The DCYA-led Temporary Wage Subsidy Childcare Scheme (TWSCS) was launched on 15 April as a unique, sector specific response to the COVID-19 crisis. While the scheme was being developed, preliminary payments were paid in advance to providers to enable them to retain their staff and cover some overhead costs. These preliminary payments were primarily based on pre-covid staffing levels. It emerged subsequently that such staffing levels were not maintained by some providers and this has resulted in excess funding.
A letter was issued to providers by Pobal on 16 September informing of their overpayment status and set out how proposed recoupment of the excess funding will take place.
The TWSCS rules made clear the purposes for which this sector specific funding was intended for. Excess funding provided was required to be returned to the Exchequer at the earliest opportunity. Many services will therefore still have the excess amount in their accounts and be in a position to repay it when requested. Some providers have expressed a wish to return the excess funding immediately and structures are in place to facilitate this.
My Department, in recognition of pressures the providers are facing in trying to safely reopen have allowed a “grace” period by delaying the recoupment process until November. This will give providers an opportunity to manage their cashflow requirements in the coming weeks.
My Department has worked closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it is not possible from an Exchequer perspective to extend repayment into another financial year, except of course in exceptional circumstances as discussed below.
It is acknowledged that some providers may require special or alternative arrangements due to ongoing cashflow difficulties. My Department is prepared to be flexible in supporting providers who may struggle with recoupment and Pobal will be available to work closely with these providers.
If a provider continues to experience ongoing viability issues, my Department has recently launched a new Sustainability Fund. This will assist providers (not-for-profit and for-profit) struggling with an imminent threat to the viability of their service arising from the COVID-19 Pandemic. In the meantime my Department encourages providers seeking further advice and support to contact their City/ County Childcare Committee in the first instance.
It is worth noting that in 2020, it is estimated that an additional €180m, above and beyond the childcare budget, will have been invested in the sector. Also, for the first 3 months of 2021 alone, the EWSS will be worth €63m to providers, again on top of their usual Departmental payments. Intensive and very successful efforts have been made by the Department to boost the income of providers in recent years with the 141% increase in investment in the sector. This has enabled services to grow from an average size of 33 places to 47, to access subsidies for twice the number of children as before, to access increased ECCE capitation payments, free CPD for staff, Programme Support Payments worth at least €19m per annum and extra capital investment, for example.
My Department remains committed to supporting services to provide accessible, affordable and high quality services to children and families.


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The article 'Protected by pluralism? Grappling with multiple legal frameworks in groundwater governance' written by Ms. Kirstin I. Conti and Prof. Joyeeta Gupta has been published in the scientific journal 'Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability.' The article is in its special issue on sustainability science - legal pluralism and deals the consequences of legal pluralism for groundwater access, allocation and sustainability. Kirstin Conti is PhD Researcher at IGRAC and Joyeeta Gupta is Professor of Environment and Development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and UNESCO-IHE. Protected by pluralism? Grappling with multiple legal frameworks in groundwater governance
Note: The following text is abstracted from the article
"Groundwater constitutes approximately 97% of the world's non-frozen freshwater resources. Every country has groundwater and there are 608 transboundary aquifers. Over half of the world's population uses groundwater for its daily needs and over 40% of agriculture is irrigated by groundwater. Groundwater sustains groundwater dependent ecosystems and buffers against climate change and variability. However, groundwater governance is sporadic and disjointed. Therefore, in this article it is examined through the lens of legal pluralism.
Approach
Current literature is reviewed and norms for groundwater governance are presented at each geographic level along with American, European, Asian and African examples. This is a new exploration of legal pluralism and its consequences for groundwater access, allocation and sustainability. It shows that challenges regarding scope, jurisdiction and application of norms manifest themselves in legal-plural regimes with differing consequences: groundwater degradation and problems of access and allocation on the one hand and improved, coherent governance structures on the other."
Highlights Legal pluralism sometimes contributes to groundwater depletion or user conflicts. In other instances pluralism can lead to improved, coherent governance structures. Scope/jurisdiction issues are often indifferent or accommodating. Sovereignty/access/allocation issues tend to compete. Several norms are supported mutually in formal laws, but sometimes lack enforcement.


Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience
Visual perception seems continuous, but recent evidence suggests that the underlying perceptual mechanisms are in fact periodic—particularly visual attention. Because visual attention is closely linked to the preparation of saccadic eye movements, the question arises how periodic attentional processes interact with the preparation and execution of voluntary saccades. In two experiments, human observers made voluntary saccades between two placeholders, monitoring each one for the presentation of a threshold-level target. Detection performance was evaluated as a function of latency with respect to saccade landing. The time course of detection performance revealed oscillations at around 4 Hz both before the saccade at the saccade origin and after the saccade at the saccade destination. Furthermore, oscillations before and after the saccade were in phase, meaning that the saccade did not disrupt or reset the ongoing attentional rhythm. Instead, it seems that voluntary saccades are executed as part of an ongoing attentional rhythm, with the eyes in flight during the troughs of the attentional wave. This finding for the first time demonstrates that periodic attentional mechanisms affect not only perception but also overt motor behavior.


Currently, there are no specific treatments recommended for illnesses caused by COVID-19.
For most people, the treatment is the same for flu, which includes over the counter cough/cold and fever medicines. However, for people who get sicker, like with pneumonia, treatment in the hospital is to support the patient’s body functions till the patient recovers.


A growing trend in the hotel industry is the addition of “market” areas within hotels, where guests can purchase a variety of items, including microwave meals, snacks and beverages. If a hotel wants to sell alcoholic beverages from its market, it must hold a liquor license. New York’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Law does not currently have a mechanism for licensing these “markets,” but there are ways hotels in the state can obtain a liquor license for these areas.
If a hotel holds a hotel liquor license, which is common in a full-service hotel, it may apply for an additional bar license to sell alcoholic beverages in its market. In a hotel with a liquor license, guests are permitted to take alcohol to their rooms and other areas of the hotel to consume. Guests, however, cannot leave the hotel with wine or hard liquor purchased in the hotel, although they can take beer off the premises.
If a hotel does not hold a liquor license, as is typical in limited-service hotels, it may apply for a liquor license specifically for the market. This type of license requires that the hotel sell food items in the market and provide seating within it or adjoining it. To meet the minimum food requirements, the offerings must be more substantial than chips and crackers, and can include such things as microwave meals, soups, salads and sandwiches. While beer may be taken out of the market area or an adjoining seating area included within the licensed premises, wine and liquor must be consumed in the market/seating area.
Please note that the sale of wine and/or spirits in hotel markets has one additional requirement: Hotel employees must “serve” the wine and/or spirits to guests (i.e., uncork the wine or pour/mix spirits).


Malaria is among the leading cause of infection in individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD) living in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. However, after 2005 the standard treatment guidelines (STGs) on malaria chemoprevention for SCD patients were non-existent, and at present no medicine is recommended for SCD patients. Since several anti-malarials have been approved for the treatment of malaria in Tanzania, it is important to establish if there is a continued use of chemoprevention against malaria among SCD children.
sub-Saharan Africa
Plasmodium vivax infection is rising in sub-Saharan Africa, where Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more than 90% of malaria cases. While P. vivax is identified as a major cause of severe and cerebral malaria in South east Asia, the Pacific and South America, most of the severe and cerebral cases in Africa were attributed to P. falciparum. Cases of severe malaria due to P. vivax are emerging in Africa. A few severe P. vivax cases were reported in Eastern Sudan and they were underestimated due to the lack of accurate diagnosis, low parasitaemia and seldom use of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs).
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are increasingly being used to address a diverse range of biological and epidemiological questions.
Parasite resistance against anti-malarial drugs is a major threat to the ongoing malaria control and elimination strategies.
Unlike the case in Asia and Latin America, Plasmodium vivax infections are rare in sub-Saharan Africa due to the absence of the Duffy blood group antigen (Duffy antigen), the only known erythrocyte receptor for the P. vivax merozoite invasion ligand, Duffy binding protein 1 (DBP1).
Populations in sub-Saharan Africa have historically been exposed to intense selection from chronic infection with falciparum malaria.
Malaria remains a major global threat to human health and economic development.
While the importance of understanding human-vector interaction is well-established, relatively few studies have included human behaviour when measuring exposure to malaria vectors.
The present study gave the first molecular evidence of P. vivax in Nigeria in Duffy negative individuals.
In sub-Saharan Africa, inherited causes of anemia are common, but data are limited regarding the geographical prevalence and coinheritance of these conditions and their overall contributions to childhood anemia.


Abstract
The difference between transcriptional and translational activities of genes is one of the remarkable features in spermatogenesis. In this study, we characterized MIF4GD (MIF4G domain containing), a possible translational regulator, to uncover the function during rat spermatogenesis. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of two forms of MIF4GD with molecular sizes of 25 and 16 kDa in various tissues including the testis. An additional 20-kDa form of MIF4GD was also found exclusively in the testis. These three proteins were abundantly present in pachytene spermatocytes and haploid spermatids. Importantly, the 16-kDa MIF4GD was distinguished from the 25- and 20-kDa proteins by presence in fractions of 40S subunits and ribosomes of spermatogenic cells according to analysis of subcellular localizations. These results suggest that the 16-kDa MIF4GD may function as a translational regulator in spermiogenesis.
Keywords Rat Spermatogenesis Translation regulation ASJC Scopus subject areas Animal Science and Zoology


The tutorial is intended primarily for beginners, but it will also beneficial to experimentalists who understand electroencephalography and event related techniques, but need additional knowledge in annotation, standardization, long-term storage and publication of data.
Introduction to the first phases of EEG/ERP data lifecycle
EEGLAB is an interactive Matlab toolbox for processing continuous and event-related EEG, MEG and other electrophysiological data incorporating independent component analysis (ICA), time/frequency analysis, artifact rejection, event-related statistics, and several useful modes of visualization of the averaged and single-trial data. EEGLAB runs under Linux, Unix, Windows, and Mac OS X.
This lecture focuses on how the immune system can target and attack the nervous system to produce autoimmune responses that may result in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis and lupus cerebritis manifested by motor, sensory, and cognitive impairments. Despite the fact that the brain is an immune-privileged site, autoreactive lymphocytes producing proinflammatory cytokines can cause active brain inflammation, leading to myelin and axonal loss.
JupyterHub is a simple, highly extensible, multi-user system for managing per-user Jupyter Notebook servers, designed for research groups or classes. This lecture covers deploying JupyterHub on a single server, as well as deploying with Docker using GitHub for authentication.
This talk highlights a set of platform technologies, software, and data collections that close and shorten the feedback cycle in research.


Tax revenues in African countries, on average, have remained at the same level during 2018 for the fifth consecutive year, with the ongoing COVID-19 crisis expected to significantly reduce public revenues across the region, according to a new report.
The 2020 edition of
Revenue Statistics in Africa shows that the average tax-to-GDP ratio for the 30 participating countries remained unchanged for the fifth consecutive year, at 16.5%. With countries facing high levels of uncertainty due to the ongoing pandemic, African governments will need to carefully sequence their efforts to secure fiscal space for a strong and inclusive recovery and, once the health and economic crises are under control, mobilise additional domestic revenues to meet longer-term objectives.
The report, launched on Thursday during a virtual event, identifies a wide variation between the level and trajectory of public revenues across the 30 participating countries, including Chad, Lesotho, Malawi and Namibia for the first time. Tax-to-GDP ratios ranged from 6.3% in Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria to 32.4% in the Seychelles. The tax-to-GDP ratio exceeded 25% in four countries (Morocco, Seychelles, South Africa and Tunisia) and was less than 10% in five (Chad, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria).
Between 2010 and 2018, the Africa (30) average tax-to-GDP ratio increased by 1.4 percentage points (p.p), with most of the growth occurring between 2010 and 2014. By comparison, the tax-to-GDP ratio in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) rose by 1.9 p.p. to 23.1% while the OECD’s average rose by 2.0 p.p. to 34.3% between 2010 and 2018. The report shows how taxes remain the largest source of public revenues in Africa and are typically more stable than non-tax revenues: average non-tax revenues fell from 8.3% to 6.5% of GDP between 2010 and 2018 due to declines in natural resource revenues and grants.
Taxes on goods and services were the main source of tax revenues among Africa (30) countries, accounting for 51.9% of total tax revenues on average in 2018; value-added tax alone accounted for 29.7% of total tax revenues. Revenues from corporate income tax, which tends to be more volatile than other taxes, are also high in Africa relative to other regions, at 19.2% of total taxation compared to 15.5% and 9.3% in the LAC and OECD areas, respectively. By contrast, social security contributions and personal income taxes are comparatively low in Africa.
The report contains a special feature about domestic resource mobilisation during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This examines the fiscal policy responses of countries to the pandemic and explains the importance of continuing support for households and businesses as fiscal positions allow, ensuring the effectiveness of these measures through appropriate targeting, and of monitoring their impact. It also discusses the potential contribution of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to the region’s resilience and economic recovery.
Revenue Statistics in Africa is a joint initiative between the Centre for Tax Policy and Administration of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the OECD Development Centre, the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) and the African Union Commission (AUC), with technical support from the African Development Bank (ADB) and the Cercle de Réflexion et d’Échange des Dirigeants des Administrations fiscales (CREDAF). The 2020 edition received financial support from the governments of Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom.


Overview
My research at Cardiff University is focussed on identifying environmental triggers that induce Cyanobacterial production of Geosmin. Geosmin is a naturally occurring metabolite that imparts unpalatable earthy and musty flavours to drinking water, costing the UK water industry over £200 million per annum to treat. Current monitoring of Cyanobacterial Blooms only indicates a proxy for biomass, which doesn’t correlate with the Geosmin release. During my PhD I aim to establish a link between nutrient dynamics and Geosmin synthetase activity within drinking water reservoirs. Allowing a more pre-emptive model to be implemented to prevent future Geosmin problems.
Research Thesis Environmental triggers for geosmin production in freshwater ecosystems Funding source
GW4 FRESH


twitter.com/Amgen
www.amgen.com
headcount: 21,500
Year Established: 1980
Revenues: $23,747 (+4%)
Net Income: $8,394 (NM)
R&D: $1,182 (+13%)
TOP SELLING DRUGS
Drug
Indication
2018 Sales
(+/-%) Enbrel rheumatoid arthritis $5,014 -8% Neulasta chemotherapy induced neutropenia $4,475 -1% Prolia bone cancer $2,291 16% Aranesp chemotherapy induced anemia $1,877 -9% Xgeva bone cancer $1,786 13% Sensipar/Mimpara renal disease $1,774 3% Epogen anemia $1,010 -8% Kyprolis multiple myeloma $968 16% Nplate immune thromboytopenia $717 12% Vectibix colorectal cancer $691 8%
While Amgen’s newer drugs Prolia, Xgeva, Blincyto, Kyprolis continue to drive growth, its mature flagship products are facing rising competition. Sales of Neulasta and Neupogen are declining due to biosimilar competition from several companies, including Mylan and Coherus BioSciences. Several others face generic competition as well, including Enbrel, Aranesp and Epogen. Meanwhile, sales of Amgen’s new migraine drug, Aimvoig, were unimpressive in the first quarter of 2019, and it’s up against strong competition from Lilly’s Emgality and Teva’s Ajovy.
Amgen is successfully advancing its pipeline with the approval of osteoporosis drug Evenity in April, and Kanjinti, a biosimilar of Roche’s breast cancer drug Herceptin, in June. This is the third biosimilar from Amgen’s portfolio to receive approval, providing the potential for long-term revenues. Amgen expects to launch additional biosimilars in 2019.
As part of an effort to bolster its R&D efforts, Amgen recently offered to acquire Nuevolution, a drug discovery platform biotech company based in Denmark, for approximately $167 million. The Nuevolution board has recommended accepting the offer and Amgen expects to settle by July 15. The two companies have collaborated since October 2016 for drugs targeting multiple indications including two cancer programs. Having Nuevolution’s discovery platform in-house may aid Amgen’s discovery efforts for small molecules against difficult-to-drug targets and make the process more efficient.
Additionally, to further enhance its manufacturing capabilities, Amgen is expanding its campus in West Greenwich, RI with a new $160 million next-gen biomanufacturing plant that will be the first of its kind in the U.S. It will manufacture products for the U.S. and global markets. Amgen plans to incorporate multiple innovative technologies into a single facility, which is expected to be built in half the construction time with approximately half of the operating cost required of a traditional plant. Next generation biomanufacturing plants require a smaller manufacturing footprint offering environmental benefits such as reduced water and energy consumption, and lower levels of carbon emissions.
Among its more significant approvals, Amgen and UCB gained FDA approval for EVENITY for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women at high risk for fracture. EVENITY is the first and only bone builder with a unique dual effect that both increases bone formation and to a lesser extent reduces bone resorption (or bone loss) to rapidly reduce the risk of fracture.
In October, the FDA approved the expanded indication for KYPROLIS to include a once-weekly dosing option in combination with dexamethasone for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The approval was based on Phase III data demonstrating that KYPROLIS achieved superior progression-free survival and overall response rates, with a comparable safety profile, versus twice-weekly. The FDA reviewed the application under its Real-Time Oncology Review and Assessment Aid pilot programs, which aim to explore a more efficient review process to ensure that safe and effective treatments are available to patients as early as possible.
Also, Amgen’s BLINCYTO gained approval for relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Japan, and an expanded indication as a monotherapy to include adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome negative (Ph-) CD19 positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) by the European Commission. Developed by a joint venture between Amgen and Astellas Pharma Inc., BLINCYTO is the first-and-only bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) immunotherapy construct approved globally. It’s also the first approved immunotherapy from Amgen’s BiTE platform, an approach that helps the body’s immune system target cancer cells.
Amgen and its biosimilar partner Allergan, recently received approval from the FDA for Kanjinti, a biosimilar of Roche’s breast cancer drug, Herceptin, for all approved indications of the reference product, HER2 adjuvant and metastatic breast cancer, and HER2 metastatic gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Since December of last year, the FDA approved four biosimilar versions of Herceptin including Kanjinti: Pfizer’s Trazimera, Merck/Samsung Bioepis’ Ontruzant, and Celltrion/Teva’s Herzuma).
Kanjinti is the third biosimilar from Amgen’s portfolio to receive approval in the U.S. and Europe, joining Amjevita (a biosimilar of Abbvie’s Humira) and Mvasi (a biosimilar of Roche’s cancer drug Avastin). Currently, Amgen has 10 biosimilar products in its portfolio and a biosimilar version of Johnson & Johnson/Merck’s Remicade (ABP 710) is under review in the U.S. and EU.
The collaboration with Allergan includes the development and commercialization of four oncology antibody biosimilars. A biosimilar version of Roche’s Rituxan is in late-stage development for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis.
Innovative oncology efforts are advancing as well. Amgen recently reported early data from a Phase I trial of AMG 510 showing promising activity in a study of 35 patients targeting one of the most commonly mutated genes in cancer. Analysts are suggesting it has the potential to be the next cancer blockbuster. Out of 10 lung cancer patients receiving Amgen’s AMG 510 in the early-stage study, five went into partial remission and another four saw their disease stabilize. One patient experienced a complete remission four months after treatment. Representing a 90% disease control rate which is quite remarkable for a Phase I trial.
MG 510 targets KRAS G12c mutation, which accounts for about 13% of non-small cell lung cancers and 3% to 5% of colorectal cancers, and has been the subject of research for decades. While Amgen’s results in colon cancer were less robust, it’s still too early to tell.
Furthermore, several interesting early research collaborations are underway. Most recently, a collaboration with Intermountain Health aims to rapidly develop new medicines. Amgen’s subsidiary deCODE genetics will have access to the genomes of 500,000 participants from a study carried out by Intermountain Healthcare. Amgen hopes to use this data to uncover new insights into specific diseases and develop new medicines that reach the right disease targets. The collaboration aims to improve success rates and reduce drug development cycle times. To date, Amgen has accelerated the development timeline from early preclinical work through clinical development with several of its molecules, including AMG 510, currently in Phase I.
In October, Amgen made an equity investment of $66 million in Oxford Nanopore Technologies, a UK-based company advancing a new generation of portable genetic sequencing technology to perform direct, real-time sequencing of DNA and RNA. deCODE Genetics uses Oxford’s sequencing technologies to conduct genome research, including the identification and validation of new targets. The investment aligns with Amgen’s strategic focus on using human genetics to develop new medicines.


When smart care management teams and coaching are actively linked in the clinical setting, improved outcomes result. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the culture of many practices, disrupted earlier adopted workflows and often created different contexts for coaching engagement. Yet, the intent and commitment to quality care remain top priority for virtually every practice.
The Clinical Health Coach partnered with HealthTeamWorks to offer a care management practice improvement webinar to address key issues facing many teams in clinical settings. In this webinar the seasoned HealthTeamWorks faculty, Diane Cardwell, MPA, NP, PA-C and will engage your interest and guide your exploration around the key objectives detailed below.
Learning Objectives


Plant Pono, an environmental agency working with local farmers, aims to curb the spread of invasive plants and support native Hawaiian plants.
Plant Pono is an environmental agency working with local farmers to regulate the distribution of Hawaiian plants. The Big Island Invasive Species Committee (BIISC) oversees the Plant Pono program on the Big Island. BIISC and Plant Pono endorse companies that promote sustainable landscaping to prevent the spread of invasive species. Many believe that the distribution of invasive species such as Coqui Frogs and Fire Ants is accelerated by invasive plants.
Waimea grower
Kari Hagerman of Pomaikai Plant Company has developed a two-step process to address this issue:
First, they (plants) are quarantined and tested for ants and frogs in Hilo before they are put on the truck. Then after they are delivered to the nursery in Waimea, they are quarantined and tested again.
The Pomaikai Plant Company refuses to market any of their produce until it has been officially declared pest-free.
Other Plant Pono farmers prevent the spread of invasive species on an individual scale. Farmers market vendor
Michael Gibson of Elemental Foods always carries peanut butter with him to use as bait for invasive Fire Ants on his plants. All Plant Pono farmers are deeply committed to the Plant Pono initiative and prove that any contribution, no matter how small, is important in preventing the spread of invasive species. Brad Belmarez of Aikane Nursery acknowledges the destructive capacity of invasive species and the ecological benefits of native Hawaiian plants. Belmarez encourages the use of native plants in local Hawaiian landscape and works with his customers to identify suitable plants for specific environments. Belmarez comments:
Most people don’t know much about native plants, or how well adapted they are to our local conditions.
Belmarez and other Plant Pono farmers recognize the adaptive advantages native plants have over other species. Selecting a Hawaiian plant positively contributes to the overall health of the natural environment by ensuring that limited natural resources are utilized by native plants and not exploited by invasive species. Some farmers like Michael Gibson recognize the integral role native plants play in establishing a relationship between people and the land. By supporting Hawaiians in reconnecting with the land, Plant Pono is creating a more sustainable future for Hawaii.
Plant Pono has also created public platforms so that Hawaiians can individually contribute to invasive species prevention. BIISC and Plant Pono have compiled a list of over 775 invasive plants to avoid planting, including New Zealand flax, Mexican Flame Vine, Night Blooming Jasmine, and the Australian Tree Fern. Plant Pono has also developed the Hawaii Pacific Weed Risk Assessment, a screening process that calculates the potential risk of introduced and invasive species. If a plant scores a 6 or higher it is considered a threatening species.
Programs such as Plant Pono show that working taking action within small communities to mitigate invasive species impacts can truly make a meaningful difference.
New Research Points the Way for Invasive Species Management - August 8, 2017 Seed Bank in Hawai’i Protects Native Plants - July 28, 2017 Sydney Welcomes Back the Brown Antechinus - July 18, 2017 Little Spotted Kiwis To Return Home - July 13, 2017 Big Island Recruited for Long-term Climate Change Research - July 6, 2017 Hawai’i Community Responds to Little Fire Ants - July 6, 2017 North Brother Island: Small but Significant - June 30, 2017 The Snake Curtain: Cuban Boa Demonstrates Cooperative Hunting - June 28, 2017 Protecting the Endangered Northern Brown Kiwi - June 9, 2017 Sticky: Rediscovering the Lord Howe Stick Insect - June 5, 2017


As far as energy-efficient HVAC installation in Columbia, there’s great news for your family at tax time.
The Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit has been extended through 2020. This can qualify you for incentives for energy-efficient home enhancements, like modern heating and cooling equipment, water heaters and heat pumps.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
To qualify for the reduction, the house must be the taxpayer’s main residence in the USA. The improvement must have a life of at least five years, with the first use originating with the taxpayer.
What Kinds of Changes are Regarded as High-Efficiency Upgrades?
Typically, this tax reduction is equivalent to 10% of the expense of the following energy-saving changes that achieve specific ENERGY STAR® requirements:
Advanced main air-circulating fans Energy-efficient gas, propane or oil furnaces Energy-efficient gas, propane or oil hot water boilers Energy-efficient heat pumps Energy-efficient water heaters Energy-efficient central air conditioners Insulation Particular metal and asphalt roofing Particular exterior storm windows, skylights and storm doors Solar/geothermal energy products, for instance solar electricity, solar water heaters and geothermal heat pumps Am I Limited to Claiming a Certain Amount?
Yes, there’s a lifetime limitation of $500 per home. This means if you have claimed this credit in previous years, you should lower any credit you claimed earlier.
If you’ve already claimed the maximum amount, you won’t qualify for any additional incentives through this expansion.
Credit Caps for Certain Items
Credits have a limit for a couple of participating equipment:
Windows and skylights—$200 Advanced main air circulation—$50 Hot water boilers—$150 Energy-efficient equipment—$300
If you have questions about how you can benefit from the extension of the residential energy efficient property tax credit, download Form 5695 or contact your tax advisor for assistance.
Upgrade Your Heating and Cooling System Today
Been procrastinating upgrading your heating and cooling equipment? Reach the Experts at 803-399-7208 or contact us online. We can help you find an energy-efficient system you can earn tax benefits from the following year.


For a more trauma-informed system of care, juvenile courts and their judges are asked to understand the myriad of underlying factors that affect the lives of juveniles and their families. One of the most pervasive of these factors is exposure to trauma. To be most effective in achieving its mission, the juvenile court must both understand the role of traumatic exposure in the lives of children and engage resources and interventions that address child traumatic stress. This questionnaire is designed to determine your Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Score, originally adapted from a training with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). For reprint permissions, visit CDC-Kaiser Study.


Flixotide Inhaler (Generic name: fluticasone; alternative brand-name: Flovent ) is prescribed for the prevention of asthma attacks. In a class of drugs called corticosteroids, Flixotide controls symptoms, such as wheezing or a night-time cough.
Like Flovent, this drug works by reducing inflammation and irritation in air passages, which results in easier breathing. You can save money on Flixotide using PharmacyChecker-accredited online pharmacies. Packaging of Flixotide shows that it is manufactured in Spain and New Zealand.
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.


This research was conducted to exploit the waste of used plant parts from the widely marketed moth orchid cultivar (Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian “V3”). Various extracts of roots, stems, and leaves were evaluated for total phenolics, total flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity. The bound extract from stems contained the highest total phenolics (5.092 ± 0.739 mg GAE (gallic acid equivalent)/g DW (dry weight)). The maximum total flavonoids (2.218 ± 0.021 mg RE (rutin equivalent)/g DW) were found in the hexane extract of leaves. Ethyl acetate extract from roots showed the greatest antioxidant activity compared to other extracts. Of these extracts, the IC50 values of these samples were 0.070 mg/mL, and 0.450 mg/mL in a free radical 1,-diphenyl-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reducing power method, respectively. The lipid peroxidation inhibition (LPI) was found to be 94.2% using the β-carotene bleaching method. Five phenolic compounds including caffeic acid, syringic acid, vanillin, ellagic acid, and cinnamic acid were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is suggested that the roots of the hybrid Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian “V3” cultivar may be exploited as an effective source of antioxidants.


Personal Injury Lawyer
There is a common issue among accident victims in that many underestimate the value of their potential claim. People often feel that either their injuries are not substantial enough to warrant a lawsuit or that an accident should not merit legal recourse. While the emotions stemming from injuries and trauma are understandable, it is necessary to look at the practical costs of sustained injuries before writing off a potential lawsuit.
The Cost of Empathy
While it is natural to feel for the at-fault driver, especially after an accident, you must acknowledge your needs above empathy. It is not uncommon for medical bills and property repairs to reach thousands of dollars in damages. It is also common for sustained injuries to interfere with employment and your ability to make a living. You may not want to sue the at-fault party, but you need to understand that your options to recover financially after an accident may be limited, which leaves little option available for recourse. If you choose to side with empathy, you risk burying yourself in debt.
Calculating Damages
To file a lawsuit, you need to place a value on your injuries, which is not always straightforward. It helps to consider damages in terms of being able to prove them in court. For example, compensatory damages are injuries with a significant paper trail. You should have no issue documenting medical expenses or property repairs stemming from the accident.
Do not forget to include lost wages in your estimation of damages. Many accident victims are forced to remain out of work until after recovery, and some may need to find a new occupation if injuries lead to a permanent disability.
While many injuries are easy to prove, you should also consider the less provable damages, like pain and suffering. Many jurisdictions allow you to seek compensation for psychological trauma, but because of the discrete nature of the injuries, you will probably need expert testimony from a psychologist or psychiatrist.
How an Attorney Can Help
You are not alone when figuring out the value of your claim. A personal injury attorney can help you organize your losses and injuries to calculate a fair starting point for negotiations with opposing counsel.
When considering a lawsuit after an accident, do not let empathy or emotion drive the decision. Look at your situation practically, and hire a lawyer, like a personal injury lawyer from Hickey & Turim, to help you calculate the value of your claim.


Document Type
Honors Project
Abstract
This study aimed to examine a potential linguistic cue that signals a speaker's sexual orientation. I examined the relationship between vowel duration and perceived sexual orientation for male speakers of American English. Speakers recorded a passage that was heard by naive listeners and ranked according to perceived sexual orientation. There was no significant difference in vowel duration between men perceived to sound gay and men perceived to sound straight. However, the gay-sounding men produced their diphthongs with more variance in duration than did the straight-sounding men.
Recommended Citation
Panfili, Laura, "Vowel Duration and Perceptions of the Gay Accent" (2011).
Linguistics Honors Projects. 7. https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/ling_honors/7
©
Copyright is owned by author of this document


DATE: June 16, 2015PARTIES: University of Toronto v. F.A. Panel Members: Ms. Sarah Kraicer, Chair Professor Michael Evans, Faculty Panel Member Ms. Lucy Chau, Student Panel Member Appearances: Ms. Tina Lie, Assistant Discipline Counsel, Paliare Roland, Barristers Dr. Robin Marushia, Instructor for BIOA02H3: Life on Earth: Form, Function and Interactions, University of Toronto Scarborough In Attendance: Professor Wayne Dowler, Dean’s Designate, University of Toronto Scarborough Ms. Natalie Ramtahal, Coordinator, Appeals, Discipline and Faculty Grievances Not in Attendance: The Student Trial Division – s. B.i.1(d) of Code – plagiarism – Student knowingly represented the ideas or expressions of another as her own in a formal lab report submitted for academic credit –Student did not attend hearing – reasonable notice of hearing provided – finding of guilt – no mitigating factors – no engagement in the discipline process – Tribunal sanctions should be reviewed for consistency with other Tribunal sanctions but not with divisional level sanctions – University not required to show how Student committed offence (whether Student plagiarized work of other student or vice versa); in either case, offence is committed and same sanctions apply - sanction for plagiarism must serve as effective deterrent - grade of zero; two year suspension from date of order; corresponding notation on Student’s academic record and transcript for three year period from date of order; and publication by Provost of notice of decision and sanctions with the Student’s name withheld.
The Student was charged with one count of academic misconduct under the
Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters, 1995 (the “ Code”) on the basis that she knowingly committed plagiarism in submitting a formal lab report for academic credit containing the ideas or the expressions of another as her own work. Specifically, the Student was charged with plagiarism under s. B.i.1(d) of the Code. In the alternative, the Student was charged with obtaining unauthorized assistance in connection with the formal lab report under section B.i.1(b) of the Code and with academic dishonesty under s. B.i.3(b) of the Code.
Neither the Student nor a legal representative of the Student appeared at the hearing. The Panel noted that the onus of proof is on the University under the
Statutory Powers Procedure Act (the “ Act”) and the University Tribunal Rules of Practice and Procedure (the “ Rules”) to establish that it provided the Student with reasonable notice of the hearing. The Panel heard evidence of the efforts made by the University to serve the Student with notice. It noted that the University provided notice to the Student by both courier and email to the Student’s ROSI mailing address and email account respectively. The Panel also noted the numerous efforts to communicate with the Student by email and by phone at the number provided by the Student. The Panel noted in particular that the University spoke by telephone to a person identifying herself as the Student’s mother who informed the University that she (the mother) had provided the Student with notice of the hearing. In addition, none of the emails sent to the Student bounced back and none of the courier packages were returned. No response was received from the Student. The Panel was satisfied that the totality of attempts made to provide notice to the Student demonstrated that notice had been adequately provided to the Student in accordance with the requirements of the Act and the Rules. As such, the Panel decided to proceed with the hearing in the Student’s absence.
The Panel noted the evidence of the coordinator of the course in which the Student was enrolled, who had responsibility for oversight of the course including marks management. The lab report submitted by the Student in this case was submitted via the website Turnitin.com (“Turnitin”), which is used for the detection of possible plagiarism. Turnitin in this case indicated a ‘similarity index’ of 68% between the report submitted by the Student and a report submitted by another student in the same course. As a result, the course coordinator examined the two reports and determined that there were significant similarities between the two. This was despite the fact that the two students were in different groups and not working from the same data set. The Panel noted that three of the five written pages of the Student’s report contained the identical verbatim text as that in the other student’s report and that the remaining two pages contained approximately 50% of the same text. The course coordinator twice requested a meeting with the Student to discuss the report but received no response.
The Panel stated that the onus was on the University to establish on clear and convincing evidence on a standard of probabilities that the academic offence charged had been committed. It agreed with the University’s submission that it was not required to show how the Student committed the offence (whether she plagiarized the work of the other student or assisted the other student in plagiarizing her work); in either case, the offence was committed and the same sanctions apply. The Tribunal determined that the evidence was cogent and compelling and established that the report submitted by the Student contained ideas or expressions of ideas that were not her own. The Tribunal found the Student guilty of plagiarism, contrary to s. B.i.1(d) of the
Code. The remaining charges were withdrawn by the University.
In determining the appropriate sanction, the Panel noted the principles set out in
University of Toronto v Mr. C (Case No. 1976/77-3; November 5, 1976) and noted the importance of consistency in the approach of the Tribunal to sanctions. Although the Tribunal did not consider itself bound by the ‘general standard’ argued for by the University of a two-year suspension in first cases of plagiarism, it did consider the sanctions proposed by the University to be appropriate and reasonable in the circumstances of this case. While there was limited evidence that the Student had received a zero grade on a lab report previously in a different course, the Tribunal accepted the University’s clarification that this case was considered to be a first offence. In this case, the Student did not respond to any communications from the University on this issue, did not attend the hearing and as a result, there were no mitigating circumstances for consideration. The Tribunal noted the seriousness of the offence of plagiarism, stating that this offence strikes at the heart of the integrity of academic work and undermines the essential relationship of trust, learning and teaching between all students and the University. The Tribunal stated that the grave threat that plagiarism poses to the core of academic integrity warrants a strong penalty and must serve as an effective deterrent. The seriousness in this case was somewhat lessened by the fact that the mark value of the plagiarized assignment was worth only 8% of the total course work.
The Tribunal did not consider the lighter sanction administered to the other student at divisional level for his similar plagiarism to be a relevant factor in determining the sanction for the Student in the instant case. It noted that the Student in this case failed to participate at any stage of the process. The Tribunal also stated that Tribunal sanctions should be reviewed for consistency with other Tribunal sanctions, and not with divisional level sanctions. The Tribunal imposed the following sanctions: a final grade of zero; a suspension from the University for a period of two years from the date of the order in this case, ending on April 12, 2017; and a notation of the sanction on the Student’s academic record and transcript from the date of the order, ending on April 12, 2018. The Tribunal also ordered that the case be reported to the Provost for publication of a notice of the decision and the sanctions imposed, with the name of the Student withheld.


The taxi stand at Nassau St and Witherspoon St in downtown Princeton, which has existed for many years, is set to disappear. As part of their meeting on October 19, Princeton Council agreed to reconfigure the space as parking for downtown businesses.
The move was triggered by a proposal from Princeton University to relocate the adjacent bus stop to a site across from South Tulane Street. The bus stop serves north-bound passengers on Suburban Transit/Coach USA commuter buses to New York City, and the NJ Transit 606 bus route. After the bus stop is relocated, a proper bus shelter will be added, along with parking for bicycles. The Princeton Traffic Safety Committee has supported the proposed relocation of the bus stop, because they believe it will help reduce congestion at the intersection of Nassau and Witherspoon St.
With the bus stop moved from the intersection of Nassau and Witherspoon St, only taxicabs would be left standing at the existing site. It turns out that the taxi stand doesn’t get that much business. In a three-hour period, municipal staff only observed one passenger pick up a cab at the Nassau Street taxi stand. The number of licensed cabs registered in Princeton has also dropped significantly in recent years. Whereas 28 cabs were licensed in 2018, that number had halved by 2019, and has further dropped to just 5 in 2020. It seems that Princeton cab users are more frequently using services such as Uber and Lyft nowadays, and when they do need a cab ride, they call for the car to come to their location, instead of using the taxi stand on Nassau Street.
Council has therefore decided that the taxi stand should be eliminated, and the space used for metered parking instead. The stand is expected to disappear by April 15, 2021 Licensed cabs can still pick up passengers at the taxi stand at Princeton rail station.


SimplyVital Health (SVH), a provider of decentralized, secure data access across the healthcare continuum, recently announced the launch of a crucial tool for driving trust and value: Aletheia, a blockchain-based event-logging API that increases trust between data-sharing partners.
SVH’s decentralized tools, such as Aletheia, are the product of industry-driven demands for transparency between healthcare organizations that need to share critical patient data in the growing value-based care environment.
Aletheia
Aletheia allows developers to leverage blockchain characteristics to build trust within processes by storing application events on public blockchains.
Using smart contracts, the API stores cryptographic hashes along with meta-data to provide an immutable history of application events, including the state of complete data objects. This enables an audit-able trail of data access and changes using public immutable blockchains such as Ethereum and SVH’s Nexus.
“Aletheia is versatile. We’re using it in our own platform to help providers with MIPS requirements. The immutability aids with security and compliance in healthcare.” – Lucas Hendren, CTO of SVH
Developers can access the Aletheia API now online.


Robotic stroke rehabilitation therapy can greatly increase the efficiency of therapy delivery. However, when left unsupervised, users often compensate for limitations in affected muscles and joints by recruiting unaffected muscles and joints, leading to undesirable rehabilitation outcomes. This paper aims to develop a computer vision system that augments robotic stroke rehabilitation therapy by automatically detecting such compensatory motions. Nine stroke survivors and ten healthy adults participated in this study. All participants completed scripted motions using a table-top rehabilitation robot. The healthy participants also simulated three types of compensatory motions. The 3-D trajectories of upper body joint positions tracked over time were used for multiclass classification of postures. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier detected lean-forward compensation from healthy participants with excellent accuracy (AUC = 0.98, F1 = 0.82), followed by trunk-rotation compensation (AUC = 0.77, F1 = 0.57). Shoulder-elevation compensation was not well detected (AUC = 0.66, F1 = 0.07). A recurrent neural network (RNN) classifier, which encodes the temporal dependency of video frames, obtained similar results. In contrast, F1-scores in stroke survivors were low for all three compensations while using RNN: lean-forward compensation (AUC = 0.77, F1 = 0.17), trunk-rotation compensation (AUC = 0.81, F1 = 0.27), and shoulder-elevation compensation (AUC = 0.27, F1 = 0.07). The result was similar while using SVM. To improve detection accuracy for stroke survivors, future work should focus on predefining the range of motion, direct camera placement, delivering exercise intensity tantamount to that of real stroke therapies, adjusting seat height, and recording full therapy sessions.
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Boston, MA - Researchers have identified a new regulatory pathway that may play an important role in basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer often referred to as "triple negative." This pathway may serve as a target for the development of an effective therapeutic.
These findings appear in the journal
Molecular Cancer Research.
While targeted cancer drugs are an option for some types of breast cancer, BLBCs are generally unresponsive. Additionally, these tumors tend to metastasize rapidly and patients with this disease generally have a worse clinical prognosis. The aggressive nature of this subtype of breast cancer may be due to the fact that these tumors often harbor a higher content of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are thought to drive tumor recurrence, progression, metastasis and drug resistance.
Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), under the direction of Sam Thiagalingam, PhD, found that a protein secreted by BLBC cells, called periostin (POSTN), acted to nurture and support cancer stem cells by activating a distinct signaling pathway in these cells. The researchers found that POSTN acted through a specific integrin receptor that was present on the surface of many BLBC cells. When they disrupted either POSTN or the integrin receptor, they found a dramatic loss of CSCs and an impaired ability of the cancer cells to form tumors.
The group also found that BLBCs with high POSTN levels were associated with an increase of key cytokines. "These findings suggest that BLBC cells have an innate ability to establish a local microenvironment that is supportive of cancer stem cells," explained Thiagalingam, associate professor in Genetics & Genomics, Medicine, and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, at BUSM.
He noted that the cases of BLBCs with high POSTN levels were associated with a worse clinical prognosis. "This indicates that POSTN might be clinically relevant, as a biomarker and or a therapeutic target, in the setting of BLBC."
At this time however, the potential of using this strategy in patients with BLBC, and possibly some other carcinomas, remains to be evaluated. "Ultimately, eliminating cancer stem cells may represent a viable approach to combating BLBCs and inhibition of POSTN signaling may be one way to achieve this," added Thiagalingam.
###
Arthur W. Lambert, Ph.D., the lead author of the paper, was a graduate student at BUSM in the Molecular Medicine Program and was supported by a fellowship from the Department of Defense, Breast Cancer Research Program (W81XWH-11-1-0060). Additional support for this research was provided by the Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Institute, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.


1 highly unsaturated fatty acids (118 times) Biochemistry (37 times) PUFA (19 times) DHA (18 times) EPA (12 times) 1984 [Effect of different combinations of exogenous higher fatty acids on cardiac function during coronary ischemia and reperfusion]. 2 highly unsaturated FA (12 times) Biochemistry (4 times) FA (7 times) PUFA (3 times) AA (2 times) 2001 The composition of saturated fatty acids in plasma phospholipids changes in a way to counteract changes in the mean melting point during pregnancy. 3 Hospital Universitario Fundacion Alcorcon (2 times) Psychiatry (2 times) --- 2018 [Inverse correlation between psychotic disorders and tumor development]. 4 high-fat diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids (1 time) Nutritional Sciences (1 time) FVII (1 time) FVIIc (1 time) PC (1 time) 2003 Effects of dietary fat quantity and composition on fasting and postprandial levels of coagulation factor VII and serum choline-containing phospholipids. 5 Highly unsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 series (1 time) Biology (1 time) DM (1 time) EPA (1 time) 2019 Ocean warming combined with lower omega-3 nutritional availability impairs the cardio-respiratory function of a marine fish. 6 HUFA without vitamins (1 time) Zoology (1 time) --- 2010 Physiological characteristics and stress resistance of great sturgeon (Huso huso) juveniles fed with vitamins C, E, and HUFA-enriched Artemia urmiana nauplii.


Prescription of foot orthoses
In some selected cases, an insole or orthosis can be a relief from pain, especially for those with a delicate plantar skin constitution. They also may provide a strong mechanical support in some muscular deficiencies.
All diabetics should, in our opinion, use them once the diagnosis is certain since plantar orthoses avoid peak loads occurring at the plant of the foot.


Discover how history can be traced through dance.
Take a fascinating journey to see history in an unique light – through the pastime which invigorated the lives of our ancestors and was a key social activity.
This collection reveals the history of dance in early colonial Australia 1770-1850 by exploring significant social and historical links.
Our history can be brought to life in a unique way by experiencing music and dance – a living link to our heritage.
In the modern age of intense electronic social networking, these dances shine as genuine, warm, social pleasures. Words are unnecessary while dancing; other skills are required – a smile, a glance, a touch. Could it be more different to social media on your smart phone?
In an evening of country dance one may have a dozen partners and dance with every person in the room; a group of individuals synchronised in the pattern of the dance.
Dance rates as one of the most beneficial forms of recreation: it involves so many different aspects in such an enjoyable way. The
exercise of moving through the dance, remembering the figures, listening and responding to the music, and above all, the myriad of friendly interactions.
______________________________________________________________
The information on this website www.colonialdance.com.au may be copied for personal use only, and must be acknowledged as from this website. It may not be reproduced for publication without prior permission from Heather Clarke.
______________________________________________________________
This resource was created on the lands of the Gubbi Gubbi people. We pay our respects to their elders past and present. Sovereignty was never ceded.


David Webber
(757) 547-9100
david.webber@lpl.com
Knowledge is power. It’s also the foundation for intelligent, well-considered decisions. When you have retirement in sight, informed decisions are vital in helping you pursue your goals and avoid costly mistakes that can potentially affect your future.
As a financial professional, I am committed to helping people create solutions for their investment assets. Once I understand your risk tolerance, time horizon and goals, I’ll work diligently to develop a program designed with the objective, to carefully balance investment strategies with preserving principal.
Today’s economic environment brings challenges. But along with challenges come opportunities and potential rewards. I work closely with my clients to evaluate those opportunities and get in position to potentially realize those rewards. I enjoy helping people strive to build a solid financial foundation for the future.
I invite you to check out all the material on my website. If something prompts a question, please send me a quick email or call my office. I would enjoy speaking with you.


Fonte: Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, in press, 2020.
Introduction: The purpose of this systematic review was to analyze the effect of plyometric jump training (PJT) applied in conjunction with tapering strategies on the jump performance of team-sport athletes. Evidence Acquisition: The meta-analysis included: randomized-controlled studies that incorporated a PJT program; cohorts of team-sport athletes; jump performance assessments; and studies that incorporated a programmed taper. A systematic search was conducted in distinct electronic databases for relevant studies. Aside from jump performance, the extracted data included characteristics of the participants, PJT, and tapering. Means and standard deviations were used to calculate the effect sizes (ES). To assess the effects of moderator variables, subgroup analyses were performed. The statistical significance level was set as p<0.05. Evidence Synthesis: From 7,020 records initially identified, 14 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. Across all included studies, there was a moderate, significant improvement in jump performance (ES=0.73; p<0.001). Additionally, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that the duration and intensity of the taper and the volume of the PJT induced similar improvements in jump performance (p<0.01). Conclusions: In summary, PJT interventions that included a programmed taper induced significant improvements in jump performance in team-sport athletes. These effects were observed after different tapering strategies in terms of volume, taper duration, and the type of PJT prescribed.


As we challenge others, we must challenge ourselves 15 June 2020
On 2 June GCN expressed our solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and with victims of racist police and societal violence everywhere. GCN further denounced the racism and injustice that exist in the UK ‘justice system’ and joined with others doing the same.
Ian Macdonald QC, our founder, stood in solidarity with the black community all his life. He led trials which challenged racist injustices in housing, policing, prosecution and immigration decision making and unfair trial and prosecutorial procedures. As just one example, in the Mangrove Nine trial in 1970, he forced a begrudging judicial acknowledgment of ‘evidence of racial hatred’ in the police. Other members of chambers challenge oppression, discrimination and injustice in their own legal practices.
Change comes from within
As Mira Hammad powerfully explains, it is not enough for a predominantly white (and male) legal profession to hold others to account for racism and discrimination when the profession is guilty of it themselves. GCN is a predominantly white chambers, and has been since it was founded. We know this is one shortfall and that we need to carefully consider and identify others. We do not reflect the diverse backgrounds of our clients. We have not done enough to promote diversity in our own ranks, nor the profession at large. We have not sufficiently challenged our overt and unconscious biases. We have not adequately tackled our part in perpetuating an institutionally racist system.
While silence is not an option, neither is inaction. Now is the moment for GCN to pledge to do better
and to be accountable through our deeds. These actions cannot be tokenistic.
As a chambers we have begun the process of investigating our shortcomings and challenging our assumptions. We are learning how to better make space for black and ethnic minority individuals. We invite all those who support us, instruct us and work with us to assist us in this process and hold us to account along the way.


Domain-specific languages are constructed to provide modelling capabilities tailored to a specific domain. Sometimes, languages are developed many times, typically to support application in a new context. In doing so, recurring patterns and commonalities as well as variations across the evolving set of languages can be identified. This paper introduces the concept of a domain-specific metamodelling language, which codifies such commonalities and provides concepts and logic for expressing the variations. The challenges and difficulties of using domain-specific metamodelling languages are identified. We illustrate the concept with examples from different domains.


Industry OverviewToday, the automotive industry is challenged by the surge in upcoming technology trends – EVs, autonomous driving, shared mobility, and the ever-changing emission norms. Automakers need to adopt strategic initiatives to shape the industry’s evolution while still maintaining profit and channels for expansion. For this, the auto players need to make fundamental changes in their supply chain and procurement networks. They need to search for new avenues of efficiency through cost rationalization in production, vertical integration of vendors and adopt tech-led sourcing and procurement models. The Moglix AdvantageMoglix helps its automotive clients implement world-class digital procurement solutions that provide intuitive catalog exploration, detailed spend analytics, real-time order tracking, and integration with ERP, all of which lead to significant cost savings and an increase in overall efficiency. Moglix insights and strategies to address your most pressing indirect procurement and supply chain challengesLearn more about how we can provide you with tools and support to gain a unique competitive advantage with our unified e-procurement solutions Download E-book Subscribe to our monthly newsletter
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Laboratory Studies
A complete blood count (CBC) may reveal parameters suggestive of infection (eg, leukocytosis), though leukocytosis may be absent in elderly patients. Elevated packed blood cell volume suggests a shift of intravascular fluid. Blood culture for aerobic and anaerobic organisms is indicated. Findings from liver function and renal function tests may be within reference ranges (or nearly so) if no preexisting disorder is present.
Imaging Studies Radiography
Erect radiographs of the chest are recognized as the most appropriate first-line investigation when a perforated peptic ulcer is considered likely.
[15] However, in approximately 30% of patients, no free gas can be identified. Thus, an erect posteroanterior chest radiograph is not sufficiently sensitive to rule out pneumoperitoneum in patients presenting with upper abdominal pain.
Plain supine and erect radiographs of the abdomen are the most common first steps in the diagnostic imaging evaluation of patients presenting with medical history and/or clinical signs suggestive of bowel perforation. Findings suggestive of perforation include the following:
Free air trapped in the subdiaphragmatic locations - If the quantity of free air is great enough, its presence can be visualized on the supine radiograph of the abdomen, allowing clear definition of the inner and outer surface of the wall of the bowel Visible falciform ligament - The ligament may appear as an oblique structure extending from the right upper quadrant toward the umbilicus, particularly when large quantities of gas are present on either side of the ligament Air-fluid level - This is indicated by the presence of hydropneumoperitoneum or pyopneumoperitoneum on erect radiographs of the abdomen
Water-soluble radiologic contrast media administered orally or through a nasogastric tube can be used as an adjunct diagnostic tool to detect any intraperitoneal leak.
The perforation has sealed at presentation in approximately 50% of patients. For those who favor a nonoperative approach, contrast radiology is routine in the management of these patients.
Ultrasonography
Localized gas collection related to bowel perforation may be detectable on ultrasonography (US), particularly if it is associated with other visible abnormalities (eg, thickened bowel loop). The site of bowel perforation can be detected by US (eg, gastric vs duodenal perforation, perforated appendicitis vs perforated diverticulitis). Ultrasonograms of the abdomen can also provide rapid evaluation of the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidneys, ovaries, adrenals, and uterus.
Computed tomography
Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen can be a valuable investigative tool, providing differential morphologic information not obtainable with plain radiography or ultrasonography.
CT scans may provide evidence of localized perforation (eg, perforated duodenal ulcer) with leakage in the area of the gallbladder and right flank with or without free air being apparent. They may show inflammatory changes in the pericolonic soft tissues and focal abscess due to diverticulitis (may mimic perforated colonic carcinoma). CT scans may not provide definitive radiographic evidence of perforated Meckel diverticulitis.
Procedures
Laparoscopy may significantly improve surgical decision making in patients with acute abdominal pain, particularly when the need for operation is uncertain.
Peritoneal diagnostic tap may be useful in determining the presence of intra-abdominal blood, fluid, and pus.
Peritoneal lavage is more valuable in the presence of a history of blunt abdominal trauma. The presence of blood or purulent material or the detection of bacteria on Gram stain suggests the need for early surgical exploration. Alkaline phosphatase concentration in the peritoneal lavage is a helpful and sensitive test that may be used to detect occult blunt intestinal injuries. A concentration greater than 10 IU/L has been shown to be a sensitive and reliable test in the detection of occult small bowel injuries.
Fine-catheter peritoneal cytology involves the insertion of a venous cannula into the peritoneal cavity, through which a fine umbilical catheter is inserted while the patient is under local anesthesia. Peritoneal fluid is aspirated, placed on a slide, and stained for examination under a light microscope for percentage of polymorphonuclear cells. A value greater than 50% suggests a significant underlying inflammatory process. This test, however, provides no clue as to the exact cause of inflammation.
Tables What would you like to print? Overview Presentation DDx Workup Treatment Questions & Answers


We implement Environmental and Social Impact Assessments prior to undertaking greenfield or brownfield expansion projects. These assessments identify potentially affected stakeholders and their representatives, as well as potential impacts from the outset, and provide a framework for developing both stakeholder engagement and mitigation plans. Many of our operations use baseline assessment tools to help identify community needs and provide a baseline against which we can measure our performance over time. Our active mining sites have mine closure plans that specify measures for managing environmental impacts at the end of mine life, while our ongoing community investment programs aim to build community resilience and individual capacity for sustainability post-closure.
Resettlement
We are committed to respecting the human rights of community members and, when unavoidable, conducting community resettlement activities in alignment with international best practice. This commitment is reflected in our Community and Human Rights Policies. We did not have any resettlement activities in 2019.
INDONESIA
PT-FI completed its Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) in 1997 in compliance with Government of Indonesian regulations and the company’s policies and practices on management of the environmental and social impacts of our operations. The AMDAL, approved by the Government of Indonesia, describes PT-FI’s management plans for environmental and social impacts. PT-FI’s Environmental and Community Affairs departments jointly compile data and program results and submit biannual Environmental Planning and Monitoring Reports to the Government of Indonesia.
Sedimentation Impact Mitigation
In 2019, PT-FI continued its collaboration with indigenous Kamoro communities located along the coastal areas of eastern Mimika, in particular Fanamo, Omawita and Otakwa. Some of the traditional waterways used by the Kamoro to access their traditional sources of livelihood have been impacted by the levee extension construction necessary to maintain the safety of our controlled riverine tailings system. PT-FI continued work with these communities on its impact mitigation strategy, which includes regular passenger boats and bus services to improve access between coastal villages and Timika to support the development of economic livelihoods, health and education.
Acknowledging that sedimentation impact mitigation is a cross-departmental responsibility, PT-FI’s Sedimentation Task Force continues its mitigation measures with key local government, religious institutions and local community stakeholders. This multi-stakeholder approach in mitigating sedimentation impacts resulted in development of both a water transportation program and economic development activities aligned with Kamoro culture and livelihoods. The water transportation program includes an integrated passenger boat and bus service with optimal routes and schedules determined through consultation with local community members and the local Mimika government. During Phase One of the program (2013 – 2018), PT-FI regularly engaged with the affected local communities in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating our social mitigation programs addressing the impact of tailings and sedimentation.
Phase Two of the program began in 2019, with continued enhancements to the local transportation system and an added focus on local economic development – vegetable and coconut farming, and fisheries. Program interventions during 2019 included:
Providing roundtrip boat service between Pomako and the PT-FI-constructed Omauga dock for the people from Manasari and Otakwa, including 48 return boat trips carrying approximately 750 passengers;
Constructing a community boat mooring area and bus shelter on the east levee that provides alternative transportation access for communities from the east to Timika;
Providing transportation for the five directly-impacted Kamoro villages to access their gardens and fishing grounds as well as markets in Timika, including a monthly average of 390 bus trips and 50 truck trips during the year;Securing access to fuel at a competitive price in cooperation with the Catholic Diocese of Timika;
Providing coconut program assistance covering 200 hectares and 368 farmer groups, including distribution of approximately 26,100 coconut seedlings; and
Ongoing vegetable program assistance including seeds and fertilizer as well as help with marketing, was provided to 177 households, who collectively generated revenue in excess of $178,000
PT-FI, together with the local government and affected local communities, implements regular monitoring and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of its mitigation programs on impacted communities. Program enhancements resulting from this process have ranged from modifying the type and size of passenger vessels, to improved transportation service routes and schedules with more strategic docking locations.
In collaboration with the local government, PT-FI is supporting the establishment of an economic and transportation hub in Otakwa village located to the east of Timika. The hub will support the establishment of an Integrated Center for Marine and Fishery Activities as well as an increase in coastal transportation access for Kamoro communities located east of the current network. This hub also will facilitate access of these coastal communities to the east to economic and social infrastructure.
Please refer to the Community Engagement and Social Investments sections for additional information on Community and Economic Development programs in Indonesia.
Community Grievance Mechanisms
To support constructive engagement and resolution of issues that may arise, we maintain site-level grievance mechanisms where community members can share their questions, concerns and/or complaints, outside of any other engagement forum. The community grievance mechanisms are part of our commitment to provide access to remedy. They also serve as an early warning system and help to manage and reduce potential risks by identifying and addressing problems before potential escalation into larger conflicts.
Our community grievance mechanisms are available in local languages, tailored to local cultures and allow us to document issues and concerns raised by local community members and responding a timely manner. Grievances are typically received by community engagement team members in the field, through engagement at established company/community forums, in writing via physical drop boxes or via local telephone hotlines. Regardless of how they are received, they are reported to the site Community Grievance Officer, who relays the grievance to the relevant department for evaluation. Community engagement team members help investigate grievances and work with community members to acknowledge the grievance, address concerns, solve problems and mitigate or remedy impacts, For grievances with potentially high community impacts, senior management and applicable government authorities are engaged, as appropriate.
During 2019, our global operations recorded 170 community grievances in our web based management system predominantly regarding community benefits, environmental concerns, health and safety and land rights. This system allows us to track grievances, identify thematic trends, report resolutions and measure our performance.
The ICMM’s update good practice guidance on Handling and Resolving Local-level Concerns and Grievances, together with input from community members and their representatives, are informing updates to our community mechanisms anticipated for rollout in 2021. This guidance strengthens the effectiveness criteria outlined in the UNGPs.
AMERICAS
Sierrita
Sierrita successfully resolved 725 grievances received in late 2018 and early 2019 associated with the six-hour, 500-year storm event that damaged the Sierrita Tailings Impoundment (STI) surface crust layer in late 2018. High winds during subsequent storms blew dust towards the adjacent Green Valley and Sahuarita communities resulting in dust-related impacts. Remedies were agreed with residents based on household-specific impacts and included organizing or reimbursing professional cleaning services for homes, cars and HVAC systems, as well as providing a Human Health Impact Assessment report on the non-toxic nature of the tailings material to circumvent misperceptions or concerns. To mitigate the risk of recurring impacts, Sierrita conducted a benchmark evaluation to inform updates to its Tailings Management and Stewardship Program (TMSP), including how to better anticipate and prepare for storm events to reduce dust emissions. Sierrita continues its engagement with neighboring communities, providing through regular communications, hosting and attending community meetings, conducting site tours, and having frequent discussions with government and regulatory stakeholders regarding the TMSP. Grievance resolution was ongoing for two cases as of the end of 2019.
Morenci
The Coronado Trail Scenic Byway (Highway 191) winds through Morenci in Greenlee County, Arizona, drawing tourists and providing critical access for ranchers in remote Upper Eagle Creek. On February 28, 2019, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) closed the Coronado Bridge located between Morenci to Alpine on Highway 191 without advance notice due to unexpected deterioration to the abutment. Vehicles were redirected through New Mexico – a 100 mile re-route. This impacted both tourism and ranchers’ ability to secure supplies for their animals and fuel for the generators used to heat their homes. When ranchers raised concerns regarding the timeline for the bridge repairs, Freeport-McMoRan and Greenlee County enacted their Emergency Management Mutual Aid Agreement plan to open a transportation route through Morenci’s operational areas for critical supplies and emergencies during the bridge closure. Morenci also provided hay to Greenlee County, which was delivered to the ranchers along with fuel, mail, prescriptions, and other critical supplies for Upper Eagle Creek residents. At the same time, Morenci collaborated with ADOT to expedite repair works by reassigning mining equipment to shore up the bridges’ existing abutment. These reinforcements allowed the bridge to be re-opened while ADOT completed additional repairs. Adjustments to mining operations enabled ranchers to transport their livestock to market on time, tourists to visit Greenlee County, and minimized quality of life impacts for residents of Upper Eagle Creek. The Coronado Bridge reopened on March 25, 38 days ahead of schedule.
El Abra
A major flood event that struck El Abra operations in early 2019 caused extensive damage throughout the Alto El Loa region of the Atacama Desert, including the Indigenous community of Conchi Viejo. Already vulnerable, indigenous communities were particularly impacted as the heavy rainfall washed out local roads and destroyed homes and infrastructure. Working with the affected communities, an emergency response plan was quickly developed, supporting immediate actions to address basic needs including transport, shelter and access to food and water. While restoring its operational infrastructure, El Abra prioritized community support by assisting with clearing and repairing roads, as well as providing construction materials for damaged homes. After the immediate response to the flood event, El Abra developed a reconstruction plan – a formal commitment supporting tasks that included removing flood debris, filling sinkholes, repairing homes, rehabilitating irrigation channels, and enhancing drinking water systems. The Conchi Viejo community celebrated the first phase of the town's reconstruction in October 2019 with remaining phases scheduled to be completed in 2020.
INDONESIA
PT-FI received and responded to two grievances from Kamoro community members regarding the impact of sedimentation on local transportation routes and certain economic activities in 2019. Acknowledging that sedimentation impact mitigation is a cross-departmental responsibility, PTFI’s sedimentation task force continues its mitigation measures through strengthening existing partnerships with key local government, religious institution and local community stakeholders on establishing an economic and transportation hub in Otakwa village to the east of Timika. The hub will support establishing an Integrated Center for Marine and Fishery Activities and an increase in coastal transportation access for Kamoro communities located east of the current network. This hub, when fully operational, will also facilitate access of these coastal communities to the east to economic and social infrastructure.
In 2019, PT-FI also recorded 15 formal land rights grievances from members of the indigenous Papuan communities, including claims over land use and compensation requested for past land use agreements. PT-FI received and processed these community grievances through its community grievance mechanism. This included working with local authorities to investigate the claims or grievances with the goal to reach a mutually acceptable agreement within existing legal frameworks of the host government. A 2014 land rights mapping study conducted by Cenderawasih University continues to assist the Amungme traditional council (Lemasa) and PT-FI in mediating conflicts over land rights claims in highland areas. Please refer to Land Use & Customary Rights section for more information.
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The stock market is a great place to invest in the long-term. However, if you don’t want to invest directly in stocks, a good alternative is to invest in equity funds. Equity funds are pooled funds that invest primarily in the stock market. They can either be a Unit Investment Trust Fund (UITF), a mutual […]


Abstract
Consolidation radiotherapy (cRT) in patients with stage I/II diffuse large B-cell lymphoma of the Waldeyer's ring (WR-DLBCL) in complete remission (CR) after induction chemotherapy (CHT) is often associated with relevant acute and chronic toxicity, and its impact on survival remains to be defined. A total of 184 patients in CR after anthracycline-based chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed: 62 underwent CHT alone (CHT group), while 122 (66%) patients were referred to cRT (CHT + RT group). After a median follow-up of 54 months, 36 patients (20%) experienced relapse: 19% in the CHT group and 20% in the CHT + RT group. At the time of analysis 47 (76%) CHT patients and 97 (80%) CHT + RT patients were alive. Five-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and lymphoma-specific survival (LSS) were 80%, 74% and 86%, respectively. Five-year OS was significantly prolonged in the CHT + RT group, while DFS and LSS were similar between groups. This discrepancy was attributed to a high percentage of deaths due to unrelated causes in CHT patients. cRT does not prolong LSS in patients with early-stage WR-DLBCL in CR after anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. An international confirmatory trial is warranted.
Keywords Chemotherapy DLBCL Lymphoma Radiotherapy Waldeyer ASJC Scopus subject areas Hematology Oncology Cancer Research


Abstract
The structure of any religion is based on signs and meanings, i.e. intentions and recognitions, as well the production/consumption of messages showing collective identity and memory. Through the semiosis process, space is perceived as a representation or a manifestation of something else (like the spatial recognition of a hierophany). Believers perceive the heterogeneity and the sacralization of space, distinguishing it from the “profane”. This distinction produces meanings and transforms space into a spiritual and cultural heritage. This article argues the sacralization of space and its physical (geographical) and psychological (“mythopoietic”) factors. Following a theoretical perspective, the aims are a) to address the influence of geography over the sacred; b) to reveal the role of the resemantization and sacralization for the spatial organization of places; and c) to emphasize the genesis and dynamics of sacred space and its recreation in a collective psychology.
Original language English Pages (from-to) 343-360 Journal Versus – Quaderni di Studi Semiotici Issue number 125 Publication status Published - 2017


Sara Boyd grew up in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, in low socioeconomic conditions. Because of this, she knew that her potential for going to college was limited or nonexistent, and decided on enlisting in the Military to both serve the country as well as to earn the opportunity to attend college.
As per standard military procedure, without informed consent or the right to refuse without the threat of dishonorable discharge, she was injected with various vaccines, all undocumented, including a vaccination for Anthrax that triggered a negative reaction.
This negative reaction played out as decreasing health over the span of her ten year military career. This decreasing health was marked with constant illness, chronic fatigue, pain, limb swelling, and a decline in cognition. Ultimately, she would learn that the vaccine poisoned her.
When she brought her condition to the attention of the Military and Veterans Affairs, they coldly rejected her claim that the vaccine (or vaccines) had caused her debilitating symptoms.
The Military has used soldiers as animal experiments for decades, injecting them with multiple vaccines, watching the poisoned soldiers decline and becoming permanently disabled, and denying that their coerced vaccinations and threat of dishonorable discharge had anything to do with their slide from highly fit and healthy to permanently debilitated.
Sara became a Staff Sargent and stationed in South Korea for Intelligence gathering, but had declined in physical and cognitive functioning that her decline forced her into early retirement.
Sara’s plight mirrors millions of vaccine poisoned soldiers struggling mightily for a return to the high level of fitness, physically and mentally, as they were before the forced chemical cocktail vaccinations.
She has created the nonprofit, GWI Operation Truth, which is trying to ensure that future soldiers have the right to refuse vaccinations, and making all vaccine injured soldiers eligible for VA health assistance.
Currently over a million soldiers are debilitated and disabled by the forced vaccinations without informed consent, and VA refusing to treat them for the intentional poisoning.
Staff Sargent Sara Boyd is dedicating her life to gaining justice for herself and for her soldier brethren who had their human rights violated when they were forced to get injected without their informed consent and were subsequently injured by the toxic vaccines.


In Indonesia, around 140,000 – 187,000 hectares of agriculture areas have been lost due to residential or industrial purposes every year, especially on Java Island. This research attempted to explore the viable method of rice farming in peatland which has the potential to be cultivated as arable land. Download our slides used during the International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture (ICOSA) 2020 on this page. The video of the presentation is available on our Youtube’s page.
Bagikan Topik Tahun Publikasi Ukuran File
5.53 MB


Abstract
We evaluated genetic variations in the non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) and the cell-wall components of stem in rice, sorghum, and sugar cane to assess the potential suitability of these gramineous crops for bioethanol production. For NSC, the maximum soluble sugar concentration was highest in sugar cane, followed by sorghum with sucrose. The major NSC in rice was starch, but there were wide variations in the starch to soluble sugar ratios among the cultivars. The total concentration of cell-wall components was negatively correlated with the NSC concentration, indicating competition for carbon sources. Among the cell-wall components, lignin was relatively stable within each group. The major sugar species composing hemicellulose was xylose in all crop groups, but there were differences in composition, with a higher fraction of arabinose and glucose in rice as compared to the other crops. In rice, there was less lignin than in sorghum or sugar cane; this might be advantageous for the efficient saccharification of cellulose.
Keywords Cell-wall carbohydrate components Nonstructural carbohydrate Rice Sorghum Sugar cane ASJC Scopus subject areas Biotechnology Analytical Chemistry Biochemistry Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Molecular Biology Organic Chemistry


How much Vitamin C is in one capsule?
Active Iron contains a small quantity (about 18mg) of vitamin C which acts as a preservative within the formulation.
Vitamin C, if taken in large doses (250-500 mg) can improve the absorption of iron. However, the quantity of vitamin C in Active Iron is not enough to enhance absorption.
Active Iron has been clinically proven to ensure better absorption of iron. There is no need to use an ‘enhancer’ like Vitamin C to boost absorption further. However, there is no issue you wish to take Active Iron with a vitamin C supplement or a glass of orange juice.


This guide provides a brief overview of the issues law enforcement should consider when working with immigrant communities, and in particular immigrant victims of crime by: exploring various immigration laws and terms that officers need to know; examining the challenges immigrant crime victims face navigating the justice system; identifying how officers can protect and assist immigrant crime victims while managing their enforcement role.
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Abstract
Hydrogen peroxide (H
2O 2) is a kind of ideal green propellant. It is crucial to study the wear behavior and failure modes of the metal materials under the strong oxidizing environment of H 2O 2. This study aims to investigate the wear of rubbing pairs of 2Cr13 stainless steel against 1045 metal in H 2O 2 solutions, which has a great effect on wear, the decomposition and damage mechanism of materials. The comparison analysis of the friction coefficients, wear mass loss, worn surface topographies and current densities was conducted under different concentrations of H 2O 2 solutions. There were significant differences in the tribological and electrochemistry properties of the rubbing pairs in different H 2O 2 solutions.


Verges What is a verge?
The verge is the part of the street between the carriageway (kerb line and road) and the property boundary of the land which abuts the street, but does not include any footpath.
The verge can often be referred to as the nature strip.
The verge is crown land that is under the care, control and management of the City. Underground services such as power, water, gas and telecommunications as well as drainage infrastructure have standard alignments within this space. As these services are located within the verge, they may need to be accessed by the service provider or the City and therefore the verge may be dug up. You will always be advised before this occurs, unless it is an emergency situation.
The City acknowledges the care residents take in maintaining verges, improving the overall appearance of the street and their properties.
Approval is not required when permissible verge treatments are installed. If you wish to do anything outside this list, you must submit a request in writing outlining your proposal to the City for consideration.
When doing building or demolition works on a property a verge permit is compulsory for:
temporarily parking vehicles
storing materials
placing a bulk bin or
accessing the property across the verge
Street trees are usually provided for each property. Residents and ratepayers are prohibited from removing, pruning or tampering in any way with street trees. Please refer to the street tree management document for further information.


Exports of electronic products from Singapore grew by 0.7 per cent on a year-on-year basis in November in contrast to the 3.2 per cent decrease in the previous month. The growth was largely due to telecommunications equipment (41.4 per cent), other computer peripherals (80 per cent), and diodes and transistors (6.5 per cent), it was reported by the trade agency.
Non-electronic exports declined by 5.1 per cent, compared with the 1.4 per cent rise in the previous month. This decline was led by pharmaceuticals (-12.5 per cent), structural parts (-91.3 per cent) and food preparations (-24.6 per cent).
Exports to all of the top 10 markets – except the US, Japan, Thailand and South Korea – fell last month. The main contributors to the decline were China, Malaysia and the European Union, according to IE Singapore, which drives Singapore’s external trade.


What you’ll learn: Contributions to a noisy environment The challenges and risks that security teams face amid too much noise Key tactics to help cut through the noise and improve your security efficiency
Security teams today are tasked with managing an overwhelming number of incoming alerts. A noisy environment can increase the risk of missing a real threat or potential breach incident.
Cutting through the noise requires an evaluation of your security strategy to ensure you’re enabling your team to focus on the right alerts without letting any threats slip by.


If your doctor has recommended radiation therapy as part of your cancer treatment, you may have many questions.
What is radiation therapy?
Will it hurt?
Will I have bad side effects?
How is radiation given?
Will it cure my cancer?
The video below will walk you through the basics of radiation therapy. I hope you find it helpful.


ScienceDaily (Aug. 31, 2010) — A study carried out by cardiologists from the Medical University of Innsbruck has investigated the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) amongst winter sports tourists to the Tyrolean Alps. The research, presented at the European Society of Cardiology's Congress 2010 in Stockholm, shows that inadequate preparation for the intense physical exertion required, combined with the effects of altitude and low temperature, leads to an increase in heart attack incidents, particularly during the first two days of vacation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100831104645.htm


This 3D illustration of the limbic system places the focus on the amygdalae, two small pea-shaped structures on either side of the limbic system that play a crucial role in the processing of emotional memory and experiences, including fear and anxiety. Over-activated amygdalae are central to the inappropriate reactions experienced by people who suffer from chronic phobias, obsessions and generalized anxiety.
Keywords:
© Audra Geras


Design for reliability is becoming an important step in the design cycle with CMOS technology scaling, demanding need for efficient and accurate reliability simulation methods in the design stage. Traditional aging analysis does not differentiate NBTI induced delay shift in rising and falling edges, thereby assuming averaging effect due to recovery. It is essential to identify the critical operation conditions that are more susceptible to timing violations under aging. In this paper, by identifying the critical moments in circuit operation and considering the asymmetric aging effects, timing violations under NBTI effect are correctly predicted. The unique features of this work include: (1) delay modeling of a digital gate due to threshold voltage (V
th) shift using delay dependence on supply voltage from cell library; (2) asymmetric aging analysis is conducted by recognizing the critical points in circuit operation; and (3) setup and hold timing violations due to NBTI induced path delay shift in logic and clock buffer are investigated. This failure assessment method is further demonstrated in ISCAS89 benchmark circuits using 45nm Nangate standard cell library to extract aging information in critical paths. The proposed failure diagnosis enables resilient design techniques to mitigate circuit aging under NBTI.