be managed with less formal styles of dispute resolution.
Litigation involves a third party serving as a judge. Additionally, a jury panel will also sit in and listen to the case. Both parties will collectively pass a judgment, which often makes the ruling impartial. Court cases take several months and even years to complete. Between scheduling appearance dates, gathering, submitting, and reviewing evidence, listening to testimonies, and managing delays, there’s a lot to work through and it will inevitably take time.
You should always aim to avoid using litigation whenever possible. Other dispute resolution techniques are often cleaner, easier, cheaper, and less stressful to deal with.
Mixed strategies: A combined approach.
The three methods mentioned above are the main techniques used to resolve business disputes. They vary in severity, how the issue is approached, and how enforceable the outcome is. While these three set the standard for business disputes, several mixed strategies exist that use a combination of mediation, arbitration, and litigation.
A few of them include a minitrial, summary jury trial, renting a judge, and negotiations. While not all strategies are effective for every situation, it’s smart to try whatever you can to keep a dispute out of court, so no one wastes their time and money on an easy resolvable case.
Mediation and arbitration are not always successful, but litigation is often unappealing. This is why mixed strategies have been created to help offer more opportunities to quell a dispute.
Consider your unique situation and what it requires for resolution. Find a strategy that suits your situation well for a quick and painless solution.
Closing thoughts
Business disputes are a normal part of operating a business. Misunderstandings and mistakes are easy to make, but sometimes disagreements require a third party for resolution.
Because of this, you should understand what the main strategies for business dispute resolution are. This includes mediation, arbitration, litigation, and techniques that are some combination of the three or several mixed strategies.
While disputes are certainly a hassle, they don’t need to be a big deal. If you’re prepared to handle any disagreement that comes your way, any misunderstands that happen in the future will be easily squashed and everyone can happily return back to their work.